Lost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fiancee by KIKI

Chapter 885: Your Sister Is River Swanson? Natalie assumed he would use his status as a child to make an unreasonable request, so she prepared herself for his answer.

Poppy Swanson stayed silent for a moment, pressing his lips together. His small fingers pinched the fabric of his clothes as he fidgeted nervously. "Then... I only want one thing." Natalie's eyes softened with amusement. His serious demeanor was so endearing that she couldn't resist pinching his chubby little cheeks as she waited for him to continue.

Poppy Swanson, with an earnest expression, said, "I want you to helpfind my sister. She said she was just going to the restroom and would cback soon, so I waited. But she didn't cback. I even went to wait outside the restroom, but when I returned, she still wasn't there." He lowered his head, his small mouth pouting involuntarily. His expression was full of grievance.

Natalie quickly guessed the truth. "Your sister's nis River Swanson?" Poppy Swanson nodded, his eyes lighting up like stars. "You've seen my sister?" Natalie fell silent. She couldn't very well tell him that she had thrown his sister out. How could River Swanson leave her little brother behind like this? Natalie could only admire her nerve.

Feeling helpless, Natalie had no choice but to notify the Swanson family to cand pick up the little boy. It would take stfor them to arrive. She tapped her fingers lightly on the table and patted Poppy Swanson's head. "Yes, I've seen your sister. She toldshe had something urgent to take care of and left, but she said someone would cto pick you up tonight. While we wait, why don't I grant you a second wish?" A flicker of disappointment crossed Poppy Swanson's eyes, but when he heard about a second wish, his small pout softened, and a trace of anticipation emerged. "I want to see fireflies." Natalie paused again. Her hand reached out to stroke his soft hair, gently ruffling it. "Alright, I'll take you to see fireflies!" Poppy Swanson's eyes lit up with fireworks, his chubby face glowing with joy. Without hesitation, his small hand grabbed Natalie's, his bright eyes blinking at her with excitement. Natalie's heart softened. She couldn't resist how adorable he was and began leading him outside.

Ruud watched from a distance as Natalie held Poppy Swanson's hand and walked away. His heart warmed at the sight. Maybe giving Tina a little brother wouldn't be so bad after all.

The other guests, curious and intrigued, followed Natalie, eager to see how she would manage to summon fireflies.

Natalie surveyed the surroundings of the Pace family estate and headed toward a dense patch of shrubs. She turned to Ruud and said, "Go to all the bushes and gather ssnails and earthworms for me." Ruud's eyes crinkled with amusement as he grinned. "Consider it done!" Natalie, meanwhile, held Poppy Swanson's small hand, guiding him as they searched for tall, untrimmed grass and low-lying areas. She found a garden hose used for watering plants and adjusted the water flow to a high setting. From the tool shed, she retrieved a shovel that towered over Poppy Swanson.

The little boy's dark, shiny eyes darted curiously between the shovel and Natalie. Tentatively, he reached out to touch it. "Auntie, what's this tall thing?" "It's a shovel," Natalie said, one hand on her hip while the other planted the shovel firmly into the ground. "From now on, it's yours." Poppy Swanson, who wasn't even half the height of the shovel, looked up at it with wide eyes. His soft lips pressed together as his chubby little hands clutched the shovel's handle tightly. "Hey... that's not how you use it, little guy. You look like a koala trying to climb a tree!" Natalie couldn't help but laugh. Seeing how clumsy he was, she demonstrated how to use the shovel properly. Poppy Swanson imitated her movements. His plump little hands gripped the shovel tightly, but even lifting it was a struggle. Despite his best efforts, the ground remained undisturbed.

Seeing his frustration, Natalie encouraged him to try again. This time, Poppy Swanson gathered all his strength. His eyebrows furrowed tightly, and he stood on tiptoe, exerting himself. Natalie discreetly helped him from behind. With her assistance, Poppy Swanson managed to dig up a small clump of dirt and toss it aside. Though small and chubby, he had surprising strength for his size, which made Natalie smile. It seemed his family took good care of him.

His bright eyes sparkled with determination. Even though he didn't know why he was digging, he obediently followed Natalie's instructions, while she continued to help from behind. Ruud poked his head over, his face full of curiosity. "Why are you digging a hole?" "This little guy doesn't have much strength. You dig. Make it a big one. Whether we'll see fireflies or not depends on it. Oh, by the way, did you find the worms and snails I asked for?" Natalie tilted her head, smiling at Ruud.

"Of course I did. Look!" Ruud held up a green netted bag filled with dirt, inside which several wriggling earthworms squirmed. When touched, they wriggled even harder. A few snails had already tucked themselves into their shells. Ruud leaned closer to Natalie's shoulder. "I had to search everywhere to find these. I even got bitten by mosquitoes. Don't you think I deserve a reward?" Natalie blushed, grabbed his face, and quickly planted a kiss on his cheek. "Now, go finish your work!" Ruud grinned from ear to ear and snuck in a kiss on her cheek before leaving. "Alright!" Feeling energized, he hoisted Poppy Swanson onto his shoulders and shouted, "Hold on tight! If you fall, it'll be more thrilling than a roller coaster!" Poppy Swanson thought to himself, I'm only five... what's a roller coaster? The guests muttered amongst themselves, amused. "He's clearly love-struck!" Perched on Ruud's shoulders, Poppy Swanson watched as Ruud diligently dug the hole, making it larger and deeper. Slowly, the boy's vision blurred, and he dozed off.

When he woke up, he felt a warm touch on his face. Groggily, he opened his eyes to see Natalie's gentle expression. "Auntie..." he murmured.

Natalie pinched his soft, chubby cheeks. "If you don't wake up now, the fireflies won't ctonight." At the mention of fireflies, Poppy Swanson perked up. His sleepy eyes cleared as he noticed the large hole in the ground.

Natalie held his hand and led him through the tall grass toward the pit. Ruud, now wearing a white tank top and wiping sweat from his forehead with a towel, stood nearby.

Natalie crouched down, turned on the garden hose, and filled the pit with water. She then played the worms and snails on the muddy ground at the edge of the pit, their presence meant to attract the fireflies. From her bag, she retrieved a small, transparent bottle filled with pink liquid. She sprinkled it around the area and dabbed a small drop onto Poppy Swanson's hair.

At first, only a few fireflies appeared, their soft glow flitting high and low above the pit.

Then, more and more fireflies gathered, forming a galaxy of green light.

Poppy Swanson craned his neck, his wide eyes filled with wonder. The glow in his dark irises was brighter than the fireflies themselves. He reached out with his soft little hand, and as if sensing his touch, a firefly landed briefly in his palm before taking flight again. Soon, the fireflies swirled in great numbers above his head, their glowing bodies weaving a luminous ribbon in the air.