“Tongtong… what happened? You—ah—”
The moment Second Aunt Qin saw the people in the living room, she nearly collapsed in shock.
Why was she here?
Qin Mianmian was supposed to have been taken away!
When her gaze met Mianmian’s smiling eyes, her heart leapt into her throat.
Those useless fools… they had failed.
And what they had just said—had Qin Yunchuan and the others heard it?
“Qin Tongtong, whose room are you planning to take?”
Qin Yunchuan looked at her coldly.
Qin Tongtong was only eight years old. No matter what, she was still a child—how could she dare act arrogantly in front of him?
With just that one sentence, her eyes reddened. She clutched Second Aunt Qin’s arm, too frightened to speak.
“It’s a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding. Yunchuan, you heard wrong.” Second Aunt Qin forced a laugh, uneasy, trying to brush it off.
“My Big Brother might have heard wrong, but I didn’t,” Mianmian said, puffing her cheeks as she glared at them. “You wanted to take my room. Second Auntie… your hearts are really bad.”
“Mianmian, we’re family. How could we possibly take your room? It’s really a misunderstanding.”
But no one present believed her explanation.
Second Aunt Qin clenched her fingers nervously. As long as they didn’t find out she was connected to the kidnappers, it would be fine!
Buzz—buzz—
The phone rang.
Qin Yunchuan answered, his gaze falling on Second Aunt Qin. That single look made her tremble.
After hanging up, he said, “Gu Xu, stay and eat with Mianmian. I’m going to the police station. The kidnappers have something to say.”
When he mentioned the kidnappers, he deliberately looked at Second Aunt Qin, frightening her so much that she gripped Qin Tongtong tightly, causing the girl to push her away in pain.
“Big Brother, go ahead. I’ll wait for you to come back,” Mianmian said, waving her little hand.
Only after Qin Yunchuan left did the suffocating atmosphere ease slightly.
Second Aunt Qin sat down, but instead of relief, she felt even more anxious.
What if those damned kidnappers confessed?
What would she do then?
The mother and daughter were uneasy. Second Aunt Qin subtly squeezed Qin Tongtong’s hand. Understanding the signal, Qin Tongtong took out her phone.
Meanwhile, dishes were being served.
Mianmian sat at the table, staring eagerly at the food.
Gu Xu couldn’t resist pinching her cheek—it was soft and smooth, far better than petting a cat.
Mianmian frowned in protest. “Don’t pinch Mianmian! My face will turn into a big bun!”
“Ah, little Mianmian… big buns are so cute. Soft and fluffy.”
“Brother Gu Xu… I don’t—”
Before she could finish, a loud growl from her stomach broke the moment.
Embarrassed, Mianmian covered her tummy and sneaked a glance at Gu Xu—he was actually laughing!
She covered her face.
Oh no, oh no, the little lady has embarrassed herself!
Gu Xu couldn’t help but chuckle. Mianmian didn’t dare open her eyes, muttering, “Crack in the ground, crack in the ground…”
Hearing this, Gu Xu laughed even more.
“If you’re not eating, I’ll finish everything.”
“I’ll eat! I want to eat!”
Mianmian opened her eyes and looked at the beautifully arranged dishes being served.
She immediately began eating with gusto.
Gu Xu rested his chin on his hand, surprised.
The little one ate so happily.
Only—
He noticed quite a bit of vegetables left untouched.
She was a picky eater.
Mianmian pointed at a plate of greens. “Brother Gu Xu, you eat.”
“I’m not hungry!” This child was too picky. Not eating vegetables wouldn’t do.
Despite everything that had happened, Mianmian ate peacefully.
Behind her, Second Aunt Qin and Qin Tongtong glared at her with ill intent.
Gu Xu took out his phone and started taking pictures.
Every shot was adorable.
After finishing a bowl of rice, Mianmian looked up and smiled. “Grandpa Butler, I want another bowl of rice. It’s so yummy!”
“Right away.”
The butler happily served her a large bowl. Miss Mianmian had such a good appetite.
Little did they know, her behavior deeply irritated Second Aunt Qin.
With Qin Yunchuan at the police station, she was restless and terrified.
That little wretch—it was all her fault.
Why did she get to eat happily without a care?
Unable to hold back any longer, Second Aunt Qin shouted—
“Eat, eat, eat! All you know is how to eat! Qin Mianmian, as a young lady of the Qin family, you eat so crudely and so much! Has the Qin family been starving you? Look at yourself—where’s the dignity of a rich family’s daughter?”
The warmth on Gu Xu’s face vanished. “Second Madam Qin, Mianmian is only three and a half years old. Isn’t that too harsh?”
“Doctor Gu, as an elder, it’s only right for me to discipline a junior. Besides, this is the Qin family’s internal matter. As an outsider, you have no right to interfere.”
Second Aunt Qin had always been domineering, her words sharp and aggressive.
Gu Xu sneered. “Yunchuan is my brother. Mianmian is naturally my sister. How am I an outsider?”
Qin Yunchuan again.
She couldn’t touch him—but couldn’t she deal with a little girl?
Second Aunt Qin cast an annoyed glance at Mianmian.
Even now, she was still eating.
“Qin Mianmian, I’m talking to you!”
Her tone grew harsher.
Gu Xu noticed that Mianmian had already patted her round belly in satisfaction, seemingly not taking her words to heart at all.
Mianmian looked at her innocently, her eyelashes trembling slightly, and said lightly, “Person.”
“What? What did you call me?” Second Aunt Qin stepped forward in disbelief, staring at her.
“Person. You told me to call you, so I did. Person. Person.”
Mianmian leaned back against the chair, looking confused—as if asking, are you deaf?
Second Aunt Qin was furious, while Gu Xu chuckled under his breath.
“Qin Mianmian, say that again?”
Mianmian tugged at Gu Xu’s sleeve. He looked at her, puzzled.
She glanced at Second Aunt Qin, then asked, “Brother Gu Xu, does Second Auntie have a problem with her ears? She can’t even hear that!”
“Little Mianmian is so smart.”
Gu Xu played along.
“Second Auntie, don’t avoid medical treatment. Being sick is serious.”
One big and one small, perfectly in sync, their back-and-forth made Second Aunt Qin’s heart ache with anger.
That damned little brat.
Qin Tongtong immediately stepped forward and shoved Mianmian.
“You stuttering jinx! Useless trash! What right do you have to bully my mom? What right do you have to sit here? Get out—get out of the Qin family!”
She had thought Qin Mianmian would disappear forever today.
She had already planned to take everything that belonged to her.
But she came back.
Why did she come back?!
The more Qin Tongtong thought about it, the angrier she became. She pushed harder, causing Mianmian’s small body to fall backward.
Fortunately, Gu Xu caught her in time.
He shot Qin Tongtong a fierce glare, frightening her so much that she collapsed onto the floor.
Second Aunt Qin hurriedly pulled her into her arms.
Just as she was about to speak, she met Gu Xu’s dark expression and swallowed her words in fear.
Anyone who could stand beside Qin Yunchuan was not to be trifled with.
Gu Xu was from the Gu family—she couldn’t confront him directly.
Mianmian had inherited all the original owner’s memories.
This Second Aunt Qin and Qin Tongtong were not good people.
They often bullied the original child behind others’ backs, while acting perfectly kind in front of her father. With his support, they had been able to act recklessly in the Qin family.
Memories of that bullying filled Mianmian’s mind.
She clenched her fists; her cheeks puffed with anger.
“Mianmian is angry… Mianmian is really angry.”