After returning home with the child, her ex-husband knelt down and gently coaxed her.

Hearing this, Li Quan looked at him with even more tenderness.

Since Mr. Lu passed away four years ago, and his wife fell into a coma and became a vegetable, the young master has undergone a complete transformation in these four years, becoming taciturn, aloof, and proud, and has had a very difficult time.

That's why he was willing to stay at the Yuhe Duke's Mansion as a steward.

He felt that the young master was too lonely, and with him around, at least the young master would have someone to keep him company.

"Young Master."

Li Quan stepped forward and handed him a file folder. "This was delivered by Butler Ji today. He said the documents inside are about some projects that Mr. Second invested in in other places, and he needs your signature."

Lu Xiyan glanced at it and reached out to take it.

The file folder was thick, and it looked like there were quite a few documents.

"I heard these are all small businesses invested in under the name of Mr. Er's former company, covering a wide range of sectors. These businesses are doing quite well now, and the returns are considerable," Li Quan said. "The chairman's idea is that if you sign your name, these projects will all be transferred to your name."

"understood."

Lu Xiyan responded softly, saying to him, "Uncle Quan, I'd like to be by myself for a while. You should go and rest first."

Li Quan nodded, looking at his tall figure almost hidden in the darkness, and couldn't help but think of the girl named An Ning who appeared at the gate of Yuhe Mansion a while ago.

He had seen how the young master looked when he was with that girl; it was a genuine joy and carefree spirit.

At that time, the second master and his wife also had a good impression of the little girl; she was polite, well-behaved, and spoke pleasantly.

Unfortunately...

Li Quan sighed softly. If it weren't for that girl, the young master might still be the same as before.

......

In the quiet room at night, only a warm light was left on by the bedside.

A gentle voice filled the room, having just finished a bedtime story.

An Ning gently patted Xiao Anxian's back, looked at the child's sleeping face, and couldn't help but lower her head and place a light kiss on his fair face.

The little one cried once before going to bed because he saw Anning's injured knee, and tears streamed down his face.

Holding Anning close, kissing and cuddling her for a long time, I asked her many times, "Does Mommy hurt?"

Anning gently told him again and again, "Mommy doesn't hurt."

The little one still cried because he felt sorry for him. It took a long time to comfort him and read him several bedtime stories before he finally fell asleep.

Anning put away the picture book, her gaze falling on her bandaged knee, and a face with deep, delicate features seemed to reappear before her eyes.

He used to get extremely worried whenever she cut her finger and it bled.

He would frown and say to her, "Ningning, your blood is very precious. You can't get hurt again."

Back then, she often rode an electric bike to and from get off work, and she fell and scraped her legs.

He would rush her to the hospital the moment he heard the news.

One time, his ankle bled so much that his trouser leg was stained with blood, and Lu Xiyan was so anxious that he cried.

That was the first time Anning saw him cry in front of her.

Anning will never forget the sight of him with red eyes, holding back tears, feeling both heartache and self-reproach.

An Ning gently touched the dry gauze on her knee with her fingertips, and felt a pang of sadness, finding it hard to breathe for a long time.

The phone on the counter suddenly lit up, displaying a message.

An Ning clicked on the message, which was from the kindergarten's admissions office: "Dear Ms. An, due to residency issues, our child An Xuan's enrollment quota doesn't match, and we are very sorry that we cannot arrange for him to attend our kindergarten."

An Ning frowned slightly, quietly got up from the bed, and gently left the bedroom while holding onto the wall.

Anxuan is supposed to start kindergarten this fall, so she consulted the kindergarten admissions office a while ago.

Upon seeing the message, she dialed the number.

"Teacher Li, is it true that Xuanxuan's registered residence area doesn't allow her to attend this kindergarten?"

"Yes, Ms. An," the other party told her, "His registered residence is in a relatively specific area, so he cannot enroll in this kindergarten at the moment."

Since An Xuan's household registration is in Anning, it is indeed quite difficult for her to attend a good kindergarten in Jinghai.

The other party then asked, "Is Anxian's father's household registration in Huaihai District, Jinghai? If so, we suggest that the child be registered under the father's household registration, so that the child can be placed in one of the better kindergartens in Huaihai."

Upon hearing this, An Ning frowned.

Lu Xiyan's household registration can indeed get Xuanxuan into the best kindergarten in Jinghai.

Thinking of this, a sense of guilt welled up in her heart.

Xuanxuan could have received the best education in Jinghai, and Lu Xiyan would have given her the best life, but because of her selfishness, she couldn't even get into a good school.

"I am divorced."

Anning asked softly, "Is there any other way, Teacher Li?"

"Is that so?" The other person seemed a little surprised, and after thinking for a moment, said, "There are also some good private schools in Huaihai District, so there shouldn't be any problem for Anxian to enroll in kindergarten."

"Really?" Anning asked hurriedly, "What procedures are required?"

"No need, Ms. An," the other party said. "If you are a single mother, you may need to provide proof of being a single parent, such as a divorce certificate."

"Divorce certificate..."

An Ning lowered her eyes; she didn't have a divorce certificate.

......

The next morning, Anning called Li Chunfang and asked, "Mom, do you know where Xiaoyu's family moved to?"

Li Chunfang had just finished her examination in the ward when she heard An Ning's question. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Xiaoyu? Their family moved to Suzhou. Xiaoyu's father made some money doing business in Suzhou and bought a house, so their family moved away from Jinghai."

An Ning stood downstairs at the Haowei Group building, her brows slightly furrowed. "Su Cheng?"

Four years ago, after leaving Jinghai, Anning changed her contact information, cut off all contact with everyone, and disappeared completely.

The purpose was to prevent Lu Xiyan from finding her and knowing her whereabouts.

This was requested by Old Master Lu.

A year after leaving, she tried to contact Song Xiaoyu again, only to find out that she had changed her contact information.

She and Song Xiaoyu completely lost contact.

She had assumed Xiaoyu's family was still in Jinghai, but upon returning to Anning, she learned they had moved away. So much had happened since she returned to Jinghai that she only now remembered to ask Li Chunfang if she knew Song Xiaoyu's address.

"Yes, their whole family went to Suzhou," Li Chunfang said. "They haven't been back to Jinghai since they moved away."

Anning asked, "Do you have their contact information?"

Li Chunfang thought for a moment, "No, her parents changed their phone number. At the time, people in our village said that her family must have become rich and they were afraid that we neighbors would ask for money, so they stopped associating with us."

Seeing An Ning suddenly ask about Song Xiaoyu, Li Chunfang asked again, "Do you need to see Xiaoyu for something?"

"Okay," Anning said softly, "I need to get something from her."

"Get something?" Li Chunfang asked. "What is it? Is it important?"

An Ning suddenly clenched her fist; this was very important.

Take her and Lu Xiyan's divorce certificate.