Chapter 112

Seeing this, Chen Momo had no choice but to wrap the cashmere blanket around herself.

The journey seemed incredibly long, and the sky outside the window gradually darkened. Feeling a bit drowsy, Chen Momo yawned, leaned against the car window, and fell into a deep sleep.

She didn’t know how long they had been driving before she finally opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was a pair of imposing gates that looked incredibly majestic and grand. Two uniformed soldiers carrying long rifles stood guard at the entrance. As soon as they saw Beiming Qianye’s vehicle approaching, they immediately raised their hands in a crisp salute.

Chen Momo carefully observed her surroundings; it looked like some sort of private mountain villa.

“We’re here,” Beiming Qianye said, turning his head to smile at Chen Momo.

“Where is this?” she asked curiously.

Instead of answering directly, Beiming Qianye simply smiled. “You’ll know once you get out and take a look.”

Xiao Bao was still fast asleep. Not wanting to disturb his rest, Chen Momo instinctively reached over to pick him up, but to her surprise, Beiming Qianye had already gently gathered Chen Xiaobao into his arms.

“Let the child sleep a little longer,” Beiming Qianye said softly with a smile.

Chen Xiaobao seemed to feel an unprecedented sense of security in Beiming Qianye’s embrace. He didn’t even stir, merely resting his head on Beiming Qianye’s shoulder as he continued to slumber peacefully.

Seeing Beiming Qianye holding her son without the slightest hint of distaste—looking instead like a mature, steady father figure—Chen Momo’s anxious heart gradually settled. Even Yang Shunsheng had never appeared as reliable as Beiming Qianye did. Despite having been married for many years and having an older child, Yang Shunsheng was still incredibly immature, having failed to grow up simply because he had become a father.

It was already nighttime. They had arrived at a massive private mansion with a sprawling courtyard and a wide central road leading straight to the main residence. Maids scurried back and forth in busy pairs and trios. In the Capital, a private estate of such immense scale was visibly worth a fortune.

“Is this where you usually live?” Chen Momo asked.

Beiming Qianye shook his head. “I don’t usually live here. This is where I used to stay to recuperate from an illness.”

“Oh…”

Chen Momo nodded, musing to herself that it must be nice to be rich if he could stay in such a massive mansion just to recuperate. Beiming Qianye really kept his wealth well hidden.

Xu Xiaoka was equally astounded by the magnificent, palace-like estate. If she hadn’t been lucky enough to tag along with Sister Momo, she wouldn’t have even known such luxurious residences existed in the real world! It was absolutely mind-blowing. She had always thought such colossal mansions only existed in TV shows or novels, but here one was, right in front of her very eyes.

Acting like a wide-eyed child who had never seen the world, Xu Xiaoka couldn’t help but look around in every direction, occasionally letting out gasps of amazement. “Sister Momo, look how beautiful this sculpture is! Sister Momo, this place is so luxurious! Wow, this painting must be worth a fortune!”

Chen Momo was also heavily shocked, but she couldn’t let it show. Given her age and maturity, she had to force herself to remain composed rather than fussing over everything like an inexperienced country bumpkin like Xu Xiaoka. She did her best to feign calmness, burying all her astonishment deep inside. However, despite her unbothered exterior, she was truly shaken to her core by the display of wealth.

Soon, Xu Xiaoka discovered another shocking detail.

“Sister Momo, there doesn’t seem to be any snow here!”

Not only was there no snow, but the temperature was also completely normal! Her exclamation immediately drew Chen Momo’s attention. Looking around, she realized that there really wasn’t a single snowflake in sight! More than that, the ambient temperature felt like autumn, and the pine and cypress trees lining the road were still a vibrant green.

“This is truly bizarre,” Chen Momo remarked.

Beiming Qianye looked at her and said softly, “I will explain what’s going on in a moment.”

“Chief.” Housekeeper Ma, a woman in her forties whose full name was Ma Dongmei, walked over and bowed to Beiming Qianye.

She then glanced at Chen Momo and Xu Xiaoka. The moment she laid eyes on Chen Momo, a flash of panic crossed her gaze. She was far too similar. This woman looked exactly like that dead woman.

Beiming Qianye instructed, “Housekeeper Ma, go and arrange accommodations for Miss Chen and our other two guests.”

“Right away, Chief,” Ma Dongmei replied hastily. With that, she gave Chen Momo another look and said, “Please follow me.”

Chen Momo turned to Beiming Qianye. “I’ll share a room with my son.” She would only feel at ease if she stayed with Xiao Bao.

“That works too,” Beiming Qianye agreed, gently handing Chen Xiaobao over to her.

Chen Xiaobao shuddered slightly and woke up.

“Mommy, Xiao Bao can walk by himself,” Chen Xiaobao mumbled. Afraid of tiring his mother out, he refused to be carried and insisted on walking on his own two feet. Taking in the unfamiliar surroundings with his large, dark eyes, he couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Where is this?”

Beiming Qianye squatted down to put himself at eye level with Xiao Bao. “This is Uncle’s house,” he said with a warm smile. “It’s too late today, but tomorrow Uncle will take you on a fun tour of the place, okay?”

Chen Xiaobao nodded obediently. “Okay! Thank you, Uncle.”

Beiming Qianye ruffled his hair affectionately. “What a good boy.”

With her son Chen Xiaobao in tow, Chen Momo followed Ma Dongmei into one of the guest rooms.

In a palace-like villa, the guest rooms were naturally nothing short of spectacular. The spacious and comfortable suite featured twenty-four-hour air purification. The paintings and tea sets displayed within were all masterfully crafted pieces of immeasurable value. The massive bed was a full five meters wide, topped with a thick mattress that promised cloud-like softness and comfort. Such an expansive room was more than enough for Chen Momo and her son.

Ma Dongmei smiled professionally. “Miss Chen, I am the housekeeper here. You’ll be staying in this room from now on. If you need anything, please feel free to come to me directly.”

Chen Momo smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Housekeeper Ma.”

“You’re welcome; it’s my job,” Ma Dongmei replied. She then stared blankly at Chen Momo’s face for a moment, muttering to herself, “So similar. Truly too similar. Practically identical.”

Confused, Chen Momo asked, “What is identical?”

Snapping back to reality, Ma Dongmei quickly shook her head. “Oh, it’s nothing. I was just rambling. It’s getting late, Miss Chen, so you and your son should get some rest. I will go and arrange a room for Miss Xu now.”

Turning to Xu Xiaoka, Ma Dongmei said, “Miss Xu, please follow me.”