Lin Guifang was wearing pajamas and slippers.
She seemed very anxious, looking around as if waiting for someone.
With questions in mind, Xie Huaichu got out of the car and walked over. "Grandma."
Hearing this, Lin Guifang quickly turned her head to look at him. "Xiao Xie?! What are you doing here?"
"I happened to be passing by." Xie Huaichu lied without hesitation.
"It's so late, why aren't you going back to rest?"
"Is Jiang Li not at home?"
The latter question was what he really wanted to know.
Upon hearing this, a look of anxiety appeared on Lin Guifang's face.
"Little A Li has been gone for quite a while, and she hasn't come back. I'm really worried."
"I tried calling her, but her phone was in the bedroom. She's never the type to be forgetful, so I'm worried something might have happened to her."
Upon hearing Lin Guifang's words, Xie Huaichu became tense.
"Did A Li tell you where she was going?"
"Did someone come to find her, or did she go out on her own?"
Lin Guifang shook her head, and her eyes unknowingly reddened.
"I had a bit of a headache today, so I ate early and went to sleep."
"Half-asleep, I heard some movement in the yard. I thought of getting up to check, but I was too tired."
"Then I vaguely heard the sound of a motorcycle. My heart jumped, so I forced myself to get up and look."
"Little A Li's bedroom was empty. I went to the backyard garage to check, but her motorcycle was nowhere to be found."
"You mean, A Li's motorcycle was stolen?" Xie Huaichu guessed.
Seemingly thinking of something, he tried to comfort Lin Guifang.
"Grandma, is there any surveillance around your yard?"
This area wasn't inhabited by people of high status.
And every household had dogs.
The alley was narrow, so large trucks or vehicles couldn't come in.
Therefore, the relevant authorities hadn't paid particular attention to security measures in this area.
There were only cameras at the alley entrance and intersections.
Upon hearing Xie Huaichu's words, Lin Guifang seemed to have an epiphany.
"Look at me, my mind is really getting old."
"We actually have surveillance cameras in our yard. Little A Li bought and installed them herself."
"She installed this camera for my safety, but at the same time, she didn't want to draw too much attention, so she placed it in the yard."
"She even installed the software on my phone."
Lin Guifang said as she took out her phone, opened the software, and showed it to Xie Huaichu.
Xie Huaichu furrowed his brows, his long fingers tapping on the screen.
Then, he selected a time frame from the surveillance footage to investigate the truth.
The footage revealed that after arranging for Lin Guifang to rest, Jiang Li went to her studio.
She stayed there for almost an hour before coming out.
Afterward, she went to the backyard and then to her bedroom.
About ten minutes later, a few people sneaked into the front yard.
They were searching for something in the yard, sneaking around.
The next moment, a mango was shoved into a sack and carried away.
It turned out that they were dog traffickers.
As they left, they accidentally knocked over the water barrel in the yard.
Soon after, Jiang Li appeared in front of them.
She was wearing a black velvet nightgown.
When she saw them, she wasn't afraid at all and immediately fought back fiercely.
Her movements were swift and nimble, her punches landing with force and precision.
She could have easily dealt with those people, but unexpectedly, they had backup.
Jiang Li fell into their trap, and they took advantage of the chaos to escape.
Ignoring the pain in her back, Jiang Li quickly rushed to the backyard garage.
Soon, a girl riding a motorcycle appeared on the surveillance footage.
However, the camera's range didn't extend past the front gate, so the trail ended there.
Xie Huaichu glanced at the time on the video. It was exactly before he arrived.
Instantly, a wave of self-blame rose in his chest.
If he had arrived just one minute earlier, he could have helped Jiang Li subdue those traffickers.
With that thought, he returned the phone to Lin Guifang and tried to comfort her in a softer tone.
"Grandma, don't worry. I'm going to find A Li right now. It's chilly at night, so please wait in your room, okay?"
"Do you know where Little A Li went?" Lin Guifang asked with trembling hands, tears streaming down her face.
Xie Huaichu nodded firmly. "I will definitely bring A Li back safe and sound. Please trust me."
The black Maybach sped down the broad road.
Xie Huaichu's eyes were sharp, his face cold.
He activated the car's Bluetooth and dialed Shao Moyan's number, speaking in a cold, commanding tone.
"I don't care what method you use, quickly retrieve all the traffic control footage from Mulin Avenue and Panyuan Avenue," Xie Huaichu ordered.
"Track down the whereabouts of a white XO baboon 125 motorcycle, immediately!"
In the clubhouse's game room, where many people were playing billiards, Shao Moyan heard the urgency in his friend's voice.
He tossed the cue stick to a nearby underling, then put his phone to his ear, his expression turning serious.
"What's happened?"
"Jiang Li's in trouble," Xie Huaichu floored the gas pedal, the Maybach zooming like lightning, weaving through intersections.
"I must find her in the shortest time possible."
Shao Moyan quickened his steps, heading to the top floor of the clubhouse, where he had his own exclusive suite.
"Alright, give me five minutes."
Though Shao Moyan usually appeared as a rich, carefree playboy, when it came to serious matters, he could take charge.
Outside an abandoned factory on the outskirts of the city, a few dog traffickers parked a van and grumbled as they walked inside.
Each of them was carrying a sack, bulging with what were obviously stolen dogs.
Inside the factory, in one corner, there were over a dozen iron cages lined up next to each other.
Inside the cages were all kinds of dogs.
They were lying limp and lifeless in the cages, showing no energy at all.
It seemed they had been injected with tranquilizers by the traffickers.
One of the traffickers tossed his sack onto the ground and untied it.
Mango was thrown out onto the floor.
The usually lively dog was now lying limply, unable to move, with no strength at all.
"Damn, that woman earlier was way too tough. She kicked me a few times, and it hurts like hell," one of the traffickers cursed, pulling up the hem of his shirt to look at the marks on his stomach.
"Shit! You think you're the only one who got hit? My wound's worse!"
Another trafficker stepped up to him, pointing at the bloody gash on his forehead from a stick, furious.
"I thought it was just two women, no big deal, but who knew that woman was so strong."
"Enough, don't argue," another trafficker interrupted, "That woman's skills aren't bad, and from her stance, she definitely won't let this go."
"We'll stay here for now, but tomorrow we need to move immediately."
Just as they were tending to their wounds, the sound of a motorcycle engine grew louder, approaching from a distance.
Everyone immediately became alert, their faces turning menacing.
Jiang Li stopped her motorcycle some distance away from the factory.
She raised her hand to remove her helmet and dismounted.
Climbing to a higher vantage point, she surveyed the surrounding terrain.
The traffickers had been driving a van, and she had carefully followed them, making sure not to be noticed, until she had arrived here.
But now, she couldn't find them whereabouts.