Chapter 308 - 306: Zhao Linglong Lost Contact

Yang Xun smiled smugly. He drove the car smoothly out of the dealership’s gates with Sun Rao, heading toward Jinfu Orchid Garden.

Sun Rao wasn’t a talkative person, but she still curiously asked about Chen Junhao’s identity.

"He’s just an idiot who tried to take advantage of my wife. I beat him up, and now he’s holding a grudge," Yang Xun scoffed.

"Ah Xun, how about I take care of him for you?" Sun Rao offered with a deadpan expression.

"That won’t be necessary. You really live up to your background as an assassin—asking for lives the moment you open your mouth!" Yang Xun quickly declined. Although Chen Junhao was annoying, there was no need to kill him.

"I think he’ll cause trouble for you in the future. It’d be better to pull out the weed by its roots," she said. Back when she worked for Scarface, her principle had always been to strike ruthlessly and never leave potential disasters behind. She felt that Yang Xun was too merciful; if it were Scarface, Chen Junhao definitely wouldn’t live to see another day.

The two chatted for a while before the car drove through the gates of Jinfu Orchid Garden, coming to a halt in front of the small villa Yang Xun rented.

Yang Xun unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to Sun Rao. "We’re here. Let’s get out."

They stepped out of the car. Just as they reached the courtyard gate, the villa’s front door was pushed open from the inside.

Yang Cai leaned halfway out, wearing a pale pink loungewear set with her hair casually tied up in a bun, holding an apple in her hand.

"Yang Xun? Aren’t you working today?" Her gaze moved past him and landed on Sun Rao. She blinked her large, clear eyes, filled with curiosity and scrutiny. "Who is this?"

Yang Xun stepped half a pace to the side and introduced her. "Her name is Sun Rao. She’s a friend of mine. She’s run into some difficulties recently and will be staying with us for a while.

"Xiaocai, could you help Sun Rao get a guest room ready?"

Hearing that a new friend would be staying over, Yang Cai’s eyes instantly lit up. She grabbed Sun Rao’s hand without a second thought.

"Hello! I’m Yang Cai. You’re so pretty, and your skin is so fair!"

Sun Rao was momentarily taken aback by Yang Cai’s enthusiasm, but the corners of her lips quickly curled up into a smile. "Hello, Xiaocai. I’m sorry for intruding."

"You’re not intruding! Come on in!" Yang Cai pulled her inside, her voice crisp as wind chimes. "It’s perfect timing. I get bored being home alone. Since Linglong left last time, I haven’t had anyone to talk to. I’m so happy you’re here to stay!"

As she spoke, she threw a look back at Yang Xun, signaling him to leave it to her and rest easy.

Seeing his sister’s excited demeanor, Yang Xun breathed a sigh of relief. He had worried she might feel uncomfortable having a sudden addition to the household, but it seemed he had overthought things. Although Yang Cai had been frail and sickly since childhood, she was enthusiastic and outgoing by nature. As long as the other person wasn’t deliberately cold, she could easily get along with anyone.

"Yang Xun! You can go to work if you need to! Just leave Sun Rao to me!" Yang Cai waved at him as she dragged Sun Rao upstairs. "I’ll take you to pick a room. The south-facing one on the second floor gets great sunlight, and you can even see the neighborhood garden when you open the window!"

Sun Rao was pulled upstairs by Yang Cai. She glanced back at Yang Xun, her phoenix-like eyes brimming with amusement.

There weren’t many rooms in the villa, but they were all kept very clean. Sun Rao chose the room next to Yang Cai’s, and the two began tidying it up together.

Yang Xun sat on the sofa for a while. Just as he was about to leave, Yang Cai peeked her head out from the top of the stairs.

"Oh, right, Yang Xun!"

"Hmm?"

"Has Linglong contacted you since she went back home?" Her voice floated down the stairs, tinged with an imperceptible loneliness. "I sent her some messages earlier, but she hasn’t replied. I’m a bit worried about her."

Yang Xun’s fingers paused slightly over his phone. "She hasn’t replied to your messages?"

"No." Yang Cai shook her head and walked downstairs. She sat down next to him, resting her hands on her knees, her clear eyes holding a trace of concern. "I’ve been texting her for the past few days, and she hasn’t replied to a single one. She isn’t answering my calls either.

"Do you think her father’s condition got really serious and she has no time for me? Or does she just not want to be friends anymore?"

Hearing this, Yang Xun frowned slightly. Logically speaking, even though Zhao Linglong had returned to Shunping, given her relationship with Yang Cai, it wouldn’t make sense for her to completely ignore calls and messages. Even if she was busy with family matters, taking a few seconds to send a WeChat message to say she was safe should be easy enough.

"When was the last time you heard from her?" he asked.

"The day after she arrived home. I texted her, and she didn’t reply." Yang Cai lowered her head, her fingers absentmindedly twisting the hem of her clothes. "I thought she would chat with me after settling in, but it’s been radio silence."

Yang Xun remained silent for a few seconds. He pulled out his phone, found Zhao Linglong’s number, and dialed it directly.

The phone rang. Once, twice, three times... It kept ringing until the line automatically disconnected. He dialed again, but it still went unanswered.

Setting his phone down, Yang Xun’s brows furrowed even tighter.

"Yang Xun, do you think something happened to Linglong?" Yang Cai looked up at him, her eyes already misting over.

"Don’t let your imagination run wild just yet." Yang Xun reached out and gently patted her head, keeping his tone as steady as possible. "It’s probably just that there’s a lot going on at her home right now, and she doesn’t have her phone on her. I’ll have someone look into it, and I’ll let you know as soon as I have news."

Saying this, he picked up his phone and dialed Zhou Yuan’s number.

The call connected after two rings. Zhou Yuan’s delighted voice came through. "Xun, do you have good news for me? I heard..."

Before he could finish, Yang Xun interrupted him.

"Look into something for me.

"Zhao Linglong went home a few days ago to take care of Zhao Hongshan, but there’s been no word from her since. I called her and no one answered, and she hasn’t replied to Xiaocai’s messages either. Ask your friends in Shunping to poke around and see if anything has happened to the Zhao family recently."

The line was quiet for two seconds before Zhou Yuan’s voice grew much more serious. "Sure, I’ll ask around for you. I’ll let you know the moment I find anything out."

"Thanks."

After hanging up, Yang Xun leaned against the back of the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling for a moment. Seeing his serious expression, Yang Cai didn’t dare to ask any more questions. She simply sat beside him, keeping him company in silence.

A moment later, Sun Rao came downstairs and said with a smile, "The room is all set up. I really like it here. Thank you, Ah Xun."

"Just make yourself at home. Let me know if you need anything. I’ll be heading out now." Yang Xun stood up and casually ruffled Yang Cai’s hair, instructing her, "Your complexion has looked a lot better lately. Keep it up, and make sure you take your medicine on time."

"I know, Yang Xun. You’re turning into a nag," Yang Cai muttered, but the corners of her mouth curled up. It was obvious that his concern made her very happy.

Yang Xun was just about to head out when his phone suddenly vibrated. He looked down and saw the caller ID: Yue Feifei.