Chapter 14: The Ning Family's Guilt

  Among them, a ruddy-faced, robust old man with a rich voice, despite being well-maintained, still showed his age in his eyes, slowly stood up from the sofa, his face solemn. "Speak clearly, I don't want to be disappointed again this time." The old man's voice was mixed with a thick nasal tone, and those present were all members of the Ning family's second generation, while none of the third generation had the qualifications to attend this family meeting today.

  An old woman with white hair beside the speaker, although her face looked haggard, but her eyes were full of hope, looking at the eldest son who gave out this message, "Older brother, you say it clearly, my granddaughter Ningning, is there really any news?"

  This matter is a secret of the Ning family and also a pain for everyone in the Ning family.

  The person known as Lao Da is Ning Tianhua, the second-generation eldest son of the Ning family, one of the most powerful and central families in Z Country. He became a member of the sent-down youth during *** period and lived outside for five years, where he met his current wife, Lian Hongya, who was also a sent-down youth. They had a daughter while living in the countryside, but due to some reasons, they were forced to leave their daughter behind, planning to return and settle everything before bringing her back. However, disaster struck the place where they left their daughter, causing everyone to scatter and lose contact with each other. For eighteen years, they never gave up searching for this child, and finally, they received news.

  Listening to his mother's words, Ning Tianhua's nose was sour and his eyes were red. His daughter's affairs had been a lifelong pain for him and his wife, searching in vain for eighteen years. Although they had not given up, the hope in everyone's heart was decreasing day by day. Now, when everyone was about to give up and the hope in their hearts was about to be extinguished, suddenly there was a glimmer of light. How could this not make everyone excited?

  Ning Lao has always been in control of the Ning family, reminding his children that to make the family prosperous and long-lasting, they must pay attention to one thing: unity. A harmonious family is the most important thing; as long as everyone is united, no matter how big the storm, the whole family can get through it together.

  "Uh... I'll let someone else... go and verify again." Ning Tianhua's throat seemed to be pressed by a thousand-pound boulder, making it difficult for him to speak. His eyes were bloodshot, although he had children by his side now, but this daughter was the one he and his wife owed eighteen years of debt to, and they would naturally do their best to make up for it.

  Sitting next to Ning Tianhua, Lian Hongya's eyes were red-rimmed, shrouded in a thin mist. In those years, it was the couple who had wronged her, letting that child suffer outside for eighteen years. Thinking of the son and daughter following them, their hearts ached even more. These two children were pampered by them, but what about that child? She was outside, did she suffer or not? Without parents by her side, was she bullied or not? Was she full, warm, and clothed? Could she find someone to cry to when she suffered injustice? How many people truly cared about the misfortunes of that poor daughter...

  All sorts of thoughts were almost suffocating Hong Ya, making her breathless.

  Listening to her son's words, the old lady's face, which had been full of expectation, was filled with a smile, and her eyes were shining brightly. She became somewhat agitated, waving her hand and saying, "Quickly... quickly take me to find my poor granddaughter... all these years... she has really suffered."

  Looking at her mother-in-law's excited appearance, Hongya couldn't help but burst into tears. This heavy pain had been suppressed in her heart for 18 years. Originally, everyone's hope that this daughter was still alive was very slim, but to avoid hurting everyone and to keep a glimmer of hope in their hearts, they had never stopped searching for any sign of this daughter over the years. Hongya remembered clearly the love and concern everyone had shown for her family, and seeing her mother-in-law's excited appearance again, along with finding the daughter's trail, directly moved her to tears.

  His wife's crying earned Ning Tianhua a heart-aching gaze, and with gentle movements, he wrapped his arms around her, letting her rest her head on his shoulder. "Cry, it'll be better once you let it out."

  He knew that over the years, his wife had been suffering in her heart. At home, a room was always reserved for their eldest daughter who had gone missing for many years. Every season, clothes and various items were changed on time. He knew this was one of his wife's thoughts. Often in the middle of the night, he would wake up to find his wife not lying beside him, but in their daughter's room, where she would be holding onto the clothes and dolls prepared for her daughter, quietly weeping.

  "Don't worry, wife. This is still the final confirmation, if it's really that girl, we will definitely go and bring her back, take good care of her with all our hearts, and make up for the hardships she has suffered over the years." The whole family was together, but only missing that eldest granddaughter. Now that life at home had improved, everyone was living a good life, except for that eldest granddaughter who was still drifting somewhere unknown, unaware if she was alive or dead. How could this not be painful to the old man's heart?

  Holding his wife's hand tightly, he ignored all those comforting words and said, "I don't care, I want to see our Ningning, I want to see her."

  The other children in the Ning family looked at their mother's excited appearance, also filled with worry. The youngest daughter of the Ning family, Ning Xianrong, quickly walked to her mother's side and quietly comforted her. Then she said to her older brother: "Brother, I'll help mom go upstairs to rest for a while. You all hurry up and send more people to look for Ning Ning's whereabouts, so that when mom wakes up, she can know the news about Ning Ning."

  Upon hearing her daughter's words, the old lady's agitated emotions also subsided, and she nodded in agreement with her daughter, "Right, right, hurry up and send more people to find her. I miss Ningning so much, I want to see her immediately."

  Seeing the old lady getting excited again, Ning Xianrong hurriedly supported her elderly mother and exchanged glances with the crowd behind her, then headed upstairs.

  When the old lady and Ning Xirong disappeared from everyone's sight, the old man let out a deep sigh. "Alright, disperse quickly and send me accurate news as soon as possible."

  After finishing speaking, he went upstairs step by step. The other members of the Ning family also dispersed one after another following the old man's instructions.

  Ning Tianhua supported his wife, leaning her entire upper body against himself, "Don't worry, this time, we will definitely find Ning Ning."

  Listening to her husband's words, she naturally expected something in her heart, but couldn't help but smile bitterly, "So many years have passed, the more hope we have, the more disappointment it brings."

  Her faint voice was filled with a mix of expectation and despair, her shrinking figure making Ning Tianhua exclaim: "Heavens, I, Ning Tianhua, have lived an upright life, never doing anything to harm others. Why must we, as husband and wife, endure such suffering?"

  Luggage is more, although the figure is tall and thin, but because of Su Mo Ruo's temperament, these years in the town are basically female tyrants, fighting to exercise the body very solidly, so twisting these things, does not seem too laborious, turning over two cars, finally arrived at the train station in the city.

  As it was the beginning of the school year, the entire waiting area was basically filled with boys and girls around her age. Some people were accompanied by their parents or elders, and these people looked like they should be freshmen who needed to be escorted by their parents.

  But like her, alone and solitary, a new life that is rare and scarce.

  She found a vacant seat and sat down, feeling a bit hungry. She didn't make any moves, planning to put her luggage away on the train before eating. After all, there were many people around and it was easy to encounter unexpected things.

  Although she is fearless, there are many things around her, and this body is no longer the former Mu Qing, but the current Su Mo Ruo.

  Although Sumojo's physical coordination and adaptability are still strong nowadays, they are not as good as before. So, she thinks that troubles that can be avoided should be avoided to give her time to recover her body and skills.