Yujun's voice was firm and decisive, showing no room for argument.
Go to the hospital?
Contact someone?
Isn't that just walking into a trap?
The whole city of Qingnan was now like an invisible, deadly net for them.
The secret investigation was unexpectedly exposed, the carefully disguised car was tampered with, and the crash into the river was no accident.
All of this coldly pointed to the most terrifying possibility. There was a traitor inside their group.
Under such circumstances, any careless move, any contact with the outside world, could push them into a bottomless abyss.
Yujun was experienced and knew the dangers well.
He kept calm on the outside, but his voice grew deeper and hoarser, carrying a faint weariness.
Thank you for your kindness. But the situation is special. For now, we can't go to the city or contact anyone.
The refusal and hidden danger in his words were very clear.
Eleanor was straightforward. Her brows knotted tightly. She was about to ask why when Celine next to her lightly elbowed her without a sound.
She immediately closed her mouth and realized the situation was likely more complicated than she thought.
Celine had already sensed the seriousness the moment Yujun refused help.
The trouble these three were involved in was probably worse than they had first believed.
Also, now they deeply mistrusted the outside world. Maybe they couldn't even fully trust people inside their own group.
The car cabin fell into a brief silence. The atmosphere was so heavy it was hard to breathe.
They couldn't send them away or contact anyone. But they also couldn't just leave these three here.
An instinctive thought popped up. Take them home?
The thought barely formed before Celine quickly crushed it.
No.
Absolutely not.
She and her third brother were the only witnesses and rescuers of the accident when the car fell into the river.
The truck they were driving must have already caught the attention of some dangerous people, maybe even been secretly marked.
If those people could tamper with the city leader's car without anyone noticing, their power and influence were unimaginable.
Qingnan city was probably already a deadly trap.
If their license plate was targeted, any suspicious movement with these three hot potatoes would immediately bring deadly danger.
Taking them back to the old family house?
That would be like inviting disaster, dragging the whole Yu family into this mess.
What to do?
Thoughts raced like lightning. One plan after another was proposed and quickly rejected.
Suddenly, a name flashed through Celine's mind like lightning.
Old Man Li.
Yes, Li Baizhong.
Memories flooded back.
Celine remembered her older brother Shenan once casually talking about his mentor Old Man Li with a mix of respect and teasing.
Don't look at Li now as some carefree painter or university professor. He's actually from an important family in the official system.
His father was a well-known figure in the central government back then.
Li himself is naturally romantic and dislikes restrictions, so he threw himself into the arts.
But his siblings all hold important positions now.
At the time, it was just interesting gossip. Now it was a lifeline for drowning people.
Yes. Old Man Li.
With such a family background and complicated connections, even if he personally was indifferent to fame and power, the hidden strength and resources he could mobilize were far beyond what Celine and her brother had.
This hidden power might be the key to breaking the deadlock right now.
What Yujun and the others needed was someone capable, completely trustworthy, and able to provide them a temporary safe shelter in the eye of the storm.
Old Man Li seemed to be the only and best choice.
But as soon as the thought settled, new worries rose again.
Carelessly giving these three hot potatoes to Old Man Li—would that bring him huge trouble?
Maybe even bring disaster on himself?
After all, this is a dark and powerful force, ruthless and huge, impossible to measure.
Celine bit her lip, her fingertips trembling slightly.
On one side, there was an urgent danger, where one wrong move could drag the whole Yu family into the abyss; on the other side, it could involve the teacher who once helped her brother.
Weighing both sides, the pros and cons tore at her.
But looking at Yujun and the other two inside the truck, their faces serious and fully alert, and thinking about how this truck might have already been "marked"...
There was no time to hesitate!
Celine took a deep breath and pulled her phone out of her pocket.
Now was not the time to hesitate. She had to act decisively!
She quickly found Old Man Li's number and called.
The phone was answered almost immediately.
"Hello? Celine?" Old Man Li's warm, slightly hoarse voice came through, carrying the casualness of an artist.
"Teacher Li, it's me, Celine," she tried to keep her voice steady, "I'm in a special situation outside. I saved a few people... their identities are special. It's inconvenient to take them to a hospital or contact their organizations."
She was extremely cautious, sending her message carefully and indirectly.
There was silence on the other end for a few seconds, as if Old Man Li was quickly processing the heavy information.
Then his voice came back, calm and reassuring, without surprise or questions:
"Understood. Where are you? Bring them straight to my home. I'll handle the rest."
Clear and sharp, no wasted words!
Exactly what Celine hoped for!
"Okay! Thank you, Teacher Li!" A big weight lifted off her chest.
"Give the phone to their leader," Old Man Li added.
Celine handed the phone to Yujun. "Teacher Li wants to talk to you."
A flicker of caution and suspicion passed through Yujun's eyes, but he still took the phone. In a deep voice, he said into the receiver, "Hello? I'm Yujun."
Giving his name was itself a test and a sign of trust.
Old Man Li's voice came back, just a simple sentence.
Immediately, Yujun's tense facial muscles relaxed. The heavy guard and suspicion in his eyes melted like ice and snow.
Instead came a stunned disbelief and a deep, relieved calm!
"Professor Li?!" Yujun's voice even trembled a bit.
He held the phone tightly, replying over and over, "Yes, yes! Got it! We're heading over right away! Thank you! Thank you so much!"
After hanging up, Yujun returned the phone to Celine, his eyes completely changed—filled with gratitude and a sense of being saved.
He solemnly said to Celine and Eleanor, "Thank you both! I really didn't expect... I really didn't expect..."
The world isn't too big, but it's not too small either.
Who would have thought, at this life-and-death moment, two strangers could connect to an old friend?
Old Man Li's older brother, Li Wanshan, was once Yujun's old leader!
This was a miracle out of nowhere!
The heavy atmosphere in the truck instantly lifted.
"Let's go, Third Brother, to Teacher Li's house," Celine quickly adjusted her mood and told Eleanor.
Though Eleanor didn't fully understand everything, he saw things were turning around, and nodded, starting the truck.
The truck started again, driving along the country road toward Old Man Li's studio.
After safely dropping Yujun and the others at Old Man Li's doorstep and seeing them well taken care of inside, Eleanor and Celine didn't stop for a moment.
Eleanor drove the truck away quickly from that area.
On the way back, the siblings exchanged a look, both seeing the same understanding in each other's eyes.
Everything that happened today—saving people by the river, those three special people, Old Man Li's involvement...
All of it would rot inside their hearts.
They would act like this thrilling event never happened.