Suo ran's face went completely pale. "What happened?" he asked, staring at Cai Lang with growing dread. Cai Lang held the phone tightly in his hand, the message still glowing on the screen like a warning. "Jun Wei..." Suo ran's voice trembled. "...What about him?" Cai Lang replied ,"He's gone." For a moment, the world stopped.Then Suo ran moved not calmly, not logically. He lunged forward and grabbed Cai Lang's jacket collar so fast that the chair behind him crashed to the floor. "What do you mean he's gone?" he demanded, his eyes wide with panic.
Cai lang didn't fight him. "He disappeared in the amusement park." Horror flashed across Suo Ran's face. "Where is Lian Ziho?!" "He is searching jun wei." Suo ran released him and rushed toward the door. "Wait!" Cai lang said, turning after him, but Suo ran was already grabbing his coat. "Move." "You need to calm down." "I need to get to Jun Wei." Cai lang stepped in front of him, blocking the way. "And if you rush in blindly, you'll make it worse."
Suo ran's hands trembled violently at his sides. "He's a child, Cai Lang." "I know." "He's alone!" "And panicking won't help him." For one second, Suo ran looked like he might punch him. His jaw clenched and his eyes glowed with fear and anger. Instead, he shoved past him. "I'm not standing here talking."Cai lang followed without hesitation. "I'm coming with you."
The amusement park entrance was still crowded when they arrived. Music blasted from speakers, children laughed, and families wandered from ride to ride. Everything looked normal. Suo ran jumped out of the taxi before it had fully stopped and turned sharply toward Cai lang. "Call Lian Ziho again." Cai Lang pulled out his phone. This time, the call connected. "Lian Ziho." "Cai Lang?" Lian ziho answered at once. "Where are you?" "Near the carousel." "Wsit there we're coming!" Then he put down his phone.
They found them near the carousel. Teacher Liu stood beside the railing, scanning the crowd with visible concern, while Lian Ziho stood a few steps away looking exhausted and pale. The moment Suo ran saw them, whatever control he had left shattered. "Where is he?" he demanded as he stormed forward. Lian Ziho turned toward him. "Suo Ran..." "WHERE IS JUN WEI?!" Suo ran shouted, his voice cracking with panic and fury.
Nearby people turned to stare.Teacher Liu stepped forward. "We're searching." Suo ran's expression twisted. "How can you be so careless?!" Lian ziho froze where he stood. "I trusted you!" Suo ran continued, his words breaking apart under the weight of his fear. Teacher Liu raised a hand, trying to calm him. "Suo Ran, please..." But he wasn't listening. "I left him with you because I thought he was safe!"
Lian Ziho didn't defend himself. He lowered his head slightly, guilt written across his face. "I know." That quiet answer only made Suo ran angrier. "What do you mean you know?!" Lian Ziho closed his eyes briefly before answering. "I lost him."Teacher Liu spoke carefully. "It happened quickly." Lian Ziho swallowed hard. "I looked away for one second." Suo ran let out a broken laugh and shook his head. "One second." Cai Lang stepped forward then, his expression firm. "Enough." Suo ran turned on him. "He is my brother!And now he is missing!"
Cai lang tried to calm down suo ran."And yelling won't bring him back." He continued, "We search."Lian ziho nodded at once."I'll check there." Teacher Liu released a slow breath. "I'll check the west side again." Cai Lang pointed toward the food court. "Suo ran you come with me." Suo ran hesitated, his chest rising and falling rapidly, before giving a stiff nod.
The search began.The amusement park suddenly felt enormous.There were too many people, too many rides, too many places for a child to disappear. Suo ran pushed through the crowds frantically, scanning every face he passed. "Jun Wei!" he shouted, his voice raw. No answer. "Jun Wei!" Children were everywhere. None of them were him. Cai Lang stayed close behind. "Slow down." "I can't."
Suo ran didn't even look at him. "You'll miss things." Suo ran stopped suddenly in the middle of the walkway, his entire body going rigid as his gaze locked onto something across the crowd.He saw a small boy being guided toward a white van. Suo ran's heart stopped. Every thought vanished from his mind, replaced by pure terror. "Jun Wei!" he shouted and broke into a run, shoving through startled pedestrians.
Cai Lang reacted instantly and sprinted after him. "WAIT!" The man beside the van looked up in surprise just as Suo ran reached them. Without hesitation, Suo ran grabbed the van door and yanked it open. "LET HIM GO!" he yelled, his eyes blazing with panic. The man stared at him, completely confused."What?" Suo ran pulled the child away from him. The boy let out a frightened scream and burst into tears. "Mom!" A woman rushed forward from nearby, her face filled with alarm and anger. "What are you doing?!"
Suo ran froze and his grip loosened. He saw child face,that child wasn't Jun wei.The woman quickly pulled the boy into her arms and held him protectively against her chest. "Are you insane?" she demanded. Suo ran stared at them for a second before slowly stepping back. The panic drained from his face, leaving only exhaustion and horror. "I'm... sorry." The woman glared at him. "Stay away from my son." Before the situation could escalate further, Cai Lang stepped between them and firmly guided Suo ran away.
A short distance later, Suo ran's legs suddenly gave out.He dropped onto a bench and leaned forward,his elbows on his knees. His hands were shaking uncontrollably."That wasn't him!" he said hoarsely, staring at the ground. "No!" Cai Lang replied quietly as he stood nearby. Suo ran swallowed hard and lifted trembling eyes toward the crowd. "What if the next one is?" Cai Lang didn't answer.
Suo ran covered his face with both hands. His shoulders began to shake. "I can't lose him." Cai Lang sat beside him and looked ahead at the sea of people moving through the park. "You won't." Suo ran let out a weak, humorless laugh and lowered his hands. "You sound very confident." Cai Lang's expression remained steady. "I'm choosing to be."
Across the park, Lian Ziho searched near the roller coaster, weaving through groups of visitors while constantly scanning the crowd. His face looked exhausted, and tension sat heavily in his shoulders. His phone suddenly rang. He pulled it out and answered. "Anything?" Cai Lang asked. Lian Ziho slowed his pace and looked around once more. "No." He swallowed hard. "I'm still looking." Teacher Liu approached him from the opposite direction and studied his expression. "You need to breathe."
Lian Ziho tightened his grip on the phone. "I need to find him." Teacher Liu watched him carefully. "You care about him a lot." Lian Ziho nodded once without hesitation. "He calls me Lian Gege." A faint smile touched Teacher Liu's face. "That tends to happen." Lian Ziho shook his head, guilt flashing across his features. "I promised Suo Ran I would protect him." Teacher Liu's voice softened. "You didn't fail." Lian Ziho lowered his eyes. "I did."
Before Teacher Liu could respond, Cai Lang's voice suddenly came through the phone again, sharper than before. "Lian Ziho." Lian Ziho immediately straightened. "Yes?" His pulse quickened. "Found him?" Lian Ziho froze where he stood. For a second, he forgot how to breathe. "Jun Wei." His heart slammed painfully against his ribs. "Where?" he asked, already moving before the answer came. "Balloon stand."
Elsewhere, Jun Wei stood near a balloon stand, completely unharmed, his small hand tightly holding the string of a bright red balloon. He turned at the sound of hurried footsteps and his face brightened. "Lian Gege!" Lian Ziho ran faster than he had in years, weaving through the crowd without slowing down. The moment he reached him, he dropped to his knees and grabbed the boy's shoulders. "Jun Wei!" His voice came out sharper than intended, breathless from panic and relief.
Jun Wei blinked up at him innocently. "Why are you yelling?" Without answering, Lian Ziho pulled him into a tight hug. "You disappeared!" Jun Wei looked genuinely confused. "I was chasing the balloon." Lian Ziho pulled back slightly and crossed his arms, trying and failing to look stern. "Obviously." Jun Wei proudly lifted the balloon string. "I caught it." Lian Ziho exhaled shakily and closed his eyes for a brief moment. "You scared us." Jun Wei tilted his head. "Why?" For a second, Lian Ziho just looked at him. Because you're everything. The thought crossed his mind, but he never said it aloud. Instead, he gently tapped the boy's forehead. "You don't run away like that." Jun Wei nodded with complete seriousness. "Okay." Then he immediately looked around. "Where's Gege?"
Seconds later, Suo ran appeared through the crowd. He was breathing hard, his clothes slightly disheveled from running. The moment his eyes landed on Jun Wei, he stopped.Jun Wei spotted him and waved enthusiastically. "Gege!" Suo ran crossed the distance instantly and dropped to his knees in front of him. He wrapped both arms around the boy and pulled him into a fierce hug. Too tight. Jun Wei squeaked in protest. "I can't breathe!" Suo ran loosened his grip, but he didn't let go. "You..." His voice broke. He swallowed hard and pressed his forehead against the boy's hair. "You scared me." Jun Wei blinked and lowered his head. "I'm sorry." Suo ran closed his eyes briefly. "Don't ever do that again." Jun wei nodded obediently. "Okay."
A moment later, Jun wei looked up and pointed toward Lian Ziho. "Lian Gege was worried too." Suo ran lifted his gaze. His eyes met Lian ziho's across the short distance between them. Neither spoke at first. The anger from earlier had disappeared, leaving only exhaustion and relief. Then Lian ziho said,"I should have watched him." Suo ran shook his head slowly. "You found him."
Nearby, Cai Lang watched the scene quietly. Then his phone buzzed. He pulled it out and glanced at the screen. The change in his expression was immediate. Suo ran noticed at once. "What?" Cai Lang didn't answer right away. Instead, he slowly turned the screen toward him. On it was a photograph taken only minutes earlier Jun Wei holding the balloon, Lian Ziho kneeling beside him, and Suo ran arriving moments later.Beneath the image was a message. *Glad you found him.* Suo Ran felt ice spread through his chest. His eyes moved to the next line. "We were watching the whole time."
Jun Wei tugged on his sleeve. "Gege?" Suo ran forced his expression to remain calm and looked down. "Yes?" Jun Wei pointed behind them. "Why is that man taking another picture?" Suo ran turned slowly. Across the crowd, the same man lowered his phone. He didn't hide it. He didn't pretend he hadn't been watching. He simply slipped the device into his coat pocket and smiled. Lian ziho followed his gaze and stiffened. "Same man!" he said quietly. Teacher Liu looked between them. "You've seen him before?" "Several times today!" Lian Ziho answered, his eyes never leaving the stranger.
Jun Wei blinked. "Is he a villain?" No one answered. Across the walkway, the man began walking away.Suo ran moved to him and said,"I'm going after him." Cai lang caught his arm before he could take two steps. "No." Suo ran glared at him. "He just admitted he's watching us." "And running at him won't help." "You want to let him leave?" "Right now our priority is Jun Wei." Jun Wei tugged on Suo ran's sleeve again. "Gege?" Suo ran looked down immediately. The boy was still clutching the red balloon string. "I didn't do anything bad!" Jun Wei said quietly. The anger vanished from Suo ran's face at once. He crouched down and brushed the boy's hair back. "You didn't."
Jun Wei frowned slightly. "Then why is everyone angry?" "No one is angry." Jun wei pointed directly at Cai lang."He looks angry." Cai lang crossed his arms. "I always look like this."Jun Wei studied him for a moment before nodding. "That makes sense." Teacher liu looked around and said,"We should leave." Lian Ziho nodded."Agreed."
The group started toward the park exit together. Suo ran kept one hand firmly on Jun wei's shoulder the entire time, unwilling to let him out of reach again. Before leaving, he glanced back toward the crowd.The man was gone. As they walked, Jun wei looked up. "Gege?" "Yes?" "I'm still holding the balloon." Suo ran glanced down at it. "I see that." Jun wei lifted it proudly. "I didn't lose it." Suo ran gave faint smiled."I'm proud of you." Jun wei grinned immediately. "Then today wasn't a failed mission." Beside them, Lian ziho let out a quiet sigh. Teacher Liu glanced at him and spoke softly. "Children recover faster than adults." Lian Ziho didn't answer. His mind was still replaying the moment Jun wei vanished. Again and again.
After several moments of silence,Suo ran spoke. "Lian Ziho." Lian ziho looked over. "Yes?" He looked at him for seconds before spoke,"I'm sorry." Lian Ziho blinked. "For what?" "For what I said earlier." Lian Ziho shook his head immediately. "You had every right." "No." Suo ran looked down at Jun wei walking safely beside him. "I was scared." Lian Ziho was silent for a moment before nodding slowly. "I know."
Cai Lang watched the exchange silently. Then he said, "You can both apologize later." Suo ran and Lian ziho looked at him. "Right now," Cai lang continued, his gaze moving across the crowd, "we need to assume the surveillance team is still nearby." Teacher Liu frowned slightly. "You think they followed us inside the park?" "They were already here." Suo ran exhaled slowly, his hand still resting on Jun Wei's shoulder. "They let Jun Wei wander." Lian Ziho's eyes sharpened. "You think that was intentional?" Cai lang nodded once. "Yes."
Jun Wei blinked and looked between them. "Wait." Everyone turned toward him. "You mean villains let me chase the balloon?" Nobody answered. The silence stretched for a moment. Jun Wei tilted his head. "...That's weird." Cai Lang rubbed his forehead. "That's one way to describe it."
By the time they reached the park exit, the sky had darkened. Crowds still flowed through the gates and cars lined the street. People were laughing and talking.Jun Wei tugged suo ran's sleeve. "Gege." "Yes?" "I'm hungry." The tension broke for half a second. Teacher Liu laughed softly. "That sounds about right." Lian Ziho dragged a hand down his face. "We should get food." Cai Lang immediately shook his head. "Not here." Lian Ziho looked at him. "Why?" Without a word, Cai Lang nodded across the street.
Everyone followed his gaze. A black car parked near the sidewalk.Lian ziho narrowed his eyes. "They followed us." Suo ran's expression darkened. "They never stopped." Jun wei lowered his voice dramatically. "The villains have a car." Teacher Liu looked down at him. "Most people do."Jun wei considered that seriously. "That's suspicious."
Then Suo ran's phone vibrated. Everyone froze. Suo Ran pulled it out and looked down. Unknown number. "Don't answer!" Cai Lang said quietly. Suo ran ignored him. His thumb pressed the screen and he saw a photograph appeared. It was taken only seconds ago. All of them standing outside the amusement park. Jun wei holding the balloon,teacher Liu beside him, lian ziho scanning the street and suo ran standing in the center. Watching everything. Under the image were three words. *Family reunion today.*
Jun Wei leaned closer. "That's actually a nice photo." Suo ran's face went cold. "It's not." Another message appeared before anyone could speak. "Relax. If we wanted the boy, we'd already have him." Lian Ziho's hands slowly curled into fists. Teacher Liu stared at the screen. "That's not a threat." Cai Lang shook his head. "No." Suo ran's jaw tightened. "It's a promise." Jun Wei looked confused. "Promises are good." Suo Ran crouched slightly and brushed the boy's hair back. "Not this one."
Across the street, the black car engine started and headlights flicked on.Jun Wei looked around. "So... are we going home?" "No," Lian ziho answered carefully. Teacher Liu nodded. "Not tonight." Jun Wei sighed dramatically. "Another mission?" Cai Lang glanced at Suo ran. "Looks like it." Suo ran squeezed Jun Wei's shoulder gently. "Are you tired?" Jun Wei immediately shook his head. "I'm brave." A faint smile appeared on Suo Ran's face. "I know."
The car began moving. Slowly rolling past them.The tinted rear window lowered halfway and everyone went still. For a brief moment, the man with the camera became visible. He looked directly at them then smiled then he lifted a hand and waved casually, as if greeting old friends. Nobody waved back. The window rolled and car disappeared into traffic.
Lian ziho said while looking at car direction, "They're not hiding anymore." Teacher Liu watched the empty street. "What do they want?" Cai lang answered quietly. "They want Suo ran." Suo ran's eyes dropped to Jun Wei. The boy was still holding the red balloon. And suddenly Suo ran understood something that made his stomach twist. Jun Wei wasn't the target. He was the leash. Jun Wei looked up. "Gege?" Suo Ran forced his expression to soften. "Yes?" The boy frowned. "Why are villains smiling?" For once, Suo Ran didn't know how to answer.