Chapter 69: Search. I'm panicking.

Without another word, He Guan put down his phone, turned around, and grabbed a leather jacket from his room.

Most of the items they moved were handpicked by He Guan. There was no plastic raincoat at home, so the leather jacket would have to do.

While changing, He Guan tried calling Du Junyan again but couldn't get through.

He Guan didn't miss a beat, swiftly changing his clothes and shoes, readying himself to search outside. Several possibilities crossed his mind.

Lou Jun Duo? Impossible. He Guan had just seen his Weibo update; he was vacationing in Sanya. He also didn't fit the elderly man description.

Lou Yingjie? Also unlikely. The old man had been bedridden lately. He Guan had chatted with him on WeChat this morning, and he'd mentioned resting at home.

Moreover, knowing that He Guan and Lou Dongzang lived together, Lou Yingjie had no reason to whisk him away without informing He Guan.

But Du Junyan had indeed mentioned an elderly man.

Racking his brain and coming up with no viable leads, He Guan locked his apartment and dashed into the rain.

The rain was even heavier than he'd anticipated.

Stepping into it, he felt instantly weighed down, as if a bag of flour were pressing on his neck. Rain streamed down, soaking him as if he'd stepped into a public bath.

Visibility was extremely low; in fact, he could barely see anything but the rain.

Du Junyan had taken a photo near the DIY section, close to the main entrance. If Lou Dongzang had indeed been taken, they shouldn't be too far...

By the time He Guan reached the supermarket entrance, many people stood under the eaves looking out, but Lou Dongzang wasn't among them.

He Guan seemed to be the only one moving against the tide, distinctly out of place among those seeking shelter.

While he'd changed his jacket, his pants were the same and were now thoroughly soaked. As he entered the supermarket, his wet trail looked like a winding stream.

At this point, He Guan couldn't care less.

He rushed to the front desk, pushing back his rain-soaked hair, "My wife is missing. She's not mentally stable. Can I check your surveillance footage? I'm really worried!"

He Guan was undeniably handsome.

His features were perfect, exuding a natural charm. Not an inch less, not a bit more, he was effortlessly the most striking among any group. No wonder his original self was so temperamental, yet had so many fans.

Regardless of anything else, He Guan's looks were truly captivating.

Even soaked in rain, he seemed colder than usual, his skin pale, but the water slicking his hair back emphasized his remarkable features, almost like a deliberate styling choice.

The receptionist was first taken aback by his appearance and then by his urgent plea, "Oh, yes, of course! I'll immediately contact our announcement desk..."

He Guan, growing impatient, interrupted, "I don't need an announcement! I need the surveillance footage! Do you have it?"

The receptionist stammered, "Yes, we do, but we don't usually allow guests access to..."

Before she could finish her apology, He Guan was already on the move.

He mentally calculated the distance between the DIY section and the main entrance, heading first to the parking lot.

Cars were steadily exiting the underground parking. He Guan swiftly ruled out out-of-town plates and kept an eye on departing vehicles.

He darted between cars, nearly slipping due to his wet shoes.

By the time he reached the farthest corner of the parking lot, he was still without any clues.

Rounding what he hoped was a promising corner, He Guan silently held his head in despair. Moments later, he released his grip.

His phone rang again.

He yanked it from his jacket, the damp pocket causing a fumble that nearly sent the device flying.

Nonetheless, he managed to answer.

Du Junyan exclaimed, "Boss! We're behind the supermarket on the adjacent street. The elderly man and..."

Before Du Junyan could finish, He Guan was already sprinting into the rain.

By now, Du Junyan had learned to lead with the location when calling.

Du Junyan continued explaining.

"The elderly man exchanged just a few words with Mr. Lou before departing. A bodyguard took my phone, and I only just retrieved it. Mr. Lou seems off, and he's not letting me approach him. With this heavy rain, are you outside? Where are you?"

All Du Junyan heard was the sound of heavy breathing.

Two minutes later, He Guan arrived.

Soaked to the bone, He Guan met Du Junyan, who stood at the alley entrance, umbrella in hand and a worried expression on his face. Du Junyan immediately handed over the umbrella.

He Gu made an effort to steady his breathing, seizing the opportunity to ask, "Who's the elderly person? A woman? You've never seen her before?"

Du Junyan replied, "Mm, I don’t recognize her."

He Gu said, "You should head home. Give me the umbrella. You can take a cab. There's a light rain; wait it out in the supermarket and have lunch around here."

Du Junyan quickly waved his hand, saying, "No need, no need. You should hurry and see Mr. Lou. I'll be on my way."

The expression on He Gu's face wasn't a pleasant one. Even though it was impassive, those who knew him could tell at a glance.

He was angry, very angry.

At this point, how could Du Junyan dare to rub him the wrong way?

Assured that everyone was okay, He Gu slowed his pace, walking into the alley with his umbrella.

Having run around earlier and now certain everyone was alright, He Gu suddenly relaxed, feeling a throbbing pain in his calf.

The rain quickly rose past his ankles. Holding the umbrella in the heavy rain, it sounded like raindrops hitting beans.

"Don’t..."

A voice came from slightly below him.

He Gu took a couple of steps closer and then saw the state Lou Dong was in.

The man was drenched from head to toe, his messy hair plastered to his skin by the rain, revealing an ashen hue, his lips moving faintly.

He Gu squatted down in front of him, wiping the water off his face, catching his breath before saying, "Lou Dong, what did you say?"

Because of the recent downpour, he squinted hard to keep the rain out of his eyes.

Now, with his eyes narrowed, he looked unexpectedly threatening.

The man sitting in the water seemed barely alive. Just as he tried to speak, a rush of water choked him, causing him to cough.

One would think such choking would be painful, but his expression never changed, not even a frown.

It must be... he's used to it.

He Gu remained still, waiting for the coughing to subside.

Not moving from his crouched position.

When the man had finally stopped coughing, he said, "Don't come any closer."

Wiping his face again, He Gu tilted the umbrella toward him to shield him from the rain, softly asking, "What's wrong with you?"

He didn't ask why.

Raindrops fell on He Gu’s back, making a loud noise as they slid off his leather jacket.

The sound was reminiscent of a quarrel, making the two people under the umbrella even more anxious than the storm itself.

"...I'm not well, leave."

Beneath the umbrella, the weary voice of the man echoed, sometimes distant, sometimes near, like an echo in a canyon, blending with the raindrops as they fell rapidly.

Much like his current state.

He sat in the rain, offering no resistance, letting it drench him through and through.

From the time He Guan left the office to the moment he opened his home door, it took no more than a few minutes.

In just those few minutes, what could have caused Lou Dongcang's sudden decline?

He Guan moved closer, coming under the umbrella's protection, and buried his face into the wet fabric of Lou Dongcang's shoulder, seemingly unaffected by the cold, he cursed, "Damn it, where do you think you're going?"

He stepped into the rivulet that swirled past the two of them, speaking in a tone suggesting they had narrowly escaped doom.

"If you're trying to get yourself killed, stay put, and let me lean on you for a bit."