Fu Chenyuan took out his phone and instructed Chen Yan to prepare tickets for him and Jiang Wanning for 2 PM.

“It’s already eleven o’clock. We’ll take the highway to the airport, and Chen Yan will drive the car back. We’ll have lunch at the airport. I’ll make up for the big meal I owe you next time.”

"It's okay. I'm not hungry." Jiang Wanning really wasn't hungry; it was probably just that she was a little emotional.

“We met here back then,” Fu Chenyuan said with a smile.

Jiang Wanning's memory was a little hazy, but she remembered that the young man had very handsome features.

More than a decade ago, Jiang Wanning, who was about six years old, met Fu Chenyuan, who was over nine years old.

Xiao Wan Ning was strictly controlled in the Zhao family. When she was away from the Zhao family's sight, she was indulged by her parents and could run wild.

It was in this alley that she met Fu Chenyuan.

The young man picked up a steamed bun that someone had fed to their dog and stuffed it into his mouth, looking rather fierce.

She paused, startled, and stopped in her tracks.

The boy's face was covered in undried blood, obscuring his features. His hair was long, dirty, and matted, almost completely obscuring his face. He was very thin, skin and bones, except for his bright eyes, which stared intently at people as if they couldn't turn away.

A little over a decade ago, the tourism industry wasn't as developed as it is now.

Back then, people who could afford to travel would choose to go abroad.

There are few people in this village.

Some people also keep dogs, and the sound of dogs barking can be heard from time to time.

Xiao Wanning was stunned.

"Brother, it's dirty."

She said the steamed bun was dirty.

Unexpectedly, the boy seemed ashamed and hid the steamed bun behind his back.

She carried a small bag on her back, which contained bread, milk, and snacks prepared for her by her parents.

Without thinking, Xiao Wan Ning handed over the bag: "Brother, it's all food, here you go."

Seeing that he didn't move, she stepped forward and handed it to him.

"Here's some food for you. And there's money too, to buy lots and lots of food."

She tilted her head: "Why aren't you wearing shoes?"

Like a curious child, she felt no fear or disgust at all. She leaned closer to look and saw that he was barefoot, his ankles were bruised and broken, the blood had scabbed over but then fell off again, exposing the blood. Flies were landing on his wounds from time to time. Tears welled up in her eyes: "Does it hurt? Brother, it must hurt. Brother, I'll call a doctor for you. Brother, wait for me."

She put down her bag, turned around and ran.

By the time Xiao Wan Ning called Su's parents over, they were already gone.

At that moment, his pursuers arrived. Xiao Chenyuan, clutching Xiao Wanning's bag, ran desperately into the mountains and hid.

She had a lot of things in her bag, but he couldn't bear to eat them all. In the end, the bread got moldy, and he was afraid that if he didn't eat it, he really wouldn't be able to finish it, so he ate the bread with tears in his eyes.

She didn't recognize him, but he knew who she was. She called him "brother," which was so sweet.

He also longed to be her brother.

The boy's throat bobbed, and he managed to utter two words with difficulty: "Brother. Sister."

Little sister, little sister.

*

The two ate something at the airport and then boarded the plane.

There are other passengers in first class.

A well-dressed woman's eyes lit up when she saw Fu Chenyuan. Just as she was about to step forward, she met Fu Chenyuan's cold gaze, and her desire to strike up a conversation was instantly suppressed.

The woman gritted her teeth and bought a first-class ticket, hoping to take the opportunity to find a wealthy man.

Fu Chenyuan's clothes were of unknown brand, but the watch on his wrist was worth millions.

He's so young.

Such men often come from very wealthy or powerful families.

But Fu Chenyuan's eyes were terrifying. They looked as if he would tear her apart if she dared to take a step forward; they were the kind of eyes that looked like those of a wild beast.

The woman gave up her thoughts and turned her attention to other prey.

Jiang Wanning fell asleep shortly after the plane took off.

Fu Chenyuan asked the flight attendant for a light blanket to cover her up.

Fu Chenyuan watched Jiang Wanning for almost as long as she slept.

During the two-hour flight, Jiang Wanning didn't sleep very soundly, waking up after an hour.

After getting off the plane, the two hired a car, and Fu Chenyuan told him their destination.

When the driver heard that they were going to that village, he struck up a conversation with them.

"Where are you looking for someone?"

"No." Fu Chenyuan's voice was exceptionally cold; he would rather say a word less if he could.

The driver didn't mind at all; the two looked extremely wealthy and powerful, like celebrities. If they weren't looking for someone, what were they doing there?

"To be honest, if you were going to that village ten years ago, I definitely wouldn't have recommended it. But now, there's no need to worry. The police patrol the village from time to time. You wouldn't believe how terrifying that village is; it's a notorious hub for human traffickers. The wives and children in the village are all bought."

That village was too poor. There was no road access, so all the able-bodied people left, leaving behind only poor, lazy men or those who couldn't leave. They'd been poor for too long, and their hearts were impoverished too. Men beat their wives, parents beat their children, and eventually, the wives who could run away all left, leaving a bachelor to raise the children, who were often raised with beatings. Some were even abducted, and those were subjected to even more brutal abuse, as long as the children weren't killed.

Jiang Wanning felt Fu Chenyuan's body tense up, so she gripped his hand tightly and stopped the driver, saying, "Driver, let's not talk about this anymore."

Fu Chenyuan spoke up, "Let him speak."

The driver, still halfway through his story and not yet fully engrossed, abruptly changed the subject, his eyebrows dancing with excitement: "Later, I don't know who was so stubborn as to report it, but people from above were sent down to rectify the situation. They were ruthless and decisive, rescuing all the women and children in the village, helping them find their families and return home. This rectification process was no easy feat; it took a full three years!"

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