On the way back, Lu Ming's words became vivid images, playing in her mind like a movie.
The scene of Nini being surrounded by a pack of hunting dogs in Ganxi Village made the hairs on her body stand on end.
She could even faintly hear Nini's helpless cries: "Mommy! Mommy, save me, Mommy!"
All around, countless hunting dogs bared their teeth, their eerie green eyes fixed on the weak and helpless Nini.
In that scene, Nini...
She shook her head, trying to dispel the image that had reappeared in her mind.
Fortunately, Tongtong saved Nini.
Besides, Tongtong was entrusted to her by Huang Tao before she left, so how could she abandon Tongtong?
So she wanted to keep Tongtong with her until she found Huang Tao.
When we find Huang Tao, we'll hand Tongtong over to her.
In a way, I've fulfilled my promise to Huang Tao.
"Adopt? You mean, you want to take care of Tongtong until you find Huang Tao?" Gu Yao's voice pulled her back to reality.
Zhou Chunhua nodded.
"Because Lu Ming said today that Tongtong saved Nini?" Gu Yao asked again.
Zhou Chunhua nodded again: "I also promised Huang Tao that I would take good care of Tongtong."
"I understand," Gu Yao said. "Judging by the time, they should have asked enough questions in the last few days. Tomorrow, I'll go and ask what materials are needed to get Tongtong out."
However, Tongtong's situation is a bit special; her mother is currently only missing, and adoption is not yet possible. But don't worry, leave it to me.
"Thank you," Zhou Chunhua said gratefully.
"Even now, they're still being polite to me."
Gu Yao suddenly reached out towards her, but after pausing for two seconds above her head, his hand landed on Nini's head next to her.
“You must be tired after running around all day. Why don’t you take Nini back to her room and give her a bath? I’ll see what we can get you to eat in the room later.”
Zhou Chunhua frowned.
That sounds a bit odd.
It didn't sound like it was being said to Nini at all; on the contrary... it sounded like it was being said to her.
Zhou Chunhua didn't think much of it and led Nini back to the room.
She was indeed tired.
Several days of sleep deprivation had left her physically and mentally exhausted.
Back in her room, she filled the bathtub with water.
After wiping his hands dry, he went to Nini's side.
Nini nestled in bed, staring blankly at her.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Zhou Chunhua said gently, "Nini, how about Mommy gives you a bath?"
She had tried to give Nini a bath before.
However, it's unclear whether Nini dislikes her as a person or the act of taking a bath. Whenever bathing is mentioned, the little girl clings tightly to her clothes, refusing to let her touch them.
Just now, the little thing, who had been staring blankly and dumbfounded a second ago, suddenly looked as if it had been frightened by something. Its eyes widened, and its little hands gripped its collar tightly as it shook its head.
"No, no! You can't! Go away, I don't want to, you can't..."
Nini kept repeating "No" and "I don't want to."
Zhou Chunhua really couldn't understand why the little girl had such strong resistance.
"Nini. Don't be afraid, Nini." She then turned and hugged her.
Just like before, I softly hummed "Lupin Flower" in Nini's ear.
Nini gradually calmed down.
Zhou Chunhua hummed "Lupin Flower" while reminiscing.
Speaking of taking off clothes, back in Ganxi Village by the stream, she stripped Nini naked to get rid of the hunting dogs.
Back then, Nini never resisted like she does now.
However, in the heat of the moment, she didn't have time to carefully examine Nini to see if there was anything wrong with her.
Could it be...? A sense of unease flickered through Zhou Chunhua's heart.
She gently patted Nini's back and slowly reached her hand towards Nini's collar.
"Every night I think of my mother's words, tears glistening like lupine flowers..."
As the song sang, Zhou Chunhua's hands moved gracefully, slowly pulling away from Nini's hands and unbuttoning Nini's clothes.
His gaze lingered on Nini's skin inch by inch...
Fortunately, there were no healed old wounds or scars.
It seems the little girl wouldn't let her bathe her because she disliked her.
Zhou Chunhua sang nursery rhymes over and over again, undressing Nini completely.
Then I carried her into the bathroom.
When she put Nini into the bathtub, she was really afraid that the water would be too cold and make her freeze, or too hot and scald her.
Fortunately, the water temperature was just right, and Nini, who was focused on listening to the nursery rhyme, did not resist or struggle.
She took a towel, gently splashed water, and wiped Nini's delicate skin.
Zhou Chunhua's eyes reddened.
The last time I bathed my daughter like this, she was still so tiny, and now she's grown into a young lady.
She sniffed, washed Nini's hair, and then got up to get the shower gel.
There happened to be a back brush in the basket next to the shower gel.
She picked up the brush, squeezed shower gel onto the bristles, and rubbed it to create a rich lather. Just as she was about to brush Nini's back, with a whoosh, Nini suddenly stood up.
Nini's pupils trembled as she stared at the brush in her hand.
That expression clearly showed panic, fear, and terror.
She quickly stopped singing and gently comforted her, "It's okay, Nini, Mommy just wanted to brush your teeth..."
Before she could finish speaking, Nini suddenly turned her back... bent over and knelt in the bathtub.
Zhou Chunhua looked at Nini's strange behavior with great incomprehension.
As she bent down and reached out to pull Nini out of the water, she suddenly noticed what looked like a scar on Nini's buttocks.
At that moment, Zhou Chunhua's heart skipped a beat.
He hurriedly dropped the brush in his hand, went closer to take a look, and with a thud, he collapsed to the ground.
There... on Nini's buttocks, one brown scar after another overlapped and intertwined.
Some are thick, some are thin, and they are densely packed all over both buttocks!
"Ni, Ni." She held her daughter in her arms, enduring the excruciating pain.
So... Nini suddenly turned around, knelt in the bathtub, and raised her butt... just so that it would be easier for someone to hit her!
At that moment, Zhou Chunhua felt as if the sky had fallen.
It's all my fault!
It's all my fault for not protecting Nini properly, which led to her experiencing those terrible things.
She held Nini tightly, tears streaming uncontrollably from her eyes.
She will not let any of those who have hurt Nini get away with it!
Sumu!
It will be perfect!
Xu San!
And those accomplices from Ganxi Village!
She... will definitely settle the accounts with them one by one!
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