Xia Xiaonuan lowered her eyelids, watching his departing figure, the corners of her lips curling into a smile.

Soon, Nangong Yaoling returned to her.

"It’s Qi Yue." He glanced at the screen and said.

Xia Xiaonuan took the phone, glanced at him, and answered the call.

"Hello... Qi Yue..."

"Hello, is this Miss Xia? This is the police station."

"The police station?"

Xia Xiaonuan was slightly taken aback.

She looked at Nangong Yaoling in confusion, and he also looked at her.

"Here’s the situation, a lady just reported a burglary at her home. But when we arrived at her place, she was gone.

And now we found this phone, the last person she spoke with was you. Could you tell us what she mentioned during your last conversation?"

Xia Xiaonuan suddenly sat up straight.

"What did you say? Qi Yue’s house was burglarized? She’s missing?"

She showed a hint of panic and looked nervously at Nangong Yaoling.

Nangong Yaoling gestured for her to hand him the phone.

Nangong Yaoling picked up the phone.

"Hello... Yes... We didn’t reach Qi Yue’s call, so we don’t know what she said? Alright... I understand, okay... I’m currently abroad, so it’s inconvenient for me to go back. Alright..."

He hung up the phone. Xia Xiaonuan grabbed Nangong Yaoling’s hand and said, "What’s going on? What did they say? Where exactly has Qi Yue gone?"

Nangong Yaoling held Xiaonuan’s hand, sitting next to her, and said, "Xiaonuan... don’t worry. We are not sure what exactly happened yet.

The police themselves are unsure if she left on her own or if someone took her, but rest assured, I will have someone investigate this immediately.

Qi Yue will be alright. Hmm?"

Xia Xiaonuan looked into Nangong Yaoling’s determined eyes and nodded.

"Nangong Yaoling... let’s go back soon! I’m really worried about Qi Yue... She can’t have anything happen to her again..." Xia Xiaonuan almost pleaded while looking at him.

That gaze broke his heart.

He suddenly felt a twinge of regret, perhaps he should have taken her back sooner.

Mrs. Xia’s departure might not have saddened her too much, as after her amnesia, she hadn’t seen Mrs. Xia many times. But Qi Yue... they were the best of sisters. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

If something also happened to Qi Yue, Xiaonuan really wouldn’t be able to handle it!

Nangong Yaoling gritted his teeth.

"Xiaonuan... tomorrow morning’s flight, even if we go back, we need to prepare, right? And... you shouldn’t pressure yourself too much, you haven’t been sleeping well these past few nights. Don’t worry, with me here, Qi Yue will definitely be alright!"

Xia Xiaonuan fell into his embrace.

"Nangong Yaoling... what is really going on? Why do people around me keep getting into trouble one after another? Should I not have left... If I hadn’t left, maybe my mom wouldn’t have died... Qi Yue wouldn’t have run into trouble..."

"It’s not your fault!" Nangong Yaoling frowned in pain: "Xiaonuan, everything was an accident, even if you had stayed, you couldn’t have changed anything!"

He hoped he wouldn’t discover anyone was behind all this.

If anyone was making Xiaonuan sad and upset, he absolutely wouldn’t let them go!

Xia Xiaonuan, crying, clung tightly to his back, nodding.

******

In an abandoned warehouse.

The air was thick with the smell of gasoline, piles of old boxes and a few oil drums were stacked in the corners of the floor.

Sunlight streamed in through the ventilation holes above the warehouse.

The girl lying on the old cardboard beside slowly opened her eyes.