Ye Qian glanced at the unconscious Yang Wei and the on-duty police officer on the ground and smiled faintly. The prisoners in the same cell looked at Ye Qian in shock, each of them giving him a thumbs up and saying, "Boss, you're amazing, even daring to hit the police."
Ye Qian shrugged nonchalantly and said, "Are you coming with me? If not, I'm leaving."
The prisoners hesitated for a moment before saying, "Boss, you go ahead. Our crimes aren't that serious; we'll be out in a few years. Escaping prison wouldn't be worth it."
Ye Qian smiled slightly. He understood these so-called former gang leaders. Although they once had their moments of glory, they were now awaiting trial in the detention room, bound to end up in prison. They were no longer the naive young thugs who thought they would be big shots after serving time. The world had moved on, and even if they escaped now, few would help them. Even their former subordinates would likely be glad to see them gone. It was better to serve their sentences and live out their remaining years quietly.
After leaving the police station, Ye Qian called Li Wei. At that moment, Li Wei was dozing in a tree outside Zhao Ya's villa. Upon receiving Ye Qian's call, he immediately perked up. Being a bodyguard wasn't for everyone, and Li Wei preferred sniping enemies in the jungle to waiting for them to show up.
"You've been with me long enough to know Xu Yaying, right? I need to see her," Ye Qian said calmly.
Li Wei's interest was piqued, and he laughed, "No problem, wait for my call." He was willing to leave his current post for this task, eager for action.
Shortly after Ye Qian left, Yang Wei and the on-duty police officer woke up. Seeing that Ye Qian was indeed not in the detention room, they smiled smugly. Glaring at the prisoners, Yang Wei said, "You'd better act like you saw nothing and say nothing. If you cooperate, your sentences might be reduced. Otherwise... you know the consequences."
These prisoners, once influential, now had to swallow their pride and accept their current situation. Though resentful, they knew they had no choice.
After locking the cell door, Yang Wei and the police officer walked away. "Everything's going according to plan. Suspected of murder and now escaped. Even if he's innocent, it'll be hard to clear his name," the police officer said smugly.
Yang Wei sneered, "The higher-ups don't just want him imprisoned; they want him dead. Tomorrow morning, the entire city's police force will be searching for him, with orders to shoot on sight. He won't escape even with wings."
After leaving the detention room, Yang Wei made a call, detailing the events. However, he had no idea that Ye Qian hadn't left the station but was hiding in a corner, listening to their conversation. Knowing their plan, Ye Qian smiled evilly. He wasn't one to be easily manipulated and was now very interested in seeing how things would unfold.
Quietly leaving the police station, Ye Qian soon received a call from Li Wei. After sharing his location, he hung up.
Ye Qian had always trusted Li Wei's efficiency, but finding Xu Yaying so quickly still surprised him. Following the address provided by Li Wei, Ye Qian ran swiftly. It was late at night, the streets were nearly empty, and the city was enveloped in darkness. This was the darkest time before dawn, but soon the sun would rise again.
Arriving at an abandoned factory in the outskirts of Pudong, Ye Qian climbed to the second floor. He found Xu Yaying tied up, cowering in a corner. Li Wei was sitting on the floor, shamelessly munching on a watermelon, with several rinds scattered around.
Seeing Ye Qian, Li Wei grinned and said, "Didn't expect it to be this hot in China. Boss, want some watermelon?" Li Wei, a Chinese-American, had grown up in the US and wasn't very familiar with China.
Ye Qian rolled his eyes at Li Wei, took the offered watermelon, and started eating. He ignored Xu Yaying as if she didn't exist. Xu Yaying, watching them nervously, wondered how she could escape. She had been taken while showering at home, struggled and screamed, but Li Wei knocked her out and brought her here. Realizing Ye Qian's involvement, she felt a surge of fear. Yet, Ye Qian ignored her and casually ate watermelon with her captor.
Glancing at Xu Yaying, who was wrapped in a towel with her intimate parts barely covered, Ye Qian asked, "You didn't do anything indecent, did you?"
Li Wei looked at her and then laughed, "She was showering when I got there. This girl is pretty feisty. I had to knock her out to bring her here."
"Didn't take advantage of her?" Ye Qian asked.
"No way, I'm not that kind of person. Besides, she has no chest, no butt, and an average face. Why would I bother?" Li Wei said righteously. Knowing Li Wei's character, Ye Qian didn't believe him. If a naked woman was in front of him, it would be unusual for Li Wei not to take advantage. Ye Qian remembered Li Wei once saying, "As long as it's a woman, even if she's a rare Jurassic creature, there's always something for a man to enjoy."