Chapter 92

Chapter 92: Found

“Princess?” An Zhi and Ting Lan were puzzled until they saw Sheng Zhi Wan pull out a familiar pink cloth.

“This is the bib I made for Lai Fu!” An Zhi immediately recognized it.

Sheng Zhi Wan gripped the bib tightly. A few alarming drops of blood stained it clearly.

She spun around sharply, catching Qi Shu Xian’s flustered gaze as he quickly looked away.

“Where is Lai Fu?” Sheng Zhi Wan had no patience left for Qi Shu Xian’s games. Her hand clutching the cloth trembled slightly.

She never considered herself kind. For the sake of gaining Han Residence’s favor, she had waited until Meng Yang laid her scheme before intervening, despite knowing Lady Han and her son’s dire circumstances.

She never even thought she particularly liked Lai Fu.

To her, the little dog was often just something amusing, a plaything.

But now, faced with the possibility of losing him, panic and worry surged through her heart. Only now did she realize, without knowing, that the little fellow had become a true part of Pinglan Residence.

Her mind vividly recalled the day she first saw Lai Fu—a tiny ball of fluff whose eyes weren’t even fully open yet, sniffing eagerly in her palm, licking the steamed bun hungrily…

Sheng Zhi Wan took a deep breath and demanded once more, “Where is Lai Fu!”

Qi Shu Xian avoided her eyes awkwardly. “What are you talking about? This heir apparent has no idea—”

Slap! Her hand struck Qi Shu Xian’s face sharply.

“Princess!” Meng Yang cried out in shock, but in the next instant, her hair was yanked roughly. Sheng Zhi Wan mercilessly dragged her from Qi Shu Xian’s embrace. “I’ll ask again: Where is Lai Fu!”

“I—I don’t know—”

Slap! Another hard slap landed on Meng Yang’s cheek.

Qi Shu Xian recovered himself, humiliation and anger clear on his face. “Sheng Zhi Wan, are you mad? She’s pregnant!”

“Yes, she is!” Sheng Zhi Wan smiled coldly, her palm settling ominously on Meng Yang’s rounded belly.

Qi Shu Xian’s eyes widened instantly.

“I’ll ask one last time. Where is Lai Fu? If your answer isn’t satisfactory,” Sheng Zhi Wan pressed her hand slightly against Meng Yang’s belly, smiling cruelly, “I fear this child won’t be yours much longer.”

“No!” Meng Yang was terrified.

[This madwoman would compare her unborn child to an animal!]

But—but that animal should already be dead…

Fear surged within Meng Yang, causing real pain in her belly. “Ah! Heir Apparent, it hurts…”

“Sheng Zhi Wan, let her go!” Qi Shu Xian clenched his teeth. “That beast is in the Small Kitchen!”

Sheng Zhi Wan glared fiercely at him before shoving Meng Yang back. Qi Shu Xian hurriedly caught her.

Sheng Zhi Wan rushed toward the Small Kitchen. Qing Xing was knocked aside as she emerged from inside, but Sheng Zhi Wan didn’t slow down at all.

“Princess!” An Zhi and Ting Lan hurriedly followed.

The moment the two maids entered, they saw their Princess standing frozen.

Ting Lan moved closer, clearly seeing Lai Fu’s small body, his throat cut, discarded carelessly in the straw.

Unable to hold back, Ting Lan burst into tears. “Lai Fu! Lai Fu!”

An Zhi saw as well, her face pale as she crouched down to hold Lai Fu’s limp body.

Yet, as her hand touched him, Lai Fu’s closed eyes slowly fluttered open.

“Princess! Lai Fu’s alive! Lai Fu’s still alive!” Ting Lan screamed in ecstatic disbelief.

Only then did Sheng Zhi Wan jolt back from her cold shock. She hurried over, and when Lai Fu saw her, his wet, dark eyes moved slightly as he whimpered weakly.

Sheng Zhi Wan gently cradled him. Blood still seeped from the deep wound at his neck, and her heart clenched painfully.

“An Zhi—cloth, hurry and get cloth to stop the bleeding!”

An Zhi rushed outside immediately.

Holding Lai Fu’s small, weakened body, Sheng Zhi Wan felt her throat tighten. Usually, the mischievous dog would leap into her arms, wagging and playful, but now he lay still, eyes wide and dark, gazing directly at her.

His small chest rose and fell painfully, “Wu… wu…”

His faint whimpers reminded her of his usual contented grunts whenever she pet him.

Sheng Zhi Wan pressed her cheek softly against Lai Fu’s cold nose, whispering gently, “Be good, Lai Fu. From now on, we won’t diet anymore, okay? You can eat as many chicken legs as you like…”

Lai Fu struggled weakly to lift his head, stretching his tongue out to lick her cheek as he always did. But before he could succeed, his head sank back limply.

“Princess! The cloth—the cloth is here!” An Zhi hurried back, gripping a strip of cloth she’d torn from her own dress.

But Sheng Zhi Wan didn’t move.

Ting Lan bit her lip, her tears dropping heavily. Trembling lips moved soundlessly, unable to utter even a word.

At last, Sheng Zhi Wan herself slowly turned around.

Lai Fu was still in her arms, his large eyes glistening with tears, yet the playful sparkle that once filled them—the very sparkle that had once both irritated and endeared him to her—was forever gone.

“Wu wu… Lai Fu… Lai Fu…” Ting Lan clutched her chest painfully.

Sheng Zhi Wan merely lowered her head, gently rubbing the little chest Lai Fu had loved to have scratched, just as she had countless times before.