Chapter 47: The woman who left him with deep psychological scars, unexpectedly, is……

Xiao Qidi's face stiffened.

Ning Jinli was also dumbfounded, and quickly said, "This is too fast, isn't it?"

"Fast?" Su Yi said with a smile, "In our era, people had children in their early twenties."

Ning Jinli retorted, "You also said it was your era back then; if we go back a thousand or two thousand years, people got married and had children at thirteen, fourteen, or fifteen."

Saying this, she glanced at Xiao Qidi.

According to historical records, during the era when the seven major states of Zhong Yuan vied for hegemony, the marriage age for men and women was roughly around fifteen.

Xiao Qidi, however, seems to have married only after passing twenty years of age.

That would be considered late marriage and late childbearing for their time, right?

What's more unusual is that historical records actually lack any detailed account of his marriage.

Later generations simply do not know who the consort of the first emperor of Huaxia was……

Really strange!

"I know times are different now," Su Yi said again, "I'm not telling you to get married right away; I'm just asking if you have such plans, so you can prepare in advance. If you can marry early and have children early, I could even help you look after them……"

Su Yi wore a smile on her face, but inside she felt some sorrow and worry; she truly feared she might not live to see that day, so she couldn't help urging them.

"Su Yi…… I'm only twenty-two, and he's…… only eighteen." Ning Jinli wanted to cry but had no tears; if she didn't drop this topic, Xiao Qidi might lose his temper.

Su Yi's face showed utter surprise.

Eighteen years old?

That's younger than she had thought……

She turned her head and silently looked out the car window.

She had wanted to ask more about the young man's situation, but since it was their first meeting and he was still so young, it wouldn't be appropriate to bombard him with questions.

Soon, the group arrived at an old residential compound.

Su Yi bought plenty of vegetables at the stall near the compound's gate, cheerfully preparing a hearty lunch to entertain Ning Jinli's boyfriend.

Upon reaching the cramped, shabby rental unit, Su Yi's expression turned a bit embarrassed as she said to Xiao Qidi, "Xiao Xiao, the place is rather simple; please don't mind."

Although she had kept the place tidy and orderly, after all it was an old, run-down apartment renting for just a few hundred yuan a month.

She inevitably worried that people might look down on it.

Xiao Qidi looked around and said, "This is already a very good place to live."

Seeing that he showed no displeasure and even praised it, Su Yi breathed a sigh of relief and told Ning Jinli, "Your boyfriend really knows how to speak."

She had no idea that even a place that looks shabby to modern eyes would, if placed in ancient times over two thousand ago—especially in poor, remote areas—be considered a divine dwelling that ordinary folk could hardly imagine.

"Have a seat first, I'll get busy," Su Yi said cheerfully, picking up the vegetables she'd just bought and heading into the kitchen.

Ning Jinli wanted to help, but Su Yi pushed her out of the kitchen, saying she should keep Xiao Xiao company.

Taking advantage of being alone with her, Xiao Qidi asked in a low voice, "Who is Su Yi to you?"

Ning Jinli said while brewing tea, "She is the dearest person to me in this world, bar none; although I call her Aunt Su, I regard her as my mother."

Xiao Qidi's eyes darkened, "Then why did you deceive her?"

"Deceive her?" Ning Jinli blinked, then realized, "Oh… you mean the matter of me having you pretend to be my boyfriend?"

Ning Jinli didn't know for a moment how to explain this to Xiao Qidi.

In such a situation, most modern people would basically understand.

But Xiao Qidi is an ancient person.

Ning Jinli thought, Xiao Qidi probably minds being used as a shield.

Especially when it comes to marriage and romance.

Ancient people likely treat this matter with extra seriousness.

Moreover, he is a monarch of a nation; having him pose as a boyfriend might well be a taboo.

While lost in thought, Ning Jinli absentmindedly scalded her finger with boiling water.

"Ah!" she exclaimed.

Su Yi rushed out of the kitchen, heart aching, and said, "You, you keep saying you're an adult, yet you're still this careless—quickly rinse it with cold water!"

Ning Jinli gave a hehe laugh, "Even adults have moments of inattention."

"Hurry, hurry!" Su Yi urged.

Ning Jinli stuck out her tongue and turned to go into the kitchen.

Su Yi picked up a rag, wiping the tea table as she said, "Xiao Xiao, Xiao Li has been careless and clumsy since childhood; you should be more tolerant of her."

Xiao Qidi's eyes grew deep, unknown what he was thinking.

Su Yi sighed, "Ah… actually, if it weren't for her often being thick‑skinned, she might not have made it through these years."

"Xiao Xiao, Auntie thinks that although you're young, you're especially steady; your mental age should be much more mature than Xiao Li's, and this actually complements her."

"Don't think Auntie is nagging; I've watched Xiao Li grow up. She's very pure and kind, utterly without scheming—these days that's precious, but……"

"But I'm also afraid she'll suffer losses because of this nature."

"Auntie hopes that, whether or not you end up marrying her and building a family, you will treat her well and protect her…… When I'm gone, she will truly have no one left by her side……"

As Su Yi spoke, her nose grew sore; fearing she couldn't hold back tears, she hurriedly left the living room, composed herself, then brewed another cup of tea for Xiao Qidi and went back into the kitchen.

"Put it down, put it down—you just scalded your hand, what vegetables are you cutting?" came Su Yi's voice from the kitchen.

Ning Jinli said, "You just had surgery and were discharged from the hospital; there's no need to insist on cooking."

Su Yi, helpless, lightly tapped her forehead.

She giggled while dodging, saying, "Quickly see if my knife skills have improved."

"Hmm, not bad, not bad—you've got about thirty percent of my skill."

"Only thirty percent? I'd say it's at least fifty percent."

Heh heh, Su Yi, when I was young I actually worked as a chef in a restaurant...

I know, you've said it eight hundred times anyway, today you have to let me chop the vegetables, Chef Su!

You child...

Their laughter and cheerful voices came from the kitchen.

Xiao Qidi looked toward the kitchen door, taking in the warm scene of the two inside.

But the gloom in his eyes grew more pronounced, his thin lips pressed tight, and he coldly muttered to himself: 'If it's someone closest to you, you shouldn't deceive them—nothing should be done that way.'

A hint of pain flickered in Xiao Qidi's gloomy eyes, for an uncontrollable image of that woman surfaced in his mind.

In his childhood memories, that woman's caring demeanor toward him, her lack of self-respect in front of men, her inability to communicate or make sense of certain things, and her deceit toward loved ones—Ning Jinli actually shared some corresponding traits.

That's why Ning Jinli often unintentionally reminds him of that woman who is now the Empress Dowager of Xuan Guo—his birth mother!

The woman who gave her life.

The woman who, since he could remember, was the only one he trusted, relied on, and respected.

The woman whom, when he was little, he had secretly sworn countless times to honor and protect when he grew up...

And yet… the woman who deceived him the most!

The shadow of his childhood burst from Xiao Qidi's heart like a knife, slicing again and again at his never-healed heart.

His complexion grew ever paler, fine sweat beading on his forehead, he with difficulty rose from the sofa and gritted his teeth as he left.

He no longer wanted to mention the important decision he had originally planned to tell Ning Jinli about today.

……

In the kitchen, Ning Jinli and Su Yi chatted while cooking, completely unaware that Xiao Qidi had already left.

Only after emerging from the kitchen two and a half hours later did she notice he was gone.

The rental unit is just that big: a living room, two small bedrooms, plus a kitchen and a bathroom.

Ning Jinli searched everywhere but found no trace; seeing no sign outside either, she made a phone call.

The result: the phone voice prompt said there was no service.

At that moment, she saw the bodyguard drive up to the building below, so she went over to ask.

Xiao Qidi had me take him to the factory; I just dropped him off and came back.

'Huh?' Ning Jinli scratched her head, asking, 'Did he say anything to you?'

The bodyguard shook his head, asking, 'What's wrong, Ning Jinli?'

Ning Jinli waved her hand, saying, 'It's fine… just let him go.'

It seems Xiao Qidi has already returned to Lin Xian Village.

I just can't understand why he suddenly left without saying goodbye.

'Xiao Li, have you found Xiao Xiao yet?' Su Yi asked, leaning her head out from the balcony.

Ning Jinli had no choice but to run back upstairs, making up an excuse that someone had suddenly urgent matters and left first.

Su Yi said mysteriously, 'He's in the military, right?'

Ning Jinli was a bit dazed.

Su Yi added, 'Just look at his posture, his demeanor, and that camouflage tactical uniform he wears—I knew he must be in the military. If the military suddenly calls him back, there's nothing to be done, but you're not allowed to hold a grudge against him, got it?'

'Ah… this…' Ning Jinli hadn't expected Su Yi to come up with all those reasons; she nodded awkwardly, saying, 'I know, I won't be angry.'

After finishing her meal with Su Yi, Ning Jinli hurried back to the factory.

She wanted to ask Xiao Qidi what was going on.

Although they might not even be friends, it's not like they'd part without a greeting.

However, as soon as Ning Jinli arrived at the factory, she noticed that the inverted light curtain formed by the spacetime portal above the warehouse had vanished.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she hurried to the back door of the small warehouse.

All she saw was that the vortex of the spacetime portal had disappeared.

The several wires that had been run from the warehouse were also all snapped off at the back door.

Just like last time when the water pipe broke!

'The spacetime portal closed again? Why?' Ning Jinli had no idea.

With a hopeful attitude, she picked up the walkie-talkie placed in the small warehouse.

She knew that the walkie-talkies' signals also had to pass through the spacetime portal to communicate, but… what if?

She pressed the call button and shouted loudly, "Hello? Hello? Hello? Can you hear me?"

However, this time it wasn't like before, where as soon as she spoke, the guards in the cave on the other side would immediately respond.

It seems… there's no "what if".

Ning Jinli took several deep breaths, tried to calm the inexplicable panic churning inside, and reassured herself, "It's fine, it's fine. The last time it shut off suddenly, and not long after it reopened."

"Maybe that guy will walk out later?"

She thought so, yet she still couldn't be completely at ease.

After all, the situation this time was a bit different; this time Xiao Qidi had returned abruptly.

There was nothing she could do but wait here.

Ning Jinli moved a chair to face the back door of the small storeroom, sat down, and looked out.

Blue sky, white clouds, bright sun shining.

Outside the door, overgrown weeds swayed occasionally in the light breeze, also dispersing the stuffiness inside the storeroom.

Amid the rustling sounds, there were also intermittent cicada chirps nearby.

Ning Jinli sat and sat, fatigue crept in, and her eyelids began to flutter.

In a daze, she seemed to see Xiao Qidi appear at the doorway, striding toward her…

Buzz—

The phone vibrated and startled her awake.

She hurriedly opened her eyes and stared at the warehouse back door.

Xiao Qidi hadn't appeared; it turned out she was just half‑asleep, having had a dream.

She felt a bit agitated and confused.

When she was dating Zhao Bin before, he suddenly disappeared, and she had never been so worried.

Buzz‑buzz—

The phone was still vibrating.

She answered casually, a weak "Hello" coming out.

"Hello, Miss Ning Jinli, this is the Star Sea Police Bureau," a stern voice said from the phone.

Ning Jinli instantly became fully alert.

A call from the police bureau?

It couldn't be that Xiao Qidi never returned to his side and something happened here, getting him arrested by the police, could it?

Besides that, what other reason could there be for a police call?

Heavens!

With his temperament…

Ning Jinli didn't even dare to imagine what kind of trouble could arise!

"May I ask, Miss Ning, are you available now?" the officer asked.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Ning Jinli clutched the phone tightly.

"Then please come over directly."

"Alright, I'm on my way!"

Ning Jinli agreed outright, sprinting out of the warehouse at a double‑time, and drove straight to the police bureau!

When she arrived at the police bureau, an officer was waiting for her at the entrance.

"Hello, could you please take me to see him?" Ning Jinli said as soon as she opened her mouth.

She was now very worried that Xiao Qidi might cause an uncontrollable situation; only by seeing him quickly could she try to manage things.

The officer said no more and immediately led her.

In no time she was taken to the doorway of the interrogation room.

She took a few deep breaths, obtained the officer's permission, and slowly pushed the door open.

"Xiao—"

"Eh? Why… why is it you?"

Seeing the disheveled, listless man before her, Ning Jinli was stunned.

This is certainly not Xiao Qidi!

Isn't this—He Kai?

She sharply turned to the officer and asked, "Why is it to see him?"

The officer looked puzzled, "Otherwise…?"

Then the officer told her that the case of He Kai seizing the Canglan Jade Disc had been largely concluded during this period.

He Kai said he wanted to see her, having some things he wanted to discuss with her privately.

After deliberation, the police gave her that call.

Ning Jinli pressed her forehead, realizing this was the situation; she had almost worried herself to death.

She really didn't want to deal with a scumbag like He Kai.

But since he's here, she'll see what he actually wants to say, and after the chat, she'll also ask how long the police sentenced this guy for.

Oh right, she also needed to find out why Ning Hai hadn't been punished.

This matter was also quite strange.

Ning Jinli entered the interrogation room, sat across a table, and sized up the man opposite.

The last time she saw He Kai, he was in a crisp suit, full of vigor, and when he snatched the Canglan Jade Disc, he ran like a flash.

Now, after only a dozen days, he's practically a different person.

His head hung low, listless; his eye sockets and cheeks were sunken, his complexion waxy yellow, expression dead.

"He Kai, He Kai?"

Ning Jinli called out twice in a row.

He Kai slowly lifted his head, stared blankly for several seconds, then the hollowness in his eyes gradually showed a hint of life.

"Ning Jinli… please…" He Kai suddenly wailed, "Please… save me!"