Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Tuoba Gucheng hurriedly called for the doctor to prescribe some medicine and put her on the drip.
Due to the fact that he had to leave because of an urgent matter, he specifically instructed Xiao Chi, “Look after her and change the bottle once the drip runs out.”
“Alright.”
Xiao Chi closed the door and sat on the chair to monitor An Xiaoning’s condition while she was put on an intravenous drip.
He sighed at the thought of how his Young Sir and Young Madam’s relationship had turned sour. At this very moment, he received a call from Fan Shixin.
“Hello,” Xiao Chi answered softly.
“Um… I heard that Ms. An is about to leave the Autumn Palace soon. Has she left yet?” Fan Shixin asked.
“She was initially going to resign but His Highness didn’t allow her to. I heard from a friend who was on duty last night that Ms. An went out in the middle of the night and returned soaking wet. She claimed to have fallen into the river. So, I reckon Ms. An had a failed attempt at escaping through the lake,” Xiao Chi explained.
“Oh, I see. Get that bodyguard to remain tight-lipped about the matter.”
“I’ve already instructed him not to spread a word about it,” Xiao Chi said immediately.
After a moment of silence, Fan Shixin asked, “Has Ms. An been exceptionally close to His Highness lately?”
“No, His Highness has been rather cold and aloof toward Ms. An recently. He only changed his attitude slightly when he heard about Ms. An’s intention to leave. I also heard that His Highness has instructed everyone to guard all the exits and entrances closely and forbid her from leaving.”
Fan Shixin immediately understood Tuoba Gucheng’s intentions and said, “I’ll inform Young Sir about it. Wait for my news.”
“Yes.”
Xiao Chi then hung up the phone, puzzled and confused. Weren’t they already divorced?
What else did he want?
“Ms. An wants to leave the palace right now but Tuoba Gucheng won’t allow her to. Young Sir, do you want to lend her a hand?” Fan Shixin said to Jin Qingyan.
“She doesn’t need any help.”
“Ms. An tried to swim away from the palace through the lake last night but she didn’t manage to succeed. She’s running a high fever now. Xiao Chi is monitoring her condition while she’s put on the drip.”
Jin Qingyan immediately glared at Fan Shixin and hissed, “I only asked you to find out if she had left the palace. What are you telling me these for?”
“Okay, I’ll tell Xiao Chi not to bother about the other matters.”
Just as he was walking toward the door, Jin Qingyan ordered him to stop.
“Hold it.”
Fan Shixin turned to look at him in puzzlement and asked, “Yes? What’s the matter, Young Sir?”
Jin Qingyan snapped out of his thoughts and said, “Nothing, you may leave.”
Fan Shixin left the room while Jin Qingyan began to let his imagination run wild as a million questions flooded his mind.
Why didn’t Tuoba Gucheng allow her to leave?
He’s already married, why wouldn’t he let such an ugly female bodyguard resign?
Besides, he doesn’t know that An Xiaoning is his half-sister. Could it be…
The more Jin Qingyan dwelled on it, the more frustrated he got. It’s all your fault, Tuoba Gucheng!
Jin Qingyan wished he could rip him into shreds and skin him alive.
After getting a grip on his emotions, he again thought to himself, With the tight security in the Autumn Palace, can she really make it out on her own?
Would she be trapped inside for a really long time?
Should I render her some help on account of our son?
After much thought, Jin Qingyan walked toward the door and waved at Fan Shixin.
“Young Sir, what’s the matter?”
“I heard that there’s a new noise-reduction technology on the market that allows a vehicle to inflate immediately with the push of a button, without making a single noise. It’ll then propel up into the sky like a hot air balloon. Is there really such a thing?”
Fan Shixin nodded and answered, “Yes, I’ve heard about it too. It’s said to be a newly-developed aircraft that is completely silent and rid of any static noises while being resistant to wind at the same time. What about it?”
“Get one for me.”
“Young Sir, what do you need it for?” Fan Shixin asked.
“None of your business. Just do as I instructed.”
“It doesn’t come at a cheap price though.”
“Do I seem like I can’t afford it? Hurry and get one,” Jin Qingyan ordered.
“Okay. I guess I understand why you want that, Young Sir,” said Fan Shixin, chuckling after giving it some serious thought.
“Procrastinate further and I’ll break your legs. Believe it or not.”
“I believe you, absolutely. I’ll go ahead with it now.”
——
As evening approached, Mei Yangyang had already prepared dinner and said to Long Wenlun, “Go look for Xiaoxi in the backyard and tell her to come inside for dinner.”
“Yes, Mommy.”
Long Wenlun headed to the backyard to search for Long Xiaoxi, who was nowhere to be found. He then tried his luck at Zhong Minhe’s house, but to no avail.
“She’s not there? She must have gone opposite. Go there and look for her. Xiaoxi wouldn’t wander off too far.”
“Mommy, I’ve already gone opposite to look for her. She’s not there,” said Long Wenlun.
Mei Yangyang put down her chopsticks and immediately removed her apron. “I’ll go look for her.”
She knew that her daughter wouldn’t run out of Wei Ni Estate.
Besides, security was tight around the estate and only residents were allowed to enter. Visitors would have to register their names at the guards’ office and there were surveillance cameras everywhere in the estate. Who would have the audacity to abduct a child here?
But in fact, Long Xiaoxi had really gone missing.
At last, after checking the surveillance camera footage, Mei Yangyang discovered that Xiaoxi had been led to another lobby by a little girl of similar age. Long Xiaoxi was then seen following the girl into an apartment on the second floor and did not leave since.
The apartment building was only a stone’s throw away from Mei Yangyang’s mansion.
Mei Yangyang heaved a sigh of relief. Coincidentally, Long Tianze returned home at this time and the pair proceeded to look for Long Xiaoxi together.
Once they reached the second floor of the building, Long Tianze pressed the doorbell of the apartment and a lady answered the door.
Upon sight of them, she said while smiling, “Oh, it’s you guys, Mr. and Mrs. Long. Xiaoxi is playing with my daughter, Xiaohua.”
Mei Yangyang grinned and said, “We were wondering why she hasn’t come home yet even though it was already almost evening. We only discovered that she was here after checking the surveillance camera footage.”
Long Xiaoxi ran toward them and greeted, “Daddy, Mommy.”
Long Tianze picked her up in his arms and said to Xiaohua’s mother, “We’ll get going now. Sorry for imposing on you.”
“It’s nothing, goodbye.”
An austere expression formed on Mei Yangyang’s face at the instant that they entered the elevator. Noticing that her mother seemed irate, Long Xiaoxi threw her arms around her father’s neck and said, “Daddy, Mommy is so fierce.”
“Do you know how worried your Mommy was when she couldn’t find you? Why didn’t you go home even though it was already late?” Long Tianze chided, clearly riled up.
“Daddy, I know I was wrong. I wouldn’t dare to do it again,” Long Xiaoxi apologized, utterly melting Long Tianze’s heart with the look of innocence on her face.
Pinching his daughter’s cheeks affectionately, Long Tianze said, “Okay… don’t do that again next time. Mommy’s angry too. Go console and appease her.”
Long Xiaoxi smiled and said, “Ah, Mommy, you’re just like the moon in the sky, so beautiful and bright. Mommy, you’re just like the spring breeze, gently caressing my heart. Mommy is so pretty, beautiful, adorable, and gentle. Mommy is forever eighteen years old.”
Mei Yangyang was speechless. “If you wander off on your own again and get kidnapped by a vicious crook who sells you away, you won’t be able to come home again. The bad guys will gouge your eyes out and remove all your organs. Children shouldn’t stray too far away and run off on their own. Do you think you can outrun an adult if you get abducted?” Mei Yangyang warned sternly.
“Mommy is always right. I’ll always obey your instructions. I won’t wander off on my own again. Mommy, you are the best Mommy,” Long Xiaoxi answered, hugging Mei Yangyang.
Mei Yangyang and Long Tianze’s anger vanished, and the family of three headed home for dinner.
