Chapter 3 Looking for a Person

◎Where are the children? !◎

Zhou Qiaoxiu looked at Zhao Xiangwan, who was bending down to tie the buckle of her shoes, with a gleam of hope in her eyes.

Her colleagues in the family building all advised her not to question Meimei in order to shirk responsibility. Even her lover said that she was unfair to Meimei. Only Zhao Xiangwan firmly believed in her.

Zhao Xiangwan stood up. Her slender and tall figure was like a bamboo in the evening breeze, soft yet strong. She met Zhou Qiaoxiu's gaze and nodded, "Okay."

Zhou Qiaoxiu, who had just been irritated by her husband's attitude, gradually regained her senses. The girl in front of her had a small apple-shaped face, a full forehead, narrow eyes, deep eye sockets, and light eyes. Although she was not an exquisite beauty, she had a power that made people trust and feel at ease.

Zhou Qiaoxiu murmured, "Is Meimei lying? Is she doing this on purpose? Does she know where the baby is?"

After a series of questions, the neighbor who had not yet left was a little confused: "Teacher Zhou, what are you talking about? Meimei is still a child, how could she deliberately lose her sister?"

Zhao Xiangwan didn't explain anything, but whispered softly, "Teacher Zhou, do you have a bicycle? Let's go out and look for the baby now."

Some neighbors wanted to dissuade her, but seeing Zhou Qiaoxiu's firm attitude, they had no choice but to give up. They just shook their heads and didn't quite understand. By the way, they also had some opinions about Zhao Xiangwan who supported Zhou Qiaoxiu. Even when Zhou Qiaoxiu pushed her bicycle out of the corridor and Zhao Xiangwan sat on the back seat and left together, the people behind them were still talking.

"It's no wonder that she doesn't like the adopted daughter since her biological daughter is missing."

"Don't be fooled by Teacher Zhou's usual claims of treating everyone equally, but at critical moments, the closeness and distance between the two sides becomes apparent."

"Why is this female student joining in the fun? It's so late and Teacher Zhou has to go out to look for someone. She is so ignorant."

"I think I taught her before. She was a freshman in the criminal investigation department. She should have been in Mr. Zhou's class, right? But she didn't talk much and I don't remember her name."

Late in the night of October, Zhou Qiaoxiu rode out of the gate of Public Security University. Under the street lights, she looked at the road in front of her in a daze: "Where should I go?"

Zhao Xiangwan held onto the bicycle seat and said a target direction: "The back door of Benlong Park."

The baby got lost this morning. The couple who owns the snack shop probably didn't take the child away from Star City so quickly, after all, they still have business to run.

Recalling the conversation between Zhao Xiangwan and Meimei just now, Zhou Qiaoxiu seemed to see a ray of hope. She became energetic all over and pedaled hard to increase the speed of the bicycle.

"Zhao Xiangwan, you just asked Meimei a few questions. How can you tell that she is lying?"

"She avoided eye contact, repeated herself mechanically, and used crying to cover up the truth... Meimei is definitely not an innocent child."

"What about the back door of the park and the snack shop?"

"I deliberately gave her multiple choices. When she encountered a choice related to real behavior, Meimei's eyes would subconsciously look to the right. In this way, she could keep getting closer to the truth."

Zhou Qiaoxiu heard Zhao Xiangwan's calm answer and felt distressed for some reason: "Zhao Xiangwan, you are only eighteen years old, how can you be so meticulous and delicate?" Only children who are raised in a pampered way will be naive and simple. Zhao Xiangwan is so precocious, she must have experienced a lot of hardships in her childhood.

The night wind blew, ruffling Zhao Xiangwan's hair. She lowered her head, her thoughts drawn back to the past.

She is the third child in the family and a twin with her fourth sister Zhao Chenyang, but they are treated differently. Zhao Chenyang plays every day, while she starts doing farm work before she even reaches the stove. Zhao Chenyang is sweet-mouthed and pretty, and is loved by her parents, while she is introverted, honest, and unpopular.

After being accidentally struck by lightning at the age of ten, Zhao Xiangwan acquired the ability to read minds.

The younger sister hugged her and cried: Sister, I am so worried about you~

[Even thunder can’t kill you? You are such a loser! ]

Mom sighed: What books to read? Our family is poor.

[I won’t let you use the money even if I have it. ]

Dad: Don’t compare yourself with your fourth sister, I like you the most.

【If you are not your own child, you cannot raise him well. 】

Zhao Xiangwan finally realized that "the elder sister should give way to the younger sister" and "the family is poor and can't let you go to school" were all lies! Her parents were partial to her only because she was not their biological child.

"Zhao Xiangwan, Zhao Xiangwan?" Zhou Qiaoxiu's call brought Zhao Xiangwan back from his memories.

"Teacher Zhou, if a child is not your biological child, is it really impossible to raise him/her well?" Perhaps it was the darkness that eliminated the barriers between people, or perhaps it was because of Zhou Qiaoxiu's strong maternal love, Zhao Xiangwan finally opened up a little and asked the doubt hidden in his heart.

Zhou Qiaoxiu was stunned for a moment, thought for a moment, and answered seriously: "It depends on the nature of the person. A child who knows how to be grateful will respect his parents even if they are not his biological children; but a child who is greedy by nature will not be satisfied by any amount of love."

Zhao Xiangwan hummed softly, "Teacher Zhou, Meimei...it might be the latter."

Although she was prepared, Zhou Qiaoxiu still felt heavy-hearted when she heard these words. She had raised Meimei from the age of five to eleven, and she had brought her so much joy during those six years. But now she had to admit that this child was an ungrateful person. She couldn't get over it.

"Even if they are sisters, parents can't treat them equally. Meimei is eight years older than the baby and is already in primary school. Can't I take care of the baby a little more in life? How can Meimei be so ungrateful and cruel?"

Zhao Xiangwan raised his eyes and looked into the distance. The street lights stretched and shortened the shadows of the two people and the car. It was quiet everywhere, with only the autumn insects chirping softly in the grass.

"Perhaps you are right. Under the same circumstances, people with different personalities will make different choices."

After saying this, the two of them said no more. The only sound on the empty road was the sound of Zhou Qiaoxiu's bicycle.

Finally, we arrived at the back door of the park. Usually, there are many stalls and vendors here, but now it is dark and there is nothing. Zhou Qiaoxiu raised her hand to look at her watch. At this time, she realized a problem: it was already midnight, everyone turned off the lights and went to sleep. Where can I find the baby?

Zhao Xiangwan was not discouraged. He pointed to a large residential building in front of him and said, "The police should have asked everyone near the back door. Let's go through this neighborhood and find the snack shop first."

Zhou Qiaoxiu has the maternal qualities that Zhao Xiangwan longs for, gentle, kind, and loving. Zhao Xiangwan is willing to accompany her to look for her child late at night. Maybe... one day he can also find his biological mother and enjoy the belated love.

Zhou Qiaoxiu pushed the bicycle and Zhao Xiangwan walked on her left. The two walked through the community and along an alley. When they came to the third shop on the street, they looked at the sign of "Xiaoyan Fried Food Shop" hanging above the shop and looked at each other.

"Is this the one?" Zhou Qiaoxiu asked.

Zhao Xiangwan couldn't confirm, frowned, and didn't nod. From Meimei's voice, she only knew that it was a fried melon seed shop in the alley behind the old neighborhood behind the park's back door, but she didn't know which one it was.

Thinking that the baby might be in this house, Zhou Qiaoxiu went forward and knocked on the door without worrying about disturbing others.

Zhao Xiangwan held her back and shook his head: "Teacher, don't worry, let's find all the snack shops first and then knock on their doors."

The two of them walked around quickly and found three snack shops in the alley.

Zhao Xiangwan pointed to the "Wu Ji Fried Food Shop" closest to the intersection and said, "Let's go with this one." There was a mop at the door of the store, and when you got closer you could smell a sour milky smell, as if it was the smell of a baby.

Zhou Qiaoxiu was anxious. When she heard that it was this house, she didn't think much about it and just went up and knocked on the door.

Old-style shops all have wooden doors, with the shop in the front and the residence in the back. At first, the knock on the door was not loud, and there was no movement inside, so Zhou Qiaoxiu had to knock harder.

"Woof! Woof! Woof!" A burst of dog barking rang out, and the alley suddenly became lively.

"Squeak--" Someone opened the door from the opposite side, and a man in a coat cursed angrily: "It's the middle of the night, why are you making so much noise!"

Zhou Qiaoxiu ignored the people around her and continued to knock on the door heavily.

Finally, a ray of light leaked out from the crack of the door, and the sound of slippers tapping on each other could be heard from inside. A woman's voice came from the other side of the door: "It's closed. Come back tomorrow if you have anything to do."

Zhou Qiaoxiu's heartbeat was getting faster and faster. She kept silent and pounded the wooden board with her clenched fist.

The wooden boards were smashed and made a clanging sound. The owner of the shoe store opposite was so annoyed that he yelled at the top of his voice: "Open the door quickly, if you have something to say, just talk about it. Don't disturb me while I'm sleeping."

Finally, a piece of the door panel was removed. Under the dim light, a middle-aged woman with dishevelled hair poked her head out and yawned as she asked, "Who is it? What's the matter?"

Zhao Xiangwan looked at him intently, quickly stretched out his right hand, grabbed the other person's wrist, and shouted: "Where is the child?!"

The woman was suddenly grabbed by Zhao Xiangwan's arm. She panicked and struggled to break free while asking, "What are you doing? Robbery?!"

Zhao Xiangwan took out his student ID from his pocket and flashed it: "We are from the Public Security University. Where is the little girl you brought home today?"

The student ID card of Hunan Public Security University has white letters on a green background. The golden shield logo in the center is particularly dazzling under the dim light and has a natural warning and intimidating power.

The woman was just a small trader, so she couldn't tell the difference between a student from the Public Security University and a police officer. When she saw the ID, her pupils shrank, her face turned pale, and she turned around with trembling lips and shouted into the house, "Old Wu, Old Wu, come out quickly."

[Damn it, how did they get discovered? This little girl is pretty, but she cries so easily. I finally coaxed her to sleep by mixing wine in her milk, but why did the police come?]

Zhao Xiangwan was shocked. Milk mixed with alcohol? Drinking alcohol would be harmful to a three-year-old child. How could she dare to do that?

Zhao Xiangwan increased the strength of his hands, and the woman grimaced in pain and screamed: "It hurts, it hurts..."

Zhao Xiangwan was born in a farming family. She started standing on a small stool at the age of six. She was responsible for feeding several pigs at home. She carried two heavy buckets of pig food every day and walked very quickly, which helped her develop great strength.

"The little girl you took in is a member of our police force. If you don't hand her over, you will be charged with human trafficking!"

Zhou Qiaoxiu heard Zhao Xiangwan's resolute tone. When she thought of her daughter in there, how could she hold back? Without waiting for a response from the house, she quickly removed a door panel and walked into the store, assisted Zhao Xiangwan in subduing the woman, and turned around and rushed to the back of the store.