Xia Xingchen was about to rush over, but a human wall blocked her way. Two men in black stood in front of her, raised their hands, and said expressionlessly, "Miss, please step back. That is not a place you can approach."
"Did you kidnap my son? Why did you take my son? I'm warning you, release him immediately, or I'll call the police right now!" Xia Xingchen said, pulling out her phone.
The two men showed no signs of budging.
"Your… sir taking his own son does not violate any law."
"His own son?" Xia Xingchen was momentarily stunned.
Could it be… these were people sent by Dabai's father?
She glanced toward the third Bentley. The window wasn't fully lowered, but from a distance, she could see a man sitting in the back seat.
His profile was calm, his figure tall and straight. He seemed to have heard the commotion and turned his head slightly. His eyes, deep and unfathomable, were sharp and stern, full of deterrence.
Xia Xingchen froze on the spot, feeling slightly breathless.
It wasn't until the convoy slowly drove away, the man completely disappearing from her sight, and the other men in black got into their cars and left, that she finally came back to her senses.
He… was Dabai's father?
"Dabai!"
"Xia Dabai!"
She panicked and chased after them. Even though she knew she couldn't catch up, she kicked off her high heels and ran like mad.
No! He couldn't cruelly take her child away like this! And… even now, she didn't know who this man was!
"Xingchen, don't chase! They're gone! You should quickly contact the police and check the surveillance footage!"
"Yeah, I've never seen kidnappers with such a grand display. You haven't offended any powerful people, have you?"
The neighbors chattered, and Xia Xingchen's thoughts were in complete chaos. She had once hoped for the child's father to appear, at least to give her a chance to slap him back for that time. But now… he appeared and effortlessly snatched her Dabai away. So high-profile, so open, so righteous!
Bastard! Was this damned guy human, a god, or a ghost?
Xia Xingchen cursed angrily, throwing her high heels fiercely in the direction the convoy disappeared, but her anger didn't subside. When she finally met him, she would make him pay!
…Meanwhile, elsewhere.
Inside the villa, the atmosphere was tense.
On the luxurious leather sofa, a man and a boy sat facing each other, staring at one another.
Each scrutinized the other.
"Had enough looking? If so, please send me back." Xia Dabai spoke first. He was very calm, sitting upright, completely without the panic of being 'kidnapped'. "If I don't get home tonight, Xia Dabao will be very sad. And if Xia Dabao is sad, the consequences will be very serious!"
He might have to kneel on the washboard. That would make him lose a lot of face.
Bai Yeqing's handsome brows were sternly furrowed, but he said nothing, only glancing slightly at his secretary-general, Leng Fei, behind him.
Leng Fei stepped forward and respectfully said, "Young master, from today onward, this is your home."
Xia Dabai looked around and nodded solemnly.
"All right. Our Xia Dabao is worried about not having money to buy me a house, and if I can't buy a house, I won't be able to marry a wife. With this big house, I'll be able to marry ten wives and they'll all fit."
Ten wives?
Leng Fei really wanted to laugh. Could his small body handle ten wives?
Bai Yeqing, who had been silent, snorted.
"Small person, but big ambitions."
"That's a must. All ten wives will be for serving my Xia Dabao."
"So, he's not really marrying wives, but hiring servants?"
Leng Fei didn't interrupt and continued, "Young master, from today onward, you must change your surname to Bai."
"Bai Dabai? That sounds awful. I don't want to change my surname." Xia Dabai's conflicted little face was full of disdain. "Besides, why should I change my surname to Bai?"
"His Excellency is your father, and His Excellency's surname is Bai, so you naturally take the surname Bai."
"Father?" Dabai chewed on the unfamiliar word, tilting his head to look at the very handsome man sitting opposite him, who resembled him somewhat but was also very cold and unapproachable. "Are you sure you want to be my father?"
What 'be'?
"I am." The man's words were few but decisive, leaving no room for doubt.
"That's strange then. Xia Dabao said my dad is dead. Are you a ghost?"
The man narrowed his eyes and tapped his finger on the armrest of the sofa. The atmosphere in the living room instantly dropped several degrees.
This woman — this was how she taught his son?
Leng Fei broke out in a cold sweat.
"Young master, you absolutely must not say such things! Never say that again!"
Wasn't this openly cursing the President of Country S? This was a serious crime!
"I wasn't talking nonsense! What Xia Dabao says is right. She never lies to me! I'm going back now. Since you brought me here, you're responsible for sending me back."
He finished speaking, propped his small arms on the sofa, his little legs dangling twice, then slid down. Like a little lord, he walked out with his hands behind his back, swaggering.
Looking at that retreating figure, Leng Fei couldn't help but smile.
He was indeed His Excellency's son — these genes were absolutely amazing. So alike.
Bai Yeqing also looked at that back, his gaze growing deeper, with an imperceptible glimmer flashing through it.
His son was four years old.
Very good.
Clearly, that woman deserved full credit.
"Butler, take him upstairs!" With his command, the little fellow was suddenly hoisted onto someone's shoulder. No matter how much his short legs kicked and struggled, he couldn't break free.
"Bad guys! All of you bad guys! Put me down! I hate you!" For a long time, the child's resentful and frantic shouts echoed through the villa.
Bai Yeqing sat on the sofa, looking upstairs, deep in thought.
"Your Excellency, what do we do next?" Leng Fei stepped forward and asked.
Bai Yeqing ordered, "Arrange lessons for him, starting with the most basic etiquette."
"Yes."
"Then Young Master's mother, Miss Xia Xingchen…"
"I will make further arrangements."
…
Xia Xingchen felt like she was going crazy. That day, in broad daylight, such a long convoy had passed by — it was impossible to hide from anyone. However, when she went to the police station, they said there were no records.
She was like a headless fly, lost in a vast sea of people, not knowing where to look.
She was still an intern at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so she had to temporarily take leave. Although taking leave was very disadvantageous for her, there was no other way.
However, no matter how many people she mobilized to search, even when Xia Guopeng personally intervened as mayor, the man and the child seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving no trace at all.
That day.
Xia Xingchen had just walked out of the police station, feeling dejected again, when five black cars slowly drove up and came to a screeching halt in front of her.