"Go on, go and see your grandfather."
"Okay!"
"Goodbye, grandma."
The two children also missed Father Lu quite a bit, so they obediently got in the car with their stepmother.
Work wasn't urgent, so Xu Qingqing got off work on time again. On her way home, she ran into her mother, who was on her way to the market.
Mother Xu, walking on the side of the road, raised her hand to signal Xu Qingqing to roll down the window.
Xu Qingqing pulled the car over to the side and rolled down the window.
Mother Xu shouted to Xu Qingqing in the car, "Don't look for the two kids. Their grandma took them home to see their grandfather."
The kids' grandfather was Father Lu, who loved the two children very much. Xu Qingqing felt at ease even if the kids went to his house.
"Okay, I got it."
Xu Qingqing then asked Mother Xu if she needed a ride to the market. After Mother Xu refused, Xu Qingqing drove home.
The stepmother was driving. Xu Yiyi noticed that the scenery outside the window was getting more and more unfamiliar and desolate. He opened the map on his watch and found that the route wasn't the way to the Lu family's house.
"Where are you taking us? This isn't the way to the Lu family's!"
Xu Yiyi's voice was childish but carried an undeniable coldness.
"I'm taking you to a good place. When we get there, you have to do whatever I say."
The stepmother's eyes fell on the destination on the navigation. They were going to a rescue center for disabled children.
"I'm taking you to do some charity. There are all sick and abnormal kids in the rescue center. You have to perform shows for them and make them happy. Got it?"
Since the stepmother had entered the circle of wealthy ladies, she had been keen on doing charity to polish her image.
And this time, their charity event was to raise funds for the disabled children to build a bigger nursing home.
There was a segment of performing shows for the children. Of course, the hostesses, the wealthy ladies, wouldn't perform themselves.
But if they only let the staff perform, they were afraid of being criticized for lack of sincerity.
One of the wealthy ladies mentioned that Xu Yiyi was a star and had a large following, so they could ask him to perform.
The stepmother was just there to show support in this charity event. She had no connections or planning ability.
Hearing something she could do, the stepmother immediately volunteered and vowed to deceive the two children into coming to perform shows.
Hearing that they had been deceived and weren't going to see their grandfather, Xu An'an got angry at once. She was willing to perform shows for the sick kids, but she didn't want to be deceived.
"You old witch! You even deceived grandma into letting you take us out! You're a bad person!"
"Stupid girl. Have you ever seen a bad person doing charity?"
The stepmother snapped at Xu An'an and criticized her.
"You kids are so heartless. It's just performing a few shows. It won't hurt you!"
"But you shouldn't deceive people. The kindergarten teacher said it's wrong to deceive people!" Xu Yiyi said with a cold little face, comforting Xu An'an, who was very aggrieved after being scolded.
"Who deceived you? After you perform the shows, I'll take you to see your grandfather." The stepmother continued driving carelessly.
Xu An'an was so angry that she kicked the back of the driver's seat, hurting her own foot.
The stepmother laughed mockingly without being affected. "Serves you right!"
"Sis, don't bother with her." Xu Yiyi pulled Xu An'an and made her sit down.
"Let's go and perform shows for those kids first. When we get home, we'll tell Dad and let Dad punish her."
"Okay." Xu An'an nodded, trying hard to hold back her tears.
The stepmother took the two children to the rescue center.
Several wealthy ladies saw the two cute children, who were even more adorable than porcelain dolls, and couldn't help reaching out to tease them and trying to pinch their faces.
"These two little dolls are so cute!"
"Xu Yiyi is even more handsome than on TV!"
Xu An'an's face was pinched so hard by one of the wealthy ladies that it hurt. She slapped the lady's hand away forcefully.
"Don't touch my face!"
Xu An'an looked disgusted, rubbing her swollen face.
"This kid doesn't understand anything!"
The stepmother felt embarrassed. She reached out and slapped Xu An'an on the buttocks, then went to comfort the wealthy lady who had been slapped.
"Don't mind the kids."
"She's so young but has such a bad temper." The wealthy lady rubbed the back of her hand and snorted, looking very unhappy.
"Go and perform the shows quickly. The host has already started!"
"Hurry up!" The stepmother dragged the two aggrieved children onto the stage to perform.
The two children weren't prepared for anything. They stood on the stage awkwardly and sang two songs.
After singing, the stepmother forcefully forced Xu An'an and Xu Yiyi to interact with the disabled kids and asked people to take pictures everywhere.
"Come on, hold his hand." The stepmother asked Xu An'an to hold the arm of a kid who was born without hands.
Xu An'an was so scared that she held her hands behind her back and didn't dare to hold it. She turned her head and saw the face of a child with Down syndrome.
It was the first time Xu An'an had seen a child with Down syndrome. The child stared at her with his widely - spaced eyes, scaring Xu An'an into crying. She hid behind Xu Yiyi.
"I don't want to!"
"You good - for - nothing girl. You can't even shake hands!" The stepmother poked Xu An'an's head hard with her finger in disappointment. Xu Yiyi blocked her hand.
"I'll shake hands." Xu Yiyi protected Xu An'an behind him. Although he was also a little scared, he still bravely held the arm of the kid without hands.
"That's better." The stepmother was satisfied.
Several wealthy ladies stood in the center C - position, while Xu An'an and Xu Yiyi were pushed to one side and took a group photo.
After taking the photo, the stepmother showed no intention of sending them back. She drank champagne with several wealthy ladies to celebrate the success of the charity dinner.
"Brother, I want to go home and find Mom." Xu An'an covered her aching head and sat in the corner with Xu Yiyi, with tears in her eyes.
Xu Yiyi couldn't bear to see his sister aggrieved. He directly pulled her and said firmly.
"Let's go. We'll take a taxi home by ourselves!"
"Okay."
It was already getting dark. Lu Chuanbai didn't get home until after 8 p.m.
Xu Qingqing was sitting in the living room, holding her phone, feeling restless. The two children hadn't come back so late, and she felt embarrassed to call and ask what was going on.
Seeing Lu Chuanbai come back, Xu Qingqing quickly ran in front of him and took his briefcase. "Call your dad quickly and ask if Yiyi and An'an will come home tonight."
"Yiyi and An'an went to my dad's?"
Lu Chuanbai paused while changing his slippers. He took out his phone in surprise and made a call.
"Why didn't my dad tell me in advance?"
The call was quickly connected. Lu Chuanbai asked calmly, "Dad, why did you pick up the two kids without telling me in advance?"
Father Lu on the other end of the phone was a bit confused.
"The two kids aren't here with me. I didn't send anyone to pick them up either."
Hearing that the two kids weren't at Father Lu's house, Xu Qingqing got anxious at once. She snatched Lu Chuanbai's phone and asked.
"My mom said the kids' grandma picked them up and said it was you who wanted to see them!"