Chapter 344

As Leon hesitated, the carriage carrying his family passed through the checkpoint and entered Red Pine Avenue, driving deeper along the way.

By the time the two little ones were clinging to the edge of the carriage window, marveling at the two enormous red pine trees over a hundred meters tall, Leon also spotted the familiar figure of Senior Emma at the entrance of Baohua Manor.

With one arm around each of the little ones, having brought William and Melanie down from the carriage, Leon looked at Emma, who was dressed in a color-neutral almost undecorated wool half-skirt. She held the hand of a little girl, quietly smiling at him by the roadside.

“Sorry, we’re a bit late.”

“Not late at all. Emma and I just came out not long ago.”

Looking at the two little ones holding Leon’s hands left and right, curiously examining her own children, Emma couldn’t help but smile, then gently squeezed the tiny hand in her palm that was nervously trying to clench into a fist.

“Elie, say hello to Uncle Leon.”

After obediently nodding, the little girl wearing a wide-brimmed children’s soft hat and the same colored woolen mini-dress timidly spoke:

“Uncle Leon, hello. Aunt Anna, hello… and… you guys, too.”

The little girl’s voice was incredibly pleasant, like wind chimes under the summer eaves, clear and melodious, with a hint of soft, sticky milk tone at the end. Just listening to her voice made one feel she would be a very gentle child.

However, compared to her soft voice, the little girl’s attire seemed somewhat “unapproachable.” The cuffs and hem of her woolen skirt seemed deliberately lengthened, covering her wrists and small shoes tightly.

Even the collar embroidered with a few flowers stood up, hiding her chubby chin firmly behind it. Her face already partially obscured by the wide brim, she also wore a pair of not-so-transparent large glasses, almost concealing her clean little face entirely.

This child… seems afraid of light?

Upon noticing the gloves on the hand held by Senior Emma, Leon raised an eyebrow thoughtfully, then let go and squatted down, smiling: “Hello to you too, Elie. Happy Birthday.”

“Thank you, Uncle Leon…”

When Leon squatted down to look at her eye-to-eye, the little girl, who rarely interacted with others, instinctively took a step back, hiding half her body behind Emma’s skirt.

But hearing Leon’s firm yet not harsh voice, seeing his warm eyes filled with a touch of affection, Little Elie’s fear dissipated significantly, unintentionally stepping forward again.

What? Upon realizing the hand in her palm had relaxed, even slightly pulling towards Leon, Emma’s eyes couldn’t help but reveal a trace of surprise.

It seems Elie doesn’t resist interacting with Leon?…

【Worthy Brother (Bronze): Due to early parental loss, you’ve taken on responsibilities… deeply loved by younger siblings】

【Effect: When conversing with minors younger than yourself, they will easily trust you. During emotional outbursts, special state “Heartfelt Confession” may trigger, where they confide their troubles and secrets】

Indeed, Emma’s daughter has been in contact with too few people; it was correct for me to switch the badge beforehand.

Through the lens, Leon glanced at Elie’s eyes, confirming the fear and unfamiliarity had mostly disappeared, then couldn’t help but smile faintly. He then beckoned William and Melanie over to greet “Sister Elie.”

Thanks to the foundation laid by 【Worthy Brother】, with her nervousness and fear eliminated, meeting two age-matched social phobics quickly livened up her mood.

My guess was right; Emma’s daughter is “abnormal.”

Although the kids didn’t notice, when sunlight increased after Elie removed her glasses, Leon keenly observed her body becoming slightly translucent.

Even though the change wasn’t significant—only turning from completely opaque real flesh to 99.9% opaque—the fleeting and ethereal sensation was undeniable. She definitely isn’t a “normal” child.

Before Elie took off her glasses, Emma, who was chatting with Anna, slightly bit her lower lip as if wanting to intervene but ultimately remained silent, allowing her daughter’s abnormality to be revealed to Leon. Only when Elie’s soft cap tilted during play and was about to be directly exposed to the sun did Emma gently adjust it.

“Miss Anna, could you do me a favor?”

Watching her daughter joyfully laughing and jumping under the sun, Emma, whose eyes were half filled with love and half with guilt, couldn’t bear to take her gaze away. But eventually, she turned around and politely requested Anna: “Could you please help watch over them? There are some things I want to discuss with Leon. Thank you.”

“Sister Emma, you don’t need to be so polite.”

Facing her savior, Anna naturally wouldn’t refuse, directly taking the three playful children far around the execution platform beside the red pine trees, entering Baohua Manor along the main road.

And Emma, wanting to speak, lagged behind half a step, walking beside Leon who also wanted to ask questions, lowering her eyes and softly saying:

No mistakes within the content at 69shuba!

“I’m sorry…Leon, I didn’t tell you about Elie’s situation before.”

“It’s fine.”

Shaking his head slightly, Leon softly replied: “Senior Emma, yesterday besides custom-making gifts for Little Elie, I also went to a friend at the Public Security Bureau and rudely asked her to help me check the household registration records of the Baohua Family and part of the case files from back then.

So I can roughly understand your feelings. You didn’t want to hide it from me, but every time you tried to bring up what happened back then, too many things resurfaced from the depths of your heart, making it hard for you to start.”

Looking at the Emma beside him, who was tightly pressing her lips and showing an unusually complex expression, Leon thought for a moment, grabbed her slightly cold hand and gripped it tightly, then earnestly explained:

“Senior Emma, the reason I conducted these investigations wasn’t because I doubted you’d harm me, but because I felt both you and the Director were hiding something bad from me.

But unlike the Director, I respect your thoughts. If you’re still not ready mentally, you don’t have to tell me why. I’ll stop investigating.

On the other hand, I hope you promise me this: before you can’t help doing something, think carefully about Elie first before making any decisions, and don’t regret it, okay?”

“Thank you…”

Feeling the warmth transmitted from Leon’s hand, Emma bit her lips lightly, then gently withdrew her hand. She then took out a sharp knife and forcefully cut her palm, grabbing Leon’s left hand.

【Name: Bao Hua’s Sin (Flesh, Life and Death)】

(End of Chapter)