CHAPTER 347: CHAPTER 347: LIN MENGJIE 1 (3)_1

She quickly returned to her normal state. When Yu Zijin and Gui Luo saw the two exceptionally handsome men of the Lin Family, they couldn’t help but blush.

"Our girl is getting more and more beautiful," Lin Wenhao said with a smile, lightening the gloomy atmosphere that had just filled the hall.

"My girl is naturally outstanding," Shangguan Qing interjected in his gentle voice. That girl is clearly from our Shangguan Family; since when did she become part of the Lin Family? Listening to them say "our family" this and "our family" that, Shangguan Qing couldn’t help but feel irate.

"Of course, she is. Don’t you see? I carry the excellent genes of both the Shangguan and Lin families. How could I not be outstanding?" Shangguan You interjected quickly, smoothing things over.

"Humph! If it weren’t for that dead old scoundrel Shangguan Zhi, the girl would be surnamed Lin right now. It wouldn’t be his turn to act so arrogantly!" Lin Wenbo slammed the table and glared at Shangguan Qing. He knew it was wrong to get angry with a junior, but the mere thought of Shangguan Zhi not only upset Lin Wenbo but also darkened the expressions of the other Lin Family members.

"My grandfather, he..." Shangguan Qing began to speak calmly, but before he could finish, Shangguan You interrupted, "Grandpa, my grandfather has been very busy recently. Once he’s done with this period, he said he wants to come and visit you, old sir. Then you can play chess together and go out, how about that?" Shangguan You quickly cut off Shangguan Qing, not letting him continue.

"Hmph, girl, you don’t have to lie to me. That fox Shangguan Zhi won’t come looking for me. Hmph, you don’t need to try and humor me with such words." Lin Wenbo tapped Shangguan You on the forehead, speaking irritably. The feud between the Lin and Shangguan families was not something that could be easily explained.

It was a mix of old grudges and new hatreds, all intertwined and terribly complex.

"Grandpa, I just wanted to make you happy, you know? You’re impossible! Even if you know I’m lying, you should pretend you don’t," Shangguan You pouted, linking her arm with Lin Wenbo’s and acting coquettishly.

"Uncle, Brother Jie, don’t you agree?"

"Whatever our girl says, goes," Lin Wenjie said with a smile. His words earned him a fierce glare from the Lin family patriarch.

"Dad, it’s getting late, and the young ladies are tired. Let them go upstairs to rest," Lin Qingyu suggested with a smile, glancing at the visibly restrained Yu Zijin and Gui Luo.

"I want to chat with Grandpa some more. Brother Qing, Brother Jun, Yu Family brothers, Zhang Family brothers, Gui Mo, Gui Jun, Zijin, you all go upstairs and rest," Shangguan You said, still holding Lin Wenbo’s arm, as she directed them upstairs.

Perhaps I can learn something about what happened back then from Grandpa Lin Wenbo, Shangguan You thought.

Shangguan Qing nodded. He understood that Shangguan You wanted to grow closer to her maternal family. As he went upstairs, he glanced back, still a little worried, until he saw Shangguan You nod at him with a smile. Only then did he continue upstairs to rest, feeling at ease.

In the living room, after the seven of them left, only Shangguan You’s cheerful voice remained.

A sharp ringtone suddenly pierced the air. Lin Wenhao’s tall figure rose, and he walked to a corner to answer the phone.

"What? Say that again clearly! How could there be no such person?" Lin Wenhao’s voice rose, his handsome face clouding over.

As Lin Wenhao spoke, the atmosphere in the hall grew heavy.

"Wenhao, what are the results?" Lin Wenbo shouted at Lin Wenhao.

"Go on, what is it? No matter what, I can handle it," Lin Qingyu said, his expression equally troubled as he spoke gravely.

"Big brother, what’s going on?" Lin Wenjie’s voice was just as heavy. The question Shangguan You wanted to ask caught in her throat. The atmosphere feels wrong; it seems like something major has happened.

And it feels like it’s related to me.

"I just received a call. Auntie and Ouyang Xuan’s overseas travel records are fake. And the address he left—the house is under Ouyang Xuan’s name, but no one has ever seen the actual owner. They’ve never appeared there. For over three months, there has been no trace of Ouyang Xuan or Auntie."

"My mommy and Uncle Ouyang? What in the world is going on?" Shangguan You asked, puzzled. Then, thinking of Lin Mengjie in the Crystal Coffin within her space, her expression changed drastically, and her body began to tremble slightly. Mommy is in my space, and from the looks of it, she’s been unconscious not for a day or two, but for years! How could she possibly be with Ouyang Xuan? What on earth is happening?

"Dad, please don’t get agitated. We can find Ouyang Xuan. He’s with Mengjie; she’ll be alright. Besides, it was just a dream; you can’t take it seriously," Lin Qingyu said, trying to calm his father while quickly heading upstairs to find something.

"That’s right, Grandpa. Auntie will be fine."

"Exactly, Grandpa. Even Youyou hasn’t dreamt about Auntie. It’s just a dream; you shouldn’t take it seriously."

Listening to the Lin brothers, Shangguan You grew even more perplexed. What is all this about?

"How could she be fine? For the past half-month, Mengjie has appeared vividly in my dreams every single night! She’s crying, telling me she’s in trouble, and asking me to take good care of Youyou, to not let anyone bully her!" Lin Wenbo became agitated, panting heavily.

"Grandpa! Grandpa!" Shangguan You quickly fed him a medicinal pill. She only breathed a sigh of relief after seeing him calm down again.

"Youyou, Grandpa’s okay. Your mommy... she... sigh."

"Qingyu, didn’t Ouyang Xuan leave an emergency contact method back then? Find it for me! I need to see Mengjie standing right here in front of me, safe and sound, this instant!"

"Dad, I *am* looking for it right now! Ah, I’ve found it." Lin Qingyu came down from upstairs holding a mini-computer. After he entered a series of codes, the computer began to emit a continuous series of beeps, and soon Ouyang Xuan’s image appeared on the screen.

The image went from blurry to gradually clear, a process that took a full five minutes before they could converse normally.

"Dad, Big Brother, what’s so urgent? You actually used this method to contact me. Mengjie and I were already asleep. Has something happened to Youyou?"