CHAPTER 486: CHAPTER 486: TOO SLOW, LET ME DO IT

Ivana Monroe shook her head, "No need, while we’re just rescuing the children, we won’t inhale much of the toxic fumes."

Leon Keane frowned, "That’s not acceptable, your health is the most important."

Ivana felt a warmth in her heart, and smiled, "Honey, I know you mean well for me, but just think! If we go in with masks on, what if Tonia doesn’t recognize us and thinks we’re the bad guys?"

"I won’t wear one, but you should."

Despite Ivana’s objections, Leon personally helped her put on a mask.

This man is so overbearing.

Ivana looked at Leon’s handsome face, feeling sweet inside.

The factory’s iron gate was closed but not locked; a gentle push opened it.

As Leon pushed open the iron gate, he heard a sound from somewhere inside, and his sharp eyes scanned the area.

Seeing Leon’s serious expression, Ivana’s gaze followed his.

"You stay here, I’ll take a look."

Leon spoke in a low voice that only Ivana and he could hear.

"I’ll follow you," Ivana didn’t want to stay where she was, worried that someone might be hiding and observing, and if there were more accomplices besides a couple of traffickers, she feared Leon might get hurt.

Seeing Leon’s eyes disagree.

Ivana whispered again, "What if it’s just a rat hiding there, and once you go, the traffickers come back, leaving me here would be even more dangerous?"

Leon cared most about Ivana’s safety, and hearing her say that, he hesitated.

"Okay."

Leon thought it was safer for Ivana to be by his side than standing there.

The two of them went to the place where the sound had come from earlier. There were piles of old desks and chairs, the kind used in offices, as well as some yellow paint office furniture.

Beside a pile of chairs was a dirty and ragged old quilt, with a mess of boys’ and girls’ tattered clothes atop it.

Ivana estimated there were a dozen or twenty pieces, almost all for young children to wear.

Ivana suppressed her anger; the traffickers had not only abducted Tonia but other children as well.

A faint sound emerged again from a hole in one of the broken desks.

Leon locked eyes with keen precision, gently shifted his foot, and after standing firm, prepared to kick the desk.

"Hold on."

Ivana spoke up, stopping Leon in time.

Faced with his puzzled expression, Ivana shook her head and spoke to the broken desk, "I see you, come out!"

Leon: "..."

The person beneath the broken desk didn’t come out. Strangely, the desk started shaking.

At that moment.

Leon realized that perhaps instead of a trafficker, it was a victimized child hiding under that desk.

A child unwilling to come out, trembling inside.

Ivana sighed and moved to shift the furniture, while the little child tucked into a pile of chairs wouldn’t budge, forcing Ivana to move things around carefully, not wanting to scare the child.

Leon couldn’t bear seeing his wife exert herself: "You’re moving too slowly, let me do it."

Ivana looked at Leon and blinked.

Leon, as a man, was so much stronger than Ivana, working hard to move the furniture, not caring if expensive clothes got dirty.

Ivana was somewhat taken aback, was this the Leon Keane she knew?

This man was usually so clean to the point of having a cleanliness obsession.

But a man working hard to save others... is very handsome and charming.

After moving about seven or eight pieces of furniture, Leon moved aside the child’s hiding spot, glancing down with amusement to see several children curled up inside, like little quails.

The children kept their heads down, too scared to look up, while two little girls hugged their knees, shivering and starting to cry softly in fear.

"Get up, I’ll take you away."

Leon said authoritatively.

But the kids, apparently "unappreciative," didn’t stand up.

Ivana came over and noticed a dirty spot on Leon’s handsome face, lifting a hand to wipe it: "Honey, you’re tired, let me persuade the children!"

Her fingertips were slightly cool; the way she gently wiped him was so tender, Leon gazed deeply at this gentle woman, feeling a sudden urge to hold her tightly and cherish her.

But... it wasn’t the right occasion.

Leon obediently stepped aside.

Ivana squatted by a few "little quails," gently touching their heads, "We’re not bad people, and we won’t punish you, don’t be afraid."

The "little quails" heard Ivana’s words.

They lifted their heads, seeing a beautiful auntie smiling warmly at them.

Two slightly braver boys breathed a sigh of relief and stood up to speak.

"That scared me, I thought they came back."

"Auntie, you scared me too."

Ivana laughed, "That was Auntie’s fault, Auntie will make it up to you."

The eyes of the two boys lit up.

"Really? Auntie, if you want to make it up to us, could you buy a bunch... four bunches of flowers!"

Another little boy quickly went to get the flowers; they hadn’t completed their task, and when they saw the adults watching them leave, they hurried back, trying to slack off.

The two little girls also lifted their heads slightly, stopped crying when they saw the beautiful auntie.

Ivana reached out and patted the two little girls’ heads, "What are your names? Tell Auntie, and I’ll buy your flowers."

"I’m Joy."

"I’m Nia."

"Joy and Nia! Such lovely names."

Ivana’s compliment instantly made the two little girls take a liking to her.

They were unfortunate children, never having encountered an adult as gentle as Ivana.

"Auntie, my name is Tiger, is that a cool name?"

The little boy sought praise too, patting his little chest as he spoke.

"Ha... cool... very cool."

"Hehe..."

The boy bringing flowers panted, "Here are the flowers, flowers are here."

Ivana accepted four bunches of flowers, reaching out to tease the little boy’s nose, "And you? What’s your name?"

The little boy was a little shy, "Bug."

"Hahaha..."

Tiger led the laughter, making Bug even shyer.

"There’s a kind of bug in this world called the gryllotalpa; it’s very rare and precious, a level-one protected insect. So, don’t look down on Bug!"

"Wow~ Bugs are that precious? That’s so cool! Even cooler than me, Tiger," Tiger exclaimed in surprise.

Bug unconsciously stood up straighter.

Leon crossed his arms, watching Ivana blend seamlessly with the children, arching an eyebrow—was this woman’s charm that great? All the kids liked her?