Although Jiang Li's fever subsided yesterday, her cold was still lingering, so she had to substitute tea for wine.
Later, feeling rather sleepy, she had no choice but to go back to her room for a noon break first, leaving the two men to continue drinking.
Xiao Yanzhi had just recovered from his illness. His alcohol tolerance wasn't extremely high, but he could still manage a few drinks. As for Sheng Jingxi, he was the kind of person who was bad at drinking but still loved it. After just a few sips, his face was already flushed, and his speech started to slur. However, his mood was much higher than before.
"Dude, you look quite decent. You're barely worthy of my sister."
"Dude, have you sorted out the matters in your family?"
"Hey, dude, can you drive a car?"
"..."
At first, he would drag Xiao Yanzhi into random conversations, but later, he just talked to himself, not needing any response from the other person at all.
Only then could Xiao Yanzhi calm down and think about what Qiao Jinrun had said just now.
He asked Qiao Jinrun if he had found out the mother of that baby girl.
Qiao Jinrun said on the phone, "If the name registered at that time is correct, the mother of the baby girl should be 'Li Muzi'."
This name sounded somewhat familiar.
Fragments of memories flashed through his mind. Xiao Yanzhi didn't have a very deep impression, but he always felt like he had heard it somewhere.
"However, she had already died of difficult labor at that time, and the whereabouts of the child were also unknown. So, the relevant clues were still broken."
When Qiao Jinrun said this, he was a bit uncertain. "But when I was looking through the materials from that year, I found the information of a retired midwife. There's the contact information of the other person on it..."
——
Pulling his thoughts back, Xiao Yanzhi lowered his head and took out his phone. He sent a message to Xue An, asking him to check the life information of Li Muzi to see if he could find some useful information.
Sheng Jingxi had drunk several cups on his own. Seeing Xiao Yanzhi lowering his head and sending a message, he leaned over curiously. Glancing at the content on the screen, he couldn't help but ask, "Why are you checking on my mom?"
Xiao Yanzhi suddenly looked up.
"What did you say?"
Sheng Jingxi was a bit dizzy from the alcohol. He pointed forcefully at the screen of Xiao Yanzhi's phone. "I said - why are you checking on my mom's information?"
Xiao Yanzhi could hardly believe his ears. "What's your mom's name?"
"Li Muzi." Sheng Jingxi said nonchalantly, a bit dizzy. "My mom's name is Li Muzi. Even if I drank a hundred bottles of wine, I wouldn't forget it."
She was the mother he loved the most.
...
Xiao Yanzhi left in a hurry, not even waiting for Jiang Li to wake up from her noon nap.
After leaving Ruiyuan, Xiao Yanzhi asked the driver to drive straight to Xile Street. On the way, he called Xue An. "Send me all the information and photos related to Li Muzi immediately. As soon as possible."
After arriving at Xile Street, he successfully met up with Qiao Jinrun and exchanged some simple information.
Qiao Jinrun told Xiao Yanzhi that after the midwife retired, she worked as a caregiver in a nursing home on Xile Street.
The two then rushed to the nursing home. After explaining the situation to the dean, they finally found the nurse who might have participated in the delivery back then.
The old aunt was already in her fifties this year, but she was in good spirits. When the two found her, she was cleaning the room.
"There were many pregnant women who had difficult labor back then. I don't remember very clearly..." The old aunt stopped what she was doing, propped her waist with one hand, and squinted her eyes to recall. "However, there was one who left a deep impression on me."
"She was very beautiful, not like the kind of woman who would appear in our small place. Although she had a big belly, she didn't look healthy at all. Her body was so thin..."
When mentioning that unforgettable woman, the old aunt felt a bit sorry. "I really don't know how she gave birth to the child."
Qiao Jinrun and Xiao Yanzhi glanced at each other. They both had the same guess in their hearts.
A woman so beautiful that she didn't seem to belong here.
"Please sit down and tell us slowly." Qiao Jinrun took the broom from her hand and asked her to sit on the chair and tell them slowly.
The old aunt began, "That woman seemed to know that she would have a difficult labor. Before entering the operating room, she told the doctor that she had already found an adoptive family for her child, and they would come later. At that time, we all thought it was strange. The child hadn't even been born yet, but she had already found an adoptive family."
Xiao Yanzhi's eyebrows frowned tighter and tighter. "And then?"
"Then... I don't remember clearly after that." The old aunt said embarrassedly. "There were too many people in the hospital at that time. I didn't really inquire about what happened to that woman and the child later."
Qiao Jinrun spread his hands helplessly and smiled. "It seems like we know something, but it also seems like we know nothing."
It was all so hazy. The fragmented information couldn't be connected into a single line.
Xiao Yanzhi took out his phone, annoyed, and pressed his tongue against his teeth. He urged Xue An again.
Strangely enough, although Xue An was usually clumsy with words, his work ability was always on point. But this time, he was so slow and didn't reply for a long time.
Just as the two were about to thank the old aunt and leave, Xue An called.
Xue An said, "Mr. Xiao, I wasn't able to find any information about Ms. Li Muzi. It seems that it has been completely blocked. There are no records of her background or identity."
Xiao Yanzhi's face darkened. "You're such a useless piece of trash. You can't even find information about a person."
Xue An: "..."
He also had his own hardships. According to his usual work efficiency, it would only take a few minutes to investigate some information.
But the background of this person was obviously special, otherwise, there wouldn't be no trace of her existence.
If it weren't for Mr. Xiao's personal order, he would even doubt whether such a person really existed in this world.
Xiao Yanzhi held the phone and didn't even bother to press the hang - up button. He tilted his head back and let out a long sigh.
The truth seemed so close.
But also so far away.
Just then, Xue An suddenly shouted excitedly, "Mr. Xiao, I found it! I found a group photo of a drama troupe. There should be a person in it who is Li Muzi!"
Xiao Yanzhi's voice sounded very calm. "Send it to me immediately."
The old aunt squinted her eyes and looked at the photo for a long time. Finally, she pointed at one of the people and said, "It's her! That woman looks just like this! No wonder she was so elegant. It turns out she was a drama actress."
A drama actress.
Xiao Yanzhi closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down. He combined the information he had obtained so far with the stories Sheng Jingxi had mentioned during the hot - pot meal just now.
Wearing a theatrical robe, acting in a drama, being beautiful, and dying young...
Suddenly, he opened his eyes.
At this moment, Xiao Yanzhi suddenly understood why he had felt a bit familiar the moment he first heard the name "Li Muzi" -
Nianzhi Teahouse.
Before, some people in the circle had said that the existence of Nianzhi Teahouse was to commemorate Sheng Shuocheng's beloved late wife.
Xiao Yanzhi understood everything. Suddenly, he lowered his head and laughed.
So, the truth was so close.