"The Jiang family… the Jiang family…" Old Master Qin watched Huo Rou's retreating back, staggering forward as he tried to catch up.
"Qiejian! Medicine!" Grandma Liu called out anxiously.
Old Master Qin's condition clearly indicated that he was overstimulated and his old illness had recurred.
Qin Qiejian hurried over to hand the medicine to Old Master Qin, but was waved away.
Old Master Qin grabbed Qin Ningyi, "Ningyi, you… you go quickly, explain to her. The Jiang family, it's not wrong… it's the Jiang family that has tormented and made things difficult all these years… them…"
Grandma Liu snatched the medicine from Qin Qiejian and shoved it into Old Master Qin's mouth. The sudden entry of the pill interrupted his words.
However, this single sentence suddenly made Qin Ningyi recall many scenes.
The gossip of the farm women in the strawberry fields, the beggar outside the Yizhou military region, Huo Rou's unusual behavior, her few conversations with Wang Haozhuo, the Jiang family's special attention to Huo Rou, and Huo Rou's reaction upon hearing the Jiang family's name just now, along with the mockery in her eyes…
She wasn't surprised that the Jiang family had made things difficult for "that person"; she even knew.
Everything suddenly connected in her mind, leading to a single conclusion.
"Grandpa…" His voice choked as his gaze fell on the direction where Huo Rou had disappeared. "It can't be explained anymore."
The Jiang family was not the solution to this problem.
He listlessly let his arms fall. "The Jiang family must have received Huo Rou's request, and only then did they make things difficult for that person."
This statement brought a silence that was deafening.
"Huo Rou… the Jiang family…" Old Master Qin murmured, then suddenly let out a bitter laugh. "This child is utterly disappointed."
"I was wrong… all these years… I was wrong!"
An unfelt wind blew through the open door, chilling the heart.
Old Master Qin's self-recrimination suddenly stopped.
"Grandpa!"
"Old Qin!"
"Dad!"
Behind him were gasps of alarm from everyone. Qin Ningyi turned his head to see Old Master Qin's figure sliding down, his eyes closed.
Huo Rou was gone.
Qin Han had fallen ill.
Qin Ningyi had just sent him to the hospital when he received a call from the housekeeper.
"Mr. Qin, just now Miss Huo's friend Wang Haozhuo barged in with people and took Shenfeng. I…"
Qin Ningyi clenched his fist. He had no reason to stop her now.
He didn't want Huo Rou to dislike him anymore.
"Find someone to follow. I need to know the final address." He wasn't qualified to stop her, so at least he had to know where she was.
He knew his grandfather wasn't someone who valued brotherhood over justice. Since his grandfather felt something was amiss, there might be room for a change of circumstances.
He wouldn't force her, wouldn't make things difficult for her.
The people from Gu Yan sent him a message, saying that after Huo Rou and An An left the Qin residence, they went straight to the Jiang family. The Jiang family's security had been tightened, and they couldn't get in to gather information, so they could only guard all the exits.
"Be careful to hide," he said calmly. His A'rou was so perceptive. Even though he had sent the most skilled people in covert operations, he still worried that they would be discovered by Huo Rou, and he would lose track of her.
The other party nodded and replied, "We followed them from a distance. The other party shouldn't have noticed."
"Mm." Qin Ningyi turned to look at the doctor rushing towards the ward. "Protect them."
He hung up the phone and followed the doctor into the ward.
Now, they could only wait for Old Master Qin to wake up to understand the situation.
What was the situation with that person, and what happened back then.
On the leaves clinging to the windowpane outside, crystalline drops of rain suddenly fell.
Winter had arrived.