Tian Jing rounded the village committee office building and saw a Hongqi parked in front of the courtyard, blocking the steps leading up.
She walked to the Hongqi, intending to see if there was a driver inside, when she heard her mother-in-law's startled cry and a child's wail from within the courtyard.
With a flick of her hands, two vines agilely wrapped around the pillars by the gate. With a push and a leap, she landed at the entrance.
Her hand twitched, the two vines retracted, and she strode into the inner courtyard.
Inside, a sturdy young boy was running towards the entrance, tightly hugging Xuan Xuan. Attached to his left and right legs were Ji Qing and Ji Xiang.
Despite being dragged along the ground, Ji Qing and Ji Xiang still held on tight, shouting, "Let go of sister!"
Behind the boy, her mother-in-law, holding Si Yu, was chasing him, yelling, "Let go, stop!"
Under the veranda by the living room entrance, Ji Nian and Ji Yang were sprawled on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.
As Tian Jing stepped into the inner courtyard, two strong arms shot out from either side of the second gate, blocking her. "No unauthorized personnel!"
Damn it!
Tian Jing flung her hands to either side, and the vines in her hands coiled around the owners of those arms.
Two tall, burly men stood on either side of the second gate. They paid no mind to Tian Jing, a mere woman, and as the vines approached, they reached out with their other hands to pull away the snake-like tendrils.
However, the vines moved with lightning speed. The moment they grasped the vines, the tendrils nimbly snaked around their other arms and shoulders.
The two men quickly exerted force on their arms, trying to break free from the vines, only to find their calves ensnared by another vine.
They quickly braced themselves, but the vines had no intention of entangling their legs together.
In the instant they misjudged, the vines on their legs and arms intertwined, and then, through a principle they couldn't comprehend, applied twisting and contorting motions to their bodies at a speed invisible to the naked eye.
It seemed slow, but in reality, it took only a few seconds for the vines to twist the two burly men into a contorted posture, with the vines tightening further.
"Crackle, crackle."
The bones of the two men groaned as they were bent and then compressed, on the verge of breaking.
At this point, the boy, with his two leg-tethered companions and the two-year-old Xuan Xuan in his arms, had not yet reached the second gate.
"Tian Tian!"
Mother Li, chasing the boy, saw Tian Jing and cried out in surprise, "Quick, grab that boy! He's trying to snatch Xuan Xuan, saying he's taking her to his home."
The boy, running hard, stopped when he saw Tian Jing. "Are you this girl's mother?"
Tian Jing sized up the boy. He looked about ten years old, wearing a tight-fitting short-sleeved t-shirt. Not only was his build strong, but his muscles were also well-developed, clearly indicating he was skilled in martial arts.
Seeing how easily he could run while carrying three children, he must be quite strong.
The vines she summoned in her hands increased from four to eight. "I am the grandmother of the girl in your arms. Put my granddaughter down, and you can leave. Otherwise, I'll have to ask your parents to come and redeem you."
The boy smiled. "You're the first person who's dared to speak to me like that."
Tian Jing also smiled. "You're the first person who's dared to barge into my home and try to snatch my family. If it weren't for the fact that you seem to have some backing, I wouldn't have offered you the chance to put down my granddaughter and leave."
The boy looked at the two men who were being contorted. "You think this little bit of skill can threaten me?"
Tian Jing said coldly, "You can try."
The boy looked eager. "How do we try? I'm clearly at a disadvantage like this."
"Ji Qing, Ji Xiang."
Tian Jing looked at the two children by the boy's legs. "You two are very brave. Little Aunt thanks you. Let go now, and leave it to your Little Aunt to handle."
Ji Qing and Ji Xiang finally let go. Without the burden of their resolve, their strength vanished, and they felt the pain from being dragged on the ground.
Mother Li hugged Si Yu and crouched down to check on the two children.
The two children looked at Mother Li with tear-filled eyes. "Great Grandma."
"Good children."
Mother Li comforted them, "Once your Little Aunt catches the bad guy who snatched your sister, we'll go see Grandpa Yang about it, okay?"
"Okay."
"Okay."
The two children sobbed and looked towards where their Little Aunt was, only to find that their Little Aunt had already taken Xuan Xuan into her arms, and the bad guy who snatched her sister was already tied up.
Time rewinded two minutes.
With the resistance from the boy's legs gone, he skillfully dodged, holding Xuan Xuan, trying to evade Tian Jing, who was close to the door, and the vines she was throwing.
Tian Jing had to admire the boy's skill.
Under the encirclement of eight vines, and while holding Xuan Xuan, he could still evade the eight agile vines.
However, that was all he had.
Two invisible energy shields flew out, one enveloping the boy, the other enveloping Xuan Xuan.
Upon covering the boy, the energy shield immediately contracted, pulling his arms inward. His strength was useless within this invisible, elastic energy shield.
Xuan Xuan, held in his arms, dropped.
"Ah?"
He exclaimed in surprise.
Then, he saw the falling Xuan Xuan float towards her grandmother's arms.
As his limbs became immobile, he was bound by the vines.
The elastic, balloon-like substance that made him unable to exert strength disappeared.
Tian Jing looked down at her granddaughter, who was smiling at her. "Are you scared?"
Xuan Xuan leaned into her grandmother's embrace. "Not scared, Big Brother isn't bad."
Tian Jing smiled. "Xuan Xuan means Big Brother isn't a bad person, right?"
Xuan Xuan blinked her big eyes. "Big Brother, hugs make me not scared."
Tian Jing asked softly, "Big Brother hugs very steady, steadier than Ji Qing and the others, isn't he?"
"Yes."
Xuan Xuan looked at the bound boy. "Big Brother, Angry Grandma, bullied Ji Brother."
"So, Grandma tied him up. Was he wrong?"
"No."
"Then does Xuan Xuan want Grandma to let Big Brother go?"
"Mm~ let him go later."
"Xuan Xuan is a good girl."
Tian Jing leaned down and kissed her granddaughter's face. "Grandma will punish him. When he knows he's wrong, she'll let him go."
"Okay."
Seeing Tian Jing kiss Xuan Xuan, the boy's face contorted with anger. "She's mine, she's mine, you're not allowed to kiss her."
"Bullshit!"
Tian Jing swore. "This is my granddaughter! You little brat who came out of nowhere, daring to come to my house and snatch my granddaughter, causing several children to get hurt, and I haven't even dealt with you yet."
"You don't think you're in the clear just because Xuan Xuan pleaded for you, do you? Believe it or not, I can even tie up your mouth."
The boy fell silent, but his eyes blazed with unconquered anger.
Hmph!
Tian Jing snorted and, holding Xuan Xuan, went to see Ji Qing and Ji Xiang lying on the ground.
Ji Qing and Ji Xiang had tears all over their faces. "Little Aunt, we're useless."
"Who said that?"
Tian Jing gently stroked the two children. "You were very brave. If you hadn't helped Great Grandma hold back the bad guy, Little Aunt wouldn't have had time to save your sister."
Ji Qing and Ji Xiang smiled through their tears. "Sister wasn't lost."
"Mm."
Tian Jing nodded. "Get up and show me."
Although the two children were wearing long sleeves and pants, their clothes were torn from being dragged, and bloodstains were visible through the rips.
Xuan Xuan started crying. "It hurts, Ji Brother hurts."
Tian Jing looked down at her granddaughter. "Do you still want to forgive the bad guy who hurt Ji Brother?"
"Wuwuwu."
Xuan Xuan burst into tears. "Big Brother, not bad, he was wrong."
Tian Jing patted and comforted her granddaughter. "If you're wrong, you should be punished, otherwise, you'll make the same mistake again, right?"
"Right!" Xuan Xuan nodded her little head. "Punish him, don't give him food."
"Okay."
Tian Jing softly coaxed her. "We won't give him food. Alright, stop crying. I'll take Ji Brother and the others to see the doctor."
"Mm, find, Fang Fang Ge."
The boy frowned. How many brothers did Xuan Xuan have?