Transmigration; Married to My Ex-Fiancé's Uncle-Chapter 230; Kidnapping 3

Shuyin’s eyes locked onto him, and she felt cold anger cut through her nervous trembling. Her gaze sharpened into something that could have drawn blood.

It was him. Definitely him. He’d notified Lu Yuze about what she’d considered a manageable situation. A small matter she could have handled independently without dragging Lu Yuze away from whatever important business he’d been conducting.

Ting Fei could feel that piercing glare even from across the alley. He deliberately avoided making eye contact, his attention firmly fixed on directing the security team, on coordinating with approaching law enforcement, on literally anything except meeting Shuyin’s eyes.

But he couldn’t hide the slight tension in his shoulders that acknowledged her anger.

In situations like this, protocol was absolute. He’d had to report everything. Had to notify Lu Yuze immediately when the primary family member went missing. Had to call in an emergency extraction when Mrs. Lu went after armed criminals alone.

It was his job.

Even if it meant facing Shuyin’s wrath later.

"Mrs. Lu," Ting Fei said carefully, still not quite looking directly at her. "The helicopter is ready for immediate departure. Medical team is standing by at the private facility."

"How convenient," Shuyin said, her voice deceptively mild. "Almost like you had everything arranged before I’d even recovered her."

Ting Fei’s jaw tightened but he didn’t respond. Couldn’t respond. Because they both knew he’d made the call the moment he’d realized Yuyan was missing, had initiated emergency protocol without waiting for Shuyin’s permission.

Had done exactly what his actual employer, Lu Yuze, paid him to do.

"We’ll discuss this later," Shuyin said quietly, but the promise in her tone was clear.

"Yes, ma’am," Ting Fei agreed, accepting his fate with professional resignation.

Lu Yuze, still holding Yuyan, looked between them with sharp assessment. "Ting Fei followed protocol exactly as he should have. If you’re angry that he notified me, save it. I’d rather be called for a false alarm than arrive too late because no one wanted to ’bother’ me."

His tone carried an edge that suggested this wasn’t up for debate.

Shuyin’s hands clenched tighter together, but she nodded. "Understood."

"Good." Lu Yuze shifted Yuyan’s weight slightly, then gestured toward the waiting helicopter. "Let’s go. The sooner we get medical clearance, the sooner we can all go home."

He extended his free hand toward Shuyin again. An offer, not a command.

She took it, let him guide her toward the helicopter, let herself be protected and directed and cared for in a way that felt foreign and uncomfortable and somehow necessary all at once.

Behind them, Ting Fei coordinated the cleanup with quiet efficiency, carefully keeping his distance from Shuyin’s lingering displeasure.

He’d done his job correctly.

She’d have to accept that eventually.

Even if she was currently too shaken and too angry at her own failure to acknowledge it.

The helicopter interior was surprisingly spacious, designed more for executive comfort than emergency transport. Lu Yuze climbed in first, still cradling Yuyan carefully, and settled into one of the rear-facing seats. A medical technician immediately moved forward to assist, but Lu Yuze waved him back.

"Just monitoring equipment," he said. "I’ll hold her."

Shuyin climbed in after him, her movements less graceful than usual, her legs unsteady as she navigated the slight step up. Lu Yuze’s free hand shot out, steadying her elbow until she was safely inside.

"Sit there," he directed, gesturing to the seat directly across from him. "Belt in."

Shuyin lowered herself into the indicated seat, the leather cool against her back. Her hands fumbled with the seatbelt, the trembling making the simple task frustratingly difficult. The buckle kept slipping from her fingers.

But again, no one would know this was her first experience flying.

"Here." Lu Yuze leaned forward slightly, his free hand reaching across to help guide the belt into place. His fingers brushed hers briefly, warm, steady, completely controlled where hers were shaking.

The buckle clicked home.

"Thank you," Shuyin managed, her voice barely audible over the increasing whine of the helicopter rotors spinning up to full power.

The medical technician had moved to Yuyan’s side with portable monitoring equipment. He attached sensors with practiced efficiency, a pulse oximeter on her finger, a blood pressure cuff around her upper arm, and small electrode patches on her chest beneath her clothing.

"Heart rate steady at sixty-eight," he reported, his voice professionally calm. "Blood pressure one-ten over seventy. Oxygen saturation is ninety-eight percent. Respiratory rate is normal. All vitals within acceptable parameters for her age and condition."

Lu Yuze nodded, his jaw still tight despite the reassuring numbers.

The helicopter lifted off smoothly, the ground dropping away beneath them. Through the window, Shuyin could see the alley below, police vehicles still clustered around the scene, officers taking statements, the four kidnappers being loaded into separate patrol cars.

Justice in motion.

But it all felt very distant now, separated by altitude and plexiglass and the steady thrum of rotor blades.

The helicopter’s interior was quiet except for the steady hum of rotors and the soft beeping of medical monitoring equipment attached to Yuyan. Shuyin sat rigidly in her seat, hands still trembling in her lap despite her best efforts to control them.

Lu Yuze was on his phone, his voice clipped and authoritative as he made arrangements.

"Dr. Zhang, I need you standing by. My daughter’s been drugged... chloral hydrate, preliminary assessment. I need a full toxicology screening and clearance... What?" His expression tightened. "You’re where?"

Shuyin watched his jaw work, watched him force his breathing to remain controlled.

"No, don’t leave. We’ll come to you. City General?" He glanced at Shuyin briefly, something unreadable flashing in his eyes. "Fine. We’ll be there in eight minutes. Have everything ready."

He ended the call, his hand clenching around the phone with enough force that Shuyin wondered if the screen would crack.

"Dr. Zhang is at City General Hospital," he said, his voice tight. "Apparently consulting on another case. He can’t leave immediately, but he’s preparing a private examination room for Yuyan."