She’s Being Naughty - Chapter 24

The clock pointed to eight in the evening.

Outside the window, the sky had turned completely dark. The villa was so quiet that the only thing audible was the sound of her own heartbeat.

Xu Zhaoyi paced back and forth in the living room, dialing Jiang Yao’s number once again.

“I’m sorry, the number you have dialed is powered off.”

The mechanical female voice repeated incessantly. She had already called more than a dozen times, from four in the afternoon until now.

Jiang Yao’s phone had been off for four hours.

It wasn’t a dead battery, nor was it switched off for rest, she had simply lost contact since the afternoon.

Xu Zhaoyi remembered Jiang Yao saying this morning that she was going out to handle some matters and might not be back for lunch.

But she hadn’t said she wouldn’t be back for the night.

Moreover, even if she were delayed by business, she should have called. Jiang Yao wasn’t the type of person to let others worry.

Unless…

Xu Zhaoyi didn’t dare think about that “unless.”

She picked up her phone again, but this time, she didn’t call Jiang Yao. She called her father.

The phone rang for a long time before it was picked up.

“Zhaozhao? What’s the matter?” Xu Jiancheng’s voice sounded weary. The background noise was loud, sounding as if he were in a conference room.

“Dad,” Xu Zhaoyi tried her best to keep her voice calm, “is Jiang Yao with you?”

“Xiao Yao? No,” Xu Jiancheng paused, sounding surprised. “Isn’t she at home?”

“She said this morning she was going out to handle some things and hasn’t returned yet.” Xu Zhaoyi hesitated for a moment. “Her phone is also unreachable.”

There was a silence on the other end of the line.

“She’s probably just busy,” Xu Jiancheng said. “She’s been like this lately, once she gets busy, she loses track of time. Don’t worry, she’ll be back later.”

“But…”

“Zhaozhao,” Xu Jiancheng interrupted her, “Xiao Yao is an adult, she has her own affairs to handle. Don’t overthink it. Go get some rest.”

With that, he hung up the phone.

Xu Zhaoyi stared at the ended call screen, the sense of unease in her heart growing stronger.

Her father clearly didn’t know about Jiang Yao’s situation.

Or rather, he didn’t care.

In his eyes, Jiang Yao was likely just a wife in name and a business partner, he didn’t truly care about her safety.

This realization sent a sharp pang through Xu Zhaoyi’s heart.

If even her father didn’t care, then who else would care about Jiang Yao?

She recalled the things Jiang Yao had told her.

Being ignored by the Jiang family.

Struggling on her own.

Having no one she could truly rely on.

That was why Jiang Yao was always so strong and independent because there was no one to shield her from the wind and rain.

But no matter how strong a person is, there are times when they can’t hold on anymore.

Xu Zhaoyi took a deep breath and made a decision.

She couldn’t just sit and wait.

She had to go out and find Jiang Yao.

She went upstairs to change into clothes suitable for movement, dark jeans and a black t-shirt.

Then, she slung the small bag Jiang Yao had given her over her shoulder. Inside were pepper spray, a stun gun, and that tiny tracker.

Unfortunately, the tracker could only locate herself, not Jiang Yao. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have to search for a needle in a haystack like this.

Before heading out, she thought for a moment and sent an encrypted message to Lin Chen.

“I need help. Can you help me track a phone’s location? It’s urgent.”

She didn’t mention Jiang Yao’s name directly, only providing the phone number.

After the message was sent, she didn’t wait for a reply and headed straight out.

She first went to the garage to get her car and then began searching aimlessly.

She didn’t know where Jiang Yao would go.

There weren’t many places Jiang Yao frequented, just a few.

The company, the law firm, and the cafes and restaurants where she usually discussed business.

Xu Zhaoyi drove, checking each place one by one.

At the company, work had already finished. The building was pitch black, with only a few emergency lights glowing.

The law firm was also closed.

She asked at the cafes and restaurants, but no one had seen her.

Time passed minute by minute.

It was now ten o’clock at night.

Xu Zhaoyi sat in her car, looking at the empty streets outside, feeling as though a piece of her heart had gone missing.

She had never been this worried about someone.

Even when she worried about her mother as a child, she hadn’t felt this… sense of panic, as if she were about to lose something.

Her phone vibrated.

It was Lin Chen’s reply.

“The phone of the person you want to locate is turned off; it can’t be tracked. Unless you get authorization from the mobile service provider, there’s no way.”

Xu Zhaoyi’s heart sank.

Even Lin Chen couldn’t help.

She leaned back against the seat and closed her eyes, forcing herself to calm down.

Think. Think again.

Where would Jiang Yao go?

What business was she going to handle?

What was Jiang Yao wearing when she left this morning?

Xu Zhaoyi suddenly remembered.

When Jiang Yao left, she was wearing a formal suit.

A light gray blazer, a matching pencil skirt, and a black silk shirt underneath.

Her hair was neatly pinned up, and she wore light makeup.

She didn’t look like she was going somewhere dangerous; it looked more like… she was going to a negotiation or a meeting.

If she was going to negotiate, where would she meet the people from the Jiang family?

A hotel? A restaurant? Or… somewhere more secluded?

Xu Zhaoyi took out her phone and began searching for the Jiang family’s properties in the city.

Hotels, private clubs, country clubs…

She memorized the locations one by one.

Then, she started the car, deciding to check them all.

Though it was a foolish and blind approach, she couldn’t sit at home and wait.

She had to do something.

The first place was a high-end private club in the city center.

Xu Zhaoyi parked across the street and watched the club entrance from a distance.

There were security guards at the door and valets for parking.

She didn’t know if Jiang Yao was inside, but she didn’t dare go in and ask directly.

Just as she was hesitating, a few people walked out of the club entrance.

There were men and women, all dressed formally.

Xu Zhaoyi narrowed her eyes, trying her best to identify them.

Suddenly, she caught sight of a familiar figure.

It was Jiang Yao.

She was walking in the middle of a group of people, flanked by several men who looked like bodyguards. Under the lights of the club’s entrance, her face appeared somewhat pale, but her stride was steady and her expression remained calm. She seemed to be saying something to the person beside her.

Xu Zhaoyi’s heart instantly leaped into her throat. She wanted to get out of the car, to rush over, to demand why Jiang Yao had lost contact. But she restrained herself. The people around Jiang Yao looked like they were not to be trifled with.

She watched as they followed Jiang Yao to a car and opened the door for her. Before getting in, Jiang Yao suddenly turned her head and glanced back. Her gaze swept across the vehicles parked on the opposite side of the street and paused for a brief second.

Sitting inside her car, Xu Zhaoyi didn’t know if Jiang Yao had seen her. But once Jiang Yao entered the vehicle, it quickly drove away.

Xu Zhaoyi immediately started her engine and followed. She didn’t dare get too close for fear of being discovered, so she maintained a distance as she trailed them. The cars moved through the city, got onto the highway, and headed toward the outskirts.

Xu Zhaoyi’s heart began to sink again. It was so late; where was Jiang Yao going? Moreover, those people… looked like they were escorting her under guard. The thought made Xu Zhaoyi’s hands and feet go cold.

She remembered the three-day deadline Jiang Yao had mentioned. Had those people really decided to make their move early?

The car drove into a place that looked like a private manor. There were security guards and an electronic gate at the entrance. Unable to enter, Xu Zhaoyi could only park by the roadside and watch as the cars disappeared into the depths of the estate.

She took out her phone and noted the address and name of the location. Then, she began to brainstorm. She couldn’t just leave, she had to know how Jiang Yao was doing inside. But how could she get in? She had no invitation, no appointment, and she didn’t even know exactly what this place was.

Xu Zhaoyi sat in the car for a long time, her mind racing. Finally, she thought of someone: Zhou Xiaoxiao’s cousin, Lin Chen.

She sent Lin Chen another encrypted message: “Can you help me check a place? It’s urgent.” She sent over the address and the name.

A few minutes later, Lin Chen replied: “It’s a private club, membership only, very secretive. I did a quick check, and the owner is someone surnamed Jiang. Are you sure you want to look into this?”

Surnamed Jiang. Xu Zhaoyi’s heart skipped a beat. It really was a property of the Jiang family.

“Sure,” she replied. “Can you find out what’s happening inside right now?”

“I can’t do that,” Lin Chen said. “Places like this prioritize privacy above all else, their surveillance systems are extremely tight. Unless you have internal access, you can’t find anything.” He added another line: “Miss Xu, I’ve heard this place… isn’t very ‘clean.’ If your friend is inside, you’d better be careful.”

Not very clean. Those words sent Xu Zhaoyi’s heart right up to her throat.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean there are some… shady transactions,” Lin Chen said subtly. “I suggest that regardless of the situation, you shouldn’t go in there yourself.”

Xu Zhaoyi looked at the message, her hands trembling slightly. She knew Lin Chen was warning her out of kindness. But Jiang Yao was in there. She couldn’t just walk away.

“I understand. Thank you.”

After sending the message, she looked at the manor once more. The estate was vast, surrounded by high walls that obscured the view inside. Only the two lights at the entrance were on, looking like the cold eyes of a monster staring out at the world.

Xu Zhaoyi took a deep breath and gripped the steering wheel tightly. She knew that if she turned around and left now, she could probably guarantee her own safety. But if she did that, what about Jiang Yao?

The Jiang Yao who always smiled at her so gently, who always protected her, and who might be in danger right now.

Xu Zhaoyi thought of so many images: Jiang Yao in the kitchen frying eggs for her, hair loosely pinned, her profile soft and tender. Jiang Yao in the study handling documents, her brow slightly furrowed in concentration. Jiang Yao in the car, hands on the wheel, softly saying, “I hope you are safe.”

Jiang Yao…

She remembered promising Jiang Yao that they would protect each other. That wasn’t just a casual promise, it was a decision she had made with total sincerity.

Xu Zhaoyi gritted her teeth and started the car. Instead of leaving, she drove around to the other side of the manor. This side was a wooded area with no walls, only iron fences. She parked the car near the woods and got out.

The night was deep, and it was even darker among the trees. Xu Zhaoyi turned on her phone’s flashlight and stepped forward cautiously. She didn’t know what she could do, but at the very least… she could try to get inside and see.

Just as she was about to reach the fence, she suddenly heard footsteps behind her. They were light, but distinct.

She whipped around, the light from her phone swinging toward the sound.

A figure stood not far away, dressed in dark clothing, their face hidden in the shadows.

Xu Zhaoyi’s heart stopped instantly.