Chapter 6

Qimait escorted Shanora Hansen to the entrance of the small hotel. Only after watching her enter did he turn and leave. Standing in the hotel hallway, Shanora Hansen watched his figure disappear into the night. She felt a bit dazed. She raised her hand to touch her flushed cheeks, and the corners of her mouth curled up involuntarily.

Back in her room, she locked the door behind her and finally breathed a sigh of relief. The fear and tension from earlier gradually subsided, leaving behind only gratitude and a faint, inexplicable flutter in her heart. She took out the items from her bag one by one. Seeing the cash and small trinkets she had regained, she felt grateful that she had met Qimait.

Without him, I really have no idea what would have happened to me today. Shannora Hansen sat on the edge of the bed, growing more and more frightened by the thought. She couldn’t help but pat her chest and swore to herself that she would never go out alone at night again. She also decided to learn some self-defense skills so she wouldn’t be so weak anymore.

After a whole day of exertion and being frightened, Xianola Hansen was completely exhausted. She lay in bed for a short while before falling into a deep sleep. She hadn’t even covered herself with a blanket, and there was a faint smile on her lips, probably because she was dreaming of something happy.

On the other hand, Qimait returned to his villa. The image of Shanora Hansen with her red-rimmed, pitiful eyes still lingered in his mind, making him smile involuntarily. He had grown up in France, surrounded by girls who were always eager to show him affection. Yet, none of them ever made him feel the desire to protect them, like Shanora Hansen did.

Thinking that he would soon take over the Qi Group and no longer be able to do as he pleased as before, he felt somewhat irritable. But when he thought of Xianola Hansen, his irritation subsided greatly. Perhaps this suddenly appeared girl could bring a little bit of variety to his dull life.

Neither of them knew what kind of mark this sudden encounter would leave in each other’s lives. Nor were they aware that a sudden arrest was quietly approaching.

Early the next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Xanora Hansen was still asleep when she heard a familiar voice. It carried a hint of sternness, yet also a subtle tenderness: “Xanora Hansen, get up.”

She frowned, turned over, and buried her face in the pillow. Irritated, she muttered, “Who is it? It’s so early in the morning. Please stop making noise and let me sleep a little longer.” She thought it was probably the hotel staff. She didn’t give it much thought, though the voice seemed somewhat familiar, but she didn’t pay it much attention.

“Still sleeping?” The voice rang out again, with a hint of exasperation. “With your careless nature, if someone sold you outside, you’d have no idea what happened! Get up now!”

Shanora Hansen suddenly opened her eyes. Her body stiffened as she slowly turned her head toward the edge of the bed. There, a man in a suit with a few gray strands of hair was staring at her, his expression filled with both anger and pain. It was Drake Hansen!

She snapped out of her drowsiness instantly. Completely awake now, she sat up abruptly, her eyes wide with disbelief. “Dad… How did you get here?” She had hidden in such a remote place. How could her father have found her?

Drake Hansen looked at her messy hair and wrinkled clothes, feeling heartache in his heart. His tone softened, but he tried to remain stern: “If I can’t find you again, do you plan to live on the streets for the rest of your life? You’ve grown too bold to run away from home.”

Shanora Hansen knew she couldn’t get away. Her heart sank in disappointment, but she didn’t give up. She grabbed Drake Hansen’s arm, shook it gently, and spoke in a soft, pleading tone, going into “whine mode”: “Dad, I didn’t run away from home. I just came out to have fun. Look, I’m perfectly fine, aren’t I?”

“Just for fun?” Drake Hansen raised an eyebrow and pulled his arm back. “To the point of getting robbed? To having to stay in such a crappy hotel?” He had received Mike’s report the day before and learned that Shanora Hansen had run into some thugs. He was so worried that he couldn’t sleep all night, so he rushed over right away.

Shannora Hansen was shocked. How did her father know about the robbery she’d encountered? She opened her mouth to say something, but Drake Hansen interrupted her: “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking. Get dressed and come home with me. Otherwise, I won’t be gentle.”

Looking at her father’s firm, unyielding gaze, Xanora Hansen knew she really couldn’t get away this time. She hung her head, looking pitiful, but still got up obediently to wash up and get dressed. In her heart, she vowed that once she got back, she would negotiate with her father carefully and refuse to go on any blind dates at all.

Dreik Hansen watched her distressed expression, and the anger in his heart gradually faded away, leaving only compassion. He walked over to the window, looking at the simple surroundings outside. He silently regretted that he had pushed her too hard. If something really happened to her, he would never be able to forgive himself for it.

Before long, Shanora Hansen was ready. Wearing a simple T-shirt and jeans, she hung her head and followed Drake Hansen out of the hotel. Seeing the black sedan parked at the entrance, she felt helpless. This brief “journey of freedom” had finally come to an end.

After getting in the car, Shanora Hansen said nothing. She leaned back in her seat and soon fell asleep. She had been frightened the previous day, went to bed late, and was awakened early that morning. She was completely exhausted. Drake Hansen looked at her sleeping face with tender eyes. He quietly asked the driver to turn up the air conditioning slightly and covered her with a blanket. His eyes were filled with affection.

He had no idea that his beloved daughter had met a friend in this small town, someone she had only spent one night with. He also didn’t know that Qimait and Madre Summer, whom he highly recommended to her, actually knew each other already. And all of this was merely the beginning of fate.