When Gao Mingcheng first heard Aunt Ling mention "Brother Fei," Xing Zhaozhao's strong reaction made him realize something was wrong. He had never heard of such a person before. When did she meet him?
"Brother Fei?" Xing Zhaozhao said frankly, "He's more like a business partner."
"Partner?" Gao Mingcheng tensed up immediately upon hearing this, looking at Xing Zhaozhao with a serious expression. "When did you get involved in the black market business? It's too dangerous. You're not allowed to do it again."
Xing Zhaozhao refused, saying, "How can that be? I'm counting on it to save more money for my three children."
“I have the money here, I’ll give it to you. Raising a child shouldn’t be your responsibility alone,” Gao Mingcheng said.
Xing Zhaozhao looked at Gao Mingcheng, somewhat speechless, and said, "You give me money, I take it back, but I can't spend it. I exchange it for something to take back. If I want to exchange it for money, I still have to go to the black market, right?"
Gao Mingcheng was speechless. It really was true.
After a moment of silence, he couldn't help but say with concern, "But...it's too dangerous."
Xing Zhaozhao comforted him, "It's okay. I've been there more than once or twice. It's just transporting goods. I always disguise myself and don't send out too much cargo at once to arouse suspicion. Plus, Brother Fei will cover for me. Nothing will happen."
"Didn't your Fei Ge get killed?" Gao Mingcheng said quietly.
Xing Zhaozhao paused, her face turning serious, and said, "This time it won't happen again." She had to protect her little treasure.
"Mingcheng, when you go back to Lanyuan this time, please help me find out about that old man from the Ling family," Xing Zhaozhao pleaded with Gao Mingcheng.
Gao Mingcheng genuinely didn't want to see her involved in those things, but when he met her pleading eyes, he couldn't resist and nodded in agreement: "Okay."
Xing Zhaozhao smiled and hugged him tightly: "Thank you, Mingcheng."
Gao Mingcheng sighed helplessly and patted her head: "If you need any help, remember to tell me. Don't try to handle everything alone."
"I know," Xing Zhaozhao replied with a smile, not taking it seriously.
Gao Mingcheng couldn't put his mind at ease. For Xing Zhaozhao, they were only separated by a door, but for him, it was a long river of fifty years. If something really happened, even if he wanted to help, he was afraid he would be powerless to do so, especially since "he" couldn't go home for the time being...
Gao Mingcheng frowned deeply, pondering inwardly...
The next morning, Xing Zhaozhao and Gao Mingcheng boarded the private plane arranged for them by Gao Hongfei and left Beijing to return to Lanyuan Town.
When they arrived, it was almost noon. After getting into the car that Gao Hongfei had arranged to pick them up, Gao Mingcheng didn't go home after leaving the airport. Instead, he had the driver park the car at the foot of the mountain outside the town.
"At this point, are you really not going to eat before you leave?" Gao Mingcheng turned to ask Xing Zhaozhao.
Xing Zhaozhao had already changed back into her original clothes.
"I'm not eating anymore. I want to go back and see the children as soon as possible," Xing Zhaozhao said, shaking her head.
Before, when she was in the capital, perhaps because it was far away, she didn't feel anything special. But now that she's back in Lanyuan, the closer she gets to home, the more she wants to see her three children. She can't wait a moment longer.
Thinking of his three children, Gao Mingcheng didn't know what to say anymore. He got out of the car and helped Xing Zhaozhao take out the things she wanted to take back from the trunk.
He couldn't walk easily now and couldn't take her home, so he kept telling her, "Be careful on your way back, remember to say hello to the three children for me, and call me next time you go out, and I'll come pick you up..."
"Okay," Xing Zhaozhao replied with a smile, picked up her things, gave him one last hug, and said, "I'm leaving..."
"Mm." Gao Mingcheng nodded and reluctantly let go of her hand.
Xing Zhaozhao turned and disappeared into the woods, quickly vanishing from sight.
Gao Mingcheng: "..." She didn't even turn around to look at him...
Seeing the long-lost abandoned cellar, Xing Zhaozhao's heart pounded with excitement. In the blink of an eye, almost a month had passed since she left. She was finally back, and she wondered how the children were doing.
Stepping through the door, all I saw was pitch blackness.
Xing Zhaozhao glanced at the tightly closed cellar door, and her lips twitched involuntarily, as if she had returned at the wrong time.
She put down what she was holding, went over and tried to push it; it was locked. The two little ones were quite cautious.
Not knowing if anyone else was home, she didn't dare make any noise and could only sit on the steps and wait.
She was in a hurry to come back, but she didn't expect to come back at the wrong time. A bitter smile appeared on Xing Zhaozhao's lips.
After some time, they heard the sound of footsteps outside.
Someone is coming.
Xing Zhaozhao immediately perked up her ears.
She didn't know who had come; if it weren't for her two little ones, she probably would have had to hide.
"Brother, when will Mom come back? I miss her so much." Hongyu's listless voice came first.
Xing Zhaozhao's eyes immediately lit up.
"He should be back soon, don't worry," Hongfei comforted his younger brother.
"But it's been so long, Mom won't stay there and abandon us, will she?" Hongyu's childish voice was choked with sobs.
Xing Zhaozhao felt a pang of sadness upon hearing this.
“No way.” Hongfei retorted loudly to her brother, but she herself seemed unsure, and her voice quickly lowered. “It definitely won’t happen.” She was convincing her brother, and it seemed she was also convincing herself.
Tears welled up in Xing Zhaozhao's eyes.
Soon, the sound of a lock being opened could be heard outside.
With a click, the cellar door opened, and sunlight streamed in from above.
With tears still in her eyes, Xing Zhaozhao smiled and looked at the two bewildered faces outside the cellar: "I'm back."
Hongyu stared at Xing Zhaozhao for a moment, then burst into tears and buried her face in Xing Zhaozhao's arms: "Mom...you're finally back! I thought you didn't want us anymore, waaaah..."
Xing Zhaozhao hugged the little one tightly, her voice choked with emotion: "What nonsense are you talking about? How could Mommy not want you..."
Hongfei, standing beside him, also had tears in his eyes.
Xing Zhaozhao waved to him, and he immediately threw himself into her arms without hesitation.
Xing Zhaozhao tilted her head and rubbed his little head: "I'm sorry, Mommy is late."
Hongfei shook his head without saying a word, and buried his little face in Xing Zhaozhao's arms.
Xing Zhaozhao clearly felt a scorching heat penetrate her thick clothes and press against her skin.
Although he didn't utter a sound, the little guy was clearly crying terribly.
Xing Zhaozhao said nothing, but hugged them tightly, hoping to offer them a little comfort.
After a while, the two little ones finally stopped crying, but each of them clung tightly to Xing Zhaozhao's arm, refusing to let go.
Xing Zhaozhao peeked outside secretly: "Is no one else home?" She was afraid of being discovered with all this noise.
“Mm.” Hongyu nodded.
"Where is my sister?" Xing Zhaozhao asked.
“Aunt Xiuning took her to Grandma Hao’s place,” Hongfei said.
"Then I'll pick you up on my way later." Xing Zhaozhao said, and began to prepare her things, as she still had to finish filming the last scene.
She wondered how Xiao Hongling would react when she saw her. Xiao Hongling was only a few months old and didn't understand much; she should be easy to fool, right? Xing Zhaozhao wondered to herself.
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