Plan Changed

Lin Mo stood at the entrance holding a bucket of popcorn, watching the bustling crowd outside the cinema.

Before long, a blushing young girl emerged from the restroom.

"Shall we walk around?" Lin Mo asked casually.

The cinema was located inside a shopping mall, so there was plenty to explore after the movie.

As they strolled, Jiang Yunlu twisted her fingers nervously, her peripheral gaze lingering on Lin Mo’s casually hanging hand, her heart fluttering slightly.

When she looked up at him again, she suddenly noticed that Lin Mo seemed slightly taller than when they first met.

She had seen men more conventionally handsome than him—pretty boys, celebrities—thanks to her father’s business connections.

But Lin Mo’s appeal had nothing to do with his looks.

"What? Staring at me in secret? Think I’m handsome?" Lin Mo suddenly turned his head to look at her.

Jiang Yunlu’s heart skipped a beat, and she immediately averted her gaze.

"Of course not! Why would I sneak glances at you? A lady like me doesn’t peek—if I look, I do it openly!"

With that, she planted her hands on her hips and stared directly at him.

This was the real Jiang Yunlu.

Lin Mo knew her well.

Outwardly, Jiang Yunlu was polite and approachable, with no airs—but if you crossed her, you’d quickly learn what it meant to face a true young mistress.

After all, wealth nurtures grace, and privilege cultivates presence.

She wasn’t without her quirks; she simply rarely showed them to others.

Lin Mo didn’t respond, holding her gaze silently.

Soon enough, Jiang Yunlu’s cheeks flushed pink, and she looked away.

"By the way, why didn’t Xie Yuling and Chu Miaomiao come today?"

She swiftly changed the subject, though she was genuinely curious about their absence.

Lin Mo shrugged.

"No idea. They went to Chu Miaomiao’s place to hang out. I’ll pick them up later."

Originally, Xie Yuling had planned to come with Chu Miaomiao.

But after some thought, they decided it wasn’t necessary and opted to spend the day at Chu Miaomiao’s instead, waiting for Lin Mo to fetch them later.

Lin Mo wasn’t worried—he could sense the protective talismans they carried.

With those, their safety wasn’t a concern.

"You still need to pick them up? They’re fifteen—they can go home on their own, right?"

Jiang Yunlu rarely went out alone, usually relying on a chauffeur.

But she wasn’t afraid of traveling by herself.

"People are different. If you’ve ever been kidnapped, you’d be more cautious—maybe even hire bodyguards."

Lin Mo leaned against the railing.

His words reminded Jiang Yunlu of her aunt’s story about a wealthy heiress who had been kidnapped.

Afterward, the girl hired professional guards who even stood watch in her classroom.

"So you’re saying Xie Yuling—no, Chu Miaomiao—was kidnapped before."

Jiang Yunlu was sharp; she pieced together the truth from fragments.

She had observed Xie Yuling, noting how she went home for lunch and dinner.

Chu Miaomiao, on the other hand, either ordered food or recently started eating out with Lin Mo.

Most tellingly, like Jiang Yunlu herself, Chu Miaomiao was always driven to and from places.

From this, she deduced that Chu Miaomiao had indeed been kidnapped.

Lin Mo didn’t correct her. The gist was close enough, and "kidnapped" was easier to understand.

"Something like that. So she needs extra care."

Hearing this, Jiang Yunlu relaxed slightly. Lin Mo’s tone made it sound like he was just looking after a child.

It suggested he didn’t have any special feelings for Chu Miaomiao.

Her guard toward the girl lowered.

Just then, Lin Mo abruptly looked in a certain direction.

----System: Lost the Body-Strengthening Pill to the Plagiarism System in mahjong today. So annoying!----

BANG!

A large hand slammed onto the solid wood desk with a sharp, thunderous crack.

Whether it hurt or not, only the owner knew.

"Why is she going there?! Send someone to stop her from reaching the factory! She must not find that place!"

The secretary nodded and swiftly left the office.

Meanwhile, Jiang Beihe yanked open a drawer, pulled out a second phone, and dialed an unmarked number.

"Report. What’s the situation with the target?"

"Target’s back home. No movement."

"Change of plans. Find a way to grab them—fast. I’ll wait for your update."

"Understood."

In an apartment across from Chu Miaomiao’s building, a man in a baseball cap set down his phone.

He removed the SIM card and tossed it into a furnace, then packed up his belongings.

After one last glance at the lit windows opposite, he grabbed a toolbox and left.

Downstairs, the man had changed outfits—now wearing a cap and jacket boldly labeled "Locksmith."

The disguise was convincing enough that fellow elevator passengers barely glanced at him.

One even struck up a conversation.

"Here for a lock job, master?"

The man lifted his head with a guileless smile.

"That’s right. Need my services?"

He handed the person a business card with a phone number and shop name.

"Not now, but good to have just in case."

Ding.

The elevator doors opened. The man stepped out, nodding politely before the doors closed—then his smile vanished.

He studied the target’s door, then slowly pulled on gloves and a mask.

Opening the toolbox, he retrieved a small tool. With a light twist and flick, the first door unlocked.

Chu Miaomiao’s home had double doors. The second one was bolted from the inside.

This added some difficulty—but not much.

Pushing the door open, he found the living room empty. Only chatter came from a bedroom.

Two people?

No matter.

Inside the toolbox lay a homemade pistol—deadly at close range.

But he didn’t rush in. Instead, he grabbed a vase from the table and hurled it to the floor.

The crash silenced the voices instantly.

A second later, the bedroom door creaked open.

Seizing the moment, the man barged in.

Inside, two girls shrank back onto the bed in terror.

"Who are—"

Before Xie Yuling could finish, the cold muzzle of a gun pointed straight at her.

"One scream, and I pull the trigger."