Chapter 183: My Childhood Sweetheart Cannot Be an Idiot! (19)

In the grand hall of the Snow Mountain Mansion, the fireplace crackled, but the expressions of those seated within the space were far from pleasant.

Qi Da looked at Butler He with displeasure. "So, you mean we won't be able to descend the mountain for the time being?"

The members of the Qi family sat in clearly demarcated groups across the sofas. Among everyone present, the only one standing to endure the unpleasant gazes from all directions was Butler He.

With the utmost professionalism, Butler He replied, "For now, that is indeed the case. We went to inspect the edge of the cliff; perhaps due to the weather, the cable car's cables have snapped. However, you need not worry too much. I have contacted the cable car station, and they will send people to make repairs. Still, given last night's heavy snow and the limited conditions, we will have to wait for a while."

As for taking a helicopter down the mountain, that was even less reliable. Heavy snow was still falling outside, and the weather conditions were too severe for flying.

Yin Mo, who was usually not one for many words, asked, "Then about how long will it take?"

Butler He answered, "It might take around half a month."

Yin Mo’s expression shifted slightly. She unconsciously gripped the hem of her clothes, a trace of panic in her eyes.

Qi Xingyun asked, "Third Sister-in-law, do you have some urgent business to attend to?"

Before Yin Mo could speak, Qi Xiao already said lazily, "Aside from holing up at home every day or going to some tea art classes, living such a comfortable life day in and day out, what urgent business could she possibly have?"

Yin Mo offered a shy smile. "Qi Xiao is right. What urgent business could I possibly have? I'm just worried I'll fall behind on the tea art classes I signed up for."

Ruan Fannan remarked, "Third Sister-in-law, that's no big deal. I happen to know a few tea art masters. I'll introduce you to them once we get out."

Yin Mo smiled faintly. "Mm, thank you."

Jia Ren said with dissatisfaction, "And here I had an appointment to go to the beauty salon with my friends in a few days. Now look at this—coming to this ghost of a place has ruined it all."

Qi Da frowned. "Watch your tone."

Jia Ren curled her lips.

While everyone in the living room was plunged into negative emotions over their own personal trivialities, sounds of laughter and frolicking drifted in from outside.

Bai Yao stood in the snow, bundled up like a ball, her hands on her hips as she said triumphantly, "How about that? Is the snowman I built for you big or not?"

It was a white snowman standing half a person tall, wearing a red scarf around its neck and a red woolen cap on its head. Two scavenged stones served as eyes embedded in its face, a leftover carrot from the kitchen acted as a nose and mouth, and two asymmetrical branches formed its arms.

Qi Ye squatted in front of the snowman, his dark eyes sparkling.

He wasn't afraid of the cold, but at Bai Yao's insistence, he was dressed very warmly, wearing a gray hoodie layered underneath a black cotton-padded jacket, and who knew if he still had thermal leggings on beneath his black cargo pants. Bai Yao loved dressing him up in energetic outfits, giving him the vibe of a vibrant athletic college student.

In the place where he and Bai Yao lived, it rarely snowed in winter. Even if it did, it was only a light dusting—never enough heavy snow to build a snowman.

This was the first time he had ever received a snowman built for him by Bai Yao.

Qi Ye took out his phone and snapped photos from every angle, then jumped up in excitement and lunged toward Bai Yao.

Bai Yao tumbled backward into the soft snow, tickled by him as he nuzzled against her, and couldn't help laughing along with him.

Inside the living room, the people watching the young couple having fun outside through the glass windows had mixed reactions—some felt indifferent, some found it overly saccharine, and someone inexplicably sighed, "Ah, to be young is truly wonderful."

That remark came from Qi Xingyun. It was impossible to tell whether she was reminiscing about her youth as she picked up a cup of black tea and took an elegant sip, her emotional state unreadable.

Ruan Fannan immediately chimed in, "Do you want to build a snowman? I'll accompany you outside to play."

Qi Xingyun showed little interest. "I'm old enough to be a grandmother and yet I'd go build a snowman? You might not think it shameful, but I certainly would."

Ruan Fannan disagreed. "As long as one has a youthful heart, we aren't old. Whatever young people like, we can like too."

While the group was chatting idly, a piercing scream shattered the relatively harmonious atmosphere.

Butler He was the quickest to react. "I'll go check out the situation," he said.

Qi Xingyun noted, "Why do I feel like that scream came from the young sister-in-law?"

Qi Xiao stood up. "Come on, let's go watch the excitement!"

The people in the house followed the direction of the sound. Upon reaching the second floor, they saw Xiao Baobao collapsed on the floor.

Qi Yuan, who had arrived a step earlier, helped Xiao Baobao up. "Baobao, what's wrong?"

With a pale face, Xiao Baobao pointed to the opened door of the room right in front of them. "He—he's dead..."

Blood was splattered everywhere inside the room, and a suffocating stench of blood assaulted their senses. Lying in a pool of blood was a mutilated corpse.

The corpse was no longer human in shape; its limbs were severed and scattered around the torso, and the head was nowhere to be seen. Yet, judging by the clothes on what remained of him, one could still recognize that this was Qi Fei.

When Jia Ren saw that the room where the incident had occurred was Qi Fei's bedroom, a wave of foreboding washed over her, and she shrieked, "My son!!"

She rushed over frantically. Upon seeing the gruesome scene before her, unable to accept such a reality, the blood rushed to her head and she fainted on the spot.

Qi Da didn't have the luxury of caring for his wife. Confronted with such a horrifying sight, his legs turned to jelly as well, but he was slightly stronger than Jia Ren and had not yet lost consciousness.

Qi Da dropped to his knees, his eyes splitting with rage. "Who! Exactly who killed my son?!"

Usually, he acted as though he looked down on this son Qi Fei, but flesh and blood were flesh and blood after all, and Qi Fei was his only surviving son. It was impossible for him to remain indifferent to the death of his own child.

"Daddy, Mummy!" From the opposite room, a pair of exquisite and adorable fraternal twins walked out.

Qi Yuan and Xiao Baobao hurriedly scooped up a child each, shielding them so they wouldn't see the bloody spectacle.

Even so, both children caught a glimpse of the vast expanse of blood.

Qi Yiyi was immediately frightened into tears, shrinking into her daddy's embrace and not daring to move.

Qi Wei had been running a low-grade fever since last night, and it was precisely to take care of him that Qi Yuan and his wife hadn't gone out today.

Qi Wei's fever had just broken this morning. Now, catching sight of the blood, his eyes widened and his entire body trembled as images of violence beyond human endurance surged into his mind. His body went limp, and he passed out in his mother's arms.

Anxiously, Xiao Baobao cradled the child. "Weiwei! Weiwei!"

Those who had set off a moment later finally arrived.

Yin Mo caught sight of the corpse and the blood, and instinctively retreated behind Qi Xiao. Unable to suppress her rising gorge, she covered her mouth and began to retch dryly.

Qi Xiao was also startled, but retaining a shred of gentlemanly demeanor, he steadied Yin Mo. "Women are truly useless, getting so scared they're about to vomit."

Lowering her head, Yin Mo offered no response.