Chapter Eight: The Qi Family’s Fierce Protection of Their Own

Xu Ya hurriedly strode toward the backyard without a second thought.

As the butler had described, the Qi family members were gathered densely around the basement entrance, creating a grim, intimidating scene. To an outsider, it might have looked like a scene from a movie.

Mu Yao was standing there, blocking their way, determined not to let them cause chaos.

“You’re trespassing on private property! Be careful, or I’ll call the police and have you all arrested!” he warned.

“Heh, you can try,” sneered the man at the head of the crowd with disdain.

“By the way, I’m quite curious—what’s the charge for kidnapping and murdering a child?” he added coldly.

Mu Yao was stunned by this remark. When had he ever kidnapped or harmed any child?

The man lost patience and gestured for his men to prepare to act.

“No, no! There’s no one here you’re looking for! You can’t just do whatever you want!” Mu Yao panicked, recalling that there were indeed two children in the basement.

Yet, he still failed to grasp the gravity of the situation.

“I said, open it!” The man’s presence was overwhelmingly forceful.

Mu Yao was cowed into silence, frozen in place.

By the time he regained his senses, the group of men in black had already torn down the basement door.

“Hey! You all—”

Mu Yao, furious, was about to shout at them, but Xu Ya hurried over to stop him.

“Yao, calm down. This is Qi Han, the eldest son of the Qi family!” she cautioned.

“Right now, the Qi family answers to him. If you anger him, your properties will be doomed to bankruptcy!”

Hearing this, Mu Yao’s anger slowly subsided, but unease took its place.

“Mom, don’t forget—the dead weight and the wild child she brought are still in the basement! If he sees them, what will he think of us Mu family?”

“I don’t want us to become criminals accused of child trafficking and abuse!”

Xu Ya frowned, about to comfort her son, when a sharp scream came from behind.

A thick smell of smoke surrounded their noses.

“Fire! Put out the fire!”

As soon as the basement door opened, black smoke burst out like a raging tempest.

Qi Han’s eyes reddened; disregarding the danger, he wanted to rush inside.

“Sir, please calm down!”

“Xuan is still inside! How am I supposed to calm down?!”

“The young master’s fate is in heaven’s hands. He will be fine,” someone urged.

Suppressing his fury, Qi Han fixed Mu Yao with a stern gaze.

“If anything happens to Xuan, the Mu family will have no place left in this country!”

Amidst the chaos, not far in the bushes, the arsonist Li Jiaojiao hid anxiously.

Who would have thought the boy Mu You brought back was actually the Qi family’s youngest son!

This kid was a disaster, a jinx!

Li Jiaojiao’s mind raced.

The most crucial thing now was to ensure the safety of the Qi family’s young master and get the Mu family out of this mess unharmed.

Just then, she caught sight of two familiar figures outside the wall.

“Sir, let us handle the rescue. It’s too dangerous inside!”

Ignoring the advice, Qi Han donned protective gear, preparing to enter.

“Daddy!”

A clear boy’s voice stopped Qi Han in his tracks.

Everyone turned to see Mu You, dirty and disheveled, carrying Qi Haoxuan on her back, struggling toward them.

“Daddy! I thought I’d never see you again…”

Having narrowly escaped death, Qi Haoxuan abandoned his little-boy pride and sobbed on Mu You’s back.

“It’s alright now, Xuan, I’m here.”

Qi Han approached, helped Qi Haoxuan down, and was about to embrace him when his eyes caught sight of the girl’s exposed arm.

Thin, with visible bones and joints, marked by burn scars.

He frowned with a pang of pity.

“And who is this?”

Before Qi Haoxuan could answer, a woman suddenly appeared and cut in.

“Mu You, what’s going on with you?” Li Jiaojiao rushed over and grabbed Mu You aside.

Her sudden appearance and accusations caught everyone off guard.

“Why are you so stubborn? Bringing a stranger back from the mountains without saying a word and insisting on keeping him at home.”

“We tried to advise you to send him back, but you refused, wandering the yard with him. Then you accidentally trapped him in the basement and even caused a fire!”

“Luckily, I discovered it in time and rushed over. What if something had really happened?”

Hearing this, Qi Han finally gave Li Jiaojiao a proper look.

The woman was indeed dusty and her hair messy, but his instincts told him she was lying.

“You’re lying!” Qi Haoxuan’s eyes widened. He had never seen such shamelessness.

He wanted to tell the truth, but the night’s exhaustion and fear, coupled with anger, overwhelmed him, and he fainted.

“Xuan! Xuan!” Qi Han caught his son, abandoning any blame, and immediately prepared to take him for medical treatment.

Li Jiaojiao’s heart leapt with joy.

Fortunately, she had reacted quickly and played her part perfectly!

It seemed the eldest Qi son wasn’t as formidable as rumored—easily fooled.

“Uncle, uncle,” Mu You, who had been silent, suddenly spoke. Qi Han paused and turned to her.

Li Jiaojiao cursed inwardly and hurried to cover Mu You’s mouth.

“Let her speak,” Qi Han said coldly.

His commanding presence chilled the woman, who couldn’t utter a word.

“Uncle, You Bao didn’t kidnap brother, nor did she bring him to the basement. She didn’t start the fire!” Mu You’s eyes were resolute as she defended herself.

“Brother’s jacket is still in the trash bin in the front yard. If Aunt really wanted to send him home kindly, she wouldn’t have thrown away his jacket!”

“You little liar! Who taught you to lie? I’m your real aunt, who raised you with so much hardship, and you repay me like this?” Li Jiaojiao feigned composure.

She believed Qi Han wouldn’t trust a child’s words.

“Uncle, You Bao isn’t lying, and she never lies! Because Mom and Dad said lying is bad behavior for good children!” Mu You’s voice rang clear and strong, unafraid of Li Jiaojiao’s threatening glare.

Qi Han raised an eyebrow and looked down carefully at the girl.

He hadn’t clearly seen her face before, but now that he did, his heart trembled.

How could someone resemble the missing and kidnapped A Yu so much?

“Ahem, Mr. Qi, please don’t be swayed by her words. Earlier, I didn’t say anything out of consideration for the child.”

“This kid’s parents died early, no one disciplined her, so she’s used to lying. Don’t believe her nonsense!” Li Jiaojiao forced a strained smile, hoping Qi Han would still be easily deceived.

But she was deluding herself.

“No discipline?”

Qi Han snorted coldly.

“Earlier you said you raised her with great effort, didn’t you? So, whose fault is it really—your poor discipline or no discipline at all?”

Li Jiaojiao was stunned.

“I—I…”

She tried to argue but was silenced by his sharp rebuke.

“She’s just a child. Would she lie?”