Chapter 121: Chapter 114: If She’s So Important, Why Didn’t You Protect Her?
The room is equipped with a bathroom, making it look unlike a typical guest room.
Su Xiaomeng took some clean clothes from the wardrobe, and found new underwear in the drawer.
She scratched her head, thinking this must be the room where Grandpa’s granddaughter stays...
After running hot water, she soaked in.
"Hiss..."
The places on her hand and neck where the skin was broken hurt, and she endured it by leaning against the edge of the bathtub.
The toiletries by the bathtub were complete...
Su Xiaomeng didn’t think much of it, used them, and soaked for about twenty minutes, almost falling asleep.
She put on clothes, blew her hair half-dry, and then lay on the bed.
As soon as she touched the bed, she fell asleep.
Yin Shixiu drove up the mountain, just in time for the city’s rush hour, and was stuck on the highway for more than half an hour. By the time he reached the mountain, it was already past seven, and completely dark.
When he arrived at his own estate, he could see from afar Shan Mingxu standing at the entrance, a small lamp by the door illuminating his face...
Yin Shixiu walked up to him, Shan Mingxu tightened his lips and lowered his head:
"Uncle... I’m sorry."
"Where is she?"
"I... couldn’t find her."
"Have you checked Mr. Bai’s Yijing Manor?"
"You’re saying..."
Shan Mingxu really hadn’t thought of this, "Is Grandpa Bai also on the mountain today?"
Yin Shixiu glanced at him, then strode towards Yijing Manor.
Shan Mingxu hurriedly followed him.
There are no public telephones in this mountain; the only public telephone is at the guardroom at the foot of the mountain.
And before he came up, he inquired, the guard hadn’t seen anyone go down the mountain.
If that’s the case, then Xiao Meng could only still be on the mountain, and since there’s no way into their own villa, the only place left is Mr. Bai’s Yijing Manor.
When Yin Shixiu arrived, Mr. Bai was cooking. Seeing it was Yin Shixiu, he was stunned for a moment, then...
Seemed to understand something.
"Uncle Bai, sorry for the intrusion."
"...I remember...you are Shaohui’s younger son?"
Yin Shixiu nodded, "I have been abroad all this time, should have come to visit you regularly."
"Is something the matter?"
"I wanted to ask...if my wife Su Xiaomeng came here?"
"Su Xiaomeng? Who’s that?"
Mr. Bai looked puzzled.
Yin Shixiu’s heart sank immediately, not at Mr. Bai’s place?
"Someone about my age, just about this tall, hair just past the shoulders, big eyes, and well, a rather big belly!"
Shan Mingxu quickly and methodically described Xiao Meng’s main features.
If she really isn’t at Mr. Bai’s place, then he would really be bewildered.
"I just arrived on the mountain this afternoon, I haven’t seen the girl you’re talking about. Eh...but when did you get married, why didn’t Brother Yin notify me?"
Mr. Bai chuckled.
At this moment, Yin Shixiu really had no mind to chat with Mr. Bai.
He just confirmed once more, "Uncle Bai, you really haven’t seen Xiao Meng?"
"This Jiuling Mountain is not big, but it’s not small either. I haven’t been here long today, really haven’t seen her."
Mr. Bai spoke with certainty.
Yin Shixiu’s lips pressed together, turning a bit pale, he took a shallow breath, "Then I’m sorry to trouble you, Uncle Bai. Shixiu will take his leave for now and will come visit you another day."
"Not staying for dinner?"
"No, thank you."
"Alright, it’s dark, watch your step."
Yin Shixiu turned to leave, while Mr. Bai continued to cook dinner as if nothing had happened.
Shan Mingxu frowned more severely than Yin Shixiu, looking around this house, feeling always that...
Yin Shixiu closed his eyes, his heart anxious and impatient.
Calm down... Yin Shixiu, think again, think clearly where that girl could go, where there might be a phone she can use.
He stood at the gate of Yijing Manor, calmed himself to think, thought for a long time but couldn’t come up with anything.
Annoyed, he kicked a stone aside!
At this moment...
A Labrador dog barked once.
Yin Shixiu turned back, glancing at the dog, his eyes momentarily filled with fierceness, almost wanting to kill the dog.
The Labrador was usually brave, undaunted by the murderous look in Yin Shixiu’s eyes, and even barked at him twice more.
Yin Shixiu took a deep breath, naturally not doing anything to Uncle Bai’s dog.
As they say, a dog should be judged by its owner.
Just as he was about to leave, Shan Mingxu suddenly called out!
"Uncle, wait a moment."
Yin Shixiu looked at Shan Mingxu, only to see him pointing at the outdoor doghouse of the Labrador, "That, that piece of cloth! That black cloth is what I used to blindfold Su Xiaomeng!"
As soon as these words were spoken, Yin Shixiu frowned and gave him a look, "You blindfolded her?"
Shan Mingxu hurriedly cleared his throat, explaining, "At first, I was worried she’ll see my face... so I blindfolded her."
Yin Shixiu shot a cold glance, having no time to argue with him about this, confirmed by asking again, "You’re sure it’s that cloth?"
Shan Mingxu nodded, "This is Ming Lang’s tie, I cut it."
Yin Shixiu really didn’t know what to say about these twins.
The most troublesome thing is...
Why did Uncle Bai deceive him?
Entering the door again, Mr. Bai was carrying a simple dinner to the living room. Seeing Yin Shixiu return, he wasn’t surprised but still pretended not to understand and asked, "What’s the matter? Is there something else?"
"Uncle Bai... that girl is very important to me."
Mr. Bai didn’t speak, merely took a bowl and chopsticks and sat down at the dining table.
He didn’t look at Yin Shixiu.
Seeing him not speaking, Yin Shixiu understood that Meng was indeed here.
"It’s all a misunderstanding. I know that the girl must have been wronged, so you didn’t want to tell me, but..."
"Since she’s so important, how could you not protect her well?"
Mr. Bai asked blandly.
Yin Shixiu found himself speechless.
How could he have not protected her well? This question, from last night until now, he had asked himself thousands of times.
"Grandpa Bai, it’s all my fault, it has nothing to do with my little uncle. My brother and I misunderstood her... my little aunt. I realize my mistake now..."
Mr. Bai looked up at Shan Mingxu.
The boy was very handsome, with clear eyes, not a bad seed, but...
"You were wrong?"
"Yes! I was wrong!"
"People can make mistakes, but some mistakes, if made once, ruin a lifetime. Young Master, wasn’t your mistake a bit too much?"
Shan Mingxu was just nineteen, and upon hearing this, was quite scared, lowering his head...
Mr. Bai looked at Yin Shixiu, "When that girl came to me, she was like a living dead person. A pregnant woman with twins, locked in a warehouse all day without food or drink, I just want to ask, how many people could be so lucky to survive?"
"Someone so important, how could you just now think to come looking for her?"
Yin Shixiu was silent.
It was his inappropriate stubbornness that caused this, his losing control, having pointless arguments with his mother all day.
"Uncle Bai, I want... to see her, alright?"
"Hmph!"
Mr. Bai snorted discontentedly, "I’m just an outsider, I can’t meddle in your family affairs. What I said earlier, if you don’t want to hear it, just think of it as an old man babbling. If you think there’s sense to it, consider it a kindly elder’s criticism."
"Yes, Shixiu understands."
Mr. Bai glanced at Yin Shixiu. This son of Yin Shaohui, at least had composure and manners.
Showing this attitude, Mr. Bai found it hard to continue being difficult, but still tossed a line, "If that girl were my own granddaughter, without breaking one of your legs, this wouldn’t be over!"
Mr. Bai recalled the scene by the stream, seeing Su Xiaomeng, and was filled with rage!
His granddaughter, whom he had never met... was probably around Meng’s age now.
Empathetically, he uttered a harsh statement, as if to vent for that girl.
"That girl is asleep in the room on the third floor, don’t wake her."
"Okay."
Yin Shixiu responded, rushing to the stairs in three quick steps, standing at the bedroom door.
He took a deep breath, then slowly pushed the door open...
The room was quiet, with a faint floral scent, and on the big white bed lay Su Xiaomeng, who had worried him all day.
She lay there on her back, her belly prominently swollen.
Watching her sleep uneasily there, Yin Shixiu rubbed his forehead, his chest surging with emotions he couldn’t quite control.
Once slightly calm, he then approached.
It was still his Meng, but her face, neck, hands... were all injured.
Especially those wrists, with two circles of vivid red blood marks...
His restless heart finally settled, but it ached so much he could scarcely breathe.
The guilt, the apology, the heartache inside were almost overwhelming him.
"Meng Meng..."
Not long after, Yin Shaohui and Zhou Mengqin also arrived at this Yijing Manor.
The two elders hadn’t had time to speak when Shan Minglang saw his brother and rushed over, "Brother... we’re doomed! Sob..."
Shan Mingxu pursed his lips tightly, patting Shan Minglang’s back.
The two stood aside, not daring to look at their grandparents.
"Brother Fengmao."
Yin Shaohui stepped forward to shake hands with Bai Fengmao, "So long without seeing each other, and now it turns out we meet in a way that makes you laugh."
"Things in this world are not as challenging as one’s own family affairs. I understand, Sister Zhou is here too, let’s quickly go inside. It’s chilly outside."
Yin Shaohui and his wife went inside.
Shan Mingxu and Shan Minglang were about to follow but were pulled back by Yin Meng.
"Sis..."
"You stand right here, what’s the point of going in?"
"It’s cold outside..."
Shan Minglang shivered and quickly said.
"Cold? Now you feel cold? When you threw your little aunt in the warehouse, why didn’t you think it was cold?"
Shan Minglang bowed his head, saying nothing.
Shan Mingxu looked at Yin Meng, whispering, "Sis, what will little uncle do to punish us?"
"Does he really need to punish us? Little Aunt... she’s fine now, isn’t she?"
Shan Minglang was optimistic, always seeing the silver lining, but Shan Mingxu wasn’t so optimistic.
Judging by the way things unfolded today, little uncle would certainly not let them off easily.
"Sis, just tell us..."
"Even if little uncle doesn’t punish you, once we get back, mom and dad won’t let you off! I won’t let you off either!"
"Sis, why are you stirring up trouble?"
Shan Minglang immediately raised his eyebrows and said.