After sending off the children, Anning quickly biked to school.
But she wasn’t there to attend classes or go to the lab; instead, she found her teacher to request a suspension of her studies.
Anning’s teacher, upon hearing her request, was reluctant to let her leave and earnestly tried to persuade her.
However, Anning had made up her mind to suspend her studies.
"Teacher, something has come up at home, and I can’t continue my studies right now. Can you give me two years to sort out my family affairs, after which I’ll resume my studies? If I can’t suspend my studies, then I’ll have no choice but to drop out."
The teacher highly valued Anning.
She was admitted to Qing University as the top scorer of the province and has been studying and researching since enrollment, already achieving some results. Such a promising seedling made it hard for the teacher to let her drop out, but seeing no other solution, the teacher processed her request for suspension.
After completing the suspension formalities, Anning went home, packed her things, and called Aunt Yu, telling her she wouldn’t need help with the children anymore. She settled Aunt Yu’s salary on Flying Messenger, adding a generous red envelope.
Then, Anning canceled the rental on her apartment and booked a flight online.
She waited until the kindergarten dismissed, picked up the kids, and informed their teachers that they wouldn’t be attending anymore.
The kindergarten teacher thought Anning was transferring the children to another school and didn’t inquire further. After completing the formalities, she allowed Anning to take the children.
On the way to the airport, Jixiang incessantly asked Anning, "Auntie, where are we going?"
"We’re going home," Anning said with a smile.
Ru Yi pouted, "But this isn’t the way home. If you weren’t my real aunt, I’d almost think you were going to sell us."
Amused, Anning pinched Ru Yi’s chubby cheeks, "What if your auntie is indeed selling you two, would you be scared?"
Ru Yi blinked, "Who are you selling us to?"
Jixiang put on a terrified expression, "That sounds so scary."
Anning entertained the children all the way to the airport, only then telling them they were making a trip back to their ancestral home.
The kids were tired from the journey, falling asleep as soon as they got on the plane.
When the plane landed at Qing City Airport, it was already past nine o’clock in the evening.
Anning woke the children, took them off the plane, collected their luggage, and took a taxi home.
Their ancestral home still had houses left.
Previously, Anning’s parents had bought two properties, both in school districts. Later on, Anning’s older brother and sister-in-law also purchased a small two-bedroom apartment. Additionally, Anning’s sister-in-law was an only child, and her parents had passed away two years ago, leaving two properties for Jixiang and Ru Yi.
It can be said that Anning and her niece and nephew owned several properties in Qing City. Now, Anning left one large three-bedroom apartment vacant, while the rest were rented out.
She returned to manage these properties.
Once home, Anning didn’t tell Jixiang and Ru Yi to go to bed, but rather had them sit down like adults, speaking to them softly about the matter.
"You are both big kids now, and as members of our family, your aunt has something to discuss with you. I need your approval for this matter, as I can’t decide on it alone."
Jixiang looked at Anning, "Aunt, please tell us."
Ru Yi bit her finger, "Is it that Aunt can’t afford to keep us?"
Anning smiled and rubbed Ru Yi’s head, "Your aunt can afford to keep you, and I won’t sell you off."
Then, she revealed that the bracelet was lost, "Few days ago, the bracelet that Grandma left your aunt went missing."
Jixiang and Ru Yi were particularly surprised.
The children remembered that particular bracelet, "Is it, is it the family heirloom from Grandma?"
Anning nodded, "Yes, your aunt searched everywhere but couldn’t find it. Later on, I had someone help investigate, and it turned out it was Aunt Chunhua who stole it."
That Aunt Chunhua was a relative of Anning’s from the Capital, technically a distant cousin of Father Tang, named Tang Chunhua.
"I knew she was acting suspiciously that day she came to our house."
Jixiang had good memory; after pondering a bit, he recalled the incident, "So she is a thief."
Ru Yi raised her hand, "Aunt, let’s call the police, we must get Grandma’s bracelet back."
Anning seriously said, "We must call the police, but there is another matter. Aunt Chunhua didn’t keep the bracelet. She was instructed by someone else to steal it. That person gave her a lot of money, and moreover, that person’s family is very powerful, beyond what we can handle. I’m afraid there’s little chance of getting the bracelet back."
"What should we do now?"