“I want to find my biological parents.” Bai Yanzhou’s hand stopped halfway to his mouth.
For a moment, he wondered if he had heard her correctly.
He had considered several possibilities.
Perhaps she wanted revenge on the two men from the alley, or wanted him to help retrieve something.
Maybe she was even thinking of sneaking out of Bai Manor without her brother noticing.
Given her temperament, none of those would have surprised him.
But finding her biological parents?
That was the last thing he had expected.
Bai Yanzhou slowly lowered the roasted goose leg in his hand.
“Your biological parents?” “Yes.” Shen Qinglan met his gaze without hesitation.
It was obvious that this was not an idea she had suddenly come up with tonight.
She had thought about it before, and probably more than once.
“There are many reasons I can’t explain.” Her fingers tightened slightly around the blanket.
“But I have to find them.” Bai Yanzhou’s expression shifted slightly.
“You have to?” Shen Qinglan nodded and looked up at him.
“Brother Bai, what would it take for you to help me?” There was determination in her eyes, along with the faintest hint of pleading.
It was subtle enough that most people might not have noticed it, but Bai Yanzhou did.
For some reason, the refusal already on the tip of his tongue never came out.
He studied her for a moment before asking, “Does your adoptive father know about this?” Shen Qinglan paused.
“…No.” “And your brother?” “No.” “Neither of them knows?” She shook her head.
Bai Yanzhou frowned.
“Then how exactly were you planning to find your biological parents?” This time, Shen Qinglan fell silent, her gaze shifting slightly.
Bai Yanzhou immediately noticed.
“What?” “Nothing.” “Your face says otherwise.” Shen Qinglan hesitated for a few seconds before deciding there was no point hiding it.
“I was planning to stay missing.” Bai Yanzhou stared at her.
“…What?” “I got separated from them anyway,” Shen Qinglan explained as though it were perfectly reasonable.
“So I thought I might as well take advantage of the situation.” For a moment, Bai Yanzhou didn’t know what to say.
“You were planning to stay missing?” “Mm.” “On purpose?” “Yes.” “And you actually thought that was a good idea?” Shen Qinglan blinked.
“Why not?” “Why not?” Bai Yanzhou nearly stood up in disbelief, almost sending the goose leg in his hand flying.
He caught it just in time, glanced at it, then looked back at Shen Qinglan.
“You’re fourteen!” “So?” “So?” His voice rose.
“You’re a young girl planning to disappear from your family and wander around alone looking for two people when you barely have any clues!” Shen Qinglan frowned.
“I have a clue.” “Oh?
How many?” “One.” Bai Yanzhou waited, but Shen Qinglan simply looked back at him.
“…That’s it?” “One is better than none.” Bai Yanzhou closed his eyes and took a slow breath.
He suddenly understood why Shen Mo’an always looked as though he hadn’t known peace in years.
Having a younger sister like this would probably shorten anyone’s life.
“Fine.
Let’s forget for a moment that you barely know where to start.” He began counting off on his fingers.
“Where would you stay?” “I’d find an inn.” “With what money?” Shen Qinglan fell silent.
Bai Yanzhou narrowed his eyes.
“You didn’t bring any?” “I wasn’t expecting to get lost today.” Bai Yanzhou paused.
Fair enough.
Unfortunately, that only made her plan sound even worse.
“What would you eat?” “I can find work.” “What kind of work?” Shen Qinglan thought about it seriously.
“I can do many things.” “Such as?” “Fight.” Bai Yanzhou stared at her.
She continued, “Read.
Write.
Keep accounts.” He rubbed between his brows.
“Anything that doesn’t involve you getting stabbed?” Shen Qinglan frowned.
“That only happened once.” “Once was enough.” She clearly disagreed, but Bai Yanzhou ignored her and pointed at her injured arm.
“And what if someone kidnaps you?” “Oh.” Bai Yanzhou stared at her.
“What kind of answer is ‘oh’?” Shen Qinglan looked perfectly serious.
“That happened quite a few times when I was little.” The irritation on Bai Yanzhou’s face vanished.
“What?” Shen Qinglan leaned back against the headboard as though she had said nothing unusual.
“When I was very young, I fell into the hands of traffickers more than once.
Sometimes they sold me.
Sometimes I escaped before they could.” Her tone was so calm that Bai Yanzhou’s brows slowly drew together.
“And you’re saying that like it’s nothing?” “What else should I say?” Shen Qinglan looked genuinely puzzled.
“It already happened.” That simple answer left him speechless.
She continued calmly, “Every time, I just had to watch carefully, wait for the right opportunity, outsmart them, and find a way to escape.” She gave a small shrug.
“I’m still alive, aren’t I?” Bai Yanzhou said nothing for a moment.
There was no fear on her face, nor any self-pity or anger.
She spoke about being kidnapped and sold as casually as if she were talking about taking the wrong road home.
For some reason, that troubled him more than tears would have.
“You’re really not afraid?” Shen Qinglan tilted her head.
“Afraid of what?” “Being kidnapped again.” “Oh.” Bai Yanzhou rubbed his forehead.
Why did she always answer with that infuriating little “oh”?
Shen Qinglan seemed to consider his question seriously before the corner of her lips curled upward.
“Oh, there’s nothing to be afraid of.
Besides, I have my own ways of keeping myself alive.” Bai Yanzhou snorted and pointed directly at her bandaged left arm.
“And what do you call that?” Shen Qinglan stiffened.
She looked down at her arm, then back at him, her expression immediately souring.
“That was an accident.” “An accident that nearly killed you.” “I didn’t die.” “You fainted.” “I woke up.” “You were poisoned.” “I had medicine.” “You were unconscious for hours.” Shen Qinglan’s eye twitched.
Why was this man so annoying?
“Knowing how to protect myself doesn’t mean I can never get hurt!” she snapped.
Bai Yanzhou calmly took another bite of roasted goose.
That only annoyed her more.
“If you hadn’t interfered earlier, I would’ve dealt with him myself.” “Oh?” “Yes.” Shen Qinglan lifted her chin.
“Even if he survived, he would’ve been lucky to walk away with half his life intact.” Bai Yanzhou stopped chewing and looked at her.
“Half his life?” “At most.” He swallowed the bite of goose and shook his head.
“Do you really have to be so ruthless?” “Yes.” The answer came immediately.
The annoyance disappeared from Shen Qinglan’s face, replaced by cold seriousness.
“Showing mercy to an enemy is being cruel to yourself.” Her voice was quiet, but every word was clear.