490 A Fire in the Backyard
When Qiao An returned to the Heavenly Imperial Garden with red eyes, Huo Xiaoran was standing in front of him with Angel and Joey in his arms. The four of them quietly watched her go home. When Qiao An appeared in Xiaoran’s vision, Huo Xiaoran’s eyes instantly moistened.
Qiao An looked up at him and their eyes met. Intense feelings and sadness at the impending separation intertwined. Qiao An’s eyes glistened as she pounced on him with red eyes. “Hubby.”
Huo Xiaoran put the children down and hugged Qiao An tightly. “An’an, I should go,” he said softly.
Tears streamed down Qiao An’s face, but she nodded firmly. “Go. Think about us when you can.”
!!
Huo Xiaoran choked and nodded. “Okay.”
Releasing Qiao An, his gaze traced circles on her beautiful face.
Then, he gritted her teeth and made up his mind. He left without looking back.
Qiao An froze in place. Her mind was blank then. When she came back to her senses, she chased after him crazily.
Huo Xiaoran got into the car. When Qiao An chased after him, she fell and watched as the car drove away.
When Huo Zhou and his mother saw this scene, they ran out and helped Qiao An up.
Qiao An suddenly collapsed into Huo Zhou’s mother’s arms and cried her heart out.
Zhou Zhou’s mother asked anxiously, “Aiya, did Xiaoran bully you?”
Qiao An shook her head.
But she was so sad that she couldn’t speak or say anything. She let her heart suffer and float.
“An’an, don’t cry. When Xiaoran comes back, I’ll help you deal with him. How can I make such a good wife sad?”
Huo Zhou said angrily, “I’ll call him and ask him to come back quickly to coax his wife.”
He pulled out his phone, but Qiao An pressed his hand. “Don’t distract him.”
Huo Zhou was dumbfounded. “You and Xiaoran have been acting strange recently. Tell us, what did Xiaoran go to do?” Huo Zhou asked warily.
Qiao An’s snot and tears smeared together. “Stop asking,” she choked.
Sisi quickly entered the house to get Qiao An a tissue.
Huo Zhou’s mother realized that something was wrong. Her face was already very pale. She held Qiao An’s hand and asked her excitedly, “An’an, Xiaoran is a child of our Huo family. You know how much my parents love him. Tell me, is Xiaoran doing something dangerous?”
Qiao An was silent.
Huo Zhou’s mother was so anxious that her voice became distorted. “An’an, there are many men in the world. Our Huo family uses money to solve everything. Huo Xiaoran doesn’t have to take the risk himself. Tell me, what did he go to do?”
“Aunt, stop asking.” Qiao An broke away from her and turned to run home.
The children looked at her from the door and saw that their mother had never cried so sadly. The children were crying in fear.
Only Ki Ki walked to her mother’s side and reached out to gently wipe her tears. “Mommy, don’t be afraid. Ki Ki will protect you.”
Qiao An hugged him tightly.
Huo Zhou’s mother was worried about Qiao An and chased after her again.
She was impatient and shrewish. She grabbed Qiao An and asked, “Qiao An, I treat Xiaoran as my son. If anything happens to him, I won’t be able to answer to my dead sister. Tell Aunt, what is he going to do?”
Qiao An thought for a moment, knowing that if she didn’t say it, her aunt wouldn’t stop until she got what she wanted. She just said casually, “He… is with the police force.”
Huo Zhou’s mother staggered back, then roared hysterically, “Why did he go to the police? If he wants to experience life, he can experience it anywhere. Why did he go to the police? Is he crazy?”
Huo Zhou looked at Qiao An. He said to his mother, “Mom, Xiaoran is very skilled. I’m afraid there’s no one in the armed police force who can match him.”
Huo Zhou’s mother’s face turned pale.
“So. The mission he went on is very complicated, right?” she asked Qiao An shakily.
Qiao An turned her back, unwilling to talk to her. After all, everything Xiao Ran did had to be kept a secret.
“Qiao An, you love him so much. How can you bear to let him take the risk?” Huo Zhou’s mother was so angry that she spoke without thinking.
Qiao An suddenly turned around. Huo Zhou’s mother saw her swollen eyes and softened her tone. “I know you love him. Since you can’t bear to part with him so much, why did you agree to let him go?”
Qiao An said, “Aunt, let me tell you the truth. I can’t stop Xiaoran. And I don’t want to stop Xiaoran. He and I are mentally prepared for it.”
Zhou Zhou’s mother trembled. Huo Zhou and Sisi quickly helped her up.
“Mom, don’t be anxious. Xiaoran will come back safely.” Sisi comforted Zhou Zhou’s mother.
Huo Zhou’s mother looked at Qiao An with red eyes. “The two of you are really like-minded.”
Qiao An knelt in front of Huo Zhou’s mother. “Aunt, if you’re angry, hit me and scold me.”
Huo Zhou’s mother helped her up and cried, “Why would I hit you and scold you? Qiao An, although I’m selfish, I also yearn for the light of the right path. Putting aside my selfishness, I should respect you. But Qiao An, just this once. Can you live a little more selfishly in the future?”
Qiao An cried and nodded.
“Okay.”
Huo Zhou’s mother continued, “If Xiaoran goes to the police, you and the children might not be safe. Today, you and the children will stay with us.” She then ordered Huo Zhou solemnly, “Zhou Zhou, increase security immediately and protect our Huo family’s children.”
“OK. Mom.”
Qiao An simply packed some children’s daily necessities and moved them to Huo Zhou’s villa next door.
Everyone was on tenterhooks. But accidents still came.
In the evening, the electricity at home suddenly stopped.
“What happened?” Huo Zhou’s mother asked warily.
After Huo Zhou checked, he said to his mother, “There’s still a balance on the card. There should be a malfunction.”
Huo Zhou’s mother said, “Get someone to overhaul it.”
Huo Zhou said, “I’ll call Electrician Li over.”
...
Because they were acquaintances, no one expected to invite a wolf into their house.
When Electrician Li arrived, he brought two little disciples. Huo Zhou’s mother opened the door personally.
“Madam,” Electrician Li said with a smile.
“Come in.” Zhou Zhou’s mother sized him up again. After confirming that it was Electrician Li, she let down her guard.
However, after Electrician Li and his two disciples entered the house, one of them immediately locked the villa door, and the other held Zhou Zhou’s mother hostage.
“Don’t move. Hand Qiao An over.”
Huo Zhou’s mother was so frightened that her expression changed drastically. She shouted, “Ah, don’t harm lives. I’ll give you anything you want.”
Upstairs, Qiao An turned pale when she heard Huo Zhou’s mother’s voice.
She hid the children in the high box bed, leaving a gap. “Don’t come out,” she said to the children. “Mom will save Aunt.”