188 A Foreboding Situation!
After hanging up, Chen hastily made his way to the Lan's South Lake Mansion. As for Wenfeng and Ruguan, Chen could not care less for these two idiots. If it were not for them plotting against his Beichen jewelry, he would not even have bothered doing anything to them. All that had happened, because they were looking for trouble at the wrong place, and they did not deserve his pity.
...
South Lake, just outside the gates to the Lan Mansion, Uncle Qin was already waiting for Chen there. Chen arrived in his car and immediately got down and ran to him. "Uncle Qin, just what happened? Why can't you tell me over the phone?"
Uncle Qin appeared anxious but calmed himself down before explaining, "The Miss has gone missing. And we suspect... That she... might have been kidnapped!"
"What!?" Chen exclaimed, he was alarmed by the news. He was finding it hard to believe that something like this could happen. The Lan family was the richest family in all of Green Vine City and had enough resources and power to prevent something like this from happening. If Mengchen was kidnapped, it would mean that the people behind this were also not simple crooks! Chen took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself down before continue asking, "When did this happen?"
"It's been two days..." Uncle Qin replied in a very anxious voice.
"Why didn't you come to me earlier?" Chen was upset upon hearing that, and anger flashed on his face. His whole body shook with rage and was emitting a fearsome pressure. Even Uncle Qin, who was a strong and experienced fighter himself, felt it getting harder to breathe and a shiver going down his spine when he felt it. It was as if the young man before him had suddenly turned into a ferocious beast!
"Xiaobei... Please! Calm yourself down." Uncle Qin said solemnly. This matter concerns the survival of the Lan family, and as a butler, I am not supposed to be telling you this... But I am simply too worried about the miss, that I called you to try my luck..." Uncle Qin who was also known as the Stone Buddha, was not one to easily display his emotions and was as calm and steady as a mountain. At then, he was very anxious and restless.
Chen realized just how big this issue meant to the Lan family, and did not blame uncle for keeping this from him. And he also realized that his anger is not going to help resolve the issue, and tried his best to reel in his emotions. "Uncle, now that I am aware of what happened, I will see this through to the very end! Please tell me everything you know; every small detail may be of great help!"
"Very well..." Uncle Qin nodded before continuing, "Two days ago, the miss wanted to return home from campus to celebrate the Lunar Festival with the family. I was supposed to pick her up from campus, but due to some unforeseen circumstances, I was delayed, and so the miss then said that she would return home by herself. This was not the first time she commuted alone, her being socially and academically active, she would often travel to many places by herself. And so, I did not insist on picking her up and expected her to return home on her own instead. But... we have not been able to contact her again since that night!"
Listening to Uncle Qin's account of what happened, Chen frowned. "Suddenly losing contact when she was supposed to be coming home... It looks like this is kidnapping!"
Uncle Qin nodded in agreement. "It is all my fault... If anything bad happens to miss, I will never be able to forgive myself!" When he said that, he clenched his fists so hard that his fingernails were already cutting into his palm. He was extremely remorseful and was blaming himself too much over this. If something bad had happened to Mengchen, Uncle Qin would definitely break down.
Chen noticed Uncle Qin's remorse and couldn't bring himself to blame him. He softly comforted the butler, saying, "Uncle Qin, please stop blaming yourself so much. I believe that heaven will not be so unkind to good people, and I promise you that I will do everything I can to get her home safely!"
"You make it sound too easy!" Just then, Lan Zhengguo accompanied by Uncle Feng walked out of the gates. He shot Chen an icy cold glance and said, "The Lan Family has pulled every string we have at our disposal, but could not even get as much as a clue to where my daughter disappeared to. And you, a nobody, just what do you think you can achieve?" Lan Zhengguo said in an icy condescending tone. "I'm already frustrated enough as it is, and I do not want to waste my time on unnecessary people. Uncle Qin! Send our guest off!"
Zhengguo's words were not only full of his lack of confidence in Chen, it was also borderlining on utter contempt! As if Chen was nothing in his eyes! Lan Zhengguo did not expect anything great from Chen, to the point that he did not see his existence as necessary! This made Chen really furious. But since he was Mengchen's father, he chose not to make a big deal out of it, and kept his anger and frustration to himself. But he vowed that he would find Mengchen himself, no matter what!
*VROOM!*
Just then, a speeding police car drove up to the gates. And stepping out of the police car was none other than Luo Puti! It was obvious that Lan Zhengguo was at a loss about what to do about the situation, and had requested the assistance of Inspector Luo herself.
"Inspector Luo, thank you for coming! Please, let's talk inside!" Not only was Lan Zhengguo's attitude towards Luo pleasant, but he had also even stepped outside to welcome her in person! Compared to his attitude towards Chen, this was as contrasting as heaven and hell! But this did not come as a surprise to Chen. When it came to dealing with members of the elite Six Doors, even many of the rich and powerful would still be courteous and behave. To Lan Zhengguo, Luo might be his last hope of saving his daughter. How could he not treat her nicely?
"Mmm." Luo nodded. It was clear that the Ice Demon Queen herself was not the most enthusiastic woman towards even the richest man in Green Vine City, unlike many others who would already be buttering up to him right now. She carried herself with a pride and majestic vibe befitting that of a queen. But her proud demeanor broke as she saw someone familiar among the people gathered there right now. "Chen Xiaobei! What brings you here?" Luo frowned. A hint of curiosity flashed on her expression, and her voice tensed a little. She was rather nervous around Chen, especially when she remembered their wager not too long ago, where if she lost she has to give him a kiss. That memory still made her heart beat uncontrollably and a girly sense of shyness to wash over her. She was really worried, that if the young man brought the matter up, where was she going to hide?
But her worries were for naught, Chen was not in the mood to tease her right now. "Lan Mengchen is a close friend of mine. I'm not going to just sit this one out."
Luo felt calmer when she heard that and replied, "I understand your feelings, but I doubt you can be of much help in this case. Just go home, for now, I'll definitely bring your friend home safe and sound!" She said that in the manner of her doing her duty as an upstanding and just member of the police.
"Thanks!" Chen nodded, his impression of Luo improved by a lot after hearing her say that. "You should carry on with your investigation, but just know that I won't just be sitting by idly! Let's do our best in our own way, and hope this brings the best result!" Chen said to her with his resolve burning in his eyes. His voice was calm, but his words carried a sense of authority that was unnatural for someone so young. Luo knew from his words that she would not be able to change his mind.
"Very well then. You be careful when doing this on your own ok? And call me if you need my help!" Luo nodded at him and headed into the mansion.
Seeing that, Lan Zhengguo, Uncle Feng, and Uncle Qin were all taken aback; they were bewildered! Luo Puti was an officer from the legendary Six Doors Organization, why was she treating Chen Xiaobei so... differently?