The stack of files shrank one by one. Su Banxia was so hungry her stomach felt like it was stuck to her back, and her whole body had lost all strength.
Perhaps because she was too hungry, stars kept flashing before her eyes. She shook her head forcefully and continued to bend over the desk, working diligently.
She absolutely refused to show even a trace of weakness in front of Pei Shaoze. This man was too cunning!
When she finally finished processing all the documents, Su Banxia looked up and glanced outside. It was already completely dark.
"I've finished reviewing all the files. Can I go home now?"
Su Banxia piled all the documents in front of Pei Shaoze, keeping a certain distance from him.
"Hmm?"
Pei Shaoze gave her a cold glance. "Sixty-seven files took five and a half hours. Secretary Su, your work efficiency is truly not just slow—it's abysmal!"
"I'll definitely improve my efficiency in the future. Do you have any other instructions, President Pei?"
Su Banxia was too weak from hunger to argue with him. She stood to the side and spoke respectfully.
Pei Shaoze was somewhat curious about Su Banxia's reaction today. He calmly curled his lips. "After you've finished reviewing these files, enter their data into the company's backend system. We'll need it for tomorrow's meeting."
He deliberately dragged out the last sentence.
"Fine. I'll make sure it's done perfectly!"
Su Banxia said through gritted teeth.
Returning to her seat, she quickly turned on the computer, her fingers flying across the keyboard. Perhaps she had passed the peak of hunger, because now her stomach didn't feel as uncomfortable.
"Go make me a cup of coffee. The one this afternoon had too much sugar. I hope you don't make the same mistake again."
Just as Su Banxia was getting into the flow, a low voice suddenly sounded in her ear.
"President Pei, drinking too much coffee is bad for your health. You should learn to moderate yourself."
"Then, according to Secretary Su, what should I drink instead?"
Hearing this leisurely remark, Su Banxia had no choice but to nod with a faint smile. "I'll go make you a cup right away."
With that, she clenched her teeth, picked up the cup from the desk, and strode quickly toward the tea station.
After making the coffee, Su Banxia felt a throbbing pain in her head. Carefully supporting herself against the wall, she slowly walked back to the office.
Placing the coffee cautiously beside Pei Shaoze's hand, she said coldly, "Do you have any other instructions, President Pei?"
"I—"
"Banxia!"
Before Pei Shaoze could finish, the office door was suddenly pushed open. Fang Shiqing's face showed a hint of urgency.
"Shiqing, why are you here?"
Su Banxia's heart inexplicably skipped a beat. A sense of foreboding surged within her.
"I got off work a bit early today. After visiting Shanshan at the hospital, I went to pick up the two kids from school, only to find they'd already been picked up by someone else. I thought it was you, so I called you, but no one answered."
Fang Shiqing's voice carried a hint of tears.
"The kids are missing?"
Su Banxia felt as if she'd been struck by lightning, frozen in place on the spot.
"Banxia, don't panic. I already called the police on my way here."
Fang Shiqing quickly tried to comfort her.
Pei Shaoze's hand holding the pen paused involuntarily. "Have you checked near the kids' school?"
"I've asked around and called their teacher. He said school was already over."
The anxiety on Fang Shiqing's face was obvious.
"Guoguo and Haohao are too smart to be easily tricked by someone!"
Su Banxia panicked but couldn't think of who might have done this.
"Don't rush. First, think about where the kids are most likely to go."
A hint of coldness flashed in Pei Shaoze's eyes.
Su Banxia hurriedly grabbed her phone and realized it had somehow turned off.
"Don't bother trying. Haohao and the others aren't answering."
Fang Shiqing bit her lip tightly, looking troubled.
"These two kids don't usually act like this! They must have been taken by someone! Shiqing, did you notice anything unusual on your way to pick them up?"
Su Banxia's heart was in her throat. She couldn't bear to imagine what it felt like to have her children missing.
These two kids were her entire life!
"Everything seemed normal on the way home, except—"
Just then, the ringing of a phone interrupted her.
"It's Haohao's!"
Fang Shiqing answered the call hastily.
"Godmother..."
Guoguo's soft voice came through the receiver.
Su Banxia's heart clenched. She snatched the phone and asked anxiously, "Guoguo, where are you and your brother now?"
"Mommy..."
Hearing her voice, Guoguo started crying even harder.
"Guoguo, sweetie, don't cry first. Give the phone to your brother and tell Mommy where you are. Mommy will come pick you up right away."
Su Banxia said gently.
"Brother is hurt. Uncle Lin took him to the hospital to get bandaged. I don't know where this is."
Su Guoguo's halting voice made Su Banxia's heart ache.
During the call, Pei Shaoze tracked the phone's location and quickly found the address.
"At West City Garden. I'll take you there."
Pei Shaoze grabbed the keys from the desk and hurried out.
Su Banxia followed closely behind him, talking to Guoguo to calm her down.
From Su Guoguo's fragmented words, Su Banxia could barely make out what happened.
The two little ones had encountered a bad uncle trying to take them after school. They refused out of caution, but when the soft approach failed, he turned to force.
Even though Su Hao was usually capable, he was still just a half-grown child. How could he resist several adults?
While protecting Guoguo, Su Hao got hurt. Fortunately, Lin Tongze arrived in time, or the consequences would have been unthinkable.
Hearing this, Su Banxia's eyes turned cold. Her two children were her Achilles' heel!
She could accept anything else, but when it came to these two kids, she would never forgive.
"Banxia..."
Fang Shiqing tightly gripped her hand, offering some comfort.
"We're here."
The car stopped steadily near West City Garden. Su Banxia quickly got out and, following Guoguo's directions, soon found her.
Seeing Su Banxia arrive, Su Guoguo threw herself into her arms.
"Mommy, brother bled so much... Mommy, Guoguo was so scared! Guoguo thought she'd never see Mommy again..."
"Which hospital did Uncle Lin take your brother to?"
Su Banxia crouched down and gently wiped the tears from her eyes.
Su Guoguo sobbed intermittently, taking a long time to calm down.