After the prayer, Min Ziqiong's mother looked at Min Ziqiong.
Hands on her hips, she adopted a lecturing and scolding posture, clearly preparing to continue the previous conversation.
"What did you just say? Xiao Qing is just staying at that 'Zong' for treatment? Heh, you are truly naive and kind! You believe whatever anyone tells you!"
"If Xiao Qing was truly just receiving treatment, do you think I would be this worried?"
"It's obvious Xiao Qing has been kidnapped! It's just that he couldn't say it directly on the phone at the time and had to lie about receiving treatment."
Min Ziqiong was baffled by her mother's wild speculation.
Her brother's tone on the phone was normal, even a little relaxed and cheerful. How could he be kidnapped?
"I don't think... it's that serious?" Min Ziqiong said cautiously.
"Hmph, not that serious? You have too little social experience! You can't see good from evil! Otherwise, you wouldn't have been tricked by a scumbag into getting pregnant before marriage, and still refuse to reveal who the scumbag is!"
Min Ziqiong's mother snorted.
"..." Min Ziqiong was speechless.
She really wanted to say the sentence she had repeated a thousand times before, but the words stuck in her throat.
Because she knew that no matter how much she explained, no one would believe her.
It would be a waste of effort.
"I'm asking you: when Xiao Qing finished the call, he specifically said three sentences. What were they?"
Min Ziqiong was startled. After thinking for a moment, she replied, "It seems to be... take good care of Nannan, pay attention to your health, and about... about getting married, wait for him to come back..."
As she said the last sentence, Min Ziqiong couldn't help but blush.
In fact, she still didn't understand why Min Ziqing had said such a thing on the phone, that she should get married to Ying Chen.
Wasn't that ridiculous?
She had known Ying Chen for less than a week!
There was no way things could have progressed to that point!
Besides, ever since Nannan was born, she had decided that she would never marry again!
"Heh, read the first character of each sentence in order," Min Ziqiong's mother said with a cold laugh.
"Yao... yao... ling..."
"110?"
Min Ziqiong was dumbfounded.
"That's right, it's 110! Xiao Qing was hinting for us to call the police! It's obvious that the kidnapper was by Xiao Qing's side at the time, and Xiao Qing couldn't say it directly. He could only use this acrostic form to transmit the information to us!"
"But... but..." Min Ziqiong felt something was wrong. "If it was really a kidnapping, why did the kidnapper let Nannan and Ying Chen go back?"
Only then did Min Ziqiong's mother look at Ying Chen properly.
Before, she had completely ignored Ying Chen!
"The reason is very simple! Nannan has no value. A little kid like her would require attention and care, so it's easier to let her go back; as for this guy, the reason for letting him go back is even simpler..."
Min Ziqiong's mother paused.
"That is – he's one of the kidnappers!"
Whoosh!
Min Ziqiong and Min Ziqiong's father's expressions changed simultaneously.
"Mom, don't talk nonsense! How could Mr. Ying be a kidnapper?"
"Hmph, I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice. Would I talk nonsense? In general kidnappings for ransom, there's usually an inside man. And among the four of us, who do you think looks most like an inside man? Most importantly, Xiao Qing was tricked by him into going to that 'Zong'! If he's not a kidnapper, who is?"
"Just admit it! Otherwise, I'll call the police and have you arrested immediately!"
Min Ziqiong's mother stared intently at Ying Chen and threatened him sternly.
Ying Chen was stunned by Min Ziqiong's mother's wild speculation.
He remained silent for a long time.
His silence, however, made Min Ziqiong's mother mistakenly believe that Ying Chen had admitted it.
"Look, he's not talking, he's tacitly admitting it! I said he was a kidnapper! I said he had malicious intentions from the very beginning!"
"Old man, call the police, now, immediately, right away! Lock him up, torture him, and let him know that in this righteous and open world, a scoundrel like him shouldn't exist!"
"Uh, old woman, don't get so excited. How can we call the police casually for something like this? What if they kill the hostage? Then we'll be sending a black-haired person to meet a white-haired person..." Min Ziqiong's father was still somewhat rational.
But not much.
"Ah, old man, you're right, I almost forgot Xiao Qing is still in their hands! Yes, yes, yes, we can't call the police, we can't call the police, Xiao Qing's safety is important."
Min Ziqiong's mother quickly said.
Her gaze towards Ying Chen was no longer as arrogant, but contained a hint of fear.
Facing this sudden scene, Min Ziqiong felt like crying and laughing at the same time.
Based on just one sentence, her parents had concluded that Ying Chen was a kidnapper?
Wasn't that absurd?
The police needed evidence, but these two relied entirely on subjective assumptions.
"Dad, Mom, listen to me. Things are definitely not as you imagine. I can guarantee that Mr. Ying is definitely not a bad person... Don't you not trust phone calls? If you really can't believe it, then drive to Shennong Sect and see Xiao Qing yourself! Then the truth will be clear, won't it?"
Min Ziqiong tried to persuade them.
As soon as she finished speaking, she was immediately met with her mother's scrutinizing gaze, as if she were a criminal.
"Min Ziqiong, confess honestly, are you also an accomplice?"
"You colluded with this guy to deliberately kidnap your brother and extort money from our Min family?"
"And now you want to trick me and your dad into going there as well, to kidnap the whole family of three! Then you can openly return to the Min family and inherit the Min family fortune!"
"Good, I raised you for over twenty years, and I raised a white-eyed wolf! Even if I kicked you out of the house, even if I cut off your financial support, you shouldn't retaliate against us like this! We are your biological parents! Xiao Qing is your biological brother!"
"Beast, you are a beast! Why did I give birth to you in the first place!"
Min Ziqiong's mother cried out in grief and scolded her repeatedly.
It was as if she had seen through the truth and was certain that Min Ziqiong was the mastermind behind the kidnapping and extortion!
"..." Min Ziqiong was stunned.
She never imagined that her mother would suddenly shift her suspicion to her.
"Mom, what nonsense are you talking about? No matter how heartless I am, I wouldn't do that to you! You are my family!"
"Don't be ridiculous! The word 'family' is the least valuable thing these days! Last time, an streamer kept calling me 'family', but I spent 8,800 yuan to buy a pile of junk that was only worth 88 yuan! As long as there's profit, people will do anything?" Min Ziqiong's mother said.
"I'm telling you: as long as I'm alive, you'll never be allowed to step foot into the Min family's door!"
"Also, you'd better hurry up and release your brother. Otherwise... I'll make you pay!"
Facing her mother's hysteria and unreasonableness, Min Ziqiong closed her eyes in despair.
She knew that no matter what she said now, it would be useless.
Ever since she was little, once her mother made up her mind about something, no one could change her mind.
Min Ziqiong's father, who still retained a sliver of reason, spoke up: "It's not like that, it's not like that, Ziqiong is not that kind of person."
"Um, Ziqiong, you take Nannan and leave first. Come back after your mother calms down."
"Don't worry about things here."
Min Ziqiong sighed helplessly, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Dad."
After speaking, Min Ziqiong looked at Ying Chen, "I'm sorry, Mr. Ying. My mom is just too anxious right now. She should be fine when she calms down. You should come with me!"
Ying Chen nodded.
He had no interest in participating in the Min family's domestic drama. Moreover, he had already planned to persuade Min Ziqiong to live with him and Nannan.
After all, he still needed to teach Nannan cultivation, cure her mutism, and remove the natal mark from her body.
This suited his intentions perfectly.
However, just as the two turned to leave, they heard Min Ziqiong's mother shouting from behind, "I'll see who dares to leave!"
"If you don't release Xiao Qing, none of you will leave!"
Ying Chen, who had been silent all along, slowly turned around upon hearing this and said with a half-smile, "Believe it or not, I can have them kill the hostage right now?"