Chapter 1170: In the Empty Courtyard

Li Xiangqian stood up from the bed and walked out of the bedroom quietly, but he felt a sense of uneasiness in his heart. His eyes unconsciously swept through every corner of the room and fixed on his daughter's small desk. On the desk, an open book was lying quietly, and next to it was her pencil case and a pile of homework books that she habitually left behind. Everything was still the same as usual.

But when Li Xiangqian turned his gaze to the living room, he suddenly found that his daughter's shoes were missing. She always put her shoes at the door. It was a habit. No matter how long she was away, the shoes were always there, as if they were part of the home. But now, the door was quiet and empty.

The doubts in his heart spread rapidly. Li Xiangqian realized in an instant that his daughter was gone. This sudden discovery made him stunned and his steps stopped involuntarily. His mind began to work quickly, trying to recall the last conversation with his daughter this morning, but his mind was blank and he couldn't remember anything.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. Maybe she just went out to play, or went to see her friends, Li Xiangqian told himself. But even so, the uneasy feeling still surged in his heart like a tide, pressing him so hard that he could hardly breathe.

He walked to the kitchen to see if Song Wen mentioned anything about her daughter. In the kitchen, Song Wen was cleaning up the dishes and didn't seem to notice Li Xiangqian's change. When she heard Li Xiangqian's footsteps and looked up, she still had a tired smile on her face: "What's wrong? Are you thinking about those things again?"

Li Xiangqian's heartbeat accelerated, and the doubts in his mind became clearer: "Where is my daughter?"

Song Wen was slightly stunned, and then her expression changed. She stood there, and almost dropped the bowl and chopsticks in her hands. Li Xiangqian's eyes stayed on her face for a moment, and seeing her slightly shaken expression, he felt even more uneasy.

"You...what did you say?" Song Wen's voice was a little hesitant, and her eyes were wandering, as if she didn't dare to look directly into Li Xiangqian's eyes.

Li Xiangqian suppressed his inner anxiety and repeated in a low voice: "Where is my daughter? Where did she go?"

Song Wen's face suddenly turned pale. After a few seconds, she lowered her eyes and said softly, "She...she went to see a friend and should be back soon."

"Going to see a friend?" Li Xiangqian frowned when he heard this answer. He knew that Song Wen usually didn't like to let her daughter go out, especially at such an uneasy time. She was very protective of her daughter and would inform her in advance almost every time she went out, but today, her daughter didn't leave any trace. How could all this be so simple?

He stared at Song Wen and felt that something was wrong with her mood. Her words unconsciously revealed a trace of panic and uneasiness. Obviously, she did not really believe that her daughter had just gone to see a friend. Li Xiangqian felt a strong sense of uneasiness in his heart. He subconsciously grabbed Song Wen's shoulders and said in a heavier voice: "Where did she go?"

Song Wen bit her lip, as if she was thinking deeply about whether she should tell Li Xiangqian the real situation. She lowered her head slightly and sighed softly: "I... I'm not sure either. She didn't tell me where she was going." Her voice became almost weak, and her eyes were complicated, as if she was struggling deeply in her heart.

Li Xiangqian's heart suddenly sank. He felt a cold premonition rising from the bottom of his heart, as if a huge rock sank into his chest. His daughter's disappearance was not simply going out to look for a friend. Li Xiangqian suddenly felt that the truth of the matter was far more complicated and dangerous than he had imagined.

"You know where she went. Are you hiding something?" Li Xiangqian's tone became urgent. "Song Wen, tell me the truth. Don't hide it anymore."

Song Wen's eyes flickered. She looked at Li Xiangqian, as if evaluating whether she should tell him more details. She lowered her head, took a deep breath, and finally spoke: "She... told me this morning that she heard that some friends were playing in the nearby woods. I tried to persuade her not to go, but she insisted on going, and I couldn't stop her."

Li Xiangqian was stunned. The picture in his mind suddenly became blurred, and the kitchen in front of him seemed to be getting far away. The forest was not far from where they lived, and it was a place where he and his daughter had played several times. It seemed harmless at first, but now, as time went by, the forest seemed to become eerie, full of unknowns and uneasiness.

He stood there, feeling as if a mountain was pressing down on his chest, so heavy that he could hardly breathe. It was so easy and natural for his daughter to go to that place alone, as if it was her daily routine. But now, when he recalled it, everything seemed to be different - her figure was getting farther and farther away, and he could not protect her.

"We have to go find her." Li Xiangqian's voice was full of determination, but there was a hint of helplessness and anxiety in his eyes.

Song Wen looked at him, with a hint of complex emotions in her eyes. She did not answer immediately, but was silent for a moment, and finally spoke: "Don't you think it's too late? It's been so long, we...maybe..." Her voice gradually lowered, and it was obvious that her heart was not as calm as her appearance.

"No, I can't wait." Li Xiangqian gritted his teeth, almost suppressing the panic in his heart, "She must still be nearby. No matter what, I have to go find her."

He turned around, picked up the coat at the door, and put it on hastily, his heart full of anxiety and uneasiness. Song Wen stood there, with a trace of reluctance and worry in her eyes, and finally, she walked to the door: "I'll go with you."

They walked out of the door together. The air outside was mixed with a chill. Li Xiangqian's steps were fast and firm, while Song Wen followed closely behind him with a solemn expression. The courtyard was silent, with only the sound of their footsteps echoing in the empty courtyard.

When Li Xiangqian and Song Wen arrived near the woods, it was already evening. The sky was dark gray, as if the heavy clouds were suffocating the whole world. Walking on the muddy path, Li Xiangqian's mood became heavier. He kept looking back at Song Wen. Although her steps were also hurried, the tension and anxiety in her eyes became more and more obvious. Li Xiangqian could feel her uneasiness, as if that emotion was transmitted from her every step, making the depression in the air even stronger.

"She should be nearby, not too far away." Li Xiangqian whispered, his voice a little hoarse. Obviously, his patience had reached its limit. "Let's look for her again."

"Hmm..." Song Wen's response was so soft that it was almost inaudible. Her eyes kept scanning the surroundings, as if she wanted to see her daughter's figure in every tree and every blade of grass, but in the empty woods, there was only the gradually increasing darkness and a silent loneliness.