Xie Jiayan stared blankly at Jiang Ling, wanting to retort, but her jaw was dislocated, her mouth hanging wide open, saliva streaming down her chin.
Shen Sanzhuang felt a sharp pang in his chest under Jiang Ling’s cold gaze. His round face flushed crimson with anger, his eyes bulging as if they might split at the corners. “Y-you… you damn… bitch…”
Jiang Ling cast him a sidelong glance.
All the filthy words churning in Shen Sanzhuang’s stomach got stuck in his throat. He spat a thick glob of phlegm on the ground, as if that could release all his pent-up frustration.
Jiang Ling held out her hands to Xiaowei. “Yaoyao, come here, Auntie will hold you.”
It was as if a spring breeze had passed over an icy lake, melting the ice and bringing buds to the willows along the shore. Where she had just radiated coldness, Jiang Ling now exuded warmth in front of Xiaowei.
Meeting Jiang Ling’s gaze, Xiaowei’s eyes brightened with hope. “Auntie, are you really my aunt?”
Jiang Ling’s eyes were firm, and she nodded heavily. “Yes!”
Xiaowei stared at her in astonishment.
Tears shimmered in her eyes, her lips trembled, her whole body quivering. After holding it in for so long, she finally cried out, “Auntie—”
Her voice was raw and desperate; all the grievances of the past poured into that single cry.
Jiang Ling reached out and scooped her into her arms.
Xiaowei’s tears fell freely onto Jiang Ling’s shoulder, but Jiang Ling didn’t mind. She gently patted her back, soothing her softly, “It’s okay, it’s okay. Auntie will take you home.”
Xiaowei hiccupped through her sobs, holding Jiang Ling’s neck tightly, as if afraid that letting go would mean being abandoned.
A police car arrived, and the anti-trafficking squad, responding to Li Zhenliang’s call, rushed over.
After Li Zhenliang explained the situation, the lead detective grabbed Xie Jiayan and Shen Sanzhuang by the shoulders and said sternly, “Let’s go! You’ll explain everything at the station.”
Thus, with the detectives escorting Shen Sanzhuang and Xie Jiayan, Jiang Ling holding Xiaowei, and accompanied by Shen Xiaoyong and Shen Xiaomei, they headed to the Yan City Public Security Bureau Criminal Investigation Unit.
Xie Jiayan had been to a police station before, but being brought to the Public Security Bureau was different. Seeing the plaque on the porch reading “Yan City Criminal Investigation Unit,” she instantly panicked.
Local police usually handle civil disputes. To prevent conflicts from escalating, they maintain a polite attitude, seeking reconciliation where possible. With household registration and medical records, along with the children’s testimonies, they would normally believe Xie Jiayan and not treat them as traffickers.
But the Criminal Investigation Unit? That’s where criminal cases are handled. Detectives have sharp eyes and confront even the most vicious murderers without fear. What if, today, the police carefully verified the household registrations and medical records for authenticity?
Thinking this, Xie Jiayan’s drooling worsened. She couldn’t speak, only managing frantic “ah, ah” sounds, occasionally signaling Shen Xiaomei with her eyes. This girl was usually obedient and would discipline her younger siblings; if she could just prove in front of the police that she was their mother, there’d be nothing to fear.
But this time, Shen Xiaomei did nothing.
Unlike Xiaowei and Xiaoyong, Shen Xiaomei had been sold by her own parents.
Born into a poor farming family with cripled hands, she was shunned by her family and learned early to read people’s expressions. She worked relentlessly, never asking for anything. Even so, at age six, she was sold to traffickers.
Placed with Xie Jiayan, Shen Xiaomei quickly adapted to a life of daily begging. Abandoned with nowhere to go, she merely survived numb to the world.
She had seen Shen Sanzhuang chop off the hands or feet of disobedient boys, watched Xie Jiayan twist children’s ears while berating them, and heard countless pale, powerless words of sympathy from passersby. Her heart gradually turned cold. Even if rescued by the police, what difference would it make? Returning to her biological parents would be worse.
So Shen Xiaomei had long worked to please Xie Jiayan, strictly disciplining the surviving siblings and covering for Shen Sanzhuang when questioned by officers.
But today, Shen Xiaomei didn’t want to speak for Xie Jiayan anymore.
Xiaowei’s aunt had arrived. She seemed formidable.
She dared to hit Xie Jiayan. She dared to yell at Shen Sanzhuang. She said traffickers should die. She firmly protected Xiaowei. Her gentle expression while comforting the child resembled the Guanyin Bodhisattva in a temple.
So there were people who still cared for children like them.
Shen Xiaomei’s silence gave Xie Jiayan a bad feeling, as if everything was veering off course.
Xie Jiayan looked at Shen Sanzhuang, who kept cursing, wanting to warn him to behave, to stay quiet, and to play the sympathy card with the police. She also wanted to tell the simple-minded, strong-limbed fool that if Xiaowei’s aunt insisted on taking the child back, he should tell the police that Xiaowei was adopted while begging.
But with her jaw dislocated, Xie Jiayan couldn’t speak, only signaling desperately with her eyes. Unfortunately, Shen Sanzhuang continued shouting, “Dead girl, can’t talk anymore? Hurry up and tell the police to let us go, or I’ll beat you to death!”
Xie Jiayan and Shen Sanzhuang were taken to the interrogation room, while Jiang Ling and Li Zhenliang entered the anti-trafficking squad office with the three children.
The office faced south, sunlight streaming through the windows. The desks along the wall gleamed in the light.
The gray cement floor was spotless, the white walls yellowed with age, and the green wainscoting bore scratches from furniture. The pale yellow pine conference table and chairs made everything appear simple and practical.
Several pothos plants draped from the tops of file cabinets, adding a touch of grace to the otherwise masculine room.
Returning to this place, Jiang Ling felt a wave of emotions.
The Yan City Public Security Bureau building was built in the 1970s and had been standing for twenty years. Due to tight funding, it had never been renovated; furniture was original, and working conditions were tough. Yet, in such an environment, dozens of detectives had tirelessly worked on the front lines, cracking countless major cases.
“Please, have a seat.” Yuan Yi, captain of the anti-trafficking squad, pulled over several chairs and poured hot water for them.
Jiang Ling gently set Xiaowei down.
Xiaowei slowly loosened her arms from around Jiang Ling’s neck, but the unfamiliar environment still made her uneasy; she clung tightly to Jiang Ling’s clothes.
Shen Xiaomei had stayed close to Jiang Ling since entering the office. Facing Yuan Yi’s friendly gesture, she said nothing, neither sitting nor accepting the water, remaining silent by the side.
Shen Xiaoyong, unable to walk due to his legs being chopped, sat on a small cart, pushing himself along to reach Xiaowei.
The three children stayed alert, centering on Jiang Ling, watching Yuan Yi’s every move.
Seeing that they refused to sit, Yuan Yi turned his attention to Jiang Ling and Li Zhenliang. “Alright, tell me—what exactly is going on today?”
Jiang Ling stood at attention and saluted. “Police officer from Jinwu Road Police Station case unit, Jiang Ling.”
Li Zhenliang followed suit, standing at attention. “I’m also from Jinwu Road Police Station. I’m Li Zhenliang.”
Yuan Yi, having also risen from grassroots work, treated them kindly, nodding with a smile. “Alright, no need to be so formal. We’re all on the same side. Jinwu Road Police Station has been making a name for itself lately. During a recent bureau meeting, Director Zhong even specifically mentioned Jiang Ling, praising your investigative skills and your initiative in creating a publicity booklet for us to learn from. I hear you handled the psychological assessment files for the technical division? Talented and capable, truly impressive.”
Jiang Ling didn’t pay much attention to the praise. She pulled some documents from her shoulder bag and explained proactively, “I was on my way to deliver materials to the Technical Division today as arranged with Captain Ying. Passing by the train station, I happened to encounter these two traffickers and reported them to the police on the spot. I acted because I feared they would take the child away if they got suspicious.”
Yuan Yi didn’t take the stack of documents but instead picked up the phone to call the Technical Division.
“Songmao, the materials you requested are with me. Should I bring them over later?”
“Yes, Jiang Ling is there too.”
“Oh, alright.”
After hanging up, Yuan Yi looked at Jiang Ling with a smile.
Normally tight-lipped, Songmao had been unusually talkative today and had even volunteered to come over. It seemed he cared quite a bit about Jiang Ling.
Looking closely, Jiang Ling had an oval face, short hair, and one side of her bangs pinned back with a pearl hair clip. Her almond-shaped eyes were bright, her eyelashes long and dense, and her smile must have been very cute. But at this moment, her face was calm and cold, her gaze sharp and composed, making her seem distant.
Despite her delicate appearance, this girl was soft outside but strong inside, which Yuan Yi found interesting. “Songmao said he’ll be here soon.”
Before he could finish, a round-faced criminal investigator came over to report to the captain. Yuan Yi instructed, “Separate the two suspects, have a doctor treat the woman’s jaw, and get their personal information. I’ll first clarify the situation of the three children, and then we can cross-check later.”
The investigator replied, “Understood!” and hurried off.
What interested Yuan Yi most now was how Jiang Ling recognized Xiaowei—oh, no, she said her name was Xu Qingyao. He pointed at Xiaowei and asked, “You’re her maternal aunt?”
Jiang Ling looked at Xiaowei, who was clutching her clothes tightly, and took the girl’s slightly trembling hand. She shook her head slightly at Yuan Yi, a trace of compassion in her eyes: “Yes, I’m Yaoyao’s maternal aunt.”
Yuan Yi understood from her eyes. He called over a female officer and instructed her to take the three children to the cafeteria for some food.
The children were extremely thin, their faces pale, bellies hollow—obviously chronically malnourished. Yuan Yi handed the meal cards to the officer with a special reminder: “Don’t give them food that’s too rich; their stomachs won’t handle it.”
Once the children left, Jiang Ling spoke softly, “While studying at the police school, I had seen missing-person notices for Xu Qingyao posted near the school by her parents. When I saw Xiaowei begging nearby, I immediately recognized her.”
“The poster was very clear: Xu Qingyao, nickname Yaoyao, went missing in June 1990, just after turning three. At the time, she wore a white dress with red flowers, white plastic slippers, had two small braids tied with red silk flowers. The notice included her photo: round face, big eyes, rosy lips. Additionally, she had a red birthmark in the left hand’s webbing shaped like a heart.”
Yuan Yi asked, “Three years later, the child has grown a lot. You recognized her at a glance?”
Children’s appearances change quickly before six; add to that her injuries, tangled hair, and emaciated body—it would be hard even for her parents to recognize her. How could Jiang Ling be so sure?
Jiang Ling responded fluently, “When Xiaowei reached out for money, I noticed a scar on the web of her left hand. It immediately reminded me of the missing-person notice. I’d heard traffickers often remove children’s birthmarks; this scar could have been left from covering it. Her current appearance is very different from the photo, but those big eyes left a strong impression. Even after three years, I recognized her instantly.”
Hearing this, Yuan Yi gave Jiang Ling a thumbs-up. “You have a good memory—remembering a missing-person notice from three years ago is impressive.”
Jiang Ling shook her head. “It wasn’t just three years ago. Xu Qingyao’s parents never stopped searching; they plastered notices all over the provincial city. From my sophomore year until graduation, I would see them on poles, walls, staircases whenever I went out, which left a deep impression.”
The love of parents runs deep. For three years, Xu Qingyao’s parents had been persistently searching. But since she went missing in the provincial city, both the police reports and the searches were handled locally—something Yuan Yi hadn’t known. Realizing this, he asked, “Do you remember the contact number on the notice?”
Jiang Ling nodded and gave him the number. Yuan Yi immediately called and made contact.
The other end was bustling, seemingly a family-run store. Upon hearing that the Yan City police had news of Xu Qingyao, the person answering excitedly shouted, “Quick, tell Old Xu! His daughter has news!” Then he said to Yuan Yi, “Please wait, Officer. Old Xu is coming right away.”
A few minutes later, a trembling voice came over: “Hello…” It quickly choked up, unable to speak for a while.
Yuan Yi briefly explained the situation and verified the child’s information. Then he asked, “When can you come to confirm this child? She’s now called Shen Xiaowei, with large eyes and a scar on the left hand. She could be your daughter.”
After searching for three years, they finally had news from the police. The parents didn’t care about the name; overjoyed, they immediately replied, “Yes, yes, we’ll buy the earliest train tickets to Yan City. Please wait for us!”
Yuan Yi could hear both joy and anxiety in Xu Qingyao’s father Xu Weida’s voice. After three years of searching, there was finally definite news. It was no wonder he was so emotional—he just hoped Jiang Ling hadn’t made a mistake and that this time Xu Weida’s wish would be fulfilled.
After hanging up, Yuan Yi said to Jiang Ling, “Once Xu Weida arrives, Xiaowei’s identity will be confirmed. But…how are you so certain she was trafficked?”
Jiang Ling’s actions had been astonishing: after recognizing Xiaowei, she immediately knocked Xie Jiayan unconscious in response to a provocation, and once Xie Jiayan woke up, she dislocated her jaw—hardly like a rookie with only six months on the job.
On the way to the Criminal Investigation Unit, Jiang Ling had prepared her reasoning: “First, Xiaowei was begging alone in the square, with no adult accompanying her. That’s not normal.”
“Second, when I approached her, claiming to be her maternal aunt searching for her, she showed no fear of strangers and quickly trusted me, even showing attachment—indicating she had been separated from family and longed for affection.”
“Third, her clothes were tattered, hair tangled, body emaciated. When Xie Jiayan rushed to snatch her, Xiaowei’s first reaction wasn’t joy but extreme stiffness—showing she had been abused long-term.”
Since Xu Qingyao’s identity had not yet been confirmed, Jiang Ling still referred to her as “Xiaowei.”
Yuan Yi nodded, clearly approving Jiang Ling’s analysis.
A flash of coldness passed through Jiang Ling’s eyes. “Faced with my questioning, Xie Jiayan reacted extremely aggressively—hitting, shouting, insisting the child was hers, and even presenting a prepared household registration to try to sway public opinion. Her reaction isn’t like that of an ordinary adoptive parent; it’s more like an experienced kidnapper crying ‘thief!’ to cover her tracks.”
Yuan Yi felt as if he were discussing the case with a colleague, so he naturally voiced an objection: “Is it possible that she really did adopt Xiaowei, registered her, and that the whole family survives by begging?”
Jiang Ling’s gaze turned cold. “A whole family? All three children are disabled—don’t you find that strange? Shen Xiaoyong’s legs were cut off by a sharp instrument, Shen Xiaomei was born with a disabled right hand, and her left ear is missing with scars still visible. Xiaowei’s burn scars on her cheeks are even more suspicious. If it had been an accidental scald, the burns would usually be on one side of the face. If it were a fire, injuries should appear on the forehead, nose, and neck in addition to the cheeks. Her symmetrical cheek burns are obviously deliberate.”
Yuan Yi’s fists tightened. “You think Xie Jiayan and Shen Sanzhuang deliberately maimed the children to make money begging?”
Jiang Ling’s tone was resolute. “Exactly! They are clearly habitual offenders. Presenting themselves as a couple with three children and household registration, they exploit public sympathy. Their control over the children is strong. I suspect they operate in teams, each covering different areas, moving locations after one incident. There are likely other disabled children begging under traffickers in crowded areas of Yan City. The police need to act quickly and apprehend them all to rescue these suffering children.”
Yuan Yi fell silent.
If Jiang Ling’s judgment was correct, this was a major case that would require significant manpower. Recently, half the anti-trafficking squad was out on field duty, leaving few officers at the municipal bureau.
Thinking of the other children harmed by the Hawk gang, Jiang Ling urged him anxiously: “A criminal group always has a gathering point. If Xie Jiayan and the others aren’t back by tonight, they’ll become alert and try to escape. Captain Yuan, please act quickly and round up all the traffickers.”
Having been established for nearly two years, the anti-trafficking squad had already rescued hundreds of women and children. Yuan Yi, of course, understood the importance of speed.
Seeing Jiang Ling’s anxious eyes, Yuan Yi nodded firmly. “Don’t worry!” There’s no need to wait for Xie Jiayan’s statement—just request reinforcements from the squad commander immediately.
…
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