"How come you're not happy after seeing Little Whale?"
Murong Cheng handed her a cup of hot milk.
Jiang Shiyu cradled the warm cup, a wave of melancholy washing over her. "He's changed, he's not like he used to be. He wasn't like this before!"
Jiang Shiyu began to suspect that this Li Gang wasn't Little Whale at all.
But Li Gang could answer her questions so accurately. How could he possibly answer her questions so precisely if he wasn't Little Whale?
Murong Cheng sat down in front of Jiang Shiyu. "I have someone to meet later. Go home and rest early, Cheche is about to finish class."
"Okay!" Jiang Shiyu finished the hot milk and walked out of Murong Cheng's office.
The man walked her downstairs. As they waited for the elevator, the doors opened, revealing three men in black suits. They wore sunglasses inside, and just a glance at them made one feel the urge to retreat and keep a distance.
Jiang Shiyu shivered and hid behind Murong Cheng. "Who are they?"
Murong Cheng looked calmly at the three men in the elevator. "Wait for me a few minutes, I'll see my wife to her car."
The three men seemed to know Murong Cheng. They walked out without a word and headed straight for the office.
They were so proper, like trained professionals.
"They're guests, don't be afraid." Murong Cheng's expression softened, and he took Jiang Shiyu's cold little hand as they entered the elevator.
Jiang Shiyu parked her car on the basement level. Murong Cheng watched her get into the car, closed the driver's door, and then rested his arm on the car window. "Be careful."
"I will." Jiang Shiyu wanted to ask about the three men, but she didn't voice her question.
After she drove out of the parking lot, she saw the man walking back towards the elevator in the rearview mirror.
Those three men didn't look like good people at all. What exactly did they do...
Jiang Shiyu muttered a few words and drove towards the kindergarten.
Because Murong Cheng was busy today, Jiang Shiyu picked up Cheche and took him to his grandmother's house.
When Cheche heard he was going to his grandmother's, he danced with joy. "Daddy doesn't let me eat candy, but Grandma secretly lets me have a little bit."
"Why doesn't Daddy let Cheche eat candy?"
"Daddy said Cheche has cavities and can't eat candy, but I want candy."
Cheche's voice was childish, and he seemed to have forgotten the unpleasantness of last night, as if nothing had happened.
"Grandfather also lets me eat candy. I love Grandma and Grandfather!"
The little fellow grinned, showing his small teeth.
They talked all the way, and soon arrived at her mother's house.
When the door opened, Yu Xiu saw Jiang Shiyu and Cheche and her eyes curved into crescent moons. "You're here! Are you hungry? I've cooked for you. I was just waiting for you to eat before you go back." "Okay, thank you, Mom." Jiang Shiyu was stunned. Even though she had met Yu Xiu several times, she was still amazed by her beauty.
Even at forty or fifty, Yu Xiu was still beautiful. It was no wonder Murong Cheng's father couldn't resist her back then.
Time never defeated a beauty.
That's what they said about Murong Cheng's mother.
Murong Cheng hadn't inherited anything from his father, but all of his mother's genes.
Yu Xiu made three dishes and one soup, all of which Jiang Shiyu loved. She also made a steamed egg custard, which Cheche loved the most, and made a bowl for Jiang Shiyu, adding extra shrimp and egg.
"Grandma is so skillful. Mommy loves Grandma's cooking the most." Cheche kissed Yu Xiu on the cheek.
Yu Xiu beamed. "You sweet talker, you're the only one who knows how to say such things. Eat more if you like it, I'll make more if it's not enough."
The three of them sat down and enjoyed the meal.
After the meal, Yu Xiu watched cartoons with Cheche for a while, and Cheche soon got sleepy.
Jiang Shiyu carried Cheche into the room.
This was Jiang Shiyu's first time entering Murong Cheng's room.
She saw a familiar photo in the room...
Jiang Shiyu found it familiar and walked over to pick up the photo.
It was an old photograph, but because it was framed, it was well-preserved.
The photo showed a chubby little boy holding an ice cream cone, smiling like a hundred-kilogram fatty.
Although the little fatty had grown a bit and lost a little weight, it was clearly Little Whale's face!
Jiang Shiyu held the photo frame, feeling both surprised and astonished.
This was the room Murong Cheng used to live in, so who else could this photo be of but Murong Cheng!
Murong Cheng looked so much like Little Whale when he was a child!
Jiang Shiyu couldn't hide her excitement, her heart beating several times faster.
She took out her phone, wanting to call Murong Cheng to ask for clarification.
Creak.
Yu Xiu pushed the door open. "Shiyu, come and have some fruit."
Jiang Shiyu quickly put down the photo frame. "Coming, Mom."
She went out of the room and sat in the living room. She picked up an apple skewered with a toothpick and chewed on it.
"What were you looking at just now?" Yu Xiu's smile and voice were very gentle.
There was no hint of the cold and aloof Murong Cheng's mother.
"Is the photo in the room of A Cheng?" Jiang Shiyu said Murong Cheng's name and was surprised to realize.
A Cheng, Little Whale, A Cheng, Little Whale.
Could it be—
"You'll have to ask him that yourself. He doesn't like others interfering in his affairs, so I can't say much. Why don't you ask A Cheng?"
Yu Xiu smiled. Murong Cheng had warned her about this last time.
He was afraid this little girl would recognize him as that chubby kid and ruin her image of him.
So he told her not to say anything.
Yu Xiu had no choice but to keep it a secret.
"Mom, just tell me." Jiang Shiyu swayed Yu Xiu's arm, acting spoiled.
She really wanted to know.
Yu Xiu smiled helplessly. "Ask A Cheng, he'll definitely have the answer."
Jiang Shiyu had to give up. "It's getting late, I should go, Mom. I'll come to see you again in a few days. Thank you for taking care of Cheche these days."
"Okay, take care, be safe."
Yu Xiu walked Jiang Shiyu downstairs and watched her get into the car before turning back.
When Jiang Shiyu returned to Jingyuan, only the housekeeper was there.
Seeing Jiang Shiyu return, the housekeeper stood up. "The food is heated. Madam, would you like some supper? I've heated some bird's nest soup for you, as Mr. instructed."
"Thank you, you can go home now."
Seeing that Murong Cheng hadn't returned yet, Jiang Shiyu served a bowl of snow fungus soup and sat on the sofa, eating while she waited.
As she was about to finish the bowl, there was a sound from the entrance.
Jiang Shiyu got up to open the door. The man stood outside, dressed in black from head to toe. As he got closer, she could faintly smell a hint of blood.
The man was wearing black clothes, so the bloodstains were not visible at all.
Jiang Shiyu sniffed and frowned. "Why are you back so late? Where did you go? Were you this busy today?"
The clock was almost at twelve, and Murong Cheng had just returned.
And he smelled of blood.
"Did you go to the market to slaughter pigs?"
Jiang Shiyu blinked her eyes in confusion.