Cheng Yue thought she was right. People only eat pickled vegetables or dried vegetables when there are no other vegetables available in winter. Who would eat pickled vegetables when there are fresh vegetables to eat?
Xiao Yunying said, "Don't think about it anymore. I'm leaving first. I'll go to Huiweilou to see how they're doing. I'll go back early this afternoon. Just have someone deliver the jars, cabbage, and garlic to my house."
"Then I won't keep you any longer. Go quickly, don't delay important matters."
She followed the alley to the main road, and halfway there, she seemed to sense someone following her.
Looking back, there was no one there.
The feeling of being stared at was too strong for Xiao Yunying to believe; she quickened her pace, quickly exited the alley, and entered Huiweilou without looking back.
Chen Yuancheng was directing everyone in the lobby to carry tables and chairs inside when he saw Xiao Yunying arrive. He wanted to greet her, but noticed that her expression was off and her steps were hurried.
"Yun Ying, what's wrong?"
"I feel like someone is following me."
Chen Yuancheng's smile faded slightly. He looked outside but found nothing unusual. He then said to Ling Qi, "Carefully search the surroundings and see if there are any people behaving strangely."
Ling Qi responded and went out. He returned shortly afterward and said, "Young Master, there is nothing unusual around here."
"Find more people and thoroughly investigate the surrounding area."
Xiao Yunying waved her hand: "Forget it, I must have been mistaken."
She only felt that someone was following her, but she didn't actually find anyone strange.
When someone is staring intently at you, a person who is sensitive to their surroundings will notice it, and Xiao Yunying is such a sensitive person.
But she couldn't be sure that her feeling was right, so she didn't want to trouble others to run around because of her words.
Chen Yuancheng said seriously, "It may not be a misperception. You know, in the past few months, a lot of young women and children under the age of ten have gone missing in Donglin City."
Xiao Yunying leaned against the new counter, trying to catch her breath: "The authorities haven't found out which gang did it yet?"
How do you know it's a gang?
Chen Yuancheng's tone wasn't one of doubt, but simply curiosity about the reason for her certainty.
"Of course it was a gang crime. How could one person abduct so many people? The children and women were quite strong when they resisted."
So many people went missing without a single clue being noticed, and not a single mistake was made. This indicates absolute control. The prerequisite for absolute control is to completely incapacitate people, such as by using drugs, which is more reliable than simply tying them up with ropes. Incapacitated people require human labor to move them, and transporting them out of the city is even more difficult; one person cannot do so much.
A month ago, the number of soldiers guarding the four city gates suddenly increased. Xiao Yunying asked Chen Yuancheng and found out that it was because of the missing persons.
The government did not ignore the matter; they had already begun investigating it, but they did not make it public and were conducting the investigation in secret to avoid alerting the perpetrators.
Unfortunately, in this ancient era without surveillance or any high-tech aids, investigating cases relied entirely on manpower, which was extremely difficult without any clues.
As more and more girls and children went missing, they changed their approach and began a thorough investigation openly. A month ago, they increased security at the four city gates, and every passing carriage was checked before being allowed to pass, whether it was entering or leaving the city.
The government's actions are intended to deter kidnapping gangs. Since they can't find the people they lost before, they should at least ensure that no one is lost again.
It's almost Chinese New Year, and they just want to have a peaceful holiday.
It does have some effect, but not much.
After a quiet period of more than half a month, the kidnapping gang started operating again.
A few days ago, two more families reported to the authorities that their sons had gone missing, one was three years old and the other was five years old. Both were lost at their own doorsteps, only one day apart. No one saw the process of them going missing and no clues could be found.
The kidnapping gang was experienced and chose the right season. In the cold winter, apart from the children who were resilient and liked to play in the snow outside, the adults rarely went out unless necessary, so there were few eyewitnesses.
Chen Yuancheng said, "You're right. Just in case, don't wander around the city alone lately. If anything happens, call me along."
"It can't be that bad."
Xiao Yunying scratched her forehead. Could it be that she had really been targeted by a human trafficking gang?
"How could it not be? You are still a woman, it's better to be cautious."
Xiao Yunying said nonchalantly, "No need. I'm not as weak as you think. I have ways to protect myself."
So what if they've got their eyes on her? Although she didn't dare to say she wasn't afraid, she wasn't so afraid that she wouldn't dare to go out either.
She's not just a girl who only knows how to embroider; she can also pick up an axe. If anyone dares to mess with her, she won't hesitate to crack their skull open.
Besides, she owns a supermarket. If all else fails, she can hide inside the supermarket. Anyway, there's no way to catch her.
Chen Yuancheng noticed her indifference: "The screens have already been placed in all the private rooms. After the tables and chairs are set up, the renovation of Huiweilou will be completely completed. You don't need to come starting tomorrow. There are still more than ten days until the New Year. You can stay at home and have a good New Year. We can talk about anything after the New Year."
Xiao Yunying thought for a moment, and realized that apart from the vegetables, there was really nothing else she needed to do: "What should I do with the vegetables? If I don't need them for the time being, can I sell them?"
The vegetables in her greenhouse were gradually ready to be harvested. If Chen Yuancheng didn't send someone to pick them up, she wouldn't be able to get them into the supermarket because she didn't have a suitable reason to explain the whereabouts of the vegetables to her family.
You might be able to get away with it once or twice, but if it goes on for too long, your family might start to have doubts.
Moreover, the villagers are all quite gossipy. They can chat for half a day about any little thing. If the oxcart hasn't come to pick up vegetables for a long time, some nosy women will definitely go to her mother to inquire. Even if her mother's family doesn't notice, they will find out after being reminded by others.
Xiao Yunying thought for a moment and explained, "Some vegetables can't be stored for long and will rot. We can't finish them all at home. Don't worry, I won't sell them to other restaurants. I'll just sell them locally in the city and also advertise for Huiweilou, telling them that Huiweilou will reopen after the New Year."
What is advertising?
"Well... it means to spread the word widely, to get more people to come before the opening."
Chen Yuancheng couldn't bear to let her go into the city to sell vegetables in such cold weather: "No need, I will post a notice at the entrance of Huiweilou about reopening."
"The vegetables can be delivered directly to my house. It's the end of the year, and my parents will have a lot of social engagements, so this is perfect for entertaining guests. Crisp and tender vegetables are extremely rare this season, and they would also make a good gift. You know, compared to ordinary families in the city, they are Huiweilou's main customers."
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