The traffic flowed like a river, and the pure black car weaved through it like a bat soaring through the night sky.

Inside the car, there was a deathly silence, like a bat’s nest where communication could only occur through ultrasound.

Ever since parting ways with the Cedar Rose duo, Sui Yuesheng hadn’t uttered a single word.

The driver didn’t know what had happened. He only knew that Mr. Sui had abruptly left the banquet halfway through, sitting in the back seat with a grim expression. The air around him was so heavy, it was like a brewing hurricane.

Not daring to be careless, the driver sped back to the Tao residence as fast as he could. The car had barely come to a stop at the main house’s entrance when Sui Yuesheng opened the door himself and got out before the driver could reach the back seat.

With long strides, Sui Yuesheng quickly ascended the steps and came face-to-face with Xu Song, who had hurried to greet him.

“Xiao Che isn’t back yet?”

Although he had already expected the answer, Sui Yuesheng couldn’t help but breathe heavily when he saw Xu Song shake his head.

“I’ve checked. Two cars are missing from the garage, but all the drivers are here. It seems he took the bodyguards directly. But the bodyguards who left with the young master are out of contact. To be precise, they didn’t even take their phones.”

This didn’t surprise Sui Yuesheng.

If Tao Fengche took the initiative to bring the bodyguards, it would be considered a mission for them. It was common sense, even a rule, not to take phones during a mission.

“And Xiao Che’s phone is already turned off,” Sui Yuesheng slowly added.

He had already tried to call on the way back, only to hear the same mechanical message: “The number you have dialed is turned off. Please try again later.”

“Yes, and… the tracking app on the young master’s phone only works when the phone is on,” Xu Song whispered.

Sui Yuesheng felt the world spin around him as an overwhelming dizziness hit. The world seemed to flip upside down, and he barely stood steady with Xu Song’s help. The next second, he abruptly turned back, intending to get in the car and search for Tao Fengche himself.

But reason desperately sounded the alarm.

Jingpu was too big. Without knowing where Tao Fengche had gone or why it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. There was also a significant chance they would miss each other if Tao Fengche returned home.

If he wanted to see him as soon as possible, the best option was to stay at home and wait.

“Young Master Sui? Young Master Sui? Are you alright? Did you skip dinner?”

Xu Song’s worried voice kept coming, and Sui Yuesheng closed his eyes, slowly shaking his head. “I’m fine.”

Although it was difficult, reason eventually won out.

Xu Song suggested he return to his room and take a hot bath or at least change out of his suit, but Sui Yuesheng flatly refused.

He didn’t even take off his suit jacket. He merely pulled off his tie, unbuttoned the top button of his shirt, and then seemed to remember something, turning to ask, “Have you already sent people out to search?”

“Yes, I’ve sent out everyone except the security personnel on duty today,” Xu Song quickly replied.

Sui Yuesheng nodded slightly. “If we don’t find him within two hours, contact the police.”

“This…”

After all, Tao Fengche had gone out with more than a dozen bodyguards. It was unclear how many firearms they had brought, and they had only been out of contact for a short time. It wasn’t appropriate to notify the police so quickly and conduct a high-profile city-wide search. Xu Song was about to object, but when he saw the look on Sui Yuesheng’s face, he instinctively swallowed his words.

“Alright,” he could only respond, “It’s almost autumn, and the wind at night is strong. Young Master Sui, should we go inside to wait?”

Sui Yuesheng nodded but didn’t go to the study as Xu Song had hoped. Instead, he insisted on staying in the living room, staring into space, his gaze unfocused.

He looked utterly lost, and Xu Song almost regretted notifying him earlier.

But he couldn’t not notify him.

…What if something really happened to Tao Fengche?

Xu Song didn’t dare dwell on this one-in-a-million possibility. He apologized for his lack of oversight again and then carefully began to offer comfort. “There are so many bodyguards with him, so don’t worry too much, Young Master Sui…”

“Uncle Xu, I’m not blaming you.” Sui Yuesheng turned his head towards him, his gray-blue eyes filled with a cold, lifeless sharpness as if they had suddenly lost some vital spark. “I know that the chances of Xiao Che getting into trouble are very low, so low that they can be ignored.”

After all, the Tao family’s bodyguards were all highly trained, each one the best of the best, and Tao Fengche had brought so many of them.

“But I can’t help it.”

Sui Yuesheng murmured to himself.

He knew Tao Fengche wouldn’t be in any real danger, but he couldn’t stop worrying.

He was almost twenty-eight years old. He had crossed the ocean from his homeland to Kyushu, then went alone to the Western Continent, and now he had rushed back to Jingpu. Over the years, he had experienced countless dangerous situations, and there were even a few times when his life hung by a thread. He thought he had become calm enough, composed enough, that no storm could stir even the slightest ripple in his heart.

But now he realized he was wrong.

When he thought Tao Fengche might be in danger, he was still anxious, unable to sit still, and completely lost in his thoughts.

Sui Yuesheng kept telling himself that nothing would happen, that Tao Fengche had just gone out for a stroll on a whim. But this kind of self-deception was utterly ineffective.

He knew Tao Fengche too well.

Xiao Che needed his own space so much and hated having bodyguards close by. If he just wanted to go out for a stroll, why would he bring so many bodyguards? And why did he choose to go out when he knew he was attending a banquet?

He must have gone to do something dangerous.

Sui Yuesheng couldn’t help but wonder if he shouldn’t have returned to the country.

Everything had been fine when he was on the other side of the world. Tao Fengche had obediently stayed at the research institute, learning from Jing Ning. Now that he had been back for less than two days, the little rascal had not only put himself in danger but had also dared to go missing…

Was it because he had returned that Tao Fengche had become more reckless?

…Would things have been better if he had stayed abroad?

Time ticked by, and there was still no word from the people Xu Song had sent out. Sui Yuesheng sat expressionless on the sofa, like a silent statue, or perhaps a volcano on the verge of eruption.

The Tao family’s servants had long been replaced, and they weren’t yet familiar with this new master. However, since moving into the Tao household, Sui Yuesheng had always been polite, his attitude distant, and he had never been difficult. But at this moment, they could all feel a looming sense of danger.

The living room was empty, and even the air seemed to solidify into glue. The servants intentionally avoided this area, leaving only Xu Song and Sui Yuesheng.

When the shout of “Young Master!” came from the entrance, Sui Yuesheng, sitting on the sofa, thought he was hallucinating from excessive worry and anxiety.

Although he didn’t expect much, he still turned to look in the direction of the voice—

In the next second, his eyes widened.

It was really Tao Fengche.

If the dark stains on his black T-shirt weren’t obvious enough, the splattered brown marks on his dark blue jeans were unmistakable.

Sui Yuesheng could almost smell the blood in the air. He jumped up, his eyes scanning Tao Fengche like X-rays. After confirming there were no visible injuries, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Just as he was about to scold the alpha who had gone missing without a word, Tao Fengche suddenly spoke.

“Ge, I almost shot someone today.”

Tao Fengche’s voice was very soft, and he even sounded a bit aggrieved, like a pitiful little dog, ears drooping, unsure of what to do after accidentally chewing up his owner’s beloved shoes.

All the dissatisfaction, anger, and irritability disappeared instantly. Sui Yuesheng was completely at a loss, wanting nothing more than to step forward, pull Tao Fengche into his arms, and soothingly pat his head.

And that’s exactly what he did.

“Did someone bully you?” Sui Yuesheng asked in a hoarse voice.