Lin Yuqing wasn’t the only one who couldn’t sleep.
Elsewhere, in the Lin family home, the three Lin brothers sat in the living room, each looking more troubled than the last.
“It’s been two days. Big Brother, if she’s not back by dawn, we should call the police,” the third brother said anxiously.
“Enough! Stop pacing around. You’re making me dizzy,” the second brother snapped, though he was just as worried. He turned to their eldest brother, Lin Huaiyuan, waiting for him to make a decision.
Lin Yuqing had run away yesterday afternoon.
At first, they had assumed she was merely throwing a tantrum and would come home by evening.
But by midnight, they realized something was seriously wrong.
Their little sister had fled from her wedding.
This was not something they could publicize. If word got out, her reputation would be ruined, and it would be difficult for her to marry a respectable man in the future.
Afraid of attracting attention, they had spent the entire day searching for her in secret.
They found nothing.
Now they could no longer remain calm.
Her safety mattered far more than her reputation.
“Brother!”
The two younger brothers called out urgently.
Their reward was a kick from Lin Huaiyuan.
“Now you remember to call me Brother? Are you two useless or what? You couldn’t even keep an eye on one person!”
As a former special forces soldier, Lin Huaiyuan possessed tremendous strength. Neither of them could easily withstand the kick.
Yet neither complained.
Guilt, fear, and worry overwhelmed everything else.
“Yuqing said she wanted to go shopping for wedding supplies. How was I supposed to know she’d run away…?”
“Shut up!”
What was the point of saying that now?
The second brother wiped sweat from his forehead.
“We’ve already checked all of her classmates’ homes. She’s not there. We really can’t wait any longer.”
Lin Huaiyuan frowned deeply and clenched his fists.
“Forget waiting until morning. We go now.”
The three brothers rose to their feet.
Before they reached the door, a voice stopped them from the staircase.
“Wait. Have you checked the Su family?”
Commander Lin was descending the stairs.
Lin Huaiyuan immediately straightened.
“Dad, why are you still awake?”
“Can’t sleep.”
Commander Lin slowly walked downstairs.
“With something this serious happening at home, how could I rest?”
A veteran soldier who had survived countless battles, he remained remarkably composed. Sitting down on the sofa, he tapped his fingers lightly against his knee.
“Huaiyuan, go to the Su family tomorrow. If she’s not there, then report it to the police.”
“The Su family?” Lin Huaiyuan looked bewildered.
“If Yuqing really went there, wouldn’t Su Jinjin have come to tell us?”
Everyone in the military compound knew Lin Yuqing was getting married.
The two girls were extremely close. There was no way Su Jinjin wouldn’t know.
“Tell us?”
Commander Lin paused before letting out a cold snort.
“Yuqing ran away without even taking money with her. For all we know, Su Jinjin might have been the one encouraging her.”
The three brothers adored Lin Yuqing, but they rarely interacted with women and were blind to the subtleties of female relationships.
Commander Lin, however, had spent half a lifetime judging people.
His voice turned icy.
“I thought Yuqing liked having that girl around, and since she kept her company, I didn’t mind her visiting our home so often.”
“But now it seems that girl’s ambitions are far greater than her station.”
Lin Huaiyuan looked confused.
Commander Lin was only speculating. Without evidence, he said no more.
“Whether Su Jinjin acted out of jealousy or some other motive, we can settle that account later. Right now, Yuqing’s safety comes first. Go confirm it tomorrow.”
Lin Huaiyuan nodded immediately.
“The chemical plant residential compound is crowded and full of gossip. I’ll go after everyone leaves for work.”
“Good.”
Commander Lin tapped the sofa armrest thoughtfully.
At least they finally had a lead.
The eldest and second brother felt some of the pressure ease.
Father and sons remained seated on the long sofa.
None of them suggested going upstairs to sleep.
None of them could.
Commander Lin rubbed his brow and sighed.
“Comrade Lin left behind only this one daughter. If anything happens to her…”
“It won’t!” the second brother, Lin Xingqian, interrupted firmly.
“Yuqing has always been lucky. Nothing will happen to her.”
“Then we wait for dawn.”
The four men exchanged glances before turning their eyes toward the clock on the wall.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Every rotation of the hands felt unbearably slow.
When midnight struck, headlights suddenly swept across the window from outside.
The third brother moved faster than anyone, rushing to the door and throwing it open.
“Yuqing, you’re back—?”
The excitement vanished the moment he saw who was standing there.
The last person who should have appeared at this hour stood outside.
Gu Chenzhou.
“Uncle.”
Dressed in military uniform and carrying the dampness of the summer night, Gu Chenzhou stepped inside.
His gaze swept across the room before flicking briefly toward the upstairs hallway.
“Looking for someone?”
Lin Huaiyuan frowned but remained silent.
The engagement had begun under absurd circumstances, but until it was officially broken off, announcing that the bride had run away would only bring shame.
For perhaps the first time in years, Commander Lin looked uncomfortable.
Knowing he couldn’t hide the truth from Gu Chenzhou, he walked over and patted his shoulder.
“The girl’s being a little stubborn. When she comes back… I’ll talk to her.”
He had almost said punish her, but the image of his tiny daughter stopped him.
In his eyes, Lin Yuqing was still the same sweet little girl he had first met years ago.
Back then she had been only six years old, holding Lin Yinyin’s hand as she entered the house.
She wore a beautiful little dress, her fair face framed by large curious eyes. Not shy in the slightest, she had immediately called him “Dad Lin.”
Perhaps it was fate that they shared the same surname.
From that day forward, he had treated Lin Yuqing as his own daughter.
“Chenzhou… I’m sorry.”
The battle-hardened commander lowered his head for the sake of the younger generation.
Gu Chenzhou shifted aside, refusing to accept the apology.
“You misunderstand, Uncle. I didn’t come this late to hold anyone accountable.”
He paused.
“I came so you could stop worrying. That day, I saw Lin Yuqing leave with Su Jinjin.”
The brothers exchanged glances.
Just as they suspected.
After speaking, Gu Chenzhou checked the time.
“It’s late. Uncle, get some rest and take care of your health.”
As he turned to leave, he glanced at Lin Huaiyuan.
Years of friendship were enough for Lin Huaiyuan to understand.
“I’ll walk you out.”
The two men stepped into the courtyard.
“Go ahead,” Lin Huaiyuan said.
Gu Chenzhou lit a cigarette.
His voice was cold and steady.
“If she’s not at the Su family’s house, check the Zhong family.”
“Lin Yuqing left with both of them.”
The red ember glowed in the darkness.
He never actually took a puff.
Instead, he watched the smoke disperse into the summer night as memories resurfaced.
That day, he had intended to buy something nice for Lin Yuqing.
Their engagement had come about under ridiculous circumstances, but he never intended to shortchange her.
Whenever he thought of her little stern face and her habit of fussing over clothes and accessories, he found himself wanting to give her the best of everything.
He had slipped away from camp during lunch break and headed to the shopping center.
But the moment he arrived—
He saw the woman he could not stop thinking about climbing onto the back seat of a strange man’s bicycle.
Zhong Shuwen.
He had never met him before.
Yet he had heard that name during that unforgettable night.
It was probably him.
Gu Chenzhou stopped in his tracks and clenched his fists.
His thoughts drifted back to that morning.
The clothes scattered across the floor.
The marks covering Lin Yuqing’s body.
His Adam’s apple bobbed.
“I’ll take responsibility. I’ll marry you.”
His voice had been so hoarse it startled even himself as he grabbed Lin Yuqing when she tried to flee.
“Who wants your responsibility?! Who wants it?!”
“You bastard! You jerk!”
“It hurts! It hurts so much!”
Terrified and shaken, Lin Yuqing struggled desperately.
The bruises and marks left from the previous night stood out vividly against her pale skin.
She kept hitting him.
Her slaps carried little strength, hurting her own palms more than they hurt him.
“You don’t have a choice. You have to marry me.”
Gu Chenzhou swallowed hard.
Not wanting her to injure herself further, he caught her wrist with one hand and prevented her from continuing.
“Calm down. Listen to me.”
He knew his strength was overwhelming.
Ordinary people could not resist him.
But he couldn’t just let her leave in such a disheveled state.
Whether it was his actions or his words, something finally pushed her over the edge.
“Let go of me! Let go!”
“I’m not marrying a barbaric brute like you!”
“I don’t like you!”
“The man I like is someone like Brother Shuwen—a refined, gentle gentleman!”