Lu Ning was bold beyond measure. After quickly delivering the key information, he hung up the phone immediately.
He had just hung up on his superior—impressive!
Grinning to himself, Lu Ning kept his promise and bought Yuanyuan a pack of biscuits. Then, like a gust of untamed wind, he scooped Yuanyuan up and rushed out.
“You said your mom is at the police station, right? Don’t be scared—I’ll go help her now!”
“No! Put me down! My mom told me to wait for her here!”
Yuanyuan panicked, his fair little face scrunching up. Being carried was one thing—but being taken away was another!
This uncle has no manners—he’s bad!
Yuanyuan wriggled like a slippery eel in Lu Ning’s arms, struggling so hard he nearly fell, but Lu Ning quickly steadied him.
After asking for directions, Lu Ning went all in and ran straight to the entrance of the police station with Yuanyuan in his arms. Just in time, he ran into Xia Mingyu, who was rushing out anxiously to find her son.
The moment Xia Mingyu saw Yuanyuan struggling in a stranger’s arms, her eyes widened.
“Yuanyuan!”
She thought her child had been kidnapped.
Xia Mingyu rushed forward, forcefully snatching Yuanyuan back into her arms.
She glared angrily at Lu Ning.
“What are you doing carrying my child?!”
“Snatching a child in broad daylight? Officer, arrest him!”
The officers, hearing this, surrounded Lu Ning suspiciously.
They had seen Yuanyuan struggling, and Xia Mingyu didn’t recognize him—he looked very much like a trafficker.
But… he was wearing a military uniform.
“It’s a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding!”
“So you’re Yuanyuan’s mother. I heard his brother went missing and that you were at the police station. I thought it wasn’t safe for him to be alone at the supply store, so I brought him here.”
Lu Ning quickly raised his hands and explained clearly.
“I’m from the capital, here on a mission. I can show you my identification.”
“If the child is in the capital, I can help.”
He spoke enthusiastically as he took out his ID.
“Yuanyuan can vouch for me!”
Everyone looked at Yuanyuan.
Yuanyuan nodded.
“Mom, uncle gave me lots of candy and biscuits. He said he was bringing me to find you.”
Seeing his mother, Yuanyuan was no longer afraid. He happily showed off his stuffed pockets.
The officers checked Lu Ning’s ID and confirmed he was telling the truth, then nodded reassuringly at Xia Mingyu.
Xia Mingyu let out a sigh of relief and apologized.
“I’m sorry, comrade. I misunderstood you.”
“My child is missing… I was too anxious…”
“It’s alright, I understand. Parents are all the same.”
Lu Ning waved it off.
All the while, he secretly observed Xia Mingyu.
Her hair was disheveled, her complexion poor—she looked like an ordinary rural woman.
But upon closer inspection, her features were actually quite good.
Even so, she would be unremarkable in the capital.
Could it be because of this that his superior… had taken advantage of her and then denied it, leaving her with two children?
That would be too beastly.
Lu Ning silently criticized Si Konghuai in his heart.
But outwardly, he showed nothing and instead asked warmly,
“Would it be alright if I learned more about what happened? I’d like to help if I can.”
“I’m a father too—I understand what it feels like to lose a child.”
His attitude was sincere.
“Comrade Lu, come and listen with us.”
“The child was taken to the capital—you might really be able to help.”
The officers welcomed him. The more help, the faster they could find the child.
Xia Mingyu, seeing this, felt nothing but gratitude.
She could tell Lu Ning held a high position, and she couldn’t help but feel hopeful—perhaps she would soon find Tuantuan!
“Yuanyuan is amazing.”
Xia Mingyu kissed his chubby little cheek, overjoyed.
She felt that it must be because Yuanyuan was so cute and well-behaved that he attracted Lu Ning’s help.
Yuanyuan was the hero!
And in a way, that wasn’t wrong—it really was because of him.
“Mom, how can you talk now?”
“Your voice sounds so nice!”
Yuanyuan beamed, holding Xia Mingyu’s face, his eyes curved into crescents.
Xia Mingyu had been unable to speak. Li Zhaodi never spoke kindly. When Tuantuan and Yuanyuan were young, Xia Mingyu had to take them out to learn how to talk from neighbors.
Tuantuan had the air of an older brother and learned quickly, often teaching Yuanyuan.
Xia Mingyu had wanted to speak too, but could never overcome her psychological barrier.
So the twins had never heard her voice.
Now hearing her speak, Yuanyuan felt pure joy.
“Brother will definitely like your voice too!”
“Thinking of you and your brother gave me the courage to speak.”
“I won’t let anyone take you away from me.”
Xia Mingyu stroked Yuanyuan’s head and carried him into the police station.
She gave her statement.
Lu Ning also pieced together the full story.
He slammed the table in anger!
“That Qiao Hongye is inhuman!”
“How is someone like him worthy of being a soldier?!”
He was nothing but a beast!
Even in the police station, Lu Ning wanted to drag him out and beat him.
“You’re right, Comrade Lu. But the priority now is finding the child…”
Meanwhile, the child had been found.
In the capital.
After hanging up, Si Konghuai immediately got up to leave.
Old Master Si Kong had just returned and frowned when he saw him heading out.
“Where are you going? You just got back!”
“I found several good girls for you. Hurry and pick one and meet them.”
“You’re almost thirty! If you don’t marry soon, you’ll be an old man! Who will want you then? Especially with your issues!”
The old man fumed.
Why were all the men in their family so stubborn?
At this rate, when would he ever get to hold a soft, sweet grandson?
“Something came up.”
“A child is missing. I’m going to check it out.”
Si Konghuai tossed out those words and left with his men.
“What?!”
That was serious business. The old man shut up and didn’t stop him.
Si Konghuai headed straight to the train station.
Coincidentally, the train had broken down on the way and was delayed, so it hadn’t reached the capital on time.
When Qiao Hongye called, his superior hadn’t yet received Tuantuan.
By the time the train finally arrived, Tuantuan—who had been drugged—woke up.
He was carried off the train by Qiao Hongye’s associate before they could find the intended recipient.
Seizing the moment, Tuantuan shouted at the station staff at the top of his lungs—
“Help! There’s a trafficker! Murder!”
“Uncle, save me! Waaaah!”
Crying and shouting, he stretched out his little hands, his fair face flushed red.
In his panic, he shouted everything serious he could think of—trafficker, murder, even fire.
He was so fair and adorable, and his crying made him look pitiful, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.
A staff member rushed forward and grabbed Liu Hai.
“Is this your child? Why is he crying like this?!”
“I heard him shout ‘trafficker’! Put the child down—if you can’t explain, you’re not leaving!”
People gathered around, filled with righteous anger.
Liu Hai cursed inwardly—he had forgotten to give the boy more medicine, and now he had woken up!
Forcing a smile, he tried to explain.
“He just wanted candy and I didn’t buy it. He’s throwing a tantrum…”
“That’s a lie! I don’t know him at all! I’m from the southern province! He kidnapped me here!”
“When I woke up, my mom, my brother, and my dad were all gone!”
“I want to go home! I won’t go with him! He’s a bad guy!”
Tuantuan’s eyes widened as he shouted, then he fiercely bit down on Liu Hai’s neck, looking like he wanted to tear off a chunk of flesh.
“Ah! Damn it!”
“You little brat—let go!”
Liu Hai howled in pain, his face twisting as he struck Tuantuan hard on the butt without mercy.
They didn’t look like father and son at all—one dark-skinned, the other fair.
“Give me the child! Let me see your identification!”
The staff quickly moved to take Tuantuan away.
At that exact moment, Si Konghuai arrived at the station.
He had originally come to ask if the staff had noticed anything unusual.
After all, even knowing a child had been trafficked to the capital gave him little to go on.
But things turned out smoother than expected.
The moment he arrived, he saw Tuantuan—like a ferocious wolf cub—attacking.
Si Konghuai’s pupils shrank.
That child’s face…
“Stop!”