Chapter 664 - 663: Again

At Wu Sheng’s words, Tang Mo stiffened. His Adam’s apple bobbed, but he still didn’t speak.

Wu Sheng pressed his temples, set down the things in his hands, and sat beside Tang Mo.

"Tang Mo, you’re still young. You can’t keep pushing yourself like this. You’re not like me. I can go two days without food or water and be fine, or go a few days without sleep. I’m used to it. But you’re different. If you keep going like this, your body will break down."

"Don’t you realize how worried your mom would be?"

"For your mother’s sake, you should take care of yourself. No matter how hard it is, you have to eat, drink, and rest. That’s the only way to keep her from worrying."

"I know what your mother would want. Since she’s not here, I have to take care of you for her."

Wu Sheng’s hand twitched. "And you... you can’t just be silent. Remember that time you stopped talking before? Your mother was in agony, nearly breaking down. Open your mouth. Please, don’t be silent."

Tang Mo’s body shuddered. He finally looked up at Wu Sheng and spoke.

"I will, Uncle. I’ll eat, and I... I’ll talk too."

’No matter how much I have to force myself, no matter how much I don’t want to speak, I will keep talking.’

’I can’t be silent. For Mom’s sake, I have to speak.’

"Good boy." Wu Sheng raised his hand and patted Tang Mo’s head, his fingers trembling slightly.

Su Li had been missing for a day and a night.

For a day and a night, there had been no news.

He had searched every suspicious location, every place he could think of, but still came up with nothing.

Every second was utter agony for him.

He understood why Tang Mo was acting this way. He also understood Tang Mo’s self-blame.

Tang Mo blamed himself. He shouldn’t have gone to Mu Feng’s house. He should have stayed with Su Li, and then this wouldn’t have happened.

Wu Sheng told Tang Mo not to blame himself, but in truth, he blamed himself as well.

’Why did I believe that bullshit superstition about not seeing each other before the wedding? If it weren’t for that, I would’ve come to see Su Li, and she wouldn’t be in trouble.’

Wu Sheng withdrew his hand and urged Tang Mo in a hoarse voice.

"Alright, you get some rest now. Get under the covers so you don’t catch a cold..."

But just then, Tang Mo suddenly looked at Wu Sheng and spoke.

"Uncle, I dreamed about Mom... I dreamed she said she was hungry and thirsty. Do you think she’s hungry, cold, and thirsty?"

Tang Mo’s words made Wu Sheng freeze completely. It was a long moment before he could speak, his voice hoarse.

"No, no, she’s not..."

Though he said she wasn’t, his eyes involuntarily drifted toward the window.

Outside, the wind howled, and it had started to snow again.

’The weather forecast said the temperature was dropping for the next two days, and that people should bundle up...’

’What if Su Li really is cold, hungry, and thirsty...’ ’No. No, that’s impossible.’ Wu Sheng frantically shook his head, not daring to even imagine such a possibility.

The mere thought made his heart feel like it was being ripped out, the pain so sharp it was hard to breathe.

’How could Su Li endure such suffering...?’

Just as Wu Sheng was trying his best to convince himself, he heard Tang Mo speak.

"I wanted to eat and drink and rest, but I can’t. When I think that Mom might be hungry, thirsty, or maybe can’t even sleep, I just can’t..."

Tang Mo bit his lip. "I just dreamed it, I dreamed about Mom... Uncle, could it be real?"

"No, absolutely not!" Wu Sheng replied adamantly.

Tang Mo nodded lightly and hummed in agreement. "Where are we searching tonight?"

"The North District. We haven’t searched the North District yet. We’ll go there tonight. You should rest. I’ll take my men and go search."

Tang Mo shook his head. "No, I’m going too."

A profound look, far beyond his years, settled deep in his eyes.

Clenching his fists, Tang Mo vowed to himself, ’This is the last time. I will never allow something like this to happen again. I will, as soon as possible...’

What did he mean by "as soon as possible"? He meant he would push forward with his experimental research!

Before, his passion had driven him. He wanted to save countless children from the pitiful fate of being abducted. He never imagined he would need his research for Su Li. But now, he did.

’From now on, I have to always know where Mom is. I have to keep her safe at all times. I can never lose contact with her like this again.’

He hated this feeling of powerlessness. He hated it with every fiber of his being.

’If only I had finished my research earlier, this never would have happened. Mom would be at home, cooking for me, talking with me... everything would be warm and happy...’

Wu Sheng didn’t notice what Tang Mo was thinking. Unable to persuade him otherwise, he had no choice but to take him along.

With Su Li missing for a day and a night, Wu Sheng had practically turned the entire Imperial City upside down.

He even sent people to Su Li’s hometown, Fengcheng County, to see if Miao Fenghua, Su Dan, or anyone else were suspects.

Wu Sheng mobilized all the power at his disposal. His four friends, Zhao, Qian, Sun, and Li, were also helping. Wa Wa Lian and his group joined in as well, along with Wa Wa Lian’s newlywed wife, Xiao Hong. Everyone was doing their utmost to find her.

Wu Qihua, his aunt, Grandma Wu, Wu Xia, and Wu Dong were all searching as well. The Ling Family with Ling Zhen, along with Yu Zhengqing, Li Hongqin, Yin Cuihua, Li Li, and others, were all using their own resources and methods to help find Su Li.

No one ever considered that Su Li might have left on her own because of some issue.

They all knew Su Li’s character well. She wasn’t the irresponsible type. She would never abandon Tang Mo, and she certainly wouldn’t abandon Wu Sheng right before their wedding.

So something must have happened to her. That was the only explanation.

Su Li had finally found happiness after so much hardship and was about to get married. If something happened to her now, no one would be able to accept it.

While Su Li was repeatedly standing on her tiptoes, trying to catch drifting snowflakes to quench her thirst, the search for her in the Imperial City had reached a fever pitch.

Su Li didn’t know how long she had been standing there. In the end, unable to catch a single snowflake, she had no choice but to give up in frustration.

She tried to go back to grinding at the window, but her strength was fading, leaving her weaker and weaker.

In the end, Su Li didn’t even know how she collapsed.

When she was next jolted awake by the cold, the sky was faintly dawning again.

Su Li struggled to her feet. Shaking her groggy head, she shivered and supported herself against the wall, beginning to walk slowly to generate a little warmth.

She was frozen stiff. Not just her hands and feet—it felt like her entire body was rigid with cold.

It had been one day and two nights.

During the first day and night, Su Li had been able to hold on, still feeling she had some strength left. By the second day, however, she could clearly feel her stamina reaching its absolute limit.

Her strength was draining away bit by bit. Her entire body ached, everywhere except her stomach. Even standing up and walking required a massive effort; she had to lean on the wall just to move.

Su Li forced herself to walk a few laps. Once she finally managed to bring some feeling back into her frozen limbs, she returned to the window.

She struggled to cling to the window ledge, which was now slightly worn down, and let out a hoarse, weak cry for help.

"Is anyone there? Anybody? Help..."

Su Li tried to shout, but compared to yesterday, her cries for help today were much quieter, weak and listless.

The sun came up, but the result was the same as yesterday. Su Li gave a bitter smile and decided she had to rely on herself.

She started grinding with the wood chip again. When she had no strength, she forced herself to push harder, continuing until she collapsed from exhaustion.

"Help... help..."

Su Li lay on the floor, looking at the window and calling for help again.

This time, there was finally a response.

"Heh... and here I thought you were so high and mighty, so arrogant. Turns out you know how to cry for help after all, heh..."

A familiar, cold sneer reached Su Li’s ears.