Li Xiaoya was still sleeping.
After repeatedly confirming that she was indeed not injured or ill, everyone decided to let her continue sleeping for now.
Perhaps she truly had many things to say to her mother in her dreams.
If only she could dream of her birth father as well... even if just a vague outline.
Sheng Yuxiao thought as he stood up, tucking in her blanket.
Then he went downstairs and found Wei Wenqing: "Where has the old man gone recently? Did something happen with the overseas business?"
Wei Wenqing shook his head, using his phone to speak: "He went out a few days ago, said he was meeting an old friend, and hasn't come back since."
Surely nothing bad has happened?
Sheng Yuxiao frowned.
Although he had only met the old man a few times in total, he could clearly see the strength and wisdom in the elderly man. The years hadn't taken these qualities away from him; his gaze was still sharp.
"Have you called him?"
"I tried yesterday but couldn't get through."
"Try again."
Wei Wenqing didn't hesitate at all. He took out his phone, found his father's number, dialed it, and then handed the phone to Sheng Yuxiao, gesturing for him to speak.
That was quick.
The phone rang for a long time.
No one answered.
Sheng Yuxiao didn't give up, repeatedly calling back.
The old man lying in bed struggled to open his eyelids slightly, reaching out his hand.
Give... me... give... me... But he could barely make a sound.
By the bedside, people were talking.
"It's normal to experience a rapid deterioration after receiving the first chemotherapy."
"I know..."
"And given his advanced age..."
"I know... I want to hear something besides these platitudes. Wait... old friend, are you awake? Feeling better?"
The person by the bed quickly rushed over, helping Wei Xuanming sit up a little.
Wei Xuanming raised his hand to pull away the oxygen mask slightly, uttering two clear words: "Phone."
His old friend quickly handed him the phone.
When Sheng Yuxiao called for the third time, it was finally answered.
"Hello, Wenqing."
"Old man, this is Sheng Yuxiao."
Wei Xuanming's face turned pale: "Why do you have the phone?"
Sheng Yuxiao could clearly hear the faint wheezing from the old man on the other end.
It was the kind of breathing that tried to sound deep and forceful but couldn't keep up due to shortness of breath.
Sheng Yuxiao pondered for a moment, but still didn't conceal anything. He just spoke faster and more concisely about Li Jiang's situation.
"Xiaoya is very safe, she's with me, along with her uncle."
Wei Xuanming gripped the phone with extreme force, his face turning bluish-purple.
But in the end, he only said: "I understand. Thank you for everything you've done, Young Master Sheng..."
His habitual manner of speaking made his tone sound cold and hard even in such a moment.
"I wanted to ask you, do we still need to keep Wei Lin around?"
Wei Xuanming pursed his lips and uttered three words: "It's over."
"Then I have a plan like this..."
"Go on."
The two talked on the phone for nearly half an hour.
Until Wei Xuanming's old friend couldn't help but come to take the phone away: "Alright, you need to lie down now."
Only then did Wei Xuanming put down the phone.
His old friend looked at him with a guilty expression and said: "Was that the little girl from your family looking for you? Maybe I shouldn't have persuaded you to accept treatment, perhaps sticking with the conservative treatment you insisted on would have been better..."
At this point, Wei Xuanming's expression actually relaxed, and he said: "Your advice was very correct. If the treatment is effective, then I'll live a bit longer. If it's ineffective, that's fine too."
"Why? Didn't you say you now have hope that you must live for?"
"Oh, I just suddenly realized that she actually has a very magical ability. She will find lions, tigers, and wolves, and these fierce beasts will protect her."
"Aren't fierce beasts man-eaters?"
"Yes, but they only eat others." He murmured, "I can rest easy here now."
"Give me the phone, I need to make another call," Wei Xuanming said.
The news of Li Jiang's arrest was quickly announced.
While netizens were celebrating wildly, Wei Lin quietly frowned. Just then, the old man called, telling him to go abroad to assist in handling another matter.
Wei Lin, intending to avoid the limelight, gladly agreed.
Li Xiaoya finally woke up at this time.
She was starving, so she went to eat first.
Everyone gathered around her, not daring to make a sound, just watching her take small bites...
Li Xiaoya suddenly looked up and asked Qin Sui: "Staying here all the time, won't that be inconvenient?"
Qin Sui handed her a napkin to wipe her mouth.
He calmly said: "I told my parents that I witnessed a vicious kidnapping case and, as an eyewitness, I need to give statements for a few days. They were pleased, thinking I'm a good citizen."
Li Xiaoya thought of Mrs. Qin's demeanor and chuckled softly.
Seeing this, Qin Sui finally let out a sigh of relief.
It seemed like... she wasn't affected by Li Jiang?
Sheng Yuxiao handed over a phone from the side: "It's new, with a replaced and activated SIM card."
Li Xiaoya smiled more noticeably.
"Do you want to hear some news about the interrogation?" Sheng Yuxiao asked hesitantly.
Li Xiaoya nodded: "Sure."
"After Li Jiang was resuscitated, he confessed about the Li Family Village incident. Although he wasn't involved throughout, he was always clear about the operations. All those involved from Li Family Village will soon be convicted."
But uniquely, he indeed refused to mention anything related to Li Xiaoya's birth father.
Li Xiaoya asked: "Li Jiang said that a girl from a neighboring village wanted to help my mother pass on messages, but later she drowned herself in the river. Was she really drowned? Can you help me verify this?"
The policewoman beside them said seriously: "This is very important information! I'll call back immediately."
Sheng Yuxiao couldn't help but say: "When you were alone with Li Jiang, you got a lot of information from him?"
Li Xiaoya nodded.
Even Qin Sui felt shocked.
This was her purpose for willingly staying with Li Jiang... It's not particularly praiseworthy for strong people to dare to walk on a tightrope.
But she looked so small, so fragile, and carried so much sadness and pain, yet she still firmly stepped onto it.
After eating her fill, Li Xiaoya told the policewoman many of Li Jiang's confessions made in front of her.
After finishing, she yawned sleepily, her eyes drooping slightly, and said: "I'm tired."
Tired again?
Sheng Yuxiao and Qin Sui instinctively exchanged glances, but quickly looked away in mutual distaste.
"Then go to sleep," Sheng Yuxiao said hoarsely.
She still seemed able to smile, still seemed fine, but how could the sadness in her heart be soothed so quickly?
Li Xiaoya nodded, went upstairs straight to the big bed she had slept in before. She didn't know she was occupying Sheng Yuxiao's bedroom, but once she burrowed under the covers and closed her eyes, it seemed like her mother came to her dreams again...
But this time she didn't just dream of her mother.
She also dreamed of a blurry figure.
That figure seemed tall, big...
That figure bent down towards her, completely different from Li Jiang...
Completely different!
Li Jiang had said that he had damaged the man's car, but the man didn't blame him.
He must be a very good person.
He was cultured, upright, disdainful of bullying others...
He was a good person!
Li Xiaoya slowly reached out her hands towards him.
But that figure turned away, walking in the completely opposite direction... getting further and further away.
Li Xiaoya heard her mother's voice in her ear: "We need to catch up with him! Don't let him go far..."
So Li Xiaoya ran desperately, trying to grab him.
But she still couldn't catch him.
She suddenly woke up from her dream, feeling the cold tears on her face.
So cold, making her shiver in the warm room filled with heating.
The newly activated phone suddenly rang by the bedside. She carefully reached for it and answered.
"Hello!" The voice on the other end sounded a bit excited.
"I thought it would take at least a few days to contact you. Are you safe now, little crazy girl? Is that man still alive? It's a pity he's not abroad, perhaps I could have made it more satisfying for you."
Li Xiaoya didn't speak.
"Hey?"
"Did you not understand what I said?" Ke Muning reached out to his subordinate on the other end, "Give me the translator."
Li Xiaoya lowered her head, glancing at her shadow on the floor, and said softly: "Ke Muning, I had a nightmare."
The other end of the phone suddenly fell silent.
Ke Muning had previously thought that Li Xiaoya might, like in fairy tales, come to him hugging her little pillow because she was afraid of thunder and rain or had a nightmare.
Now she had indeed had a nightmare.
However, he was abroad.
Ke Muning raised his head, suddenly feeling extremely displeased and intolerant.
He asked in a low voice, "Are you crying?"
Li Xiaoya answered honestly, "I cried in the dream, so I'm not crying now."
At this moment, a subordinate rushed in, saying urgently, "Sir, you're finally back. Should we take action now and immediately eliminate the Gui Family's second son?"
Ke Muning said, "Get out."
"Alright, then I'll come back to ask later. You finish your phone call first."
"...Wait. Don't do it anymore."
Ke Muning thought to himself, what if she cries again in her dreams? She can't come knocking on my door hugging her pillow.