The white rose I picked up cried and said she liked me.

After a hilarious show comparable to the Spring Festival Gala, Xu Nian finally got her wish and saved 4.99 yuan.

After paying, Xu Nian carried the pork tenderloin back home.

I gently closed the door and went up to the kitchen on the second floor.

Looking up the stairs, you can see that the bedroom door is open.

Xu Nian scratched his head. He remembered that he had closed the bedroom door before he left.

"Xu Xi! Are you awake?"

The empty villa was completely silent, with no response.

Xu Nian put the pork tenderloin in the refrigerator, then walked up the stairs to her bedroom on the third floor.

The bedroom was in complete disarray.

The sheets were rolled into a ball, the blanket fell to the ground, and the pillow flew far away, landing near the windowsill.

A pair of pink, fluffy slippers lay by the bed, but the curled-up figure was nowhere to be seen.

The teddy bear and its teddy bear disappeared together.

Xu Nian's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately sensed something was wrong.

"Xu Xi! Xu Xi! Where are you?"

He shouted as he searched the villa.

Behind the curtains: bathroom, kitchen, basement.

From top to bottom, layer upon layer.

They searched everywhere but couldn't find any trace of Xu Xi.

Xu Nian became more and more anxious and worried as she thought about it.

Could it be that Xu Xi woke up and didn't see him, so she went out to look for him?

He took out his phone and dialed Xu Xi's number.

"Sorry, the user you dialed has suspended service."

? ? ? ? ? ?

Xu Nian panicked immediately.

He pushed open the door and rushed out of the villa.

In the garage, the red sports car and the black SUV were still parked in their original positions, showing no signs of having been moved.

He searched the road from the villa to the fresh food supermarket twice, not even missing the low bushes along the roadside.

The community gate, children's playground, golf course, and artificial hill.

He searched almost every path and every place in the neighborhood.

He even went into each shop in the commercial district to search them out.

Finally, he arrived at the main gate of the residential complex and sought help from the security guard.

"Excuse me, have you seen a very tall, thin, silver-haired girl leave this area?"

He gestured to the area below his chest.

"You mean Xu Xi, President Xu, right?"

The security guard glanced at Xu Nian and recognized him as the man who frequently came and went from Xu Xi's house.

"No, Ms. Xu hasn't left the neighborhood these past two days. Why don't you call her and ask?"

......

I didn't leave the residential area...

Xu Nian left the security booth absentmindedly.

She wasn't home, nor did she leave the neighborhood, so where could she have gone?

As he pondered, he wandered aimlessly around the neighborhood like a headless fly.

Gradually, his footsteps landed on a wet, slippery pebble.

Looking up, you can see the artificial lake in the residential area.

The vast lake, its depths unfathomable, seemed capable of swallowing everything.

Even the small fish and shrimp hid away, and the place was lifeless.

In the winter months, the lake water becomes icy cold.

Along with the coldness, Xu Nian's blood was also completely icy.

Could it be... could it be?

His heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of his throat.

Although there is a railing around the lake, it is very low.

It can stop a careless person who accidentally falls into the water, but it can't stop a person who is determined to die.

After thinking for a moment, Xu Nian rejected the idea.

Xu Xi was born when Xiao Xi was at her most vulnerable. He is the one who has protected her all the way to where she is now, stepping forward time and time again when Xiao Xi is in danger and protecting her behind him.

If he had committed suicide so easily, he probably would never have seen Xiaoxi again, let alone spent that wonderful time with her.

But where did Xu Xi go?

Xu Nian returned to the villa, dejected and distraught.

He began to regret it.

She shouldn't have left the house and left Xu Xi's side.

No matter how strong her heart was, she was still a mentally ill person wallowing in pain.

Since her emotions were so unstable, I stayed home and spent quality time with her.

After entering the room, he turned his head and glanced at the shoe rack.

The shoe rack was full, with Xu Xi's favorite pairs of boots and high heels neatly arranged on it, not a single pair missing.

If I were going out, I would at least wear a pair of shoes.

Could it be... at home?

Xu Nian composed herself, turned her head, and looked around.

The villa was quiet and utterly silent.

He conducted a more detailed search at home.

The first floor, the reception room, and the basement were all empty.

The second floor, kitchen, and dining room, are the same as before.

Xu Nian even opened every cabinet and searched every corner where he could hide, but still couldn't find Xu Xi.

"Xu Xi! Where are you?"

He called out loudly for Xu Xi.

But the only response he received was his own echo.

The third floor...the fourth floor...the fifth floor...not a single person in sight.

Finally, Xu Nian's footsteps touched the floor of the top floor.

He looked around, panting.

Because it's a roof, the top floor area isn't very large; it's more like an attic.

The few rooms were still locked.

Xu Nian sat on the ground, panting heavily.

He was exhausted after traveling for so long.

His body, now in its thirties, was no longer able to support such strenuous exercise for such a long time.

Xu Xi, where are you?

The warm morning sun shone through the glass portholes on the roof, falling on the man's face.

Xu Nian was so blinded by the light that he turned his head to look at the shaded side.

Suddenly, he regained consciousness.

At the end of the corridor, in a dark corner, an iron door that had been locked for years was ajar, revealing a crack.

Could it be...?

Is Xu Xi inside?

Xu Nian stood up and slowly approached the iron gate.

He recalled that he had discovered this closed iron gate when he was first imprisoned in this villa.

It was locked tightly, and Xu Nian had never stepped into the room.

"Xu Xi, are you here?"

He tentatively asked inside.

There seemed to be a soft sound coming from inside the door.

The closer you get, the clearer the sound becomes.

That was... the sound of sobbing!

Xu Nian took three steps at a time and quickly arrived at the iron gate.

He placed his hand on the heavy iron door and pushed it hard.

With a creaking sound, the iron gate was slowly pushed open.

The warm sunlight from the corridor shone through the rusty threshold into the dark little room.

Although it's called a small room, it's more like a warehouse.

The walls were white on all four sides, with no windows, and the air smelled musty.

Neatly arranged shelves are placed against the three white walls that are not near the door.

On the shelves...

Xu Nian's eyes widened in surprise.

His clothes, shoes, hats, cups, toothbrushes, gloves, blankets, and even the yellow vest he wore while delivering food were all displayed on the shelves.

My gaze moved down to the center of the room.

On the dark floor, a small figure huddled inside a worn and dirty military green coat.

She seemed very cold, her whole body was trembling uncontrollably, and even the thick military coat could not make her feel warm.

Hearing the noise at the door, she trembled as she raised her head and looked at the man in the sunlight with her tear-filled eyes.