Ning Huan thanked the Zhu family couple, who had helped her all day, saying, "Brother Zhu, Sister-in-law Zhu, thank you for today."
Zhu Dali quickly waved his hand and said, "What's the big deal? We're all from the same village. Besides, Jing An has helped me a lot before. Of course, I should help him in return."
Zhu chimed in, "That's right, sister. You've helped us a lot in teaching Xiao Taozi, and she's become so well-behaved. You also often have her bring some delicious food to my family. We should be thanking you."
Then they left.
Ning Huan didn't offer Zhu Dali and his wife any money for their travel expenses. Judging from their expressions, even if she offered it, they wouldn't accept it.
She made a note of their kindness and planned to repay them when the opportunity arose.
The four little ones lay quietly beside Zhou Jing'an's bed, watching him intently.
Da Bao asked Ning Huan in confusion, "Mother, why is Father still sleeping and not waking up?"
Little Sanbao also asked, "Mommy, is Daddy really better?"
Little Erbao looked up at Ning Huan and asked, "When will Daddy wake up?"
Seeing the four little ones staring at her expectantly, Ning Huan smiled slightly and patted their little heads.
"Father was given anesthetic at the clinic just now, which is why he fell asleep. He will wake up in a little while."
Then she touched the baby's face: "Your father's surgery at the clinic was very successful. As long as you rest well during this time and recover well, you will be the same as before."
"Then he can play with you and teach you to read and write."
Hearing this, the four little ones were very happy.
But Madam Pang looked at Ning Huan with concern: "Daughter, why do you look so pale? Why are you sweating so much?"
He quickly helped her sit down and then poured her a glass of water.
Ning Huan explained, "Mother, I'm fine. I'm just too worried about my husband's health. I was sweating profusely at the clinic."
Hearing this, Madam Pang finally felt relieved: "You child, you should take care of your own health while worrying about others. Look at yourself, people who don't know you would think you are seriously ill."
But then, thinking of Zhou Jing'an's health, she asked, "Huanhuan, tell your mother the truth, is your son-in-law's leg really healed?"
Looking at Ning Huan's appearance, she couldn't help but wonder if Zhou Jing'an's health wasn't actually good, and if her daughter was just fooling the four little ones.
Ning Huan nodded and said, "Mother, my husband is really alright. Manager Si of Renjitang personally performed the surgery on him, and it was very successful. And as long as he rests well, he will be just like before."
...
Xu Xian, looking dejected, followed his father back home. Bai looked around but couldn't find Ke Ruxiu, and asked in confusion, "Where's Xiuxiu? Why didn't she come back with you two?"
Upon hearing Ke Ruxiu's name, Xu Xian was immediately jolted awake, as if he could see Ke Ruxiu being kidnapped by those two burly men again.
He shook his head frantically, muttering repeatedly, "I don't know, I don't know, I don't know..."
Madam Bai frowned slightly: "You child, don't you know where your own wife has gone? How could such a grown woman get lost?"
Father Xu gently patted Xu Xian's back to comfort him, and then said to Madam Bai, "We wanted to go to Renji Hall to see the third son of the Zhou family, but before we got there, our daughter-in-law started arguing with Xian'er."
Bai asked, "They're arguing? What happened?"
Mr. Xu shook his head: "I was walking ahead of them, and I don't know what was wrong with the young couple. I just saw that my daughter-in-law didn't look happy, and then she turned around and ran away. No matter how much I called her, she wouldn't come back. I thought she had come back to find you."
Bai found it strange: "Why did those two suddenly start arguing? Besides, I've been here the whole time and haven't seen Xiuxiu come back."
Mr. Xu feigned surprise: "She's not back yet? It's almost dark. Did your daughter-in-law go home first?"
Seeing that it was getting late, Madam Bai felt that what Xu's father said made some sense. She nodded and said, "Then let's pack our things and go home first, and then ask Ruxiu what happened."
When they got home, Ke Ruxiu was nowhere to be seen. Bai felt something was wrong and called out "Xiuxiu" twice, but received no response.
"I'll go check on Lao Ke's family. Maybe Ru Xiu went back to her parents' home after the fight."
Mr. Xu nodded and replied, "Okay, talk to that girl properly when you see her. Tell her to stop being stubborn and come back quickly."
But he knew better than anyone that Ke Ruxiu would never come back. He ordered the two human traffickers to take her to a remote village, never wanting to see her again. The Xu family didn't need such a stain.
Sure enough, when Bai arrived at the Ke family, she found it very strange that Ke Ruxiu had not returned to her parents' home.
The Ke couple asked anxiously, "Mother-in-law, do you mean Xiuxiu is missing? Isn't she at your house?"
Bai then told the Ke couple everything that had happened that day, but she didn't mention the argument between Ke Ruxiu and Xu Xian.
“My husband said that when he turned around, he saw Ruxiu running away. Nobody knows what happened. We thought she was tired and wanted to go home first. But when we got home, we didn’t see her either.”
Aunt Ke panicked immediately, remembering how her daughter's affair with Niu Dadan had caused such a stir in the village, and how they had said a few words to Ke Ruxiu out of embarrassment. Could she have done something rash because of this?
Mr. Ke quickly shook his head: "Our Xiuxiu isn't that fragile. Besides, she was innocent in the first place. We just told her to live a good life with Xu Xian. We didn't say anything too harsh."
And so, the Bai family and the Ke family couple analyzed the situation back and forth, but they still couldn't figure out where Ke Ruxiu had gone.
Aunt Ke asked, her voice trembling with tears, "Should we report this to the authorities? What if Xiuxiu does something rash? Or what if she didn't just run away in a fit of pique, but was harmed by someone..."
The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became, and finally she burst into tears.
However, Ke's words reminded Bai Juan that seeing her son's flustered appearance, perhaps her son had said something that made Ke Ruxiu run away in a fit of pique and cause an accident...
Regardless of what really happened, her son Xu Xian was implicated. Therefore, she couldn't let the Ke couple report it to the authorities.
"We can't report it to the authorities. None of us know what's going on with Xiuxiu. If she runs away on her own, reporting it to the authorities would be pointless."
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