Chapter 380: Chapter 370: Yiyi in Danger

"You saw her run out?" Tang Mo asked, looking straight at Wang Yan.

"I saw her run downstairs, it looked like she went to the second floor. She didn’t think you were still down there, did she?" The girl’s intense gaze made her feel pressured, so Wang Yan averted her face slightly as she spoke.

They were currently on the fifth floor. Just a moment ago, Aunt Hua had taken Da Bao and Xiao Bao to find a room on the second floor to nurse them. Tang Mo had gone along to help look after Da Bao while Aunt Hua was busy.

Wang Yan’s observation was quite detailed. Her explanation seemed plausible enough.

"Then let’s go take a look." Tang Mo wanted to see what this woman was really up to—or rather, what Zhang Li and his group were plotting.

Whatever they were planning, Tang Mo was ready to play along. After all, it had been a while since she’d been in a fight. Both her heart and her hands were getting antsy.

This residential building was a luxury apartment complex. The elevators were no longer working, so Tang Mo and Wang Yan took the stairs down.

After reaching the second floor, they walked down the hall. Although the corridor was long, the two-stairwell, four-unit-per-floor layout didn’t leave many places to search.

As Tang Mo approached a door, she suddenly felt a push from behind. She didn’t resist, allowing the force from Wang Yan’s hands to shove her into the room.

The moment Tang Mo was inside, the door slammed shut behind her.

In the living room, Yiyi was tied to a chair with something stuffed in her mouth.

The little girl was terrified, struggling frantically. The moment she saw Tang Mo enter, she thrashed even more, trying to lunge forward, but it was no use.

Beside the chair, Zhang Li sat with a lecherous grin, toying with the ends of Yiyi’s hair. The expression on his face was enough to make Tang Mo want to puke.

"Ah, you’re here. We’ve been waiting for you."

Zhang Li’s tone was suggestive, which only made Tang Mo feel more disgusted.

"Don’t bother screaming. Even if you shout yourself hoarse, no one on the fifth floor will hear you. Besides, even if they did, what makes you think they’d risk offending me for you? Little girl, this world is a very wicked place."

That "big bad wolf" expression on Zhang Li’s face was seriously making Tang Mo sick.

’What’s he blabbering on about? I wasn’t planning on screaming. Aren’t I just standing here obediently, listening to his bullshit?’

’I don’t need anyone to save me. It’s a miracle I’m not the one bullying them.’

’If I weren’t trying my best not to disrupt the order of this world and cause a butterfly effect that could mess with my future plans, I would have killed these bastards long ago. Would I let them stand here wasting my time?’

"Get your filthy hands off her."

Although Tang Mo didn’t like Yiyi, she couldn’t stand watching this disgusting creature buzzing around her like a fly.

"Ooh, quite the temper."

Zhang Li grinned. He had originally thought Qiao Jin was too weak and uninteresting, but it turned out she was a little spitfire. He liked that even more.

Seeing Zhang Li ignore her command, Tang Mo grew impatient. A surge of spiritual power was about to erupt from her body.

But before she could act, she sensed that Wang Yan, who had just left, was returning with someone else—a familiar face. So, she temporarily reined in her spiritual power.

"Yiyi, how are you? Are you okay?!"

The door was thrown open, and Qiao Xin burst in like a gust of wind.

Qiao Xin only had one of her bags left. She didn’t trust anyone here, to the point that she’d even carry all her bags with her to the bathroom.

And now, seeing the smug look on Wang Yan’s face, it was obvious where Qiao Xin’s other bags had gone.

If luring Tang Mo here with Yiyi had been somewhat difficult, then luring Qiao Xin was ridiculously easy.

A little scare was all it took for Qiao Xin to willingly hand over most of her food. She really was gullible.

"Yiyi, Yiyi, are you all right?"

Qiao Xin was horrified to see her daughter tied to a chair.

"Untie my daughter right now!"

In stark contrast to Tang Mo’s composure when she entered, Qiao Xin was acting like a madwoman.

Yiyi was Qiao Xin’s entire world, her only reason for living. No one was allowed to bully her.

"Ooh, this backpack’s got quite a bit of stuff in it," Zhang Li remarked, his eyes on the bag Qiao Xin was wearing. "You, go get that bag for me." He gestured to one of his men.

Qiao Xin didn’t resist. She almost obediently handed over her bag.

In that moment, she still clung to a sliver of hope: that these people had only kidnapped her daughter for food. If she just gave them all her supplies, they would let Yiyi go.

"Tsk, tsk, look at all these goodies. No wonder you’ve raised your daughter to be so fresh and delicate."

Zhang Li said, looking from the bag’s contents to Yiyi.

The lecherous, predatory look in the man’s eyes made Qiao Xin’s heart sink to the depths of despair.

It was over.

"What’s your relationship with her?"

With everything seemingly settled, Zhang Li was in no hurry. He pointed at Qiao Jin and asked Qiao Xin.

Qiao Xin was silent. She didn’t want to say a single word to this disgusting man.

"Playing mute? You keep it up and see if I don’t slash her face."

There was only one way to deal with Qiao Xin, and that was to threaten Yiyi. It worked every time.

"I don’t know her."

Qiao Xin finally spoke.

"You don’t know her? Fine. I want a woman today. How about you trade her for your daughter?"

Zhang Li’s cruel amusement flared up. He pointed at Qiao Jin as he asked.

In reality, he already knew they were related. But right now, he just wanted to watch Qiao Xin make the choice.

Tang Mo also watched Qiao Xin, waiting for her to speak.

’Is there any suspense here? Given how much Qiao Xin loves Yiyi, how could I even compare? What am I, Tang Mo, to her?’

’Qiao Xin was willing to give up those two big bags of food for Yiyi. In her heart, I’m worth less than a pack of crackers.’

Tang Mo had a very clear understanding of her own standing.

Qiao Xin said nothing, only glaring fiercely at Zhang Li.

"I’m asking you a question. Trade the one next to you for your daughter. Are you willing or not? If you just say the word ’trade,’ how about I let your daughter go?"

The expression on Qiao Xin’s face made Zhang Li find the situation even more amusing. Villains in this world were all pretty much the same: they loved to watch people suffer.

"Let my daughter go! If you don’t let her go, I’ll fight you to the death!"

Qiao Xin didn’t answer his question, just repeated that line hysterically.

Tang Mo watched Qiao Xin, a little surprised. She hadn’t expected Qiao Xin to be unwilling to make this choice—a choice that, in Tang Mo’s eyes, was so obvious it shouldn’t have required a moment’s hesitation.

’I never got the sense that this aunt, Qiao Xin, had any special feelings for Qiao Jin. Is there really anything to hesitate about?’

At that moment, Tang Mo felt like she couldn’t quite figure Qiao Xin out anymore.

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