Xin Huohuo froze, a sudden sense of panic and unease washing over her. "Hey, hey, can you not be so serious? It's scary. Whatever it is, just tell me straight."
"It's about Xin Zhefan, your father..." Mr. Hei faltered, but the words that followed were shocking.
In that instant, Xin Huohuo knew what it felt like to be struck by lightning—a bolt from the blue. At first, she thought she'd misheard. Then, her entire body went stiff. She was completely petrified, unable to react at all.
Her father's disappearance had always been a mystery to her, a constant weight on her mind. Except for the few years when she was very young, the role of "father" had been vacant in her life. It was her greatest regret and an unspeakable pain deep in her heart. That was why she had been so stubbornly insistent on finding him, wanting to ask him face-to-face for the reason why.
