A few rays of morning light shone down from the dawning sky, haloing the surrounding clouds with a slightly white glow before gradually dyeing them in layers of golden red. Shen Youquan, who had not closed his eyes all night, was exposed to these rays that filtered through the window, and shockingly shed two trails of tears.

The policewoman sitting next to him whispered a few words of consolation.

He quickly lowered his head and wiped his tears away. His voice was dry as he said, "They're just physiological tears. I haven't slept all night. My eyes are too dry to stand the stimulation of light."

Everyone nodded silently and no longer asked anything more, but they also knew that it was rather inevitable for his mood to be unpleasant.

Several cars arrived at the Shen Family's house one after another. Hearing the sound of the engines, Mother and Father Shen rushed outside to check on the situation. If examined closely, one would be able to see that their complexions had become more and more dry and sallow. It was clear that they stayed up the entire night.

In contrast, it was difficult to look away from Zhong Huilu's natural beauty, which still appeared to be as resplendent and beautiful as ever.

Seeing a group of people trail behind Shen Youquan as he entered the house, Long Chengsheng immediately asked, "Mr. Shen, they are..."

"They're my accountants, a bank manager, and the security guards who transport cash. You should already know Mr. Lan Qi, I'm planning to sell all the family properties that can be sold. He is responsible for helping me with the procedures required." Shen Youquan pointed to an old man with gray hair.

Of course Long Chengsheng knew Lan Qi. He knew that the other person was the agent who was responsible for managing the majority of Shen Youquan's assets.

At this time, Lan Qi's thin lips were pressed together tightly, his face was gloomy, and his forehead was furrowed with worry. Two men and a woman, who followed after him, were also dressed up like social elites.

The cold metal cases they had brought were piled up in the back of the car. At a glance, it could be seen that they were quite heavy. Another two strong-looking men vigilantly stared at the cases, not daring to look away for even a second in fear that a group of thugs would suddenly rush out from a corner and snatch them away.

Long Chengsheng's eyes also firmly locked onto the cases. After two or three seconds, he moved his gaze away with certain difficulty and said dryly, "Mr. Shen, rest assured that everything has been fine at home after you left."

"Good, good, thank you! Today, Mr. Lan and I will be very busy. I will still need you to look after my family. My parents are not in good health. You should pay more attention to them."

As Shen Youquan walked past, Long Chengsheng could finally make out the details of the former's appearance-dishevelled hair, a dirty face, the stubble of an untrimmed beard, and eyes red with tears. He looked very much like the definition of a father who was worried about his son's safety and had been tormented because of it inside out.

Long Chengsheng nodded and agreed, while Father and Mother Shen repeatedly asked their son whether he had managed to raise the money.

Thus, a group of people ascended to the second floor in a grandiose manner. As the stairwell was relatively narrow, one such 'accountant', who had a soft bearing, seemingly couldn't help but make slight contact with Long Chengsheng and Zhong Huilu as they passed by him, but these two did not notice anything.

Disguised as a bank manager, the policewoman pretended to look for the toilet, but instead walked straight into the master bedroom. She quickly surveyed the situation inside the room and then went to take a look at the contents of the trash can.

Zhong Huilu was very alert and almost immediately followed after her.

After apologizing for entering the wrong room, the policewoman left the master bedroom and entered the study to rejoin the investigation team.

She lowered her voice as she reported, "Dr. Song, Zhong Huilu applied a beauty mask last night."

"I see." Song Rui's eyelids closed slightly, as if this matter had long been within his expectations.

Shen Youquan wasn't that foolish, he noticed soon enough that something was not right.

He gritted his teeth as he said, "My son has been kidnapped but she's still in the mood to apply a mask? Sure enough, her anxiousness is all a false pretense."

After his outburst, Shen Youquan couldn't help but feel that he had taken quite a blow to his pride. He has spent the whole night running around for another person's child, completely anxious and worried, and as a precaution, he had even asked Lan Qi to help him sell a few stocks that held strong growth prospects.

What a loss!

"I'm going to see my daughter, Dr. Song. I'll leave you to continue first." Shen Youquan wiped his face and left in a hurry.

When facing Zhong Huilu and Long Chengsheng, he had to concentrate all his strength into suppressing his anger and hatred. If his daughter didn't exist, he didn't know how else he would have been able to sustain himself.

"Go ahead." Song Rui waved his hand without looking back, his attention focused on a stack of financial statements.

Shen Youquan couldn't wait to walk over and see his daughter, then kiss her soft little cheeks and smell her childish milky scent. Just these small warm actions caused the tears that had been swallowed into his stomach to overflow.

Shen Yuling was woken up by her father's tears, but she wasn't at all unhappy. She hugged his big head and asked in a low voice, "Daddy, why are you crying? Did Mom scold you? Don't cry, don't cry, Nan Nan will give you sweet candy."

She got up from the bed, reached down from the head of the bed, and from a hidden corner, deftly pulled out a fruit candy and stuffed it into Shen Youquan's mouth.

"Don't cry after eating candy, good Daddy." Shen Yuling gently patted the back of her father's head with a little chubby hand, and then kissed his stubble-covered chin. Her behavior was considerate, as if she was a little adult.

Shen Youquan's tears only flowed even more fiercely after seeing his daughter act so thoughtful and well-behaved.

Why had she hidden so many fruit candies in her bed? How had she known that he would feel better after eating some sweets?

It could only be because she had cried too many times, and every time, apart from those candies and herself, no one would be there to offer her any hugs or comfort. Surprisingly, despite all that she had experienced so far, there was not the least bit of haziness in her heart. When her father was sad, she immediately forgot his past neglect and indifference, and instead shared her secret little treasure with him, just to give him a little comfort.

Who had said that his daughter was mischievous and needed strict education? Who had said that his daughter was naughty and selfish? It was all prejudice!

Shen Youquan hugged his daughter and couldn't help but choke up as he promised, "Baby, Daddy's little daughter, Mom won't scold you any more. With Dad here, no one can make you cry again."

While the father and daughter pair were cuddling together in a touching moment, Long Chengsheng brewed a pot of hot tea and took it to the study room on the second floor.

He knocked on the door and walked in. His eyes flitted across the faces of every stranger as he observed their every move. Two security guards dutifully guarded the metal cases. A woman in a bank uniform was using a cash counter to quickly count the cash that had been raised until now.

The banknotes bundled with white paper tape were stacked neatly in piles on the wide table, the sight of which dyed Long Chengsheng's pupils red. His hands that held the tray trembled slightly before quickly stabilizing, and he swiftly turned his gaze to observe the two men sitting around Lan Qi.

The man with the soft appearance was operating a computer with quick movements, and the computer screen was filled with all kinds of extremely complex graphs.

The other one, the more mature and stable man, held a folder in his hands as he instructed Lan Qi how to buy and sell the several stocks in Shen Yuoquan's possession, speculating about the losses and revenue, and how to operate to maximize and gain the most profit.

They all appeared to be very professional, their countenances and mannerisms belonged to those who were giants among men. To the unaware observer, they seemed to have nothing to do with the police at all.

Lan Qi had been kept in the dark by Shen Youquan. He didn't know that the people who had arrived with him were in actuality a group of police officers.

After hearing Song Rui's explanation, he sincerely sighed, "No wonder Mr. Shen abandoned the long-term cooperation team he already has and replaced them with your team. As a newcomer, your business acumen is really strong! Where did you work before? Why have I never met you?"

Long Chengsheng perked his ears as he looked at them. He didn't recognize any of these people except for Lan Qi, so he would naturally carry a certain degree of suspicion.

"I used to work as a consultant at Lampson for a while. This is my business card." Song Rui handed over a beautifully crafted business card.

Lan Qi widened his eyes in astonishment. "So you are the Dr. Song Rui, the one who successfully led the merger and acquisition of Leinuo and Meihua? I've heard so much about you! That battle was truly exciting.

"You predicted every strategy and move of Meihua's and executed a beautiful counterattack in a timely manner. It was widely rumoured that you used a special ability that you have that allows you to see through people's hearts. You have also never lost at the negotiation table! Last year, I used this very case of yours as a classic example in a lecture for my students. I didn't expect to be able to see you this year! Oh, this is really an honor."

Song Rui politely replied, "Mr. Lan is praising me too much, you are my senior."

Lan Qi repeatedly waved his hand as he expressed, "No, in our line of work, only those who have reached a certain level can be called experts. Just now, I took advantage of my position as a veteran and questioned your capability. Mr. Shen is lucky to have you come and help us. With you here, we can relax."

"Mr. Shen is doing his best to save the child. Although we are outsiders, we still have a responsibility to help. The safety of the child is of the utmost importance. We must deal with all this business as soon as possible, the child can't afford to wait."

Song Rui's attitude remained calm throughout, and this calmness also affected Lan Qi. Very soon, they were busy again.

After hearing the conversation between these two, Long Chengsheng's doubts had all been dispelled, and so he put down the tray with tea and left the room. He had followed Shen Youquan for several years, and was naturally aware of the brilliance that was Leinuo and Meihua's merger and acquisition.

It turned out that this man was the renowned Dr. Song Rui. No wonder his temperament was so outstanding.

As Long Chengsheng arrived at the corner of the stairs, he let out a sarcastic smile, inwardly sneering-It seems that Shen Youquan really values Shen Yurao, and that too so much that he even asked the best person in the industry to help him raise money.

-

By 12:00 noon, Shen Youquan had managed to raise ten million in cash, and this amount was now neatly stacked in his study.

During this period, the kidnappers had called twice to urge for the payment of the ransom, hanging up after only saying a few words. Xiao Li was unable to track their location, and the female kidnapper's escape route was still a mystery.

Father and Mother Shen were in a low mood and had no appetite at all. Zhong Huilu half-leaned against the sofa and wept.

Shen Youquan asked the nanny to play with his daughter in a corner of the study. He wouldn't allow his daughter to leave his sight, and didn't want her to be even a single step away.

And during this time, Long Chengsheng was responsible for running various errands for everyone.

Half an hour later, a courier suddenly arrived with a package, and asked Zhong Huilu to sign for it.

"You are still in the mood for online shopping?" asked Shen Youquan in a hoarse voice.

"I didn't buy anything." Zhong Huilu said as she opened the package in a confused manner, only to find a small box lying inside of it. When she opened the box, the sight of a bloodied finger entered her eyes and instantly stole away her ability to breathe. In that moment, she felt as if her heart had stopped.

"Aaahhh!" A shrill scream ran through the eardrums of everyone present, and then the box was reflexively thrown away by Zhong Huilu, with the bloodied finger then rolling out onto the carpet.

"What is this? Is... is it Rao Rao's finger?" Shen Youquan had already asked the nanny to take Shen Yuling away, so this bloody scene was only witnessed by the adults present.

He staggered closer, disregarding the thick blood and dirt that stained the carpet, shaking as he carefully picked up the severed finger. Grasping it to his chest, he let out indignant and desperate cry. "This is Rao Rao's finger, they cut Rao Rao's finger! They are really too cruel. I'm already trying to raise the money. Can't they wait?"

His acting skills had never been this realistic, but as long as he imagined that whatever Shen Yurao was facing was what his daughter would have experienced, he could no longer restrain the feelings of heartache that followed.

Seeing this scene, the nanny and the helpers, who were hiding in the shadows at the side, felt their eyes redden as they thought to themselves-Mr. Shen is really miserable!

The noise coming from downstairs attracted the attention of Lan Qi and others. They hurriedly ran out of the study room to check on the situation.

After understanding the situation, Song Rui said calmly, "Mr. Shen, it seems that this finger has only been cut off recently. You should send it to the hospital for preservation. Maybe it can be reconnected after the child is rescued."

Only after hearing these words did Shen Youquan wake up from his absentminded state and say, "Yes, yes, take it to the hospital for preservation."

For the first time, Long Chengsheng turned pale. He was about to say that he would take the severed finger to the hospital when Mother Shen fell heavily to the ground. She couldn't stand the stimulation and had fainted. Father Shen also clutched at his chest as he gasped and started babbling nonsense.

Looking at the ceiling, Zhong Huilu couldn't even cry anymore. Compared with that beautiful face from the morning, this woman with dishevelled hair, lax eyes and parched lips really did seem like a helpless mother who had lost her child.

"How could this happen? It shouldn't be like this!" She muttered in a low voice, ignorant of Long Chengsheng's fierce glares from the side.

Without thinking any further, Shen Youquan asked Long Chengsheng to help his mother, while he himself ran upstairs to find the antihypertensive medicine prescribed to his father.

Seeing that everyone was in a rush, the young 'accountant' volunteered and said, "Mr. Shen, I can bring the severed finger to the hospital. Don't worry. My brother works as an anesthesiologist in the Municipal People's Hospital. He will know how to deal with this finger."

"Let me go instead-" Long Chengsheng wanted to take a closer look at the finger, so he tried to fight for the opportunity.

Shen Youquan ignored him, and while giving his father the medicine told the young 'accountant' again and again, "Remember, tell your brother to keep it a secret. Don't let him call the police, or it will be dangerous for Rao Rao!"

The hospital would generally choose to call and inform the police if they happened to receive something like an amputated piece of the human body. If there was no acquaintance to help dredge the gap, it meant that they would not be able to keep the child's kidnapping concealed.

Long Chengsheng was a rootless duckweed in Beijing. He would be unable to withstand the interrogation of the hospital authorities, thus he could only swallow the request that itched to leave his mouth.

The young 'accountant' left with the severed finger, and the Shen Family once again fell into chaos.

After experiencing two minutes of dizziness, Mother Shen quickly returned to her senses and cried, "Youquan, why are you dawdling about? Hurry and raise the money quickly! Sell your house, sell your cars! I have a hundred thousand in savings here, I will give them everything!"

Saying this, Mother Shen ran back to her bedroom and returned with a passbook. Prior to all this, she had deposited several million yuan in the bank, and this one hundred thousand was the amount that remained for her and her husband's funerals.

Father Shen finally managed to swallow the antihypertensive drugs. His voice was hoarse, and he spoke intermittently, "You can also sell our old house in our hometown, the certificate is in my wardrobe. If Rao Rao is gone, there's no need to support me or your mother. We are already old, we can go accompany him directly!"

Shen Youquan looked at his parents with red eyes. "Dad, what are you talking about?! I'll find a way to raise money without using the money you have saved for your funeral."

He passed the passbook back, yet not only did the two old people insistently refuse, but they also took out all the valuables they had at hand, asking their son to exchange them for cash.

All those present in the house were working hard for Shen Yurao's safe return. Only Zhong Huilu opened her mouth several times, looking as if she wanted to say something, but then would immediately close it again each time under Long Chengsheng's gaze, and not once did she mention the idea of raising money from her side.

Seeing the reactions of these two people, Song Rui and the policewoman exchanged a glance and confirmed their suspicions of the pair's involvement in the crime.

...