Tomb raiders: You stole my little Qilin?

The streetlights on both sides of the highway formed two long strips of light that flashed alternately outside the car window.

Wu Xie sat in the back seat, his forehead pressed against the cold car window, his eyes fixed on the rapidly receding scenery outside, but nothing was reflected in his pupils.

Erjing glanced at him in the rearview mirror several times before finally speaking.

"Little Evil".

Wu Xie did not respond.

Erjing tapped his fingers lightly twice on the steering wheel, carefully considering his words:

"Don't blame Second Master, he's doing it for your own good."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Xie's shoulders tensed up.

He turned his head to look out the window, and Erjing could only see his tense jaw in the rearview mirror.

"He's angry right now, but he'll calm down soon, so don't take it to heart."

Wu Xie remained silent, and Erjing did not try to persuade him further.

I moved the air conditioner vents upwards to prevent the cold air from blowing directly onto the back seats.

Wu Xie maintained that posture, shrinking himself into a shell that no one could enter.

Erjing saw this and sighed silently.

The car drove on the highway for almost the entire night.

When they arrived in Hangzhou, it was just dawn, and Wu Sansheng and Pan Zi were already waiting at the entrance of the old house.

Wu Sansheng's hair was unkempt, and his stubble was dark and bluish, indicating that he had stayed up all night.

Pan Zi stood next to him, his brows furrowed in a frown.

Once the car came to a stop, Erjing got out first.

Wu Sansheng stepped forward and asked in a low voice, "What exactly happened?"

Erjing looked troubled.

"Third Master, Second Master instructed you to keep a close eye on Young Master Third and not to let him run around recently."

"Why can't you just tell me what's wrong? Why do I have to send them back overnight?"

Wu Sansheng's voice was also filled with suppressed anger; he didn't understand Wu Erbai's decision.

Erjing still didn't answer, but repeated, "Second Master told you to keep an eye on Third Master and not let him run around."

Wu Sansheng stared at Erjing for a few seconds, knowing he couldn't get any more information out of him.

Erjing is Wu Erbai's man, and he won't say a word without Wu Erbai's permission.

Wu Sansheng waved his hand: "Alright, you can go back now. Tell Wu Erbai that I've picked him up."

Erjing nodded, his gaze passing over Wu Sansheng and landing on Wu Xie.

Wu Xie kept his head down and didn't look at anyone.

Erjing didn't say anything more and turned to get into the car.

Pan Zi was carrying Wu Xie's backpack in one hand and tried to help Wu Xie up with the other.

Wu Xie avoided his help and walked inside on his own, with Pan Zi quickly following behind.

Wu Sansheng stood there, watching Wu Xie's back, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

This kid has been the Wu family's precious darling since he was a child. When has he ever suffered such injustice?

He knew his second brother's temperament better than anyone; he was truly strict, but he also truly loved Wu Xie.

What exactly happened that made them so eager to send someone back to Hangzhou?

After Pan Zi settled Wu Xie in, he quietly closed the door and left. Wu Sansheng had already paced back and forth in the living room several times.

The cigarette ash in my hand had accumulated to a long length but I didn't flick it off.

Pan Zi walked over, took the cigarette from Wu Sansheng, and stubbed it out in the ashtray.

"Third Master, don't rush, let the young Third Master calm down."

"How can I not be anxious? What kind of mess is this?!"

Wu Sansheng took out his phone, found Wu Wei's number, and dialed it.

The phone was answered after only a few rings, and Wu Wei's energetic voice came from the other end.

"Hello, Third Uncle?"

"Xiao Wei, what's wrong with your dad? Why did he suddenly send Xiao Xie back to Hangzhou?" Wu Sansheng took a few steps into the courtyard to make sure Wu Xie couldn't hear him.

"What? Xiao Xie is back in Hangzhou?"

Wu Wei's voice was full of surprise, "I don't know, I haven't been home recently."

"You don't know either?"

Wu Sansheng was truly dumbfounded.

He thought Wu Wei knew some inside information, but it turned out he knew nothing at all.

"Alright, go see your dad when you have time, don't let him get too upset and ruin his health," Wu Sansheng said helplessly.

"Okay, I understand."

Wu Wei immediately agreed, instructing, "Third Uncle, please spend more time with Xiao Xie and don't let him suffer alone."

"Okay, I'm hanging up now."

Wu Sansheng hung up the phone and went back inside. He went to the kitchen and asked someone to make him a few bowls of noodles.

When he carried one of the bowls into Wu Xie's room, Wu Xie was sitting on the edge of the bed with his head down.

Wu Sansheng placed the noodles on the bedside table, pulled up a chair and sat down in front of him, trying to soften his tone:

"Xiao Xie, what happened? Tell your third uncle."

Wu Xie didn't speak, he just shook his head.

Wu Sansheng pressed him for more information, but he still wouldn't utter a single word.

"Third Master,"

Pan Zi, unable to bear it any longer, came over, tugged at Wu Sansheng's sleeve, and whispered a word of advice:

"Please don't ask anymore, let Young Master San have something to eat first."

Wu Sansheng looked at Pan Zi, then at Wu Xie in his current state, and sighed heavily.

He pushed the bowl of noodles towards Wu Xie and patted Wu Xie's shoulder.

"Alright, Uncle won't ask anymore. With Uncle here, let's eat first."

Wu Xie's shoulders trembled violently the moment those words were spoken.

Those emotions that had been suppressed in my heart seemed to have finally found a way out, surging up from my chest, blocking my throat, and bursting out of my eyes.

He buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking violently, and let out a suppressed, wet sob.

"Third Uncle... Third Uncle..."

Wu Sansheng's eyes welled up with tears. He sat down next to him and reached out to pull him into his arms.

Just like when Wu Xie was a child, I patted his back with my palm, one pat at a time.

"Yes, Uncle is here."

Pan Zi's eyes also welled up with tears; Wu Xie had never been like this since he became sensible.

Wu Xie's voice was filled with clear pain, "Second Uncle doesn't agree. He doesn't agree that I like him."

Not revealing his name was Wu Xie's greatest act of restraint; he was holding it in for too long and needed to release some of it.

At that moment, whether out of pity or curiosity, Wu Sansheng instinctively asked, "Who is it?"

Wu Xie just shook his head and kept saying, "Second Uncle doesn't agree, he doesn't agree."

Now that he knew the reason, Wu Sansheng was no longer in a hurry and said to Wu Xie:

"He disagrees, but I agree. Who are you talking about? Your third uncle will go and propose marriage for you."

"No, that won't work."

Wu Sansheng's competitive spirit flared up immediately. "Fine, just tell me who it is."

Wu Xie didn't answer Wu Sansheng's question and sobbed even harder.

Wu Sansheng frowned helplessly, "Fine, fine, I won't say."

Then, with a sudden thought, he realized this was a good opportunity to motivate Wu Xie and began to brainwash him.

"If Second Brother doesn't agree, then he doesn't agree. You bring the family together, and then you'll be in charge of the entire Wu family."

"Xiao Wei loves you the most, so he'll definitely be on your side. Your third uncle will also support you. In the end, your second uncle will be all alone, and he won't be able to object even if he wants to."

Wu Sansheng's brainwashing words opened a new world for Wu Xie, and he murmured aloud:

"Do I call the shots in the entire Wu family?"

Seeing that it was working, Wu Sansheng quickly chimed in, "Oh, right, it's all up to you now."

Wu Xie looked at Wu Sansheng with red eyes: "Really... Uncle San?"

Wu Sansheng placed the noodles in Wu Xie's hand. "Really, really. Eat something first. Don't worry, your Uncle will definitely help you."

Wu Xie lowered his eyes and said softly, "Well... thank you in advance, Uncle Three."