Chapter 421 The Child is Lost

Cui Xiao didn't even glance in his direction. "I just don't want to die for no reason."

As if he had hit the nail on the head, Zhou Mubin suddenly turned on the turn signal and pulled up steadily in front of a 24-hour convenience store on the side of the road.

"Wait two minutes."

As he unbuckled his seatbelt, his wrist deliberately brushed against the back of Cui Xiao's hand, still warm from his palm, the warmth almost intentional.

Cui Xiao frowned slightly, but didn't say anything.

A moment later, he came out of the convenience store and casually tossed her a bottle of lychee-flavored soda, saying, "I remember you like this soda."

As he spoke, Zhou Mubin took out the pack of cigarettes he had just bought, tore open the packaging, and picked one out with his teeth.

Seemingly noticing Cui Xiao's gaze, he asked another question, "Would you mind if I had a cigarette?"

Cui Xiao shook her head, then looked at the bottle cap and quietly started drinking.

The cigarette didn't last long. Zhou Mubin threw the cigarette butt into the trash can, gripped the steering wheel, and started the car.

The car moved slowly forward, and after a moment Zhou Mubin asked, "Can I go home and sleep peacefully tonight?"

Cui Xiao paused for a moment, then hummed in agreement.

Jin Ping boarded the plane early in the morning, while Sun Lu packed her luggage and moved out of her apartment. After so many days, she could finally go home to rest.

In truth, we should be grateful to Zhou Mubin.

For the first time ever, I actually found her pleasing to the eye today.

Zhou Mubin glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, a smile playing on his lips.

——

Life returned to normal, and everyone went about their busy lives as usual.

The plane tree leaves outside the French windows were gilded by the autumn sun. Xie Nanzhi had just signed the cooperation agreement for the international art exhibition, and the crisp fragrance of fountain pen ink still lingered on her fingertips.

The assistant placed the latest price list for the artwork on the corner of the table, speaking in a very low voice, "Mr. Nan, your work 'Mist' has fetched the highest price for contemporary art this year at auction in M. The collector is hoping to schedule an interview with you."

She raised her hand and rubbed her temples. "Let's talk about it when I get back. My flight is confirmed, and I should be waiting at the airport by this time tomorrow."

Xie Nanzhi's art exhibition went very well, and now her paintings are highly collectible internationally.

She rarely takes a break, and recently, Xie Nanzhi plans to take her whole family on a vacation abroad to relax.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a noisy argument broke out outside the office.

Xiao Lin's voice was filled with urgency, "Ms. Jian, you can't go in, President Nan is handling important work..."

Immediately afterwards, the solid wood door to the office was violently kicked open, and Jian Yao stumbled in, her silk nightgown still stained with wet milk, her once exquisite makeup now a complete mess.

Xiao Lin followed closely behind, her face pale, and tried to step forward to stop them, but Xie Nanzhi raised her hand to stop her.

She had never seen Jian Yao like this before.

Suddenly, Jian Yao's knees buckled, and she knelt down in her direction. "Xie Nanzhi, please help me."

Jian Yao's voice was hoarse like a broken gong. She gripped Xie Nanzhi's wrists tightly with both hands, her nails almost digging into her flesh. "My child, my Qiuqiu, is gone."

Xie Nanzhi's pupils suddenly contracted. Qiuqiu was the child she had just given birth to.

Xie Nanzhi instinctively supported her swaying body. "Calm down, tell me slowly. How could the child be missing? Where is the nanny?"

Jian Yao trembled all over, tears and snot streaming down her face as she incoherently recounted, "I breastfed three times last night, I was so tired... When I woke up at seven this morning, the crib was empty. The nanny was mopping the living room floor and said she didn't hear anything. The windows were locked, and the doors were fine. My baby is only twenty-eight days old."

She suddenly grabbed Xie Nanzhi's arm, her eyes filled with desperate pleading, "Xie Nanzhi, I know you have a wide network of connections and know so many capable people. Please help me find Qiuqiu. After all, Qiuqiu has the blood of the Wei family flowing through her veins. Even for Wei Chizheng's sake, you can't just stand by and do nothing."

The office was eerily quiet, save for Jian Yao's suppressed sobs and the occasional car horn outside the window.

Looking at the woman in front of her who was on the verge of collapse, Xie Nanzhi took a deep breath and pulled her hand away from the tight grip. "Xiao Lin, contact Captain Zhang of the Municipal Public Security Bureau immediately and tell him that I have an emergency and need his assistance."

Xiao Lin: "Yes, Mr. Nan."

Then, Xie Nanzhi squatted down and gently patted Jian Yao's back. "Don't cry, crying won't solve anything. Think carefully, have you offended anyone recently? Or have any strangers come to your house? Does the child have any special markings, like a birthmark?"

Jian Yao gradually stopped crying, trying to calm her breathing. Various fragments flashed through her mind. "I didn't offend anyone... The only person I offended was Pei Jingchuan... But he has already been executed by lethal injection, so how could he possibly take Qiuqiu away?"

Pei Jingchuan was sentenced to death and the sentence was carried out immediately.

This time, Xie Nanzhi saw his body with her own eyes and watched as it was pushed into the crematorium and turned to ashes.

Therefore, Pei Jingchuan has absolutely no chance to fake his death this time.

Who else could it be?

Jian Yao stammered, "Qiuqiu has a small red birthmark on her lower left side..."

She suddenly remembered something, and pulled a photo out of her bag. The baby in the photo had a scrunched-up face and was sleeping soundly, with a birthmark faintly visible on its lower back. "This was taken last week. Look, this is the birthmark."

Xie Nanzhi took the photo and examined it carefully.

The child's eyebrows and eyes do resemble Pei Jingchuan's by a third, but he looks more like Jian Yao.

Xie Nanzhi handed the phone back to Jian Yao, "I understand. I'll let you know as soon as I have any news."

Jian Yao cried and refused to leave, saying, "Xie Nanzhi, you must help me. Only you can help me now."

Xie Nanzhi frowned. "I told you, I'll let you know if there's any news, of course, that's if I still have the patience."

Jian Yao immediately understood her meaning and dared not bother Xie Nanzhi any further.

After Jian Yao left, the office fell silent instantly.

Xie Nanzhi picked up her phone and dialed Wei Chizheng's number. "Wei Chizheng, Jian Yao's child is missing."

Lu Chengyu on the other end of the phone paused for a moment, then replied in a deep voice, "How could the child be missing out of nowhere?"

Xie Nanzhi sat down. "I don't know. Have Mu Lin investigate and see if he can find anything."

Wei Chizheng said, "Okay, I'll let you know if I have any news."

After hanging up the phone, Xie Nanzhi let Xiao Lin in and handed him the photos. "Print out a hundred copies immediately, attach contact information, and mobilize all administrative and logistics staff in the company to help distribute them. Also, have the technical department check the surveillance footage of Jian Yao's residential area, focusing on the footage from 4 a.m. to 7 a.m."

The first to receive the news was Mulin.

No wonder he was trained by Wei Chizheng.

After getting off work in the evening, Wei Chizheng waited for Xie Nanzhi downstairs. After she got into her car, Wei Chizheng gave her the investigation materials.