As Chen Lishu departed, she subtly surveyed her surroundings once more.
After leaving An An's home, she, Wu Hua, and Su Nian found a relatively quiet restaurant to rest.
As soon as Wu Hua entered the private room, she slammed her fist onto the table. "It's infuriating! We know for a fact that this couple is suspicious, but we have no evidence. And we have no idea where this child has gone!"
Su Nian remained calmer, propping her chin with one hand and frowning deeply. "I have a feeling this couple is planning something big. Madam, I noticed An An's father looking at you with utter greed just now. We need to be careful moving forward!"
Chen Lishu didn't register a single word of their complaints. Her mind was consumed by the details she had observed that day. The bowl of rice porridge, for instance, was clearly prepared specifically for a child.
Given the presence of food on the table, anyone who could afford refined grains in this era would certainly not opt for rice porridge! After all, rice porridge didn't taste as good as rice!
Her intuition told her that An An was indeed inside that house. However, when she had left, she had studied the layout of the house; it was very simple, offering a clear view of everything. If someone were hiding inside, they would surely be spotted!
Could it be that there was a secret passage within the room, and when they knocked, An An's parents used it to send the child away?
With this thought, Chen Lishu abruptly slapped the table, then looked at Su Nian with a serious expression. "You'll have to work hard these past two days. Stay hidden near An An's house and help me watch out for any suspicious individuals bringing a child into their home!"
Upon hearing her command, Su Nian instinctively stood up, then saluted Chen Lishu, responding with a serious expression, "Yes, Madam! I refuse to believe these people can endure this without finding their son!"
After discussing the matter without reaching a definitive conclusion, everyone went about their own business.
Chen Lishu had initially believed that Qin Lan had hired an actor to cause trouble for her, intending to delay the launch of the vegetarian sausage. She hadn't expected their ultimate goal to be her ruination.
The next day, upon arriving at the company, she saw Shen Wei rushing in from outside, holding a newspaper.
Seeing the panic on Shen Wei's face, Chen Lishu couldn't help but mutter, "What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry? It's rush hour, and there are many people coming and going. You need to be more mindful of your behavior in the future. Don't hurt anyone; be careful not to negatively influence the workers below."
Shen Wei showed no displeasure at Chen Lishu's reprimand. Instead, he grinned carelessly, knowing that Chen Lishu wasn't truly scolding him, but rather showing concern like an older sister to her younger brother.
Looking at Shen Wei's傻乎乎 (silly/foolish) demeanor, Chen Lishu shook her head with a touch of helplessness and asked, "Tell me, what's happened to make you so flustered?"
Mentioning the matter, Shen Wei seemed to come to his senses, his expression shifting to anger. "CEO Chen, didn't you hire someone to film a commercial? This family whose child went missing is blaming everything on you!
Look, she shamelessly claims that because you've offended too many people, your enemies were targeting you, and they became the innocent victims of this incident!
The most crucial point is that these people are brazenly demanding compensation from you. Is this the time for compensation? Their son is still missing; shouldn't they be utilizing media resources to inquire about their son's whereabouts?
I feel that these people are far too opportunistic. What's more, some people are even agreeing with them, completely disregarding the possibility that the problem might lie with the couple themselves. This is truly infuriating!"
Chen Lishu remained relatively calm upon hearing this news. She had a general understanding of the situation. As long as the enemy wasn't lurking in the shadows, causing trouble covertly, it was manageable.
Seeing Shen Wei's eyes reddening as he glared at the newspaper on the table, almost to the point of fainting from anger, Chen Lishu quickly comforted him, "What's there to be angry about? Since they want to frame me so badly, let them come."
As soon as she finished speaking, she called Su Nian. "You've been watching for a whole day and night. Have you noticed any suspicious individuals interacting with An An's parents?"
Su Nian mumbled softly on the other end of the line, "Madam, to be honest, I haven't seen any suspicious individuals. Are you sure An An is with her parents?"
"Certain," Chen Lishu's reply was very firm. This was primarily based on her observations over the past few days. She could tell that An An's parents genuinely doted on their child. Whether it was toys or food, they were quite particular, and a child certainly wouldn't be willingly given away. Coupled with the bowl of rice porridge she had seen last time, she was absolutely sure the child was with her parents.
Hearing Chen Lishu's affirmative answer, Su Nian's confused voice sounded on the phone, "If they're inside the house, then why have I never seen them?"
Indeed, why?
Chen Lishu sniffed the air, and an idea struck her. She slapped her thigh forcefully. Then, she exclaimed excitedly, "Check if their house has a cellar! If it does, that might provide an answer!"
"Okay!" Su Nian, hearing Chen Lishu's guess, felt it was plausible. After they hung up, they both returned to their respective tasks.
About two hours later, a commotion suddenly erupted outside the door.
Chen Lishu frowned, put down her work, and called out to Shen Wei outside, "What's going on?"
Shen Wei rushed in breathlessly, looking wronged. "CEO Chen, a group of reporters have arrived outside, calling you a kidnapper and demanding justice for the victim's family. These people are all swarming into the company, and the bodyguards can't stop them!"
Upon hearing Shen Wei's words, a cold glint flashed in Chen Lishu's eyes. She asked, word by word, "Are An An's parents here?"
Shen Wei nodded and said, "Yes, they are."
Chen Lishu tapped the table and, after a moment of silence, said slowly, "Alright. Go out and stabilize the situation first. I will personally handle this matter in ten minutes."
Soon, silence returned to the office. These people had no intention of giving her any breathing room. If that was the case…
Chen Lishu dialed Su Nian's number again and coldly commanded, "An An's parents are outside now. You don't need to hold back. Go in and conduct a thorough search. In 20 minutes, I want the results I'm looking for."
Hearing Chen Lishu's grave tone, Su Nian also realized the seriousness of the situation. She nodded and replied very seriously, "Yes, Madam. I won't let you down."