Su Yan was a little surprised.

From Nianyu's words, she could tell that this little girl had been well-educated by her mother and did not harbor resentment because Su Yu had not come to see her for so many years. Otherwise, Nianyu would definitely hate her own father.

Although they had never met, Su Yan had a very good impression of her future sister-in-law.

“Nianyu, your father didn’t intentionally not come looking for you and your mother. He just doesn’t know where you are now. If he did, he would never let you and your mother suffer,” Su Yan said.

Su Yu picked up his daughter.

Nianyu exclaimed in surprise, quickly hugged Su Yu's neck, looked at him expectantly, and asked, "Are you really my dad?"

Su Yu nodded, "Yes, but Dad is not a good dad. I've made you and your mom suffer so much. I'm sorry."

Nianyu shook her head with a serious expression. "No, Mom said Dad is a hero who protects our country. He didn't neglect us on purpose, so Dad doesn't need to apologize."

Su Yu was truly surprised.

This child... has been taught to be so sensible.

He tenderly touched his daughter's little face and choked up as he said, "Thank you, Nianyu."

Su Yan glanced at the time and asked, "Nianyu, how long did it take you to walk from home to the New Year's market?"

"I guess it will be two hours."

Why guess?

"Because I didn't have a watch, my mom taught me to observe the weather and calculate the time. Nianyu learned it when she was three years old!"

Su Yan felt a pang of sadness upon hearing this. It seemed that Nianyu and her mother had suffered even more than they had imagined.

Li Juan hid behind Su Yan, wiping away her tears, and cursed her son in her heart.

Su Yu took a deep breath, unable to believe that Nian Yu, such a small child, had carried so many things and walked such a long distance.

He tightened his grip on his daughter, his voice filled with concern. "Aren't you tired? Aren't you afraid of running into bad people on the street?"

Nianyu said sadly, "But Mom will vomit blood if she doesn't take her medicine. I don't want Mom to vomit blood. Dad, can you take Mom to see a doctor?"

My mother said that she and my father weren't husband and wife, and she didn't know if my father loved her, but she was sure my father would love me very much. Could my father love my mother the way he loves me?

Su Yu gritted his teeth and, fighting back tears, replied, "Okay!"

Su Yan quickly said, "Brother, sister-in-law's condition must be very bad. Let's go pick her up and take her to the hospital for treatment first. If we wait any longer, the snow will get heavier and it will be difficult to drive. We can talk about other things later."

Su Yu nodded and said patiently, "Nianyu, do you still remember the way? Let's go pick up Mom and take her home together."

Nianyu's watery eyes immediately lit up, and she said happily, "I remember!"

Li Juan said, "Ayan, you and your brother go. Call me if anything happens. I'll make the bed for Nianyu and her daughter."

Su Yan responded and then went out with Su Yu and Nian Yu.

Su Yu received a call from Su Yan on his way to take Jiang Jingxing back to the hospital, so he drove back.

Su Yan held Nianyu in the back seat, while Nianyu gave directions.

Su Yu drove very fast, but very steadily.

Nianyu said that she and her mother live at the foot of the nearest mountain, where they built a wooden house. No one else lives there except them.

After driving for about twenty minutes, the surrounding environment became increasingly secluded and cold. The dirt road was covered with a layer of white snow, and you could feel the howling wind outside through the car window. I couldn't believe that Yu and her mother had lived in such a place for so many years.

The atmosphere inside the car was terribly oppressive. Su Yu's expression was more unpleasant than ever before, and his anxiety had reached its peak.

The road was full of potholes. Su Yan held the drowsy Nianyu in her arms and asked, "It's dangerous up in the mountains. Large animals might come down from such a remote place, right? Why did your mother choose to live in such a dangerous place?"

Nianyu said, "Mom said someone is going to take her away. If she is taken away, then no one will take care of me. So Mom has to hide so that no one can find out."

Upon hearing this, Su Yan frowned. "Brother, do you know anything about sister-in-law's background?"

If she had an ordinary background, why would anyone kidnap Nianyu's mother?

Su Yu thought back carefully, "I asked her at the time, but she always changed the subject, saying that these things were not important and I didn't need to know, so I didn't press her."

Su Yan really wanted to call him an idiot.

"Mother is right. You are irresponsible. You did such a thing to her, and you don't even care about her. Are you even human?"

Su Yu's face instantly turned bright red, and he shouted, "What nonsense are you talking about? There are children here."

Su Yan snorted coldly, preparing to continue her sarcastic remarks, but then she noticed something and moved closer.

"What are you doing?" Su Yu asked, puzzled.

Su Yan looked closely, then quickly patted Su Yu and pointed excitedly ahead, exclaiming, "Look, isn't there someone up ahead?!"

Upon hearing this, Su Yu immediately looked in the direction she was pointing.

They were quite far away, but they could vaguely see a figure, swaying and stumbling, falling and getting up again as it walked in their direction.

He couldn't help but step on the gas, increasing the car's speed.

As they drew closer, the silhouette of the figure became increasingly clear.

Nianyu's eyes widened, and she said anxiously, "Dad, it's Mom! Mom must have found out I wasn't home, so she came out to look for me!"

Upon hearing this, the car accelerated again and finally stopped next to the woman.

Su Yu immediately unbuckled his seatbelt and got out.

Su Yan also carried Nianyu out of the car.

"Cough cough cough..."

The slender woman leaned against a tree by the roadside, clutching her chest and coughing violently.

"Mother!"

Nianyu rushed over and hugged her leg, tears streaming down her face. "Mom, I found Dad! Dad can take you to see a doctor now!"

Zhong Jing looked down and saw her daughter. She immediately became agitated, grabbed her daughter's hand and slapped it hard, tears streaming down her face. "Where did you run off to? Didn't Mom tell you to stay home? Why didn't you listen? Do you know how worried I was?"

"Clap clap clap—!"

The slaps came one after another, each time with considerable force.

Nianyu cried loudly in pain, shouting, "I know I was wrong."

"sister in law!"

Su Yan quickly ran over and grabbed her hand, stopping her from doing so.

Zhong Jinghe turned around, and before she could see Su Yan clearly, she saw the tall, handsome young man standing behind her. His face was both familiar and unfamiliar.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "You...you cough cough cough..."

Overcome with emotion, she clutched her chest and coughed violently again.

Nianyu, forgetting her tears, said anxiously, "Mom, he's Dad. From now on, Mom won't have to worry about not having money for medical treatment anymore."

Zhong Jinghe's teary eyes fell on the man, and she asked in a trembling voice, "You...you really are him?"

The woman was thin and frail, with a pale face and sickly features. She looked so weak that a gust of wind could blow her apart, a stark contrast to when I first met her five years ago.

Su Yu looked at her with guilt in his eyes. He took two steps forward and reached out to touch her, but then pulled his hand back, worried that she would hate him.

He said with deep remorse, "I'm sorry I'm late."