THE CEO's LOVE 97 Warmth And Comfor

"Mom, I want to go up there!" Qingran excited voice was heard in the back. Some kids turned to look her way. Qingran mouth twitched as she turned to face her mother, wondering if she said anything wrong.

Xueyan almost laughed out loud with the faces Qingran made. "Let's go,"

Xueyan grabbed Qingran's little hand and they both headed for the jungle gym.

Qingran watched some kids playing in the sandbox and giggled. "Mom, look."

"You want to join them?" Xueyan asked.

"No way! I'm a bigger girl!" Qingran announced.

"Hahaha," Xueyan chuckled. "Sure, sure miss bigger girl."

Xueyan watched Qingran play in jungle gym, them moved to slide. Qingran would turn to give her thumbs up and flash her a grin. It made Xueyan smile. Her little... Oh bigger girl was so sweet.

She had less worry and always smiled, allowed nothing to bother her.

From the slide, Qingran moved to the swing and beckoned her mom over. Xueyan went over and with a little push, Qingran gripped tighter on the chains holding the swing.

"No, no. That's enough." Qingran said. Beside her was a girl, the girl was so happy, giggling nonstop. Qingran was scared, but seeing the girl... She seemed younger than her, smiling, she decided to continue.

"You don't want it?" Xueyan inquired, as she came over to face her daughter. She bent to be the same length as the little girl. "If you don't want, then come down."

"No, I mean I will stay. Continue pus.h.i.+ng."

Xueyan read her daughter's eyes. "Baby, you don't have to do it if you're scared. There are many more things to play with."

Qingran's throat bobbed. "One more push,"

Xueyan nodded and went behind to give a little push, after that she immediately carried Qingran down, without giving her a chance to reject.

"Let's move to the see-saw. Its fun."

Qingran got on the other side, while Xueyan stood at the other end. Xueyan acted as the other kid and would push her side down then up again.

Qingran's giggles filled Xueyan's ears. It gave her peace of mind. She wanted nothing more than for Qingran to be happy always. That sweet smile never leaving her face.

And what she dreaded most was Qingran asking about her father. She didn't know why, but any other kid would have demanded to know, but Qingran never did.

Meanwhile, as the mother and daughter pair was busy having a good time, they didn't see the pair of eyes watching them from a black car not too far from the playground gate. The car's gla.s.ses were tinted in black, so even if you were to look back, you won't know there were people inside it.

They moved around in the park stopping to play with everything excluding the sandbox.

"Mom, I'm so thirsty." Qingran complained.

Xueyan looked around to see if there was a store to buy water. She saw one but it'd take a total of five minutes to go and return.

Xueyan looked down at Qingran who was playing in the merry-go-round and said. "Come with me."

Qingran shook her head in disagreement. "No, go alone."

Xueyan looked at the store again. "Ran'er, it's over there. It won't take long." Xueyan tried to plead with Qingran.

"No, mom. Someone will take over my s.p.a.ce. Go alone. I won't leave here, I promise." Qingran shrugged off Xueyan's hand on her shoulder.

Worry marred Xueyan's face. "You better stay put as promised."

Qingran with a big smile on her face nodded.

Xueyan left for the store but would turn occasionally to see Qingran laughing with the other kid. She was still on the merry-go-round.

She got to the store and grabbed two bottles of mineral water. She noticed they looked different and turned the bottles, one if Shen Q and the other Xiujun.

Xueyan smiled and went to go pay to the cas.h.i.+er.

The minute Xueyan disappeared into the store, the pair of eyes watching them came down and strode towards gate. He got in, headed to the merry-go-round.

"Let's go to the maze," the little girl on the swing earlier with Qingran said and everyone else got down to follow her. Qingran watched them run towards the green maze, then snapped her head to the direction her mother had gone. 'I'd be back before she's back.'

Deciding that she ran after the other kids.

The man dressed in a turtlenecked top, a cashmere around his neck and jeans trouser.

He went after Qingran that had disappeared into the green lush maze. With his his IQ, he was able to find her. "Little Xue," the warmth from the voice made Qingran halt in her run.

She turned around to face him. The smile on her face slowly disappearing.

He bent down, and watched her take two steps back. He didn't know why but he smiled. "Come over,"

She immediately shook her head. "No way!"

"Qingr..."

"Stop calling my name!" Qingran shouted. "And don't follow me." She frowned then turned and ran off.

"So much like her mother," he thought and smirked. "Interesting!" He went after the little figure.

Outside, Xueyan saw through the fence that Qingran was no longer on the merry-go-round and ran inside the gate. She looked around but Qingran figure wasn't anywhere in sight. She immediately panicked.

In action movies, she had seen kids get kidnapped from the park. 'No. No.' She didn't want to think of that! 'Who would want to kidnap her daughter? It just wasn't possible.'

She went over to a bench not too far from the merry-go-round, there was a young woman seated there with her baby. "Did you see the little girl dressed in black pants, and pink eyelash sweater? She's about this height." Xueyan demonstrated. "She has her black hair tied in a ponytail... Did you perhaps see her?" Xueyan's heart pounded heavily against her chest.

"Yeah," the woman pointed towards the maze. "They all ran over to the maze."

Xueyan put the mineral water into her hang bag, thanked the woman and ran to the maze.

Due to fret, it was hard for Xueyan to find the opening. When she found it, she ran in without watching and b.u.mped into two children on their way out.

She quickly helped them up as she had knocked them down, all the while looking forward to know if Qingran would run out.

She continued in, deeper into the confusing maze. Cold sweats dropped from her temple. It felt as if her heart would jump out of her open mouth. Her nose no longer enough for breathing, so she kept her mouth open.

It was taking her forever to go round the maze, even as a kid, she had never entered a maze... So it was hard for her. She would always run into a dead end with her every turn.

Finally, she was beginning to understand the routes, she heard series of laughter and tried to go after it. Finally! She found it! At a dead end, the kids were gathered around in a big circle but... Qingran wasn't there.

She didn't know when a tear dropped from her eyes, she immediately headed out to search more. She continued going around. There was another dead end, filled with kids. Qingran wasn't there too.

She headed out, not knowing it was the end. Then all of a sudden, she collided with a very tall figure. Well very tall, what kid would be this tall?

She looked up, her eyes enlarged. He was looking down at her. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Why are you sweating so much? Is the weather that hot?" It was like a whisper but she heard him though.

"That isn't what I asked..." She trailed off, when she saw the little girl running towards them. "Ran'er!" She screamed.

Qingran halted. Sweats trickling down from her scalp.

Xueyan immediately walked past him to her.

"Why did you move? You promised to stay put!" Xueyan's voice rose. "What are you doing in here?"

She bent one knee as she touched Qingran to make sure she wasn't hurt anywhere.

"It's okay. She's safe." The man's voice made the two look up at him.

Xueyan glared at him. "What are you doing here?"

"He was playing with me. With his help I didn't get lost." Qingran finally said. Xueyan looked back at her daughter.

"Be quiet!" Qingran wasn't someone to defend other people. So she didn't want her defending him.

Qingran's lips thinned.

Xueyan stood up and dragged Qingran along. They hadn't taken the second step, when he grabbed her her hand. Separated the mother and daughter's hand then lifted Qingran.

Xueyan gasped. Meanwhile Qingran smiled.

The smile sent Zhaolin's mind into frenzy. She was looking at him directly and smiling. The first time.

Her smile was as bright as Zhihao's. Did all the children in the world have this stunning smile.

He smiled back at the little girl and touched her cheeks lightly.

Xueyan watched all these transpire and wished it was just her imagination. "Let her go."

"No," Zhaolin's answer surprised him too. The little girl had the same effect on him. Warmth. Comfort.

He didn't want to let go. She continued smiling.

Xueyan wanted to smack him. What does he mean by no?

She reached out to grab her but Zhaolin pivoted instantly. Qingran's eyes widened first before she let out a heart warming laughter.

It surprised the two other people as they shared a look before turning to her again.

"Are you enjoying my misery?" Zhaolin asked.

Qingran stopped laughing. "Is carrying me, your misery?"

"No. No." He refuted. "Your mother trying to s.n.a.t.c.h you is."

"Really? Then for how long can you carry me?"

"For an eternity, if you'd let me."