Ignoring the father's dark complexion, the kidnappers waved him away, urging him to leave quickly.
"If you're not leaving now, does it mean you don't want to reunite you and your son as soon as possible?"
"I advise you not to try anything funny with me."
Mencius' father gave a cold warning.
The kidnappers weren't annoyed and readily agreed.
"rest assured."
"..."
Meng's father looked back every few steps, and with one last glance, he gritted his teeth and left with his men.
There was nothing they could do but obey these scoundrels' arrangements.
Otherwise, what would be the point of their return to the Central Plains if Zhu Qing'an were to die?
The lead kidnapper watched the group walk away, spat, and continued in the same position as when he was standing on the stone.
"Go and check if the gold is short of weight, examine it carefully."
"Okay."
Upon hearing this, the people behind him excitedly ran down the mountain to inspect the gold.
The lead kidnapper turned around, a friendly smile on his face.
"Kid, tying you up was definitely the right decision. You really are your parents' darling, so valuable."
"..."
Zhu Qing'an didn't answer, but gave him a cold glance before looking away.
Enraged by his arrogant gaze, the kidnapper reached out and grabbed Zhu Qing'an by the neck.
"You're quite arrogant?"
"..."
Zhu Qing'an was being choked, and the sudden reduction in air in his lungs made him frown uncomfortably, remaining silent.
Meng Qingluan stood anxiously to the side, fearing that the kidnappers might snap Zhu Qing'an's neck with any force they applied.
She urged, "Speak up quickly and beg him for mercy. A wise man doesn't suffer a loss he can't avoid."
Zhu Qing'an pursed her lips, stubbornly refusing to utter a single word of surrender.
Seeing that he wouldn't speak even if he died, the kidnappers, perhaps bored, released his grip and sneered.
"You're mute? It doesn't matter, you're our God of Wealth, even if you're mute we'll still treat you well."
"..."
Hearing the kidnapper's words, Meng Qingluan felt a sense of relief.
Since he's said that, he won't hurt Zhu Qing'an, right?
Before Meng Qingluan could fully relax, the kidnapper's next words almost made her lose her temper.
"But... offerings are for the dead. How can you, a living person, enjoy such treatment?"
"..."
The kidnappers easily grabbed Zhu Qing'an and prepared to throw him off the cliff.
Meng Qingluan saw that he was still standing on the stone. Although the stone was very large, it had obviously shifted because it had stood by the cliff for many years. Most of it was hanging in the air and looked like it was about to fall.
She grabbed Zhu Qing'an's sleeve and kicked the stone hard, causing it to shake.
The kidnapper felt the stone beneath his feet loosen and was about to pull his foot back when Meng Qingluan kicked him hard again.
The kidnapper lost his balance and screamed as he tumbled down the hillside with the rock.
The kidnappers didn't take Zhu Qing'an seriously at all. After all, no one believed that a thin and weak rich young master would resist, so the rope binding him was simply tied in a knot.
Meng Qingluan bent down and quickly untied the knots binding Zhu Qing'an's feet.
The commotion caused by the kidnapper falling down the mountain was too great, and the kidnappers below would notice and catch up in no time.
Without hesitation, Meng Qingluan grabbed Zhu Qingan's hand and started running to the right.
She had just observed the surrounding environment.
The surrounding area was filled with dense bushes, and there weren't many tall trees, not enough to cover their escape route and help them evade the kidnappers.
The path to the left is the way they came from. When the kidnappers chase them, they will definitely return to the same spot to search, and then they will only be walking into a trap.
Although they hadn't been to the right before, the trees there were a bit taller. Without thinking, Meng Qingluan grabbed Zhu Qingan's wrist and ran to the right.
The two ran very fast.
Zhu Qing'an hadn't eaten all day, so she was already weak. In addition, she had been dragged along by Meng Qingluan, and her face was so pale that you could see the blue veins under her skin.
He was panting heavily, but he still kept up with her pace and ran alongside her.
Meng Qingluan also realized that something was wrong with her situation.
Originally, in her dream, she could only be in a state where she could touch objects but not people.
However, she won't get hurt, let alone feel uncomfortable or unwell.
But now.
She could clearly feel her breathing become rapid, and even the thorny grass on the road scratched her calves, causing a stinging pain.
The more she ran, the more confused she became, and she suddenly stopped.
Unbeknownst to them, the two of them had already ventured deep into the mountains. The mountains were covered with dense shrubs, deserted and uninhabited, with lush greenery covering the entire mountaintop, making it impossible to distinguish east from west.
Meng Qingluan stopped in her tracks, unconsciously tightening her grip on Zhu Qingan's hand.
"elder sister……?"
Seeing that she had stopped and was panting heavily, Zhu Qing'an asked in confusion.
Meng Qingluan was afraid that he would also be afraid, so she calmed her breathing and lied.
"I'm a little tired, let's stand here and rest for a while."
Zhu Qing'an did not object, "Okay."
Meng Qingluan turned to look at him. Even though the sun was blazing, Zhu Qingan's face was still pale, his palms were icy cold, and beads of sweat the size of soybeans appeared on his forehead.
I don't know if it's from being tired or because I'm not feeling well.
Meng Qingluan found an open space with a large tree providing shade behind it, and led Zhu Qingan to sit down there.
The two leaned against the tree trunk, panting heavily to calm their breathing.
Meng Qingluan suddenly apologized.
"sorry."
Zhu Qing'an was slightly taken aback.
Why apologize?
Meng Qingluan stared straight ahead, the light shining through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows.
“I am Meng Qingluan. Because of my illness, you need to take medicine all the time.”
Zhu Qing'an let out a soft "Ah," as if she had just realized what was happening.
"I know."
You know?
Upon hearing his answer, Meng Qingluan turned to look at him in disbelief.
Seeing that his expression didn't seem to be joking, she sat there stunned.
How did you know?
They had never even met before.
Seeing her surprised and astonished expression, Zhu Qing'an's smile deepened, and he replied.
"Sister is so silly. Father's surname is Meng, and he often talks about Luanluan. Your name is Meng Qingluan, of course I would know."
"..."
Too.
Meng Qingluan firmly believed the reasons given by Zhu Qingan.
Zhu Qing'an leaned against the tree trunk, "So, sister, you don't need to apologize to me. It's all not your fault. You're the only one who's ever been kind to me, and I should thank you."
"..."
Meng Qingluan didn't know what to say, so she kept her mouth shut and didn't speak.
Zhu Qing'an suddenly leaned closer, tilting his head and resting it on Meng Qingluan's shoulder, and began to recount the changes he had undergone over the years.
"Sister, I've grown taller, I've grown up."
“Yes,” Meng Qingluan nodded attentively, “Our An’an has grown into a little man.”
“Sister, Mom and Dad both hope that I can gain some weight so that I won’t be unable to withstand illness. I thought that if I get sick, you will also feel bad, so I try to eat as much as I can, but every time it backfires and I throw up everything I eat.”
"Sometimes I feel really useless, that I can't even eat a little bit of food, I'm sorry, sister."
Meng Qingluan's nose felt a little sore, and she comforted her.
"It's okay, I'll be fine. Eating is to fill your stomach, not to make you sick."
"Sister, since you left last time, they have agreed to let me go to school."
“I don’t want to make friends. I’m afraid that once I make friends, my sister will think that I no longer need your company and will stop coming to see me.”
"I've really missed you all these years."
"I miss you so much that I'm starting to hate you."
Zhu Qing'an turned her face away, burying her face in the clothes on her shoulder, and relaxed her shoulders wearily.
Upon hearing the second half of his sentence, Meng Qingluan's fingers twitched slightly, just as she was about to touch his hair, when suddenly a furious voice rang out.
"You little bastard, I know you're here! Get out here right now, or I'll tear you to pieces!"
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