"Yeah, Uncle, you’re right. We should definitely go. It’s a good chance to bring Tang Aunty so good news."
As soon as Yang i finished speaking, Zhao Donglai quickly interjected, "No, don’t tell her!"
"Why, Uncle? You said the chances are high that it’s her child. Why not tell Tang Aunty early? It would cheer her up a bit..."
Luo Fei spoke helplessly from the side, "Yang i, even though Team Zhao is confident that this is Tang Aunty’s missing child, we don’t know the child’s whereabouts. Whether alive or dead, no one knows. If you tell Tang Aunty too soon, what if..."
"The greater the expectations, the greater the disappointnt. Can you be sure if Tang Aunty can handle another loss of a loved one?"
Zhao Donglai nodded repeatedly, "Yes, that’s exactly what I an. Luo Fei, you’re smart! You got it right away!"
Yang i: "... Uncle, what do you an? Are you saying I’m not smart enough?"
"What do you think?"
"Uncle!" Yang i stomped her foot in frustration.
After throwing a small tantrum, Yang i returned to being serious, "Uncle, when we go for lunch later, I’ll go with Luo Fei."
"Alright, just rember to be cautious with your words and don’t let anything slip."
"Don’t worry, I know."
...
Yang i was very committed to this matter, so at noon, she imdiately grabbed Luo Fei and headed straight to New Street.
After parking the car in front of Tang Cuifang’s shop, they walked inside only to find quite a few custors sitting in there.
Tang Cuifang was carrying a bowl of pork rib porridge ordered by a custor from the kitchen. She looked up and was a bit surprised to see the two of them, "Yang i, Luo Fei, why are you here at this ti?"
They usually ate at the police team’s canteen at noon.
"Tang Aunty, Luo Fei hasn’t been here for a while. He managed to wrap up his work and wanted to co by to try your cooking," Yang i casually made up an excuse.
Tang Cuifang placed the porridge in front of the custor at table three, wiped her hands with an apron, and smiled as she walked over, "Oh, I see. What would you like to eat? I’ll go make it for you!"
"A large portion of century egg and lean at porridge, two servings of braised dishes, and baked eggplant cake."
At this mont, a custor at the neighboring table was also urging, "Boss, is my porridge ready?"
"Coming, coming." Tang Cuifang replied and then turned to the two, "You just sit tight and wait, I’ll get right to it."
With that, she hurried to the kitchen, and Yang i hastily followed, "Tang Aunty, let help you."
Tang Cuifang managed the porridge shop alone, usually calm but terribly busy during altis.
When Yang i had nothing to do, she’d co by to help with errands, becoming quite proficient over ti.
Though Tang Cuifang kept telling her to sit and relax, Yang i quickly helped deliver the porridge to the custors.
Luo Fei wasn’t idle either, helping by clearing the dishes from the tables of custors who had left and taking them to the kitchen...
With their help, Tang Cuifang indeed found tasks much lighter.
Once their porridge and dishes were served, she even had ti to sit and chat with them.
"Luo Fei, Yang i told you’ve been really busy lately; are you done now?"
Luo Fei sipped his porridge and nodded, "Yeah, mostly, just a bit of wrap-up work left."
Knowing her husband, also a police officer, Tang Cuifang was aware of certain regulations, so she didn’t probe further, just changed the subject.
"Do co by more often when you’re less busy. Tell what you want to eat, and I’ll make it for you!"
"Definitely, as long as Tang Aunty doesn’t find us botherso!"
"Haha, you child, I’d be happy for you to co often; never find it botherso," Tang Cuifang said amusedly.
Yang i hugged her arm playfully, "Tang Aunty, you’re so kind; I want to be your daughter."
"If I had a daughter like you, I’d be overjoyed," Tang Cuifang patted her hand and smiled, albeit with a slight bitterness, her gaze tainted with a trace of sorrow.
Clearly, Yang i’s words reminded her of her own daughter.
Her child was only a few years younger than Yang i; if not missing, she would be seventeen now...
Yang i had brought it up deliberately, feeling guilty but recalling the task Zhao Donglai had assigned her, she had to feign ignorance.
"Tang Aunty, are you rembering the child with my ntor?"
With a sigh, Tang Cuifang replied, "Yes, when Huanhuan went missing, she was only eight. Who knows where soone might have taken her..."
She and Zheng Bei’s daughter had a single na, Huan.
Thinking of the daughter whose whereabouts were unknown, Tang Cuifang’s eyes reddened as if tears might fall.
"Tang Aunty, don’t be sad. Maybe you can tell us about how Huanhuan went missing, her appearance, and such?"
Yang i pointed to Luo Fei, proudly saying, "Luo Fei is an expert detective; who knows, he might help get Huanhuan back one day!"
Tang Aunty wiped her moist eyes and chuckled at the suggestion, tapping Yang i’s forehead, "You silly girl, it’s not that easy."
Not that she doubted Luo Fei’s capabilities; whenever Yang i ca by, she’d excitedly tell how Luo Fei had solved cases, achieved success...
Over ti, she recognized Luo Fei’s excellence.
But abduction cases aren’t like ordinary homicide cases, where there are clues to follow; in abduction, you don’t even know who took your child, where to start?
Moreover, in a vast sea of people, finding a child missing for nine years is no easy task.
"Tang Aunty, are you doubting Luo Fei’s abilities?" Yang i pouted unhappily.
Seeing her misunderstanding, Tang Cuifang shook her head repeatedly, "No, no, how could I doubt Luo Fei’s abilities."
"Then that’s settled. Tang Aunty, quickly tell us; maybe Luo Fei will actually surprise you!"
Yang i shook Tang Cuifang’s arm persistently.
Tang Cuifang couldn’t resist her antics, half laughing, half crying, "Yang i, I know you an well, but this case isn’t as simple as you think."
"Back then, both your ntor and Team Zhao tried hard but found nothing. Now, nine years later, it’s even more unlikely. Don’t trouble Luo Fei."
"You’re both young with bright futures ahead; don’t let him waste ti on aningless things, understand?"
Tang Cuifang spoke earnestly, sincerely considering for them.
Her thoughtful concern deeply moved Yang i, strengthening her resolve to help find the child.
"Tang Aunty, this isn’t aningless! And even if much ti has passed, who says there’s no hope? You never know..."
She gestured at Luo Fei, signaling him to chi in.
Receiving the ssage, Luo Fei didn’t disappoint her.
"Indeed, Tang Aunty, Yang i is right; there’s no absolute in anything. You telling us won’t harm anything, and I might notice so detail while investigating other cases."
Tang Cuifang hesitated mainly due to reluctance to trouble Luo Fei.
But now that he stated it like this, there wasn’t a need to insist.
After all, she didn’t want to give up looking for her daughter, willing to try even for a one-in-a-million chance.
"On the day of Huanhuan’s disappearance, it was Tuesday; she said she wanted to eat my eggplant cake after school. Who knew..."
Tang Cuifang imdiately imrsed in reminiscence, recounting in detail the circumstances of her daughter’s disappearance day.
These past years, she hadn’t ceased yearning for her daughter, so even nine years later, the events remained vivid in her mory.
Once she finished, she was overwheld with emotion, sobbing uncontrollably.
Yang i continuously comforted her, patting her back, while Luo Fei docunted all the information.
Then he asked, "Tang Aunty, please detail Huanhuan’s appearance, blood type, and such."
"Huanhuan has a small mole in her eyebrow, a scar on her forehead from a tumble at five, and type B blood."
User Comments
0 comments from readers