Chapter 21: Shutdown

Sun Shuzhen’s heart tightened instantly. "Ningxi is so sensible. If she’s ever delayed and can't make it home on time, she always calls us. Even if it’s just five minutes late, she calls. Could something have happened to her?"

Yan Qingyu’s face turned pale, and he hesitated.

"Qingyu, do you know something?" Sun Shuzhen noticed her son’s odd behavior and asked anxiously.

Yan Qingyu said worriedly, "I told her that Grandma and Grandpa wanted to sell her off for a dowry. Could it be that she called them to say she refused, and they went straight after her?"

"What!" Sun Shuzhen was suddenly frantic and stood up abruptly. "That is indeed possible. When Mom and Dad came over, they might have already accepted the bride price on our behalf. Seeing that we wouldn't agree and not wanting to return the money, they must have told the man to go find Ningxi directly. She’s definitely being harassed right now."

Yan Xiubai’s expression tightened. Such things happened frequently in the news. He quickly dialed his daughter’s number.

...

Seeing that Yu Xiangrui was being very obedient, Gu Wangshan said triumphantly, "That’s right. If you had been this compliant from the start, your friend wouldn’t be in this position today..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Yan Ningxi’s phone suddenly rang. "It’s my dad."

The knife in Gu Wangshan’s hand moved closer to Yan Ningxi, almost touching her skin. He threatened her with a ferocious expression, "Don’t answer it, or I’ll kill you right now."

Yan Ningxi said cautiously, "If I don't answer, my family will think something happened to me and they will definitely call the police."

Gu Wangshan froze, realizing she had a point. But if she answered and tried to signal for help, it would be troublesome. Impatiently, he said, "Then turn it off."

"Okay." Yan Ningxi obediently turned off her phone.

Afterward, Gu Wangshan touched Yan Ningxi’s hand with the knife again, his tone brook no argument: "Turn off your manager’s phone too."

Yan Ningxi had no choice but to take Yu Xiangrui’s phone and quickly power it down.

*He really is insane,* she thought. *Turning off the phones at a time like this doesn't that just make it more obvious that she is in trouble? This will only make her family call the police even faster.*

Gu Wangshan felt reassured.

"Beep... beep... beep... I’m sorry, the number you are calling is currently on another line. Please try again later..."

Sun Shuzhen frowned. "Why did it connect at first, and now it’s on another line? Is she on the phone with someone else?"

"No," Yan Qingyu said. "I did an experiment with a classmate before. If it shows as 'on another line' after initially connecting, it probably means the owner suddenly turned off the phone."

"Turned off the phone?" Sun Shuzhen panicked.

Yan Xiubai also felt that something was wrong and dialed again. The voice in the receiver changed: "I’m sorry, the number you have reached is temporarily unavailable..."

He dialed a third time, and the call still could not go through.

Yan Qingyu was frantic. "Something must have happened to my sister."

Yan Xiubai, being older and more composed, tried to soothe him. "Don't panic. Public security is good these days; usually, nothing will happen. I have her colleague’s number. I’ll ask her colleague. It’s possible she just lost her phone; I’ll verify it."

Sun Shuzhen nodded. "You're right. Call her quickly."

Yan Xiubai soon reached Chi Xiaoxuan. "Hello, you’re Ningxi’s colleague, Chi Xiaoxuan, right?"

Chi Xiaoxuan: "Yes, Uncle. Is something the matter?"

Yan Xiubai: "I wanted to ask if Ningxi is still at the office? Her phone connected at first, but then it stopped working. I’ve tried several times and it won't go through."

Chi Xiaoxuan looked puzzled. "She left a long time ago. Isn't she at the hospital yet? She got off work on time today. She didn't leave with me; she said she was going to the hospital with her manager to visit her brother. She took her phone with her, and it couldn't have run out of battery—I saw her charging it with her computer all afternoon."

Yan Xiubai began to panic. He said urgently, "Can you please contact her manager? I’m sorry to trouble you, but she has never been like this before. Our family is truly worried about her."

Chi Xiaoxuan: "Of course, Uncle. Let me hang up, and I’ll get back to you in a moment."

Yan Xiubai: "Alright."

Soon, Chi Xiaoxuan called back, sounding anxious. "Uncle, our manager’s phone won't go through either, and neither will Ningxi’s. Could they be in trouble? Should we call the police?"

If one person’s phone wouldn't connect, it could just be a lost phone that the finder didn't want to return, so they turned it off. But if two people’s phones were unreachable at the same time, there was definitely a problem.

Yan Xiubai broke out in a cold sweat. "Yes, I’ll call the police right now."

Soon, the police dispatch center received the call. "I can't reach my daughter. Please help me find her."

"Sir, how old is your daughter?"

"She is twenty-two."

The dispatcher did not question the report based on the age of the missing person; instead, they asked more earnestly, "How did you determine that your daughter is missing?"

Yan Xiubai quickly recounted the situation. "That’s how it is."

The dispatcher said, "I understand. An officer will contact you shortly. Please keep your phone line clear."

Yan Xiubai said gratefully, "Thank you, thank you."

...

On the other side, Yu Xiangrui was driving nervously.

Throughout the journey, she had been thinking about how to get rid of Gu Wangshan, even considering causing a deliberate car accident.

However, she lacked confidence in her driving skills and feared that she might end up killing both herself and Yan Ningxi, while also harming innocent bystanders, so she didn't dare to act rashly.

By the time the car pulled into Gu Wangshan’s residential complex and stopped in front of his villa, she still hadn't found a way.

As soon as the engine cut off, her eyes met Yan Ningxi’s.

Yan Ningxi took the opportunity to give her a reassuring look. *Buy time, protect yourself, the police will be here soon.*

Yu Xiangrui was startled. Seeing Yan Ningxi look at her own phone again after their eyes met, she nodded imperceptibly.

Gu Wangshan rolled down the window and peered out cautiously. Seeing that there was no one around, he said loudly, "Yu Xiangrui, get out of the car first. Don't think about running, or I’ll kill your colleague."

Yu Xiangrui frowned and said, "I won't run. You’d better keep your word."

Seeing Yu Xiangrui get out obediently, Gu Wangshan signaled for Yan Ningxi to get out as well, keeping his knife pressed against her waist the entire time.

The three of them quickly entered the villa, and Gu Wangshan shoved Yan Ningxi into a room. "Get in there."

Yan Ningxi stumbled, nearly falling.

In the moment he shoved Yan Ningxi, Gu Wangshan pressed the knife against Yu Xiangrui’s waist. "You stay right here. Don't think about running, or I’ll kill your manager and then come back to kill you!"

Yan Ningxi said fearfully, "I understand. Please don't hurt Sister Xiangrui."

Gu Wangshan was satisfied. He closed the door and, still threatening her, took Yu Xiangrui to the bedroom on the second floor.