Assistant Li kept replaying last night's events in his mind: Yun Shunnian's request for him to bring Mu Qi to the seaside, and her refusal to let him park the car by the shore and wait for them.
The more Assistant Li thought, the more uneasy he became. He quickly took out his phone, opened his photo album, and, using the cruise ship number from his phone, walked into the nearby cruise rental company.
"What in the world is going on? Why hasn't that cruise ship returned?" Assistant Li muttered as he ran a hand through his hair and paced back and forth.
"Let me tell you, if anything happens to our CEO, I don't think your shoddy company will be able to stay open!"
The manager hadn't expected Assistant Li, who seemed so pleasant when he first arrived, to turn so ferocious after just one sentence.
"Sir, please calm down. None of us want to see something like this happen. I'll use our company's GPS system to track the cruise ship's location right now."
"You have a GPS system? Then hurry up! What are you waiting for, talking nonsense to me here!" Assistant Li, feigning bravery, lifted his briefcase and pointed it at the manager.
The manager touched his nose, dared not delay any further, and turned to leave quickly.
"Found it, sir. The cruise ship is currently drifting with the waves. I suspect it might have encountered some problem, rendering it unnavigable."
Assistant Li tossed his briefcase aside, turned, and grabbed the manager by the collar, lifting him into the air. "The cruise ship has a problem?"
The manager, seeing Assistant Li's face so close, nodded numbly.
"You dare to use a faulty cruise ship to transport our CEO?"
The CEO of Mu Corporation was, in essence, the lifeblood of the capital's economy. So many people depended on Mu Qi for their livelihood!
He shouldn't have left last night!
Assistant Li's hand, clenched around the manager's collar, trembled slightly from excessive force.
The manager patted Assistant Li's hand helplessly, his throat bobbing. "How can you say that? Didn't you choose that cruise ship yourselves?"
"You're still arguing!"
Assistant Li's face was grim, his anger burning. He raised his other fist, about to strike the manager.
Seeing this, the manager quickly begged for mercy. "I was wrong, I was wrong! Please calm down. Let's quickly arrange for other cruise ships to provide rescue. We mustn't delay the best window for rescue."
Assistant Li's fist paused in mid-air for a moment before finally being lowered. He allowed others to help him to a sofa.
Assistant Li propped his elbows on his knees, his thumb massaging his throbbing head.
The manager, not daring to waste any more time, turned and instructed his staff to arrange for a rescue immediately.
Assistant Li took a moment to compose himself, glanced at the manager's retreating back, and frowned, clear distrust in his eyes.
Assistant Li averted his gaze, took out his phone, and called Shan Gong.
Mu Qi had once said that if he were unavailable, Shan Gong was a trustworthy person.
At that moment, Shan Gong was practicing boxing in the ring. The special ringtone sounded. Shan Gong quickly reacted, dodging an attack from his opponent and leaping off the stage.
The boxer who had missed his punch was frustrated. Shan Gong, now off the stage, sat on a stool. Upon hearing something on the phone, his expression grew increasingly grave.
"Wait, I'll be there immediately." Shan Gong ended the call, ignored the person in the ring, and vanished from the training area in the blink of an eye.
With a bang, the boxer punched the guardrail.
A quarter of an hour later, Shan Gong had a team link to the company's GPS system and, with over a dozen people, boarded a helicopter.
Assistant Li watched the helicopter hovering in the air from the coast, his suspended heart finally easing slightly. Sudananovel.com
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The master bedroom of Grand Island.
"Niannian, it's time to eat."
As dusk began to fall, Yun Shunnian lay on top of Mu Qi, looking listless.
As Mu Qi spoke, Yun Shunnian's stomach rumbled again.
Yun Shunnian merely glanced at Mu Qi before closing her crescent-shaped eyes again. She felt weak and had no desire to move.
Mu Qi placed his hand on Yun Shunnian's stomach and rubbed it. "Niannian?"
Yun Shunnian felt ticklish and moved away. At the same time, she raised her hand to cover Mu Qi's mouth.
Mu Qi's gaze traveled from Yun Shunnian's cheek down to the area between them.
Looking at the handcuffs that connected him and Yun Shunnian, Mu Qi's throat bobbed, his eyes filled with a strange light.
After a moment, Mu Qi shifted his gaze away from the handcuffs, wrapped Yun Shunnian in a blanket, and then, with his free hand, placed it on Yun Shunnian's hip, lifting her entire body.
Yun Shunnian suddenly realized something was amiss and her eyes snapped open. "What are you doing?"
Yun Shunnian pinched Mu Qi's chin, forcing him to look at her.
"Nothing, just sleep." Mu Qi leaned in and kissed Yun Shunnian's forehead.
Yun Shunnian didn't know what Mu Qi intended to do and decided to observe for the time being.
However, Yun Shunnian was simply too sleepy. Her little head involuntarily began to nod against Mu Qi's shoulder.
After a few more nods, Mu Qi rubbed Yun Shunnian's head and gently let her rest her head on his shoulder and fall asleep.
Rinsing rice, washing vegetables.
Although Mu Qi operated with only one hand, he appeared meticulous, focused, and at ease.
An hour later, Mu Qi's vegetable congee was ready.
Mu Qi held Yun Shunnian in one arm and served the congee with the other.
"Niannian, it's time to eat. Eat the congee and then sleep."
"Niannian." Mu Qi called Yun Shunnian's name several times without a response.
Helpless, Mu Qi lowered his head and bit Yun Shunnian's ear.
"Don't disturb me." Yun Shunnian, annoyed, swatted at Mu Qi's face.
Mu Qi froze for a moment, then grabbed Yun Shunnian's hand that had hit him and continued to bite her.
Yun Shunnian tried to dodge but failed. Finally, with an impatient expression, she opened her eyes.
Yun Shunnian looked at Mu Qi, her eyes brimming with grievance. "Mu Qi, I want to sleep."
Mu Qi scooped some congee with a spoon and offered it to Yun Shunnian's lips. "Eat first, then we'll talk."
Mu Qi's eyes were deep, as if he wouldn't let Yun Shunnian eat unless she ate the congee.
Yun Shunnian frowned at the well-presented congee in the spoon, then turned her back to the spoon and slumped against Mu Qi's shoulder, stubbornly refusing to eat.