Nan Zhi was very fond of the boy, Xiao Hu.

He was well-behaved, sensible, and mature for his age… not at all the kind of child you’d expect this couple to raise.

That was why Nan Zhi had always thought that even after leaving Cuishui Village, she would want to continue sponsoring Xiao Hu’s education until he got into college and started his career.

As long as he was willing.

But now…

Nan Zhi felt a quiet vigilance and hostility blooming within her, and her heart sank.

She didn’t dare to think any deeper, to consider whether Xiao Hu had intentionally lured Nan Yi and the others here…

She forced herself to shift her focus, staring intently at the person hiding in the darkness.

The figure was a stranger, looking bulky and short, their entire body shrouded in a long raincoat.

This person had clearly come prepared, wearing gloves, a mask, and a hat. Not an inch of skin was exposed.

Even their voice was unnatural, obviously distorted by a voice changer.

‘What’s the purpose of all this?’

‘Are they afraid I’ll recognize them?’

A glint flashed in Nan Zhi’s eyes. She suddenly called out the person’s identity.

“Chang Mu?”

The figure flinched.

The strange, voice-changer-distorted voice replied:

“You’ve got the wrong person!”

This agitated reaction only made Nan Zhi more certain.

“So it really is you.”

This time, it wasn’t even a question. It was clear Nan Zhi was one hundred percent sure.

Chang Mu knew she couldn’t keep up the act. She ripped her raincoat hood back and stepped out of the darkness.

She looked as if she had nothing left to lose, glaring viciously at Nan Zhi.

“You’ve already fallen into my hands, and you’re still acting so tough? Are you really not afraid to die?”

Compared to Chang Mu’s barely concealed agitation, Nan Zhi was much calmer.

After all, the most terrifying thing is the unknown.

As long as she knew who her enemy was, there was always room to maneuver.

“If a great heiress worth hundreds of millions like you isn’t afraid, what do I have to be afraid of?”

“You!”

Chang Mu was so angry she almost ground her teeth to dust.

‘Good, she took the bait.’

Nan Zhi observed her without a change in expression.

Provoking Chang Mu was a spur-of-the-moment idea. Between a rational, calm enemy and a short-tempered, brainless one, anyone would know which to choose.

Just as Nan Zhi was about to press her advantage, Chang Mu suddenly frowned and tilted her head as if she heard something.

But it was clearly very quiet all around.

Nan Zhi had sharp eyes and spotted the faint outline of a Bluetooth earpiece under Chang Mu’s hair.

‘So there’s someone else behind Chang Mu?’

A bad feeling crept over her. She could only press the small knife hidden inside her arm tighter, ready to cut the ropes if things went south.

She’d had training for this before and could free herself with the small knife in under 20 seconds.

‘And if I rush out and take Chang Mu hostage…’

Of course, Chang Mu wasn’t listening to anything through the earpiece.

The Bluetooth earpiece she wore was something the system had required her to put on, saying it was to deceive others.

Chang Mu: ‘Hide? Why do I have to hide it? Don’t tell me these low-level paper-thin characters can hear our conversation?’

At the time, Chang Mu had scoffed at the idea but had no choice but to do as the system said.

She had grown increasingly accustomed to obeying the system.

Especially after the system had disappeared for a while and then reappeared.

It was the same now.

The anger Nan Zhi had so easily provoked in Chang Mu was calmed by a few words from the system.

Chang Mu took a deep breath and shot back a warning at Nan Zhi:

“Don’t think you can muddy the waters just by provoking me! Do you take me for a fool?”

Nan Zhi: “…”

“Where are the children?”

Finally getting to the crucial point, Chang Mu couldn’t help but reveal a smug, triumphant smile.

“So you finally remembered your son. I thought you didn’t care.”

There was a hint of sourness in her tone.

Nan Zhi found it strange.

But she didn’t let it show, only pressing on:

“Let me see them.”

Chang Mu granted the request as if making a generous donation.

“Of course you can.”

She lifted her hand.

The couple standing by the wall blinked their clear but foolish eyes.

A vein throbbed on Chang Mu’s temple.

“What are you standing there like an idiot for? Pull back the curtain!”

“Huh? Oh, right!”

The woman rubbed her hands together and half-ran, half-skipped to the bedroom doorway, then lifted the curtain.

Nan Zhi immediately saw the children passed out on the bed—

Nan Yi, Qing Xi, Qi Zhang… and Xiao Hu!

Nan Zhi didn’t know whether to feel relieved or furious.

“What did you do to them?”

Nan Zhi stared coldly at Chang Mu.

Before Chang Mu could answer, the woman—Xiao Hu’s mother—spoke up first.

“It’s just some sleeping pills. It’s not lethal, the kids are fine!”

Nan Zhi was silent for a long moment.

“You could do this even to your own son? Aren’t you afraid he’ll resent you?”

Xiao Hu’s mom knew Nan Zhi was talking to her.

But she felt no shame at all. Instead, she waved her hand dismissively.

“We get 10,000 yuan for this. What’s there for him to resent? It’s all for his own good!”

Shameless and cold-hearted.

‘How could Xiao Hu have parents like these?’

Nan Zhi almost lost her temper and struggled against the ropes.

She closed her eyes.

Only after her turbulent emotions had subsided slightly did she ask Chang Mu:

“We had no history of grievances. If this is about that little dispute online, that’s hardly enough to make you risk breaking the law to come after me, is it? What is it you really want?”

‘Could it be because of Lu Shixu? All for a man?’

But Chang Mu didn’t mention Lu Shixu at all, only replying irritably:

“None of your business! I just hate you. I really, really hate you!”

Nan Zhi’s dark gaze fell upon Chang Mu.

She was clearly the captive, bound and constrained, yet it seemed their roles had been reversed.

Nan Zhi was the one in a position of power, while Chang Mu was the one at a disadvantage, being scrutinized.

Chang Mu even felt a chill run down her spine, as if her skin had been peeled back and her insides laid bare for all to see…

“What are you looking at! Watch it, or I’ll gouge your eyes out!”

Chang Mu blustered fiercely.

But Nan Zhi could see she was all bark and no bite.

‘Could someone like this really dare to plan a major crime?’

‘Or is the person behind her directing everything?’

‘Judging by Chang Mu’s reaction, it seems even she doesn’t know why she’s kidnapped us…’

Nan Zhi pondered this, her eyes darkening.

This made Chang Mu extremely agitated, and she nearly rushed forward to slap Nan Zhi several times.

But soon, she thought of an even better idea.

Chang Mu shot Nan Zhi a triumphant glance, then turned and went into the bedroom, emerging with Nan Yi tucked under her arm.

“Look, your son.”

Chang Mu’s manicured hand patted Nan Yi’s pale, tender little face twice.

The color instantly drained from Nan Zhi’s face!

“What are you doing?”

Nan Zhi’s voice was tight, suppressing immense emotion.

But this only made Chang Mu roar with laughter.

“Yes! That’s the look! You remember this! Don’t you dare look at me like you did before! Oh, Nan Zhi, you’d better get one thing straight—who’s the captor and who’s the captive here! Your son is in my hands. If I tell you to kneel, you kneel! If I tell you to slap yourself, you slap yourself! And I’m going to make you completely… AHHH!!”

Chang Mu’s bloodcurdling scream terrified everyone in the room!

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