Chapter 70

“Auntie, why hasn’t Xiaomeng come back yet? Did she mention anything she needed to do?”

After dinner, Chu Tianhe frowned as he glanced at his watch, a vague sense of unease flickering in his heart.

This morning, Qin Xiaomeng left even earlier than he did, saying she was going to apply for a job at Senmao Group. By rights, she should have returned long ago, yet at this hour, there was still no sign of her—not even a phone call.

“No,” Yang Huijuan replied, worry beginning to show on her face. “I called her just now, but no one answered. Maybe her phone ran out of battery? If she wasn’t coming home for dinner, Xiaomeng would usually call me.”

Hearing this, Chu Tianhe frowned again.

Xiaomeng had only just left campus, lacking much real-world experience. Chu Tianhe truly worried she might suffer outside, his uneasiness deepening.

“I’ll go out and look for her, just in case something’s happened.”

His expression was grave as he rose from his seat.

Yang Huijuan smiled, trying to reassure him, “Tianhe, don’t worry so much. Xiaomeng’s grown up now—what could possibly happen? She’s just getting used to a new environment, maybe working overtime. That’s normal.”

Yang Huijuan remained as optimistic as ever. She was a kind woman, and since her husband’s early death, she had lived with the Qin family, seldom venturing into society. She always believed that most people in the world were good.

But reality was far less merciful.

Chu Tianhe relaxed his brow, his gaze lingering on Yang Huijuan. He wanted to explain that the world was filled with deception and traps, rife with scheming and betrayal.

Yet, seeing the gentle smile on her face, he couldn’t bring himself to shatter her faith in kindness.

He recalled when he and Qin Xiaorou had first made their relationship public, facing opposition from every member of the Qin family—except for Yang Huijuan, who thought highly of Chu Tianhe. From the start, she had never looked down on him and believed he was a good man, worthy of entrusting a lifetime.

Had it not been for her kindness, their relationship would likely have ended then and there. Qin Xiaorou had endured immense pressure, and if Yang Huijuan had opposed them as well, there would have been no hope.

“I’ll go take a look anyway.”

In the end, Chu Tianhe smiled as he stood, picked up his jacket, and prepared to leave. He turned to Yaoyao and said, “Yaoyao, listen to your grandmother and go to bed early.”

“No, I want Daddy to hold me while I sleep!” Normally well-behaved, Yaoyao threw a tantrum this time, her large, watery eyes gazing at Chu Tianhe pleadingly.

She wanted to sleep with her father, to be held in his arms—a child’s simplest wish.

“Daddy has to go out for a while and might be back late. Can you sleep with Grandma tonight, please?”

“Daddy promises that tomorrow morning, you’ll wake up in Daddy’s arms. Is that okay?”

“Pinky swear!” Yaoyao held out her little finger to Chu Tianhe, using a child’s unique way to ask for his promise.

“All right, pinky swear!”