Fu Shinian was deeply annoyed by Qin Nianwan’s emotions, which were clearly inappropriate in the mont. However, the initiative was not in his hands now—Qiqi was still in hers, and Fu Shinian dared not speak too harshly. His impatience was evident as he strode toward the porthole of the cabin, gazing out at the restless sea to calm his mood.
Qin Nianwan stared dazedly at Fu Shinian for a mont before speaking:
"Your daughter, I didn’t bring her here."
Finally touching on the main subject, Fu Shinian turned to look at Qin Nianwan. "Where is she?"
"Want to know?" Qin Nianwan chuckled, "Sit over there."
Fu Shinian glanced at the chair Qin Nianwan gestured toward. One armrest was equipped with a handcuff—one side secured to the chair, the other open. If Fu Shinian’s intuition was correct, Qin Nianwan expected him to voluntarily sit down and handcuff himself.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t; for Qiqi, he was willing to do anything. But handing over his freedom without gaining any information would be foolish.
"Where is Qiqi? If you send her back, my life is yours."
"Fu Shinian, you’re hardly in a position to negotiate with . You’ll do what I say—or with one phone call, you might never see Qiqi again."
"You brought here—are you planning to let walk out alive? Are you really that kind-hearted?"
Qin Nianwan stared at him:
"You knew you might die, yet you still ca here. Why?"
"If there had been an option back then to sacrifice yourself for your daughter’s life, would you have opposed it?"
At the ntion of Xuanxuan, Qin Nianwan’s expression softened for a few seconds before she chuckled coldly:
"If it weren’t for you, Xuanxuan wouldn’t have died."
Fu Shinian didn’t want to argue with Qin Nianwan’s logic; he had grown weary of the stalemate. "I’ll say it one last ti: send Qiqi back, and my life will be yours. Otherwise, dragging this out will only make things worse for you."
Qin Nianwan stared at Fu Shinian for a few seconds without replying. After a mont, she pulled out her phone and called Han Lu. Shortly after hanging up, Han Lu entered the cabin, standing by the door and looking at the two inside:
"What’s the matter?"
"Take the child to Bishui Yuntian."
Han Lu was clearly taken aback by Qin Nianwan’s decision and blurted out, "Are you mad?"
"Do as I say—stop talking nonsense."
"I don’t care what you’re planning. I agreed to help you purely for the money. Once I get my share, I’ll leave without you needing to chase out. But I haven’t received my part yet."
Qin Nianwan didn’t respond, her gaze falling on Fu Shinian’s face. He understood what that look ant and turned to Han Lu:
"How much do you want? I’ll transfer it to you."
Han Lu replied, "50 million."
The number seed to remind Fu Shinian of sothing—he scrutinized Han Lu with a sharp gaze. Han Lu didn’t bother hiding and said directly: "Yes, three years ago I didn’t take your 50 million, and I still want that 50 million now."
She then handed her bank card to Fu Shinian:
"Transfer it."
Fu Shinian took the card, pulled out his phone, and made the transfer with a few taps. Han Lu, still doubtful, grabbed his phone to check the transfer record. After confirming, she laughed and proceeded to throw Fu Shinian’s phone out the porthole into the sea.
Fu Shinian silently watched her actions.
He had initially planned to use the transaction as an opportunity to send Ji Nanfeng and others his location. Based on his observations upon entering, it appeared that only Qin Nianwan and Han Lu were present—there were no other accomplices. If reinforcents arrived now, they might be able to fully overpower Qin Nianwan.
However, Fu Shinian didn’t dwell on this plan. The situation was too uncertain—no one could guarantee Qin Nianwan’s true intentions in standing here.
Han Lu, now satisfied with the paynt, repeatedly checked her phone before finally putting it away and turning to Qin Nianwan:
"Are you really sending the child back?"
"Yes," Qin Nianwan replied without hesitation. "Once you send her back, your involvent ends. You can go anywhere you want."
Han Lu clearly didn’t trust Qin Nianwan completely. Her gaze flitted back and forth over Qin Nianwan’s face. "What about you?"
"? I think you don’t actually care what happens to . We’re just forced partners by circumstance. Now that your goal is achieved and mine is right in front of , there’s no need to keep pretending."
Han Lu chuckled lightly in response:
"Fine. I’ll send the child back—don’t regret it."
"I have nothing to regret."
Her birth into this world had been a mistake, and ending this way—dramatically—was, at least, a worthy conclusion for her.
Han Lu paused montarily before leaving, then turned back to look at Fu Shinian, smiling faintly:
"Before I leave, shouldn’t you make him sit in that chair? Otherwise, once I send the child back, you might not be able to control him."
Qin Nianwan stared at Fu Shinian, seeming to weigh the feasibility of Han Lu’s advice. Fu Shinian remained silent for a few seconds, then spoke:
"I’ve said it before: as long as Qiqi is sent back, my life is yours. But based on your dialogue, how am I supposed to trust that you’re genuinely going to send her back? What if this is all just an act? In that case, I’d truly have no recourse."
"You don’t have another choice," Qin Nianwan retorted. "Either you sit down now and let send her back, or I let her go, leave Qiqi alone, and we continue to drag this out. After all, until I reveal Qiqi’s location, you can’t do anything to ."
Fu Shinian studied her but said nothing. He smiled faintly:
"Just a friendly reminder—you’d better act quickly. The child in those photos I sent you a few days ago wasn’t feeling well then. The place where we’re holding her is remote, with no access to a proper doctor, so she hasn’t received treatnt. If you keep dragging this out, who knows what might happen? I can’t guarantee her safety."
Recalling those photos, Fu Shinian’s gaze darkened, though he could do nothing now. After a few seconds, he walked over, sat in the chair, and locked the open handcuff around his wrist.
Han Lu chuckled at the sight and left without another word.
Fu Shinian actually had the ability to overpower Han Lu and Qin Nianwan; he believed he could easily take them down. But he was also aware that Qin Nianwan was operating with a suicidal mindset, determined to take him down with her. Unless she willingly sent Qiqi back, even if he tortured her to death, he probably wouldn’t learn Qiqi’s whereabouts.
The chair was bolted to the floor, immovable without the key. Fu Shinian remained calm, though he refused to speak any further no matter how Qin Nianwan tried to engage him. It wasn’t until her cellphone chid that she walked over and held it in front of Fu Shinian.
Fu Shinian glanced at the screen—Han Lu had sent a photo. In the picture, Qiqi sat on the ground, either asleep or unconscious, leaning against a wall by the hospital’s security office. The hospital’s entrance was visible in the background.
Fu Shinian knew Han Lu wouldn’t brazenly take Qiqi to Bishui Yuntian or openly walk into the hospital to seek treatnt. Originally, he thought Han Lu might leave Qiqi sowhere random, but this outco was the best he could hope for.
At least they hadn’t been cruel or cold-blooded enough to abandon Qiqi in an unsafe place. Otherwise, under such dire weather conditions, perhaps...
Fu Shinian cut off the thought but felt genuine relief. From the hospital background, he recognized it as the Fu Corporation-owned facility where Qiao Yu worked. With luck, Qiqi would soon be discovered and treated.
Qin Nianwan took her phone back:
"Feeling reassured now? Should we discuss our issues?"
Fu Shinian looked at her:
"Is there anything left to discuss between us?"
"You think there isn’t?"
"I don’t think there’s any need for pointless conversation. Let’s skip the sickening chatter and get straight to the point. What do you want out of this eting and exchange? Let’s begin."
Qin Nianwan seed montarily surprised by his response but soon smiled:
"Fu Shinian, I really don’t understand you anymore. Are you overly confident, or have you already accepted the idea of dying here? Haven’t you considered that I just want you dead? That by speaking to this way, you’re practically urging to act? Don’t you want to buy so ti? Once Qiqi is discovered, it won’t be long before people realize you’re missing—you’d be saved."
Fu Shinian chuckled softly:
"You’d let that happen?"
"No."
"I didn’t think so." He stared at her. "Since that’s the case, why should I wait? What are you planning to achieve with ? Let’s get started. I have no interest in reminiscing about our past—it’s not worth reminiscing."
Qin Nianwan studied Fu Shinian for a long mont before finally smiling slowly:
"You’ve surely investigated everything about ?"
Fu Shinian said nothing, simply waited.
"If that’s the case, then you must know I bla you for everything I’ve suffered over the years. But I never initially intended to kill you; from the start, my target was Su Mu. I’ve always been in contact with Su Mu. What I didn’t expect was your deep affection for her—to the point of choosing death for her sake. Since that’s the case, how could I not honor your devotion?"
Fu Shinian stared at her:
"Should I thank you?"
Qin Nianwan paused, then smiled. "No need."
Fu Shinian was aware that stalling could benefit him, but it wouldn’t make a significant difference. After all, he had co here alone, informing only Song Yi and Jiang Bei—neither had the exact location, making finding him unrealistic.
Considering Qin Nianwan’s calm deanor, it was evident she had made preparations. Even if help were to arrive, she’d have ample ti to ensure he wouldn’t leave alive.
He understood the risk he’d taken in coming alone. But had he played it safe, bringing reinforcents as he’d done previously, Qin Nianwan might not have appeared—just as she hadn’t the last ti. If that had occurred, Qiqi wouldn’t have been taken to the hospital. He didn’t regret his choice.
Seeing the photo of Qiqi at the hospital brought him a sense of fulfillnt.
Imagining Su Mu waking up and learning Qiqi was safely back—her smile brought an involuntary one to his lips.
"Why are you smiling?"
Fu Shinian subdued his smile. "Nothing. Let’s not waste ti—what do you want to do?"
"I want you dead," Qin Nianwan said, staring at him. "I want us to die together."
Qiao Yu had just returned from surgery and hadn’t even taken his seat when the office door was flung open violently. He frowned slightly. Everyone in the departnt—and hospital—knew Qiao Yu strongly disliked unannounced intrusions into his workspace. This was a first.
Perhaps the success of the recent surgery lightened his mood; though he frowned, he didn’t get angry. He turned to look at the distressed nurse, finding her unfamiliar. After a few seconds, he recalled she wasn’t from his departnt but from the ergency room.
"Is sothing wrong? A consultation needed?"
The nurse seed out of breath, as if she’d run up. She waved at Qiao Yu, catching her breath before answering: "No, not a consultation. Our departnt head sent here to ask—has Mr. Fu’s daughter gone missing?"
Qiao Yu couldn’t understand why the ergency room would care about this, nor why they’d assign a nurse to ask the question now. But connecting these dots triggered an uneasiness in him. He tightened his breathing, striding toward the nurse:
"What do you an?"
"The security guards found an injured child at the hospital entrance and brought her to the ergency room. Initially, we didn’t pay much attention, but later we realized she strongly resembles the girl Dr. Jiang brought here previously. Our departnt head overheard so rumors and wondered if she might be..."
Before the nurse finished, Qiao Yu had dashed out of the office at a speed rivaling his life’s fastest sprints. He didn’t even bother with the elevator, rushing down four flights of stairs to the ergency room on the ground floor.
The departnt head saw Qiao Yu’s frantic deanor and could mostly infer the truth. But before he could say anything, Qiao Yu grabbed his arm, his voice urgent:
"Where is she? Where’s Qiqi?"
The head winced at the painful grip on his arm but knew it wasn’t ti to press the issue. He quickly pointed to a partition nearby: "Over there."
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