Chapter 13

The night was quiet, and the mountain wind blew across the grass, bringing the coolness of the grass and trees.

Zou Ping sat outside the tent, drawing by a small portable lamp, her sketchpad resting on her lap. Her hands traced the lines, and she occasionally glanced up at the sky. The stars were so bright they seemed unreal, as if they had been deliberately lit, each one arranged in a precise pattern.

She drew very slowly. It was the silhouette of a man. It was not detailed yet, only an outline. She relied on her memory and imagination to draw a little outline - the outline of Tang Yuchuan.

When she heard footsteps, she paused slightly and quickly hid the drawing board behind her.

"Are you hiding from me?" Mai Sheng approached, carrying a small bag. He glanced at her intentionally as he sat down. "I just saw you were alone with the light on, and wondered if you were hungry."

"I'm not that hungry." Zou Ping lowered her eyes and put her hands into her sleeves.

Mai Sheng opened the bag and handed over a paper package, saying casually, "But I see you didn't eat much tonight. If your appetite is poor, your body won't play along."

Zou Ping took it and smiled, "Thank you."

Mai Sheng stared at her for a few seconds, then spoke slowly, "Are you always used to being alone?"

She didn't deny it, nor did she admit it. She just said, "Not everything is suitable for excitement."

"Tsk." He chuckled softly, "You sound a lot like my high school Chinese teacher."

Zou Ping tilted her head to look at him.

"I don't mean it in a derogatory way." Mai Sheng shrugged. "She's pretty, but she's just too pure. It makes me want to mess with her."

Zou Ping coughed lightly and turned sideways to avoid the teasing.

Mai Sheng didn't pursue the question. Instead, he leaned aside and touched the grass on the ground with his toes. "What you just drew wasn't a star, was it?"

She said nothing.

"It's a person. I saw him." He smiled. "Don't be nervous. I don't know who it is."

Zou Ping paused, raised her eyes, and met his half-smiling eyes, which seemed to be a little drunken and a little imprudent.

Seeing that she didn't say anything, Mai Sheng lowered his voice a little and asked casually, "Have you always known that you are very attractive?"

She frowned slightly and didn't respond.

"What I mean is—" His tone changed, and his smiling voice suddenly became more sincere. "Sometimes you are as cold as water, and sometimes you are so gentle to children. I don't quite understand you, but... I really want to be closer."

Zou Ping paused for two seconds before slowly saying, "I've never been in love."

Mai Sheng raised an eyebrow in surprise, "So... am I lucky or unlucky now?"

She pursed her lips and smiled, "But I have someone I like."

The air was silent for a moment.

Mai Sheng, however, didn't show any expression of disappointment. He just smiled softly, as if he had a premonition and was prepared for it: "Oh - then he has to act quickly, otherwise I won't be too obedient."

"Don't you think that's a bit...cheeky?"

"Of course I do." He looked at her as if it was a matter of course, "But since you're just someone I like, it means I still have a chance."

Zou Ping was speechless for a moment, and her expression seemed to be a smile, but also like a soft sigh.

Mai Sheng sensed Zou Ping's seriousness and said, "Don't worry, I won't chase you to find out who it is, nor will I do anything to make you uncomfortable. But if one day you find that the person you like is not so reliable..."

He pointed a finger at her and tapped his shoulder gently, "I'm here, waiting for you."

"Thank you, Mai Sheng," she paused, her tone soft but steady, "but I don't want you to wait for me."

Mai Sheng raised an eyebrow, his smile still lingering, as if aroused by this remark. "Don't you think this statement could easily be misunderstood as a hint?"

"It's not a hint." She looked at him, her eyes clearer than before, "It's a real rejection. That 'person I like' isn't just empty talk. I'm not waiting for him to choose me, I've already chosen him."

Zou Ping paused and continued, "I like him. Whether he likes me or not, I like him. So, don't like me anymore. You will definitely meet someone better."

Mai Sheng didn't respond immediately. The night breeze blew over, and he let out a soft click, as if he had underestimated her seriousness.

"Why are you saying this so quickly?" His tone was like a complaint, but without any resentment. "Why don't you consider giving me some fantasy? Even a little bit?"

Zou Ping just shook his head, his expression was not hard, but there was no room for maneuver.

Mai Sheng lay back against the grass, his hands behind his head, looking at the stars above his head, a slight smile on his lips, as if he was trying to digest this clear disappointment, but also as if he was not going to be defeated by this setback at all.

After a few seconds, he said softly, "You don't have the final say."

Zou Ping looked at him sideways without saying anything.

"Love isn't something you can pronounce on," Mai Sheng said slowly. "If you reject me, that's your freedom. If I don't give up, that's mine. You really have no right to tell me whether to wait for you or not."

After he finished speaking, he smiled, raised his hand, and saluted heavenward. "But don't worry, I won't bother you, nor will I block your way. I'll just stand here and watch you."

Zou Ping listened, lowered his head and sighed softly, as if he felt that this man was unreasonable, but there was nothing he could do about it.

The night grew darker, and occasionally in the distant tents came the sound of children turning over, as if they had been kicked in a dream.

Mai Sheng stood up and pushed the bag closer to her again. His tone suddenly became serious: "Eat something. It's not advisable to waste food." After that, he turned and walked towards the tent.

"Hey!" Zou Ping wanted to argue about how the food that was forced upon her was considered a waste.

However, Mai Sheng just stopped, turned around and said, "I'm serious," and continued walking forward.

She didn't think about it anymore, but just smiled gently. The smile was not deep, but it was like the wind passing over the water, and in just a moment, it returned to calm.

After the microphone sound faded away, Zou Ping slowly pulled the drawing board back and placed it on her knees.

The moon hid in the clouds, but the starlight was still there, sprinkling mottled light on the paper.

She traced the unfinished outline bit by bit, as if afraid of disturbing something. The line from the ear to the side of the neck was simple and gentle, it was Tang Yuchuan's profile.

She had drawn him before, but she had never actually watched him draw, and this time was no different.

She painted him, as if she could only rely on those casual moments in her memory - the slight tilt of his head when he spoke, his eyes when he looked down at her, and the look on his face when he sat on the sofa in deep thought.

Zou Ping painted each stroke very slowly. She felt that what she was painting was not a portrait, but something... her understanding of him.

The wind blew past, and the drawing paper trembled slightly. She suddenly felt a little sleepy, closed the drawing board, sat for a while, and looked at the night sky.

As the night deepened, the wind on the grass grew cooler and the tent gradually grew quieter.

Occasionally there were the chirping of insects, but even the children's talking in their dreams seemed to be wrapped in the darkness, deep and silent.

Zou Ping packed up his drawing board and just stood up to go back to the tent to rest when he suddenly heard a burst of footsteps and low, rapid voices in the distance.

"Xiao Rui is missing."

It was Shao Yiming from the next tent. His voice was not loud, but he was obviously panicked.

Zou Ping immediately turned around: "Xiao Rui is...?" She was a little unpredictable for a moment.

"Tang Junrui. When we called the roll, we found he wasn't back. We also looked for him in the tent..."

After hearing this, Zou Ping walked towards the tent and said, "Wake up all the children and check if anyone saw his last whereabouts. Teacher Shao, you guard this area first and don't let other children run around."

Mai Sheng also heard the commotion and came over quickly, his voice lowered. "I'll get a flashlight. The temperature in the forest is dropping. We need to search quickly."

Zou Ping didn't answer, but her decisive look made him follow immediately.

Twenty minutes passed, and after searching several nearby trails, there was no one by the stream.

The wind was getting colder, and the children in the tent area had been awakened. Some of the younger ones started crying. The teachers comforted them while continuing to count the number of people.

Zou Ping squatted down and checked a patch of grass. There was a little indentation there, but she quickly determined that it was just a mark left by someone stepping on it, and it didn't look like it was left by a child.

She stood up and glanced at her watch—a full forty minutes had passed since the last roll call.

"Teacher Shao, please keep an eye on the other children. Mai Sheng, continue looking to the southwest. I'll go to the top of the hill to check."

Mai Sheng nodded, without saying a word, and ran over with the flashlight.

As Zou Ping walked, she took out her cell phone and dialed 110. She quickly reported the specific location, the child's identity information, the time of disappearance, etc.

The police asked a few more questions about the child, and Zou Ping responded calmly. Every detail seemed to be holding the thread in her heart, fearing that it would break.

After hanging up the phone, the phone slipped into her palm. Her eyes suddenly became wet, but she blinked, trying hard not to let the tears fall.

She wiped it gently with the back of her hand and dialed Tang Yuchuan's number.

After the phone call was hung up, Zou Ping's shoulders trembled slightly, and there was a moist light in her eyes.

She held the phone tightly, hesitated for a moment, and finally dialed Tang Yuchuan's number.

The phone rang three times, and Tang Yuchuan's voice came from the receiver, a little hoarse with alcohol.

"Have you been drinking?" Zou Ping's voice suddenly softened.

"A little bit." Tang Yuchuan noticed Zou Ping's mood and guessed that she was looking for him late at night, most likely not just to exchange pleasantries. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"I... Tang Yuchuan, I lost my child." As soon as the words came out of her mouth, her voice began to tremble, and she suppressed the tears that wanted to fall.

Tang Yuchuan was silent for a few seconds, and his voice became more steady. "Don't worry, tell me the details. Have you called the police?"

She tried her best to calm herself down and explained the incident of calling the police and the situation in the camp one by one.

"The police will be here soon. Mai Sheng and the others have already started searching separately."

"You're doing great. Don't be afraid." Tang Yuchuan's voice was gentle, and Zou Ping felt reassured. "Since you've already called the police, just wait for them to arrive. Now you and Mai Sheng should divide the work clearly and search separately. Don't blindly expand the area. Be careful."

"Yeah." Zou Ping responded softly, her fingers tightly gripping the phone. She wished she could find Xiao Rui immediately. Even a tiny clue would alleviate this feeling of helplessness a little.

"I'll ask Secretary Miao to contact the camp management and possible search and rescue resources nearby. There's definitely not enough time to mobilize them immediately, but I'll tell you as soon as there's any movement." Tang Yuchuan's voice came over the phone.

"Yeah." Zou Ping's voice was a little choked, but she tried her best to sound strong. She silently told herself that she had to stay calm and strong, for the sake of the missing child and for all the people who depended on her in the camp.

"Pay attention to the battery level of your mobile phone. If you have a power bank, bring one with you so that we can keep in touch at any time. I will do my best to coordinate here, and everything will be solved." Tang Yuchuan continued to remind him.

"Yeah." Zou Ping's shoulders trembled slightly, and the moisture in her eyes finally couldn't help but slide down, "Tang Yuchuan... I..."

"Zou Ping, don't be afraid. I will contact more people immediately. You can hang up first." Tang Yuchuan's voice was still gentle but firm.

There was a moment of silence on the phone, but Zou Ping's finger didn't press the hang-up button, and neither did Tang Yuchuan.

"Tang Yuchuan..." Zou Ping suddenly spoke. This was probably the night she called his name the most.

"I'm here." Tang Yuchuan's tone was soft but powerful. "You can contact me anytime, by phone or WeChat."

"Yeah." Zou Ping said without giving herself a chance to hesitate. She knew that if she continued to procrastinate, she would be reluctant to leave. The most urgent thing was to let Tang Yuchuan go find someone first.

How far can a child run?

With so many people looking for you, can’t you hear anything?

Did something happen? Or was he hiding it on his own initiative?

Questions and worries filled Zou Ping's mind, but for a moment, she had no answer.