Chapter 40: The Diary

In the suburbs of Lanwan City, at a private residence in XX Village.

A burst of "bang, bang" knocking sounded outside the courtyard gate. Wang Xiaomei leaned on her crutch to the door, opened it, and looked surprised.

"Yichen, why is it you?!"

Su Yichen stood at the door with fruit in both hands, a smile in his eyes.

"Wang Mama, I came to see you."

Wang Xiaomei was the old director of the Rainbow Children's Welfare Institute in Lanwan City, and the children affectionately called her "Wang Mama." She was over 60 years old, and because she had overworked herself when she was young, her health was very poor. After retiring, she had been recuperating in her rural hometown.

"Oh my, this child, didn't even call ahead, come in and sit!"

Wang Mama invited Su Yichen into the house. Su Yichen placed the fruit on the table, sat on the sofa, and asked with concern:

"Wang Mama, how is your health?"

"Sigh, same old, my heart isn't very good, and I've had diabetes for over twenty years. Recently, my legs haven't been nimble either; look, I'm already using a crutch!"

A sour feeling welled up in Su Yichen's heart, "Wang Mama, diabetes can be controlled by taking medicine on time and paying attention to your diet. As for heart disease, you need to pay attention to recuperation and not overwork. I am a doctor; you should believe what I say."

Wang Mama smiled kindly.

"Yes, yes, you are a great doctor and the pride of our welfare institute! You don't need to worry about me; I will take good care of myself. By the way, Yichen, how are you recently? Is work tiring? You young people are busy and under a lot of pressure at work now, so you should also pay attention to your health!"

"I'm fine, don't worry," Su Yichen replied, "By the way, Wang Mama, I might... go on a business trip abroad next month, so I might not be able to come visit you for a while."

"Where are you going?"

"To... Guangfu," Su Yichen said hesitantly. He didn't want Wang Mama to know that his true destination was the Sozali Republic in Africa, the most dangerous place in the world.

"Guangfu... that's quite far from our Lanwan, and the climate there is different from ours. When you get there, you should also pay attention to your health, don't work too hard," Wang Mama held Su Yichen's rough hand and said earnestly.

"Wang Mama, don't worry, I will pay attention," Su Yichen held Wang Mama's rough hand back.

The two chatted for a while longer. When it was time to eat, Su Yichen looked at the clock on the wall and stood up, "Wang Mama, I'll head back today. I'll come visit you again after I return from my business trip."

"Good, good."

Wang Xiaomei nodded, suddenly showing a worried look, and then said to Su Yichen, "Wait, Yichen, I have something I want to give you."

As she spoke, Wang Mama leaned on her crutch and walked into the inner room. Before long, she came out with a small notebook in her hand.

"This, this is Shi Yi's diary from when she was little," Wang Mama curled her lips and said, "That child, Yi, went to study in the US after the college entrance exam and hasn't returned since... I send her a letter every year, and she replies saying she still has to stay in the US for a while to study for her master's and doctorate. This child is truly promising! But... I don't know if these old bones of mine can still wait for the day she returns to the country."

Wang Mama said, stuffing the notebook into Su Yichen's hand, "I know you were closest to Yi, and she liked playing with you the most. You keep this diary for her! When the day Yi returns to the country, you help me give it to her, let her look at the diary she wrote when she was little, hehe, it might not be an uninteresting thing."

Su Yichen looked down at the notebook in his hand and saw a cartoon unicorn drawn on the cover. He remembered that Shi Yi was born in the Year of the Horse and should have liked unicorns very much. Next to the unicorn, the name "Shi Yi" was written in childish handwriting.

Seeing the two characters "Shi Yi," Su Yichen felt a sourness in his heart, and when he looked up, his eyes couldn't help but turn red.

"Wang Mama, this... can you really give it to me?"

"Of course, take it."

Su Yichen came out of Wang Xiaomei's house, returned to his car, and carefully opened the diary.

"Today, I went to pick apples and was bullied by that group of hateful little punks again! But, a big brother stood out and saved me. The way he picked up a brick and fought with that group of punks was a bit like a hero in a martial arts novel. But because of me, he was locked in a dark room. I felt very sad... If only I could grow wings and fly him out..."

The first page of the diary was the day Shi Yi recorded her meeting with Su Yichen.

Su Yichen looked down, his fingers stroking the childish handwriting Shi Yi had written many years ago with incomparable gentleness, interspersed with many pinyin characters, and he couldn't help but lift the corners of his mouth slightly, his eyes revealing a gentle and lingering look...

At the same time, in front of an old residential building in Guangfu City, southern China.

The black Maybach door opened, and Shi Heng took a long stride out of the car. He stood at the entrance of the building, took out his phone, and compared it with the photo Secretary Sun had sent; it was indeed this building.

Shi Heng pushed open the door, climbed the old, dim stairs step by step, arrived at the top floor, and knocked on the door of room 602.

"Coming!"

After a while, the door opened with a "creak," revealing a woman in her 50s. Her hair was somewhat gray, her appearance was haggard, she was wearing an apron, and she was still holding a spatula in her hand.

"Who are you looking for?" The woman looked at Shi Heng with a confused expression.

Shi Heng put his hands in his pockets and showed a polite smile, "Auntie Ye, long time no see."

The woman's pupils widened instantly, her gaze scanning Shi Heng's face. After a while, she said tremblingly: "You, you are the Young Master of the Shi family?!"

"It is I, Shi Heng. Auntie Ye, won't you let me in to sit for a while?"

Ye Jing hurriedly put the spatula aside, wiped her hands on her apron in a panic, then opened the door and said stutteringly: "Young Master, please, please come in."

Shi Heng walked into the house and looked around. This was an old house from the last century; the house was simply decorated and didn't have any decent furniture, which showed that the owner lived very simply.

"Young Master, you sit first, I... I'll make you some tea." The woman seemed a bit at a loss.

"No need," Shi Heng said coldly.

"Auntie Ye, my time is precious, so I'll get straight to the point and not beat around the bush with you. I came today to ask you about the incident 15 years ago when my sister's eyes were injured."

The woman opposite turned deathly pale, and the next second, she actually knelt on the ground with a "thud."

"Young Master, that incident... it, it really has nothing to do with me!" ===== CHAPTER 41 =====