Pei Leyan’s eyes lit up, and he shouted toward the distance:
“Dad! Aunt Xiao Qiao!”
Zhong Qing turned toward the voice and indeed saw Pei Yanshen, with a young woman in a white coat rushing alongside him—obviously the doctor.
If she had heard correctly, Xiao An had just called her “Aunt Xiao Qiao”?
Zhong Qing already had some faint guesses about this “Aunt Xiao Qiao’s” identity.
Seeing his father and Qiao Jiangyue, Pei Leyan instinctively wanted to run to them. But noticing their anxious expressions, he slowly realized the trouble he’d caused.
For once, Pei Leyan felt a little guilty in front of Pei Yanshen.
Today, he truly had acted impulsively.
Before he could apologize, Pei Yanshen and Zhong Qing, as if reading each other’s minds, went through the same routine:
“Where did you run off to? Are you hurt?”
Angry though he was, Pei Yanshen’s greatest concern was always the child’s safety.
Qiao Jiangyue quickly reassured him, fearing he would scold the boy: “The important thing is that Xiao An is safe. That’s what matters.”
Pei Leyan lowered his head, softly saying: “I’m sorry.”
Once assured that Xiao An wasn’t hurt, Pei Yanshen held his hand and glanced at Zhong Qing.
He hadn’t expected that the first person to find Xiao An in such a remote place would be Zhong Qing.
Only then did Qiao Jiangyue truly notice Zhong Qing and turned her gaze to her.
“You’re Xiao An’s mother, right?”
Zhong Qing nodded calmly. “I am.”
Hearing her firm answer, Qiao Jiangyue’s polite smile vanished.
“I’m Qiao Jiangyue. I used to handle health checks at the kindergarten. Xiao An mentioned this place to me, but I didn’t expect… you still remember it.”
As suspected, according to the dream’s sequence, Qiao Jiangyue came to the northwest after Zhong Qing was sold, eventually transferring jobs with Pei Yanshen.
Through daily accompaniment, Pei Yanshen gradually grew fond of her.
By the timeline, it made sense for this female lead to appear now.
Zhong Qing maintained a composed expression. “Of course I remember my own child. I appreciate your care for him, Dr. Xiao Qiao.”
Seeing Zhong Qing so composed, Qiao Jiangyue frowned deeper.
Although unclear on the details, Pei Yanshen perceptively sensed a mutual subtle tension between Zhong Qing and Qiao Jiangyue.
Holding Pei Leyan’s hand, he subtly stepped closer to Zhong Qing. “Since we’ve found Xiao An, we should report in and let everyone know he’s safe.”
The three of them led Pei Leyan down the mountain.
Though unharmed, the boy had gotten quite dirty from climbing alone, looking like he had been retrieved from a mountain ditch.
Zhong Qing was no better off. Hours of frantic searching had left her hair and makeup a mess.
The atmosphere descending the mountain was strangely tense.
Lin Wenjuan, waiting at the foot of the mountain, finally breathed easier upon seeing Xiao An safe.
Yet… why wasn’t Xiao An clinging to Zhong Qing? Instead, he stuck to the young female doctor who had helped him down.
Suppressing her doubts, Lin Wenjuan said, “Take the child home to rest. Don’t worry about anything else. I’ll inform everyone the child has been found.”
After a day of overexertion and emotional ups and downs, Zhong Qing, exhausted, did not refuse, simply saying, “Thank you. I’ve troubled you often.”
Lin Wenjuan’s expression was complicated. “All for the child. Besides, Captain Pei has helped my husband plenty at work—it’s mutual. Alright, head home.”
Pei Yanshen turned to Qiao Jiangyue. “Thank you for your help today.”
Qiao Jiangyue, however, had no intention of leaving immediately with Lin Wenjuan. She smiled at Pei Leyan, who was still reluctant:
“Captain Pei, don’t worry. Xiao An must have been scared alone on the mountain. I’ll accompany him home; having someone familiar nearby will make him feel safe.”
Pei Leyan eagerly nodded.
Pei Yanshen frowned slightly, instinctively glancing at Zhong Qing.
Zhong Qing understood Qiao Jiangyue’s intent. Smiling, she said, “Dr. Xiao Qiao is kind, but after all this, you must be tired. With me and Yanshen accompanying Xiao An, there’s no need to trouble outsiders repeatedly.”
The word “outsiders” instantly froze Qiao Jiangyue’s smile.
Zhong Qing naturally reached for Pei Leyan’s hand. “Xiao An, let’s go home. Xiao Yu and Grandpa and Grandma are waiting.”
Pei Leyan hesitated, remembering what Zhong Qing had told him on the mountain.
As he wavered, Qiao Jiangyue subtly held his hand, insisting:
“Xiao An sees me as a friend. I can’t ignore him when he’s been hurt.”
Zhong Qing raised an eyebrow, calm: “Dr. Xiao Qiao is kindhearted. Alright, Xiao An is yours then.”
With that, she walked ahead toward home without another word.
Left behind, Pei Leyan watched Zhong Qing’s detached back.
Rather than feeling happy about staying with Aunt Xiao Qiao, he felt a strange, inexplicable sense of grievance.
Liar…
She had promised she wouldn’t leave them on the mountain, yet now she seemed to toss the trouble away without a second thought.
Couldn’t she have tried a little harder?
Maybe he would have gone with her.
Pei Fu and Pei Mu, who had been worried all day, rushed to meet them and were finally somewhat relieved seeing Xiao An unharmed.
Qiao Jiangyue quickly spoke: “Uncle, Aunt, I didn’t expect this on my first visit.”
Pei Leyan perked up and enthusiastically said while holding Qiao Jiangyue’s hand, “Grandpa, Grandma, this is Aunt Xiao Qiao. She’s really nice to me! I like her very, very much!”
He emphasized “very” repeatedly, sneaking a glance at Zhong Qing.
Yet Zhong Qing didn’t even flinch.
Pei Leyan felt even more stifled.
Pei Mu maintained a polite face, but her mind was sharp as a mirror.
Qiao Jiangyue’s intentions were likely not so simple.
Pei Fu and Pei Mu took Pei Leyan home to clean up, while Qiao Jiangyue stopped Pei Yanshen.
“Captain Pei, there’s something I need to discuss with you.” Then, as if remembering Zhong Qing’s presence, she added, “Sister-in-law won’t mind if I take a bit of your time, right?”
Zhong Qing knew exactly what Qiao Jiangyue was doing.
If she truly cared about Zhong Qing’s thoughts, she wouldn’t have asked permission first.