We arrived at the phone booth.

Jiang Yue parked the car on the side of the road, leaving Yao Hua to watch it, and went to make a phone call.

Jiang Yue took out the Lu family's phone number and quickly dialed it.

The phone rang several times before being answered.

Hello!

The voice on the other end of the phone was that of a very gentle woman.

This must be the Mrs. Lu mentioned in the information, right?

Jiang Yue spoke softly, "Hello, Auntie, my name is Qianqian!"

Qianqian?

Mrs. Lu frowned; she didn't recognize the girl named Qianqian.

However, she still asked in a gentle voice, "Hello Qianqian, who are you looking for?"

"Are you Lu Yinian's mother, Aunt Lu?"

Jiang Yue asked softly, her voice carrying a sweet smile that was very pleasant to listen to.

"So you're Yi Nian's friend!"

Upon hearing the other party mention her son's name, Mrs. Lu smiled and said, "I am Yinian's mother. Qianqian, are you calling to see Yinian?"

I'm sorry, Yi Nian went to City A these past few days and isn't home.

Not at home?

Jiang Yue's voice carried a hint of doubt.

"Auntie, Yi Nian took the earliest train back to Kyoto at dawn today. He should have arrived long ago. Hasn't he gone home yet?"

Hearing the worried and puzzled voice of the young girl on the phone, Mrs. Lu was slightly taken aback. "You mean Yi Nian came back early this morning?"

"Yes, he told me last night that he originally wanted to stay in City A for a couple more days, but after he came back last night, he suddenly told us that he had to go back to Kyoto today, and he seemed to be in a hurry."

My brother and I thought something had happened to him, and we were very worried about him, which is why we called you to check on him.

After Jiang Yue finished explaining, she asked, "Aunt Lu, has Yi Nian not come home yet?"

"That shouldn't be the case. I checked the train timetable; he should have arrived in Kyoto more than three hours ago."

Madam Lu's face was somewhat pale and she looked a little haggard as she listened to Jiang Yue's words with a furrowed brow.

After thinking for a moment, she said gently to Jiang Yue, "He hasn't come home yet. He might be held up by something else. Thank you for your concern for him, Qianqian."

"When Yi Nian comes back, I'll have him call you back."

"No need, Auntie. I secretly stole your phone number from my brother. If he finds out I secretly called you, he'll definitely scold me."

Please, you mustn't let Yi Nian and my brother know.

When Jiang Yue said this, her voice was tense, guilty, and a little worried.

It doesn't seem like an act at all.

"I called you mainly to check if Yi Nian got home, and also to tell him not to be afraid. That Lu Jing Nian isn't that scary, he's just a bit cold..."

Hearing Jiang Yue's previous words, Madam Lu assumed that the girl named Qianqian had secretly fallen in love with Lu Yinian. She shook her head and chuckled at the girl's crush.

When I was younger, I had a crush on her husband for a while.

However, when Jiang Yue mentioned Lu Jingnian's name, Madam Lu's smile froze instantly, and her expression changed drastically.

"What did you just say, Miss Qianqian?"

Lu Jingnian?

Did she mishear?

There's actually someone with that name?

Jiang Yue knew what Madam Lu wanted to ask, and she said with a smile, "I said that Battalion Commander Lu is a very good person and that Yinian doesn't need to be afraid. Battalion Commander Lu just looks a bit fierce."

Battalion Commander Lu?

As Mrs. Lu listened to Jiang Yue's answer, her hand holding the phone trembled. "Miss Qianqian, what was the name of this Battalion Commander Lu you mentioned?"

"Commander Lu's name is Lu Jingnian. Is there a problem, Aunt Lu?"

Jiang Yue's voice was full of doubt and naivety, "Speaking of which, Battalion Commander Lu and Yi Nian are quite destined, their names are only one character different. However, Yi Nian doesn't seem to like Battalion Commander Lu very much. When she saw Battalion Commander Lu, her face changed, she looked like she had seen a ghost..."

After saying that, Jiang Yue continued, "Aunt Lu, I have to go home now. Please remember not to tell Yinian that I called you."

After saying that, Jiang Yue hung up the phone without hesitation.

She had already given the clues and the seeds of suspicion to Madam Lu; now it was up to the Lu family to react.

After leaving the phone booth, Jiang Yue took Yao Hua to a department store, bought some things, and then went home.

...

Kyoto.

The Lu family.

The busy tone on the phone silenced all the questions Mrs. Lu hadn't had a chance to ask.

Mrs. Lu, holding the phone, seemed stunned, staring blankly at the telephone, her whole body trembling with excitement.

Lu Jingnian?

She hadn't heard that name in over twenty years.

Unexpectedly, more than 20 years later, she heard her son's name from a stranger. Does this mean that her son did not die back then?

Is her Ah Nian really still alive?

"Qintong, what's wrong?"

When Mr. Lu came over, he saw his wife standing next to the sofa, trembling and looking like she had gone mad, and his face changed color in fright.

"Qintong, what's wrong with you?"

Don't scare me, what happened?

"Don't keep it to yourself. Tell me what happened and I'll handle it."

Mrs. Lu looked at her husband, her previously unfocused gaze gradually regaining focus. The next second, she threw herself into Mr. Lu's arms, crying and excitedly, saying incoherently, "Old Lu, our son might still be alive."

No... he must still be alive, he must still be alive..."

Mr. Lu was a little confused. "Qintong, what are you talking about? Has something happened to Yi Nian?"

“It’s not Yi Nian, it’s Jing Nian. I just heard someone call his name. He must still be alive. Lao Lu, will you come with me to find A Nian?”

Shall we take him home?"

Mr. Lu understood this time, and his face darkened. Who had provoked his wife again?

The death of their son was the most painful thing for the couple. Even though he was living in pain, he could still maintain his rationality, but his Qintong could no longer bear such stimulation.

Thinking of his son whom he had only held a dozen times, Mr. Lu suppressed the urge to cry, gently helped Mrs. Lu to sit on the sofa, and tenderly comforted her.

"Qintong, Anian is long gone, let's not think about it anymore, okay?"

I called Yinian and asked him to come back and keep me company…

"I don't need anyone to accompany me."

Mrs. Lu pushed Mr. Lu away. "I want my child. I have my own child. You kept telling me he was dead, but which of you saw his body?"

I will never believe that Ah Nian is dead until I see his body.

If you won't come with me to find him, then I'll go by myself.