“Sir, quickly take the young master and young miss off the carriage. The forest might not be safe. I’ll check first. If everything’s fine, I’ll return for you. If I don’t come back in half an hour, take them and leave quickly!” Chen Shu instructed.
“Uncle Chen—” Lan Lan clutched Chen Shu’s hand, her eyes filled with gratitude. Over the past two years, he and his wife had provided her with care and warmth like parents. As danger loomed, her unease grew.
“Be careful. We’ll wait for you!” She held his hand firmly, offering encouragement.
“Mm, I’m going ahead, wait here!” Chen Shu drove the horse cart forward, determined that anyone who wanted to harm them would have to go through him first.
Lan Lan led the two children to hide. “Babies, don’t make a sound! Bad people are coming! If you make a noise, they’ll catch you!” she whispered.
The innocent children thought their mother was playing a game, covering their mouths with their chubby hands.
Ten minutes, fifteen minutes, half an hour passed. Lan Lan anxiously counted the time. Why hadn’t Uncle Chen returned? She needed to find a place to hide. She quickly pulled the two children to run, but they stumbled along, not knowing how far they’d gone. Eventually, she spotted an old temple ahead.
Inside, the courtyard was overgrown with weeds, the rooms full of cobwebs, and the floor littered with debris. Occasionally, two rats ran by, making Lan Lan feel a chill. What kind of place was this? Could there be snakes? Night was falling, and she couldn’t find anywhere else.
Her pretty face was full of helplessness; she could only make do here for the night.
The two little ones’ cute faces were also covered in dust and uncomfortable.
“Mommy, I’m hungry!” “Mommy, I’m thirsty!”
“Okay, okay, here, drink some water, eat something!” Lan Lan quickly took out steamed buns and water for them.
Watching them wolf down food, she also took a steamed bun and chewed slowly. When had she ever suffered like this? Since leaving Shenzhen, it seemed so distant. She wondered how her mother and sister were doing.
