Time passed bit by bit, and Xie Zhifei grew increasingly restless.

That alley had few people to begin with, and even fewer in the afternoon. To spirit away a living person like Yan Sanhe without anyone noticing wasn’t easy.

I can’t just wait like this!

He supported himself on the door frame and stood up. “Someone, prepare my horse!”

“Chief, Zhu Qing specifically said not to let you leave.”

“Am I your chief, or is he your chief?”

Xie Zhifei’s eyes flashed. “Stop the nonsense—bring my horse.”

“Yes!”

Xie Zhifei strode out of the office. Just as he was about to mount his horse, he saw one of his guards galloping toward him from afar.

He gripped the reins tightly and shouted, “Well? Did you find her?”

“Chief!”

The guard dismounted. “Zhu Qing just sent word—someone saw a carriage racing out of Green Lotus Alley about half an hour ago.”

Green Lotus Alley?

That was the alley adjacent to Fourth Lane.

“Did they see clearly what kind of carriage it was?”

“Yes, the carriage had a white banner tied to it.”

Xie Zhifei’s expression turned severe. “Notify the other four patrol offices—search the entire city for this carriage.”

“Yes!”

…

“Chief, someone saw the carriage heading toward the Yongding River!”

“Chief, the carriage stopped at the gate of Red Fortune Date Farm on the western bank of the Yongding River. There’s definitely a white banner on the front.”

“Chief, someone saw a delicate-looking young man being dragged inside.”

“Chief, after he was dragged in, the farm gate closed.”

As messages arrived one after another, Xie Zhifei rode hard toward Red Fortune Date Farm.

Reaching the alley entrance, Zhu Qing was already waiting. Seeing his master dismount, he quickly stepped forward to support him. “Master, how are you?”

“I’m fine.”

Xie Zhifei pushed his hand away. “What’s the situation here?”

“The person is inside. No movement yet.”

Xie Zhifei said decisively, “Storm it.”

Zhu Qing: “Yes!”

Moments later, dozens of guards surrounded the two-story building.

Xie Zhifei and Zhu Qing exchanged glances, then simultaneously kicked.

BANG—

BANG—

After two enormous crashes, Xie Zhifei charged in first, followed by the guards streaming in after him.

“AHHHHH—”

“AHHHHH—”

Amid women’s sharp, piercing screams, Yan Sanhe stood up from her chair and stared at the man before her in disbelief.

“Xie Zhifei, what are you doing?”

Xie Zhifei looked at her, then at Madam Ning beside her, and the elegant woman next to Madam Ning. Finally, his gaze fell on the three teacups…

So!

She wasn’t kidnapped?

She had quietly run off with someone on her own?

Thinking of the past hour’s terror, anxiety, and unease, Xie Zhifei’s rage shot straight to his head.

He took a large step forward, reached out, and flipped over the small tea table.

“Yan Sanhe, I’d like to ask what YOU’RE doing! Is it fun to disappear without a word?”

Yan Sanhe: “…”

“Do you know that to find you, I nearly turned the entire capital upside down?”

Yan Sanhe: “…”

“Can’t you be less troublesome? Can’t you look after yourself a bit?”

“Two masked men tried to capture me.”

“…Ah?” Xie Zhifei froze.

Yan Sanhe pointed to Madam Ning beside her. “If not for them, you wouldn’t be seeing me right now.”

Xie Zhifei’s pupils suddenly constricted as he turned his head stiffly, bit by bit.

“Oh my, Third Master, it was like this.”

Seeing Third Master looking her way, Madam Ning quickly pushed the trembling woman in her arms forward and explained rapidly.

“Today I happened to have business with Miss Yan. When we reached the alley entrance, our driver Old Li said people were fighting ahead.

I lifted the curtain to look, and my heart started pounding—what fight? Clearly one person was running ahead while two masked men were chasing behind.

I looked more carefully and—oh heavens—wasn’t the person running ahead Miss Yan?”

Madam Ning patted her chest, still shaken.

“So I shouted ‘Miss Yan!’ Miss Yan saw me too, and she very cleverly jumped onto my carriage. We fled desperately, fled and fled, until we reached here!”

Xie Zhifei’s heart began racing again. He looked her up and down before asking somewhat weakly:

“Were you injured?”

Yan Sanhe shook her head. “No.”

Xie Zhifei collapsed into a chair, head hanging, breathing heavily, various complex emotions surging from his heart.

Good—she’s safe.

Thank heaven—she’s safe.

Yan Sanhe looked at him, emotion rising like a tide in her eyes before slowly receding.

She picked up a gold hairpin from the wreckage on the floor. The bloodstain on the tail had dried.

“Thanks to this, I wounded one of them on the arm—a long gash.”

Xie Zhifei looked up, his eyes somewhat heated as he gazed at the hairpin. “Did you see their faces clearly?”

“One had triangular eyes, one had single eyelids. Both were short of stature, medium build, with very agile movements.”

Yan Sanhe’s tone was extremely calm.

“They didn’t want my life—they wanted to stuff me in a sack, which gave me a chance to escape.

Also, when one of them covered my mouth, I smelled face powder on his hand. His palm had a thick layer of calluses—these hands have wielded blades for years.”

Hearing this, Xie Zhifei’s first thought was: It’s that bastard Xu Sheng!

“If I remember correctly, that man has a group of blade-wielding followers around him.”

Yan Sanhe: “In this vast capital, only he bears a grudge against me, and only he would dare act so boldly without regard for the Xie family.”

Good girl!

We’re thinking the same thing.

Xie Zhifei’s eyes grew even more heated. “Li Buyan has already reported the case to the patrol office. Leave this matter to me.”

“No need, I’ll handle it my—”

“Yan Sanhe!”

Xie Zhifei’s eyes swept toward the guards at the door. Yan Sanhe immediately understood and cooperated. “Fine, I’ll leave it to the patrol office.”

“Oh my, working in your profession is truly dangerous.”

Madam Ning tugged at Xie Zhifei’s sleeve. “Third Master, about this door…”

“I’ll compensate.”

Xie Zhifei didn’t even glance at Madam Ning, his gaze still fixed on Yan Sanhe.

“Why does your face look so terrible?” Yan Sanhe met his dark eyes. “Do you need some water?”

“No need. I’ll be fine in a moment.”

Xie Zhifei’s heartbeat had slowed, but his thoughts were chaotic, various ideas colliding in his mind.

“Where’s Li Buyan?”

Xie Zhifei couldn’t very well explain Li Buyan’s whereabouts in front of so many subordinates. “I’ll take you back to the residence and explain on the way.”

“I can’t go back yet!”

Xie Zhifei’s chest thumped. “Yan Sanhe, can’t you listen to me for once? I…”

“Oh my, Third Master, it’s me who needs Miss Yan.”

Madam Ning’s eyes were sharp. Seeing the veins on Xie Zhifei’s forehead bulging again, she quickly pointed to the elegant woman beside her.

“You actually know this person.”

Xie Zhifei finally shifted his gaze over and stood up. “You are…”