96: Chapter 96 Chen Chaoyang: Where is my big granddaughter?

"Grandpa, I'm here~ I'm here~"

Early in the morning, a cheerful and pleasant voice with a hint of baby talk rang out from the villa gate.

The nanny quickly opened the door to let Chen Anle in.

"Thank you, Auntie Wang."

Chen Anle looked up at the nanny and gave a big smile, which made the nanny's heart melt.

"Little Anle, your grandpa is in the pavilion out back. Do you want me to take you there?"

Chen Anle shook her little head and said:

"No need, no need, Anan can find it."

After saying that, she trotted off on her short little legs, hurrying toward the small garden behind the villa, which made the nanny feel a surge of anxiety.

"Slow down, slow down, Little Anle."

Wang Shanshan walked in from behind just then and laughed:

"It's fine, Auntie Wang. Anle knows her limits. Even if she falls, it's no big deal; she'll get back up on her own."

This was Wang Shanshan's approach to raising Chen Anle. She wouldn't let her be completely spoiled just because the family was wealthy; that would only raise a parasite, a good-for-nothing.

When Wang Shanshan reached the back, she saw that Chen Anle was already sitting on Chen Chaoyang's lap, being teased endlessly.

"Dad."

Hearing Wang Shanshan's voice, Chen Chaoyang looked up, a small smile appearing on his face as he said:

"You're here. Sit down."

Wang Shanshan didn't sit down, but instead said:

"Dad, I have some things to take care of today. Do you think you could trouble yourself to watch Anle for the day?"

Since she wanted Chen Anle to keep her father-in-law company and cheer him up today, it wouldn't be appropriate for her to stay here herself.

Chen Anan looked up at Chen Chaoyang and said:

"Grandpa, play with Anan today, okay? You haven't played with Anan for such a long, long time."

Looking at his little granddaughter's aggrieved expression, Chen Chaoyang wanted nothing more than to hold Chen Anle in the palm of his hand, and he quickly agreed:

"Alright, alright, alright. Today, Grandpa will keep little Anan company."

He then looked up at Wang Shanshan:

"You go ahead, Shanshan. Anle is in my care today."

Wang Shanshan responded with a smile:

"Okay, then I'll trouble you, Dad."

Chen Chaoyang waved his hand dismissively:

"Eh, we're family. Why be so polite? Whatever you need to do, go ahead and do it."

After Wang Shanshan left to hang out with her best friend, Chen Anle dragged Chen Chaoyang all over the villa. By noon, she had been tired, but who knew that after a nap, she was even more energetic.

A little past one in the afternoon, the nanny, Auntie Wang, walked into the study. Chen Chaoyang was telling Chen Anle stories about his travels across the country.

"Mr. Chen, Mr. Zheng, Mr. Zhang, and Mr. Liao are here to see you."

Chen Chaoyang looked at Chen Anle, conflicted, and after thinking for a moment, said in a gentle voice:

"Anan, would you be okay reading your fairy tale book here for a while? Grandpa has to take care of some business, but I'll be back very soon."

Chen Anle tapped her chin with her little finger, then took the fairy tale book Chen Chaoyang handed her with both hands and said:

"Okay, but Grandpa, you have to come back quickly."

Chen Chaoyang said with a smile:

"Grandpa will be very quick."

He then instructed Auntie Wang:

"Please brew a few cups of tea for me."

"Very well, Mr. Chen."

He glanced at Chen Anle, who was reading intently, and walked out of the study.

After opening it, Chen Anle realized she had already read this fairy tale book. She looked around the empty study, then muttered to herself:

"Oh, I'll go find Xiaoxiao to play. Anyway, Grandpa isn't here right now."

She slid off the chair, moved her short little legs, and walked downstairs. Seeing that no one was in the hall, she went straight out the door.

She looked left and right, then ran toward the home of her little friend, Yu Xiaoxiao.

Panting, she wiped the little beads of sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and stood at the gate, shouting:

"Xiaoxiao, I'm here to play with you..."

A moment later, a little head popped out from the second floor. It had a bun hairstyle and big, round, very cute eyes.

"Anan, wait for me for a second."

As she said that, she pulled her head back in and ran down the stairs on her two short legs. After opening the gate, the two of them hugged each other happily.

Chen Anle said:

"Xiaoxiao, I'm so bored. Mom went out, and Grandpa is busy too."

Yu Xiaoxiao also nodded in distress:

"My mom just went out too, and the nanny went out to buy groceries. I'm so bored too."

Suddenly, Yu Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up:

"Anan, have you been to the Theme Park yet?"

Chen Anle lowered her little head, her two chubby little hands rubbing the hem of her pink lace skirt:

"No, Mom and Dad have been very busy lately and haven't had time to take Anan."

Seeing her little friend so sad, Yu Xiaoxiao patted her little chest and said:

"It's okay, big sister will take you."

Chen Anle suddenly lifted her little head, first saying excitedly:

"Really? Xiaoxiao."

Then, thinking of something, she lowered her head:

"But—but, I heard you need money to buy tickets. My money is all at home; I didn't bring it out."

Yu Xiaoxiao grabbed Chen Anle's little hand:

"Don't worry, Anan. You don't have money, but I do. I have lots and lots of money, enough for both of us. You wait for me, okay?"

After saying that, she ran back home quickly. In a few minutes, she ran back out with a pink wallet and opened it to show Chen Anle. Inside were over a dozen red banknotes.

She said triumphantly:

"How about it? Is it enough?"

Chen Anle jumped up happily and clapped:

"Yay! Then let's go quickly, Xiaoxiao."

After saying that, the two little friends ran hand in hand toward the residential complex gate, and while the security guard wasn't paying attention, they crawled under the railing.

After flagging down a taxi, the two little ones climbed into the car.

The taxi driver saw two adorable little girls. He looked around and saw no adults following them, then asked in a gentle voice:

"Little ones, is it just you two? Where are your adults?"

Chen Anle was just about to say the adults weren't there when Yu Xiaoxiao covered her little mouth.

"Uncle, our moms are at the Theme Park, and we're going to find them now."

The taxi driver looked suspicious and wanted to say something else, but just then, a traffic police officer walked over. Parking wasn't allowed there.

He had to start the car and leave quickly.

Chen Anle whispered in Yu Xiaoxiao's ear:

"Xiaoxiao, you're so amazing."

Yu Xiaoxiao lifted her little head:

"Hmph, I, Yu Xiaoxiao, am not a little kid anymore. I'm a big kid in the second grade of elementary school. Don't be afraid, Anan. Big Sister Xiaoxiao will take you to play."

Meanwhile, Chen Chaoyang, having just finished his business, prepared to go see his granddaughter. But when he opened the door and saw no one there, he hurriedly called Auntie Wang over.

"Auntie Wang, where is Anan?"

"She was just in the study a moment ago."

As she said this, Auntie Wang looked toward the study, then froze, because the study was empty and no one was there.

A bad premonition rose in Chen Chaoyang's heart:

"Hurry and find her!"

Half an hour later, the two of them, having searched the entire villa, felt like the sky had collapsed.

"Where did my big granddaughter go?"

The nanny from Yu Xiaoxiao's house had just returned from the supermarket. She glanced strangely at the two people standing at the gate, then drove a BYD back into the villa and went straight to the kitchen to get busy.