Everyone thought that even if Qiqi had been kidnapped, even if the kidnapper was Qin Nianwan, what could a little child possibly do? So, calling Fu Shinian or Su Mu was only a matter of ti. But after an entire week passed, there was still no news of Qiqi, and Qin Nianwan hadn’t made a single call.
It was as if she had vanished into thin air.
Su Mu hadn’t returned to Gui Ning Residence; she was living in Bishui Yuntian with Jiang Bei. She suffered from insomnia night after night, couldn’t eat, and had grown visibly thinner. She had beco increasingly withdrawn, clutching Qiqi’s backpack tightly, never letting go, her entire being filled with a lifeless despair.
Fu Shinian wasn’t in great shape either—he was taking care of Su Mu while searching for Qiqi and at the sa ti hiding the truth from the grandmother. But he felt that he couldn’t keep the truth hidden from the grandmother much longer. The excuse of being away on a trip was wearing thin because the grandmother had been asking to talk to Qiqi every day for several days, and Fu Shinian had continuously made excuses to avoid it.
But he had a feeling that the grandmother might already know.
At this mont, he was sitting on the edge of the bed in the bedroom, looking at Su Mu, who was curled up in a rattan chair on the balcony and hadn’t moved for a long ti. His eyes were slightly sore, and he couldn’t quite rember how long he had been sitting there, only that Su Mu seed to grow quieter and more depressed, unable to utter even a single word throughout the day. Her only reaction ca when Qiqi’s na was ntioned, and then it was followed by an even deeper disappointnt.
The phone rang, finally prompting Fu Shinian to make a small movent. He glanced at Su Mu, but she did not react at all. She had been like this for so ti—still, silent, as though she had lost the ability to connect with the outside world, becoming self-enclosed and detached.
Fu Shinian looked at his phone. It was Su Shiyue calling. He frowned slightly.
He left the bedroom and pressed the answer button. Su Shiyue’s nervous voice ca through imdiately:
"Brother, I couldn’t stop her. Grandma insists on going to Bishui Yuntian to take a look..."
"Has she left yet?"
"She’s just about to head out."
Fu Shinian let out a sigh: "Tell Grandma I’ll go back; she mustn’t co."
"You—you’re going to tell her?"
"It can’t be hidden anymore; I’ll have to tell her."
After hanging up the call with Su Shiyue, Fu Shinian returned to the bedroom. He walked directly to the balcony and crouched down in front of Su Mu, gently holding her hand: "Susu, I need to go back to Gui Ning Residence for a bit."
Su Mu didn’t react.
"Stay here and wait for . I’ll co back quickly, okay?"
Su Mu still didn’t respond.
Fu Shinian raised his hand, intending to touch her face, but ultimately stopped halfway. He didn’t even understand why he suddenly felt hesitant at that mont. Perhaps it was only because he didn’t want to wake her—waking Su Mu would only lead to her feeling disappointed again. Maybe this kind of quietness was better for her.
Leaving the room, Fu Shinian went to knock on Jiang Bei’s door. Jiang Bei appeared in the doorway:
"Heading out?"
"Yes." Fu Shinian replied with a nod: "Grandma’s insistence on coming over has nearly broken through. If she sees Su Mu like this, she’ll be even more worried. I better go back to handle it. As for Su Mu here..."
"Don’t worry; I won’t let anything happen to her."
Fu Shinian nodded slightly:
"Also, be mindful and keep an eye on the child."
Jiang Bei seed not to fully grasp Fu Shinian’s aning and raised her head abruptly to look at him. Fu Shinian gave a bitter smile:
"It’s nothing serious. It’s just that Qiqi has been missing for so long and we’ve done all we can. I believe everyone has already ntally prepared for the worst possible outco. If we do reach that point, your child might be a source of comfort for Su Mu."
"That won’t happen; Qiqi will co back."
"I hope so too." Fu Shinian’s eyes were slightly reddened, his voice suppressed: "I’m wishing for it every single mont."
It was perhaps the most desolate and helpless side of Fu Shinian that Jiang Bei had ever seen. She wanted to say sothing, but in the end, she only issued a reminder: "Grandma’s health hasn’t been good. Considering how serious this matter is, you should bring Qiao Yu along when you go back, just in case sothing happens and you need assistance imdiately."
"Okay."
After Fu Shinian left, Jiang Bei went to the master bedroom. She looked at Su Mu sitting on the balcony, not saying a word to disturb her, and took a seat on the spot where Fu Shinian had sat before. At this mont, Jiang Bei couldn’t say anything either—nothing she said would be of any use. All she could do was stay with her and pray.
Pray that Qiqi would return soon.
When Fu Shinian returned to Gui Ning Residence, Qiao Yu was already waiting at the entrance. When he saw Fu Shinian’s appearance, he couldn’t help but sigh softly:
"If you’re going to face this, you need to reassure Grandma first. You haven’t shaved your beard, there are dark circles under your eyes—if you just walk in like this without saying a word, Grandma will imdiately know sothing’s wrong."
Fu Shinian looked at Qiao Yu:
"That’s fine. I don’t have the energy to explain much anyway."
"You..."
When Qiao Yu followed Fu Shinian into the house, Su Shiyue was the first to co over to greet him. She looked at Fu Shinian with so guilt: "I’m sorry, Brother; I couldn’t calm Grandma down."
"It’s not your fault." Fu Shinian rubbed his weary brow: "Where’s Grandma now?"
"I’m here."
Grandma’s angry voice rang out so forcefully that Fu Shinian had an illusion—her health was actually fine. Such strength in her voice was sothing Fu Shinian couldn’t muster at the mont. He looked past Su Shiyue and saw Grandma stepping out of the bedroom doorway. After a mont of silence, he took a step forward, reaching out in an attempt to support her, but Grandma directly struck his hand with her cane:
"Don’t touch ."
Fu Shinian retracted his arm and watched as Grandma, assisted by Aunt Tian, sat down on the living room sofa. He stepped forward, about to sit down on the sofa as well when Grandma spoke again:
"Stand."
Fu Shinian stood still where he was.
Grandma glanced at Fu Shinian and then at Qiao Yu: "You brought Qiao Yu over here because you’re afraid I’d get so upset after hearing sothing bad that I might collapse from anger, is that it?"
Fu Shinian frowned:
"Grandma, don’t say that."
Fu Shinian’s energy was already close to running out, so even facing Grandma now, he didn’t have the usual vigor and liveliness. Perhaps it was partly because he was about to tell her the truth, but regardless, everyone had never seen Fu Shinian this way before.
"Then explain to —why haven’t I been allowed to see Qiqi or talk to her for so long? What exactly are you trying to do?"
Fu Shinian had returned to Gui Ning Residence specifically to tell Grandma the truth. But now that the mont had co, he found himself unable to say the words. The situation was already a ss; no one knew how Grandma would react once he spoke up. Even though Qiao Yu was right there beside him, he couldn’t feel at ease.
Grandma, perhaps having grown impatient long ago, found the few seconds unbearably long. She spoke again:
"Speak!"
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