Ling’er remained silent, and Feng Jiuxiao took it as her acquiescence.

His mood improved a little with her non-rejection of his proposal.

“Mm,” Ling’er replied, her eyes lowered as she moved to the bed.

Feng Jiuxiao stood at the doorway, looking at her thin figure, and he called out: “Ling’er.”

When Ling’er heard him call out to her, she stopped. She did not turn around to answer him, merely replying with her back towards him, indifference colouring her words, “Is there anything else?”

Without warning, Feng Jiuxiao reached out, wrapping his arms around her, his slender fingers tilting her head towards him as he kissed her.

The sudden kiss startled Ling’er, and she momentarily forgot herself. She could feel Feng Jiuxiao’s lips against hers, the passionate kiss overwhelming her senses.

Feng Jiuxiao resembled a cold, lofty immortal, untainted by worldly desires as if nothing was worth more than a few seconds of his attention.

The picture Ling’er built up of him in her mind’s eye stunned her. His appearance and temperament were the attributes that had once caught her fancy and were now teasing her with their reappearance in the present.

Feng Jiuxiao was like a flower on a mountain – he was not easy to approach, nor was he so easily moved.

She was helpless before him: a moth drawn to the flame. One glance and her heart stuttered, a gentle smile, and she fell for him, consequences notwithstanding.

Only she knew that the man before her was not as simple as he appeared.

It was like watching two people wearing the same features, but one in black and the other in white.

Kissing was something that she had often done over the past ten years. It was almost routine, not unlike how one eats three meals a day. Hence, her response, the subconscious act on which she fell back, made her reciprocate even though her mind and heart screamed otherwise.

It was only through sheer force of will and the memory of what he had done that gave her the strength to push past her instincts and wrangle herself free from his embrace, or at least she tried.

Feng Jiuxiao was taller and far stronger than her. Even with all her strength, she found it challenging to resist, let alone push him away.

On the contrary, all it took was a well-planted kiss, and her body went limp, losing every semblance of resistance altogether.

She did not even remember how she ended up in bed. Feng Jiuxiao had ruthlessly exploited her weak points, pinching, poking, prodding… Nothing was out of the question so long as it opened herself up to his ministrations.

Ling’er did not know what to say.

She had not had time before, and now it was too late to protest. He had forced her to accept the pleasure of his company.

She recalled the vaguest impressions of what he did before she succumbed to sleep. He took a shower and stepped out of the bathroom with his hair still wet, his fingers tracing the side of her face. Then a door snapped shut, and her eyes drooped, sleeping claiming her at long last.

–

Feng Jiuxiao felt much better now that he had had some fun with Ling’er.

Although he had to be careful because of Ling’er’s pregnancy, her initial response seemed favourable. That kiss he exchanged was a balm to his seething emotions, grounding him better than any tonic or elixir.

Had it been otherwise, he did not think he would have had the presence of mind to hold back towards the end.

It was past noon, and the sun shone brightly in the sky.

His mood, which had brightened considerably, took a hit when he thought of how Ling’er would soon leave.

Once she left, he would not be able to see Ling’er as and when he liked.

Every day they spent apart was another day wasted.

To him, a day without Ling’er was as good as spending tens, maybe hundreds of days in solitude.

He both regretted and did not regret restoring Ling’er’s memories.

Feng Jiuxiao did not regret it because Ling’er was now complete.

However, he did regret not being able to spend every day of their future lives together.

At this moment, Jin Cheng arrived, looking for him.

“Brother Jiu, the wedding preparations are going smoothly. Everything will be ready by the appointed date of the wedding.”

Feng Jiuxiao stared at Jin Cheng and said, “Ling’er is leaving Feng Yi.”

“Oh,” Jin Cheng noticed that Feng Jiuxiao sounded less than enthusiastic. “Brother Jiu, what do you mean? The wedding is next month. Is sister-in-law leaving?”

Feng Jiuxiao looked away. He did not feel like explaining the situation and hurried away in the direction of his study.

“Brother Jiu, what’s going on? Did you make your sister-in-law angry? Is sister-in-law running away from home?”

Jin Cheng quickly chased him.

Feng Jiuxiao ignored him. Who would go around announcing their breakup?

“Brother Jiu, why won’t you say anything?” Jin Cheng said unhappily.

Feng Jiuxiao pushed open the door to his study and entered.

Deputy Jin followed him in, his mouth working overtime: “Brother Jiu, you have as many virtues as you do vices. Everyone knows your virtues, so let’s talk about your vices instead.”

He pulled over a chair as he spoke and sat down in front of the study table.

Feng Jiuxiao stared calmly at Deputy Jin, who had grown up with him since they were young. He wanted to say something, but he did not dare say anything.

“Stop acting so aloof! I’m fine with one-word answers, but not everyone else is. If I were anyone else, I would have grown too tired of dealing with someone so unresponsive. Others would think you don’t care, that you’re not interested. So tell me, did you make my sister-in-law angry? Honestly… You need to learn how to interact with women! Have all your previous relationships been in vain?”

Feng Jiuxiao listened to Deputy Jin’s nagging with his eyes tracing circles on his study table. He picked up where he left off earlier. Many things were demanding his attention, and he needed to sort through them one at a time.

Deputy Jin hoped to elicit a response from Feng Jiuxiao with his needling. Instead, he got someone more statue than a man who refused to answer his questions. The premonition hit him like a ton of bricks. Did he hit the nail on the head?

“Don’t tell me that sister-in-law won’t be attending the wedding? Brother Jiu, hurry up and say something to her! If she leaves, where are you going to find a bride?”

Feng Jiuxiao looked up at Deputy Jin, anxiety gnawing through his calm façade. He looked down, his tone turning chilly, “The wedding will proceed as planned.”

He could not be bothered to say anything else.

Jin Cheng ground his teeth, just short of screaming his frustrations. What on earth did Ling’er see in him? He would never understand.

Seeing Feng Jiuxiao so uncooperative, Jin Cheng decided to visit Ling’er and ask what had happened.

He did not say a word when he stood up, preparing to take his leave.

Feng Jiuxiao seemed to have guessed his thoughts and stopped him. “Do not disturb Ling’er.”

He meant that Jin Cheng was not allowed to look for Ling’er or bring up the matter altogether.

“Just do your work,” Deputy Jin squeezed out through clenched teeth, slamming the door behind him.

–

Jiangcheng…

Fu Tingyu settled things on his end before packing his luggage and having Shi Yan drive him to the airport.

He was finally going to reunite with his wife. He was heading for Feng Yi.

Fu Tingyu had been eager to go to the Feng Yi for a while now. He missed his wife so much.

He did not mention when he would arrive in Feng Yi; he wanted it to be a surprise.

–

Evening…

Xiao Jiu looked at the door from time to time and asked, “Why isn’t Mommy back yet?”

Ling’er did not wake up until four o’clock in the afternoon. It was not much of a surprise considering how tired she had felt in the afternoon. Her legs were still a little weak, but nothing some exercise would not fix.

She left the living room with a fruit plate and went to the courtyard for fresh air. She placed the fruit plate on the table and called, “Xiao Jiu, come and eat some fruit.”

Xiao Jiu ran over on his two short legs. The fruits Grandma had prepared for him were all his favourites. He was not in a hurry to eat the fruits. Instead, he turned to his grandmother and asked, “Grandma, do you know where Mommy is? She’s been out for a long time and hasn’t returned yet.”

Ling’er digested what Xiao Jiu said. Qin Shu had gone out in the morning. It was almost five o’clock now, and she was still not back. She could not help but be a little worried.

“I’ll call and ask where she is.”

“Yes, yes,” Xiao Jiu nodded.

Ling’er picked up her cell phone and dialled Qin Shu’s number. After a while, the call disconnected. “Hello, the number you have dialled is currently unavailable…”

“Unavailable?”

Ling’er’s eyes flashed with a trace of doubt. Why was she unavailable? Did she switch her phone off?

Xiao Jiu propped his head up with his hands, asking, “Is Mommy’s phone out of battery? Is that why she isn’t responding?”

“I’m not sure; it’s probably out of battery.” Ling’er could only say that. No one could be so bold as to do her ill in Feng Yi.

Feng Jiuxiao appeared at this time and saw Ling’er and Xiao Jiu seated under a tree in the courtyard. He looked at Ling’er, his mind returning to their confrontation that afternoon. Was she still angry with him?

He did not know.

He was about to leave when he remembered that she was going to leave. It was now or never.

With that thought in mind, he walked over.

Although Feng Jiuxiao thought so in his heart, he was just making excuses for himself to be a hoodlum. There was no excuse he wouldn’t come up with if it meant he could remain close to Ling’er.

He observed that Ling’er was holding her phone, her expression too grim for his liking. “What’s wrong?” He asked.

Hearing Feng Jiuxiao, Ling’er subconsciously leaned toward him. It was a habit she had cultivated in their ten years together. “Xiao Bao hasn’t returned since she went out in the morning. I tried calling her, but she’s not responding. I think her phone is switched off,” Ling’er spoke quickly, anxiety clear in her tone and manner.

When Feng Jiuxiao heard that, he felt a spike of worry. “Don’t worry. Xiao Bao is an adult, and she is not weak. I will send people to look for her now,” he comforted.

“Okay,” Ling’er nodded.

Feng Jiuxiao pulled out his phone and called Jin Cheng. He told Jin Cheng that Xiao Bao had gone out for a day and had not returned, noting how her phone was probably switched off. Soon, a search party was dispatched.

Jin Cheng had planned on ignoring Feng Jiuxiao’s call, still angry with him for his lack of consideration earlier, but when he heard that Qin Shu was missing, he set aside everything on his plate and went out with a few trusted aides to search for her.

The sky gradually darkened, and still, there was no news on Qin Shu’s whereabouts. They had learned that she had visited a few shops but nothing else. Customs indicated that she had not left the country, so she was somewhere in Feng Yi.

Ling’er’s worry grew.

“Did Xiao Bao say where she was going?”

Xiao Jiu was also very worried about his mother, but he did not cry like other children because he knew his mother was exceptionally powerful. Even if something happened, she would be able to escape danger.

Feng Jiuxiao also joined the search. He expended every available resource in the same way he had when Ling’er disappeared.

An hour later, the butler came in with a letter. “Madam, it’s a letter for you.”

Ling’er saw the letter and guessed it must be related to her daughter. She hurriedly accepted it, opening the envelope. She pulled out a white piece of paper with only one sentence written.

[ Hello, Auntie. Your sweet ‘precious’ is here with me. She is safe and sound. She will be back in a few days. ]

The words were filled with respect for her. It assured her of her daughter’s safety, but what did it mean? Why would she leave with them so abruptly?

Precious?

The person who took her daughter called her precious.

‘Precious’ and Xiao Bao shared a similar meaning.

To address her daughter so affectionately… Their relationship should not be bad. Why, then, did they whisk her away secretly?

She looked at the butler. “Where is the messenger? What does he look like?”

The butler replied respectfully, “He has already left. A boy delivered it.”

The two of them probably wanted some privacy if they were using an errand boy and not someone from the President’s manor.

The letter was to tell her that they were safe.

When Feng Jiuxiao returned, Ling’er showed the letter to him. “Ziqing, look, this is from the person who took Xiao Bao away.”

Feng Jiuxiao took the letter and looked at the envelope’s contents. His guess was similar to Ling’er’s.

He said: “It was an acquaintance who took her away. Xiao Bao should be fine.”

Ling’er asked: “If it was an acquaintance, then why did they take Xiao Bao away in such a manner?”

Feng Jiuxiao pondered and said: “Xiao Bao might not have wanted to follow them. Since the letter is worded as such, it’s not likely they bear ill will towards her.”

Xiao Jiu listened to the adults’ conversation and gleaned a few things. He asked: “Grandpa, who took Mommy away? Daddy is coming. When he comes and finds out that Mommy has been taken away, he will be angry and worried.”

After assuring Xiao Jiu that Qin Shu was not in danger, Feng Jiuxiao heaved a sigh of relief. “Your mother was taken. It will be difficult to find her, but she should be fine. We will talk more when your father arrives.”

“Mommy was taken away by someone I know? Who could it be? Is it one of my uncles? I have so many of them! Could one of them be responsible? Hmm… It does sound likely,”

Xiao Jiu muttered under his breath, going through the possibilities. He felt that one of his uncles must have left with his mother.

If that was the case, then his mother was probably alright.

Daddy, on the other hand… He was not going to be happy.

Ling’er listened to Xiao Jiu’s muttered words. From the sound of it, Xiao Jiu had some idea who might have taken Xiao Bao away.

Feng Jiuxiao studied the letter in his hand, deep in thought.

Knowing that Qin Shu was not in danger, everyone heaved a sigh of relief. Although they knew an acquaintance had disappeared with her, they did not know who, and it left them fretting.

…

…

Qin Shu awoke to a white-ceiling overhead and a large bed carved of rosewood beneath her. A light-coloured gauze curtain surrounded the bed. The window was open, and the wind blew in, bringing a faint fragrance of flowers, causing the gauze curtain to flutter like a butterfly’s wings.

She blinked, taking in her surroundings. Beside the bed was a dresser.

She threw open the covers of her quilt and sat up. To her right was a large balcony. Chao Yan’s creeping flower vines twined around the railing, falling in long tresses. Buds and small blossoms peppered the length of the vines, growing in clusters. Perhaps in another day or two, those buds would bloom, unfurling their petals towards the rising sun.

She could already imagine those purple flowers brimming with life as they adorned the stiff, metal railing.

Where was she?

She gritted her teeth in hatred when she thought about the events before she fainted. How could Chao Yan use such a dirty trick on her?

He was never a good person, to begin with. He had threatened her since the first time they met, repeatedly threatening her from then till now.

This time, he even used knockout drugs to spirit her away.

She slipped on the slippers at the foot of the bed. She was so used to soft slippers that she did not notice the ones she wore were made of fox fur.

Qin Shu opened the door and stepped out of the room. It was late morning when she woke, and the sun was climbing closer to its zenith.

When she exited her room, she realised she was on a mountain. As for which mountain it was, she did not know.

The only thing she knew was that the scenery around her was breathtaking. Birds chirped, flowers swayed, and water gushed; It was spring, given form.

The house she stayed in was a large wooden structure with only one floor. The lower half of the house was built on stilts, possibly with flowing water, or removing its excess, in mind. Qin Shu followed the winding path, admiring the artful landscaping. Carefully manicured lawns sidled up the cobblestone road with various flowers planted in neat flowerbeds to either side. They were not rare or exotic, but they were beautiful, painting a picture of harmony between man and nature.

Purple petunias, little wrinkled chrysanthemums, roses of various colours, etc.

After walking for about ten minutes, she saw a man-made lake. It was not big but certainly large enough to accommodate a floating pavilion in the middle. White curtains draped around the pavilion, affixed by pillars holding its vaguely conical dome.

A tatami was spread out in the middle, with a short table resting on top. Seated at the table was a man in moon-white robes, his left hand casually resting against the edge with his back facing her.