"After that, there was no news at all, right? Also, how long did Liuye search for your dad, and in what direction? Do you know all these details?"
"I don't know, my mom mentioned to me that he indeed never gave up searching, but about where he searched or how many people he sent out, or how they searched, he never explained to us."
"So, you mean to say that the matter concerning your dad has been completely resolved now, and that no one knows anything about him anymore, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Okay, let's not talk about this for now. There's another matter, about the circumstances when your mother left."
"It was probably about a month after my dad left. One day, when I returned home from school, I saw my mom crying in the living room, and my grandfather was sitting across from her. It looked like they had just had an argument."
"How was your grandfather's relationship with your mom usually? Did they ever fight before?"
"No, they always had a good relationship. Moreover, since my dad was quite filial, he always listened obediently to my grandfather, and naturally my mom learned to do the same. Basically, no one would contradict whatever my grandfather said."
"So, it was after that argument that your mom left you, right?"
"Yes, I remember it clearly. That night, I vaguely saw someone entering my room, but I was too sleepy to open my eyes. I just felt that someone sat beside me for a long time, and even cried for a long time."
"Was it your mom who was sitting there at that time?"
"Yes, I later realized upon recalling that my mom had left overnight. She came to my room to say goodbye. When I woke up, she was no longer there. I searched the whole place, and found that all her clothes were gone."
"Since then, you haven't had any contact with your mom, right?"
"No, since then, news of my mom has been like a stone dropped into the ocean, never heard from again. So, I've always said, it was him who drove my mom out of the house."
"From what it looks like on the surface, it does seem to be the case. But how did your grandfather explain your mom's departure to you?"
"He kept telling me that my mom had other things to do and had to leave, and that she would naturally come back when I grew up. But by that time, I already had my own thoughts, and I knew that once she left, she would never return."
"What happened after that? What happened next?"
"Afterward, I just tried my best to finish school. But every day was very painful. It wasn't until I went to college and left for another city that I realized a whole new life had truly begun."
"From that time on, you completely lost touch with your family, right?"
"Yes, you could say that during the four years of college, I didn't ask my family for a penny. All the expenses were earned by myself. After graduation, I started working right away and began to save money, eventually buying this apartment. So, this apartment actually means a lot to me."
After listening to all he had said, it felt like listening to a book, and a plot that seemed to only appear in movies was surprisingly magnified here time and again.
Ye Chen could guess how tragic the girl's childhood must have been, but as an outsider, she really couldn't get deeply involved.
"Yes, I've never mentioned this story to anyone over the years. Today is actually the very first time I've brought it up to you. But now, you must think my family situation is rather bleak, right?"
"I wouldn't say bleak, but I think these experiences of yours are not something the average person could handle, so some things we don't need to rush."
"Alright, I've said everything that needs to be said. Next, it's up to you what you want to do. We'll proceed according to your wishes. After all, I've now fully entrusted everything to you."
"Okay, I understand. Don't worry, I won't let you down. I will do everything I can to settle this matter, and then we can discuss other issues."
"Good, I understand. By the way, did you say you needed to do anything else after packing today?"
At this, he looked at his wristwatch; it was now 11:00 PM.
Soon, another night will pass and then it will be dawn.
However, he didn't understand why they needed to stay any longer now that they had reached this point and had all their clothes packed up. Lin Yaru felt that staying was unnecessary.
"The reason I've stayed so long is actually to find out if anyone has been around us and what they've done, so I have to investigate."
"It's because of this that you've decided to stay, right?"
"Yes, if we leave now, we'd lose all leads in this city, so I don't want to give up on everything. This could be a great opportunity to make progress."
"But what can you do right now, staying in this house?"
"That's where you see, Anying is smart. She purposely stayed outside because she also knows what I'm planning. So now is the time to meet up with Anying."
"Are you saying that you won't return tonight?"
"We probably won't come back, but we'll still carefully observe the surroundings and analyze everything with Anying. Furthermore, Anying is a master of stealth, so I believe if anyone can help me, it's likely only Anying."