She could no longer remain calm and rushed to the study, saying urgently to Tianyi, "Honey, I still can't reach Xiao Xingxing. I have to go find him; I can't just wait here for news."
"I've already asked friends abroad to look. Don't worry. Perhaps he's somewhere playing and forgot the time to return to school." Tianyi was also anxious but could only comfort her.
Susu knew Xiao Xingxing was not the type of child to be so playful and disregard time. She retorted, "Do you think Xiao Xingxing would do that? Other children might, but he wouldn't. You know this!"
Tianyi naturally understood Xiao Xingxing's personality. After thinking for a moment, he said, "How about this? I'll book your ticket first. You go to the school and cooperate with the police to find Xiao Xingxing. I'll arrange things at the group and then come find you."
"Okay, book me the earliest flight there. I'll go pack my things now." Susu immediately left the study and returned to their room to pack her luggage.
Tianyi also promptly asked his secretary to book the flight.
...
After Qin Tianyi and his wife left the ward, Meng Yao ate dinner alone, her mind still preoccupied with the surgical plan.
Even with a one percent risk, she was unwilling to let Song Jiaping undergo surgery. Yet, she also knew that if Song Jiaping couldn't wake up on his own within three months, his organs would fail and he would die.
What should she do? Should she risk the surgery sooner, or wait a bit longer, hoping he might wake up on his own?
Just then, she felt her phone vibrate. She picked it up and saw it was an unfamiliar number.
However, the number didn't display as a spam call on the screen, so she answered it.
"May I ask if you are Miss Huangfu?" a man's voice asked.
"Yes, may I ask who you are?"
"My surname is Li, and I'm a lawyer," the other party explained. "A few days ago, Mr. Song approached me for a divorce case and asked me to file for divorce on your behalf. I have now filed with the court based on the information Mr. Song provided. However, I haven't been able to reach Mr. Song. Fortunately, he left your phone number, so I'm contacting you."
"Oh." Meng Yao then remembered that after Jiaping's accident, she had used his phone to contact Qin Tianyi and then turned off his phone. "He was in a car accident and is still in the hospital, unconscious."
"I see," Lawyer Li said. "But the court notified me today that your divorce case is scheduled to open the day after tomorrow. Can it still proceed as scheduled?"
Meng Yao thought about how Song Jiaping had returned to Lancheng because of her divorce matters. If he hadn't returned, he wouldn't have had the car accident.
Now that he was down, she couldn't always rely on him; she had to solve her own problems.
"It can proceed as scheduled, and I will be present. As for Hong Jiaxi, you can notify him. Whether he can be present, I cannot guarantee."
Lawyer Li said, "Alright, as long as the plaintiff is present, that's fine. As for your husband, Hong Jiaxi, regardless of whether he attends, the court will make a judgment based on the existing evidence. Even if he's not present, the final judgment will be delivered to him, and the verdict will have legal effect."
"I understand," Meng Yao said. She then asked, "Lawyer Li, as long as the judgment takes effect, does that mean Hong Jiaxi and I are divorced?"
"Yes, you can take the judgment to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get your divorce certificate. It won't matter if your husband disagrees."
"Thank you."
After finishing her call with the lawyer, Meng Yao spoke to Song Jiaping's ear, "Jiaping, did you hear? My divorce case with Hong Jiaxi is about to open. After I officially divorce him, you must wake up. You promised me you'd give me a proper wedding and take me to the most beautiful places in the world."
But Song Jiaping remained motionless, showing no reaction.
She wished for another miracle, but she also knew that miracles and luck couldn't always accompany them.
...
Following the map drawn by Xiaoxiao, Xiao Xingxing found an opportunity to explore every part of the castle and located the dog hole that Xiaoxiao had mentioned, which was just large enough for one person to pass through.
He devised a plan to escape with Xiaoxiao and agreed on a departure time with her.
Xiao Xingxing booked train tickets online using his phone.
The phone card he was currently using was a local one. Fearing that the servants he worked with would discover his intentions, he had removed his original SIM card and planned to switch back once he and Xiaoxiao had left.
According to his plan, he should be able to return to school by the day of the school reopening. He intended to arrange for Xiaoxiao to stay near the school first.
That evening, he still went to the window of Xiaoxiao's room at the designated time and tossed a small stone.
Xiaoxiao immediately opened the window and threw out a long, thick rope. She nimbly climbed down the rope.
Xiao Xingxing caught her at the bottom of the rope.
She happily hugged Xiao Xingxing and said, "Brother Xingxing, let's go."
Xiao Xingxing nodded, took her hand, and they intended to sneak out of the castle through the dog hole.
However, as soon as they took a step, numerous beams of light suddenly shone on them, blinding them completely.
Xiao Xingxing could feel that they were surrounded by many people. He immediately shielded Xiaoxiao behind him.
At that moment, a tall, slender figure walked up to Xiao Xingxing and snatched off his wig, sneering, "It really is you, kid."
Xiao Xingxing shielded his eyes from the oncoming light and saw that the person standing before him was Xiaoxiao's father, Alva.
He didn't understand how Alva had found him. He had been very careful these past few days, ensuring no one suspected anything.
Xiao Xingxing, unwilling to give up, still wanted to escape with Xiaoxiao. He ran towards a spot where there was no light, only to find that people were guarding there as well, blocking them.
Alva walked up to them again and said to Xiaoxiao, "Have you forgotten your promise to me? Come here."
Xiaoxiao glanced at Xiao Xingxing, knowing they wouldn't be able to leave tonight. She whispered to Xiao Xingxing, "Brother Xingxing, don't worry about me. You go by yourself. I'm fine; I'm used to this life."
Xiao Xingxing held her hand tightly and said, "I know you can't get used to it. Are you really willing to marry an old man in a few years?"
Xiaoxiao pretended to be carefree and said, "Who knows what will happen in a few years? Maybe that old man will die, and then I won't have to marry. You should go. I'll take care of myself. I'm already very happy to have seen you during this time. These memories are enough to sustain me for several more years."
"No, I must take you away from here..."
Before he could finish speaking, Xiaoxiao forcefully pulled her hand away, no longer looking at him, and walked directly to Alva's side.
"Dad, it's not his fault. I asked him to sneak in and take me away. It was all my idea. Please let him go."
Alva grabbed her arm and said sternly, "Your boldness is growing. You dare to conspire with this boy to trick me! My discipline over you has been too lax. Go back to your room!"