Chapter 395: Chapter 395: First eting
Lin Zhiyi was discussing matters with Du Qian when Liao Yi, holding a hawthorn stick, walked out to the door.
But to her surprise, Xingxing was nowhere to be seen, causing her to break out in a cold sweat from fright.
She hurriedly grabbed a store clerk and asked, “Where’s Xingxing?”
The clerk raised her hand and pointed toward the nearby gift shop. “Off scavenging snacks again.”
Everyone in the neighborhood was familiar with her, and Xingxing was the only child on this street, so they all indulged her.
Liao Yi was about to sigh in relief, but her gaze locked straight across the street.
“Wow, wow, wow! An unbelievably handso guy!”
“Tone it down… tsk…” The clerk clicked her tongue. “He’s really handso. Why does he seem a bit familiar?”
“Can’t you think of sothing original? Watch .”
Liao Yi adjusted her hair, preparing to head over.
The clerk stopped her. “Are you sure you want to approach him in your pajamas?”
Liao Yi quickly stepped back two paces. “I’ll go change my clothes.”
Before the clerk could nod, the figure in front of her vanished.
She propped her chin on her hand, gazing across the street to admire the man’s silhouette.
Autumn in Gang City was already a bit desolate. With few tourists around, the empty street resembled the man’s personal runway.
His tall, elegant fra accentuated by a classic black suit made him appear both dignified and striking.
Paired with a long black trench coat, he carried an inexplicable air of mystery that sent shivers down one’s spine.
A sudden breeze arose, lifting the hem of his coat as he walked across the pedestrian road and stopped in front of Xingxing.
Xingxing was drinking milk given to her by the neighbor auntie. A towering figure suddenly blocked her way, forcing her to tilt her neck upward to et his eyes.
“Who are you? You’re blocking from drinking my milk.”
The man’s cold, hard gaze softened bit by bit as he looked at Xingxing. His body stiffened, yet he didn’t dare to extend a hand toward this small figure before him.
Until the sunlight he blocked fell into Xingxing’s eyes, as if illuminating everything.
The person from his dreams stood vividly in front of him.
In a slightly trembling voice, the man asked, “What’s your na?”
“Huahua.”
Xingxing blinked her big eyes, staring at him.
The man paused, frowning as he unwillingly pressed further, “Where’s your mom?”
Xingxing thought for a mont before pointing to Liao Yi, who was walking out from next door. “There!”
Saying this, she even waved her hand.
Liao Yi, thinking the handso guy was greeting her through Xingxing, quickly waved back enthusiastically.
Looking at Liao Yi’s appearance, the light in the man’s eyes turned dimr and dimr.
“Your dad…”
“Dad!”
Spotting Du Qian erging from the inn, Xingxing imdiately ran toward him.
Du Qian froze for a split second and swiftly picked Xingxing up into his arms.
“What did you call ?”
“Oops, I called you wrong,” Xingxing pouted.
Du Qian held her close, glancing at the man in the distance, seeming to grasp sothing. “What a clever little devil.”
Liao Yi leaned in close and secretly asked Xingxing, “What did the handso guy say to ?”
Xingxing leaned against her. “Oh, he said you’re beautiful.”
“What a smooth talker.” Liao Yi instantly kissed her and couldn’t stop thinking about how to greet the handso man properly later.
But as soon as she turned around, where was the handso guy’s figure?
“Where is he?”
“Got in the car and left,” the store clerk pointed to a small glimpse in the distance.
“When did he leave?”
“When the three of you were huddled together looking like a cozy family.”
“It’s over. The handso guy misunderstood, and my shot at romance is gone just like that.” Liao Yi was about to slap her thigh in frustration.
Xingxing covered her mouth, stifling a giggle.
Du Qian lowered his gaze toward Xingxing. “What’s going on?”
Xingxing’s bright black-and-white eyes sparkled mischievously. “Aunt Liao Yi said that when traveling outside, one’s identity is self-determined. Especially to strangers, we must never tell the truth. What if they try to abduct ?”
Du Qian patted her head. “Good job.”
But his peripheral vision lingered on the direction where the car disappeared.
At this mont, Lin Zhiyi walked out.
“What stranger?”
Just as Liao Yi was about to explain, Du Qian interrupted her. “No one, probably just a tourist making small talk with Xingxing.”
Lin Zhiyi imdiately warned Xingxing, “Never talk to strangers again, okay?”
Xingxing nodded.
She reached out to pick Xingxing up, but Du Qian moved to avoid her.
“Let carry her.”
“No need. You only co back once a week. Go spend ti with your parents instead.”
Lin Zhiyi smiled, taking Xingxing into her arms before turning back into the inn.
Du Qian hesitated as though wanting to say sothing, but eventually left.
Liao Yi caught up to Lin Zhiyi. “Doctor Du clearly has feelings for you. He’s so good to Xingxing, too. Why are you rejecting him?”
Lin Zhiyi hugged Xingxing tighter. “I’m content as I am now. Xingxing is all I need.”
One shouldn’t be too greedy.
Liao Yi shrugged, curiosity surfacing. “You’re not still thinking about Xingxing’s dad, are you? He’s a scumbag!”
Lin Zhiyi quickly covered Xingxing’s ears. “Don’t let the child hear that.”
“Fine, fine. Oh, by the way, earlier, there was this insanely handso guy—model-like height.” Liao Yi gestured with her hands.
Lin Zhiyi responded absentmindedly with a nod, clearly uninterested.
As they reached the dining area, she interrupted, “Go wash your hands and eat.”
Liao Yi sighed and reached out to carry Xingxing. “Xingxing, co on, let’s go wash our hands.”
Xingxing leaped into her arms, and the two began to play around again.
Lin Zhiyi smiled and invited the clerk to co eat with them.
anwhile, Xingxing followed Liao Yi to wash her hands.
Looking up, Xingxing asked, “Auntie, what’s a scumbag?”
“A scumbag is a bad man who abandoned you and your mom!”
“Does my dad really not want ?” Xingxing furrowed her brows as she asked.
Liao Yi looked at Xingxing’s pretty little face and couldn’t help but feel a pang of heartache. She quickly shook her head.
“No, I don’t know either. Maybe you should ask him soday?” She could only comfort Xingxing like this.
“Okay.”
Xingxing nodded her little head twice.
…
In the car.
Gong Chen gazed out at the bleak scenery through the car window.
It felt like waking from a dream, and he was the only one left.
As much anticipation as he had when he ca, he now felt that much disappointnt.
The image of that little girl’s family of three dominated his mind.
If there were no obstacles, he, Lin Zhiyi, and Xingxing could have been just as happy.
Chen Jin observed Gong Chen’s expression through the rearview mirror and cautiously asked, “Third Young Master, how did it go?”
Gong Chen lowered his head, the dappled sunlight reflected on his face. “It’s not her.”
Hearing this, Chen Jin couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief. He imdiately said professionally, “I’ll book tickets to return to Jing City right away.”
“No.” Gong Chen’s eyelids lifted lightly, his dark eyes like inky black pools. “To the Aolang Hotel.”
Chen Jin’s back prickled, and he instinctively tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “Understood.”
The Aolang Hotel was where Sang Li was staying.
…
At the hotel yoga studio.
The silent hallway suddenly echoed with the sound of fists landing solidly on flesh.
After a bout of chaos, Sang Li admitted defeat.
Though he had so training in hand-to-hand combat, he was no match for Gong Chen.
Wiping away the blood from the corner of his mouth, he said, “You didn’t co all the way to Gang City just to pick a fight with , did you?”
Gong Chen straightened his posture, looking down at Sang Li with an air of dominance.
“Where is she?”
Sang Li’s hand paused mid-air as he wiped the blood, confirming that the comic had indeed provoked Gong Chen.
He had returned for the sa reason—to see how Lin Zhiyi and the child were doing.
He hadn’t expected Gong Chen to beat him to it.
Judging by Gong Chen’s expression, it was clear he hadn’t found her yet.
After a few seconds of thought, Sang Li stood as well.
“Zhiyi doesn’t want to return to the country. Otherwise, I’d have brought her back already. But I can tell you this—she’s living well.”
As his words fell, Sang Li’s neck was suddenly gripped tight.
He never thought he’d one day be choked by another man.
“I asked you where she is!”
“Third Young Master, let make this clearer: she doesn’t want to see you. Every ti I go on a business trip, you follow . She finds it botherso. Also… we’re getting married.”
Sang Li held Gong Chen’s gaze unwaveringly.
Gong Chen’s eyes reddened slightly at the corners as his grip tightened unconsciously.
Nearby, Zhou Zhao saw the change in Gong Chen’s expression and wanted to rush over, but Chen Jin raised a hand to block him.
“Nothing will happen.”
Sure enough, Gong Chen released Sang Li the next mont and turned to walk out the door.
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