Chapter 24: Abducted

She stared for the entire morning, only giving up temporarily when it was time to eat. By the time she returned in the afternoon, Ning Huaizhi was determined to continue her observation. She was a tenacious person by nature; she would never rest until she found the answer.

However, a customer arrived unexpectedly, and Ning Huaizhi had no choice but to step away. Before leaving, she spoke to Zhou Jiajia with a worried expression. Zhou Jiajia just smiled at her: "I'm fine. You go ahead; don't keep the guest waiting."

"Alright." Ning Huaizhi hesitated for a moment before nodding.

By the time the sky began to darken and the sunset burned across the horizon, the customer still showed no signs of leaving, which made Ning Huaizhi anxious. She was waiting to head back to campus; why wasn't this man leaving?

Ning Huaizhi offered a tactful reminder: "Sir, it's getting late. The light is poor at night, making it unsuitable for golf. Shall we head back?"

The customer was a middle-aged man, roughly forty, with a short, stout, and pot-bellied frame. His gaze was greasy, clinging to Ning Huaizhi like congealed fat. Even after hearing her words, he made no move to leave.

"No way. I'm a member here. I want to play golf, so what if it's night? I'm very skilled, don't you worry about me."

Watching his performance—hitting over par with every single stroke—Ning Huaizhi fell silent. His confidence was truly misplaced.

The man hit another ball, and it landed directly in the woods. He pointed toward the pitch-black thicket and said, "You, hurry up and go retrieve the ball for me."

Ning Huaizhi had no choice but to walk into the woods. Compared to the outside, the trees were much darker. The surroundings were deathly silent; she couldn't even hear the man anymore. Ning Huaizhi’s heart hammered against her ribs. She had found the man repulsive earlier, but now she desperately wished he would say something—anything.

Retrieving a ball in the dark was no easy task. Ning Huaizhi bowed her head and felt around the ground for a long time before finally finding it. But when she emerged, the area was completely empty. The middle-aged man was gone.

Ning Huaizhi instinctively called out twice, but there was no response. Her heart sank instantly. She walked further out, only to find that the golf cart she had driven there was also gone, leaving behind only faint tire tracks in the dust.

Golf carts weren't complicated; anyone could drive them. It seemed this customer had simply driven off, leaving her to walk back alone. Ning Huaizhi was so angry she laughed. She didn't know what she had done to offend this man, warranting such a petty act of retaliation.

With the hour growing late, she had no choice but to start the long walk back. Forty minutes later, Ning Huaizhi finally reached the lit area. Upon seeing her, the middle-aged man immediately stood up.

"Look, look! I told you she was fine. She was right out there on the course; why wouldn't you let me leave?"

The receptionist replied with a smile, "Sir, you both went to the course together but did not return together. We cannot ensure our staff's safety unless we see them back."

"That's because her service was unsatisfactory, which is why I left on my own. Isn't that your fault for not training your staff properly? Who could be satisfied with that?" The man grumbled, then shouted, "Can I go now?"

"Yes."

"Wait."

Both voices rang out simultaneously. After speaking, Ning Huaizhi walked up to the man, expressionless, and asked, "May I ask exactly what part of my service was unsatisfactory?"

The man blinked. "You didn't retrieve my ball! Do you know how expensive a ball is? Twenty yuan! That’s a whole twenty yuan."

Ning Huaizhi raised her tightly clenched hand, revealing the ball lying in her palm. "I retrieved it. You had already left by the time I came out of the woods."

The man was silent for a moment before quickly finding another excuse. "Well, I didn't know that at the time. It's perfectly normal for me to act that way in the heat of the moment, isn't it? If you're not happy, I can apologize."

His attitude was dismissive. Before Ning Huaizhi could respond, Liu Qingmei walked over.

"Zhizhi, how can you bicker with our guests? Even if a guest accidentally offends you, it wasn't intentional. Aren't you perfectly fine now?"

Ning Huaizhi sneered at the newcomer. She hadn't even gone looking for Liu Qingmei yet, and here the woman was, delivered right to her doorstep. "Since the guest says I was on the course, why didn't anyone come to pick me up? If someone had come, I wouldn't have had to walk so long to get back, would I?"

This was her second point of grievance. As for who was behind this, the conclusion seemed obvious. Aside from Liu Qingmei, who else had the authority to do such a thing?

Liu Qingmei waved her hand dismissively. "That was naturally because you offended the guest and needed a lesson. If everyone acted as willfully as you, would this club even be able to operate? Take this as a lesson and remember not to make the same mistake again."

A lesson, indeed. Ning Huaizhi had been wondering who could have been bullying Zhou Jiajia; now, it seemed clear that only Liu Qingmei was capable of such a thing.

"Liu Qingmei, before I even returned, how could you be so sure whose fault it was? The guest claimed I didn't retrieve the ball, but in fact, I did. He was still unsatisfied—is that my fault, too?"

Liu Qingmei held her head high. "Isn't it your fault? Ning Huaizhi, remember this: the customer is never wrong. If he is dissatisfied with you, you should reflect on yourself and strive to satisfy him next time, rather than arguing."

Listening to the woman’s sophistry, Ning Huaizhi smiled. "Fine. I'll keep that in mind."

Ning Huaizhi turned and walked away, ignoring Liu Qingmei behind her.

"Stop right there! Who gave you permission to leave?"

Ning Huaizhi did not stop. She returned to the dormitory, hoping to find Zhou Jiajia, but the room was empty. She paused, then asked someone else.

"Jiajia? She went back to school a long time ago. Didn't she tell you?"

Ning Huaizhi’s heart sank. "I didn't know that."

"What will you do now? It was early when she left, but it's already night. It’s dangerous for you to go out alone. Why not wait until tomorrow?"

"No need, I can make it back on my own."

Ning Huaizhi refused. She had an early class tomorrow; waiting until morning would be too late. She packed her things and turned to walk out.

The suburbs were sparsely populated at night, and the road was difficult to navigate, forcing Ning Huaizhi to slow her pace. Distracted by her troubled thoughts, she didn't notice her surroundings, nor did she notice the figure gradually closing in from behind.

It wasn't until a large hand covered her mouth and nose that Ning Huaizhi’s eyes widened in shock, and she began to struggle. But her strength was minimal, and she was quickly dragged into the small woods nearby.