Zhuang Nai Nai returned to their little house after meeting Ding Mengya.
Her heart was in a great mess as she contemplated over what had just happened.
She was brave and fearless when she was facing Ding Mengya, but now that she had time to take in Ding Mengya’s appearance; her grandeur, her bodyguards, she suddenly felt a belated sense of fear.
She skipped lunch as she waited for her mother in the living room. She wanted to tell her everything that had happened. Zhuang Nai Nai was only 18 back then. She was ignorant of the dark side of human nature.
Throughout the hot day, she waited for her mother all by herself in the living room.
The clock slowly ticked from 2 pm to 6pm.
She stood by the window, waiting for her mother. Her mother would usually leave work at 5:30 pm and reach home at exactly 6pm. Her mother would then proceed to cook her dinner.
6:05 pm…
6:10 pm….
By the time the clock reached 6:30 pm, her mother still hadn’t gotten home.
Zhuang Nai Nai’s limbs started to feel cold as she panicked.
When she remembered Ding Mengya’s threats, she got even more anxious. She took out her phone and called her mother.
Nobody answered the call.
7pm. Zhuang Nai Nai started to look for her outside.
During summer, the sky was still bright at 7pm. There were a bunch of street-side hawkers outside, busy trying to attract customers, but Zhuang Nai Nai could not hear any of them.
Her mother worked in a cleaning company near their house. By foot, it took her 30 minutes to get to her workplace.
When she got there, the place was empty of any workers. Only the security guard uncle was left outside.
The guard was very familiar with Zhuang Nai Nai because she would usually play there after school since kindergarten.
The guard was very happy when he saw her. He smiled brightly, beckoning her over and giving her a tangerine, “What are you doing here, Nai Nai?”
Zhuang Nai Nai peeped into the building. It was empty. Everyone had gotten off work.
“Where is my mother, grandpa? Has she gotten off work?” she asked.
“She left long ago, at 5:30 pm. I saw her leaving work with her co-workers.”
Zhuang Nai Nai was surprised when she heard that, “But she is still not home!”
The uncle laughed, “Maybe she stopped by the market to buy groceries. She is a grown woman, don’t worry, she knows how to take care of herself. Go home, maybe she is already waiting for you there.”
Zhuang Nai Nai tried to suppress her nerve as she ran back home.
When she reached their house, her mother still wasn’t there.
Just as she took out her phone to call her mother again, her phone rang. The call came from her mother. She unknowingly sighed in relief.
“Where are you, mom? Why aren’t you home yet?”
The voice from the other side of the line was foreign to her ears, “Is this Miss Zhuang Nai Nai?”
Her heart sank as her voice trembled when she replied the other person, “Yes, this is her.”
“Hello, I am an officer from the Bali Area’s police station. Your mother was involved in a car accident and is now being treated in Shou Gang Hospital. Are you able to make a trip to the hospital now?”
Zhuang Nai Nai’s head became empty when she heard all that.
