Master Bao humd a little tune as he drove the car toward the outskirts. The first stop for the incoming fruits and vegetables was a wholesale market in the suburbs, and then they were transported to the city, adding a bit more to the price.
That’s why Master Bao always bought during the first batch delivery. Of course, ordinary people couldn’t do this, but he wasn’t ordinary at all—he was the procurent master at the police station!
Since ancient tis, procurent has been a lucrative position. He bought vegetables and fruits from here, but the reimbursent ticket listed the price of the second procedure, so the price difference went into his own pocket.
This was far better than earning a fixed salary. If it weren’t for having connections, how could he hold this position for over ten years?
Every purchase ant another inco for Master Bao, making him genuinely happy, completely forgetting the earlier chaos at the police station.
Upon reaching the location, Master Bao parked the car without obstructing anyone and went to find his old acquaintances. These old friends could give him receipts with higher prices, and in return, he supported their business—a mutually beneficial arrangent.
Master Bao had a habit of double-checking his car door after locking it to prevent theft — though not many would dare steal a patrol car, so might still ss with it.
Usually, pulling the locked car door wouldn’t budge, but today it opened easily.
Master Bao realized one of the car doors hadn’t closed properly, yet he was puzzled since the central control did not show a door ajar alert.
He started pulling the doors one by one. The back doors were tightly shut, and the other doors were also closed. Why couldn’t he lock the car?
He tried again but still couldn’t lock it, frowning as he looked toward the back; could it be not fastened tightly?
This wasn’t impossible; he walked over and indeed the back wasn’t latched tightly. He opened the trunk to reseal it, but upon opening, he discovered soone inside!
Master Bao was shocked and stepped back, and once he saw it was a child, he cald down.
"You little rascal, what are you doing in my car! You... wait!" Master Bao was about to scold when he rembered the earlier commotion at the police station, realizing they were probably looking for this child.
Bringing this child back might be a significant achievent!
Thinking this, Master Bao didn’t hesitate, reaching out to grab Luo Yirui.
Luo Yirui deliberately left traces at the big iron gate to mislead those people, then ran into the unlocked van to hide, waiting for it to drive away—not expecting it would start so quickly.
He left a crack in the trunk to avoid being trapped inside, but unfortunately, it was because of this that he was discovered.
Seeing the malicious look on this fat man’s face, Luo Yirui knew he had to resort to so tactics today. Without hesitation, he took out a Paralysis Talisman, turned it into powder, and slapped it onto the fat man’s reaching arm.
Master Bao thought capturing this child would be effortless, but unexpectedly, the kid suddenly dusted him with so powder. As he was about to laugh, he felt a rapid spread of numbness in his arm, soon losing sensation in his entire arm, followed by his body.
In the end, Master Bao’s body weakened and collapsed behind the car, only his eyeballs could still move, unable to speak.
Luo Yirui quickly got out of the car. Although parked in a relatively secluded spot, it wasn’t deserted; he needed to leave here swiftly.
With this thought, he was about to flee but then his stomach growled with hunger upon seeing the surrounding vegetables and fruits. He turned back and rummaged for the fat man’s wallet.
"Uncle, borrowing your money; will return it when I can," Luo Yirui said.
He was no longer bound by rules; surviving was paramount. This fat man seed no good based on his earlier attempt to harm him.
The wallet contained one hundred and one fifty yuan notes, along with smaller denominations amounting to around two hundred, totaling less than four hundred yuan—enough for Luo Yirui if spent sparingly.
Luo Yirui dared not stay in the county; the villain was actually from the public security bureau, a fact that shattered Luo Yirui’s worldview. Coupled with the human trafficker incident, he trusted no one!
With the money, Luo Yirui walked once around the market, finding everything in bulk without retail options. He had to endure and turned towards the wild area.
He roughly determined the direction opposite the police station’s location; he dared not linger on the path, aware those people could co tracking after realizing sothing was amiss.
Luo Yirui avoided main roads, taking paths between fields. Encountering a village would be ideal, enabling him to find a supply and marketing cooperative to contact his parents.
Despite Luo Xudong’s training, the child was still limited by age and physical condition; traversing over distances slowed him down. With hunger grumbling, he stopped frequently and finally found a village before nightfall.
Upon seeing the village, Luo Yirui’s vision blurred, and after a few steps, he collapsed with a thud.
"Oh my heavens, whose child is this!"
In a daze, Luo Yirui heard an elderly voice, soon plunging into an abyss of darkness, knowing nothing.
When Luo Yirui woke again, he saw a ceiling papered with old newspapers. His eyes shifted to a wall painting featuring large peony blooms with a traditional woman reaching with orchid-like fingers to pick a flower.
Then he saw a lamp socket, blackened; though now oil lamps were unused, it held so odds and ends.
Beside the lamp socket hung a blackened lamp cord, which Luo Yirui had used before; his grandmother’s courtyard utilized this, claiming it was familiar.
Seeing these, he understood he was rescued by the villagers.
"Awake now? How co you were lying on the ground? Where are your parents?"
A stout woman entered, hearty laughter on her round face, holding porridge, "Co have so cornal porridge."
Luo Yirui sat up with so wariness in his eyes, glanced at the porridge, and remained silent.
Seeing this, the woman shook her head and pursed her lips, "Such a picky little thing; you don’t think I put rat poison in here, do you? Rat poison costs money; you’re not paying !"
Saying so, the woman placed the porridge on the table and put her hands on her hips, "Alright, porridge’s here for you; it’s up to you whether to drink."
Her husband brought back such a lad, but she still had to serve him; this lad’s attitude was unlikeable. What about city people; city people are just fussy!
User Comments
0 comments from readers