After sending Cheche to kindergarten, Jiang Shiyu contacted Zhao Shuyao. "Murong Cheng is going to deliver the money today."
"Twenty billion? Tsk, tsk, I never thought they could actually gather so much money. This Haohao truly has a life of wealth..."
Zhao Shuyao couldn't help but sigh. She had never seen so much money in her life.
"A life of wealth?" Jiang Shiyu wanted to laugh. She picked up Zhao Shuyao from the hotel. In the car, Zhao Shuyao opened her laptop and hacked into the system, accessing the real-time surveillance.
Although it was just fragmented footage, it was enough to see clearly.
Zhao Shuyao looked at the several large leather suitcases full of money in the footage. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, is this the legendary twenty billion?"
Jiang Shiyu turned off the recording. "No need to watch anymore."
"What's wrong?" Zhao Shuyao asked, confused.
"I'm hungry. Shall we go eat something to celebrate?"
Jiang Shiyu leaned back, her entire body resting against the car seat.
"Shiyu, darling, you've been acting strange since you were discharged from the hospital. Am I just overthinking things?"
Zhao Shuyao felt that Jiang Shiyu had changed somehow, but she couldn't quite pinpoint it.
"How could that be? I'm still me. Let's go eat first."
The two went to the mall to eat. Jiang Shiyu didn't mention Haohao's kidnapping at all throughout the meal, so Zhao Shuyao didn't bring it up either.
After dinner, they browsed for a while. Jiang Shiyu sent Zhao Shuyao back to the hotel, in a good mood. "I'm going to pick up Cheche from school."
"Okay, be careful." Zhao Shuyao turned and went inside after Jiang Shiyu's car drove away.
Jiang Shiyu picked up Cheche from kindergarten and put him in the car.
Seeing Jiang Shiyu, Cheche's first question was, "Mommy, have they found Haohao Gege yet?"
"The police uncles and Daddy are looking for him, and they'll find him soon," Jiang Shiyu said, ruffling Cheche's hair.
Cheche seemed relieved and nodded. "Okay, that's good!"
Late at night, Jiang Shiyu put Cheche to sleep and checked the time. It was about time Murong Cheng should be back.
As expected, when she went downstairs, before she even stepped on the last stair, she heard the sound of the door card unlocking in the entryway.
The door opened, and the man walked in, looking travel-worn. His custom-made suit pants were creased, and the corners of his eyes showed visible fatigue, as if he had been through a world war.
"I've run you a hot bath. You should take a shower first."
Murong Cheng paused for a moment. "Okay."
After the man had bathed and cleaned up, Jiang Shiyu sat on the living room sofa, waiting.
"Haohao..."
Jiang Shiyu looked at Murong Cheng, wanting to say something but hesitating.
Judging by the man's expression, it wasn't good news.
"The kidnappers killed him and took the twenty billion..."
"What?!" Jiang Shiyu was shocked, never expecting such an outcome.
She had thought that they would be able to save at least one of the twenty billion or the life, but they had lost everything.
"Was Haohao's body brought back?"
Jiang Shiyu processed the shock for a moment, patted her chest, and asked.
"Yes, it's been brought back home. Song Yu has fainted, and Grandpa is also greatly affected and bedridden. The Murong family is in chaos. I came back to check on you and the child. I have to go out again later, so you should rest early."
The man's hoarse voice was filled with exhaustion and helplessness.
He kissed Jiang Shiyu's forehead and then turned to leave.
Jiang Shiyu walked to the window and watched the man's car drive away.
The moonlight fell, illuminating the young girl's profile.
The corners of her lips curved slightly.
Seven days later.
Rong Hao's funeral.
News of the kidnappers killing him had already spread like wildfire. Public relations had repeatedly suppressed the matter, preventing it from causing a huge uproar.
Inside and outside the Murong family mansion, everything was white. Several white wreaths were placed outside the door, and white cloth was draped along the exterior walls. Everywhere the eye could see, it was either black or white.
In just a few days, a seven or eight-year-old life, along with twenty billion in cash, had vanished into thin air.
The kidnappers' whereabouts were unknown, and there was no news.
Even the country's top SWAT officers and detectives could not find any clues.
These kidnappers seemed to have evaporated from the face of the earth.
Jiang Shiyu got out of the car and looked up. The sky was overcast, and it looked like it was about to rain.
The gloomy sky made the pure white mourning hall even more eerie and chilling.
Zhao Shuyao had told her that when Hao Hao was brought back, his body had been so disfigured by torture that he was unrecognizable. A DNA test confirmed it was indeed Song Yu's child, Rong Hao's remains. Song Yu was heartbroken and fainted on the spot, remaining unconscious for three full days and nights.
"My child, my child, why did you leave? It's all my fault, I didn't protect you well enough..."
Before she even entered, she heard a mournful cry from inside.
Jiang Shiyu stopped in her tracks. She recognized Song Yu's voice.
Murong Cheng took her hand. Jiang Shiyu paused for a moment and then walked in beside him.
The guests were all dressed in black. The mansion was adorned with black and white wreaths and white cloth, creating a very cold and oppressive atmosphere.
Song Yu was seen slumped over the coffin, crying heartbrokenly. She paid no mind to the many people present, sobbing uncontrollably, her voice hoarse from crying.
Indeed, now that Rong Hao was dead, Song Yu had no bargaining chip to weigh against Murong Cheng.
She should cry, and she should cry her heart out.
Perhaps it wasn't just the grief of her child's death, but also her future life!
A hint of coldness flashed through Jiang Shiyu's heart, but she quickly suppressed it.
"You're not feeling well. Find a seat. I'll handle this." Murong Cheng kissed Jiang Shiyu's forehead and then strode towards the crowd with his long legs.
No one knew what had happened, but when Song Yu saw Murong Cheng, her emotions became very agitated. She lunged at him and started cursing.
"Where's the twenty billion?! You didn't give the twenty billion to the criminals! That's why they killed him! It's all your fault! You deliberately wanted to kill my child! You want to swallow the Murong family's assets all for yourself! I will never let you succeed so easily! You just wait!"
Song Yu was hysterical, as if she wanted to drown Murong Cheng with her spittle.
"Madam, you just recovered from a serious illness. Please don't get agitated. Your brother is already gone. If you get excited again, it will be more loss than gain."
Murong Cheng signaled with his eyes, and the bodyguard beside him immediately stepped forward to pull Song Yu away.
Song Yu let out a scream and tried to lunge at Murong Cheng again, her eyes bloodshot and swollen. She looked as if she wanted to devour Murong Cheng.
Murong Cheng raised his fair, slender fingers and casually flicked away a speck of dust from his collar.
His handsome face was filled with coldness and frost.
He then said indifferently, "Madam Rong has lost her son and is grief-stricken. Why aren't you escorting her away and administering a sedative, lest she be overcome with grief and harm herself?"
The bodyguards understood and immediately helped Song Yu away.
The guests at the funeral all thought Song Yu had gone mad, and whispers and discussions ensued.
"I heard that Song Yu had always been grooming Rong Hao as her future successor, intending to replace Murong Cheng."