Mommy, don't be afraid, I'll bring you blind boxes and scam you out of a wealthy family to

Wen Su Ning walked out of the president's office, took off his glasses, and pinched the bridge of his nose: "The dosage is already at its maximum; we can't increase it any further. Otherwise, it will cause irreversible damage to the nervous system."

Duan Shimi, who was waiting outside the door, straightened up. She herself was not in a good state either. Such a meticulous person was not wearing makeup, and there were dark circles under her eyes.

She sighed, "Thank you. But my brother... sigh."

Wen Suning did not try to persuade him further.

Duan Hetong's problem this time is mental; without the necessary medicine, no one can help him.

After Wen Su Ning left, Duan Shi Mi took a deep breath and pushed open the door to enter.

The room was dark, with the dim sunlight streaming in through the French windows. Duan Hetong sat behind his desk, his silhouette hidden in the shadows.

He had no idea how long he had been sitting there.

The screens of the devices in front of me were all lit up, displaying maps of Tan City, surveillance screenshots, location routes, visit records, and more...

Everything that can be done, every possible method that can be found, is here.

But the last location update was yesterday, and all search records yielded no results. Asking door-to-door also yielded no useful information.

All the roads were blocked.

Duan Shimi walked over and placed the porridge on the table.

"elder brother."

no response.

"elder brother……"

She called out again, squatted down, and looked up at his face.

When I was little, I always thought my eldest brother was omnipotent. No matter if my father beat or scolded me, or my mother punished me, or even if the sky fell, he would always be there to hold it up.

I only realized now that even a brother like him has moments when he can't hold on.

Duan Hetong had unshaven stubble on his chin, and his eyes were bloodshot as he stared at a point in the void, unfocused and lifeless.

He hasn't slept a wink since Wen Li ran away from home.

"Brother, take a rest and eat something." Duan Shimi's voice trembled slightly. "You can't keep going like this."

Still no answer.

Duan Hetong didn't even spare a glance.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

The secretary, with an expression that suggested she had considered her options or perhaps struggled with the decision, peeked in nervously: "Mr. Duan, there's a phone call."

Duan Shimi waved her hand: "Don't answer it yet, let President Duan have some peace and quiet."

"—What if it's a clue?"

The voice sounded almost as if it came from behind, rather than from some distant place; it was dry and hoarse.

Duan Shimi was startled and turned around.

Duan Hetong's gaze finally moved, withdrawing from the void and landing on his secretary. In his eyes, which had been filled with utter despair, a spark of hope rekindled.

Duan Shimi felt both heartache and helplessness, and softly advised, "Brother, we've done everything we can. Pei Ji has been investigating, Xiao Chen has been going to police stations one after another, Xie Lin has mobilized his fans to post missing person notices all over the internet, and we can't keep it from the old man any longer... All we can do now is wait..."

As she spoke, her nose tingled and tears fell.

"When Pear Blossom gets homesick, she'll come back on her own..."

Even she herself knew that this was just a delusional attempt to evade despair.

Duan Hetong didn't look at her, but asked his secretary, "Who called?"

The secretary seemed somewhat at a loss: "Ji Zhenglin, Speaker Ji."

Duan Shimi wiped away her tears, not wanting to hear that name: "Why is he calling? Didn't he refuse the third brother before, saying that he couldn't make exceptions according to the rules? Has he changed his mind now?"

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, tears welling up in her eyes: "What's the use of figuring it out now? Even Pear Baby..."

Duan Hetong slowly frowned.

Ask him what's wrong.

His words were so harsh that the secretary was terrified and almost cried. She retreated to the door and stammered as she asked.

A moment later, she exclaimed with delight, "Mr. Duan, it's...it's about Miss Wen Li!"

When she looked up, she met the gazes of the Duan siblings, which were like those of wild beasts brimming with emotion, sending a chill down her spine.

She shrank back, but still maintained her professionalism and forced herself to finish speaking.

"Speaker Ji said that Miss Wen Li is currently..." Her throat tightened, "...at his house!"

The air seemed to freeze at that moment.

Duan Hetong suddenly stood up.

The chair slid backward and slammed against the wall with a dull thud.

-

The rain outside continued unabated. Duan Hetong refused the umbrella offered by the driver and opened the driver's side door directly: "I'll do it myself."

The driver was stunned. Before he could say anything, the car door had already closed.

With the engine roaring, the black sedan sped into the rain.

The wipers worked tirelessly, but the curtain of water that had just been blocked on the windshield was covered again in an instant.

Duan Hetong stared, growing increasingly anxious.

The numbers on the speedometer remained close to the speed limit. Duan Hetong gripped the steering wheel tightly, wishing he could grow wings and fly down.

The red light stopped him.

His fingers tapped haphazardly on the steering wheel as he glanced at the navigation; 27 minutes remained.

too long.

He was already too late.

On the evening the little guy left, if he had noticed her strange behavior sooner, if he had accompanied her to Wen Shulian's hospital room, if...

She wouldn't think no one wanted her. She wouldn't walk into the rain alone.

He couldn't be late a second time, he thought.

The green light comes on.

the other side.

Ji Zhenglin didn't let the maid follow him; he waited at the door early, holding an umbrella by himself.

As the Maybach approached, the doors opened impatiently before the car had even come to a complete stop.

Ji Zhenglin thought he would see a tyrant coming to interrogate him, after all, this President Duan's temper was notorious in Tan City.

But what he saw was only a weary father struggling to find hope again amidst despair.

"The child is doing well," Ji Zhenglin said simply, skipping all pleasantries. He knew that this was all Duan Hetong wanted to hear right now.

Sure enough, the man visibly relaxed a little.

The string that has been taut until now has finally found a place to rest.

"Let's go take a look." Ji Zhenglin stepped aside, but didn't immediately take a step. "Oh, there's one more thing."

Duan Hetong looked at him.

"Regarding the adoption procedures, I'll initiate a special approval process. We'll start the process today, and I'll personally oversee every step. It should be ready as early as tonight." He paused, "But..."

Duan Hetong wasn't naive; of course he knew there would be a "but."

Sure enough, Ji Zhenglin said, "There's a condition: the council will include your family's case in the Tan City Child Protection Special Reform Plan." He smiled, "From now on, all children like her won't have to wait so long to go to their new homes."

Duan Hetong paused slightly, his Adam's apple bobbing. "...Thank you."

"No need to thank me." Ji Zhenglin looked at the lit window of the white house. "If you want to thank someone, thank your own little girl."

-

in the room.

Wen Li sat on the bay window, holding her cat.

She had changed into a clean set of clothes, which the maid had found in Ji Hui's childhood wardrobe: a white shirt and black pants, with the sleeves and pant legs rolled up several times, like a little penguin eager to grow up.

Ji Hui propped his head up, looking at her as if she had endless things to say, whether to the cat or to him.

Xiao Wenli has almost no experience interacting with peers. The Duan family had arranged for her to attend kindergarten, but unfortunately, due to various unforeseen circumstances, she has not been able to go yet.

Therefore, she placed many hopes on this first boy she met.

She looked at Ji Hui: "Brother Huihui, Uncle Ji said you need to see a doctor, is that true?"

Ji Hui looked away: "...Mm."

"That's great!" Wen Li's eyes crinkled as she hugged the cat tightly to show her joy. "Brother, you're brave!"

The cat was a little uncomfortable from being squeezed, and let out a spoiled "meow," but didn't try to get away.

[Chirp! Little Pear, congratulations on completing the hidden quest!]

[Reward distribution: Main quest countdown +24 hours.]

[Current remaining time: 30 hours.]

30 hours, how long is that? Milk Dumpling has no idea.

But, since Chuchu says she has more time now, does that mean she can continue waiting for "happiness"?

"Pear is so happy~!" The little dumpling swung her legs, revealing two adorable dimples.

Ji Hui glanced at her, wondering what made her so happy that he had agreed to go see a doctor.

But that smile was so bright that he couldn't take his eyes off it.

"...Childish," he muttered.

-

outside the house.

Duan Hetong stood in front of the fairytale-like white house, and the turbulent waves of the past few days seemed to subside into calm at this moment.

The rain gradually subsided, the translucent silver threads seeping into his heart drop by drop.

He raised his hand, which was only a hair's breadth from the door, but remained suspended in mid-air.

He is afraid.

I'm afraid that if I open the door and don't see Pear Blossom, it's all just my imagination.

Even Li Bao might not want to go back with him, believing that she has caused trouble for the Duan family;

Afraid that those big, dark eyes would well up with tears and she would ask him, "Baba, why don't you want Pear Baby?"

But no matter how afraid you are, you have to face it.

He took a deep breath and gently knocked on the door.

The cat inside the house was the first to notice the commotion and jumped up from Wen Li's arms.

The little dumpling climbed down from the bay window, its mouth forming an "o": "Who is it...?"

Before Ji Hui could respond, she suddenly realized.

"Li Bao knows!" Her eyes sparkled with undisguised joy as she ran towards the door. "—Happiness has arrived!"