LOVE BEYOND TIME - WANGXIAO FF

17. The Kidnapping

27,February,2022
9:15am

"Long time no see, Wang Yibo!"
Ann Ni stands at the threshold of Yibo's home, with a smile on her graceful face.

Yibo masks his surprise with a polite nod and say, "Yeah, it's been a while. So, what brings here?"

She was about to open her mouth when Xiao Zhan frantically runs to him from inside.

"Zhan Ge, what's wrong?"
Yibo instantly panics.

"B-Bobo, here, here!"
Xiao Zhan stutters, urgently shoving his cell phone at Yibo's face, "Xuan! Haoxuan's on the call. He doesn't sound good."

A terrible feeling grips Yibo as he nervously takes the phone and moves it to his ear.

"Hello!"
He says.

And Haoxuan is already stuttering, "Yibo! H-have you heard from Jiyang?"

The man has never sounded more frantic. Yibo feels a sudden nausea attacking his senses, but he takes a deep breath and calmly replies, "No. But, wh-why are you suddenly asking me this? Is there any problem, Haoxuan?"

He feels, more than hears a frustrated groan in return as Wang Haoxuan answers, "I..I don't know, man. He had a night shift yesterday but still not home yet. I tried calling him but he's not picking up. I d-don't even know why but I f-feel like something is wrong. Terribly wrong!"

Yibo's eyes unconsciously searches for Xiao Zhan's, only to find those doe eyes marred in concern and worry, looking right back at him. He holds the cellphone tightly as he replies back, "Don't worry. Nothing would happen to Jiyang. Be ready, I'm coming to pick you up in ten."

And even before he fully hangs up, Xiao Zhan is getting worked up, "Wh-what's wrong with Jiyang? What do you mean?"

"Is there anything wrong?"
The lady asks as well. Her eyes are genuinely concerned when Yibo glances at her.

Yibo looks between the two clueless humans unsteadily as a gut wrenching fear grips him from inside like none before.

"Shit, shit, shit!"
And then he's just about to punch the wall when Xiao Zhan literally jumps between him and the wall with a "What the hell?"

Yibo fists back the outstretched hand into his hair and takes in the much-needed oxygen, and lets it out before focusing on the situation.

Firstly, he looks at both of them and drops the bomb, "I think Jiyang is kidnapped."

"What??"
The lady's reply is immediate.

But Xiao Zhan goes still, looking like he's slowly processing the words Yibo's uttered. Unfortunately, Yibo do not have the time to let him do so.

He grips Xiao Zhan's shoulders with both of his hands and looks deep into those endless orbs of worry, "Zhan Ge, listen to me carefully, alright?"

With a tiny startle, Xiao Zhan blinks and then nods his head. Yibo continues, "Okay, so this is what we're going to do now. I'm taking Officer Ann and Haoxuan with me to search for Yang Yang, and you're waiting for me inside home. The most important thing is, you're not gonna open the door for anybody, I repeat, anybody, until I'm back."

He stares into the wide bewildered doe eyes for a second longer and softens his voice, "Am I clear?"

Xiao Zhan blinks some more before opening his mouth, "Yeah. But-"

"No buts, Zhan Ge. Please trust me and wait here. I'll bring Jiyang back for sure and you'll check him for any injuries. You'll do that for me, right, Gege?"