Xia Wenyuan and Wu Lixia didn't say a word the entire way. Rationally, they felt it couldn't be true; irrationally, they hoped it was, and they believed Qingmu wouldn't lie to them.
They dared not ask any more questions, fearing that if they did, they would discover it was all a joke, and the newly ignited flame of hope would be extinguished in an instant. They were also speechless; the longing for their daughter, buried deep in their hearts for the past five years, was surging like magma from the earth's crust, ready to erupt from the earth's weakest point at any moment.
Silence, only silence can preserve hope, only silence can restrain the blood of excitement and madness.
The car entered the resort and stopped at the main gate. Hou Biao, who had arrived later, was already waiting there and helped open the car door.
Wu Lixia felt her heart racing; the mountain air was so fresh it made her feel dizzy. She grabbed Xia Wenyuan's shoulder and said with difficulty, " Old Xia, let's go down and take a look."
Xia Wenyuan leaned back in his seat with his eyes closed, then slowly opened them, let out a long breath, and said, "Let's go."
Hou Biao helped Wu Lixia help Xia Wenyuan out of the car, while Qingmu leaned against the driver's side door, watching them with a grin.
Wu Lixia and Xia Wenyuan both looked at Qingmu. Qingmu took out a cigarette, lit it, exhaled a thick cloud of white smoke, and pointed his slender fingers, holding the cigarette, towards the front door.
The door was open, and a bright and beautiful woman pushed a brand-new wheelchair as she walked in. Beside her was a lovely little girl, who was looking at the person outside the door with curious eyes.
Wu Lixia's heart pounded the moment she saw the woman; she would have fainted if Xia Wenyuan hadn't gripped her hand tightly.
" Xiaoxiao! It's Xiaoxiao... It really is Xiaoxiao!" Wu Lixia cried tears of joy.
Xia Xiaoxiao was already in tears. She pushed her wheelchair to her parents and choked out after a long while, "Dad, Mom!"
Xia Wenyuan's chest heaved, his body trembling slightly. He was almost ninety years old and had experienced all kinds of storms. There were few things in the world that could stir his heart. Only his beloved daughter remained the most vulnerable place in his heart.
"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back!" Xia Wenyuan said repeatedly as he sat in his wheelchair with the help of his wife and daughter.
This wheelchair isn't as spacious as the one he usually uses at home, and its equipment isn't as advanced, but he feels very comfortable sitting in it; he feels comfortable all over.
" Meimei, quickly call them Grandpa and Grandma," Xia Xiaoxiao said to Meimei.
Little Meimei obediently called out, "Grandpa, Grandma!"
Xia Wenyuan didn't respond, his expression unreadable, neither happy nor unhappy. Wu Lixia, on the other hand, smiled broadly, responding with "Yes, yes," and then scolded her daughter, "You brought your niece without saying a word, and didn't prepare a single gift."
Knowing they had a lot to talk about, Qingmu said, "You should go inside quickly, it's so hot outside in the Sun!" Then, taking Meimei's hand, he said, " Meimei, how about Uncle takes you to play on the mountain over there?"
Meimei glanced at her newly recognized maternal grandparents, then at her mother, and nodded to Qingmu: "Okay."
Qingmu said to Xia Xiaoxiao, "Say what you need to say quickly. I'll bring Meimei back for dinner in two hours."
Xia Xiaoxiao smiled gratefully at Qingmu, and then she and Wu Lixia pushed Xia Wenyuan inside.
While they were talking, Hou Biao was making a phone call in a distant corner. He then walked over and reported to Qingmu, " Li Wei is very capable, and with the Xia Family's influence, we can't hide our whereabouts for long. At most, by tomorrow morning, they'll know we're here."
Qingmu said, "It's alright, we'll send Elder Xia and the others back tonight. Now that you've brought everyone out, can you manage to take care of the professor and Mama Yao?"
Hou Biao said, "The people over there haven't moved; it's just that the people on duty from Liuying Lane and headquarters have been brought over."
Qingmu patted him on the shoulder. "It must have been tough for you in such a short time."
Hou Biao smiled and said, "If there's nothing else, I'll go on my patrol."
Qingmu nodded and then took Meimei to the back mountain.
Although West Mountain is not a tourist area, the air is fresh, the mountain streams are babbling, and the green trees and red flowers make it quite scenic. However, Little Meimei seemed to have no interest in the mountain scenery at all, keeping her head down and not saying a word, looking preoccupied.
Qingmu asked her what was wrong, and after a long while, she looked up and asked, "Why is Mommy crying?"
Qingmu said, "Because Mom was so happy to see your grandparents."
Meimei said, "Why cry if you're so happy?"
Qingmu scratched his head and thought for a long time before saying, "Hmm, I don't know either. Maybe adults are just strange like that!"
Do you cry when you're happy?
"Won't."
Aren't you an adult?
"Forehead..."
A small waterfall cascades down a cliff, is split in two by a protruding rock, and flows into the forest below, becoming two streams that will never reunite.
Little Meimei looked at the waterfall for a while and said, "Mom said I should live with my grandparents in the future."
Qingmu said, "My grandparents' house is very big!"
Tears welled up in Little Meimei's eyes. "Does Mommy not want me anymore?"
Qingmu was momentarily at a loss for words; coaxing children wasn't his forte. So he simply said, "Is Meimei hungry? I'll take you to get something to eat."
Children are children after all. Although they still missed their mother, they couldn't help but swallow their saliva as soon as they heard there was food.
Qingmu then led Meimei to the kitchen of the hot spring resort.
Bi Shenghua was busy in the kitchen; she had been dragged there by Qingmu.
Huang Ziqiang's employees were all given leave, leaving the huge resort without anyone to cook. Xia Wenyuan and his wife, along with Xia Xiaoxiao, had reunited after five years and wanted to have a meal together, which put Qingmu in a difficult position. He could leave the security matters to Hou Biao, but he couldn't let Hou Biao cook as well. After thinking it over, he brought Bi Shenghua along.
The villa's kitchen was huge, originally a place where dozens of people worked, but now only Bi Shenghua was there, running around and she was exhausted. Seeing Qingmu arrive, she complained, "Why did you have to come here of all places? The sink for washing vegetables, the chopping block, and the stove are all miles apart! My legs are about to break!"
Little Meimei overheard this and said, "Auntie, you're wrong. One li is equal to five hundred meters!"
Bi Shenghua then noticed that Qingmu was holding the hand of a pink and tender little girl. She pinched Meimei's cheek and said, "Is that Meimei? You're so smart! Auntie was just kidding!" Then she said to Qingmu, "You're quite popular with little people. Tiantian, Beauty, and now Meimei, your studio could be turned into a daycare."
Qingmu chuckled and said, "Okay, then you'll be everyone's mom... San?"
Bi Shenghua slapped him and yelled, "Sang my foot! Stop trying to be all sweet talk in front of me!"
Bi Shenghua arrived, and of course, the Crow, tasked with protecting Bi Shenghua every step of the way, also came. However, it was currently focused on preparing the delicacies in the kitchen, and only flew over to join in the fun after hearing Qingmu and Bi Shenghua's laughter. "Mama-san! Mama-san!"
Bi Shenghua picked up a kitchen knife from the side and threatened, "If you speak up again!"
"Caw!" The Crow Guagua and flew away to deal with the lobster he had just fished out of the aquarium.