The Yan household.
Yan Hong anxiously paced back and forth within the room.
"What are we to do? I have already accepted the betrothal gifts from the Mu family; this money is crucial for resolving the group's financial crisis! Now that Qianyi is missing, the gifts must be returned!"
Han Yalong consoled him, "My dear, do not fret. Not only should we not return a single cent of the Mu family's betrothal gifts, but they must also compensate us."
Upon hearing this, Yan Hong paused in his tracks. "What do you mean?"
Slowly setting down her teacup, Han Yalong approached and linked her arm with Yan Hong's.
"Consider this: we handed her over to the Mu family in good faith and were even transported in their vehicle. The incident occurred while en route to their home. Now that she has vanished, the Mu family must provide us with an explanation, don't you think?"
Yan Hong's eyes brightened, his furrowed brow instantly relaxing. "That's reasonable, indeed! You are so clever."
"Rest assured, I will be by your side from now on, and everything will improve. Look, the financial crisis of the group is already resolved."
It was Han Yalong's idea to marry off Yan Qianyi.
Yan Hong praised Han Yalong once more before stating, "I will make a call to the police to inquire about Qianyi's whereabouts."
Noticing Yan Hong ascend the stairs to the study, Yan Ruyi appeared somewhat displeased.
"Mom, Dad truly cares about Yan Qianyi."
"Foolish child, why are you feeling jealous? Yan Qianyi is missing, and his first concern is whether the Mu family will demand the betrothal gifts back. He has likely already dismissed her from his heart. This is merely for show; after all, she is his biological daughter, and he cannot appear too callous."
"But Mom, don't you truly want to find Yan Qianyi?" Yan Ruyi expressed her worry. "If she isn't injected with the drug, she will awaken, and if she returns on her own..."
"Rest assured." Han Yalong interrupted her daughter, "Unless the police find her and rescue her, even if she awakens, it will be impossible for her to return. She has been abducted by those criminals and will only be reduced to a tool for procreation, never to return."
"But what about my elder brother? If he uses his connections, shouldn't it be easy to locate someone who has been kidnapped?"
Han Yalong scoffed disdainfully, "Do you think those criminals are easy to deal with? Finding one person is not as simple as you think. Besides, your elder brother is no longer part of our Interstellar Federation; his reach does not extend this far."
"True." Yan Ruyi nodded in agreement.
"Ruyi, not only is your father and Qu Yang now entirely yours, but even your elder brother has no one to contest with you. Cherish this; our mother-daughter days of fortune are still ahead."
As Han Yalong dreamily envisioned their future, a sudden commotion erupted from downstairs.
The two women descended the stairs.
Outside, the sky was overcast, and the interior felt dim.
The servants huddled together in the living room, with a young girl in a wedding dress standing at the center.
In the gloom, the girl's face was obscured.
Thunder rumbled—!
Suddenly, a deafening crack of thunder echoed.
A blinding flash of lightning illuminated Yan Qianyi's pale face.
Han Yalong trembled, startled into a shriek, "A ghost!"
Beside her, Yan Ruyi wore a look of alarm, quickly steadying the almost-falling Han Yalong.
Han Yalong's scream terrified the servants, who now dared not approach, believing they had seen a ghost.
(End of Chapter)