Chapter 786: The Grand Finale
Qin Jiao immediately called the police and gave them the license plate number Xiao Zijin had noted down.
The police quickly confirmed that the license plate had previously belonged to a commercial vehicle from Jinyi Company.
That meant they could immediately narrow it down: the kidnapper had to be either Lin Nian or Lu Jiuan!
Just then, Meng Lanlan, who had been sobbing herself breathless with worry for the children, suddenly had a realization.
She said, “I know! I know where Lu Jiuan is! He asked to meet me at a restaurant at two o’clock!”
Sometime recently, Meng Lanlan had run into Lu Jiuan at a shopping mall.
He had wanted to talk to her, but Meng Lanlan had turned and fled.
She remembered what Qin Jiao had told her: he was hiding his identity, and they couldn’t act rashly until they had concrete evidence.
So many years had passed. Meng Lanlan no longer had any love for Lu Jiuan.
‘When I first adopted Xingxing, I might have had other intentions. But now, all I want is to live a good, peaceful life with her.’
But Lu Jiuan had suddenly started acting friendly toward her, constantly asking her out.
Meng Lanlan had refused every time.
She told the group, “Lu Jiuan said this was the last time he’d ask me out. If I didn’t show up, he promised he’d never bother me again.”
Qin Jiao said, “I get it. Just like Lin Nian, he’s preparing to flee.”
Once they confirmed the restaurant’s location, the police immediately launched an arrest operation.
Meanwhile, Lin Nian was driving, and in the back seat were two little girls, bound and tied.
Meng Xingxing woke up first. She looked at the unconscious Qin Ziyou leaning against her and demanded, “Taking me is one thing, but why did you have to take Xiao You too!”
Still driving, Lin Nian sneered without turning her head. “I didn’t realize you were so fond of the little brat. Such a touching display of family ties.”
Chen Feng and Shen Yi were half-brothers.
Their children, of course, were also blood relatives.
But Lin Nian hated these family ties. ‘How is it that in the end, the children of Chen Feng and Shen Yi can become good friends, yet I’m still in such a miserable state?’
At the same time, Lin Nian was also curious.
She said, “Aren’t you scared, kid?”
Of course Meng Xingxing was scared, but she had been through a lot and was far more mature than other children her age.
Meng Xingxing said, “You’re the one who gave birth to me. You wouldn’t hurt me, right?”
A flicker of approval flashed in Lin Nian’s eyes. ‘No wonder she’s my daughter,’ she thought. ‘So clever.’
Lin Nian’s tone softened slightly. “You’re right. I’m your real mother. Why would I ever hurt you?”
Meng Xingxing asked, “Then can you let Xiao You go? She’ll cry without her mom and dad.”
The smile on Lin Nian’s face faded bit by bit. She sneered, “Are you really that naive, or are you just pretending? You want me to let her go first?”
Meng Xingxing gritted her teeth.
Just then, Xiao You slowly woke up. The little girl froze when she saw she was tied up in the car.
When she saw that her friend, Xingxing, was also tied up next to her, she immediately burst into tears.
“Ah! Did we get snatched by kidnappers? SOB SOB SOB… We’re so unlucky! How could we run into kidnappers?!”
Her crying grated on Lin Nian’s nerves. “Shut up! Cry again and I’ll throw you out of the car!”
Xiao You pouted, her eyes still brimming with tears. “You’re wrong, ma’am,” she said. “You’re driving, so how would you find the time to throw me out? You’re not an octopus. You don’t have that many arms.”
The corner of Lin Nian’s mouth twitched in anger.
‘Qin Jiao is infuriating, and her daughter is just as bad!’
If it weren’t for the circumstances, Little Xingxing would have cracked a smile.
Lin Nian gritted her teeth. “You little brat, just you wait!”
She slammed her foot on the accelerator, and the car sped faster and faster along the mountain road.
Beyond these mountains lay the coast, where a boat was waiting to smuggle them out of the country.
Lin Nian and Lu Jiuan had arranged to take this boat and leave together.
‘Of course, if Lu Jiuan can’t bring himself to leave Meng Lanlan, then I’ll just leave on my own, taking the child and the money with me.’
‘I’m still not resigned to losing to Qin Jiao like this.’
‘But I have no other choice. I can only lie low for now.’
‘However… since I have Qin Jiao’s daughter, once I’m about to board the boat, I’ll just toss this little brat into the ocean to feed the fish.’
‘Qin Jiao, I told you I’d make you regret this!’
‘You’re the loser!’
Meng Xingxing was about to comfort her friend, but Xiao You, who had been whimpering just a moment before, suddenly winked at her!