Heavenly Blessed Baby: Fleeing Famine, Busy to Prosper!-Chapter 194: Everyone Come Out

"You’re a grown person, how can you not even watch a child properly? Get out, get out! Give me back my granddaughter!"

Mrs. Qi, enraged, started hurling insults and reached out to grab Qi Manman.

But Qi Manman held onto Qi Quanjin’s clothes with one hand and pointed toward the alley with the other.

Qi Quanjin finally sensed something was amiss.

The little girl wasn’t trying to say she needed to relieve herself.

"Manbao, be good and don’t cry. Go with Grandma and Grandpa to the teahouse across the street. Dad and your uncles will go inside to check, okay?"

Qi Quanjin softened his voice as much as he could.

The alley was too dark, and Qi Quanjin was worried that taking the children inside could lead to trouble, so it was better for the adults to go and take a look!

Qi Manman glanced at the teahouse Qi Quanjin mentioned and then at the pitch-black alley, looking conflicted.

Mrs. Qi was so anxious she was nearly jumping up and down, ready to speak, but her husband swiftly grabbed her arm.

"Why are you holding me back? Can’t you see how Manbao is crying?"

Mrs. Qi glared angrily at Qi Zheng.

Qi Zheng frowned deeply, whispering, "Stop shouting for a moment. There’s something unusual about Manbao, and I’m worried..."

Though he didn’t finish, after years of marriage, Mrs. Qi could guess the gist from his expression and eyes.

Recalling the recent events, Mrs. Qi couldn’t help but gasp.

For their precious granddaughter to cry and fuss like this, how serious must the situation be?

Realizing this, Mrs. Qi no longer cared if their son could look after their granddaughter. She clutched her sleeves, anxiously watching Qi Manman.

Now Qi Manman sniffled, reaching out toward Mrs. Qi but still murmuring to Qi Quanjin, "Dad, inside, go inside..."

"Yes, don’t worry, Dad will go through it all inside!"

Qi Quanjin carefully handed his daughter to his mother and instructed, "Mom, no matter what happens later, you and Dad must stay inside the teahouse until we come to get you."

"Fourth Son, never mind that, just tell us what is happening. Why didn’t any of you brothers bring your wives out?"

Mrs. Qi didn’t care about the teahouse; she just wanted to know what was going on.

Qi Quanjin pressed his lips, seeing his parents’ worried looks, and could only say, "Balang and Jiulang are missing, and we’re looking for the children."

"What?"

Mrs. Qi’s voice suddenly rose: "Then what are you dawdling for? Hurry up and find them!"

The Qi Family isn’t short of sons and grandsons, but if one were lost, it would be like cutting off a piece of flesh.

Qi Zheng was also startled, quickly supporting his wife and reminding Qi Quanjin, "Your mom and I will take Manbao back home now. The teahouse may not be safe either. Be careful, and you must find the children! Hurry!"

Qi Zheng spoke rapidly this time, pulling his wife along toward home after he finished.

Mrs. Qi didn’t forget to call out, "Make sure to find them," then hurriedly jogged alongside Qi Zheng.

"Old man, when we get home, you should go out and help search. I can stay home and watch Manbao."

Mrs. Qi was panting as she spoke in stops and starts.

Qi Zheng agreed, "I was thinking the same."

They were indeed worried about their two grandsons, but Manbao was such a pretty girl that she could easily become a target for kidnappers.

If someone openly snatched her, hiding in the teahouse wouldn’t help; there’s no guarantee anyone would lend a hand.

To avoid being a burden, they both tacitly chose to return home first.

Qi Manman cried all the way, hiccupping as she cried, which was very distressing to see.

Yet she was so well-behaved, not making a fuss, a stark contrast to when she was in Qi Quanjin’s arms.

Finally reaching the second entrance of the alleyway, the old couple slowed down slightly.

Qi Zheng, gasping for breath, asked Qi Manman, "Manbao, what happened with that alley?"

Qi Manman wiped her tears, shaking her head: "Manbao doesn’t know, but, Manbao feels, feels uneasy. Inside, it’s, scary, scary..."

Thinking of that earlier feeling, Qi Manman’s tears fell even more.

She really couldn’t explain; it was just a feeling, terrifying yet very compelling to enter.

Qi Zheng and Mrs. Qi exchanged glances.

Mrs. Qi said, "We’ll be home soon. Don’t follow us; go out quickly to help search!"

As she spoke, a household door ahead suddenly opened.

The creaking of the wooden door startled the old couple into stopping instinctively.

Ji Hu opened the door and, turning his head, saw two figures approaching from the alley’s entrance, nearly retreating back inside in fright.

In the end, he held himself back.

Each house had a red lantern or two hanging at the door. Ji Hu squinted, then asked, "Uncle Qi, is that you?"

It looked like his figure.

Hearing Ji Hu’s voice, Qi Zheng finally let out a breath, saying, "It’s you, Hu Zi! Yes, it’s me."

"Uncle Qi, are you back from the lantern festival?"

Seeing it was someone he knew, Ji Hu quickly smiled and greeted them.

But coming closer, noticing the old couple was out of breath, with grim looks, and especially Qi Manman’s face tear-streaked, Ji Hu tensed up, "What happened here?"

"Balang and Jiulang have gone missing, and Manbao is feeling unwell. We need to get her home quickly for the doctors to check."

Qi Zheng said quickly, and the couple was already bringing Qi Manman further. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Ji Hu blinked, only realizing after a moment and slapping his thigh with an "oh!" then running back into the yard.

"Everyone, come out, come out!"

Following Ji Hu’s call, everyone in the rooms came out.

The few people who fled from Yongping Village, and the dozen people related to the old junior scholar hadn’t gone out today.

It’s not that they didn’t want to enjoy the festivities, but their coats weren’t thick enough, and if they caught a cold, it would cost money to see a doctor.

Everyone wasn’t oblivious; they lived and ate at the Qi Family’s expense, and the medicine they used for illness was paid for by the Qi Family. They couldn’t face asking the Qi Family for more help if they fell ill because of their own actions.

The old junior scholar, supported by his grandson Ling Shuo, asked as soon as he came out, "Hu Zi, what’s happened? Why so urgent?"

The others also looked tensely at Ji Hu, fearing to hear something terrible.

They had just stabilized and really didn’t want to hear more bad news.