Chapter 13

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

In the car.

Shen Nanxiao leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes to rest. He must have not slept well last night.

The little girl beside him kept scrolling through her phone, looking bored.

“Sigh…” Liu Qi sighed slightly and pressed the button to turn off the screen with her thumb. Last night, she had sent a message to Liu Yue, but until now, there was no response. She wondered if something had happened.

“Come here.” Shen Nanxiao raised his arm and indicated her to sit closer.

Liu Qi obediently moved closer to the man and snuggled up to him.

“Shen Nanxiao, I’m hungry. I haven’t eaten anything this morning.” Liu Qi raised her big eyes and stared at Shen Nanxiao pitifully, like a kitten waiting to be fed.

Shen Nanxiao tapped the little girl’s nose gently with his fingertip and asked, “What do you want to eat?”

Liu Qi lowered her eyes and looked askance as if she was thinking. She raised her eyes again in an instant and said with a smile, “Fried chicken and Coke…”

“No.” As expected, Shen Nanxiao rejected her mercilessly.

She knew it would be like this. Shen Nanxiao was a person who was serious with healthy eating. He almost didn’t eat fried food, so it was better not to think about it with him around.

“Then… winter melon shrimp congee is fine, right?”

“It’s fine.”

Seeing the man nod, Liu Qi continued, “I also want crab meat buns, crab roe soup dumplings, and fresh fish tofu pudding.”

“That’s too much. Remove two.” Shen Nanxiao could not help but rub the little girl’s head. This girl’s appetite had always been a mystery.

Sometimes, a bowl of wonton could fill her stomach. When she was happy, she did not eat much, but as long as she was in a bad mood, she would definitely overeat.

However, what made him feel good was that no matter how unhappy this girl was, she would not stop eating.

“Then… I don’t want the tofu pudding and soup dumplings.”

When they reached Yunqi, Shen Nanxiao led her to the main door. As the two of them walked together, they looked like a beautiful picture.

“Miss Liu! Miss Liu!”

Before Liu Qi stepped into Yunqi’s main door, she heard a woman calling her name.

She looked back and saw a middle-aged woman with grey hair, carrying a canvas bag, wearing a floral shirt and black pants running towards her.

Liu Qi narrowed her eyes. This person was very familiar… Suddenly, her eyes widened and she immediately remembered. No wonder she looked familiar; she was Nan Nan’s mother!

“Stop her.” Shen Nanxiao frowned slightly. He did not know this woman. Seeing that woman rushing over recklessly, his first thought was Liu Qi’s safety.

The security guards at the door strode toward Nan Nan’s mother. Liu Qi quickly stopped them. “Stop. I know her.” After saying that, she looked up at Shen Nanxiao as if she was asking for help.

Shen Nanxiao raised his hand slightly. The security guards returned to the door.

“Aunty Nan.” Liu Qi took her hand out of Shen Nanxiao’s grasp and quickly went to Aunty Nan.

“Miss Liu, I’m so happy to see you.” Aunty Nan was happy to see Liu Qi, but her eyes and tone were timid.

She reached out to hold Liu Qi’s hand, but seeing Liu Qi’s white and tender hand, and her own callused palm, she quickly withdrew her hand.

Liu Qi looked behind Aunty Nan, but she did not see Nan Nan. She asked, “Aunty Nan, where’s Nan Nan? She…”

Before she could finish her sentence, Aunty Nan grabbed her arms excitedly when Nan Nan was mentioned. There was a hint of hope in her anxious voice. “Miss Liu, do you know where my daughter is?”

Startled, Liu Qi almost lost her balance.

“Be careful.”

At this moment, Shen Nanxiao steadied Liu Qi from behind and then looked at Aunty Nan.

Although Shen Nanxiao’s eyes did not show anger, they were not gentle either. Auntie Nan moved back, scared.

She hurriedly let go of Liu Qi and took half a step back. Her hands grabbed the corner of her clothes as she said, “Miss Liu, I… I’m sorry. I… I… I was too excited to see you.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” Liu Qi hurriedly waved her hand.

As she spoke, Aunt Nan wiped her tears, then, she continued, “I wanted to see you, but I don’t know where your home is. Yesterday, I accidentally saw you outside this place, but I couldn’t enter Yunkai, so I came early to wait for you. Just to try my luck.”

Aunt Nan didn’t know many words, so it was understandable that she mistaken Yunqi as Yunkai.

It seemed that the two of them had a lot to talk about. Shen Nanxiao looked at Liu Qi and said gently, “It’s hot outside. Let’s talk in the meeting room. I’ll get someone to bring you breakfast later. I have a meeting today.”

“Okay,” Liu Qi agreed. She reached out to take Auntie Nan’s hand and said with a gentle smile, “Auntie Nan, let’s talk inside. It’s hot out here.”

Auntie Nan was overjoyed by her kind gesture.

Following Liu Qi into Yunqi, Auntie Nan deliberately avoided Shen Nanxiao. She felt that this young man was very scary. His eyes were like a piece of frozen ice.

When they reached the meeting room, Liu Qi and Auntie Nan sat down facing each other. Auntie Nan looked around. She had never entered such a place before.

The marble floor was polished. Auntie Nan’s feet, which were wearing a pair of military rubber shoes, were a little uncomfortable.

“Auntie Nan, tell me, what happened to Nan Nan?” This was the first sentence Liu Qi said after she sat down. She was worried about Nan Nan. From the agitated look of Auntie Nan just now, she was afraid that something had happened to Nan Nan.

Upon hearing Liu Qi’s question, Auntie nan immediately sobbed and lowered her eyes, her tone was hesitant. “I.. have not heard from my daughter for more than two years. There hasn’t been any news. She only has you, Miss Liu, as her friend. I thought she would contact you.”

“No, I haven’t heard from Nan nan for several years. Do you know where Nan Nan went?” Liu Qi’s heart sank. How could Nan Nan be out of touch for so long? Did something happen to her?

Aunt Nan shook her head helplessly. She carefully took a piece of tissue from the table, blew her nose loudly, and crumpled the tissue in her hand.

She blamed herself, “It’s all my fault. I can’t make enough money. My daughter said that going to school is a waste of time, and she wanted to go out and find a job.” When she said this, Aunt Nan was a little choked up.

“Aunt Nan, don’t cry.” Liu Qi hurriedly handed her a tissue, and her heart also began to ache. She asked, “What happened after that?”

Aunt Nan, wiping away her tears, continued, “My daughter sent me seven thousand yuan every month bit after half a year, she sent me a text message saying that she wanted to go abroad, and then, there was no news from her.”

Knock, knock.

“Miss Liu, I’m Xiao Fang. I’ve brought you breakfast.” A voice came from outside the door.

Liu Qi said, “Come in.”

Xiao Fang put down her breakfast and left with a half bow. Aunt Nan had calmed down quite a bit.

“Aunt Nan, please have some porridge first. We’ll talk after you finish it.” Liu Qi pushed the shrimp and winter melon porridge to Aunt Nan and smiled gently.

She knew that Aunty Nan must have not eaten breakfast yet. In order to see her, she must have been come very early in the morning.

Sure enough, Aunty Nan was famished. After thanking Liu Qi, she began to wolf down the porridge.

“Be careful, it’s hot!”

Looking at Aunty Nan, Liu Qi felt a little sad. She remembered that the last time she went to Nan Nan’s home, Aunty Nan looked very young. Although her hands were full of calluses, she did not look old.

But now there were many wrinkles on Aunty Nan’s face, and her hair had more white than black. Three years had actually made her look so haggard.

Nan Nan’s family was also pitiful. Only her mother supported her to study by farming. Moreover, Nan Nan was a proud and sensitive person. She never allowed others to help her, including Liu Qi.

“Aunty Nan, did Nan Nan tell you which country she would go?” Liu Qi said and ate a mouthful of bun.

“I don’t know. My daughter refused to tell me anything. In the end, she only left me a message.”

After saying that, Auntie Nan quickly took out an outdated cellphone from her yellowed canvas bag and excitedly pointed it to Liu Qi. “Miss Liu, look, this is it.”

Taking the phone, Liu Qi looked at the message which said, “Mom, I’m going abroad. I’ve sent you 100,000 yuan. Don’t look for me.”

It was just a few simple words and there was no clues. Liu Qi returned the phone to Auntie Nan and said, “Auntie Nan, I’ll help you look into it. I’ll call you if there’s any news.”

Then, she took out her phone and said, “Give me your phone number.”

“Okay, okay. Thank you.” Auntie Nan trusted Liu Qi very much. She believed that rich people could handle anything with ease. This was why she had come to Liu Qi for help.