Chapter 147: Saving Old Master Mo (Part One)

After business was concluded, everyone sat down to dine, the atmosphere cheerful and the meal enjoyed by all. Just then, Elder Mo’s phone rang. He answered it, listening for several minutes, and his expression shifted dramatically.

Throughout the call, Elder Mo remained silent, his face turning dark. The mood instantly grew stifling. Everyone watched him quietly, unable to fathom what had happened; those who had been laughing moments ago now wore grim expressions.

"I understand. Give me some time to prepare." With those words, Elder Mo hung up and slammed his phone onto the floor with a sharp crack.

Everyone present watched in shock. At his age, Elder Mo should not be subjected to such agitation. What on earth had happened?

"Old Mo, why are you so angry?" Fearing that the scene might frighten the younger ones, Elder Xian moved closer and patted the old man’s shoulder.

"They are truly unfilial descendants! Those two have been kidnapped. The perpetrators have already swindled five million out of them, and now they demand my entire fortune to ransom those two fools back." Elder Mo thumped the table in his agitation, clearly incensed.

Mo Lan sat silently, not knowing what to say. This estate belonged to Mo Fan; everything in this house had nothing to do with her. It was only right that her grandfather use these assets to ensure their safety.

The others fell silent, unsure of how to intervene. This was a private family matter; getting involved would only implicate them and bring trouble upon themselves.

Boss Jin kept his head down, eating his food in silence, his own affairs already complicated enough.

"Grandfather Mo, are you really prepared to hand over everything you’ve spent half a lifetime earning to outsiders just like that? Can you bear to?" Mo Lan might not fight, but Qian Yin would not let it slide. This was what belonged to Mo Lan, and even if Mo Lan didn't want it, it was still hers by right.

Elder Mo stared at Qian Yin in silence. Who could bear to hand over the family legacy they had spent a lifetime building to others? Yet, Mo Fan and the younger Mo were his kin; he could not stand by and watch them die.

Qian Yin squeezed Mo Lan’s hand tightly and spoke up: "Those two brainless idiots aren't fit to manage the company. Mo Lan is your granddaughter, too; you cannot be this biased."

Elder Mo hung his head, still silent, though a flash of struggle crossed his once-kind eyes. This was not what he wanted. One was his son, the other his grandson; he couldn't just abandon them. Had this not happened, Mo Lan would have had her rightful share of everything in this house.

Seeing this, Elder Xian reflected on how such crises reveal the selfish side of human nature. He had once envied Elder Mo for having children and grandchildren, imagining he would enjoy a blissful retirement, but now he saw that such familial ties brought their own share of misery.

Mo Lan tugged at Qian Yin’s hand, signaling that she truly did not need to fight for these things. She had plenty of her own assets; while she hadn't ventured into other fields, she had accumulated significant wealth. Furthermore, in their line of work, there was a pension upon retirement—more than enough to support her for the rest of her life.

Qian Yin took out her phone, found An Feng’s number, and dialed. After a few minutes of waiting, the call connected.

"Why are you calling me?" An Feng’s muffled voice came through, sounding quite displeased.

"Your future father-in-law and brother-in-law have been kidnapped. The kidnappers want to plunder the Mo family’s wealth. They’re demanding the entire fortune in exchange for their lives. Do you think it’s worth it?" Qian Yin’s tone was laced with sarcasm.

An Feng’s expression was unreadable. What had happened now? He was driving home while listening to the call. Though it was unsafe, he had noticed Qian Yin’s persistent calls and answered.

Qian Yin was not in a hurry; she put the phone on speaker for everyone to hear. Since Mo Lan couldn't make a decision, she would let her man decide. A woman should be appropriately gentle and not always so strong, lest no one feel for her.

An Feng thought for a moment, then immediately turned his car around, heading for the Mo residence. He checked the time and said, "Wait for me. I’ll be there soon."

Hearing this, the corners of Qian Yin’s mouth curled upward. Such a man was worthy of her Mo Lan. She hoped they wouldn't end up like her and Leng Xue; they had to be happy.

Hearing his response, everyone felt a sense of relief, save for Elder Mo, who remained somber. Elder Xian stepped forward to pat his shoulder, offering comfort.

The night was beautiful, a cool breeze blowing under a brilliant full moon, with stars twinkling in the sky and an occasional shooting star streaking across the horizon.

After dinner, everyone sat in the main hall. The servants brought tea and fresh fruit before retreating, though even they could sense the abnormal tension in the air.

An Feng was fast. After about ten minutes of waiting, the heavy, steady sound of footsteps echoed as he entered, still carrying the dust of travel.

Mo Lan dared not meet his gaze; the two had agreed to take some space, yet they had crossed paths again in less than half a day. An Feng ignored her, sitting down beside Elder Mo.

Qian Yin held Mo Lan’s hand tightly, ignoring everything else. She had called An Feng here to handle this matter, not to coddle Mo Lan.

An Feng surveyed those present, his eyes finally resting on Elder Mo. He could see the old man’s distress and understood that, no matter how disappointing they were, they were his son and grandson; he could not be cruel enough to abandon them.

"Grandfather, could you repeat exactly what they said to me?" An Feng began his usual investigative process, ignoring everyone else in the room.

Elder Mo repeated the details over and over, as if possessed or driven by his own anxiety. Elder Xian watched in astonishment, thinking that perhaps being alone was better; once one added blood relatives and emotional entanglements to their life, they had to carve away pieces of their heart for each of them.

An Feng frowned. By the looks of it, his so-called father-in-law’s brain was not very sharp. With so many capable people around, why had he insisted on spending money to hire strangers? Now, he had implicated himself and dragged the Mo family into it as well.

"Did they say when they would meet?" An Feng asked again, never once glancing at Mo Lan. His behavior made everyone feel as though the two were mere strangers.

Mo Lan, however, watched An Feng’s investigative methods intently. This was worth learning; if she could apply it to her work in the future, it would be a great asset.

"We have to be the ones to initiate contact; they haven't chosen a location yet." Elder Mo sighed helplessly. Even in his twilight years, he still had to run about for these children. It was exhausting.