On the other side, the Driver who had been waiting for Li Qingqing to return finally got out of the car to search for her.
After looking around and even making announcents over the mall's PA system for a full ten minutes without finding her...
The Driver's heart sank, and he quickly called Sheng Jun.
"Could she have been kidnapped by bad people?" the Driver's voice trembled.
More than worrying about being reprimanded by his boss for failing his duty, the Driver was genuinely concerned for Li Qingqing's safety.
Just as Li Qingqing had thought, after all, her current body was that of a child.
After receiving the call, Sheng Jun's voice remained much calr: "This is Jin City, it's not that easy to be kidnapped here."
"Then where is she..."
"She probably ran away on her own."
"What!" The Driver's worry instantly vanished. "I'll ask the mall to check the security footage right away."
Sheng Jun asked, "Which mall?"
The Driver replied, "Yutai Mall, on Fuyang Road."
Sheng Jun paused for a mont before saying, "That one is controlled by Qin Corporation."
The Driver was stunned. "Then..."
"Co back. You won't be able to access the surveillance footage," Sheng Jun said, hanging up the phone.
He shook his head and comnted on Li Qingqing in a low voice: "A bit clever, but not by much."
anwhile, Li Qingqing hadn't expected so many kind-hearted people along the way. People kept asking if she was lost, and so even shouted about calling the police.
Fortunately, she still possessed an adult soul, so coming up with a few lies was child's play for her.
She told them that her parents were testing her ability to shop independently, and that they were secretly following her...
This explanation finally dispelled the concerns of the well-aning crowd.
She left the mall, walking further and further away, feeling more and more tired.
Only then did she realize that pretending to be kidnapped was quite difficult.
Where would she stay tonight?
Asking a random stranger for help was out of the question; they would imdiately call the police.
"No pain, no gain," Li Qingqing gritted her teeth and encouraged herself.
She found a bridge underpass and planned to make do there for the night.
But Li Qingqing hadn't expected that even bridge underpasses would be in such high demand!
As soon as she climbed down, she saw several n gathered around a stove. They all turned their heads and shouted, "Who's there?"
Li Qingqing shrank her neck and said, "I have nowhere else to go."
As she spoke, she noticed that one of the n looked sowhat familiar. But she couldn't rember exactly where she had seen him before.
"A kid running away from ho?" The man across from her frowned and scolded, "Kids these days have such big tempers! If we dared to run away from ho back in our day, we'd have been beaten with a stick until it broke!"
Soone else chid in, "Hurry up and leave, go ho. If you don't, we'll have to call the police to notify your family."
Li Qingqing panicked, but before she could co up with a reasonable excuse, the familiar-looking man's expression changed.
He spoke up, "Maybe she has so difficulties."
When Li Qingqing heard his voice, it also sounded familiar.
"What difficulties could a child have? Could they be worse than us adults trying to support our families?" The others scoffed.
The man said, "It's possible. For example, her father might have remarried and she has a stepmother..."
Li Qingqing felt as if the man was subtly hinting at sothing. She quickly cried and said, "How did you know my dad has a new wife?"
Only then did the others fall silent, exchanging glances before inviting Li Qingqing over to ask, "So your own father doesn't treat you well either? Still, you should go back ho and talk things out clearly."
Li Qingqing sat down with them and began to weave her tear-jerking story.
But that man called out, "Brother Yong, co over here for a mont."
His voice was still very familiar.
In a flash of realization, Li Qingqing finally rembered who he was.
— It was Li Jiang! Li Xiaoya's long-gone father!
How, how could he appear here?
Li Qingqing suddenly recalled the phone call Sheng Yuxiao had received in the garden.
Was the "coming for Little Ya" ntioned in the call referring to him?
Li Qingqing's heart suddenly beca extrely excited.
She couldn't help but think of her previous life.
This is why she sotis truly hated how lucky Li Xiaoya was.
Li Jiang wasn't a good person at all. Back then, he relied on having attended high school and even getting into university, though he never went. He really considered himself on the sa level as Li Qingqing's college-educated father.
Because of these advantageous conditions, he claid to have connections outside and wanted to go out to earn money to support Li Xiaoya. People actually invested in him.
Who knew he would disappear without a trace...
Was it because Li Jiang wasn't doing well?
Quite the opposite!
One year, Li Qingqing saw a news report about Jiang City selecting outstanding entrepreneurs. Li Jiang was prominently featured on the list.
At the ti, people even praised Li Jiang for looking quite proper, unlike other tycoons who were fat and greasy.
As a result, soone ca forward to expose his past.
They said he had once been a toy boy for a rich tycoon's second wife in Jiang City. Later, when the tycoon died, the second wife rose to power and married him.
Li Jiang then used this woman's money and helped her manage the business. After more than a decade, he transford himself into an entrepreneur.
By that ti, he had even changed his na.
He didn't return to Li Family Village simply because he didn't want to share money with the villagers or take care of his own father.
Later, whether it was because Li Xiaoya had been adopted by a wealthy family and he wanted to curry favor with them, or because he finally had an attack of conscience as a father.
He bought many gifts for Li Xiaoya and found villagers from Li Family Village to act as diators. He even declared emphatically that all his future inheritance would belong to Li Xiaoya.
Such a black-hearted person as Li Jiang really did make a lot of money!
Regardless of his motives, Li Xiaoya was just too lucky in both lives!
Even a scoundrel like Li Jiang ca back to seek her forgiveness.
As Li Qingqing recalled this, a bitter taste filled her mouth.
But why was he appearing here now?
Oh right... because of her butterfly effect, so stories were different from her previous life! Li Family Village was now involved in a human trafficking case!
Of course, Li Jiang couldn't develop his business anymore.
Li Xiaoya had lost a rich father... This made Li Qingqing feel much better.
*
Li Qingqing hadn't misidentified him; it really was Li Jiang.
Li Jiang called the man nad "Brother Yong" aside and said to him, "That's a child from a rich family."
Brother Yong was stunned and instinctively asked, "How do you know?"
"Look at her clothes."
"Oh! Then..."
"Keep her here, don't call the police. Take care of her for a few days, and when her family gets worried, we can return her and get so money in exchange."
Brother Yong's face turned slightly pale. "That, that's not right, is it?"
Li Jiang lowered his head and sighed, "I have a daughter I can't acknowledge. Your daughter is right by your side, but unfortunately, she's sick. The little money you make at the construction site isn't enough to support her. Hasn't your wife gone out to do food delivery? Brother Yong, you need to cherish what you have. I envy that your daughter is by your side."
Brother Yong's face flushed red and white.
After a while.
He gritted his teeth and punched the nearby concrete pillar, saying, "Fine! I'll do as you say! I know you're well-educated and smart. ... But this isn't extortion, right?"
"Brother Yong, have you ever t rich people?"
"I, I haven't..."
"You fret over spending one dollar, but rich people won't even frown at spending ten thousand. They'll voluntarily give you money to thank you. You're just a kind-hearted person who took in a child, how could that be extortion?"
"Right, right..."
Li Jiang patted him and said, "Brother Yong, you've been good to too, so I'll always look out for your interests. If you have any problems, just speak up, and we'll figure it out together."
"Yes, yes. Then... let ask you..." Brother Yong lowered his head, "I saw online that there's soone, soone who abandoned his daughter and ran off with a lover, called, called Li Jiang or sothing. People online even posted photos, and he looks a lot like you..."
Those young masters are really not easy to deal with!
Li Jiang inwardly spat.
But his face remained calm as he asked, "Is it spreading widely online?"
"Yes... That little girl, called Li Xiaoya, is said to have been taken in by so rich people now. She even appeared on TV, a very pretty little girl..."
Brother Yong secretly observed his expression.
Li Jiang said, "How could I be so lucky to have such a daughter?"
He paused, then added, "Even if my daughter isn't that good, I still love her and just want her back by my side."
Brother Yong breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "Yes, yes, our own children are the best."
Li Jiang finished talking with Brother Yong and walked back.
Now, he didn't have to worry about the people around him betraying his whereabouts to the police and those young masters.
He would tie their interests together, binding them as tightly as possible.
Li Jiang walked over and sat down next to Li Qingqing.
Suddenly, he called out: "Li Qingqing?"
Li Qingqing was startled and shuddered.
Li Jiang lowered his voice: "It really is you."
Li Qingqing turned her head and looked at Li Jiang as if she had seen a ghost.
Not only had she recognized him, but he actually rembered her too!
Li Jiang lowered his head to fiddle with the stove and said: "This is a good thing."
What good thing?
Li Qingqing frowned. She thought to herself, why is everyone around Li Xiaoya so difficult to deal with? So difficult that it's even a bit terrifying!
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