When Song Qinian arrived at the bar, she saw Li Junchen sitting alone in a corner booth, drinking. Several empty bottles lay in front of him; he had clearly been drinking for a while.
Upon seeing Song Qinian, he smiled and waved, "Niannian, I'm here."
Li Junchen always wore a faint smile, but his smile now was very different from his usual one. It seemed tinged with deep unwillingness, yet also with happiness at seeing Song Qinian.
Song Qinian tightened her grip on her bag and walked towards him. "Why are you drinking here? How long have you been drinking?"
Li Junchen let out a bitter laugh and downed another glass of wine. "Do you think I'm useless?"
"What?"
Song Qinian didn't understand where the word "useless" came from. Her mind was filled with Zangzang, and all she wanted was to find him.
"The woman I love is now living in another man's house, and you are still legally married. Heh… I didn't expect Shen Chiyan to have such a move. I truly underestimated him."
In Song Qinian's memory, Li Junchen was not the type to wallow in self-pity or blame others. If he wanted something, he would find a way to get it, not come here to drown his sorrows in alcohol.
The more he showed weakness, the more suspicious Song Qinian became.
"So, you're the one who took Zangzang from the Shen family's old residence, right?"
The next second, she saw Li Junchen's expression change dramatically. He grabbed Song Qinian's arm fiercely. "What are you talking about? What happened to Zangzang?"
Song Qinian had been observing Li Junchen's expression. Seeing his genuine shock and anxiety, which didn't seem like an act, she furrowed her brow even tighter.
"Niannian, quickly tell me, what happened to Zangzang?"
Song Qinian's suspicion of Li Junchen was justified. It was difficult for ordinary people to enter the Shen family's old residence. She couldn't think of anyone else capable of taking Zangzang from there except Li Junchen.
Seeing Song Qinian's silence, Li Junchen anxiously grabbed her shoulders. "Niannian, you must tell me what happened to Zangzang. Even though Zangzang isn't my biological son, I watched him be born and grow up. My feelings for him are deeper than Shen Chiyan's, his biological father!"
Li Junchen's performance was flawless. Song Qinian couldn't determine from his facial expressions or emotions whether Zangzang's disappearance was related to him.
There was still no news of Zangzang, and she was terrified he might have met with misfortune.
"Someone took Zangzang from the Shen family's old residence!"
Li Junchen's face turned ashen. "When did this happen?"
"Around ten o'clock tonight."
"So, you suspect I took Zangzang, don't you? You think I would do something to harm Zangzang?"
Looking at Li Junchen's incredulous and hurt expression, Song Qinian genuinely didn't know what to say.
Li Junchen sighed heavily. "Niannian, I love you so much, how could I possibly harm your son? But now is not the time to talk about this. Finding Zangzang is the most important thing. How about this, it's already very late, let me take you home…"
"No need…"
Li Junchen would definitely not take her back to Shen Chiyan's house. Since Song Qinian had left Li Junchen's villa, she couldn't go back.
"Grandma was hospitalized because of Zangzang's disappearance. I need to go to the hospital to see her."
"Alright, then I'll have someone drive you!"
"I drove myself, I can go directly."
Li Junchen reached out and hugged Song Qinian. "Don't worry, our son is blessed and resilient, he'll be fine. I'll call you when I find Zangzang."
Song Qinian nodded and said nothing more. As she was about to turn and leave, Li Junchen's calm voice suddenly came from behind her. "With such a major event as Zangzang's disappearance, is Shen Chiyan not going to do anything?"
Song Qinian stopped. She didn't look back at Li Junchen, but said, "Shen Chiyan doesn't know Zangzang is his son, so why would he do anything?"
After speaking, Song Qinian left directly.
Li Junchen's dark eyes flashed. If Song Qinian knew that while her son was missing, Shen Chiyan was making love with Lin Qiutong, she would probably never forgive Shen Chiyan in this lifetime!
The next second, he took out his phone and dialed a number.
The phone rang for a while before the other party answered, "Hello… Jun… Junchen Gege…"
"Where did you take Song Zan?"
"I… I won't tell you…"
The person answering the call was Shen Huanling. She had been secretly planning the kidnapping of Song Zan for many days. Today, while the family was visiting the old residence, she colluded with hired individuals to secretly sabotage the surveillance cameras.
After playing mahjong, everyone thought she had left with her parents. In reality, she secretly doubled back, used a towel soaked in a soporific to drug Song Zan, and then took him away.
Shen Huanling had previously considered secretly taking Zangzang out and returning him to Li Junchen. However, she realized that as long as this child existed, the bond between Li Junchen and Song Qinian would never be broken. So, she decided to quietly get rid of Song Zan.
"Shen Huanling, Zangzang is my son. If anything happens to him, I will not let you go!"
Li Junchen's words enraged Shen Huanling. She spoke furiously, "Song Qinian doesn't love you at all. This child will only be a tool for her to continue exploiting your feelings. I don't want to see her deceive your feelings anymore!"
"What happens between me and Song Qinian has nothing to do with you. Where is my son?"
"You will never know where he is! Junchen Gege, I'm doing all this because I love you."
Shen Huanling hung up the phone. When Li Junchen called again, she didn't answer.
When the phone screen returned to the home screen, Li Junchen saw his wallpaper. It was a photo he had taken with his phone: Zangzang holding a small yellow flower and offering it to Song Qinian. Song Qinian accepted it happily and kissed Zangzang's little cheek.
That scene was incredibly touching. Every time he looked at this photo, Li Junchen's heart would soften immensely.
But now… he was at a disadvantage. Zangzang's existence would only serve as a catalyst for Song Qinian and Shen Chiyan's relationship. If Shen Chiyan were to discover that Zangzang was his son in the future, he would never let Song Qinian go.
Li Junchen's thumb gently caressed Zangzang's small face. "Zangzang, don't blame me. You can only blame yourself for being Shen Chiyan's son."
With a "click," the phone screen went black. Li Junchen didn't rush to find anyone. Instead, he sat back in the booth, picked up a glass of wine, and said, "Zangzang, see you in the next life."
Given Shen Huanling's obsessive love for him, if she had taken Zangzang, Zangzang would surely be in grave danger.
At this moment, Li Junchen's mind was filled with images of Zangzang. When Zangzang was just born, his health wasn't good. During that time, Song Qinian's emotions were unstable and she couldn't take care of Zangzang, so he was the one who looked after Zangzang.
Zangzang was very dependent on him. He only cried when he was hungry or needed a diaper change. Other times, he was as well-behaved as could be.
Loving the person meant loving everything associated with them, and Li Junchen loved Zangzang very much. Sometimes he wondered why Zangzang was Shen Chiyan's son and not his.
If such a cute little thing were to disappear from this world, he would surely be heartbroken and in pain, but…
Compared to Song Zan, he loved Song Qinian more. To have Song Qinian, he could sacrifice anyone.
"Zangzang, if there is an afterlife, let's be father and son again!"