Several hours earlier.
Hotel.
Ye Qingyu had tried everything she could, but she couldn’t pry any useful information out of Li Xiaomou’s mouth.
She desperately wanted to just kill the other woman, but considering Li Xiaomou’s special status, she had to restrain herself.
“Listen, if anything happens to them because of what you said, I won’t let you get away with it,” Ye Qingyu threatened fiercely.
Li Xiaomou feigned innocence. “I only spoke the truth. ‘Short pain is better than long pain.’ It’s better for everyone if they separate sooner rather than later.”
“How do you know they can’t switch back?”
“Unless they find the reason their souls swapped, it’s impossible. At least, it can’t be done with current human methods.”
“There always have to be a few people who break the shackles of their era, and Su Mo is the one I have the most hope in.” Ye Qingyu murmured, “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have so readily entrusted Qingyi to him.”
“No wonder you didn’t chase after them.”
“No, the only reason I didn’t chase after them is that I was afraid you’d run away,” Ye Qingyu said with a cold laugh.
Li Xiaomou turned her head away, avoiding eye contact. A complex emotion flickered in her beautiful eyes.
“Hey, do you really like women?” Ye Qingyu asked again.
“None of your business.”
“So, you like Su Mo? The current Su Mo in that state?”
Li Xiaomou was blunt. “I am quite interested in him, but what does that have to do with you?”
“Oh, I just mean, if that’s really the case, then maybe I’ve thought of a way to make you talk.”
Li Xiaomou looked wary. “What do you want to do?”
Ye Qingyu glanced at the spots on Li Xiaomou’s body she had spanked numerous times before. She couldn’t resist giving another one, secretly marveling at the wonderful feel.
“Ah!” Li Xiaomou let out a startled cry, a flash of pleasure appearing deep in her eyes before she immediately fell silent.
Ye Qingyu confirmed her suspicion. She threatened, “At worst, I’ll hand you over to Beidou. They have specialized torture devices for people like you. When the time comes, I’ll call over that slightly perverted guy under my command and let him have a good time with you.”
Li Xiaomou seemed somewhat frightened. “Ye Qingyu, we’re both women! Don’t be so shameless!”
Ye Qingyu leaned close to her face, enunciating each word clearly. “When dealing with traitors, we show no mercy!”
After saying this, she made a phone call and said to the person on the other end, “Send Yun’er over. I have a gift for you all.”
The man on the other end grunted in affirmation and immediately started giving orders.
…
The next day.
Su Mo and Ye Qingyi, acting as if nothing was wrong, boarded a flight to Tianyu City. Su Wenlong, just like last time, came to pick them up by car.
“Dad, you look so much younger! I thought it was just a beauty filter in the video call before,” Su Mo couldn’t help but exclaim, noticing the reduction in wrinkles on his father’s face and his hair, which was now completely jet black and shiny.
“It’s all thanks to that fruit of yours. Your mother and I feel like we’ve become over ten years younger.”
“Oh, in that case, that red fruit deserves major credit for Momo being able to come into this world.”
“Hey, you rascal.” Su Wenlong laughed and scolded him lightly. “But I guess you’re not wrong.”
As they neared home, they saw a crowd gathered up ahead. Su Mo asked, puzzled, “Is someone hosting a banquet? Why is it so crowded?”
“I don’t know. It wasn’t like this when I left… Wait—” A vein throbbed on Su Wenlong’s forehead. “They’re gathered around *our* house!”
He parked the car by the roadside, and the three of them immediately got out and rushed towards the front door.
Seeing them arrive, the neighbors anxiously said, “Old Su! Your wife and daughter have been kidnapped!”
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“Really, why didn’t you take your phone? We couldn’t reach you. Everyone was worried sick.”
Su Wenlong’s eyes instantly became bloodshot. “What exactly happened?”
A neighborhood aunt, even more frantic than Su Wenlong, led him into the courtyard. There, a message was carved: If you don’t want anything to happen to them, meet at West Gorge Pass at 9 PM. Alone.
As the “son,” Ye Qingyi supported Su Wenlong and comforted him, “Dad, don’t panic yet. I have a plan.”
She paused and continued, “They want to see you, so they must need something from you. If that’s the case, then Mom and Momo are definitely still safe. We just need to show up on time as agreed.”
“But they said only your dad can go! What’s the difference between that and walking to his death?” The neighbors were buzzing with anxiety, offering suggestions—some proposed calling the police, others suggested everyone go together.
Ye Qingyi said with full confidence, “Everyone, please rest assured. With us here, my mom and Momo will definitely return safely.”
After she and Su Mo saw everyone off, the three of them discussed their strategy inside the house.
“Uncle, please don’t worry. I’ve already thought of a plan,” Ye Qingyi reassured Su Wenlong, then turned her gaze to Su Mo.
Su Mo was also anxious, but he hadn’t lost his composure. Just as Ye Qingyi had said earlier, as long as the kidnappers had a goal, his mother and Momo wouldn’t be in immediate life-threatening danger.
However, while he appeared calm on the surface, a storm was raging in his heart. Because of this, he didn’t immediately grasp what plan Ye Qingyi was referring to.
“Give me the Bagua Mirror,” Ye Qingyi said, reaching her hand out to him.
Su Mo was stunned for a second, then instantly understood her meaning. He handed the Bagua Mirror to Ye Qingyi. “I’ll follow behind as backup.”
“No. They will definitely be very cautious. What if they kill the hostages? You stay home and protect Uncle. I’ll go alone when the time comes.”
Su Mo thought about it and felt Ye Qingyi had a point, but he was still uneasy. “These people definitely know we’ve also come to Tianyu City. They’ll be prepared. I’m still worried about you going alone.”
He proposed, “My house has a basement. My dad can hide there without any problem. I *have* to go as your backup, even if I just follow from a distance.”
Ye Qingyi had no choice but to nod. “Fine.”
Su Wenlong didn’t understand what they were talking about. He was about to ask when Su Mo said, “Dad, when the time comes, Qingyi will disguise herself as you and go. With her abilities, rescuing Mom and Momo will be more than enough.”
“Disguise as me?”
Actions speak louder than words. Su Mo didn’t explain too much. Instead, he taught Ye Qingyi how to use the Bagua Mirror.
Ye Qingyi channeled spiritual power into the Bagua Mirror. Under the mirror’s glow, Su Mo’s original face suddenly transformed into Su Wenlong’s.
Before Su Wenlong could even process his surprise, he saw her start working on her hair.
In less than ten minutes, a youthful version of Su Wenlong made a dazzling debut.
Father and son already shared a resemblance. With the Bagua Mirror’s disguise, Ye Qingyi now looked almost identical to Su Wenlong. She just needed to mimic Su Wenlong’s speech habits and voice.
Watching the two versions of his father moving in sync in the living room, Su Mo sniffed and turned to look out the window.
A crow happened to be passing by. It made accidental eye contact with Su Mo, then flapped its wings and plummeted from the sky.
In his eyes, a trace of crimson flashed and vanished—a symbol of his rage.