Chapter 058: The Underbelly

“小rui! Xiaorui!”
Lin Qi immediately looked around, his gaze scanning the surroundings.
He thought Xiaorui was just being playful and had run off to buy some snacks.
His eyes quickly swept over the nearby street vendors, but he didn’t see any sign of her.
He looked again in every direction—amidst the endless throng of people and the flow of traffic, there were only groups of elementary school students leaving school and parents picking up their children.
The streets were bustling, lively and noisy.
Everything flashed by in a dizzying blur.
A wave of panic rose in Lin Qi.
Because of his past experiences, he was usually a man who remained calm no matter what happened—even murder couldn’t make him bat an eye. But if he were to lose Xiaorui, he would regret it for life, and he had no idea how he would ever face Hongyu!
Forcing himself to calm down, he reasoned that Xiaorui had only been missing for less than a minute. She must still be nearby.
She must!
Lin Qi quickly focused his attention, his eyes scanning the crowd like a radar, searching through the parents picking up their children one by one…
At last, he saw her!
A middle-aged man in a gray jacket was running frantically across the street, carrying Xiaorui in his arms. Xiaorui was wailing loudly, but her cries were drowned out by the chaotic traffic.
Scoundrel, you dare commit such a crime right under my nose!
Lin Qi instantly concluded that the man was a child trafficker who had taken advantage of the commotion to snatch a child. Furious, Lin Qi lunged after him.
He moved through the crowd at lightning speed, dashing, dodging, twisting, weaving, leaping—making full use of all his skills.
The middle-aged man, carrying a child who weighed less than forty pounds, was already gasping for breath by the time he reached the other side of the road.
Lin Qi quickly closed in behind him.
“Die!”

With a furious shout, Lin Qi kicked the man in the back.
Because Xiaorui was still in his arms, Lin Qi didn’t dare use his full strength, for fear of hurting the little girl.
Even so, the man was sent flying, and Xiaorui tumbled out of his arms, rolling several times before her head struck the curb.
“Xiaorui!”
Ignoring the man, Lin Qi rushed to Xiaorui’s side.
Blood was streaming from a cut on her forehead.
Just moments ago, she had been crying uncontrollably, but now she was silent, instead trying to reassure Lin Qi, “I’m okay, big brother Lin Qi!”
Faced with such a sensible child, Lin Qi felt a sharp pain in his heart. He scooped her into his arms.
Looking up, he saw the middle-aged man had already darted into a BMW and was speeding away.
A BMW?
Lin Qi was momentarily stunned—since when did child traffickers drive such nice cars?
Nonetheless, he quickly memorized the license plate, determined to settle the score later!
Then, cradling Xiaorui, he hurried to the hospital.
At the same time, he contacted Hongyu, urging her to come quickly.
Fortunately, Xiaorui’s injuries were not serious—after a simple suture and some bandaging, she was fine.
Still, children were children. In just a short while, Xiaorui had fallen asleep.
With a bandage wrapped around her head, she lay in Lin Qi’s arms, her eyelashes fluttering, her nose wrinkling from time to time, like a delicate porcelain doll.
“The child is young and will heal quickly. There shouldn’t be any scarring,” the doctor said softly, moved by the sight of such a beautiful child.
“Thank you, doctor.” Relieved that Xiaorui was all right, Lin Qi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Since Hongyu was still on her way and Xiaorui was asleep, Lin Qi decided to wait where he was.
There was a row of chairs in the emergency department corridor. Lin Qi sat down, holding Xiaorui and resting.
Just then, a faint fragrance drifted by as someone passed.

Lin Qi looked up and was taken aback.
It was Song Qingzhu, still dressed in her yellow overcoat, her bare legs gleaming below.
As for what was underneath, it must have been that same set of translucent silk pajamas.
Earlier that afternoon, Lin Qi had taken the ailing Song Qingzhu to the hospital. He hadn’t expected her to still be here, IV drip unfinished, carrying it herself as she made her way—apparently to the restroom.
Good heavens, was this mighty CEO really without even a single assistant?
Song Qingzhu also spotted Lin Qi.
When he’d brought her to the hospital, Lin Qi had been wearing a mask.
But Song Qingzhu recognized him anyway—from his build, his hairstyle, and his eyes.
“It’s you?” she said in surprise, then glanced at the little girl in Lin Qi’s arms.
Since she’d been recognized, Lin Qi saw no point in pretending. He asked directly, “Why are you still alone?”
Song Qingzhu replied coolly, “It’s just a minor matter. Why trouble others?”
She glanced at the little girl again. “Is that your daughter? What happened to her?”
Although Lin Qi looked young, in Song Qingzhu’s eyes, people from humble backgrounds often married early—it was normal to have a child by his age.
So he has a daughter, and yet he’d been staring at me earlier.
Men really are all the same, aren’t they?
A trace of disdain flickered in Song Qingzhu’s heart, though she kept it from her face.
After all, Lin Qi had saved her life before.
Just as Lin Qi was about to explain, someone rushed over in a panic—it was Hongyu, flushed and sweating with worry.
“What happened?” she cried, on the verge of tears at the sight of Xiaorui’s bandaged head.