Chapter 92

Chapter 92: Found

An Zhi and Ting Lan had no idea what was going on until they saw Sheng Zhi Wan yank out a familiar pink cloth.

An Zhi recognized it at a glance and blurted, “This was the bib I made for Lai Fu!”

Sheng Zhi Wan clenched the cloth tightly. Several drops of blood on it looked horrifying. She spun around and met Qi Shu Xian’s eyes as he awkwardly looked away. Sheng Zhi Wan’s fingers trembled as she demanded, “Where was Lai Fu?”

She did not have time to argue with Qi Shu Xian. Sheng Zhi Wan had never thought she was a kind person. To earn a favor from the Han Residence, she had known Madam Han and her son were in a bad situation, yet she still waited until Meng Yang set her trap before stepping in.

She had never even believed she liked Lai Fu that much. Most of the time, Sheng Zhi Wan treated the little thing as an amusing toy to tease.

But now, when she truly lost Lai Fu, she finally felt panic and fear. Only then did Sheng Zhi Wan realize that without noticing, she had already treated the little thing as part of Ping Lan Residence.

She seemed to see the first time she met Lai Fu again. Back then, Lai Fu was a tiny bundle whose eyes could not even open, yet it already knew how to sniff out her scent and lick at the bun in her palm.

Sheng Zhi Wan took a hard breath and asked again, “Where was Lai Fu!”

Qi Shu Xian avoided her gaze. “What were you talking about? I didn’t-”

Smack!

A vicious slap landed across Qi Shu Xian’s face.

Meng Yang cried out in shock, “Princess!”

Before Meng Yang could react, Sheng Zhi Wan grabbed a fistful of her hair and dragged her out of Qi Shu Xian’s arms without the slightest mercy. Sheng Zhi Wan’s voice turned sharp as ice. “I was asking you both, where was Lai Fu!”

“I-I didn’t know…”

Smack!

Another slap cracked across Meng Yang’s face.

Qi Shu Xian finally snapped back to himself. His face was full of humiliation and anger. “Sheng Zhi Wan, were you insane? She was still pregnant!”

“Yes, she was pregnant.” Sheng Zhi Wan laughed. Her palm settled lightly on Meng Yang’s swollen belly, not quite pressing yet.

Qi Shu Xian’s pupils tightened.

Sheng Zhi Wan smiled, cold and twisted enough to make people shiver. “I’ll ask one last time. Where was Lai Fu? If you couldn’t give me the answer I wanted, then this child-”

Her hand suddenly pressed down on Meng Yang’s belly.

“-probably wouldn’t have a fate with the two of you.”

“Don’t!” Meng Yang went pale with terror.

[Sheng Zhi Wan was a lunatic. She actually compared her child to a beast!]

[But… but that beast was already dead, right…]

Meng Yang was so frightened that real pain bloomed in her belly. “Ah! Heir Apparent, it hurt… I hurt so much…”

Qi Shu Xian ground his teeth. “Sheng Zhi Wan, let go of her! The beast was in the small kitchen!”

Sheng Zhi Wan shot him a savage look and shoved Meng Yang back. Qi Shu Xian hurriedly caught her.

Sheng Zhi Wan strode toward the small kitchen. Qing Xing came out from inside, and Sheng Zhi Wan slammed into her hard enough to knock her aside. Sheng Zhi Wan did not even spare her a glance.

An Zhi and Ting Lan hurried after her. The moment they entered, they saw Sheng Zhi Wan standing perfectly still.

Ting Lan took two more steps forward, and she saw it clearly.

Lai Fu lay in the haystack, its neck slit open.

Ting Lan could not hold it in anymore. She burst into loud sobs. “Lai Fu! Lai Fu!”

An Zhi saw it too. Her face went white as she crouched and lifted Lai Fu’s small body.

The instant An Zhi’s hand touched it, the eyes that had been tightly shut suddenly opened, little by little.

Ting Lan screamed like she had lost her mind. “Princess! Lai Fu wasn’t dead! Lai Fu was still alive!”

Only then did Sheng Zhi Wan seem to wake from icy water. She rushed forward. When Lai Fu saw her, its wet black eyes rolled weakly, and it let out a soft, broken whine.

Sheng Zhi Wan hurriedly pulled it into her arms. Blood still seeped from the wound on its neck, and Sheng Zhi Wan’s heart felt like it was being crushed in someone’s fist.

“An Zhi, cloth-” Sheng Zhi Wan’s voice shook. “Go get cloth to stop the bleeding!”

An Zhi sprinted out.

Sheng Zhi Wan held Lai Fu’s body close. It felt so much lighter than before. The little thing that used to cling to her and burrow into her arms now lay obediently still, barely moving at all.

Only those bright, dark eyes stayed wide open, staring straight at Sheng Zhi Wan. Its chest rose and fell with difficulty.

“Mm… mm…” It made the tiniest sound, just like the spoiled hum it used to give after being rubbed until it felt good.

Sheng Zhi Wan pressed her cheek to its small nose. “Be good, Lai Fu. We wouldn’t diet anymore, alright? Lai Fu could eat as many chicken legs as Lai Fu wanted…”

Lai Fu struggled to lift its head. It stretched out its tongue, trying to lick Sheng Zhi Wan’s cheek like it always had.

Before it could reach her, its neck went limp, and its head fell back down.

An Zhi rushed in, clutching strips of cloth torn from her own clothes. “Princess! The cloth- the cloth was here!”

Sheng Zhi Wan did not move.

Ting Lan bit her lip as huge tears fell in heavy drops. Her mouth trembled, but she could not force out a single word.

In the end, Sheng Zhi Wan slowly turned around on her own.

Lai Fu was still in her arms, eyes open wide. Tears filled those big eyes, but the lively spark that used to make people grit their teeth in anger and then soften with helpless affection was gone.

Ting Lan clutched the front of her clothes as if her chest hurt too much to breathe. “Mm… Lai Fu… Lai Fu…”

Sheng Zhi Wan only lowered her head. Her fingers stroked Lai Fu’s chest again and again, just like before, in the exact spot it loved most.