Heart Stealer

On an autumn afternoon, sunlight shines into the house through the window, bringing a touch of warmth to the whole room.

The atmosphere in the Qiu family's living room was solemn and depressing.

Mrs. Qiu stood quietly at the kitchen door. Her gentle gaze slowly passed through the spacious and bright living room, and finally stopped at the figure sitting alone on the sofa, motionless like a sculpture - Qiu Rongyao.

Qiu Rongyao lowered his head, and his whole body seemed to be shrouded by an invisible pressure, appearing particularly heavy and depressed.

The long sighs that came out of his mouth from time to time were like heavy hammers, hitting Mrs. Qiu's heartstrings hard, making her heart tighten in an instant.

Mrs. Qiu shook her head gently, turned and walked into the kitchen, and after a while she brought out a cup of steaming, fragrant strong tea.

She held the tea tray tightly in both hands and walked towards Qiu Rongyao cautiously.

She took every step so slowly, afraid to make the slightest sound to break the suffocating silence.

Finally, she reached Qiu Rongyao. Mrs. Qiu stopped, bent down slightly, and said softly in her usual gentle and caring voice,

"Master, you have been so depressed ever since you met Ye Qingyun. Come, have a sip of the hot tea I just brewed, maybe it will make you relax a little." As she said that, she handed the teacup on the tea tray steadily to Qiu Rongyao.

Qiu Rongyao raised his head when he heard the voice, glanced at the teacup in Mrs. Qiu's hand, then looked up at Mrs. Qiu's face full of worry. After hesitating for a while, he slowly reached out and took the teacup.

But he did not immediately put the tea in the cup into his mouth to taste it. Instead, he still frowned and stared blankly ahead, as if he was lost in deep thought.

Seeing this, Mrs. Qiu couldn't contain her curiosity and anxiety. After a moment's hesitation, she asked, "What happened, Master? You looked so worried after meeting Ye Qingyun. What did Ye Qingyun say to you? Also, is the relationship between him and our Qiu Xue really as the rumors spread?"

Qiu Rongyao sighed and shook his head. "Ye Qingyun said they were just ordinary friends. I asked about Qiu Xue and Xiao Tuobang, but he told me to ask them directly. He said it was a matter between them and their husband and wife, and it wasn't his place to discuss it."

After hearing this, Mrs. Qiu's face became even more worried: "Master, what should we do now?"

Qiu Rongyao put down the teacup and rubbed his temples with both hands. He seemed to have a headache. "I don't know. I'm very confused right now."

"How about we ask Qiu Xue and Xiao Tuobang to find out?" Mrs. Qiu suggested.

Qiu Rongyao was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"But what should we do if they are as evasive as Ye Qingyun?" Mrs. Qiu expressed her concerns.

Qiu Rongyao frowned, looking worried.

"No matter what, we have to give it a try. We can't let this matter bother us all the time." Qiu Rongyao said with determination.

In the early morning, the warm and soft sunlight, like golden silk threads, quietly passed through the narrow gap in the curtains and gently fell on the smooth wooden floor of the restaurant.

Qiu Xue and Xiao Tuobang were sitting side by side at the dining table, quietly enjoying a delicious breakfast.

The experienced and amiable old housekeeper, Mrs. Zhen, saw that the two were about to finish their meal.

She walked quickly and steadily up to them. A serious look crossed Mrs. Zhen's face as she spoke in a low voice, "Miss, Master, the Master and the Madam have asked me to tell you two that they hope you will return to your parents' home immediately after breakfast."

Hearing this, Qiu Xue couldn't help but put down the cutlery she was using. Her brows, which had been relaxed, furrowed slightly, and her eyes revealed a hint of confusion and worry. She hurriedly asked, "Sister Zhen, did Mom and Dad tell you what happened?"

Facing Qiu Xue's question, Sister Zhen shook her head slightly and replied with a hint of helplessness in her tone, "Miss, the Master and the Madam didn't tell me the specific reason. They just repeatedly told me to convey this news to you accurately."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Xue and Xiao Tuobang looked at each other.

From each other's eyes, they both clearly felt an inexplicable uneasiness and foreboding gradually spreading in their hearts...

Could it be that the rumors about the couple had reached their parents' ears? Now it seemed that the truth could no longer be hidden.

After a brief silence, Xiao Tuobang said, "Qiuxue, no matter what, when we go back, we must act as loving as before and not let Mom and Dad worry."

Qiu Xue nodded. She also understood that the most important thing at the moment was to calm her parents' hearts and not let them worry about the rumors from the outside world.

The two quickly finished their breakfast, changed into matching clothes, and then walked out of the house side by side.

Qiu Xue's slightly trembling hands tightly grasped Xiao Tuobang's thick and powerful hands, as if she wanted to draw endless strength and courage from him.

There was a hint of uneasiness in her beautiful eyes, but the corners of her mouth were still raised, and she tried hard to maintain a calm expression.

They arrived at the garage and got into the luxury car. Xiao Tuobang immediately started the engine and sped towards the Qiu family's mansion.

Soon, the car stopped smoothly in front of the magnificent gate of the Qiu family.

This mansion stands before your eyes like a castle, demonstrating the family's nobility and majesty.

Qiu Xue took a deep breath, looked at Xiao Tuobang, and then walked into the mansion hand in hand.

As soon as I entered the door, I saw Qiu Rongyao and Mrs. Qiu had been sitting in the spacious and bright living room waiting for a long time.

Qiu Xue and Xiao Tuobang walked towards the two elders with smiles on their faces and light steps.

Although they were very nervous, they tried their best to appear as loving and harmonious as usual.

Mrs. Qiu came forward with a smile on her face, her eyes full of care and love. She asked softly, "Qiuxue, Tuobang, you're finally here. How have you been recently? Is everything going well?"

Qiuxue gently took her mother's arm and replied in a sweet voice, "Don't worry, Mom! We're all doing fine. Work is a bit busy, but thankfully we can support each other and face it together."

Xiao Tuobang, who was standing nearby, quickly nodded in agreement: "Yes, Mom and Dad, with Qiuxue by my side, I won't feel tired no matter how hard it is. We will definitely take good care of ourselves, so please don't worry too much!"

Qiu Rongyao, who had been silent all the time, was still sitting on the sofa, his frown showing no sign of relaxing.

His sharp eyes like an eagle swept coldly over Xiao Tuobang and Qiu Xue, as if he wanted to see through the most secret thoughts in their hearts.

However, the young couple is still doing their best to perform, trying to hide the truth...

Their deliberate performance made Qiu Rongyao even more unhappy.

"Enough!" Qiu Rongyao finally erupted in anger. "How long are you going to keep pretending? I've heard all the rumors going around about you. Is it true that you're not getting along?"

Xiao Tuobang and Qiu Xue shook their heads in denial almost at the same time, but Qiu Rongyao's anger did not subside.

He turned to Mrs. Zhen and asked in a commanding tone, "Mrs. Zhen, tell me, do the young master and the young lady live their own lives at home?"

There was a hint of hesitation on Mrs. Zhen's face, but under Qiu Rongyao's sharp gaze, she finally nodded slightly. This action undoubtedly confirmed Qiu Rongyao's guess.

Qiu Rongyao's expression instantly darkened. He turned his head sharply, casting a reproachful gaze at Qiu Xue, and sternly said, "Qiu Xue, since you're already married, you should keep your distance from Ye Qingyun! Don't you know how serious an impact this will have on your marriage?"

Qiu Xue's eyes suddenly turned red, tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, her lips trembled slightly, and her face looked aggrieved.

She wanted to defend herself, but she felt that any words would be so pale and powerless.

Xiao Tuobang looked at Qiu Xue's pitiful appearance, and he really couldn't bear to let Qiu Xue be misunderstood by her father-in-law.

He stood up, walked to Qiuxue, and said apologetically: "Dad, this is not Qiuxue's fault."

Qiu Rongyao then turned his gaze to Xiao Tuobang, with a hint of doubt and dissatisfaction in his eyes, as if waiting for him to give a reasonable explanation.

Xiao Tuobang took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, then slowly said, "On the wedding day, a mysterious person delivered a letter. The letter contained news about my junior sister Sufang. We had always believed that she had died in a terrible shipwreck, but the letter told us that she was still alive and living on a remote island."

At this point, Xiao Tuobang's voice couldn't help but choke up. He continued, "Ever since we learned that Sufang was still alive, Qiuxue and I have fallen into deep confusion and pain. We don't know how to face each other, nor do we know what path to take in the future. Before we found Sufang, we...we really didn't know how to deal with this relationship. Mom and Dad, since you all know the truth, I want to quit my current job and go out to sea wholeheartedly to find Sufang. I hope to find her as soon as possible."

Qiu Rongyao was silent for a moment, a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.

"Okay, in that case, Tuobang, I can give you time to find Sufang. But you have to promise me one thing. No matter what the final result is, you must give Qiuxue an explanation. She is innocent and should not suffer such pain."

Xiao Tuobang nodded solemnly, "I understand, Dad. I will do my best to find Sufang and give Qiuxue a clear answer."

After saying that, Xiao Tuobang held Qiu Xue's hand tightly, as if conveying a kind of strength and promise to her.

Qiu Xue felt the warmth in Xiao Tuobang's palm, and her mood gradually calmed down.

"Tuobang, no matter what the future holds, I will always support you." Qiuxue said with a smile.

In this way, Xiao Tuobang embarked on a journey to find Sufang.