Chapter 149: Going Abroad

"Let's go in the afternoon."

Rong Xian scrolled through her phone listlessly, debating whether to head to the Swiss Federation or Italy first. Little Nine seemed to have purchased a famous property in the Swiss Federation last year, and she had always wanted to pay it a visit.

Ruan Danling turned her gaze toward Xiao Mingyu, her attitude softening noticeably. "Mingyu, what about you?"

"I'll go with Ms. Rong."

Ruan Danling nodded in understanding. "Government offices don't open until tomorrow. You don't have any identification on you, so staying at a hotel is definitely out of the question. Do you have a place to stay tonight?"

Rong Xian felt an immediate, overwhelming sense of foreboding.

She couldn't quite put her finger on it. Her own mother usually didn't concern herself with trivial matters and took a laissez-faire approach to raising her and Little Nine. Yet, for some reason, she was pouring an immense amount of care and enthusiasm into Xiao Mingyu.

What exactly had this social climber done to earn such favor?

While Rong Xian was still pondering this baffling question, Xiao Mingyu had already assumed a humble posture, shaking his head with a bitter smile. "Tonight... I'll find a way on my own. You don't need to worry, ma'am."

Ruan Danling glanced at the faint scratch on the left side of his neck and made a direct decision. "In that case, you might as well stay at Xiaoxian's place. Her apartment is quite large, and since you don't have your ID or bank cards, you can't just sleep on the street."

Rong Xian: "..."

Xiao Mingyu appeared conflicted. "This... would that be too much of a bother for Ms. Rong?"

"Bother? Not at all." Ruan Danling shot a cold look at Rong Xian, cutting off any protest she was about to make. "Aren't you her personal assistant? It's perfectly fine for you to be nearby to help her."

Rong Xian shot a cold glare at Xiao Mingyu and sneered, "Did you come from the Stone Age? You lost your ID and bank cards, but you don't have mobile banking or payment apps?"

Her mother, who lived a life sheltered from the hardships of the world and had people to handle payments and carry her bags whenever she went out, could be forgiven for not understanding these digital payment tools—but this pretty boy? Who was he trying to fool?

"After I reported my bank cards lost, my mobile payments were frozen as well," Xiao Mingyu sighed softly.

"What about Huabei, Jiebei, Weili Loan, Du Xiaoman, JD Baitiao... or even loan sharks? Surely one of those works?"

Ruan Danling watched Rong Xian coolly from the side, though her words were directed at Xiao Mingyu. "Mingyu, don't listen to her. I've made the decision for you. I'll have the housekeeper take you both over later and help with the cleaning while they're at it."

"Mom..."

"That's enough," Ruan Danling glanced at her. "Everyone faces hardships at some point in life. The man is your assistant, after all—you show absolutely no compassion."

Rong Xian closed her eyes, having no desire to say another word. She stood up and headed toward the backyard, presumably to the smoking room.

Ruan Danling watched her daughter's retreating figure and couldn't help but shake her head and sigh. Xiaoxian always carried herself with grace and warmth in front of others; only with Xiao Mingyu was she exceptionally impatient, like needles meeting wheat awns.

At the same time, Rong Shen received a call from Rong Xian while in the car.

"What is it?"

Hearing the man speak, An Tong retracted her gaze from the window. She couldn't hear the voice on the other end, but judging by the faint smile that appeared on Rong Shen's face, it must have been an acquaintance.

The car was quiet. After a few seconds, the man spoke again. "There is, but no one has lived there for a long time. If you want to go, I'll arrange for someone to clean it up."

"..."

"I'm heading to Bellinzona next week. If you want to shake him off, you can come with me."

"..."

"Mm, call me when you've decided."

After the brief call, An Tong asked with surprise, "Are you going abroad next week?"

Rong Shen tucked his phone into his pocket and turned his handsome, gentle face toward her. "Yes. Have you ever been to Bellinzona?"

An Tong's eyes dimmed visibly. "No."

She had once had the chance to go, but then... there was no "then."

"How long will you be gone?" she asked, suppressing the wave of melancholy that had risen in her heart.

"About a week." The man's deep eyes locked onto her, his thick brows slightly raised. "Do you want to come along?"

An Tong's mouth parted slightly, her fingers curling inward as she fell into a silent daze.

She remained silent for so long that it became inexplicable. This was a simple question that required no thought, yet she delayed her answer. Beneath her seemingly calm expression, hidden emotions were clearly churning.

By the time the business car arrived back at the Yuefu Villa, An Tong was still lost in her own thoughts.

"Ninth Master... we've arrived."

Cheng Feng brought the car to a smooth stop. Catching a glimpse of An Tong's stunned expression, he whispered a reminder to the man.

Rong Shen acknowledged him, leaned over to exit the vehicle, and then scooped An Tong up from her seat.

"Oh? I can walk myself."

An Tong had been so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed the change in their surroundings. If Rong Shen hadn't swept her up into his arms, she might not have realized they had arrived.

The man's crisp, pleasant scent enveloped her, seemingly soothing the turbulent emotions in her heart.

Rong Shen walked steadily up the steps, looking down at An Tong as her eyes regained their clarity. "You've been thinking the whole way—what have you come up with?"

An Tong curled her lips. "Is this a business trip, or...?"

"Business." The man looked directly into her eyes, his voice low and magnetic. "If you want to come, it won't stop me from keeping you company and helping you clear your mind."

An Tong kicked her legs slightly in his arms, struggling. The man bent down to set her on her feet, opened the door, and they walked into the living room one after the other.

Having been away for seven or eight days, the villa felt hollow and cold.

An Tong walked over to the tea table, picked up a cup, and began to fiddle with it slowly. "I won't go. School starts in less than half a month. I'll stay home and wait for you to return."

With that, she turned to look at Rong Shen and offered a forced smile.

The man walked toward her with one hand in his pocket. "There's enough time before school starts. Don't you like skiing? If we go now, you can still catch the ski season."

An Tong lowered her eyes. It seemed as though she had gone through a difficult internal struggle, and even her tone was strained. "Back then... that was where the accident happened. I'm not really ready to... revisit the scene of the past."

Although her voice was unsteady, her eyes were filled with trust for the man, and for the first time, she had honestly spoken of a past she had never mentioned before.

Rong Shen's pupils contracted sharply. He was silent for a moment before stepping forward to pull An Tong into his arms, patting her back comfortingly. "Then we won't go. I'll return as soon as I can."

An Tong gripped the fabric of his shirt at his waist and added, "I just don't want to go to that place; it's not that I don't want to go with you."

The man didn't speak. He lowered his head and kissed her forehead, his deep, dark eyes churning with turbulent waves.

Over three years ago, in the Swiss Federation...

This was indeed unexpected. He had always assumed the incident involving the An family had happened domestically—a car accident or some other disaster. He never imagined it had occurred in the Swiss Federation.

No wonder he hadn't been able to find a single trace.

Later that evening, Ling Qi came over to find An Tong, clutching a laptop. Rong Shen paid no mind, headed to his study, and closed the door firmly behind him.

As the evening twilight lingered near the floor-to-ceiling windows, the man stood with his phone to his ear, gazing at the vibrant, fiery clouds on the horizon. His voice was cold and low. "Did any major accidents occur in the Swiss Federation three years ago?"