Chapter 188: “you Can’t Find Her”
The families who had lost their children heard the news and didn’t sleep all night.
The next day before dawn, they came to the police station.
Honest and simple farmers usually really avoided dealing with public security, but that day they all showed up, full of anger.
Even in their anger, they didn’t make things difficult for anyone and patiently asked questions.
“Comrade public security, my little grandson was abducted five years ago. He was three when he was taken, eight this year. He has no birthmark, but fair skin, big eyes, and a small scar on his knee. The family is all waiting for him to come home. Can the child still be found?” A hunched old man wiped his tears and asked haltingly.
“My eldest son was abducted three years ago, six at the time, disappeared on the way home from school. My son is small and very thin, eyes like his dad’s, very small, with a little black mole on his mouth.”
…
People who came specially after hearing the news spoke up one after another.
Some choked up several times, too upset to speak.
Early in the morning, many people on the way to work.
Who wouldn’t stop to listen upon hearing about this?
As a result, people in the city also knew that the commune had a deeply hidden human trafficker who had abducted quite a few children. Passed around, it became a grandpa who sold over a hundred kids in a few years, passed around again, became a grandpa who eats children…
Fengshou Brigade became infamous far and wide.
The members: “…”
It took a lot of talking, but the impression couldn’t be reversed, which was really disheartening.
Because of this, the brigades no longer dared to accept people for household registration, fearing another “Diao Tuozi.”
Lin Zhao, who had resumed work, also saw the scene at the police station entrance.
She also saw Diao Tuozi being made an example by that special organization, beaten and cursed by people. In half a day, he looked several years older.
Another round of beating and cursing, the crowd dispersed, Diao Tuozi lay on the ground with a small pool of blood.
Lin Zhao walked toward him.
Feeling a small patch of shadow beside him, Diao Tuozi looked up.
The sunlight was brilliant; he squinted first to adjust to the light, saw it was Lin Zhao, and smiled, “It’s you.”
Diao Tuozi sat up, wiped the blood from his forehead, tone casual, “Came specially to see the wicked me get retribution?”
Looking at his face, honest and kind, full of the vicissitudes of time, no different from those diligent and hardworking people. Who would think he would traffic children?
“The wicked will be taken by heaven. I’m not interested in your misery.” Lin Zhao’s expression was cold.
“Then why are you here…?” Diao Tuozi was really puzzled.
Lin Zhao’s gaze fell on his face and asked, “Do you know a woman with a mole on her brow?”
Diao Tuozi’s pupils contracted sharply, then quickly returned to calm.
He didn’t deny it, “How do you know her?”
“Where is she?” Lin Zhao countered instead of answering.
Diao Tuozi shook his head, “…You won’t find her.”
Lin Zhao: “Is she your lover?”
“…” Diao Tuozi felt awful all over, looking at her with eyes that said aren’t you blind.
“I’m an old man, what do I need a lover for!” he said angrily.
“Besides, no matter how unselective I am, I wouldn’t take a human trafficker as a wife. That vicious and ruthless one, she could be sold any day without knowing.”
“Aren’t you all in the same line of work?” Lin Zhao scoffed.
“What same line? I’m not like them.” Diao Tuozi frowned in denial.
But he said no more.
He was forced into it, unlike the others who willingly fell.
Lin Zhao sneered lightly, “What’s the difference? Are you nobler? You’re all doing evil.”
“Don’t you dream of crying voices at night?”
Diao Tuozi felt his feet a bit numb and changed his sitting position, “Yes, all crying voices.”
He spoke as if chatting with an old friend, tone casual and faint, “My ill-fated wife cries every night, cries for our ill-fated eldest son, cries for the second and third starving to eat tree bark…”
Lin Zhao: “Aren’t you afraid of retribution?”
“Retribution?” Diao Tuozi laughed, as if laughing at her naivety, “Where’s the retribution? I know good people don’t live long.”
“It was me who did it, whatever retribution heaven sends, I’ll take it, not afraid.”
His sons were grown; what did he have to fear? At worst, one life!
“What if retribution falls on your sons?” Lin Zhao asked lightly.
Diao Tuozi’s face changed slightly.
His slack eyelids drooped, a hint of ruthlessness in his honest-looking eyes.
He squinted at Lin Zhao, “Don’t joke like that; I’ll take it seriously.”
“Your juniors have all been sent to the farm.” Lin Zhao said flatly, “Your sons requested it themselves, saying to atone for your sins.”
Diao Tuozi froze in place.
“Impossible.” He shook his head.
“What I did has nothing to do with my sons and grandsons; public security knows, they’ll live ordinary lives…”
Lin Zhao interrupted him, “No reason for me to lie to you.”
Truth be told, she had a changed view of Diao Tuozi’s sons; they were filial and knew right from wrong.
“They didn’t do bad things, but they spent the money you got from selling children. What is that money? Stolen goods.”
“What you did dooms your descendants to never hold their heads high.”
Diao Tuozi’s smile disappeared; he lowered his head, expression gloomy.
“What do you know?” he said coldly, almost gritting his teeth.
“So what if they can’t hold their heads high; surviving is what matters. If you’re dead, what’s the use of holding your head high?”
Even if his sons and grandsons disowned him, he’d accept it.
Lin Zhao shook her head and said no more.
Beyond saving.
“Hope you always think that way.”
Leaving those words, she turned to leave.
Diao Tuozi suddenly spoke, “The person you’re looking for is A Xia; her mother used to run a brothel, knew all sorts of people from all walks, later the brothel closed, and she started trafficking children. Her mother was a ruthless poison; A Xia is even more so.”
Heart like a venomous scorpion, also cold-blooded.
Countless families destroyed by her.
Compared to her, he was a good person.
Diao Tuozi looked at Lin Zhao and said unoptimistically, “A Xia is cunning, lucky, well-informed; you won’t find her. I’ve only seen her twice.”
Lin Zhao’s lips curved coldly.
“Whether I find her, I have to try.”
Diao Tuozi said no more.
Lin Zhao left and went to the police station, mentioning Sister Xia.
Her identity as a soldier’s wife made public security take her words seriously; even someone skilled sketched a simple portrait on the spot and sent it to all public security offices.
“Huh?” A young public security officer was surprised, “I’ve seen this person.”
Lin Zhao looked sharply, “Where did you see her?”
“Not far from Diao Family’s yard.” The young public security’s ears turned red under the gaze of the pretty female comrade, “That woman has a mole on her brow; I bumped into her, remember clearly.”
“Investigate!” The director decided, “Follow this lead, investigate thoroughly! Find the person first—”
The public security officers got busy.
Lin Zhao had little hope.
Diao Tuozi said the woman with the brow mole was very alert; she probably ran early.
She was right.
By the time public security reached A Xia’s temporary place, it was empty. Asking neighbors, no one knew about her; some didn’t even know someone lived there.
Even her letter of introduction was fake.
The clue broke.
Public security didn’t give up, investigating every way, but that person vanished into thin air, no news at all.
Later, Diao Tuozi was sent to the farm, reportedly for twenty years of reform.
Lin Zhao resumed work; Li Fen and Wang Ju were overjoyed.
“Zhaozhao, did you hear about the county hospital?” Li Fen asked.
“About the new drug?”
Li Fen exclaimed, speeding up, “The new drug spread all over the county; everyone knows, families with patients all asked, hospital’s been crowded and chaotic. I mean, the enthusiastic masses caught a spy at the hospital…”
Lin Zhao hadn’t heard this yet and shook her head.
“No.”
Li Fen said, “Imperialists’ heart to destroy us never dies; infiltrating everywhere. Those bastards know we made this amazing miracle drug, couldn’t sit still, couldn’t get info so they steal. Good thing our people’s eyes are sharp; any bad thoughts spotted, caught on the spot.”
Speaking of the spy caught, her face full of satisfaction.
Lin Zhao said, “Person okay?”
“A bit injured.” This time Wang Ju answered, her voice as thin as always, anger audible.
Li Fen angrily slapped the counter, “…Disgusting worm crawling from the outhouse, even hurts compatriots, don’t know what kind of person births such beasts. Lucky no fatality, or good thing turns bad!”
Lin Zhao thought yes, yes.
The country was in difficult development, various infiltrating forces; even close neighbors could be eyes of local powers, really hard.
Some educated, kill like cutting melon, true dangerous elements.
“What’s the hospital situation now?”
Wang Ju leaned close to Lin Zhao, voice soft and angry, “My dad says several forces inside, all eyeing that white flour steamed bun of the new drug. Those forces have backers; no one can do anything to each other, now in stalemate.”
Lin Zhao’s eyes flashed lightly.
This situation, when that military region leader comes, should end; then what Fourth Brother deserves, no one can take for nothing.
Iron Bone Reishi still in Fourth Brother’s hands.
After county news, Li Fen took out defective products saved this time, said to Lin Zhao, “Zhaozhao, look at these defective products, see if you like any?”
“And hot water bottles.” Lin Zhao looked at blue and red rubber hot water bottles, face showing surprise; home really needed, getting cold soon, can’t go without warm feet.
“I knew you needed them, all yours.” Li Fen said generously.
Knowing Lin Zhao’s big family, she saved all hot water bottles, swapped with other salespeople using other defectives, even Wang Ju’s share here.
Lin Zhao didn’t stand on ceremony, voice with a hint of joy, “I really need them, thanks Sister Fen.”
Five here: one for her, one for twins, dragon-phoenix twins too small, tender skin, this would scald, no share for little siblings yet. When cold, the two little ones sleep with her.
One for parents.
One for pregnant eldest brother’s wife.
One left, for parents-in-law; the old couple still helping care for Fourth Brother.
In seconds, Lin Zhao assigned the hot water bottles.
For now; surely more later.
“I saved you twelve feet of defective cloth; not much, but enough for a cotton-padded jacket. Does your home have cotton?” Li Fen saw Lin Zhao happy, got happy too.
She’d been at Supply and Marketing Cooperative years, not short on such.
Lin Zhao’s home had no cotton; she drew fifty jin in lucky draw, already fluffed, perfect to use.
“Yes.” Lin Zhao nodded.
Looking at good things Li Fen saved for her, face full of moved, soft voice, “Sister Fen, you’re so good to me, like my biological sister.”
Li Fen grinned wide, “What’s that; my man was saved by you by a fluke before, just some defectives, nothing. Besides, we’re family now, should help each other; no two families’ words in one.”
Her brother had only her and sister as kin left. If good relations with in-laws’ relatives, no one thinks easy to bully.
Li Song: “?”
Lin Zhao smiled, “Good, no more said.”
Also some defective towels etc., she took all!
Afternoon.
Lin Zhao pedaled bicycle home, bulging net bag on handlebars.
Twins resumed waiting for mom at village entrance.
Two dogs by them, Yu Bao with Xiao Jin on shoulder, two little friends on stone under tree, cat radio beside, listening to radio waiting for mom.
Da Huang saw Lin Zhao first, wagging tail barking loudly; twins knew mom back.
Village people listening to radio laughed.
“Yu Bao, Heng Bao, your mom off work.”
“Gu Family’s Da Huang worth raising; makes me envious.”
Heng Bao hugged Da Huang’s head, warily eyeing speaker, loud, “No, Da Huang ours; want a dog, pick your own.”
Villagers: “…”
Wanted to say more, but saw twins grab radio, ran toward Lin Zhao.
Lin Zhao jumped off bike meter from sons, pushed forward.
“What, why run?”
Heng Bao complained, “Bad uncle wants to steal Da Huang.”
Hearing, Lin Zhao guessed villagers teasing second son, gentle tone, “Uncle joking with you, won’t really take; Da Huang ours, it and Amber only recognize our family, won’t go others’.”
Heng Bao’s droopy brows and eyes instantly brightened.
Really childish.
Lin Zhao looked helplessly at him.
Yu Bao eyed net bag on handlebars, just looking, not even poking, “Mom, what’s this?”
“Supply and Marketing Cooperative’s defective products.” Lin Zhao smiled warmly, tone light and upbeat, “Hot water bottles oh, for warming feet in winter.”
Yu Bao’s brows and eyes lit up slightly, crisp voice, “With this, won’t freeze awake?”
Every winter, he’d wake freezing at night.
Lin Zhao’s chest tightened slightly, voice softer, “No more, never again; this year new quilts, new cotton quilts for you, thick cotton-padded clothes; can wear cotton clothes play in snow, no more cold.”
Twins had cotton clothes, Xing Ye’s old ones passed down generations, surely not warm.
Not that Gu Mu didn’t want new; no cloth or cotton, what to make with?
Twins grinned wide, so happy so happy.
“Mom so good.” Yu Bao looked at mom softly and adoringly.
Lin Zhao touched son’s hair, “Home.”
Home.
Left several hot water bottles, Lin Zhao had twins take net bag stuff to old house.
She wanted bath, didn’t want deal with people, handed all to mother-in-law.
Gu Mu strong temperament, wouldn’t let her suffer loss.
Old house.
Gu Mu heard Yu Bao say one hot water bottle for old couple, happily smiled.
First asked, “You have yours?”
“Yes.” Yu Bao nodded.
“Then grandma accepts.” Gu Mu no ceremony, carefully put in house, locked in cabinet.
Huang Xiulan and Zhao Liuniang full of envy.
Heard that hot water bottle lasts whole night.
Gu Mu came out, arranged other defectives, “Eldest brother’s wife, second son’s wife, you pick first; if none wanted, I’ll call villagers…”
Huang Xiulan saw aluminum lunchbox, eyes bright, spoke first, “Mom, I want this lunchbox; Alan needs it.”
