Daddy, Mommy Ran Away

“Mommy, what’s wrong with Daddy?” The three children, having seen the same scene on TV, ran over in shock and clung tightly to An Ruoxi.

“Babies, I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. I need to go back,” An Ruoxi said, pulling her three children into a tight embrace.

“I’m so sorry. I’m sorry. Daddy did nothing wrong. It’s all my fault. Everything is my fault. I almost lost your daddy,” she murmured, shaking her head as pain etched itself onto her delicate face. If she had been by his side, how could things have escalated to the point where he coughed up blood?

“Mommy, what did Daddy do wrong that made you keep avoiding him?” An Xiaobao asked sullenly. Seeing the “old man” cough up blood earlier had pained him deeply. He couldn’t help but feel a bit resentful toward his mommy for being so heartless, leaving the old man all alone and ignoring him. He could tell that Daddy truly cared for Mommy.

“Mommy, don’t you want Daddy anymore?” Xuanhan asked timidly, his voice as soft as a mosquito’s buzz, trembling slightly. He was so sensitive and shy. “Mommy, you can’t abandon Daddy. He was coughing and spitting blood just now. He’s so pitiful. Waaah!” Unable to hold back, Xuanhan began to sob softly.

“Yes, Mommy needs to go back quickly to find your daddy,” An Ruoxi said, her heart aching as if it were being torn apart. Her longing to return was so strong that she wished she could fly to his side immediately to take care of him. “From now on, the five of us will never be apart again.”

“Mommy, does this mean you forgive Daddy?” An Xiaobei asked, her face lighting up with a hopeful smile.

“Go, Mommy! Bring Daddy back!” The three children cheered her on excitedly.

Ouyang Pei came down from the pavilion and saw the mother and her three children huddled together in a tight embrace. His heart clenched, and his eyes reddened. “Daughter, go back and see him. He needs you now.”

An Ruoxi looked up and saw Ouyang Pei standing there. “Dad An chose to sacrifice himself rather than harm him. In heaven, wouldn’t he want me to take care of him?”

“He would,” Ouyang Pei replied firmly. At this moment, in the face of his daughter’s happiness, everything else seemed insignificant. He no longer harbored hatred for An Jiangsheng; instead, he felt endless gratitude toward him for raising such a kind-hearted daughter. “He loved you and Leng Haoyin so much. As a father, his greatest wish would have been to see his daughter live a happy and joyful life. If Leng Haoyin is the source of your happiness, Dad An would surely want him to take good care of you. Go back, child. Find him. He’s waiting for you right where you left him.”

Uncle Yang and Aunt Yang, standing nearby, couldn’t help but wipe away their tears.

“Aunt Yang,” An Ruoxi said, hugging her tightly. She looked up, her heart now as firm as a rock. “I’m going back now.”

“Child, follow your heart. Don’t repeat the tragedy of your mother,” Aunt Yang said emotionally, gripping her hand tightly as tears streamed down her weathered face.

“Yes,” An Ruoxi replied, her nose tingling with emotion. Her eyes reddened, and tears shimmered like pearls ready to fall. Turning, she walked up to Ouyang Pei, her heart filled with warmth and gratitude. “Thank you. Please take care of the children for me. I need to leave now.”

“Alright,” Ouyang Pei said, his heart stirring. Although he hadn’t yet heard her call him “Dad,” her softened attitude filled him with joy, as if he had gained the whole world. “Let Yuchi Gong take you to the airport.”

“Okay,” An Ruoxi agreed without hesitation. Grabbing her bag, she headed straight for the airport.

The road from the small town was long and unpaved, full of potholes. The extended business van sped along, kicking up clouds of dust, a testament to her urgent desire to return.

“Miss, don’t worry. I’ve booked the earliest flight to City X. There’s still two hours before boarding. You’ll make it in time,” Yuchi Gong said, noticing her anxiety and trying to reassure her.

By the time she arrived in City X, night had fallen completely. She hailed a taxi and headed straight for the hospital.

However, the weather seemed to conspire against her. At the highway entrance, traffic came to a standstill, a long line of cars stretching endlessly. An Ruoxi grew more anxious, wringing her hands and craning her neck to look outside. At this hour, traffic jams were common, and the long line of cars showed no signs of moving.

“Driver, is there another route we can take? I’m in a hurry,” she pleaded, her heart twisting with urgency. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

“Miss, look, we’re stuck in the middle of this jam. There’s nothing I can do,” the driver replied helplessly. Judging by the situation, it would take at least half an hour to clear. Resigned, he pulled out a newspaper and began to read.

An Ruoxi glanced at the newspaper out of frustration and froze. She snatched it up, her heart sinking. The large headline detailed Leng Haoyin’s collapse and hospitalization. Below it was a photo of Shen Jun being interviewed earlier that afternoon. His statement explained that Leng Corporation had been determined to win the Golden Triangle project, with a bid several billion higher than expected. However, the Zuo Corporation had unexpectedly outbid them by a mere one million, causing Leng Haoyin to suffer a severe emotional blow and collapse. The article went on to report that after the Zuo Corporation’s stock prices surged following the announcement, they plummeted when the Business Investigation Division began an inquiry into allegations of corporate espionage.

“Well, I guess even the Leng Corporation president is only human after all,” the driver remarked, glancing at her stunned expression. “People said he was made of iron, but it turns out he’s just flesh and blood. Losing one project and he coughs up blood-what a sight. But who knows? If the investigation proves the Zuo Corporation stole trade secrets, they might have to cough up that juicy piece of meat after all…”

The driver continued to ramble, but An Ruoxi could no longer hear him.

Seeing no end to the traffic jam, she jumped out of the car and ran for over half an hour, nearly collapsing from exhaustion, before finally reaching the hospital.

The surgery had been completed hours ago. She pushed the door open gently. Leng Haoyin lay on the hospital bed, his face pale and haggard. The vibrant energy she had always admired in him was gone. Her heart felt as if it were being torn apart, the pain so intense it nearly stole her breath.

Inside the room, Leng Qiuling and Shen Jun looked up and saw her. A flicker of surprise and joy crossed their faces.

“Sister-in-law, you’re finally back,” Qiuling said, rushing over in excitement.