Searching for Treasures in the Clouds

Chapter 261 The Wen Family (VI)

After a long period of ideological education, Wen Nachuan calmed down a lot and smiled again. After taking care of their own affairs, the family went downstairs to check on the two aunts' preparations. Wen Shuchen waited in the small hall with Xiao Hai in his arms, while Qi Zhaolin went to the kitchen to check on the situation.

There were only two people working in the kitchen, one was Duan Yi, and the other was a chef who was hired regularly to help at the family banquet. Zhang Wenshu was nowhere to be seen, and Yu Ru was also missing. Qi Zhaolin turned her head and looked around carefully, and found that Yu Ru and Zhang Wenshu were indeed not there, so she called out to the kitchen: "Sister Duan, Sister Duan, come here." She waved to Duan Yi.

When Duan Yi heard her voice, he immediately put down the vegetables in his hand and walked towards her. "Madam, what's wrong?"

"Sister Duan, why can't I see Yu Ru and Aunt Shu? Where did they go?"

"Oh, Madam, that child was wandering around in the kitchen. You know we are busy preparing a family dinner, and I was not paying attention. She bumped into me and fell to the ground. Her hand was injured. Sister Zhang took her to the hospital." Duan Yi was calm, and she seemed to feel regretful when she talked about this. "It looks serious. It's a pity. The injury was only healed not long ago. If the child hadn't wandered around, she would have been fine."

"Didn't I ask her to come to the kitchen to get some food from you guys? Why is she walking around? Didn't you give her any?" Qi Zhaolin looked puzzled.

Duan Yi's eyes suddenly widened and his eyebrows raised, "Madam, did you send that message to Sister Zhang? I haven't received any message, otherwise I would have prepared a meal for the child earlier. I was wondering why she suddenly came to the kitchen and walked around."

Qi Zhaolin opened her mouth, but swallowed back what she was about to say. She remembered that she forgot to ask the two aunts at home to serve food to Yu Ru first. "Okay, Sister Duan, you go ahead and do your work."

"Yes, ma'am."

at night,

The Wen family gathered together, even Wen Zhuomo and Shi Yanchun's child who was abroad came back. When the family dinner started, everyone sat down in their seats. Wen Zhuomo looked around and found that Yu Ru was not around. His eyes scanned everyone at the scene, and finally stopped at Wen Nachuan, "Xiaochuan, where is Xiaoru? Why didn't you come to eat?"

"Grandpa, I..."

As soon as he said the word "I", he felt someone patted his thigh gently. He looked down and saw that the person patting him was his mother. His mother also made a "no" gesture, which meant to tell him not to talk nonsense.

Seeing him suddenly pause, Wen Zhuomo asked, "What's wrong?"

Wen Nachuan raised his head and replied with a smile: "Nothing, Grandpa, I don't know Yu Ru well. She won't tell me where she goes, and I don't know where she is."

"Then go find her, but wait a moment, pack some food for her first, and you take it to her to eat." Wen Zhuomo stood up, picked up an empty bowl and a pair of chopsticks, and was about to pick up some food when Qi Zhaolin said, "Dad, Yu Ru is eating. She is in her room. There are all the dishes, enough for her to eat. Don't worry."

"That's good." Wen Zhuomo sat back in his seat. "Then let's eat." After he sat down, he gently placed the bowl and chopsticks on the table, picked up the food the children had served him, and looked like he was about to eat, but his eyes would occasionally pass over the table and land on a point in the void.

Seeing him like this, his daughter, who was sitting next to him, thought he was thinking about work, so she picked up a piece of food with chopsticks and put it in his bowl, and asked casually: "Dad, is there anything new in the recent case?"

Wen Zhuomo did not respond and still looked thoughtful.

"dad?"

"Brother Mo." Shi Yanchun patted his shoulder gently, "Old Two is calling you."

"Hmm?" Wen Zhuomo came back to his senses. He turned around and looked at the people around him, wondering, "What's wrong?"

"Brother Mo, what are you thinking about? Didn't you see that the second brother picked up some food for you?" Shi Yanchun said.

Wen Zhuomo sighed softly, "I feel something is wrong in my heart." Then he stood up and said, "I'll go see Xiaoru, you guys eat first."

As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately pulled out a chair and walked out. After a few steps, he turned back and reminded again: "You guys eat first, don't worry about me." Everyone watched his back as he left until he disappeared completely. Then there was collective silence, and everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Mom, who is Xiaoru?" The second child looked at Shi Yanchun and asked.

"One of the victims your father encountered while investigating a case was a nine-year-old girl. Now that the school is on vacation, he asked someone to bring the girl to our house to study." Shi Yanchun also stood up, "You guys eat first, I'll go take a look too."

After the two old men left, everyone put down their chopsticks and spoons and stopped eating.

"Brother and sister-in-law, what's the situation with the child? Why are mom and dad so nervous?" The third brother looked at the clerk Qi Zhaolin and asked in confusion.

"It's a long story," the clerk replied helplessly.

"Brother, tell me briefly first, where did the child come from and why did Dad bring her to our house? Are you going to adopt her?" the second brother asked again.

"Adopting her... that shouldn't happen. The child has a father and a mother, and her parents don't ignore her. Dad said he just let her come over to study during the winter and summer vacations." The clerk replied.

"I don't think so. Grandpa was never so kind to me. I hired someone to teach me how to paint, but he was willing to teach a little mute himself." Wen Nachuan's eyes flickered, his head tilted slightly, and small words slipped out of his mouth. He wanted to say these words, but because of his father and mother's discipline, he had to pretend to pour himself a drink after he finished speaking to avoid the fact that he said these words.

The clerk Qi Zhaolin sat on his left and right, close to him, and heard his words clearly. They both turned their heads to look at him at the same time, their eyes implying warnings. Because there were many people present, they did not lecture him verbally, but only used their eyes to hint that he was not allowed to speak again.

"Since the child has a father and a mother, why does she need to come to our house to learn?" the second child asked. "What is she going to learn here?"

"Isn't this decision a bit hasty? How can we let a stranger live in our house? What if she hears something she shouldn't hear?" The third child said. "Besides, does the child know the etiquette rules?"

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