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墨書 Inktalez
Zhou Xiaxia had recovered somewhat after receiving intravenous fluids.
Once she got home, she locked herself in her room, repeatedly dialing Song En's number, but no one answered. She sat on her small bed, a cup of hot water that had once been beside her now completely cold.
Giving up on calling, Zhou Xiaxia held her phone, carefully choosing her words to compose a message. It contained her apologies and concern for Song En, reminding him not to eat mangoes because he loved them but was allergic.
The sleek black phone rested next to the white porcelain teacup, vibrating long before it shifted to short bursts, catching the attention of someone sitting nearby.
An aging hand picked up the phone, its back marked with wrinkles that concealed old scars. Upon reading the message filled with youthful sincerity and warmth, Tuo Sha turned off the phone and set it aside.
"That girl is a kind-hearted child," he remarked.
"Indeed," someone nearby responded. "Miss Xiaxia has always been well protected and grew up alongside Song En. They are very close."
"Such a pity she was raised in that family. Sai Peng and A Hui will eventually lose control of that madman. Zhou Xiaxia won't be able to distance herself from it either. Because of Zhou Yinkun, Song En can no longer associate with her."
Tuo Sha fiddled with a string of prayer beads in his hand. "How is the matter I asked you to handle coming along?"
"Zhou Yinkun is still in Bangkok. He went to Pahphong yesterday and caused some trouble; we don't know if negotiations went poorly. All we know is that the other party is from Russia."
"He wanted to set up a military factory in Mumbai. He just returned from there when someone sought him out; it’s likely related to that. Has the Russian left?" Tuo Sha inquired.
"Not yet. It seems the discussions are still ongoing, which means Zhou Yinkun will likely remain in Thailand for the time being. Should we...?"
The person glanced cautiously at Tuo Sha.
Tuo Sha paused for a moment. "Is he still only accompanied by that tattooed kid?"
"Yes, his name is A Yao. He has been by Zhou Yinkun's side for many years now. Besides him, we haven't seen anyone else around Zhou Yinkun."
“Hmm. I understand,” Tuo Sha said, his voice steady and strong.
Zhou Xiaxia had not received any replies to the messages and emails she sent to Song En all day. Finally, she put down her phone and left her room.
As she went downstairs, she saw Zhou Yaohui and Sama preparing to leave. Zhou Yaohui had replaced the bandage on his head with a less conspicuous adhesive bandage, while Sama wore a light blue evening gown, her makeup elegantly done.
“Mom, Dad, where are you going?”
Sama had thought her daughter was still asleep and hadn’t wanted to disturb her. Seeing Xiaxia come down on her own, she stepped forward to touch her forehead. The temperature was normal, and seeing her face had returned to its usual color eased her worries.
“We have a very important banquet tonight. Do you remember Mr. Duke Yawong? It’s his wife’s birthday tonight.”
Zhou Xiaxia nodded. Duke Yawong came from the Thai Royal Family and had only one wife, with whom he shared a deep bond since childhood. This was not an easy feat within the royal family. The duke and duchess held high status, making tonight’s banquet extremely significant; otherwise, Zhou Yaohui wouldn’t be attending in his injured state.
“Stay home and behave yourself. If your dad and I come back late, you don’t have to wait for us; just go to bed. Your mom made your favorite Coconut Sticky Rice, so make sure to eat it, okay?”
The brief words of concern washed away her sadness over not being able to reach Song En. Xiaxia hugged Sama tightly, burying her face in her neck.
“Alright, sweetheart, we’re leaving now.”
The Silver Rolls Royce drove away as the villa's gate slowly closed behind them. Due to the nature of their family business, there were no other servants in the house except for the gardener who came regularly to tend to the yard. Having people around meant having eyes and ears, which were the most dangerous things for families like theirs.
Thanks to a robust security system, Zhou Xiaxia felt safe being home alone. However, during the day she dozed off intermittently while trying to contact Song En, but by nightfall, she found herself unable to sleep.
Back in her room, she noticed a calendar on her desk marked with a bright red circle.
Tomorrow was Song En’s birthday. They celebrated together every year. This year, Xiaxia had prepared a surprise; she had designed a birthday cake herself, and the bakery would create it according to her drawings, reserving it until ten o'clock tonight so that Xiaxia could deliver it to Song En right at midnight.
Last year, Song En did just that. She was called out of her sleep and taken to a small shop they often visited after school, where she was surprised by a birthday celebration prepared by him and their classmates. So this year, she wanted to do something different. However, she never expected that...
No matter what, she wanted Song En to know that she still hoped to spend his birthday with him. She also wished for him to make a wish and blow out the candles happily, just like every other year.
Even if it was just sending him a photo of the cake, that would be enough.
With this thought in mind, she changed her clothes and went out alone to pick up the cake.
As she walked down the street and passed by that small shop, she couldn't help but stop in her tracks.
There were too many memories there; it was where she celebrated her first high score, where she had her surprise birthday party, and even where she had sweet Thai Milk Tea when she felt down after being called in by teachers due to slipping grades. In every memory, Song En was by her side. They had even promised to apply to the same university together.
The streetlights flickered dimly as the girl stood there, slender and alone, unaware that a car had slowly come to a stop behind her.
The window rolled down, revealing a man in the back seat wearing a black silk Cuban collar shirt.
“Zhou Xiaxia.”
The languid voice was reminiscent of a nightmare, causing Zhou Xiaxia's spine to stiffen instantly. She slowly turned around and took a step back involuntarily upon seeing that strikingly beautiful yet intimidating face.
“Being rude again, are we?” Zhou Yinkun's long fingers tapped on the edge of the car window. “Aren't you coming over?”
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