"Don't you want to go through the formal divorce procedures with Jiaxi and remain entangled like this?" Song Jiaping said. "Even if Mengqi disagrees, this is our business, and she can't interfere. What if she's willing to bless us? Don't you want her blessing?"
Mengyao wished for Mengqi's blessing in her dreams and said, "Of course I do, but will she bless us?"
"How will you know if you don't try," Song Jiaping said gently. "After we're together, I don't want you to have any regrets in your life."
"Okay, I'll listen to you. We'll go back to Lancheng." Mengyao thought that with him by her side, she feared nothing.
...
Xiao Xingxing finally got his first holiday from studying abroad. He told his parents he wanted to use the break to explore the local customs and traditions and had arranged to go sightseeing with his classmates.
Tianyi and Susu didn't insist on him returning for the holidays, thinking it was right for him to familiarize himself with the situation there.
Xiao Xingxing had already prepared his backpack and planned his route. On the first day of his holiday, he set off early in the morning with a large backpack.
He took a six-hour bus ride to this city in the north of Europe, where the streets were lined with castle-like buildings.
Earlier, Uncle An Jing had told Xiao Xingxing that Xiaoxiao's biological father was of noble descent.
He followed the address given by Uncle An Jing and found the ancient castle. He couldn't believe people still lived there; shouldn't it be a museum?
Xiao Xingxing knocked hard on the large door, but there was no response. He then noticed a modern doorbell next to it and, with excitement, pressed it.
A moment later, a small window on the door opened, and someone asked, "Who are you looking for?"
"I'm looking for Xiaoxiao, is she here?"
"Who is Xiaoxiao?" The person didn't recognize the name at all.
Xiao Xingxing remembered that after Xiaoxiao returned to her biological father, she had a new name: Iliana.
He quickly changed his words and said, "I'm looking for Iliana, is she here?"
The person frowned upon hearing this and said, "She's not here."
"When will she be back?" Xiao Xingxing asked again, a little disappointed.
"I don't know." After speaking, the person closed the small window on the door.
Xiao Xingxing hadn't expected this and wanted to wait at the door for Xiaoxiao to return.
This was indeed her current address, so she would eventually come back.
Xiao Xingxing took out some food from his bag and squatted in a corner outside the door, waiting. He watched people coming and going on the street but didn't see Xiaoxiao.
He didn't know how long he had waited; it was already dark. Would Xiaoxiao not come back tonight?
If she didn't come back, where would a girl stay outside?
Xiao Xingxing began to worry, but the street was getting colder, and he couldn't keep waiting.
He stood up, planning to find a hotel to stay for the night and look for Xiaoxiao again tomorrow.
Xiao Xingxing searched for a hotel on his phone and finally found one with available rooms. He followed the navigation to find it.
On his way to the hotel, he passed a noisy bar. The music was so loud that even people passing by found it jarring.
He couldn't help but look inside through the window. Young men and women inside were dancing wildly.
In a flash, Xiao Xingxing saw a girl who looked a bit like Xiaoxiao, but he couldn't be sure.
Xiaoxiao should only be twelve or thirteen years old, but she was dressed very maturely, with big, wavy blonde hair. She was dressed like she was in costume, her face heavily made up, a nose ring in her nose, dancing with abandon.
Xiao Xingxing wanted to go in to get a closer look. The person guarding the entrance told him, "You need to buy a ticket to enter."
"How much?"
The person stated a price, which he quickly paid and then entered the bar, wanting to confirm if the girl was Xiaoxiao.
Xiao Xingxing approached the girl and shouted, "Xiaoxiao, is that you?"
The girl suddenly saw him and was stunned, seemingly unable to believe her eyes. She murmured, "Brother Xing?"
It was too noisy in the bar, and Xiao Xingxing couldn't hear what she was saying. He asked again, "Are you Xiaoxiao?"
"No!" Xiaoxiao shouted, then immediately turned and pushed through the people in front of her to leave.
Xiao Xingxing quickly followed her. Judging by her reaction, he felt she must be Xiaoxiao.
Xiaoxiao fled the bar as if escaping, not wanting Xiao Xingxing to see her like this, just wanting to shake him off.
Xiao Xingxing didn't know what had happened to Xiaoxiao with her biological father, or why she had become like this. He had to catch up to her and ask for an explanation.
Xiaoxiao, however, desperately tried to escape. At a street corner, a drunk man reeking of alcohol lunged at her.
She was startled and dodged, shouting, "Get lost!"
The drunk man, emboldened by alcohol, grabbed her and tried to pull off her clothes. Xiaoxiao resisted with all her might.
The drunk man, with great strength, pushed her to the ground. She instinctively used her hands to brace herself, and the skin on her hands was scraped raw.
As Xiaoxiao tried to get up, the drunk man grabbed one of her feet and threw her to the ground again, intending to do as he pleased.
Just then, Xiao Xingxing arrived and shouted, "Xiaoxiao, don't be afraid," before rushing forward and kicking the drunk man away.
Xiaoxiao seized the opportunity to quickly get up from the ground and hid fearfully behind Xiao Xingxing.
The drunk man was not to be trifled with and quickly retaliated, getting into a scuffle with Xiao Xingxing.
Xiao Xingxing was the same height as the drunk man, but not as sturdy. However, his Taekwondo training was not in vain. Within a few moves, he knocked the drunk man to the ground.
Seeing that the situation was not in his favor, the drunk man got up and fled.
He took Xiaoxiao's hand and said, "Come on, I'll take you home."
Xiaoxiao immediately pulled her hand away and said, "I'm not going back!"
"If you're not going home, where will a girl stay outside?" Xiao Xingxing asked.
Xiaoxiao said casually, "Anywhere will do for the night. I'm not going back anyway."
"Xiaoxiao, what exactly happened to you here? Why has Uncle An Jing been unable to contact you for some time?" Xiao Xingxing was worried about her.
"I don't need Xiao An Jing's concern at all. He's the most hypocritical person," Xiaoxiao said coldly.
Xiao Xingxing was at a loss for what to do with her for a moment and said, "I've booked a hotel room online. Why don't you come with me to the hotel? If you still consider me your brother, tell me what's going on?"
Xiaoxiao finally smiled at him and said, "You'll always be my Brother Xing, and I'll never go back to that home again. I'll follow you."
Xiao Xingxing also smiled and took out his phone, showing her the location of the hotel on the navigation.
"This hotel, I know it. Follow me."
With Xiaoxiao leading the way, they quickly found the hotel.
Upon reaching the room, Xiaoxiao lay on the bed, completely relaxed, and said, "This bed is so clean. I can finally get a good night's sleep tonight."
"Okay, you sleep on the bed, and I'll sleep on the sofa." Xiao Xingxing was happy to see her happy, but her current makeup was not suitable for her. "Before you sleep, can you wash off all the makeup? And don't wear makeup anymore."