Chapter 282: Chapter 282: Awakening

After Jiang Huilan rushed out of the house, Bai Li stood there for a long time in a daze before suddenly shouting frantically, “Shu Lan…”

As if she was crying out the deepest sorrow from her soul, she followed closely behind, searching around the neighborhood.

Jiang Huilan asked around and searched everywhere, to no avail. Anxious, she spotted a small shop with a phone and hurried over to it.

She dialed the number, and it happened to be Wang Miaomiao who answered. Jiang Huilan sniffled intermittently, “Aunt, Shu Lan ran away from home. What should I do? I can’t find her…”

“Huilan, don’t cry. Calm down and think about where Shu Lan usually likes to go, or if there’s someplace she wants to visit but hasn’t?” Wang Miaomiao felt a pang in her heart upon hearing that Jiang Shulan had run away.

The little girl is pretty, going out alone, she must not encounter bad people. We must find her quickly.

“Where does she want to go the most? The amusement park. I promised to take her today, but because of my mom, we didn’t go. Aunt, I’ll go check there first…”

“Go ahead…”

Wang Miaomiao hung up the phone and sighed deeply. What a situation, one problem after another.

After thinking a bit, she couldn’t just do nothing. She first returned to the house and instructed Sister-in-law Yang to take good care of the children as she had to step out. Then, she grabbed a jacket and went to find Jiang Zhongyi. Of course, she had to avoid Old Master Jiang, worried that bad news might be too overwhelming for him.

Together with Jiang Zhongyi, they left the house and headed straight for the amusement park. On the way, Jiang Zhongyi asked for details, and Wang Miaomiao didn’t hold back, explaining what Jiang Huilan had mentioned earlier that morning.

Upon hearing everything, Jiang Zhongyi felt a mix of emotions. He never guessed that so much was happening in his eldest son’s family, and they didn’t know a thing about it. Sigh… He felt he had failed as a father.

When the two of them arrived at the amusement park, it was crowded, being a Sunday.

Jiang Zhongyi was straightforward, buying two tickets and going in to start looking right away.

When Wang Miaomiao found them, she saw Shu Lan sitting on a bench, crying with a doll in her arms and a backpack on her back, while Jiang Huilan, accompanying her, tried to hold her hand but was pushed away.

The two sisters’ blatant display caught the attention of people around, forming a circle and talking amongst themselves, watching the drama unfold.

“Huilan, Shu Lan, Grandpa’s here. Get up, come home with Grandpa.” Jiang Zhongyi walked through the crowd to them, his heart filled with pain.

For these two granddaughters, he never really put in much affection. Partly because he was busy with work in former years, and partly because grandfathers and granddaughters often spent little time together. When they were little, it was easier, but as they grew older, they became more distant. They didn’t live together, and he wasn’t naturally expressive.

It wasn’t until he retired, living a quieter life, that he started to appreciate the joys of family. Whenever he saw the children visiting, he would break into a happy smile.

“Grandpa…” Upon seeing Jiang Zhongyi, Jiang Huilan immediately wiped away her tears joyfully and said to Jiang Shulan beside her, “Shu Lan, stop crying. Grandpa and Aunt came to find us. Look, we’re not children nobody cares about…”

Jiang Shulan looked up tearfully and indeed saw Jiang Zhongyi. Her expression was somewhat blurred, and she murmured, “Grandpa…”

“Yes, Grandpa came to bring you home, good girl.” Jiang Zhongyi reached out his hand to her.

Jiang Shulan stared at the hand before her for a long time, then slowly placed her little hand in his, “Go home…”

Jiang Zhongyi let out a deep breath of relief as he held her cold little hand firmly, suddenly unable to control the tears welling up in his eyes.

He had been truly anxious, very anxious, fearing that she would refuse his gesture. It was a feeling he had never experienced in his life.

That desire, the longing to be needed, the longing for acceptance.

The ten-year-old girl was already 1.4 meters tall, tall and pretty, not suitable for holding, or he would’ve wanted to hug her out of joy.

“Shu Lan, do you want to play some games? Aunt bought tickets for you.” Wang Miaomiao waved a handful of tickets in her hand encouragingly, “Want to go?”

Jiang Shulan seemed tempted, shyly glancing at the elevator, looking longingly at the tickets in Wang Miaomiao’s hand, “Can Grandpa and Sister accompany me?”

“Of course, Dad, Huilan, you two can go. I’ll watch your things. Shu Lan, give Aunt your backpack and doll. Aunt will hold them for you.” Wang Miaomiao stuffed a handful of tickets into Jiang Huilan’s hand, helping Jiang Shulan take off her backpack and holding it herself.

Watching their backs fade into the distance, Wang Miaomiao took a deep breath of relief. Thank goodness they found her. Hopefully, Bai Li will learn from this and get along with Shu Lan better from now on.

Jiang Zhongyi took the two sisters, Jiang Shulan and Jiang Huilan, through all the amusement park rides before stopping.

And Jiang Shulan went from crying initially to now beaming with joy.

“Shu Lan, do you want to play more?” After this experience, Jiang Zhongyi seemed to want to shower all his affection on his grandchildren, indulging her a little, “If you want, we can go again. We won’t stop until you’re satisfied… Haha!”

Jiang Shulan was so excited she could jump up, “Sure, sure…”

Jiang Huilan hadn’t seen her younger sister so happy in a long time and resolutely chose to keep her company. In fact, there were some rides she was really afraid of, shouting until her throat went hoarse.

Seeing they wanted to go another round, Wang Miaomiao didn’t rush them. Instead, she walked around the amusement park, found the service station, and made a call back home.

It was Old Master Jiang who answered the phone, his voice anxious, “Miaomiao, where have you all gone? Come back quickly. Your sister-in-law just announced Shu Lan is missing…”

“Grandpa, don’t worry, we’ve already found her. We’re at the amusement park with her now. She’s fine, no need to worry.” Wang Miaomiao quickly reassured Old Master Jiang.

Fortunately, she thought to call home to check the situation. She figured Bai Li wouldn’t think of visiting her house. If Old Master Jiang didn’t know the situation and found out Jiang Shulan was missing, he’d be worried sick.

“Found her, that’s great,” Old Master Jiang’s worried heart finally calmed down, “Then have fun, no rush.”

“Yes, we’re all together, and we’ll be back soon. Don’t worry, Grandpa.” Wang Miaomiao assured Old Master Jiang before ending the call, relieved that she could also let go of one concern.

Over there, Old Master Jiang sat back down, taking a breath to steady himself.

Thinking of Bai Li, still searching aimlessly outside like a headless chicken, Old Master Jiang sighed helplessly, eventually calling Aunt Li to go out and notify Bai Li that Shu Lan had been found.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep