Chapter 71 A hard slap landed on Lu Yanzhi's face

His slightly warm body temperature seeped through her clothes, and his strong hands encircled her waist.

Shi Nian steadied herself and reached out to push Lu Yanzhi away.

She was just a little dizzy, not drunk.

They boarded the shuttle bus and headed together to the villa where Lu Yanzhi was.

It was very quiet the whole way.

Neither of them spoke until the shuttle bus finally stopped outside a small grove of trees.

"Young Master, Young Madam, the Old Madam specifically asked me to remind you that the Old Master wants to see you first thing tomorrow morning, and that you must stay overnight at the manor."

Seeing the awkwardness between the two, Butler Wu sighed helplessly.

"Young Master, Young Madam, the two elders have been worried about your situation for a long time. They want you to stay overnight, but that's secondary. Their main hope is that you two can have a good talk."

As she spoke, the butler wiped away her tears: "I still remember clearly the scene when the young master brought the young mistress back. You two were clearly so in love back then, why did things come to this?"

"Let's have a proper talk."

"If you explain things clearly, everything will be fine."

After saying all this, Butler Wu sighed deeply again, then wiped away his tears and left.

Night had fallen, and the lights were already on.

Walk forward about ten meters, and you'll pass through this small grove of trees to reach Lu Yanzhi's residence in the manor.

Lu Yanzhi took the lead and walked into the grove, while Shi Nian stood still.

"What is it?" Lu Yanzhi asked.

"I'll go back first and come back tomorrow morning," Shi Nian said.

After saying that, she turned to leave, but the next moment, her wrist was grabbed.

“Shi Nian.” Lu Yanzhi’s calm voice came from behind her. “It’s been many days since we last met. I think we should talk.”

Want to talk?

Not far away by the lake, the moonlight slanted down like flowing water, and the lake surface shimmered.

Is there any need for them to talk anymore?

"At least, I think you need to explain things to me clearly about the child." Lu Yanzhi's cold, hard voice came again, "So that I can also give my grandparents an explanation."

Shi Nian looked away.

That child...

After leaving Ran Shuya's place, she felt lost for a while.

Later, Fu Jinyan said that the funds from the charity auction gala she attended had already been used, and asked if she wanted to go and take a look.

Shi Nian also wanted to see where the money for the tanzanite was used, so she agreed.

Because she had previously photographed Sisi's drawing, Shi Nian went to the welfare home in City A.

Perhaps it was fate.

Perhaps the child who has passed away wants someone else, or a different way, to be by her side.

Tanzanite, donations, and a painting acquired by chance.

All of this led to Shi Nian and Si Si meeting.

Sisi was sent to the gate of an orphanage a few years ago. Her biological parents abandoned her because of her illness.

For various reasons, Sisi's illness has not been properly treated, and this charity fundraising was a very accidental opportunity.

After only a few meetings, Shi Nian had a feeling that it was destined for her.

Therefore, Shi Nian decided to adopt Si Si, treat her illness, send her to school, and accompany her as she grows up.

However, Shi Nian was not yet 30 years old, which was below the age for adoption, so she contacted her mother.

That day, Shi Nian stood outside the shop her mother had taken over, looking at her from afar, and for the first time in so many years, she called out "Mom".

The subsequent procedures were all carried out by the mother. Although it would take some time to complete the process, it was already underway.

Legally speaking, Sisi will be her younger sister from now on.

However, she, her mother, and Sisi all knew the specifics of the situation.

Sisi wanted to go to school, so Shi Nian found her a private kindergarten in City A with a high level of confidentiality.

Perhaps because she was abandoned at a young age and lived in an orphanage for so many years, coupled with her young age, Sisi didn't know what to do.

So that day, at the kindergarten gate, Sisi hesitated.

"What's wrong?" Shi Nian squatted down, took off the mask she was using to conceal her face, and looked at Sisi earnestly and gently. "Are you scared?"

Sisi nodded, then shook her head.

Shi Nian didn't urge Si Si to speak, and waited patiently.

Sisi hesitated for a while before looking at Shi Nian and saying, "Mom."

After she finished speaking, she immediately lowered her head, not daring to look at Shi Nian.

"Should I call you that?" Sisi's voice was very soft.

Shi Nian smiled and gently stroked Sisi's head.

"It's up to you," she said. "If you're not comfortable with it, you can call me Auntie for now."

Sisi breathed a sigh of relief and nodded vigorously.

"Auntie Xiaonian," Sisi called softly, hugged Shi Nian again, and then ran towards the kindergarten.

Shi Nian stood there the whole time, watching Si Si run to the classroom door, wave to her, and then go inside.

The paparazzi captured the moment when Shi Nian took off her mask.

They were being very careful, but they were still photographed.

Because the adoption process is not yet complete, Shi Nian can send Si Si to kindergarten, but he cannot bring her home to stay overnight.

However, it won't take long; it can usually be completed within 30 working days.

Thinking of this, Shi Nian spoke:

"That child has nothing to do with your Lu family."

She said, "She won't be registered in either of our households, so she has nothing to do with the Lu family's assets."

Shi Nian broke free from Lu Yanzhi's grasp, and a gust of wind blew by, causing the effects of the alcohol to rise again.

Shi Nian took off her high heels and stepped onto the ground, her back to Lu Yanzhi. She said, "That's about it. I think you understand enough. I'll say the same thing to my grandparents tomorrow."

"If you don't believe me, you can check it out."

"I have no reason to lie about this."

After saying that, Shi Nian composed himself and walked away.

"Shi Nian!"

His voice came from behind: "Do we really have to do this?"

Shi Nian did not pause.

She had made up her mind.

"We've had children too."

"You want her to call you 'Mom,' but what about me?"

Lu Yanzhi's voice drifted from afar, perhaps from beside the woods, carrying a sense of mystery.

"Or perhaps," he said coldly, his voice tinged with suspicion in the deep silence, "you did it on purpose."

She deliberately brought a child with her.

She deliberately let the paparazzi photograph the child calling her "Mom".

Thus, they had no choice but to meet at the old house.

Stop thinking about it.

Something was churning in her heart, though she didn't know what it was.

Angry, or sad?

Or perhaps both.

"Shi Nian, I've never asked you this before: what exactly did you say to him during those ten-odd minutes I was away in F country?"

"We lost our child back then."

"Shi Nian, I'm in pain too."

"You know why I've wanted a child all these years."

"So, Shi Nian, why did you use a child to set up this scheme?"

Lu Yanzhi's calm voice came through.

There was no shouting, nor any desperate yelling.

It was just a very calm tone.

But he said cruel things.

Emotions surged through Shi Nian's veins like a powerful force, crashing against her blood vessels.

The shock made her heart ache.

How could he say such terrible things...

Shi Nian turned around and looked at Lu Yanzhi standing in the woods under the moonlight.

Perhaps because she was a bit far away, the man she saw at that moment seemed completely different from who she was.

Is he Lu Yanzhi?

Why does he look like a demon, even though he has the same face as Lu Yanzhi?

How could he...?

Unable to control herself any longer, Shi Nian quickly walked a few steps to Lu Yanzhi's side.

"Smack!"

A hard slap landed on Lu Yanzhi's face.

He hit her so hard her palms went numb.