Sisi hurriedly rushed to the Green Home office, which was actually a small courtyard contributed by Sisi herself. It served both as an office and a place to provide acmodation for some staff from out of town.
"What’s going on? Xiao Wang, explain it again carefully." Sisi asked a young girl who looked distressed.
Xiao Wang was a recent university graduate, considered a full-time staff member of the Federation. The Federation had a total of five full-time employees. Xiao Zhang from yesterday was one of them, along with a finance person and two administrative staff members.
Xiao Wang worked internally at the office, mainly answering the phone and keeping records, while Xiao Zhang and the other two staffers worked externally and were generally not at home.
Xiao Zhang was in the Capital City these past days because most of the photos for the exhibition were taken by him. He had discovered a pesticide pany in H City, F Province, that was a joint venture between the local government and R Country.
This pany used outdated technology and equipment that had been discarded by R Country, producing pesticides that had long been banned there. R Country had transferred this technology to Z Country and even set up a joint venture pesticide pany in F Province—Yinong pany, specializing in producing this pesticide code-named ’HM’ (let’s use letters to represent it).
Xiao Zhang learned about this pany through a tip-off from an informant, a local fruit farmer’s wife in H City, F Province. Her husband used ’HM’ to spray their fruit trees last summer. A few hours after spraying, he experienced headaches and nausea and passed away before reaching the hospital. Other farmers in their village also died from using this pesticide, and those who survived were severely harmed.
The families of these deceased farmers received only meager pensation from Yinong pany, and despite their protests, nobody helped them. The government ignored them and labeled them as troublemakers, while local thugs frequently harassed and intimidated them.
Frightened, these honest farmers resigned themselves to stop making trouble. The farmer’s wife who called was in utter despair, and it was her eldest son, still in junior high, who suggested they call Green Home, hoping it might help.
Thus, Xiao Zhang went to H City, F Province.
After investigating and confirming the farmer’s wife didn’t exaggerate, Xiao Zhang, with the villagers’ help, took many photos of Yinong pany. He even disguised himself as a local villager to enter the factory, capturing images of the outdated equipment and the production activities of the workshop workers.
Most of this exhibition consisted of Xiao Zhang’s photos and some patients’ medical records and autopsy reports provided by the family members. Though they were intimidated, they still hoped for someone to stand up and seek justice for them.
The five-day exhibition stirred up a storm in society, drawing fierce condemnation from the public, making it highly effective.
Unexpectedly, just as the exhibition ended, something happened to Xiao Zhang and Xiao Liu. Could it be related to this exhibition?
"Mr. He, Brother Zhang has been sleeping with me the past few days. Last night he didn’t e back until eleven, and I thought he was busy at the exhibition hall, so I slept without waiting for him. But this morning I realized Brother Zhang hadn’t returned all night, and then Xiao Liu didn’t show up for work. Sister Wang called Xiao Liu’s home and found out Xiao Liu was also out all night. That’s when we realized something was wrong and called you, Mr. He."
The speaker was a young man with a baby face named Shi Lei, whom everyone called Leizi. He had two small canine teeth. He and Xiao Liu were schoolmates, both voluntary students working at Green Home—a passionate and lovable boy.
Sisi checked her watch; it was already ten in the morning. If something happened to Xiao Zhang and Xiao Liu, it must have been between nine and midnight, when the streets were quieter and easier to act upon.
But why were they tidying up so late before going home?
It was all her fault; she should have reminded them more at the time. Sisi felt overwhelming guilt.
"Xiao Wang, stay here. Leizi, e with me to look for them." Acting swiftly, Sisi grabbed Shi Lei and rushed out.
Sisi first went to the Police Station. In recent years, because Green Home had appeared more in public, Sisi had bee somewhat of a public figure, known as the environmental activist granddaughter from Yun Mansion.
Although Xiao Zhang and Xiao Liu hadn’t been missing for 48 hours, Sisi’s influence was significant, and more importantly, she had connections, so the local Police Station still helped Sisi search for them.
Sisi and Shi Lei also drove to look for them. They first went to the exhibition hall, where they were told the two had left around seven.
"At seven, it would still be bright. Generally speaking, the main road should be safe. Xiao Zhang and Xiao Liu shouldn’t have any issues, right?" Sisi muttered to herself.
Shi Lei opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but hesitated.
"Hurry up and say it." Sisi shot him a glance.
Shi Lei shrunk his neck and quickly said, "Brother Zhang and Xiao Liu might be dating. Perhaps they went for a walk or to a movie, which led to them being late, and then..."
These two are dating?
Sisi was startled by this news, but with more urgent matters at hand, she had no time to dwell on it.
In this light, it seemed likely Xiao Zhang and Xiao Liu ran into trouble because they were late returning from a date.
The most important thing now was to find them. Who knew what had happened? Could their lives be in danger?
She fervently hoped the two lovebirds were just somewhere private, whispering sweet nothings to each other, though Sisi knew the likelihood of that was slim.
Her unease grew stronger. She and Shi Lei had scoured almost every nook and cranny of the Capital City. But the only clue they found at a cinema was that the two youths had watched a movie.
That was all they had.
During this time, Sisi’s pager buzzed; it was a call from Xiao Wang. Sisi found a public phone to return the call. Xiao Wang said Xiao Liu’s parents had shown up at the office, crying and demanding that Green Home return their daughter.
Sisi felt a headache ing on. She turned the car back toward the office, knowing that a young girl like Xiao Wang couldn’t handle two distraught middle-aged people on her own.
After finally calming Xiao Liu’s parents, Sisi felt utterly drained, even feeling disfort in her stomach. She hadn’t eaten since rushing here after getting out of bed; she had skipped two meals by now.
She asked Xiao Wang to cook some noodles for her and Shi Lei to fill their stomachs, planning to continue their search after eating. At the very least, they needed to find them alive or confirm their fates if they had passed.
Sisi had already prepared for the worst-case scenario!
Just as Sisi was halfway through her bowl of noodles, a call from the Police Station came through, saying Xiao Zhang and Xiao Liu had been found and had been taken to the hospital.
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