"I won’t be in any trouble," the man promised her solemnly.
Only then did Lin Xinlan lean satisfied against him, and added, "You’ll handle Xiaocong’s matter. Don’t worry about me; I’ll take care of myself and won’t distract you. During the rescue, you must protect yourself, because if anything happens to you... I absolutely won’t live alone in this world."
"Xinlan!" Rong Shaoze hugged her tightly, feeling both moved and distressed.
"Rong Shaoze, I mean it."
"I know." He lifted her chin, gazing deeply into her eyes, "Xinlan, having you in my life is already the greatest joy I could have."
Lin Xinlan smiled lightly: "Same for me."
The man’s eyes darkened, as he slowly lowered his head and kissed her lips.
Lin Xinlan actively wrapped her arms around his neck, responding fiercely to his kiss. Rong Shaoze held her soft body, tightening his arms to bring her closer, making their kiss more intimate and sealed.
The worries that had been pressing on his heart for many days, weighed so heavily that he felt breathless.
At this moment, only by kissing her fiercely could he vent the fear in his heart.
Lin Xinlan’s mood was also heavy; she too wanted to vent something through this.
With a muffled groan, the man lost control, and so did Lin Xinlan.
As if there was today but no tomorrow...
So, today they indulged completely, casting everything aside, wanting to love ferociously, exhaustively, until they were thoroughly spent...
Lin Xinlan woke up with her eyes open; it was already very dark.
Rong Shaoze was not by her side, and she knew he must have gone to figure out how to save Xiaocong.
The moonlight outside was just right, its pale luminescence streaming through the large floor-to-ceiling window into the room.
Lin Xinlan lay in bed motionless, staring at the crescent moon in the sky, praying that the heavens would keep Xiaocong safe.
He was so young; he shouldn’t have to suffer so much. If someone must be punished, then let her bear it alone.
"Xiaocong..." The more Lin Xinlan thought, the more distressed she felt.
She bit her lip tightly, a trail of tears slipping down from the corner of her eye.
"Mommy is waiting for you to come back; you must come back..."
In a distant place, Xiaocong sat on the straw, staring at the ventilation duct on the wall, missing her in his heart.
Mommy, will I ever see you again?
Rong Shaoze marshaled a great deal of power, searching extensively for Xiaocong’s whereabouts, but still found nothing.
He was not a god, just a man.
If the opponent was formidable enough, they could hide a person and make him impossible to find forever.
It had been a while now, and he really didn’t know what the other side’s goal was.
If they wanted to threaten him, why hadn’t they made a move?
If they wanted to kill Xiaocong to get back at him, he hadn’t seen the child’s body.
They had taken Xiaocong, but had done nothing; what exactly was their purpose?
Rong Shaoze became increasingly worried; he no longer had the heart to deal with anything. Now everything at Yanhuang was being managed by Xu Yao and the other brothers.
And every day when he came home, he dared not face Lin Xinlan’s hopeful eyes.
She would always ask expectantly, "How are things progressing? Is there any news of Xiaocong?"
He would always shake his head gravely, and then he would see the disappointment in her eyes, and also the deep, deep pain she couldn’t hide.
Unable to protect his child, he had failed her expectations.