Gu Qingling wiped her tears and ran out crying.
Gu Dahu and Gu Erhu shot fierce glares at Xiao Nanchu and Xiao Huai Dong before turning and sprinting after her.
Xiao Huai Dong shook his head helplessly. “Hua Ying, the kids are still young. I’ll go bring them back.”
“Dong-ge, don’t worry about them. Knowing the three of them, they’ve definitely gone to the state-run restaurant first. If we head there now, we’ll find them.”
The state-run restaurant was on the street behind the small western-style house, not far at all.
Just as the three of them reached the entrance, someone rushed out from inside and slammed heavily into Xiao Huai Dong, knocking him back several steps.
The man was thrown to the ground by the rebound force but quickly scrambled up and continued running.
At that moment, an elderly couple with graying hair chased out of the restaurant.
“Thief! Catch the thief! Please help catch the thief!”
Seeing this, Xiao Huai Dong endured the pain, jumped up quickly, and without hesitation chased after the thief. After running several hundred meters, he lunged forward, tackled the thief to the ground, twisted his arms behind his back, and hauled him up.
The elderly couple who caught up saw the thief subdued and immediately sighed in relief, smiling as they stepped forward to thank him.
“Comrade, you’re quite skilled. Thank you so much. My wife and I spent the whole afternoon shopping and bought a gold lock for our newborn grandson, but this thief saw it and stole it.”
Xiao Huai Dong felt around the thief’s bulging clothes and pulled out a small bundle. Opening it, he found several pieces of baby clothing and a pure gold lock wrapped in red cloth.
He quickly returned the items to them.
Just then, two public security officers on bicycles arrived on patrol. Seeing the crowd, they immediately came over.
“Old Chief, Madam, why is it you? What happened?”
The two officers saluted them.
“Xiao Li, Xiao Luo, take this thief back to the station.”
He quickly explained the situation to them.
Then he pointed at Xiao Huai Dong. “This comrade who acted bravely—report this to your captain when you get back. Be sure to personally write a letter of appreciation and send it to his workplace.”
“Yes, Old Chief.”
Xiao Huai Dong quickly waved his hands. “No need, no need. I don’t have a workplace.”
Xiao Nanchu, who had followed along, looked at the faint purple glow above the Old Chief’s head and said in a clear voice, “My dad and I just arrived in the city. My dad doesn’t have a job yet!”
The old lady beside the Old Chief lowered her head and saw Xiao Nanchu’s curly hair, her eyes lighting up. “Oh my, what a stylish-looking child. Such fair skin.”
The Old Chief said thoughtfully, “Comrade, where are you staying now? Since you don’t have a workplace, we’ll send the letter of appreciation to your residence.”
Xiao Nanchu knew that in this era, a letter of appreciation for a brave act was quite useful.
For her unemployed father, it might even be an opportunity.
“Sir, Madam, I’m Xu Hua Ying. This is my partner, Xiao Huai Dong, and this is my daughter, Xiao Nanchu. We’re living together now.”
Only then did the Old Chief and his wife shift their gaze to Xu Hua Ying, their expressions briefly stunned. “Girl, so it’s you! Your partner suits you very well. The little girl is pretty too.”
Xu Hua Ying nodded proudly. “I think so too.”
“Hahaha…”
The elderly couple laughed for a while, then told Xiao Li and Xiao Luo to hurry and take the thief away.
Knowing that Xiao Huai Dong and the others were going to eat at the state-run restaurant, they insisted on ordering a table full of rich dishes and paid for it before leaving.
At a table behind Xiao Nanchu’s group, Gu Dahu and his siblings had witnessed Xiao Huai Dong catching the thief. While eating, they became unusually cautious, afraid of being noticed.
“Big Brother, that freeloader is so strong. If we keep opposing him, will he beat us?”
Gu Qingling pouted, her little face full of worry.
Gu Erhu gritted his teeth and whispered, “If he dares to hit us, I’ll fight him.”
Gu Dahu rolled his eyes at his younger siblings and said confidently, “He wouldn’t dare. No matter how much Mom likes him, she wouldn’t let him hit us.”
“What if he does it secretly?”
Gu Erhu’s words were startling.
Gu Dahu thought for a moment, then said seriously, “How about we trick Mom first? We’ll say we accept him and his daughter. Once they let their guard down, we’ll drive them out.”
“Okay, we’ll listen to Big Brother.”
After agreeing on their plan, the three turned around—only to find that Xiao Nanchu and the others were already gone.
“Mom… she actually left us behind.”
Gu Dahu looked a little dejected.
Gu Qingling’s face fell, on the verge of tears. “Big Brother, does Mom not like us anymore now that she has a new man?”
Gu Erhu slammed the table, his small face tense. “If Mom doesn’t want us anymore, then we might as well disappear.”
The three huddled together, whispering for a while, then paid the bill. As soon as they stepped out of the restaurant, they headed in the opposite direction of the small western-style house.
Xiao Nanchu and the others waited and waited at the house, but the three siblings never returned. Xu Hua Ying went to Old Gu’s house but didn’t find them. Xiao Huai Dong rode his bicycle to the restaurant and searched the surrounding area, but still couldn’t find anyone.
As night fell, the phone in the living room suddenly rang. It was a call from the police station.
“Comrade Xu Hua Ying, your son Gu Erhu has reported a case at the station. Your eldest son and daughter may have been abducted by traffickers. Please come to the station immediately.”
Xu Hua Ying felt as if the sky had collapsed. After hanging up, her hands trembled uncontrollably.
Xiao Huai Dong held her hand tightly. “Hua Ying, don’t be afraid. Let’s go there now. There might still be a turn for the better.”
“Dong-ge!”
Xu Hua Ying cried out, forcing herself to calm down as she nodded at him.
Xiao Nanchu quietly glanced at Xu Hua Ying, then calculated with her fingers, her small brows slightly furrowing.
There was danger—but it could be turned into safety. And the one who could resolve it… was actually her father?
Xiao Nanchu sat on the front bar of the bicycle, the wind blowing against her small face, while above her she could hear her father’s heavy breathing. Xu Hua Ying sat on the back, holding a flashlight to light the road.
“Dong-ge, turn right ahead, then another turn—we’re almost there!”
Xiao Huai Dong responded softly, pedaling so hard it seemed the bicycle might take off.
When they reached the entrance of the Xiguan Police Station, a small figure suddenly rushed toward them.
“Mom, it’s all Erhu’s fault. Big Brother and Lingling were taken by traffickers. Hit me if you want… sob…”
Xu Hua Ying hugged Gu Erhu and lightly slapped his head, anxiously asking, “What exactly happened? Why didn’t you come home after eating?”
At that moment, a man in a police uniform walked over.
“Comrade, you must be Gu Erhu’s family. My surname is Wang. It’s too dark at the entrance—come inside and talk.”
Officer Wang led the four of them into the station.
There was also a young officer on duty inside. Seeing them enter, he immediately stood up and began explaining Gu Erhu’s situation.
“Around eight o’clock, this young comrade came to report that he and his brother and sister were locked in a warehouse. He overheard the people holding them say they were going to sell them. His brother and sister helped him escape to report to the police. But he couldn’t tell us the exact location of the warehouse. I know you’re anxious. Before you arrived, I already called back three other colleagues. We’re planning to search areas nearby that have warehouses. Hopefully, we can find some clues and rescue them.”