Han curiously asked, "Why do we eat dumplings in winter?"
After speaking, he looked at Lin Qi.
Lin Qi, utterly confused, turned to Huo Tingdong.
Huo Tingdong then glanced at Momo.
Momo calmly explained, "Dumplings are also called New Year Dumplings. Look, the shape of dumplings resembles gold ingots, symbolizing wealth and prosperity. Their round design represents family reunion. When we make dumplings on New Year’s Eve, we use meat filling because full dumplings symbolize an abundant, peaceful, and lucky life."
Han exclaimed in surprise, "Momo, you sure know a lot!"
Under Momo’s guidance, the group’s dumpling-making skills gradually started to look presentable.
In the evening, the dumplings were cooked.
Everyone ate until their stomachs were completely full!
The two little ones went to bed early.
Lin Qi pushed open the door, entered the room, and gave them good-night kisses.
Momo suddenly said, "Mommy, Han mentioned wanting to go to the mountains tomorrow morning to watch the sunrise."
Lin Qi replied, "Morning? It’ll be so cold. Can you two even manage to wake up and climb?"
Han said, "Daddy said the sunrise on the mountain is beautiful! Momo already set the alarm clock, so we’ll climb the mountain early in the morning to watch."
Lin Qi asked, "Who will take you there?"
Han replied, "Uncle Ji! He said he’d wake up early to drive us to the mountain so we can all watch the sunrise together."
Lin Qi smiled and said, "Alright! Then sleep early. Momo, Han, good night."
She kissed them, gently coaxing them to sleep.
Returning to her bedroom, Huo Tingdong had just finished his shower and was lying on the bed in a bathrobe.
She, too, had showered and, wrapped in her bathrobe, lay down beside him.
Under the warm glow of the bedside lamp, the heating flowed gently.
The fireplace roared with bright flames.
Outside, the snow had finally stopped.
Lin Qi hugged him, burying her small face in his chest with her arms wrapped around his waist and her leg boldly draped across him: "Has Ji Xiuyuan gone to bed?"
Huo Tingdong replied, "Yes, he has."
Lowering his head, he embraced her and tucked a thin blanket over her: "He mentioned driving them to watch the sunrise tomorrow morning."
Lin Qi commented, "He sure has energy to spare."
She had spent the entire afternoon playing a snowball fight with them, and now she was so exhausted her eyes could barely stay open.
Huo Tingdong’s gentle voice whispered near her ear, "Go to sleep early. Good night, my wife."
Lin Qi closed her eyes and quickly drifted off to sleep.
She had a long and vivid dream.
In the dream, she walked along a seemingly endless path covered in fog, where nothing was visible.
She heard Han’s voice: "Mommy..."
Shortly after, Momo’s voice joined in: "Mommy, don’t be scared. I’m here..."
From within the dense mist, a small hand suddenly extended, attempting to grasp hers.
Instinctively, Lin Qi reached out to grab Momo’s hand, but the next second, the mist thickened, swallowing the hand completely.
She desperately tried to reach for Momo but grabbed nothing but air.
Accompanied by a deafening boom—
Lin Qi jolted awake from the dream.
With a pale face, she sat up in bed, realizing the space beside her was empty.
Huo Tingdong was gone.
She could no longer discern whether she was still dreaming or awake.
She vaguely heard the sound of a loud boom earlier, followed by what seemed like commotion outside the door.
Numerous hurried footsteps echoed past her.
Lin Qi climbed out of bed, threw on a coat, and opened the door to step out.
In the corridor, the housekeeper and servants dashed by anxiously.
Lin Qi furrowed her brows and grabbed a passing servant: "What happened? What’s going on?"
The servant replied, "Not sure... We just woke up after hearing a loud noise. Someone reported that the bridge collapsed..."
Lin Qi’s heart sank: "The bridge collapsed?"
She had also heard that loud noise moments ago.
Could it truly be the sound of the collapsing bridge?
The servant explained, "Dan Mountain consists of two peaks—Danxia Mountain and Fengxian Mountain—with Sandalwood Palace built on Fengxian Mountain’s mid-slope. Connecting to Danxia Mountain is a Stone Bridge constructed a decade ago. The collapsed bridge seems to be that one."
The two mountains are separated by a deep gorge, a thousand meters below which lies a winding stream.
The only way to reach Danxia Mountain is via the Stone Bridge spanning the two peaks.
Lin Qi immediately went to Momo and Han’s room. As she reached their door, she found it slightly ajar.
She pushed it open, only to find the room empty.
The bedding on the bed was neatly made.
Lin Qi’s heart skipped a beat as she hurried downstairs.
In the main hall downstairs.
Huo Tingdong and Ji Xiuyuan entered one after another.
Huo Tingdong’s expression was grim, and even Ji Xiuyuan’s face appeared grave and serious.
Lin Qi walked over, looking at Huo Tingdong: "Honey, what happened?"
Ji Xiuyuan furrowed his brows, shifting uneasily.
He hesitated, glancing at Huo Tingdong, who remained silent.
Lin Qi pressed further: "Where are Momo and Han? I went to their room, but they weren’t there..."
Huo Tingdong replied, "They were already gone before dawn."
Lin Qi abruptly recalled Momo and Han’s plan to leave early and hike to the peak to watch the sunrise.
Could they have gone...
A thought struck Lin Qi, and she grabbed Ji Xiuyuan’s hand: "Last night, you promised to take them to watch the sunrise in the mountains this morning..."
Ji Xiuyuan’s face turned even bleaker: "I set the alarm clock, but it didn’t go off. I only woke up after hearing that loud noise. I don’t know what happened..."
Huo Tingdong added, "A car is missing from the garage. Someone took it, though we don’t know who."
Two children were missing.
Huo Tingdong surveyed the room and immediately ordered, "Do a roll call! Check who else isn’t here."
The servants quickly lined up to tally everyone’s presence, when suddenly the housekeeper rushed downstairs, shouting urgently to Huo Tingdong, "Something’s wrong! Something’s wrong..."
Huo Tingdong looked at him: "What is it?"
The housekeeper approached nervously: "I questioned the assistant housekeeper on duty tonight. He said that before daybreak, the security captain left with the two young masters! He drove off with the kids in the car, saying they wanted to watch the sunrise on the mountain. They haven’t come back since..."
Outside, daylight had arrived.
Huo Tingdong’s expression tightened, sensing that something had undoubtedly gone wrong with the kids.
He immediately went to the garage to prepare a car to head out and investigate.
As Lin Qi stepped outdoors, she caught sight of smoke rising in the southeast direction!
She dashed to the garage entrance in alarm: "I see smoke over there..."
Huo Tingdong turned toward the southeast.
A thick, black column of smoke was steadily rising into the sky, coming from the direction of the bridge.
Such a high plume of smoke seemed anything but ordinary.