The news spread through their circle as if it had wings. Bai Huizhang was worried too. What if they couldn't find Bai Le? How would the Xi Family and Bai family get along then?
He understood Bai Le's thinking now, too. Before, Bai Le really had made him so angry that he had almost fallen ill.
But now that he knew Bai Le was carrying Xi Yan's child, Bai Le must have left because he was afraid the baby would affect his younger sister's marriage, not for the reason written on that note.
But on second thought, he still had every reason to be angry. He would wait for Xi Yan to bring that little brat back and then show him what was coming to him. How could Bai Le have kept him in the dark about something so important?
Bai Huizhang's guess was right. Xi Yan had searched almost all of S City and found a few clues. He was now following those leads in his search for Bai Le.
Meanwhile, the Xi Family residence was anything but its usual quiet self. Several brawny middle-aged men were carrying large pieces of furniture into the villa, while the servants were busy giving the residence a thorough cleaning.
Outside on the lawn, Xi Yan sat in his wheelchair, frowning slightly as he covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief. The scent of the flowers around him was too cloying for his liking.
"Have you found him?"
Sensing someone approach from behind, he spoke coldly without turning his head.
Secretary Xing wiped the sweat from his face and steadied his breathing, which was slightly hurried from rushing over.
Every time he came back empty-handed, Fourth Master would ask him that question. After hearing his answer, Fourth Master would merely tell him coldly to keep looking until he found Bai Le.
But this time was different.
"Fourth Master, we found him." Secretary Xing sounded a little excited.
Xi Yan finally stirred. He snapped his gaze up, his cold, piercing eyes shooting toward him.
"Where?"
"He hasn't left the province. He's in a county town in the south called Yishui."
Author's note: Xi Yan patted the bed expressionlessly and looked at Lele. "I bought a big bed and waited for you."
Bai Le: "...Don't do that. You're scaring me."
Xi Yan: "Oh, there's a nursery too."
Bai Le: "..."
P.S. In the next chapter, we're going to bring Lele home! I didn't mean to leave it hanging here! I originally planned to get to Lele in this chapter, but I revised some earlier parts and added and cut a few things. Once I'd covered everything that needed explaining here, I realized I'd already written this much. If I kept going, I wouldn't be able to stop. The scene from the blurb will appear again too! Pretty please, everyone, don't let chapters pile up before reading, sob. Subscriptions over the next few days are very important to me. Thank you to all my wealthy ladies for supporting me [doge].
Thanks to the little angels who threw overlord tickets or watered me with nutrient solution between 2020-02-21 00:05:49 and 2020-02-21 23:27:26~
Thanks to the little angels who threw landmines: Dong'e and Badamu Mu, 1 each;
Thanks to the little angels who watered me with nutrient solution: Moran, 10 bottles; Pingzai's Wish, 8 bottles; Pangtuantuan, 7 bottles; ting, 6 bottles; No Cat, 5 bottles; Xiao Doudou, 3 bottles; Yixia, Ajie Is the Best, Muqiao and Nanyou, 2 bottles each; Ningxi, Untitled and Liangsheng, 1 bottle each;
Thank you all so much for your support. I'll keep working hard!
Chapter 22
Yishui County was a small county bordering another province. It had once been isolated and underdeveloped, with poor transportation and mountains on three sides. In recent years, tourism development had flourished, the economy had grown, and life for the local residents had visibly improved.
A little after eight in the morning, the stone-paved lane was wet from the previous night's rain, and it was easy to get mud on oneself without care.
"Third Auntie, why did you get up so late today?"
Just as the inn opened, a short middle-aged woman walked in. She set down what she was carrying and asked Third Auntie curiously.
Third Auntie removed the wooden boards that secured the door and sighed. "Don't ask."
Seeing her troubled expression, the middle-aged woman deliberately glanced upstairs, then asked quietly, "What's that person done now?"
At the mention of him, Third Auntie couldn't help sounding a little resentful. "He's terribly particular. One moment he comes looking for me to say the water heater isn't hot enough, and the next he says the bedsheets smell. He's been such a bother I can't even sleep well."
"That's what I thought. City folk are just particular."
Third Auntie said, "At least he pays me well. You wouldn't think someone so young would have so much money on him."
The middle-aged woman asked skeptically, "How do you know he has so much money?"
"I saw it when he wasn't looking. I've never seen so much cash before." Recalling what she had seen, Third Auntie sounded a little envious.
"But say, don't you think he looks a little like..." The middle-aged woman left her sentence unfinished and suggestively touched her lower belly, looking rather mysterious.
A look flashed in Third Auntie's eyes. "How would I know? It's none of my business anyway. I've taken his money, so all I have to do is make sure he eats and lives well."
The middle-aged woman laughed. "True enough. Getting paid is what matters." After saying that, she glanced upstairs again. "But is he still asleep?"
Third Auntie added some charcoal to warm the room. "He seemed to be feeling unwell. He didn't settle down and fall asleep until the middle of the night."
The two chatted about other things. When the middle-aged woman saw how late it was getting and was about to take her leave, the creak of a door opening suddenly came from upstairs. She looked up.
She saw a fair, handsome young man step out of the room. His peach blossom eyes tilted slightly upward and were very beautiful. He looked bleary-eyed with sleep.
"Morning."
Bai Le looked at the two women standing downstairs, rubbed his eyes, and yawned repeatedly as he spoke.
Because of what the woman beside her had just said, Third Auntie kept glancing deliberately or absentmindedly at his lower belly. But winter clothes were thick to begin with, and she couldn't see anything unusual.
"Boss lady, what's for breakfast today?"
Third Auntie came back to her senses and hurriedly said, "Vegetable congee and fried dough sticks, and some milk I bought specially."
She knew this guest was very picky about his food. In the days he had stayed there, he had found fault with practically everything she cooked. He never voiced his displeasure directly; he would just look at the food and sigh, then glance at you. Even though you hadn't done anything wrong, you somehow felt a little sorry toward him.
Sure enough, as soon as Bai Le heard that, he said, "I'm going out for a stroll, boss lady. Don't wait for me to eat." With that, he dashed off.