Desperate Struggles: Hidden Currents in the Elite and the Crisis of Kinship

Yan Xiaonian felt a sharp buzzing in her head, nearly dropping her phone. Her hands trembled uncontrollably as she cried out in panic to the person on the other end, “Zhenzhu, what did you say? How could Dafa be missing? You have to find him, quickly!”

Xu Jian and Xiao Sheng heard the commotion and exchanged a tense glance before rushing to Yan Xiaonian’s side. Ignoring the pain from his injury, Xiao Sheng struggled to sit up and asked anxiously, “Xiaonian, what’s wrong? Has something happened to Dafa?”

Yan Xiaonian’s face turned as pale as paper, tears streaming down uncontrollably as she choked out the news of Dafa’s disappearance once more.

A resolute glint flashed in Xiao Sheng’s eyes. He yanked off the IV tube and declared, “Let’s go find Dafa!” But as he tried to rise, the wound tore open, and he nearly stumbled. Xu Jian quickly steadied him and cautioned, “Your injury isn’t healed yet—you can’t move recklessly. I’ll organize the search; you stay here with Xiaonian.”

Xiao Sheng wanted to argue but could not resist Xu Jian’s insistence. With a face full of worry, he sat back down.

Xu Jian immediately mobilized the police, issuing orders as he walked out, “Expand the search area—check the abandoned factories in the western suburbs, Yan Xiaonian’s residence, all the places the child frequents. Leave no stone unturned!”

Yan Xiaonian collapsed into a chair, her gaze vacant as she murmured, “Dafa, where are you…?”

Xiao Sheng sat beside her, grasping her hand tightly, trying to convey strength. “Xiaonian, don’t lose hope. We will find Dafa. I won’t let anything happen to him.”

Just as they were overwhelmed with worry, O Lie burst in, his face pale and frantic. “President, something terrible has happened. The company’s stock price has plunged suddenly. Someone is dumping large amounts of shares and spreading damaging rumors. Our partners are calling, demanding to terminate contracts. The situation is critical!”

Xiao Sheng’s expression darkened instantly. He clenched his jaw, thinking grimly: this is clearly a calculated chain of attacks by our rivals, striking while I’m vulnerable, aiming to crush us in one blow. Yet his heart was equally torn by concern for Dafa’s safety.

“To find out who’s behind this,” Xiao Sheng told O Lie, “We cannot let the company fall like this.”

O Lie nodded firmly. “Rest assured, President. I’m already investigating. We’ve pinpointed several suspicious accounts and are digging into the puppeteers behind them.” Without delay, O Lie turned and hurried away, dialing contacts in the financial world as he moved: “Keep a close eye on these accounts—trace the funds, track IP addresses. Nothing must be overlooked. We must uncover the mastermind as soon as possible.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Xiao Sheng gave further instructions to his remaining assistants: stabilize the company, activate emergency funds, and do everything to soothe our partners. Once I find Dafa, I’ll return immediately to handle the crisis.

The assistants nodded and departed on their tasks.

Minutes stretched on, yet no news of Dafa came. Yan Xiaonian, desperate and restless, rose abruptly, ready to rush out. “I can’t just wait here. I have to find Dafa.”

Xiao Sheng grasped her arm tightly. “Xiaonian, calm down. It’s too dangerous outside. Xu Jian and the others are searching—you’ll hear news soon.”

Before he finished, Xiao Sheng’s phone rang. A distorted voice, altered by a voice changer, hissed through the line: “If you want to save the child, come alone to the abandoned warehouse in the eastern suburbs. Call the police, and you won’t see him alive.”

The call ended abruptly. Xiao Sheng clenched the phone, looking at Yan Xiaonian with eyes full of conflict and determination.

The storm of this powerful family’s turmoil was intensifying, and amidst overwhelming obstacles, could they find hope, rescue Dafa, and resolve the company’s crisis?