Chapter 409: Chapter 409: The Sneaky Di Yelei
Liu Sisi was currently leaning on a chair nearby.

These past few days, she had become more and more sleepy and felt increasingly weak, nodding off while doing tasks or walking.

At that moment, she opened her eyes just in time to see Liu Zhi’er’s movement, and the radiance in her eyes dimmed.

“You didn’t get a result from the questioning?”

“I did. People like him will only tell the truth if you give him a beating. I gave him a few punches directly, and then I found out from the confirmation of a Dong family elder that one of the two children was sold to Granny Qin, who is specifically involved in the human trafficking business. The other child was sold to a passing merchant, but the specific whereabouts are unknown.”

“It should be easier to find someone from Granny Qin since she specializes in human trafficking. On the other hand, it might be more difficult to find the passing merchant since we don’t know their residence, right?”

Liu Sisi intuitively felt that the situation had become more complicated.

“Indeed, that’s the case. But you can’t expect to achieve everything at once. This can’t be rushed. Let’s find San Mao first, and then we’ll gradually deal with the rest!”

Liu Zhi’er sat silently on the side, continuing to stitch with her needle and thread.

She was currently sewing thick-soled shoes for herself. She didn’t know how far she would need to walk with Zuo Xingyu, so she tried her best to prepare thoroughly for their journey to avoid any unnecessary difficulties on the road.

Liu Sisi’s gaze fell on her, and she originally wanted to say something, but she hesitated and didn’t say it. Instead, she changed the subject: “Second Sister, doing needlework so late at night will hurt your eyes. You should rest earlier. Xingyu also said that he won’t leave until after Lunar New Year, so there’s no need to rush the production of shoes.”

“It’s okay, I’m just idling anyway. There are only a few stitches left, and the shoes will be done soon.”

Liu Zhi’er smiled with the corner of her mouth, and then continued to work on her task at hand.

Di Yelei casually looked around, stood up, and picked up the straw raincoat and bamboo hat hanging behind the door. He turned and walked outside: “I’m going out for a walk. Sisi, if you’re tired, remember to rest early. In this extremely cold weather, there’s no need for any extra matters.”

After saying that, he had already put on the straw raincoat and bamboo hat, and lifted the door curtain to leave the room.

“Ye Lei…”

Liu Sisi called out, but the other party had already walked away.

Even Liu Zhi’er stretched her body to look outside: “Where is your husband going so late at night when it’s snowing outside?”

Liu Sisi didn’t know either. She got up and walked to the doorway, lifted the curtain, and looked outside. Old Cheng, who was holding a dustpan, had just returned from the stable. Seeing Liu Sisi come out, he hurriedly called out, “Madam!”

Old Cheng was the newly bought coachman.

Liu Sisi walked out of the house and peeked outside: “Old Cheng, have you seen the Old Master leave? Did he ride a horse?”

Old Cheng hurriedly knelt down: “Madam, Old Master indeed went out. I just came out from adding horse feed in the stable, and Old Master walked out without riding a horse.”

“Alright, I know.”

Liu Sisi’s expression turned desolate as she turned around and went back inside.

Old Cheng glanced at the tightly closed yard door, then at the still slightly swaying door curtain, shook his head, and returned to the firewood room.

“It seems like your husband has been going out late at night recently?”

Liu Zhi’er casually mentioned, looking at Liu Sisi before lowering her head back to the needlework in her hands.

Liu Sisi was slightly distracted and let out a soft sigh when she heard what was said. “Isn’t that the truth. He’s been going out in the middle of the night for several nights in a row, and I don’t know what he’s busy with. Second Sister, I can’t bear it anymore. Let’s go to rest too.”

As she spoke, she yawned heavily.

“You go back to your room and sleep first! I only have a few more stitches left, so when I’m done, there will be one less thing weighing on my mind, right?”

Liu Zhi’er casually responded, her head down and hands working quickly with the cotton thread.

“Then you should sleep early after you finish sewing. Every time I get up, I see you haven’t rested yet. Finding someone is not something that can be resolved in a day or two. If you wear yourself out like this and ruin your health, wouldn’t it be a case of gains not being worth the loss?”

Liu Sisi earnestly advised her before returning to her room.

Watching the room door close, Liu Zhi’er seemed to lose her backbone, her body instantly weakened. She couldn’t help but cover her face, quietly sobbing, but trying hard not to let herself cry out loud.

After a while, she wiped away her tears, her eyes red as she sewed the last few stitches. Only then did she tidy up her things and return to her room.

Instead of resting, she went to the wooden tub that had been soaking for a while and began washing the clothes.

It wasn’t until she had hung up a whole tub of laundry that she went back to her room to lie down, but she couldn’t sleep no matter how she tossed and turned.

Not long after, the whining of Ah-Huang and Ah-Hua came from outside, followed by the sound of footsteps and the opening of the room door. Someone entered the room and faint voices could be heard from the other side. Only then did she close her eyes and sleep peacefully.

In the room, Liu Sisi struggled to push away the figure trying to envelope her.

“Let go of me! Are you trying to freeze me to death with your coldness?”

She didn’t hesitate to slap his hand away.

Di Yelei looked helpless as he retracted his hand, laid flat on his back, and closed his eyes, resting with his hands under his head and a bitter smile on his face.

He knew Sisi was angry and he knew why she was angry.

However, there were some things he didn’t plan on telling Sisi, as he didn’t want her to worry about these issues while pregnant.

The lack of movement from the man behind her made Liu Sisi feel stifled. She wished she could slap him twice. If she didn’t know that he was hiding something from her with his nightly sneaking out and sneaking back in, she would be dead already.

Actually, she didn’t want to know exactly what he was busy with; it was just that being kept in the dark felt terrible.

Suddenly, she missed the past, when she had just come here, and how the man behind her used to cherish and love her to the utmost.

The more she thought about it, the angrier and more wronged she felt. She couldn’t help but use the pillow under her head as a vent, angrily pulling and tearing at it, as if she were tearing at his flesh.

Suddenly, a large hand gripped her small one, and he hugged her from behind, enveloping her entire body in his embrace.

“My little kitten, if you’re angry with me, just hit me! Just don’t stifle it in your heart, because if you get sick and harm your body, your husband would be heartbroken, right?”

“Get away! I don’t need your concern!”

Liu Sisi struggled desperately, refusing to give in.

Di Yelei chuckled twice and held her even tighter: “Even if there’s no light, your husband knows that my little kitten must be pouting right now. Be good! Don’t be angry, I’m really busy with important matters. If it’s something you need to know, your husband will definitely tell you. How about that?”

“No, Di Yelei, don’t you know how hateful you are?”