Chapter 61: Heavy Casualties
"Spit it out! Are you mute?"
Seeing Fan hemming and hawing, Zhou Fan grew anxious and kicked him in the rear.
"Your wife is fine. The Qian Brothers killed everyone who went to kidnap her. Only Qian the Third, Qian Hui, suffered a minor injury!" Fan knew how Zhou Fan must be feeling, so not only did he not hold the kick against him, he immediately reported on Chu Yan's situation.
"However, the situation at the Chu Family's home is not as optimistic. Your father-in-law, Chu Peiyang, had one of his arms crippled. Chu Peiyu is severely injured and still in the intensive care unit. The Chu Family's third and fourth sons, who happened to be returning home, were killed outright because they arrived from outside and didn't have protection from the Wolf Fang members!"
"Although the Chu Family patriarch, Chu Tianxiang, wasn't injured, he was so overwhelmed by fury and grief that he nearly collapsed!"
Chu Qianqian swayed on her feet, nearly falling. She quickly grabbed Zhou Fan's arm. Even though she wasn't Chu Tianxiang's biological daughter, she had grown up here for over twenty years. The Chu Family was, for all intents and purposes, her second home.
Though she wasn't particularly close to her four "brothers" on a daily basis, hearing that two were dead, two were injured, and the patriarch had almost collapsed from the shock was like a bolt from the blue.
"Were the casualties for Wolf Fang heavy? How many men did the enemy send?"
Although Zhou Fan was also shaken by the Chu Family's losses, his concern for them vanished the moment he heard Chu Yan was safe. His focus now shifted, and he asked with concern.
Based on his understanding of Fan, Zhou Fan knew the man wasn't one to fret over the lives of unrelated people. 'So Fan's earlier expression could only mean one thing: Wolf Fang's casualties were severe!'
"We had fifty-one Wolf Fang members stationed in Nanjiang City. Excluding the five who didn't make it to the Chu Family estate, of the remaining forty-six, only seventeen are still alive. And among those seventeen, four are critically injured, including Lao San!"
"And according to Xiaojiu's report, the enemy didn't send many people—only about twenty or so. But every single one of them was an expert, and they had flawless coordination."
Fan's mood was heavy. These were all his brothers. How could he not be furious when so many had been killed or injured in a single night?
"Let's go. We'll head back, investigate this thoroughly, and then finish it."
Zhou Fan wasn't one for many words of comfort. He simply clapped Fan on the shoulder and turned to walk away.
After meeting up with Chu Wen, the four of them got into a car he had called and headed back to Nanjiang City together.
"Honey, are you hurt?"
When they arrived at the Chu Family estate, Zhou Fan had just stepped out of the car when Chu Yan rushed over, throwing her arms around him and asking with concern.
"Don't worry, it's just a scratch," Zhou Fan said, dotingly stroking Chu Yan's hair.
Watching this scene, Chu Qianqian felt a strange discomfort in her heart, though she hid it well.
"Xiaoyan, you're too much! You only have eyes for your husband. You didn't even ask how your dear aunt is doing!" Chu Qianqian feigned anger.
"Oh, Auntie, I was just so worried!" Chu Yan said, a little embarrassed. She quickly turned and hugged Chu Qianqian.
"Boss, I don't think Lao San's going to make it!"
Suddenly, Xiaojiu came running over, yelling anxiously to Fan.
"Quick, lead the way!"
Fan's heart sank. He shouted the order at Xiaojiu and scrambled to follow him.
"Honey, take your aunt to see Grandpa first. I'm going to check on him," Zhou Fan said to Chu Yan before following them.
When Chu Yan and Chu Qianqian arrived at Chu Tianxiang's courtyard, the atmosphere was deathly somber.
Seeing Chu Qianqian return safely, the crowd reacted with a mixture of expressions.
Some were happy, some were angry, and some were in disbelief.
"Father, I'm back!"
"It's good that you're back. It's good that you're back."
While the father and daughter had their tender moment, Chu Yan pulled Chu Wen aside. "What exactly happened on the way here? Why is your brother-in-law covered in so much blood?"
"Sis, you're playing favorites, aren't you? I'm covered in blood too, why aren't you asking about me?"
"Feeling bold now that your wings have hardened? Learned how to talk back, have you?"
"No, no, no! I don't know the full details either. We chased them into the mountain forest and ambushed a group of enemies. My brother-in-law and Fan were already injured by then. They told me to stay behind as backup, and then they went after them again!"
Seeing Chu Yan reach for his ear, Chu Wen quickly backed down and explained in a hushed voice.
"Where is Zhou Fan? This time, our Chu Family must properly thank him. Without Zhou Fan, Qianqian might not have made it back!" Chu Tianxiang, seated in the main chair, had just finished listening to Chu Qianqian's account. Realizing how severely Zhou Fan had been injured saving her, he declared loudly.
"Hmph, what's there to thank him for? He didn't even save a real member of the Chu Family. My husband lost an arm! Why is no one talking about thanking him?" a discordant voice interjected. It was Chu Yan's biological mother, Song Qing.
"Mom, how can you say that? Auntie has always been a part of our Chu Family! Besides, if Zhou Fan's friends hadn't stepped in, I might have been kidnapped too!" Chu Yan stood up, displeased, rebuking the woman she considered her mother in name only.