<h4>Chapter 417: Chapter 417: Heading to the Airport</h4><h4></h4>


    He turned and strode briskly towards the office door, with Old Zhou and Liang Tao hurrying after him.


    "Young Master, where are you going?"


    "Mr. He, where are you headed?"


    Without stopping or looking back, He Xing said, "Waiting here is pointless. I’ve already told them to contact me directly on my mobile phone. Now I need to go raise the money."


    Old Zhou and Liang Tao exchanged nces, seeing hesitation in each other’s eyes, but neither of them spoke. They simply followed He Xing quickly out of the office.


    For He Xing, fifty million had noparison to Old Master He’s life, but the problem was that the other party wanted cash, and they had only given them twelve hours. The time was far too pressing.


    Actually, there was another option, which was to call the police and ask for help in locating Old Master He. But since Old Master He’s life was in the hands of the kidnappers, He Xing couldn’t gamble with Old Master He’s life, nor did he dare to take the risk.


    ...


    M Country, Fu Family Vi.


    As the first ray of dawn appeared in the sky, Fu Han opened her eyes.


    She gazed at the sunlight streaming in through the gap in the curtains, and somehow, she became fixated on it. That single ray of light seemed even more dazzling than the sun that filled the sky, preventing her from looking away.


    If He Xing had sessfully boarded the ne, in a few hours, he would be disembarking.


    She lied if she said she wasn’t looking forward to it. Yet, for some reason, there was a touch of unease in Fu Han’s heart. This feeling was strange, as if something had happened. But what it was exactly, she had no idea.


    She should have called He Xing to see if he had actually boarded the ne, but there was no signal during the flight, and he wouldn’t be able to answer.


    As for Old Master He, considering the time difference, it was the middle of the night in City A. The old man was a light sleeper, and a phone call would undoubtedly wake him and he probably wouldn’t be able to sleep the rest of the night.


    The winter in M Country was much colder than in City A. Fu Han really wasn’t ustomed to it, and she didn’t even have the courage to get out of bed. Sheyzily under the quilt, worrying whether she should go to pick up He Xing.


    She pondered for a long time withouting to a conclusion until Bai Qian knocked on the door, calling her to get up for breakfast and then go pick up He Xing.


    Even as Fu Han got into the nanny car, she still couldn’t figure out why she had agreed to pick up He Xing. Her instincts told her she shouldn’t go to pick him up without knowing anything, but Bai Wei was obviously convinced that He Xing woulde.


    Last night, a heavy snow had fallen, nketing the entire city in white. The world of ice and snow was such that apart from the snow, you couldn’t see anything else. The umtion on the ground was knee-deep.


    Fortunately, Bai Qian had the chauffer fit the anti-skid chains yesterday, so that as they made their way towards the airport, although they moved slowly, they encountered no stalls or slips.


    Fu Han pressed her face against the window ss, observing theyered snow on the trees outside. This was the purest color in the world. asionally, when the wind blew, snowkes fell from the treetops, like fluttering butterflies, twirling down to the ground.


    Snowy days always brought a good mood, especially to Fu Han.


    Snow was rare in City A, and every snowfall inevitably evoked romantic notions. Each time, Fu Han and He Xing would search for undissolved snowkes on Lanwan Mountain,boriously building a snowman that would soon melt away.


    With her cheek against the cold car window, the heater inside was turned up high, but it couldn’t warm the ss. The icy touch transmitted through to her cheek and then to her heart, making it vacite between cold and warmth.


    A smile unwittingly formed on her lips. If He Xing came to M Country, they could build a snowman taller than He Xing himself. There was so much snow here, she could build as many snowmen as she wanted.


    As they got closer to the airport, with Fu Han speaking little along the way, Bai Qian’s chatter noticeably increased. She conversed happily with Fu Xingbo, and the couple always managed to involve Fu Han in their topics, then skillfully turned the conversation to He Xing.


    They excitedly discussed having hotpot together after He Xing’s arrival, resting a day to adjust to the time difference, and then going skiing. They nned to stay at the ski resort for a few days before returning, by which time Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe should also be there, so everyone could enjoy a lively Christmas together.


    At first, Fu Han was resistant to such conversations, but as they talked, she inexplicably felt better, and her heart began to anticipate the uing meeting.


    There were just the right amount of people at the arrival gate. Led by Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian, Fu Han followed them to a well-positioned spot.


    With less than ten minutes to go before He Xing’s flight was scheduled tond, despite the heating, the wind pouring in from the door had Fu Han’s legs trembling with cold. She finally understood how hard it was to pick someone up in the middle of winter.


    At the same time, a cliched thought echoed in her head: if one didn’t have feelings and loyalty, who woulde to pick someone up in the winter? Conversely, if one didn’t have feelings and loyalty, who would travel thousands of miles toe here in the winter?


    Finally, the airport announcement sounded. The nended on time after a ten-minute dy.


    Bai Qian raised the wee sign she had prepared in advance. Fu Han found Bai Qian’s eager demeanor adorable; Bai Qian was the only one who made Fu Han believe that marriage was a happy thing and growing old together was romantic.


    Fu Han’s good mood, infected by Bai Wei, did notst long. More and more people came through the exit, then gradually fewer, and finally even the flight attendants with their luggage carts came out, but He Xing was nowhere to be seen.


    As time ticked by, the hope in Fu Han’s heart dwindled to nothing. This disappointment was like roots growing in the soil unseen, propagating and spreading until they fed a towering tree.


    Fu Han didn’t need to look to feel the pity and... sympathy from Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian. But pity or sympathy, neither was what Fu Han wanted at that moment.


    She turned to walk towards the airport exit first, pretending to be nonchnt as she said, "I told you He Xing didn’t message about boarding the ne. Maybe he decided not toe at thest minute. We don’t need to wait anymore. Let’s go back."


    "Hold on, I’ll give He Xing a call." Bai Qian was more persistent than Fu Han expected. She grabbed Fu Han’s hand, pulling out her phone with the other and began dialing.


    Her actions were fluid, with no pause, as if rehearsed a thousand times, such that it was done in one smooth motion.