Ji Hanchen opened the voice message, and Shen Luo's voice came through: "I checked, but there's nothing. Someone must have taken it during the chaos. That person must have been mixed in with the others."

Xu Qingyun bit her lip, feeling somewhat annoyed and unwilling.

Ji Hanchen knelt on one knee in front of her, gently placing his fingertip on her lips. "Yunyun, don't blame yourself. None of us expected this."

"I was careless at the time!" Xu Qingyun said, trying her best to suppress her anger.

Ji Hanchen shook his head with absolute certainty: "It's not that you were careless. If it were me in that situation, I would have overlooked it as well."

"It's not difficult to investigate. Just check each person who was there at the time, and you'll definitely find out."

"Leave this matter to Shen Luo and Lu Chuan. Professional matters should be handled by professionals. They can find out about your life when you were thirteen, and they can also find out who was at the scene that day and who is suspicious."

Xu Qingyun suddenly felt that the stuffiness that had been building up in her chest had dissipated considerably.

Ji Hanchen is right; she was a bit impulsive just now.

There are too many suspicious things about my mother. It will take time to find out the truth. How could she be so irrational?

"Ji Hanchen, thank you for always being there for me."

With him around, Xu Qingyun felt that she was not alone. It was as if she had someone to rely on. She was not afraid of anything and could lean on him when she was tired.

Ji Hanchen gently stroked her smooth face with his thumb, his voice softer than ever before, "You're welcome. No matter what happens, I'll be here for you."

"good."

**

New Year's Day, the first day of 2024, is just two days away.

Huo Xize arrived in Nancheng that day.

He wasn't alone; besides his bodyguards, Huo Yan was also with him.

The father and son went straight to Ji Hanchen's residence. Before they could knock, Xu Qingyun opened the door first.

She saw them from the balcony.

"Xiaoyun, Happy New Year!"

With a smile on his face, Huo Xize patted the snow off his coat and handed the hat to Huo Yan.

Then, he took the shopping bag from the bodyguard. "It's so cold today. Huo Yan and I didn't bring much with us, so we bought you a coat. Xiao Yun, try it on."

Huo Yan chuckled, "Little Yun, I picked this out myself. Try it on, it should be very warm. Girls are all afraid of the cold, so wearing this will keep you warm."

He would never say that it was custom-made for him and that it was made with the finest fox fur.

Xu Qingyun didn't answer, saying, "I can't accept a reward without merit."

Huo Yan paused for a moment, then turned to look at Huo Xize. When he turned back, his smile widened. "Don't be so serious, it's just a piece of clothing. I'd like to adopt you as my little sister."

Xu Qingyun ignored Huo Yan and gave Huo Xize a faint smile. "Mr. Huo, thank you for making this trip. Let's go."

Huo Xize's mind raced, and he tried to suppress his surging emotions: "It's alright, I happen to have something to do in Nancheng, let's get the test done first."

Xu Qingyun nodded: "I'll come after I change my clothes."

"Let's wait outside."

Huo Yan followed Huo Xize downstairs and couldn't help but glare at Huo Xize fiercely: "It's all your fault, my sister didn't accept my gift!"

Huo Xize warned in a deep voice: "Keep your cool!"

Huo Yan said impatiently, "Am I not patient enough?! I've had enough!"

Huo Xize warned sternly: "Huo Yan!"

Huo Yan pouted, "I'll endure it for my sister's sake!"

Five minutes later, Xu Qingyun and Ji Hanchen went downstairs together, and the group went to the Bai family's appraisal agency.

Wearing a white coat, Bai Ruiting personally drew blood from Xu Qingyun and Huo Xize, then took it directly into the laboratory. No one else handled it, and he was the only one in the laboratory.

Huo Yan sat in a chair, legs crossed, and said, "The results won't be out anytime soon. Let's go get some food. Little sister, what do you like to eat?"

Xu Qingyun refused, "I'm not hungry."

"Little sister, Dad and I haven't eaten all day since we came here. Will you eat something with us?" Huo Yan clutched his stomach, looking a little pitiful.

Moreover, his stomach was making a series of "gurgling" sounds. Huo Yan's eyes widened immediately. "Little sister, listen, I've really been hungry for a long time, otherwise why would my stomach be growling?"

"Hey little sister, wanna come with me? Let's have hot pot?"

Huo Yan is a well-known spoiled rich kid in Haicheng. He has a rather aloof face, but he's actually a chatterbox.

Seeing Xu Qingyun frown, Huo Yan asked again, "Little sister, what do you like to eat?"

Xu Qingyun felt that Huo Yan was being overly enthusiastic, but strangely she didn't dislike it, so she replied in a low voice, "Hot pot, please."

The weather is cold, so hot pot is perfect. Her hands and feet are cold, so she also wants to eat something warm.

Huo Yan immediately stood up with a beaming smile. "Little sister, what kind of hot pot do you like? Tomato hot pot? Mushroom hot pot? Or seafood hot pot?"

Xu Qingyun frowned. The last time she saw Huo Yan, she only felt that he had a ruthless streak, but she didn't expect him to be so talkative. She could only answer, "Mushroom hot pot."

"Oh, you have the same taste as me, I also like mushrooms." Huo Yanjun smiled and called him "brother" and "sister" affectionately.

Then he turned to Ji Hanchen, "Brother-in-law, what about you?"

Ji Hanchen's handsome face was almost as black as the bottom of a pot. He pulled Xu Qingyun back to his side and said coldly, "Young Master Huo, we are not related. When did I, Ji Hanchen, gain an older brother?"

Huo Yan raised an eyebrow. "Xiao Yun is my sister. Does Mr. Ji not want to marry her?"

"My marriage to Yunyun seems to have nothing to do with Mr. Huo. Or perhaps you are Yunyun's older brother?"

Ji Hanchen gave a half-smile, his eyes filled with an unfathomable emotion.

Huo Yan raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Ji seems to value blood ties a lot. My mother is your aunt, and I am your cousin. Why have I never heard you call me 'brother'?"

This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!