Yu Naitang ran back to the hotel, and as soon as she entered, Lu Xixi scooped her up in a hug.
The nine-year-old loli displayed a look of disdain, her hands desperately pushing against Lu Xixi, but she couldn't resist as Empress Lu held her in her arms and then kissed her face a dozen times in one breath.
"Enough already!!!" Yu Naitang struggled fiercely.
Lu Xixi put Yu Naitang down on the sofa. Yu Naitang took out a tissue to furiously wipe her face, then looked at Lu Xixi with irritation. "Lu Xixi! Tell me now, where on earth have you been these past few days!"
"Uhh..." Lu Xixi blinked.
"How old are you! Disappearing without a word—is that something a person your age should do?"
"Don't you know that vanishing suddenly would make me very worried?"
Lu Xixi went over and hugged Yu Naitang again, rubbing her small face forcefully. "Alright, alright! Little Candy, I know I was wrong. Now that I'm back, stop scolding me, okay?"
"Hmph!" Yu Naitang pouted. "Then tell me, where did you really go these past few days?"
"Me?" Lu Xixi's eyes darted around, and her expression became a little strange. "I... met a very interesting person."
Yu Naitang narrowed her eyes at Lu Xixi, suddenly sensing something was off.
"Hey! Lu Xixi! What's with that expression?!" Yu Naitang's eyes widened. "What in the world is that shy look on your face?! Are you in heat or something?!"
As she spoke, the nine-year-old loli grabbed Lu Xixi and started frantically patting down her clothes. "No way! You... you... you... you didn't disappear and meet some sleazy man, did you?! Wow! These clothes you're wearing—they aren't the ones I bought you! Wow! Lu Xixi, you didn't lose your virginity, did you?!"
An hour later, Chen Nuo received another call from Li Yingwan.
When the long-legged girl woke up again, the ropes around her had already been untied.
The little loli who had kidnapped her had vanished without a trace.
It was already late into the night by the time Chen Nuo found Li Yingwan and Zhang Linsheng.
They were in an abandoned factory in the southern outskirts, with no one around for two or three kilometers.
After bringing the two back to the city, Chen Nuo found a place for them to get something to eat.
Zhang Linsheng and Li Yingwan were starving.
Zhang Linsheng looked somewhat furtive, as if he wanted to say something to Chen Nuo but held back because Li Yingwan was present, forcing himself to suppress the urge to speak.
During the meal, Li Yingwan vehemently cursed the despicable little loli.
"Chen Nuo! We must find that disgusting little kid! We have to teach her a harsh lesson!"
Little Candy is probably with Lu Xixi now, Chen Nuo thought. Go to their door and teach her a lesson? Better forget it! I'm already struggling to avoid Lu Xixi as it is. If I really went over there, it's not even certain who would be teaching whom.
After eating, he first took Li Yingwan back to her hotel and then drove Zhang Linsheng home.
Only after Li Yingwan had been dropped off at the hotel, leaving Chen Nuo and Zhang Linsheng alone, did Zhang Linsheng seem to let out a sigh of relief.
"Um..." Zhang Linsheng hesitated, not knowing how to begin.
"Is there something you want to tell me?" Chen Nuo grinned at his senior brother. "You've looked as uncomfortable as if you were constipated ever since we started eating."
Zhang Linsheng glared at Chen Nuo. "It was because Li Yingwan was there; there were many things I couldn't say! If I had actually said them, we'd see who would be in for it, you or me."
"That... the little kid who kidnapped us showed Li Yingwan a photo to identify. I saw the photo; it looked like your wife."
As he spoke, Zhang Linsheng intently watched Chen Nuo's expression.
"Oh, got it," Chen Nuo nodded nonchalantly.
"...That's it?" Zhang Linsheng was dumbfounded. "Shouldn't you at least react a little? Hey! The kid who kidnapped us has a photo of your wife!"
"Your wife, where did she even come from? That little kidnapper, is she a bad person or not? Is she planning to do something harmful to you?"
Chen Nuo looked at Brother Haonan. "Do you have a belly full of questions?"
"Then suck them back in," Chen Nuo spread his hands. "I'm not going to answer you."
In the hotel, Yu Naitang had already fallen asleep.
The nine-year-old loli was, after all, just a child. With Lu Xixi missing for the past two days, Yu Naitang had been on edge, forcing herself to stay alert as she traveled thousands of miles to Jinling City in search of her master. Now that she had finally found Lu Xixi, the tension in the child's heart eased, and she finally relaxed and drifted into a deep slumber.
Lu Xixi, however, stood by the window, quietly looking out.
She had also washed up in the hotel and changed into a set of pajamas.
Chen Nuo's sweatshirt had been tossed onto the sofa.
At this moment, Lu Xixi stared out at the night sky, her gaze distant, her thoughts unreadable.
Finally, after a long while, Lu Xixi retracted her gaze. Her eyes scanned the room, first landing on her little apprentice, curled up and sleeping soundly on the bed, and then on the sweatshirt on the sofa.
Hmph, a boy full of lies...
At dawn, Chen Nuo woke up at home, leaping from the sofa with a carp flip.
The room was empty and silent.
That woman wasn't lying beside him, her face etched with panic.
Nor was there a woman calling him "husband" with a bewildered expression.
Shaking his head vigorously, Chen Nuo rubbed his face with both hands and ducked into the bathroom.
He washed up and brushed his teeth.
Then he put on the blue and white school uniform.
Ugh, it's been so many days; I should probably swing by the school. Sigh, when Lu Xixi was home, I didn't even dare to go to school.
When Chen Nuo walked into the classroom that morning, he immediately felt Sun Keke's resentful gaze.
School belle Sun pouted. She didn't run over happily as usual but instead snorted and turned her head to look out the window.
That guy ran off at the furniture mall yesterday. He claimed to be busy with work, but not even a single phone call all evening? That was simply too much! Sun Keke fumed internally.
While the girl was seething, Chen Nuo had already swaggered over and sat down beside Sun Keke.
"Hmph." Sun Keke turned her head away.
"What are you 'hmphing' about? Got a toothache?" Chen Nuo leaned in with a cheeky grin.
"Hmph!" Sun Keke turned her head in the other direction.
Just then, the class bell rang. Sun Keke felt something warm, wrapped in a plastic bag, being pressed into her hand.
When she turned back, Chen Nuo had already returned to his seat.
In Sun Keke's hand was a plastic bag containing osmanthus glutinous rice cake.
Sun Keke glanced over and saw Chen Nuo making a face at her.
When class ended, Chen Nuo was packing his things when Sun Keke walked