Chapter 276 - 270: Bad News
Panic gripped Jiang Li’s heart. "When did she go missing?"
"Just now. I went out to hang the laundry, and when I came back, the living room was empty." Wu Ming’s voice trembled with fear. If anything terrible happened to Mrs. Song, she wouldn’t have the face to see Jiang Li again.
"It’s okay. I’m right here at the police station. I’ll ask them to help look for her," Jiang Li said. She hung up the phone and looked at Lu Xingye. "She’s missing. Could you help me check the street surveillance cameras to see where she might have gone?"
Her mind buzzed with static. Even though she had anticipated this and had been through it before, the thought of facing this outcome again was still unbearable.
"Don’t panic. I’ll go check," Lu Xingye said, immediately going to get someone to pull up the security footage.
Wu Ming also sent over the footage from the front door camera. The video showed Song Shujing walking out the door with a small bag slung over her shoulder.
Seeing her leave with a bag, a terrifying thought instantly popped into Jiang Li’s head. She wondered if her mother was going to hide away and wait to die alone. Her hands began to shake from the sheer panic, and her head grew hot and dizzy.
Turning around, Lu Xingye saw Jiang Li’s deathly pale face and quickly comforted her. "It’s alright, it’s alright. Your mother went to the shopping mall. She probably just wanted to buy something."
Jiang Li looked at the surveillance feed. Song Shujing was peering into one shop after another, looking very much like she was out shopping.
Her tense body finally relaxed. "I’ll head over there. I’ll contact you if anything comes up."
Grabbing her phone, Jiang Li walked out, dialing Wu Ming’s number along the way. "Wu Ming, it’s fine. She just went out to buy some things. I’m nearby, so I’ll go check on her."
"Okay, as long as she’s found." Wu Ming breathed a sigh of relief as well.
Jiang Li arrived near the mall and searched shop by shop. Soon, she spotted Song Shujing’s figure. She was standing in front of the display window of a cake shop.
Jiang Li slowly approached.
"H-how much is this one?" Song Shujing asked, looking at a pink, heart-shaped cake in the window.
"Hello. That one is 188," the shopkeeper replied.
"Okay. Th-thank you." Song Shujing happily paid for it.
She squatted quietly by the door to wait for her order, repeatedly turning back to look at the display window while she waited. After getting the cake, she went into a clothing store.
"Are you buying clothes for your daughter, ma’am? We can recommend some styles if you know what you’re looking for." Noticing the cake in Song Shujing’s hand, the saleswoman instantly became enthusiastic.
"Sh-she’s about as tall as you. I want the prettiest one."
"Of course, the absolute prettiest." The saleswoman warmly ushered her in.
As Song Shujing watched the saleswoman hold the clothes up against herself, she automatically substituted Jiang Li’s face in her mind. "This set."
"Alright, I’ll wrap it up for you, ma’am. I’ll make it the prettiest package." The saleswoman enthusiastically brought out a gift box and placed the clothes inside.
Jiang Li watched quietly from a distance.
Soon, Song Shujing came out. Carrying her purchases, she looked around as she felt her way back home.
Jiang Li watched her mother enter the house, then leaned against the doorframe to compose herself. She wondered why her mother had suddenly bought these things.
Once she had her emotions under control, Jiang Li pushed the door open and walked in.
"Wow, Jiang Li, your birthday is on August 15th!" Seeing her enter, Wu Ming happily bounded over and linked arms with her. "Your mother said today is your birthday, and that she only went out to buy you a birthday cake."
Wu Ming felt a twinge of regret. If she had known earlier, she could have decorated the place properly. What a pity it was all so rushed now.
Looking at the smile on Wu Ming’s lips, Jiang Li’s mouth twitched before she squeezed out a happy smile.
"Is that so? That’s great." Jiang Li pinched her palms tightly, looking at Song Shujing behind Wu Ming.
Song Shujing was earnestly studying the cake and dolls on the table. Thinking the arrangement wasn’t quite right, she picked them up and shifted them around. The cake was placed dead center on the dining table, while a pile of exquisite dolls rested against the wall. Even the dresses on the dolls were princess gowns—styles Jiang Li had never seen before.
Hearing the commotion, Song Shujing turned around and smiled at her. "Li, I bought your favorite cake and a little dress for you."
"Thank you. I love them." Jiang Li stepped forward and carefully examined everything on the table.
This was the very first birthday she could remember having.
After finding out from Song Shujing, Wu Ming immediately sent messages to Yu Huannian and Miao Anji, not forgetting to notify Lu Xingye and the others.
Jiang Li stared blankly at the cake on the table. She had eaten cake many times before, but this time was exceptionally different.
Yu Zhen Guo returned from outside with his people.
"Happy birthday, Li! Grandpa didn’t know what you’d like, so I bought you a house in City A. That way, you’ll have a place to stay when you go over there." Yu Zhen Guo handed her the property deed.
"Grandpa, this is too expensive." Jiang Li accepted it, overwhelmed by the unexpected favor. "Thank you, Grandpa."