Chapter 561: The Child Was Taken Away

"Uncle, you promised we'd go sledding…"

Hearing the little girl's babyish voice, Lu Cheng only then remembered that he had promised to go to the ice rink this afternoon.

He hadn't expected the Lin Family to send a driver overnight, but since they had come from afar, Lu Cheng couldn't keep them any longer.

He squatted down, patting the little girl's head: "Be good. You and your brother slipped out; Mom got worried. Next time Uncle will take you sledding again."

The little girl looked dejected, pouting without a word.

Lu Cheng had to reach out: "Make a pinky promise, Uncle doesn't lie."

The little girl nodded, and after the promise, she pulled a big White Rabbit milk candy from her pocket.

Looking at the wrinkled candy, it was clear it was the one the two children said they'd give to Dad when they saw him on the train.

These past days, sister Lu Ying had given the two children plenty of candy, but this one alone the little girl kept in her pocket.

It was the most precious gift the child could offer; Lu Cheng didn't want it, yet he didn't want to disappoint the little girl, so he took it in his hand.

"Alright, get in the car quickly. No mischief on the way; listen to Uncle Gao, and when we get home, report your safety to Uncle…"

Lu Cheng said that, but in his heart he knew that because of Yu Wanrong, they definitely wouldn't receive that call.

Watching the little girl get into the car, looking back every few steps, Lu Cheng smiled and waved: "Hanghang, take good care of your sister."

The little boy in the car nodded earnestly.

The jeep started, with another driver taking the wheel.

As the vehicle drifted away, the two children leaned against the window and waved.

"Uncle, goodbye…"

Lu Cheng stood still for a while, thinking that there would probably be no chance to meet again.

He unwrapped the candy in his hand and popped it into his mouth, feeling its sweet silkiness.

Not to mention, after the two children left, the surroundings fell silent, and Lu Cheng felt a little uneasy.

He scratched the now-clean ear, walked into the Siheyuan, opened the wine storage room, and prepared to go to Master.

……

Half an hour later, the jeep stopped at the Guesthouse of the Metallurgy Department.

Lin Zhenfeng quickly got into the car, and the jeep started again.

"Grandpa…"

Lin Zhenfeng pinched his little cheek: "You still remember I have a grandpa! You two are too daring, sneaking onto the train; you'll get a spanking when you get home. Your mother has already prepared a feather duster."

The little girl, acting coquettishly, flopped into Lin Zhenfeng's arms: "Grandpa, don't hit…"

"This time your pleas won't work; you two are too reckless. If you meet a bad person, will grandpa even survive? You must learn a lasting lesson!"

"Hmm—Grandpa, no hitting, it hurts…"

"Alright, alright, when we get home, grandpa will block your mother so she can't hit you…" Lin Zhenfeng, both helpless and tender, patted the little girl's back and looked toward the driver.

"Xiao Gao, you should have seen Lu Cheng just now, right?"

Driver Gao replied from the front: "Yes, Director Lin, as you ordered, the gift has already been placed there."

Lin Zhenfeng nodded and then said, "Did he ask you anything?"

"He asked, all the questions you had thought of before; I answered him as you instructed, but…"

"Just say whatever you have to say."

"Director Lin, I feel Lu Jingzhang seems suspicious about something; he's been probing about the children's father from the side."

Lin Zhenfeng sat up straight, hands crossed on his lap: "It's fine; his suspicion is normal. Just answer him as I told you."

Driver Gao was silent for a while, then finally, still hesitating, spoke.

"Director Lin, I think today is an opportunity; we can't hide from Lu Jingzhang forever, after all Hanghang and Yao Yao…"

Noticing Lin Zhenfeng's slightly serious face, Driver Gao realized he had spoken out of turn.

He was just a driver, not qualified to meddle in the director's family affairs.

"Sorry, Director Lin, I was also worried about Qing Yan…"

Lin Zhenfeng waved his hand: "I know. Whether to say it or not, or choose when to tell him, at least now is not the time."

Driver Gao nodded: "I understand, Director Lin."

He scooped the two children into his arms, and Lin Zhenfeng's kindly expression returned.

"Tell grandpa, have you had fun in Capital City these past days?"

"Happy, Guoguo and I went sledding."

"Sledding? Oh, I know, it's that kind of vehicle you slide on ice with; grandpa used to play with it when he was young."

"Really?"

"Of course it's real. When we get home, Uncle Gao will make one for you too; we can sled there as well."

"Yeah, Uncle Lu also took Guoguo and me to eat roast duck; it was delicious."

Lin Zhenfeng slapped his head: "Look at my brain, just right. Xiao Gao, we haven't left Capital City yet; it's hard to come here, so let's eat roast duck before we go."

"Yes, Director Lin."

"Oh, roast duck!" The little girl excitedly shook her head, making Lin Zhenfeng burst into laughter.

Driver Gao also laughed: "With the kids away these days, how much joy we've missed."

Lin Zhenfeng looked indulgently at the Dragon-Phoenix Twins: "Indeed, it seems leaving those two children was the right choice…"

……

Lu Cheng arrived at Master's door, only to find the gate locked; unsurprisingly, he guessed it was because he went winter swimming again.

"That old man, he's become addicted to winter swimming…"

After securing his bicycle, Lu Cheng skillfully pulled a key from the crack between the bricks, then opened the gate.

He put the few bottles of Mao Tai he had brought for Master inside the house, looked at the somewhat messy interior, realizing that without a woman it just wouldn't do, so he tidied up a bit, then cleaned the courtyard, only then locked the Grand Courtyard door and put the key back into the brick gap.

Lu Cheng had originally been set to go to the Research Institute, but suddenly remembered the matter of digging a cellar for the Siheyuan to store the liquor conveniently, so he took a turn and went to the adjacent alley.

Digging a cellar is a major project that requires hiring a construction crew; the reason it hasn't started yet is the worry of disturbing the neighboring residents.

The Siheyuan is not like the Military District Compound, which has armed police on guard twenty‑four hours; once the neighbors learn that so many bottles of Mao Tai are hidden there, even if the immediate neighbors don't mind, the rumor will spread and it will inevitably attract attention.

Therefore Lu Cheng thought of contacting an acquaintance, and when he came to Master's place this time, he suddenly thought that Guo Tuzi was reliable enough to ask for help.

Fortunately Guo Tuzi was at home, though he seemed about to leave.

Lu Cheng rested one leg on the ground and said, "Guo Dage."

"Lu San'er?" Guo Tuzi, seeing the person at the doorway, was also pleasantly surprised.

"Why are you here? Quickly, come sit inside."

It had actually been quite a while since he last saw Guo Tuzi; stepping into the courtyard, he surveyed the scene and found it much the same as before, piled with scrap that could be sold for money.

"Guo Dage, are you still picking up scrap at the East Suburb Landfill?"

Guo Tuzi took the Thermos Flask from inside, poured a cup of water and said, "I haven't been going there much in the latter half of this year; apparently someone reported it, and the security team chased everyone away, including those foreign blind drifters."

Lu Cheng took the cup, "Thanks, Guo Dage. By the way, I haven't seen your sister‑in‑law; how has she been lately?"

Previously, Guo Tuzi's wife, whose mind was traumatized after their child's death, had been wanting to get hospital treatment but struggled with a lack of money.

Lu Cheng still gave her advice, suggesting she pick up salvage at the East Suburb Landfill; during that period she earned some money by selling scrap.

It's just that I don't know whether Guo Tuzi took his wife to the hospital and if she recovered.