Chapter 205: Lucky to Have Met Him

Chapter 205: Chapter 205: Lucky to Have Met Him

Back in the front passenger seat, Tao An opened his mouth to speak several times, but always stopped himself.

He glanced at the rearview mirror, taking in the scene in the back seat—

The two figures, one large and one small, had tacitly put some distance between them after getting into the car.

The larger one wore an exquisite, custom-tailored casual suit. He had an air of noble indifference, looking as if he could step right into a formal business meeting at a moment’s notice.

But because he had just been carrying the child, his clothes were spattered with mud. The expensive, delicate fabric was stained with obvious wet marks, and even the meticulously ironed hem was crumpled, giving him a disheveled appearance that didn’t suit him at all.

As for the small one beside him, he still had his raincoat on and was clutching an absurdly large red umbrella. He was so filthy he looked like he had rolled around in a mud puddle. Only his little face was relatively clean, but it was a stark, cold white.

Upon closer inspection, you could see him trembling slightly.

"Are you cold?"

"No."

"Is your leg hurt?"

"It’s fine."

And just like that, the conversation between the two, both equally sparing with their words, came to a swift end.

Tao An, listening from the side, was completely baffled.

’Mr. Lu, oh, Mr. Lu, can’t you tell that the kid, Nan Yi, is obviously not being honest?’

’He didn’t even press him with another question or two before ending the conversation.’

’Where’s his sympathy and compassion for a human Cub?’

...Oh, right. I forgot my boss doesn’t have any of that.

And yet, it was this same cold-blooded, heartless Mr. Lu who had personally picked up the filthy little wolf cub and carried him to the car.

Mr. Lu was a notorious germaphobe, his standards for cleanliness bordering on draconian.

Yet now that his clothes were dirty, all he did was furrow his brow.

’That already blew my expectations out of the water, okay?’

Lost in his conflicting thoughts, Tao An failed to notice a pair of bright, intense eyes from the back seat fixed on him.

Tao An glanced up suddenly and his gaze met those eyes. He let out a soft "Ah."

Nan Yi took the initiative to ask,

"Is something wrong, mister?"

For some reason, Tao An felt a little intimidated.

He actually sensed an imposing aura from Nan Yi, one that was strangely similar to Mr. Lu’s.

’Could it be fate? Is that why their auras are so similar in some ways?’

Tao An didn’t dwell on it. He quickly composed himself and put on a friendly, approachable smile.

"Nan Yi, I have a towel here. Do you need it?"

"No, thank you."

Nan Yi’s mind was elsewhere entirely.

He was desperate to get back, wishing the car would go faster and faster. He wished it could sprout wings and fly straight to his mother’s side.

Unfortunately, the mountain road was wet and slick, and it was the middle of the night. For safety’s sake, Old Sun couldn’t possibly drive any faster.

Anxious, Nan Yi hugged the umbrella even tighter.

Lu Shixu’s gaze suddenly flicked toward him.

"Are you wary of me?"

"What?"

Nan Yi’s mind blanked for a second.

Lu Shixu didn’t say anything more. He simply gestured toward the knife hilt peeking out from where Nan Yi was holding it.

Only then did Nan Yi remember the tool he had brought with him. He pulled it out.

The blade flashed, bright as snow, nearly dazzling Tao An, who had been secretly watching the back seat!

Tao An cried out in alarm.

"Be careful! You’ll cut yourself!"

Then, he added worriedly,

"A kid like you shouldn’t be playing with knives! It’s too dangerous!"

Nan Yi was silent for two seconds.

He wasn’t so much silent as he was speechless.

Then he answered,

"I’m not playing. It’s for self-defense."

Tao An was stunned on the spot.

Lu Shixu, on the other hand, smoothly praised Nan Yi’s actions.

"Good crisis awareness. Not bad."

Nan Yi, who would have been either shy or excited by his mother’s praise, felt nothing at Lu Shixu’s compliment. He just gave a flat "Oh."

Lu Shixu said, "But you can put the knife away now."

The implication was that Nan Yi was safe now.

But Nan Yi?

"Thank you."

He said nothing more.

It was a polite refusal.

Tao An, recovering from his surprise, almost burst out laughing when he heard that.

’Does little Nan Yi see us all as bad guys?’

’Well, I can’t be sure about the man in the back seat. He probably does have some "bad" intentions...’

"The car can’t go any further."

Old Sun delivered the bad news.

Tao An’s amusement vanished instantly. He frowned and looked ahead.

The road ahead was not only narrow, but the dirt path was completely saturated with rainwater, and parts of the edge had collapsed.

Even in their high-performance SUV, they were helpless against such terrible road conditions.

Tao An asked worriedly,

"Then what do we do...?"

THUMP.

Nan Yi, holding the umbrella, slid down from the back seat.

The SUV’s interior was spacious and tall, so Nan Yi was able to stand up straight. He lifted his little head defiantly.

"You all wait here. I’ll go get my mom."

He probably assumed that given the circumstances, Lu Shixu and the others wouldn’t be willing to go any further.

So, without a second thought, Nan Yi moved to push the door open, stubborn and headstrong.

Lu Shixu’s hand shot out and clamped down on his shoulder.

Pinned by the large hand, Nan Yi couldn’t move. He could only glare back in anger.

Lu Shixu’s expression was placid.

"Didn’t you say she passed out? Do you think you can carry her?"

Nan Yi’s small shoulders immediately slumped.

He gritted his teeth, finally willing to relent and bow his head.

"Please..."

"No need."

Lu Shixu cut him off and pushed the car door open, stepping out.

His voice drifted back faintly through the curtain of rain.

"Stay in the car. I’ll bring her here."

Nan Yi stared fixedly at his back.

As unwilling as he was, he had to admit—

’It was a good thing they ran into him.’

「Meanwhile.」

Lu Shixu, holding an umbrella, was already striding along the path, rapidly approaching the old house that was nearly one with the night and the pouring rain.

His night vision was astonishing. He quickly got his bearings and strode to the front door.

The door was ajar, probably because Nan Yi left in a hurry.

Lu Shixu frowned.

’But he could hardly blame a four-and-a-half-year-old for not thinking things through.’

He stepped inside. A single glance was all it took to assess the situation. He headed directly for the inner room, which was sectioned off by a cloth curtain.

The moment he drew near, a sweet fragrance, carried on the damp air, struck him right in the soul, sending out ripples that were both long-lost and deeply familiar.

Scent is the most ancient of memories.

Lu Shixu’s steps paused.

In a trance, he seemed to see a familiar bedroom. The same darkness, the same rainy night, the same person lying on the bed...

"Ngh..."

A pained groan from Nan Zhi startled Lu Shixu out of his reverie.

He hurried forward, ignoring the powerful sense of déjà vu that resonated to his very soul. His eyes were fixed only on Nan Zhi, who was lying on her side on the bed.

She was very thin.

Although she had filled out a little since they first met, she was still astonishingly slender.

As fragile as glass—beautiful, but easily shattered.

As she arched her back, her seaweed-like black hair fanned out across the pillow. The loose collar of her nightgown slipped down, revealing the delicate, sharp line of her spine...

The sight made Lu Shixu’s heart pound in fear. For a moment, he thought her fragile bones were about to snap.

His heart heavy, Lu Shixu stepped forward and shook her gently.

"Nan Zhi. Zhizhi, wake up."

And slowly, Nan Zhi’s eyes began to open.