Chapter 336: Getting a Scolding
Chapter 336: Chapter 336: Getting a Scolding
Su Qing knew in her heart that if she and Li Huan could return through normal channels, it meant their stowing away hadn’t caused any real trouble for the Li family.
However, she figured a scolding was definitely unavoidable.
Sure enough, Gu Xinsheng looked at them with a grave expression. "You two have some serious nerve," he said. "Daring to stow away in Xiangcheng. Why not just try to fly to the moon while you’re at it?"
The thought alone made Gu Xinsheng shudder with lingering fear. That girl, Su Qing, was skilled, but what kind of place was Xiangcheng? It was rife with gangs and overrun with guns. Bloody street fights were a common occurrence. No matter how skilled she was, a bullet doesn’t have eyes. What’s more, Su Qing had helped crack such a major case. He had no idea if she was now on the Xiangcheng Gangs’ radar. If they targeted her, he, all the way in Guang Province, was too far away to be of any help.
Su Qing and Li Huan knew Gu Xinsheng meant well, so neither of them said a word, meekly accepting the scolding.
Gu Xinsheng said a few more words, but in the end, Su Qing and Li Huan were back safe, so he let out a sigh of relief. He then added, "Don’t you ever dare act on your own and do something so dangerous again. Do you have any idea how much danger you were in? If something had happened, we wouldn’t have been able to save you in time."
"We know," the two answered obediently.
Seeing how well-behaved they were, Gu Xinsheng lost the heart to stay angry. "Alright, come back with me for now."
Hearing this, Li Huan quickly asked, "Uncle Gu, my dad and the others didn’t come, did they?"
"No," Gu Xinsheng replied. "You’ll return to Beijing with me tomorrow."
Li Huan let out a sigh of relief and quickly said to Su Qing, "Thank goodness, thank goodness. We have a few more days as a buffer. Hopefully, they’ll have cooled down by then."
Hearing Li Huan’s words, Gu Xinsheng let out a dry chuckle. "We’re flying back tomorrow."
Li Huan’s face fell instantly. ’Doesn’t that mean we’ll be home tomorrow? It’s over, it’s over, I’m totally done for! Grandma and Grandpa will be easy to deal with, but Mom and Dad’s anger definitely hasn’t faded yet. And on top of that, I secretly ran away from home this time...’
’I’m doomed, I’m doomed! My life is over!’
Li Huan threw her arms around Su Qing and started wailing, "Qingqing, when we get back to Beijing, let’s go hide out at your courtyard house!"
"Don’t forget, Uncle and Auntie know where the courtyard house is. It would take them two minutes to hunt us down," Su Qing said, blinking.
"Ah, you’re right!" Li Huan said with a miserable look. "This is tragic. In a city as huge as Beijing, is there really no place for us to hide?"
Su Qing actually had several other courtyard houses whose locations the Li family didn’t know about. However, running away wasn’t the solution. If she dared to pull another disappearing act with Li Huan in Beijing, the consequences would be absolutely ’beautiful’—especially for Li Huan. A beating from both her mom and dad would be unavoidable.
"Mr. Li and Mrs. Li said that when you get back, you’re to stay at their place. They want to keep you under their noses," Gu Xinsheng said. "Mr. and Mrs. Li were scared to death this time."
’Yikes. Looks like the two elders were really frightened this time.’
Su Qing and Li Huan exchanged a look. Fine, they would go to their grandfather’s place.
Sure enough, when Su Qing and Li Huan returned to the Li family home the next day, they received the family’s most "enthusiastic" reception.
When Shang Yuqi saw Li Huan, she picked up a feather duster and went right for her. "Li Huan, you’ve gotten bold, haven’t you? How dare you secretly run away from home!"
"Oh my god!" Seeing Shang Yuqi’s stance, Li Huan jumped three feet in the air. She had never seen her mom this furious. The last time she’d snuck back to Beijing from the Northeast, her mom had just given her a stern lecture and a couple of light smacks, and that was it. She’d never brought out the feather duster! "Grandpa, Grandma, Qingqing, help me! Auntie, save me!"
Li Huan moved faster than a monkey, zipping behind Mr. Li and Mrs. Li. "Grandpa! Grandma! I came back in one piece! Won’t you feel bad if Mom beats me until I’m missing an arm or a leg?"
Shang Yuqi couldn’t possibly brandish the feather duster at the elders. She put her hands on her hips and said to Li Huan, "Li Huan, you get over here right now."
"I won’t," Li Huan said, hiding behind Mr. and Mrs. Li, feeling a surge of courage. "I’m not stupid enough to walk over and let you hit me."
"You rotten girl, I’m going to beat you today no matter what."
Mrs. Li angrily slapped Li Huan on the back. "You deserve it! Running away from home without telling anyone—were you trying to worry us to death?"
Despite her words, Mrs. Li didn’t let Shang Yuqi actually hit Li Huan. The Li family only had these two granddaughters, and they were treasured.
While Shang Yuqi and her daughter created a chaotic scene, Li Wan was pulling Su Qing aside, looking her up and down incessantly. "Were you hurt anywhere this time?"
Seeing the worried look on Li Wan’s face, Su Qing quickly said, "Mom, it’s fine. I’m not hurt at all."
Only after seeing that Su Qing was uninjured could Li Wan finally relax. Then she slapped Su Qing on the back. "Look at you, child. How could you dare to do something so dangerous? What kind of people were those, huh? They’re ruthless criminals who kill without blinking! If something had happened to you, how could I possibly go on living?"
Su Qing was Li Wan’s only daughter, and she had doted on her like the apple of her eye since she was little. Even though they had been separated for a time, Li Wan’s love for Su Qing hadn’t faded. The thought that with the slightest misstep, Su Qing could have been injured or worse, had kept her up at night with worry.
"Mom, I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. Please don’t worry. See? I came back perfectly fine, didn’t I?" Su Qing said hurriedly. "Really, there won’t be a next time."
"Qingqing, come here," Mrs. Li beckoned to Su Qing.
"Go on. Your grandparents have been worried sick these past few days." In the months since Li Wan had returned home, her bond with Mr. and Mrs. Li had deepened, and she had completely integrated into the family.
Mrs. Li took Su Qing and Li Huan by the hand, having them sit on either side of her, and then said to Shang Yuqi, "Alright, the girls are back safe and sound. You can calm down now."
Shang Yuqi took a deep breath, shot Li Huan another glare, and finally tossed the feather duster aside. Seeing this, Li Huan let out a heavy sigh of relief. ’The first alarm has been silenced.’
Mrs. Li looked at Li Huan. "I have to say something. Look how worried you’ve made your mother. Next time, you’re not allowed to just sneak off without a word, understand?"
"I know, Grandma. It won’t happen again," Li Huan quickly admitted her mistake.
"And you," Mrs. Li said, turning to Su Qing. "You jumped right into such a dangerous case without a second thought. You’re just a teenage girl, and those were desperate outlaws with guns and knives. And what about that deep mountain? You just charged right in. What if you had gotten lost? If you’d gotten lost in those mountains, we wouldn’t have even known how to rescue you. You’re trying to worry us to death."