Chapter 144: The Disappearance of Fang Xiaoyan

"It seems Mr. Jian is truly someone extraordinary to you."

Ruan Mianmian remained silent for a long moment before saying softly, "You don't understand."

The family she referred to were her true relatives, who did not exist in this world. However, these were thoughts Ruan Mianmian could only keep to herself.

The traffic light ahead turned green, and Jiang Ce started the car again. As they neared Haixing Bay, Jiang Ce suddenly looked at Ruan Mianmian and said gently, "Would you like to come back to Lan City with me for a visit? You haven't been home in a long time; why don't I accompany you to the Ruan family home?"

"Forget it." Ruan Mianmian looked uninterested as she replied, "Going back would only lead to a chaotic scene. What's the point?"

Jiang Ce fell silent, his eyes deepening. Sometimes, he truly could not fathom Ruan Mianmian's thoughts. Just a moment ago, she had appeared clearly homesick, yet the second he offered to accompany her back to Lan City, her expression instantly turned sour. This inscrutable mood of hers left him feeling irritable.

Upon returning to Haixing Bay, Ruan Mianmian noticed the atmosphere was different that evening. In recent days, the courtyard had been kept quiet to ensure Fang Xiaoyan would not be startled by noise. Tonight, however, it was a rare sight; the barbecue grill she and A-Kuan had set up before she left was still in use.

"Brother Ruan is back? Come over, come over! There's still plenty left!" A-Kuan was the first to notice Ruan Mianmian and Jiang Ce, and he hurriedly waved them over.

Ruan Mianmian found it strange. She walked closer and asked, "You haven't been eating all afternoon, have you?"

"No way!" A-Kuan wiped his hands with a napkin and laughed. "I saw how hard you worked for so long and barely ate anything, so I wanted to keep it going until you returned. I’m a pretty good subordinate, aren't I?"

"Alright, stop fishing for compliments." Jin Jiu rushed over and nudged A-Kuan’s elbow, laughing. "You dare to curry favor in front of the boss? Do you have a death wish?"

"Look at you! Could I ever forget our boss?" Saying this, A-Kuan arranged the seats, placed the freshly grilled food from the plate down, and smiled at Jiang Ce. "Boss, I grilled this especially for you—no garlic, no spice. Just the way you like it."

Jiang Ce pulled Ruan Mianmian down to sit and nodded with a smile. Jin Jiu couldn't help but add, "Sycophant!"

Ruan Mianmian hadn't eaten much at the birthday banquet, so she was glad to fill her stomach, though she still asked, "What about that Fang Xiaoyan? Is she asleep?"

A-Kuan paused for a moment, then looked at Ruan Mianmian with a grin. "You don't know yet?"

"Know what?" Ruan Mianmian looked blank.

Jin Jiu glanced at Jiang Ce and teased, "Boss, are you still keeping it a secret? Why? Didn't your wife get angry with you because of what happened these past two days?"

Ruan Mianmian immediately grabbed a pair of chopsticks from the table, intending to give Jin Jiu a flick on the forehead, but he dodged it quickly.

Jiang Ce’s eyes curved as he looked at Ruan Mianmian and nodded. "Although she didn't say it, I did spend quite a while coaxing her. Otherwise, I’m afraid she wouldn't have been willing to come home with me so obediently tonight."

"Hahahaha..." The surrounding crowd burst into laughter.

Ruan Mianmian could be thick-skinned at times, but she couldn't handle being teased by others and turned bright red. She straightened up as much as possible and asked, "Are you going to tell me or not? What happened?"

A-Kuan leaned in to explain, "That girl isn't here anymore. The boss sent her to a nursing home to help with her treatment."

Ruan Mianmian turned to look at Jiang Ce, asking, "Really? You really sent her away?" Hearing this, she felt a bit embarrassed, but deep down, she was happy.

Jiang Ce nodded. "I’ve already coordinated with the doctors. Her condition seemed quite serious, so they recommended inpatient treatment. I’ve entrusted her to the doctors; you don't need to worry."

"That's good." Ruan Mianmian nodded and didn't ask further.

She had thought this matter would be put to rest, but she never expected a new turn of events. Ruan Mianmian had been out with Xiang Kui to make support banners for a concert when she received a call from A-Kuan halfway through.

Ruan Mianmian answered excitedly, "I just left the house, and you're already dying to find me?"

"Brother Ruan, something happened."

"Hmm?" Hearing the gravity in A-Kuan's voice, Ruan Mianmian asked, "What’s wrong? Did something happen to Jiang Ce?"

"It’s not the boss," A-Kuan replied hesitantly. "It’s Fang Xiaoyan. The people at the nursing home said she went missing last night, and they still haven't found her."

"Missing? How could she go missing?" Ruan Mianmian found it unbelievable. She asked again, "Where is Jiang Ce now?"

"The boss has already set off for the nursing home. I don't know the specifics myself, so I just wanted to give you a heads-up, but there's no need for you to worry."

Ruan Mianmian raised an eyebrow. "Why would I be worried? It’s not like Jiang Ce went missing."

"..." A-Kuan rolled his eyes, thinking to himself: I knew I was being redundant again!

"Brother Ruan, then you go ahead and have fun. I'll tell you when there’s news."

"Alright." With that, Ruan Mianmian hung up.

Xiang Kui leaned over and asked, "What happened? Who went missing?"

It was difficult to explain, and impossible to clear up in a few words. Ruan Mianmian replied, "It's hard to explain, but it should be fine. Let’s head in."

"Okay." Xiang Kui continued, "It’s rare for Lu Bao and the others to come to Jiang City for a concert. The fans are going crazy. I booked everything in advance, and now the items are done, so we just have to pick them up."

Ruan Mianmian hadn't told Xiang Kui about Le Chen yet; she planned to save it as a big surprise to reveal on the day of the concert. It would definitely be a massive shock.

Suppressing a smile, Ruan Mianmian nodded. "Yes, you certainly had the foresight."

Xiang Kui laughed, "It’s lucky you're here to keep me company. Xiang Nuan has to work, otherwise, I would have died of boredom on my own."

Ruan Mianmian said, "I have nothing to do anyway, and I don't know many friends in Jiang City. If you need help next time, feel free to call me."

Xiang Kui’s eyes sparkled like stars. "Really? I won't be polite with you then!"

"Really, really." The two walked off together.

After collecting everything they needed for the support banners, Xiang Kui drove Ruan Mianmian and said, "Let me treat you to a meal to thank you for your help today."

"Sure, I won't be formal with you. It’s just the right time for dinner anyway."

They hit it off instantly and decided to go for hot pot. Once they arrived, Xiang Kui couldn't help but ask, "I heard from Xiang Nuan that you resigned from Hanhai. What are your plans for the future?"

Ruan Mianmian pondered for a long time before replying, "Actually, I haven't decided. If I followed my own interests, I’d quite like to open an art studio, but I’m only a dabbler myself—I’m afraid I’d lose money!"