svetikya Chapter 48 Mom wouldn't do that...
Chapter 48 Mom wouldn't do that...
In the middle of the night, the moonlight outside the window shone gently through the thin gauze curtains onto Xiaolan's bed.
The girl curled up in the blanket, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.
The soft mattress sagged slightly from her rubbing, and the pillow was pushed aside.
So much happened today, it all swirled in her mind like a revolving lantern.
The roar of the roller coaster in the tropical amusement park, Hitomi's tragic and desperate love affair, and the story that her mother, Eri, told her more than ten years ago after dinner.
These images intertwined, making it impossible for her heart to calm down.
Seeing that she was wide awake, Xiaolan simply sat up from under the covers.
She rubbed her throbbing temples and thought that she might as well write down her experiences of the day in her diary; perhaps that would make her feel better.
The girl had just thrown back the covers and stepped barefoot onto the cold floor when she faintly heard soft voices coming from the master bedroom next door.
"Are they talking about things from over a decade ago again?"
Xiao Lan's curiosity was instantly piqued.
After hearing Eri's story last night, she was shocked to realize how little she knew about her suddenly appearing father, Hayashi Hideichi.
His past and his experiences were shrouded in mystery, making her want to explore them.
Now that she has decided to try to accept him, Xiaolan naturally wants to know more about her father's story.
The girl tiptoed off the bed, afraid of making the slightest sound.
She gently opened the bedroom door, then held her breath, tiptoed to the master bedroom door, and pressed her ear against the cold door, trying to eavesdrop on the conversation inside.
Then, after listening for less than a minute, Xiaolan's cheeks suddenly turned bright red, almost as if they were about to bleed.
She reacted as if she had been burned, taking a step back abruptly, her heart pounding wildly, almost leaping out of her throat.
The girl turned around in a panic, covered her burning cheeks, and rushed back to her bedroom, slamming the door shut.
Then he buried himself in the covers, wrapping himself up tightly like a frightened ostrich.
The temperature inside the blankets gradually rose, but it couldn't suppress the heat on her face.
Xiaolan angrily clenched her fist and pounded the bed, feeling both ashamed and embarrassed.
"I'm such an idiot! How could those two still be telling stories so late at night! And... and not only did they do that kind of thing, he even made Mom call him...!!!"
Recalling the ambiguous words she had vaguely heard, and her mother's soft, slightly shy voice, Xiaolan quickly covered her ears and shook her head frantically, wishing she could shake those embarrassing sounds out of her mind completely!
Only in this way can she preserve the image of the independent, strong, and capable Eri in her heart, and prevent it from collapsing completely due to her own wild thoughts...
……
The next morning, after Lin Xiuyi and Fei Yingli finished washing up and came out of the master bedroom, Xiaolan's door was still closed.
When Lin Xiuyi, wearing an apron, came out of the kitchen carrying fragrant fried eggs and milk,
Eri Kisaki knocked on her daughter's door: "Ran, get up and have breakfast."
The door creaked open, and Xiaolan walked out listlessly, her eyes swollen with dark circles. The dark circles under her eyes looked like two small ink blots, making her look extremely haggard.
"Didn't you sleep well?"
Eri put down the plate she was holding, looked at her with some puzzlement, and reached out to touch her forehead.
"Are you feeling unwell anywhere?"
"I remember you went to bed quite early last night, didn't you?" Lin Xiuyi also came over.
"I can't sleep..."
Ran replied listlessly, her gaze unconsciously drifting towards Eri.
The shameful sounds from last night immediately echoed in her ears again. She quickly shook her head vigorously, covered her head with her hands, and kept muttering under her breath.
"That was all a dream, Mom would never do that... Yes, it was all a dream..."
Lin Xiuyi and Fei Yingli looked at each other, completely confused about the situation.
What's wrong with this girl?
……
After breakfast, Eri Kisaki grabbed her briefcase and hurried to the law firm to deal with the work she had missed while spending time with Ran.
Lin Xiu saw that the agreed time was approaching, so she picked up her coat, went downstairs, and headed towards the apartment door.
Judy had already parked the black Mercedes on the side of the road and was leaning against the car with a document in her hand. When she saw him come out, she immediately stood up straight.
Lin Xiuyi opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat.
"Boss, are we going to the place we agreed on last night?" Judy started the car and asked cautiously, her eyes occasionally glancing at Lin Xiuyi's expression through the rearview mirror.
"right."
Lin Xiu nodded, then leaned back, closed her eyes, and prepared to take a short nap.
call……
Seeing that Lin Xiu didn't mention asking her to resign, Judy secretly breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to relax a little after a night of anxiety.
Lin Xiuyi's casual question last night had kept her on tenterhooks all night.
The female secretary was afraid that she would lose Lin Xiuyi, the only clue, before she even received news from Vermouth.
Then the purpose of her lurking here would be completely lost.
Fortunately, it seems that she was just scaring herself and worrying for nothing.
……
The place where Suzuki Tomoko arranged to meet Hayashi Hideichi was a secluded villa hidden deep in the mountains.
The car drove along the winding mountain road, with lush trees on both sides, their branches and leaves flourishing, and sunlight filtering through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled light.
Judy gripped the steering wheel and drove for more than four hours, starting from dawn and continuing until midday before finally arriving at their destination.
"Boss, there's only a wooden suspension bridge ahead."
Judy parked the car, got out, carefully checked the surroundings, and then reported back to her supervisor.
"The suspension bridge is flanked by steep cliffs, making it impossible for cars to cross. However, the villa you agreed to stay at is right across the bridge; you can see it from the edge of the cliff."
Lin Xiuyi pushed open the car door and got out, looking around.
Just as Judy had said, a rustic wooden suspension bridge spanned between two cliffs, swaying slightly. Below the bridge lay a bottomless canyon, and a cool breeze blew in from the valley entrance.
At the other end of the suspension bridge, nestled among green hills and trees, stands a magnificent European-style villa with red tiles and white walls, which is particularly eye-catching in the sunlight.
However… the scenery and layout of this place made Lin Xiuyi's brows furrow slightly, and some familiar scenes vaguely flashed through his mind.
Isn't this the villa that Ayako Suzuki visited during her university club reunion?