Song Yan ran to Qiu Tong’s side and tugged at her elbow as he hurriedly explained, “I’m sorry, I failed to discipline my subordinates well.”
Qiu Tong shook him off unhappily. She stared at Song Yan coldly and said, “As the commander, I can understand why you didn’t have the time to look after them during a critical situation! But you did promise me at the start.”
“You said that you would protect them! And now? You think you can dismiss me with just a few words of apology?”
“Song Yan! If you can’t take responsibility for what you say, don’t make any promises…”
Qiu Tong stared at him with a dark expression and warned coldly, “If the children suffer any injuries, I won’t let you off!”
Song Yan knew how serious this matter was to Qiu Tong. He could not argue with her, so he let go of her hand and said, “I’ve already arranged for people to search the entire mountain. We won’t miss out any hidden caves or corners.”
Qiu Tong looked at the camp and frowned as she thought of Qiu Xingyuan and Qiu Xingqiao. Even if they were in danger, they would think of a way to escape.
“I’ll go back and see if they managed to find their own way back to camp…”
Qiu Tong gritted her teeth and quickened her pace towards the camp. Song Yan watched as her figure disappeared from view. He said fiercely to his subordinates, “What are you still standing here for? Go find the children!”
…
In the house on the mountain, Jin Yang sat with the children in front of a warm charcoal brazier. The children’s faces were all red from the heat.
The fierce battle with the hooligans lasted for a long time. Little Yu covered her stomach with her hands, feeling a little hungry. She stole a glance at the snack bag hanging from the president’s guard’s waist. It smelled like beef. She swallowed her saliva greedily and quietly bit her lips to suppress her hunger.
Jin Yang noticed her strange behavior and smiled. He gestured for the guard to bring the food over and handed it to Little Yu. “Do you want to have something to eat?”
Little Yu shook her head reservedly and stole a glance at Qiu Xingyuan and Qiu Xingqiao’s faces. “Uncle Song Yan, will you feed me?”
“I’ve touched a lot of dirty things outside. My hands are dirty!”
Little Yu deliberately stretched out her mud-stained hand and waved it in front of Jin Yang’s eyes. Jin Yang was helpless against the girl’s coquettishness and could only choose the most tender beef jerky and bring it to her mouth. Just as Little Yu was about to open her mouth to take a bite, Qiu Xingyuan and Qiu Xingqiao ran up to them and blocked it.
“Sister, how could you betray us?”
Qiu Xingqiao stared at Little Yu in dismay. He stuffed his hand into the snack bag and drew out two strips of beef jerky to feed Little Yu.
“Here, Second Brother will feed you!”
Little Yu pursed her lips tightly and dodged around Qiu Xingqiao. She covered her mouth with her hand and said, “Second Brother’s hands are dirty too!”
“I want Uncle Song Yan to feed me…”
When Jin Yang saw the children running crazily beside him, he could only resign himself to fate and let them treat him as a plaything. His face was filled with a blissful but troubled smile. When the president’s guards saw this scene, they all gaped in shock.
“Second Brother is so naughty! Little Yu’s hair is all messy now. Uncle Song Yan, can you help me braid it?”
Little Yu was especially clingy as she sat in Jin Yang’s arms. Jin Yang had received a mission and was afraid of hurting the girl’s hair. His movements were stiff as he carefully arranged her hair into a comical but adorable style.
The president’s guards could not help bursting into laughter when they saw what the president had done with hair of the adorable little girl.