Chapter 2188
In the living room, chaos ensued, and Ruan Jianguo’s voice was loud enough to lift the roof: "It must be that brat who took the darling to Hengya. No way, I must catch up immediately!"
The Ruanlin Family had originally made some milk with pearl powder for Ruan Jiaojiao, intending to bring it to her, but unexpectedly found not only was Ruan Jiaojiao not in her room, Duan Xi was also not there.
Ruan Jianguo immediately exploded, and as soon as he stepped out the main door, he encountered Duan Xi carrying back Ruan Jiaojiao.
"What... what’s happened?" Ruan Jianguo was about to yell but then saw Ruan Jiaojiao nestled in Duan Xi’s arms, her eyes red and her little face frozen to a purplish-blue tint, and his anger vanished instantly, replaced by worry as he ran up to them.
Everyone else in the house immediately rushed forward to meet them.
Shu Jiao’s gaze swept across Duan Xi’s face and then settled on Ruan Jiaojiao, with a growing ominous feeling in her heart.
She moved Ruan Jianguo aside and said to Duan Xi: "Put Jiaojiao on the sofa first. Ruan Jie, go get a basin of hot water. Ruan Hao, bring a thin blanket over."
Ruan Jie and Ruan Hao nodded and turned to leave.
Once Duan Xi placed Ruan Jiaojiao on the sofa, the Ruanlin Family and Shu Jiao came over, each holding one of her small hands and rubbing them with pity.
"What really happened? In the middle of the night, Xiaoxi, why did you take the darling outside!" Old Man Shu couldn’t help blurting out in his accent due to his anxiety.
Ruan Jiaojiao cried heavily, and with the intense cold, was completely unresponsive.
Even as her little hands were held and rubbed by the Ruanlin Family and Shu Jiao, there was no reaction at all.
The Ruan Family hadn’t seen Ruan Jiaojiao like this in years, and they were sorely distressed, even Shu Jiao was somewhat panicked, holding Ruan Jiaojiao’s stiff little body in her arms: "Jiaojiao, don’t scare Mommy, talk to Mommy, okay?"
Beside them, Ruan Hao laid out the thin blanket, wrapped Ruan Jiaojiao inside it, and glanced at Duan Xi: "Xiaoxi, what happened?"
Ruan Hao had asked the hotel staff earlier, confirmed Ruan Jiaojiao didn’t meet any strange people today, and the karaoke place was also investigated without finding anything unusual.
But now, Ruan Jiaojiao looked lost and troubled, clearly not like nothing was wrong.
The only person who stayed with her throughout was Duan Xi, and he was the only one who knew.
All the eyes in the living room turned towards Duan Xi when Ruan Hao asked, even the excluded Xiaobai and Chengcheng joined in.
Duan Xi glanced at the closed-eyed Ruan Jiaojiao and could only shake his head.
Lu Xian had mentioned this several times, asking them not to talk for now and saying he would tell them personally later.
Despite the clumsy whispers, no one could get any information, and the Ruan Family grew impatient; however, despite their urgency, one was confused while the other remained expressionless, refusing to speak.
Eventually, the Ruan Family had no choice but to give up, with Shu Jiao and the Ruanlin Family wiping Ruan Jiaojiao’s face and hands before letting Duan Xi take her to rest.
Night deepened into silence.
Held in Duan Xi’s embrace, Ruan Jiaojiao wasn’t crying anymore, but this morose state made Duan Xi even more heartbroken.
He lowered his head, wanting to comfort her.
But Ruan Jiaojiao raised her head faster, with red eyes she uttered: "Brother Xi, in the past life, Brother Xian wasn’t dead."
In this life, everyone in the Ruan Family lived on, even Shu Wen who had died young was alive and well, and she always felt joy, even pride, because of this.