Chapter 121: Strangely, his heart was calm.

Bai Jianning finally found her parents inside the mansion.

The moment she saw them, all the fear and anxiety she had been holding back came rushing out. She immediately threw herself into their arms, tears streaming down her face.

"Mom, Dad! Thank goodness you’re both okay!"

Wei Ranmiao embraced her daughter, gently patting her back to comfort her. Bai Tingyu also reached out and pulled his wife and daughter into his arms, holding them close.

After reassuring themselves that their daughter was unharmed, Bai Tingyu looked around and asked, "Jianning, where’s your Third Brother?"

At the mention of Lin Feng, Bai Jianning’s tears began falling even harder. She quickly recounted everything that had happened.

She told them how a waiter had accidentally tripped and spilled wine on Lin Feng, after which he had been escorted towards the back garden. Not long afterward, the animals had suddenly appeared and rushed in the same direction.

In the middle of the chaos, the man her mother had warned her to stay away from had also appeared before her. He had asked about her Third Brother, and in her confusion and fear, she had told him the truth.

That man had then headed towards the back of the mansion as well.

"Mom, Dad, do you think that man will hurt my Third Brother?" Bai Jianning clutched her mother’s clothes, her voice trembling. "I was too scared to follow him..."

Wei Ranmiao looked at her husband, who shook his head and gently stroked his daughter’s hair.

"No, he won’t hurt your Third Brother. Don’t worry."

However, his voice was tensed.

Bai Tingyu exchanged a glance with his wife.

Both of their eyes were wide, and they immediately understood what the other was thinking.

After hearing Bai Jianning’s account, they had finally seem to realize something.

They remembered Lin Feng’s unusual constitution, which seemed to attract animals. It was almost as though those creatures could sense his emotions and respond to his feelings.

Could the extraordinary gathering of animals just now really have something to do with their nephew?

A troubling thought surfaced in both their minds.

Something must have happened to Lin Feng.

Perhaps his unusual condition had been triggered by something, causing the animals to behave so strangely.

They needed to find him immediately!

However, when Wei Ranmiao looked down at her daughter, she saw that Bai Jianning was still trembling from fear.

She couldn’t simply leave her in this state. So she told her husband,

"I’ll stay here with Jianning. You go and look for Lin Feng."

Bai Tingyu looked at their daughter, immediately nodded, and hurried towards the back entrance of the mansion.

Stepping into the now-deserted garden, Bai Tingyu anxiously searched his surroundings, his heart racing a little faster.

The garden that had been bustling with activity moments ago was now eerily quiet. The animals had all disappeared, leaving behind scattered flower pots and overturned furniture, and many of the plants seemed to have experienced a fierce storm.

One could almost imagine how chaotic this place was earlier.

"Xiao Feng? Xiao Feng, where are you?"

Bai Tingyu searched the area, but there was no sign of his nephew.

His eyes settled on the pond, and his heart almost stopped at a sudden thought that entered his mind.

He immediately dashed to the pond, took off his shoes, and coat, and dove into the murky waters.

Splash!

After diving to the bottom and looking around several times, Bai Tingyu still could not find his nephew.

Growing increasingly anxious, Bai Tingyu finally left the garden and stopped one of the mansion’s servants who was walking near the back entrance.

"Did you see anyone come inside from the garden? He’s my nephew, a young boy with light brown hair, about this tall, wearing a camel-colored suit."

"Ah! I remember him!" The servant immediately recognized the boy Bai Tingyu was describing.

Bai Tingyu immediately lit up with hope and grabbed the servant by the arms.

"Where is he?"

"Earlier, Mr. Hou carried him inside. It seemed the young master had fallen into the pond. They’re resting in one of the guest rooms upstairs now. I also brought up a fresh set of clothes for him to change into."

Only then did Bai Tingyu finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thank you. Could you show me which room they are in?"

The boy lying on the bed slowly opened his eyes, his long lashes parting to reveal a pair of wet amber eyes still clouded with sleep.

After a few seconds, his gaze gradually cleared. He began recalling everything that had happened when he fell into the pond, how he had been rescued, and the appearance of the person who had saved him.

After that, everything went blank.

Lin Feng stared silently at the ceiling, lost in thought.

I was saved.

He should have felt happy. Yet, strangely, his heart remained calm.

Just then, a large hand covered his forehead.

Lin Feng was startled, but before he could react, a familiar voice sounded beside him.

"There is no fever. Why aren’t you saying anything now that you’re awake?"

The voice was deep and low, with a naturally masculine tone. It was a voice Lin Feng knew very well.

Hou Yizhen.

Lin Feng slowly turned his head and saw the man sitting in a chair beside the bed, who was reaching out with one hand still resting against Lin Feng’s forehead.

The man’s palm was large and rough, but also warm and comforting.

Lin Feng stared at Hou Yizhen for a long moment without saying anything.

No one could tell what was going through his mind, not even himself.

But gradually, a wave of relief mixed with grievances welled up in his chest. His eyes began to fill with tears.

"Uncle Hou..."

His voice came out hoarse and weak. A lump seemed to be lodged in his throat, making him cough.

Lying against the bed, his face looked pale, and his entire appearance seemed especially frail.

Hou Yizhen reached out and gently touched his cheek before sliding his hand behind the boy’s neck. Supporting him with one arm, he helped Lin Feng sit up while patting his back with the other.

His dark eyes were difficult to read, but his voice was unusually gentle.

"How are you feeling?"

Lin Feng coughed for a while before reaching out to clutch the man’s clothes. He looked up at him with reddened eyes and whispered,

"I want a hug."

Hou Yizhen paused for a moment before obliging. He wrapped his arms around the boy’s small frame and drew him into his embrace.

He could smell the familiar scent.

He could feel the familiar presence.

He could see those familiar eyes.

He could hear the familiar voice.

Only then did Hou Yizhen finally let out a quiet sigh of relief.

The person in his arms was still his Lin Feng.

The boy clung to him tightly, as though he wanted to bury himself in the man’s chest. His small body trembled as he pressed his face against Hou Yizhen’s strong neck, breathing in the familiar scent of cedar and mint.

The man could not see his face.

At this moment, Lin Feng’s eyes were still wet with tears. Yet there was a strange calmness in them.

Even so, his voice remained full of grievances, giving nothing away.

"I almost thought I would never see you again, Uncle Hou," he whispered while trembling. "I was so scared when I was pushed down from the second floor. I thought I would... I would..."