Mu Yunyi panicked!
In this heavy rain, the little tot is completely unfamiliar with this place — where would she possibly know anyone?
Most importantly, a group of human traffickers has recently appeared in Yangcheng — news reports have already broken the story — and quite a number of children have been abducted!
If the little dumpling were to be taken away by these traffickers...
Mu Yunyi's face had gone completely pale!
Countless bloody images flashed through his mind. All of them, converging as one, made Mu Yunyi feel it for the very first time— Fear.
Without a moment's hesitation, Mu Yunyi grabbed his phone and dialed Yang Li—who was in the middle of shopping for a new handset. "Now! Immediately! This instant! Get everyone looking for her! Within one hour! I want to see An Bao standing before me safe and sound—or you can go to the countryside and feed pigs!"
???
Yang Li widened his eyes and stared at his phone in confusion. Oh, the phone was fine — but it seemed like his own boss's brain had short-circuited.
At the fifty-ninth minute — one minute shy of a full hour — Mu Yunyi brought Yang Li to an apartment Mu Yunshang kept outside, and rang the doorbell.
"Huh? Big Bro? What brings you here? Your clothes are soaking wet — what happened? Don't tell me the villa collapsed and you've got nowhere else to go?"
When Mu Yunshang heard the doorbell, he opened the door to find his older brother standing on the threshold.
That bespoke suit was still dripping water, and the short, fine hair had been soaked through as well, clinging to his forehead in damp little tufts.
"What about An Bao?"
This was the very first thing Mu Yunyi said upon seeing Mu Yunshang.
The moment Mu Yunshang heard this, his expression shifted at once. His gaze darted evasively as he moved to block the doorway and said: "What An Bao? Didn't you already drive An Bao out? How would I know where An Bao is? Alright, alright, just head back — there's no need to go this far over a child, is there?"
"Let me in."
Mu Yunyi furrowed his brow and reached out to pull Mu Yunshang back, but Mu Yunshang was equally unyielding, saying bluntly: "Elder Brother, I don't care whether you believe in An Bao or not — but I believe An Bao could never harm anyone. So I will not allow you to hand An Bao over just to keep the peace!"
Though Mu Yunshang had no idea why Mu Yunyi had come, the open hostility Mu Yunyi had shown toward An Bao made one thing plain: it could be nothing good.
It seemed something had gone wrong with that young man — which was why Mu Yunyi had come looking for An Bao, intending to hand An Bao over!
How could this possibly work?
Thinking back to when he had secretly slipped over to the villa entrance that day, the sight of Little Milk Ball curled up by the door, sobbing with such a wronged, pitiful look on her face — it truly made Mu Yunshang's heart ache beyond bearing.
So, right then and there, Mu Yunshang had simply scooped the little dumpling up and brought him home.
Just a child — Mu Yunyi didn't like him, didn't want him. He did. So he took him.
Raising a kid won't cost that much anyway — at worst, he'll just take on a few more gigs!
Hearing Mu Yunshang's words, Mu Yunyi realized there had been a misunderstanding and moved to explain: "You've got it wrong—that's not what I meant. The Bai child is already out of danger. I just… I only wanted to check on An Bao."
"Impossible! Don't even think about deceiving me."
"She is Yunyao's daughter — how could I possibly do anything to Yunyao's daughter? I am An Bao's uncle!"
Seeing that Mu Yunshang was utterly impossible to reason with, Mu Yunyi finally lost his patience and shouted at him.
Mu Yunshang froze, standing at the doorway in stunned surprise, his gaze upon Mu Yunyi taking on a hint of… disdain.
"Big Brother, you… you brought this on yourself, yet you're making Mu Yunyao shoulder the blame? Have you no shame at all…"
At that very moment, Mu Yunyi was genuinely on the verge of being driven to exasperated laughter by Mu Yunshang.
How could a younger brother of this sort end up appearing in their Mu family?
Yang Li, who had been listening to the brothers' exchange from the side, quickly pulled out his phone, found a photo, and handed it to Mu Yunshang. "Third Young Master, it's true — An Bao is Miss Yunyao's daughter. Look, this was taken by a photography enthusiast who was staying at the Taoist temple for a while."
Hearing Yang Li's words, Mu Yunshang hurriedly reached out and took the phone.
In the photograph, Mu Yunyao looked at An Bao with soft, tender eyes, carefully tying up An Bao's hair.
Though the Mu Yunyao in the photograph carried a few more traces of maturity in her eyes and brows... this was Mu Yunyao, unmistakably!
Mu Yunshang's eyes had gone red, and the hand holding his phone was trembling slightly. He looked up at Mu Yunyi and said, "Really? An Bao — she's really Yunyao's daughter? Then... where is Yunyao?"
"I don't know. That's all the information we have at the moment. For specifics, we'll have to ask An Bao to find out."
Mu Yunyi shook his head and let out a sigh.
Heaven knows how much time the Mu family had spent searching for Mu Yunyao — and yet, all of it had come to nothing!
Mu Yunyao had vanished from this mortal world as though she had simply evaporated into thin air.
And yet now, the heavens had seemingly heard the wishes in their hearts, returning news of Mu Yunyao to them and gifting them with an adorable little An Bao besides.
In the end, Mu Yunyi did see An Bao.
At that moment, An Bao was fast asleep, tucked inside the Peppa Pig sleeping bag Mu Yunshang had just bought for her.
Yet having been frightened, her sleep was far from restful — her small brows knitted tight, her long lashes trembling softly without cease.
Witnessing this, Mu Yunyi's heart was consumed by boundless guilt.
What on earth had he just done… to An Bao?
Just as Mu Yunyi moved to approach An Bao, the parrot that had been preening its feathers by the window suddenly launched itself at him, raking its claws straight across Mu Yunyi's face.
"You meanie! You meanie!!!"
Xiao Fengfeng was absolutely furious at this moment!
This villain wouldn't even listen to An Bao's explanation, just jumped to conclusions about An Bao, and drove An Bao away!
How old is An Bao anyway! Just four and a half!
Such a tiny little baby — even if she weren't your niece, that act of throwing her out was truly far too cold-blooded of you!
What if An Bao were to encounter some danger?
Besides, An Bao just cried for so long!
Xiao Fengfeng's heart aches for them!
This lousy place isn't a patch on a Daoist temple!
That old man and those little ones — which of them could bear to make An Bao cry?
With Xiao Fengfeng's attacks and interference, Mu Yunyi simply could not get into the room.
Mu Yunyi felt a sting on his face where it had been scratched, and his expression went dark. He fixed Xiao Fengfeng with an icy stare.
But in the end, Mu Yunyi didn't do anything to it. After all, he knew the parrot was An Bao's pet — if he hurt the wretched bird, An Bao would only end up heartbroken again.
Mu Yunyi stepped out of the room and said, "Rest assured, I won't hurt An Bao again."
"Pah!"
The parrot let out a contemptuous "tch" at Mu Yunyi, then flew back to An Bao's side, standing guard like a little soldier. It watched Mu Yunyi with sharp vigilance, as if ready to strike out with its claws again should he dare to come any closer.
Mu Yunshang stood to the side watching his elder brother's aggrieved expression, unable to suppress a smile, and walked right into the room in front of Mu Yunyi.
Then she crouched down beside An Bao's bed, leaned over, and planted a loud smack of a kiss on An Bao's forehead, before finally turning off the light and walking out.
Yet from beginning to end, Xiao Fengfeng had shown no intention whatsoever of attacking Mu Yunshang.
“……”
Mu Yunyi glared at Mu Yunshang, his teeth itching with the urge to bite.
"Aiyah, big brother, what can I say — I'm An Bao's favorite uncle! Tsk, but you, big brother… you're not liked by people at all, and not liked by birds either."
“……”
Mu Yunyi watched Mu Yunshang's smug display and grinned. "There's still room to maneuver on the HIT endorsement deal."
???
"It's gone now."
"!!!!"
Using public office to settle personal scores!!!