1897: I am scared...

I am scared...

Youyou replied, "I'm sorry, mommy. Principal Li wanted to treat me to desserts, so…"1

"There's no next time, alright? I'm just worried because it's already this late at night."

"Okay!" The boy returned a playful reply to assuage her. "Mommy, I'm not a little kid, so you don't have to worry. Once I'm done eating desserts, the principal will send me back home safely!"

The corners of Yun Shishi's lips twitched as she fell silent.

The seven-year-old child had actually told her that he was not a little kid!

It sounded queer to her no matter what.

"That's enough. Don't be smart-mouthed with me. Be sure to come back early if you don't want me to worry. Don't be playful and remember your manners while you're outside."

"I got it! Don't worry, mommy."

After ending the call, the woman picked up her older son and gently asked, "Are you starving, my darling? I apologize for returning home late. As compensation, I'll cook anything that you wanna eat."

Little Yichen stifled a shudder when he heard that and commented, "It's best if you take me out for dinner if you truly wish to compensate me, mommy."

Her delicate soul had been dealt a heavy blow.

Is my cooking that lousy?!

Nevertheless, she compromised. "What do you wanna eat, then? I'll bring you out for dinner."

"I'm fine with anything. Why don't we ask grandpa for his opinion? I'll eat whatever he wanna eat!"

The little brat's consideration for his grandfather had the latter breaking into a smile, resulting in the gloomy feelings, which had accumulated in his heart, to dissipate by a large part.

He took the boy from his daughter's arms, unable to resist teasing him. "How sensible my grandson is! Grandpa wants to eat steamed cornbread. Will you eat them, too?"

"Of course! I will treat grandpa to whatever he wishes to eat."

The lad then patted his waist pouch with a grin. "I have a lot of stash! He he!"

That one statement completely ticked the elderly man pink as he lovingly stroked his grandson's head.

How joyous and harmonious the scene was.

…

Meanwhile, Youyou, who was sitting in the passenger seat of a car, fiddled with the child safety belt in disdain and mercilessly lambasted, "Don't install this thing again; it's uncomfortable to sit in it."

His subordinate fell silent.

"Sir, the child seat is a must in the car since you're still a child, or else I'll be getting a lecture from the traffic police when they stop us."

The boy gave him no response and looked up in the sky through the window, instead.

Li Hanlin assumed his professional look as he followed up with a question. "Sir, what orders do you have for me this time?"

His boss mulled over it for a while before gradually confiding, "The police summoned my grandfather and mother to the bureau today to identify a body."

As soon as he heard that, the astute man astutely realized that something was amiss. A look of seriousness slipped onto his face at once.

Youyou turned his face in his subordinate's direction and ordered, "Contact the police for me; I want to read the autopsy report."

"Which precinct is it?"

Having no idea at all, he shook his head.

"Since the body was recovered from the sea, the Eastern Sea division should have information about the case. Be sure to keep a low profile."

"I have some connections in the police department. It should not be difficult for us to get a copy of the autopsy report."

As the agent said this, he noticed how pale his boss's face had become. His gaze then landed on the boy's hands, which were placed on his knees, and he saw that both were trembling right down to his fingertips.

He could tell that he was in an extremely agitated state.

"What's wrong, sir?" asked the man with concern and heartache.

"Agent Li, I'm scared."

The boy's weak and helpless voice reverberating in the silent space sounded ever so heartbreaking.

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