For several weeks, neither of them took the initiative to say a word to each other.

This has never happened before, and this is the first time in history.

However, although they are in the same grade, they are not in the same class now, and now when they meet, they all turn their heads away, and no one refuses to say hello. On weekdays, because of Jianwan, they are not close to each other in the villa, neither go to and from school together, nor rarely go out shopping together, only in school do they spend more time together.

In this way, no one even noticed anything wrong with them.

Only the youngest, Jianyu, seemed to see something, but he didn't ask.

At this juncture, Wen Baiqing, who had not seen him for a long time, finally took the time to return to Hong Kong.

Compared with a few years ago, Wen Baiqing is now full of spirits.

In the past three years, he has been steadily working with the help of his teachers, and he has been rising step by step.

Due to the tense situation in China and his busy official duties, he rarely returns to Hong Kong. The sudden initiative to come back this time made Wen Jingshu very happy, and even her attitude towards Wen Jianning eased a lot. After dinner, Wen Baiqing knocked on Wen Jianning's door.

In the past three years, the siblings have only seen each other a few times. Every time, Wen Baiqing just came back in a hurry to stay for one night, and left the next day. It's been half a year since they last met, and both sides have a lot to say.

As soon as he sat down, he asked about "Flowers on the Sea", and Wen Jianning couldn't help but be surprised: "You didn't say that you were busy with official business all day, it turns out that Chief Wen is also free." ”

Wen Baiqing shook his head and smiled: "I just heard what your future sister-in-law said, she likes to watch you very much, and she is your loyal reader." But don't worry, I didn't betray you. ”

The two hadn't seen each other for many days, and after talking and laughing for a long time, Wen Baiqing asked thoughtfully: "Last time, I called me crying when I saw Xiu, saying that you ran away from home against your aunt." But what did they force you to do?"

In fact, it has been a while since this incident, and thinking of the trouble with Jianxiu now, Wen Jianning was silent for a while, not knowing how to answer for a while, and finally just nodded slightly.

Wen Baiqing pondered for a moment and said, "If you are really unhappy living here, it is better to simply go back to the mainland with me this time to study hard." What's the matter, when you finish high school, we'll discuss it slowly. ”

Wen Jianning shook his head: "No need." ”

She knew very well that it was not easy for Wen Baiqing to take her away.

Not to mention that she had to get entangled with the Wen family afterwards, Wen Jingshu herself has been operating in Hong Kong for many years and has friends with many local snakes. If she didn't nod, it would be almost impossible for Wen Jianning to leave here.

And just now at the dinner table, she already knew that Wen Baiqing came back this time specifically to get married next spring.

Three years ago, in the presence of the elders of both parties, Wen Baiqing and his teacher's daughter got engaged. Now that he has gained a firm foothold in the army, and it is time to start a family, how can she drag him down at this juncture. The situation has not yet reached the worst, and she is unwilling to drag Wen Baiqing into this troubled water early.

Seeing that she refused to agree, Wen Baiqing did not force it. He took out something from his jacket pocket, held it in his hand and stretched it out in front of Wen Jianning and said, "I'll give you a gadget." Although he wanted to give it to her, Wen Baiqing's hand was clenched so tightly that it was impossible to see what he was holding in his palm.

Wen Jianning pretended to be arrogant and turned his head: "I don't want to guess." ”

"If you don't guess, don't guess," Wen Baiqing explained with a smile: "It's a small statue of my mother, you always said you wanted to see it before, but I always forgot to bring it." I finally remembered it this time, and I sent you a souvenir. ”

As he spoke, he spread out his palm, only to see a pendant in the shape of a chicken heart lying quietly in his palm.

Wen Jianning had seen this kind of pendant and knew that after opening it, a small photo could be hidden inside.

"It's too valuable, I can't take it, you should keep it, or give it to your sister-in-law. Although he didn't plan to accept it, Wen Jianning still took it over and wanted to see what Wen Baiqing's biological mother looked like.

Back then, after Wen Baiqing learned of his mother's whereabouts, he kept paying people to ask around Hong Kong to search for her whereabouts. But three years later, there is still no news, and he can only give up gradually.

The corners of Wen Baiqing's mouth narrowed slightly: "There's no need to be so troublesome. ”

Wen Jianning stopped his movements and frowned at him: "You are all going to get married." ”

Wen Baiqing said lightly: "You are still young, and there are some things you don't understand." Getting married is just the beginning, and it's hard to say what will happen in the future. This thing is placed with you, just as if I have deposited it with you, you can keep it well. ”

Wen Jianning wanted to speak a few times and stopped, but finally just opened his mouth and agreed angrily: "Okay, I know." ”

After she finished speaking, she lowered her head and continued to fiddle with the pendant in her hand, and when she opened it, she saw that there was indeed a small black and white statue inside, with a young woman on it, although her eyebrows were a little blurry, but vaguely familiar. She looked at it, and her face gradually changed.

Wen Baiqing, who was on the other side, saw that something was wrong, stretched out his hand and shook it twice in front of her: "What's the matter with you, why is your face so ugly?"

"No, nothing," Wen Jianning came back to his senses and said dryly, "It's just that I think I may have seen her already." ”

Early the next morning, the brother and sister went to the apartment that Mr. Qi had rented back then.

Halfway through, Wen Jianning couldn't help but sneak a glance at Wen Baiqing, who was beside him with a tense face. She never imagined that the person she glanced at in that apartment back then would be Wen Baiqing's mother.

Thinking of Meng Li, her feelings couldn't help but become complicated.

However, when the two came to the apartment, they were told by the current residents that Meng Li had moved away for a long time. I heard that she owed money to others outside and was being collected for debts, and now no one knows her whereabouts. On the way back, Wen Jianning comforted Wen Baiqing and said, "You don't have to worry, she may come to me again." I'll let you know as soon as I have any news. ”

As he spoke, the car drove around the corner of the street, and Wen Jianning saw the bookstore he frequented in front of him, and hurriedly said, "Let's stop here and go to the café next to us for a while." ”

Originally, she just had the idea of trying her luck, thinking that Meng Li had taken advantage of her last time, and maybe she would come again.

But they never thought that when the two got out of the car, they hit a woman head-on.

Both sides were stunned the moment they saw the person coming from the opposite side, and in the end, Meng Li reacted first.

She looked a little haggard, but after glancing at Wen Baiqing beside Wen Jianning, she quickly laughed lightly: "Miss Wen actually has time to go out shopping with her boyfriend today, it seems that she has reconciled with her family." ”

Wen Jianning didn't know how to answer for a while.

She first glanced at Wen Baiqing's face beside her carefully, and then considered: "He is my cousin, not a boyfriend." But since you have met, do you want to join us...... Have a meal?" Meng Li was a little surprised, but when the free meal ticket was delivered to the door, she naturally had no reason to refuse.

The three of them found a nearby restaurant and sat down.

Wen Jianning saw that Wen Baiqing next to him had been silent, so he had to ask himself: "Miss Meng Li, in fact, we happened to be looking for you today, and we want to ask you to help find someone." ”

Meng Li said with a lack of interest: "It's still the person you said before." ”

She has a good memory, she remembers that Wen Jianning once wanted to ask her about a woman's whereabouts a few years ago.

Wen Jianning nodded and said, "The woman I'm looking for is in her forties, and she came to Hong Kong from the mainland by boat about seven or eight years ago. Maybe she was abducted and trafficked halfway, or maybe something else happened, in short, someone saw her in Tangxi. ”

Meng Li sneered: "Miss Wen, I don't know how many abducted women come to Tangxi every year, I know which one you are talking about." ”

She used to be a prostitute, but then she met a man and ransomed her, and the two got married. ”

Wen Jianning said as he observed Meng Li's demeanor, and sure enough, he saw her stunned.

Meng Li quickly came back to his senses and sneered: "The man I met in the prostitution also dares to entrust it for life, this woman must have an empty head." Didn't the man who rescued her out of the fire pit sell her to Hong Kong after changing hands?"

Wen Jianning shook his head: "No." The man who rescued her was a good man, but he died of illness very early, leaving her a son, and the mother and son depended on each other. ”

Meng Li's face became more and more unnatural: "There is also a son." I'm afraid that if I take my child out and sell it, my worth will be much lower, and if this woman doesn't remarry, I'm afraid that I will suffer a lot. ”

Her tone was still full of sarcasm, but it was much softer than before.

Wen Jianning looked at Wen Baiqing's face on the side, and could only continue: "However, she couldn't keep her son by her side all the time. Her husband was a young master who ran away from home in a large family, and a few years after his death, her husband's family came and took her son away. Because she was from a bad background and had no power, she could only watch others take her son away, and she didn't even know where he went. ”

Meng Li's face finally changed slightly, and his original casual expression disappeared, but he only heard Wen Jianning on the other side continue: "Her son has now grown into a young man, in his twenties, and his original surname is Ji, which was temporarily changed by her husband after he ran away from home. Later, his son returned to his husband's house and changed his surname to Wen. ”

Meng Li's eyes showed a trace of pain, and his lips began to tremble.

She didn't know how long it took for her to reluctantly come to her senses, fumbled and took out a cigarette case from the handbag beside her, took out a cigarette, trembled several times before lighting the fire, and took a sharp puff, as if drawing strength from the ethereal smoke, then raised her eyes to look at Wen Jianning, and asked in a dumb voice: "Where is that woman's son." ”

Wen Jianning couldn't bear to answer, so he could only close his eyes.

Meng Li had already drawn the answer from her silence, and looked at the handsome young man beside her who had not made a sound all this time.

From just now to now, he didn't say a word, but he kept looking at her.

The cigarette she was holding in her hand fell abruptly on the cheongsam, burning a hole. But in a hurry, she didn't care about the burning pain for a while, and stood up and turned around to run.

Wen Baiqing, who had expected it, strode forward, grabbed Meng Li's arm, and dragged him back to his seat.

The movement on their side attracted the attention of the guests at the other table, and the tall waiter strode over: "Sir, miss, if you have any disputes with this lady, I hope you can go outside to settle them." ”

Wen Baiqing explained apologetically: "We just had a little misunderstanding, but it has been cleared now." ”

"Also, we don't allow smoking here, so if you need it, please move to the smoking room or downstairs. ”

Wen Baiqing bowed: "Okay, I see." ”

After the waiter left, he turned to look at Meng Li beside him.

Her face was pale, and she showed a smile that was more ugly than crying: "This, this young master—"

Wen Baiqing said lightly: "I thought you would at least remember my name." ”

His words made Meng Li speechless, and his face was a little frightened, like a child who had made a mistake, and even Wen Jianning, who was prejudiced against her before, couldn't bear to see it.

Wen Baiqing pondered for a moment, and didn't know how to speak, just as the waiter pushed the dining cart over, he said, "Eat something first, if there is anything, we will talk about it slowly later." ”

(End of chapter)