Three days later...
It was still afternoon. As for why, there was no need to elaborate.
At that moment, in a particularly elegant courtyard in Lanxi Village, warm sunlight fell upon the enormous pomegranate tree, casting dappled shadows across the ground.
A certain troublesome little girl lounged lazily in a wicker chair, tossing grapes into her mouth one by one.
Behind her stood a fearsome-looking, over-two-meter-tall plush bear. It pushed her rocking chair with a blank expression, its body and head perfectly still, like a statue, save for the furry paw resting on the chair.
Just then!
Amid a flurry of approaching footsteps, Zhu Family's Sixth Sister soon came hurrying into the courtyard, her face full of undisguised worry and panic.
"Annie!"
"Oh no! My sister's gone missing!"
Before she even reached them, Sixth Sister's voice, tinged with a sniffle and a sob, rang out.
"???"
∑(△｀)?!
At that, Annie looked up in confusion, a puzzled glint in her eyes.
"Your sister's missing?"
(ω‖)
"Which sister?"
As far as Annie knew, the other girl had a whopping five older sisters!
"Huff! Huff!"
Sixth Sister panted a few times. Once she'd caught her breath a little, she hurriedly explained:
"Who else?"
"Of course, my Fourth Sister!"
As she spoke, she couldn't help giving Annie a strange look.
After all, it had only been a few days since the incident. Someone had even suggested they go eavesdrop back then, yet that same someone had already forgotten all about it. Naturally, she felt a little resentful.
"Oh..."
(˙o˙)
"So it's her..."
(*^▽^*)
After answering, Annie raised her eyebrows and asked in surprise:
"And then?"
(_)?
Annie didn't think her sister's disappearance had anything to do with her. She hadn't hidden the girl away or done anything to her. Besides, she was quite sure