Chapter 356: It’s Their Fault

Chapter 356: Chapter 356: It’s Their Fault

The golden window for finding a missing person is the first three days. Shi Lan had been missing for over a week, so Ye Ming wasn’t holding out much hope.

Especially since he’d recently followed a fraudulent tip, rushing to the specified location only to find nothing.

However, he couldn’t bear to miss even the slightest chance of finding his partner.

The call connected in just two or three seconds. Aunt Liu, who was contacting Ye Ming, was surprised by how quickly he answered. It was, after all, past two in the morning, an hour when most people were sound asleep. If she hadn’t been up waiting for her son who was out gallivanting, she would have turned off her lights long ago.

"Hello."

On the other end, Ye Ming’s polite but distant voice traveled clearly through the chip into Shi Lan’s ears.

When Shi Lan had glanced at Aunt Liu’s chip earlier, she had inadvertently noticed the date and realized she had been missing for nearly ten days.

It had been so long since she’d heard her Beast Husband’s voice that even that simple greeting from Ye Ming made her heart ache and her eyes sting.

It was Aunt Liu’s first time speaking so directly with the Eldest Prince, and she was a little nervous, unable to get a word out for a moment. Shi Lan spoke first. "Ye Ming, it’s me."

"What?"

Hearing that voice, Ye Ming was momentarily stunned. Or perhaps, he was so overjoyed yet so terrified of his hope being crushed that his words came out with extreme caution.

Aunt Liu could clearly sense the change in the Eldest Prince’s voice. It was much gentler now, his tone light, as if he were afraid of startling something.

Through the chip, his rapid, anxious breaths were clearly audible.

Aunt Liu switched on the video function of the communicator. Through her chip, the two finally saw each other.

"Lanlan..."

The moment Ye Ming saw Shi Lan’s face, his eyes reddened even faster than hers. Even with a stranger present, he couldn’t hold back his tears, and they streamed down his cheeks.

Though it had only been days, Shi Lan looked at the figure on the screen and felt that Ye Ming had lost a lot of weight.

Her eyes filled with heartache, but she didn’t forget to answer him. "It’s me. I’m here. I’m back."

"I’m in the slums right now."

"Okay, wait for me. I’m coming right now. Don’t hang up."

Worried that something else might happen, Ye Ming had Aunt Liu keep the chip aimed at Shi Lan, ensuring she remained in his sight. Then, he immediately rushed to his Hovercar and headed over.

In less than ten minutes, his Hovercar, which had clearly been speeding and weaving through traffic, screeched to a halt at Aunt Liu’s door.

Perhaps it was the apprehension of a long-awaited reunion, or perhaps he feared it was all a fantasy. Though he had arrived, he paced outside the door for a moment before ringing the bell.

This time, it was Shi Lan who opened the door.

She rushed into Ye Ming’s arms, holding him tight, her voice slightly hoarse. "Ye Ming, I’m back. I’m sorry I made you worry."

Feeling the familiar scent and warmth of his partner, the man who had been tense for so long finally began to relax.

Ye Ming hugged her just as tightly, resting his chin on the top of her head. His throat felt thick, as if stuffed with cotton, and his voice was choked with emotion as he asked again, slowly and carefully, "Is it really Lanlan? This isn’t a dream, is it?"

Shi Lan knew everyone must have been worried sick while she was missing. She immediately shook her head. "It’s not a dream, Ye Ming. It’s me. I’m really back."

They held each other for a long time. Aunt Liu, not wanting to be a third wheel, discreetly left them to have some space alone.

Once he was sure it was all real and not a dream, the heavy weight on Ye Ming’s heart finally lifted.

True to his word, he immediately transferred the money to Aunt Liu before leaving with Shi Lan.

Aunt Liu saw over twenty million Star Coins appear in her account. It all felt like a dream.

Just then, there was another knock on the door. Thinking it might be Ye Ming and Shi Lan returning, she opened it to find her son, who had failed to come home for the night.

Having just received a fortune, Aunt Liu found she couldn’t get angry at her son. Instead, she muttered, "This little rascal brought me good luck today. Fine, I won’t beat him this time."

Aunt Liu’s son was already braced for a beating. When he shielded his head with his hands and his mother didn’t react, his heart dropped. ’Oh no,’ he thought, ’have I made her so angry she’s speechless?’

So he immediately dropped to his knees and started wailing, "Mom, I was wrong! I’ll never stay out so late online again..."

The anger Aunt Liu had just managed to suppress flared up again. She smacked him on the top of his head. "You brat! You’re just itching for a beating, aren’t you? Now go wash up and get to bed."

With that, she happily returned to her room.

...

Meanwhile, Ye Ming, who had already left with Shi Lan, flew his Hovercar toward his mother’s hospital.

Lanlan had been missing for so many days; he was worried she might have other injuries and insisted on taking her for a medical examination first.

Shi Lan didn’t refuse his kind intentions. On the way, she contacted her other Beast Husbands.

Even though it was already past three in the morning, all of them answered the call immediately.

Seeing their identical dark circles and exhausted expressions on the other end of the chip, Shi Lan could guess how much effort they had poured into searching for her.

After seeing her, Jiang Xia rubbed his eyes in disbelief, his own eyes welling up with tears through the video call. "Wife, is that you? This isn’t a dream, is it? *Sob*... I was so worried about you, and I missed you so much."

Mu Tangfeng, who was usually proud and reserved, also had a reddened nose and bloodshot eyes. His voice was choked with emotion. "As long as you’re back... I’m heading back to the Capital Star right now."

Even Yan Huoshui, who always faced Shi Lan with a flirtatious smile as if he had everything under control, and He Hanshi, who was always calm, composed, and level-headed—both of them, for once, had red-rimmed eyes.

"Lanlan, thank goodness you’re okay."

’If something had really happened to her, none of them would ever forgive themselves.’

’They were the ones who had lost her. Thankfully, Lanlan was smart and brave and had found a way back on her own.’

Shi Lan knew everyone had been worried about her, so she recounted what happened in a light, casual tone.

But even so, when they learned that her chip had been dug out and that her blood had been drawn, they all felt a sympathetic, suffocating pain tighten in their chests, and the red in their eyes deepened.

Jiang Xia bit his lip. "Lanlan, you’ve suffered so much. It’s all my fault for not protecting you."

Mu Tangfeng clenched his fists. "Damned Wang Ahsan! How dare he hurt my wife like this! I’m already on my way back to the Capital Star."

Yan Huoshui’s eyes filled with self-reproach and regret. "If I had known, I would have just killed Wang Ahsan back then, consequences be damned. Then Lanlan would never have been captured by him, and none of this would have happened."

To this, Shi Lan said, "That Wang Ahsan is actually Donald, the one who took me to the Garbage Star. His Talent Skill is Domain. That skill is difficult to counter. Inside his Domain, none of us can use our spiritual power. It’s too risky."

Donald is a very cunning person. To deal with him, we have to be fast, precise, and ruthless.

Ye Ming’s expression turned icy, his words laced with killing intent. "Donald must die!"

Among everyone present, the one who felt the most guilt was He Hanshi. It was his fault. He thought Shi Lan would be safe at the base. He thought that by taking all the new recruits out, there would be no danger. But he had forgotten that injured soldiers would be sent back to recuperate, which was precisely what gave Donald the opportunity to capture Shi Lan.

’So, it was all his fault.’

He hung his head, his messy, silver-white hair obscuring his forehead and revealing only his pale chin. His dejected voice was filled with apology. "I’m sorry, Lanlan. My carelessness led to you being harmed like this. It’s my fault. I couldn’t even protect you in my own territory. Please punish me, wife."