Following Gao Yang and Gao Lianzhou's description, Gao Mingcheng arrived at Renmin Road early in the morning and quickly noticed Grandpa Song and his group.
He walked straight over and asked, "Excuse me, is your surname Song?"
Grandpa Song nodded, looking at Gao Mingcheng: "You are..."
It was the first time I'd seen it, but for some reason it looked somewhat familiar.
"Hello, I am Lianzhou's great-grandfather," Gao Mingcheng said.
Grandpa Song was startled and stared at Gao Mingcheng, his eyes widening in surprise: "You are...you are..."
No wonder he thought he looked familiar; he often saw him on the evening news.
"General Gao?!"
Upon hearing this, the other elderly men also gathered around in delight.
Gao Mingcheng nodded: "Yesterday, I was fortunate to have your help in taking care of my great-grandson."
The old men chuckled and said, "It's alright, it's alright, that child is quite sensible."
After exchanging a few words, Gao Mingcheng casually asked, "I heard that a girl from the mountains often comes here to sell things?"
"You mean Xiao Xing? That's right. She's a very capable girl, it's not easy for her..."
The old men started talking all at once.
Gao Mingcheng silently remembered everything they said.
"...By the way, there's an old lady surnamed Hao on the street behind. I think she's a distant relative of hers. I even went to look for her last time. When I came back, I was crying my eyes out. I was so sad about what that old lady had gone through."
Gao Mingcheng was taken aback: "On the street behind... the old lady surnamed Hao..."
Just then, a familiar voice suddenly rang out from the side: "Second Brother Gao?"
Gao Mingcheng turned his head and looked over: "Xiuning?"
As soon as the elderly men saw Hao Xiuning, they all pointed at her and said, "That's her."
Hao Xiuning was startled by so many fingers pointing at her: "Me? What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry." Gao Mingcheng smiled apologetically at the old men and pulled Hao Xiuning away.
"What's wrong, Brother Gao?" Hao Xiuning asked, puzzled.
"It's nothing," Gao Mingcheng asked. "You live on that street behind?"
Hao Xiuning nodded and asked, "How did you come here? Did you come to see me?"
"I was just wandering around when I had nothing to do, and I just happened to come here," Gao Mingcheng said.
"What a coincidence! Would you like to come over to my place for a visit?" Hao Xiuning asked with a smile.
Gao Mingcheng shook his head: "No, I have to go somewhere else later."
"Never mind then." Hao Xiuning didn't take it to heart. "By the way, thank you, Second Brother Gao, for having Gao Yang send over the dried wild vegetables. They look just like the ones my mom used to dry."
Gao Mingcheng's eyes flashed.
It's probably not that simple...
"I'm glad you like it." Gao Mingcheng said, then asked, "Wasn't there a country girl dressed in a rustic style who came to see you a while ago?"
"How did you know?" Hao Xiuning looked at Gao Mingcheng in surprise. "Did you hear it from Hongfei?"
Gao Mingcheng was taken aback: "Hongfei knows too?"
Hao Xiuning nodded, her face full of anger, and said, "She looks exactly like Sister-in-law Zhao Zhao. She said she's a relative of Sister-in-law Zhao Zhao's side and even wanted to ask me about the whereabouts of your three children. I knew she wasn't a good person as soon as I heard that. When I asked, she was indeed from the Lin family. I don't know what kind of trouble they're planning this time. I immediately called Hongfei and told him to be careful. I didn't expect you to know about it too."
Gao Mingcheng's throat tightened: "What...what did you tell her?"
“I said they were all dead,” Hao Xiuning said. “She seemed very sad and upset; she was quite good at pretending.”
Gao Mingcheng pursed his lips tightly, his face solemn, and suddenly turned and left.
Hao Xiuning looked surprised and took two steps forward, asking, "Second Brother Gao, where are you going?"
Gao Mingcheng did not agree and quickly walked away.
Grandpa Song and the others surrounded them: "You're Xiao Xing's distant relative?"
Hao Xiuning frowned: "What distant relatives? I don't have any distant relatives."
The old men were stunned. They looked at each other, all with surprise.
No? Could it be that Xiao Xing is lying to them? Why? It doesn't make sense.
Gao Mingcheng went up the mountain again and arrived at the abandoned cellar.
The area has been cordoned off, and several police officers are investigating inside.
Gao Mingcheng walked straight in.
A police officer saw this and immediately shouted, "Hey, who are you? You can't just come in here. Get out."
Gao Mingcheng looked over.
Once the policeman recognized him, he immediately saluted: "General Gao."
Gao Mingcheng looked around and asked, "How's the investigation going?"
"Nothing unusual has been found yet," the policeman said. "We found tracks in the bushes behind the abandoned cellar, as if someone had been hiding there for a long time. But, you could say it was premeditated, since she only strangled a few people unconscious, not killing them. Although General Gao arrived just in time, she would have had plenty of time before that if she really wanted to. We asked the young men who were doing the live stream, and they all said they hadn't offended anyone recently. We don't know what her purpose is; we just don't understand."
Gao Mingcheng followed the police around the area and soon returned to the abandoned cellar, his brows furrowed.
She waited there all day, until it got dark, before she had to take action. Was it because they were blocking her way? So she had to clear the obstacles?
What did they do to bother her?
Gao Mingcheng's gaze swept around the surroundings and finally landed on the abandoned cellar.
He remembered that a father and daughter who had fled famine once lived here. He had seen them when he was a child, but after one of them died and the other disappeared, the place was abandoned.
What's so special about this place?
Seeing Gao Mingcheng staring intently at the cellar, the policeman smiled and said, "By the way, an old man came fishing yesterday morning and said he saw a ghost. A figure flashed into that cellar and suddenly disappeared."
Gao Mingcheng's eyes gleamed as he strode into the abandoned cellar.
That's the place.
On the other side, Xing Zhaozhao slept until late morning that day. Thinking about the thrilling day yesterday, she was still a little shaken. She stayed on the kang (a heated brick bed) for a while before getting up.
Hongfei and Hongyu aren't home; I wonder where they've gone off to cause trouble again. Anyway, Mom's home today, so they don't need to worry about their little sister.
On the stove in the kitchen, the small steamed buns that Hongfei had helped her steam were still warm in the pot. Xing Zhaozhao ate a little to fill her stomach, then carried Xiao Hongling down the mountain to deliver the ingredients to Aunt Zhao.
Just as I reached Aunt Zhao's house, I saw Old Man Gao and Old Woman Gao supporting each other as they slowly and unsteadily returned from the other end of the village. Neither of them looked well, and it seemed they had suffered a bit while they were detained by the police.
Seemingly sensing that someone was watching them, Old Man Gao and Old Woman Gao immediately looked up and looked in Xing Zhaozhao's direction.
Upon seeing Xing Zhaozhao, both of their eyes flashed with a fierce light. However, Old Man Gao quickly concealed it, while Old Lady Gao seemed to have no memory and wanted to rush over to settle scores with her, but Old Man Gao forcibly dragged her back.
Xing Zhaozhao shook her head speechlessly and knocked on Aunt Zhao's door.
When Aunt Zhao saw the fabric that Xing Zhaozhao brought over, her eyes lit up, and she even gave her an extra dollar, which was the market price.
However, Xing Zhaozhao estimated that even if she paid an extra dollar, she would still have gotten a good deal. She could foresee that this batch of materials would sell very well.
The next day, she disguised herself again, carrying the batch of fabric and some new socks, and went to the black market to find Brother Fei once more.
She never expected to meet Gao Mingzhi at Fei Ge's place.
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