Zhu Yanyi’s face turned pale. Gu Jingtian and the others, who had followed behind, heard the news and immediately gathered around.
"Master Yan, what did you say? What happened to my master and the others?" Gu Jingtian asked urgently.
Yan Aohan sighed. "Prepare yourselves. I have arranged a flight. We will fly directly from Tian City." He paused, then added, "Do you need to leave anyone behind here?"
Qu Zhong thought for a moment. "Eldest Senior Brother, you stay. We must see things through to the end. Although tomorrow morning is just a closing ceremony, our nation cannot be without a representative. You and Fourth Brother stay to handle matters here. I will take Third Brother, Fifth Brother, and Junior Sister with Master Yan."
Gu Jingtian knew this was the best plan. He suppressed the heaviness in his heart. "Alright. Be careful."
Seeing that they had made their own arrangements, Yan Aohan turned back to Zhu Yanyi. Seeing her silent and solemn, he knew her heart was heavy. "Go back and pack. Then we leave."
Zhu Yanyi nodded. She said nothing, only running back to the hotel. She quickly packed only the essentials and ran out. Li Yang and Qin Tianxiang would handle the remaining hotel matters. Luo Gang, Zhang Yan, Wang Ye, and Pei Tian were all going to the isolated island with Zhu Yanyi. At this moment, Zhu Yanyi’s mind was blank. She handed over all decisions to Yan Aohan. There was only one thought in her head: Grandpa Yao had disappeared.
When everyone was ready, Yan Aohan had already summoned two cars. Including his own, there were three sedans. Everyone except Zhu Yanyi shared a car, two people per vehicle. Zhu Yanyi sat in Yan Aohan’s car. After arranging Luo Gang and the others into the vehicles, they headed toward the airport.
It was not until they were on the plane that Zhu Yanyi spoke again, her voice faint. "How did Grandpa Yao disappear?"
"The specific details are still under investigation," Yan Aohan said, worry evident in his eyes. He knew this was a critical moment for Zhu Yanyi’s state of mind, so he watched her silently from the shadows. "According to the reports, Grandpa Yao led a group to gather herbs. Chun Yao and some guards accompanied him. They said they would return in two days. However, when the time came, there was no sign of them. The local security chief, worried, sent people to search. They found Old Chun unconscious in a small grove near a cliff. Some of the elite guards sent to protect them were beaten to the brink of death. Grandpa Yao and the remaining elites have disappeared. We suspect Grandpa Yao was kidnapped. The missing people may have followed him or been captured with him. We are still searching for clues."
Zhu Yanyi looked out the window, her anxiety growing. "Grandpa Yao will be fine, right?" She was not asking Yan Aohan; she was trying to calm her own unease.
Yan Aohan looked at her. "We all hope he will be fine."
"Yes, hope," Zhu Yanyi said with a bitter smile. She looked at Yan Aohan. "You are not even sure, yet you tell me to 'hope.' This shows the situation is very dangerous. Tell me the truth. What is really going on?"
Yan Aohan looked at Zhu Yanyi, hesitating. He wondered if he should tell her, and if she could bear it.
Zhu Yanyi saw her hesitation. She knew she was worried she could not handle it. She spoke slowly. "I am fine. I can bear it. I am not as fragile as you think. Tell me."