"Teacher Qi, this is what you gave me when you asked me to save Old Ba, have you forgotten?"
Su Ruyi reminded me, "I was afraid you'd be hesitant if I didn't accept it, so I kept it for you first. Now it's returned to you intact!"
Qi Yasheng took the bankbook and scratched her head: "I... I really forgot."
Su Ruyi was immediately filled with respect—this several thousand yuan was all of Qi Yasheng's savings, and she had given it to someone else and forgotten about it in the blink of an eye!
Indeed, people who do scientific research are all somewhat "obsessed".
Seeing Su Ruyi's worried expression, Qi Yasheng asked, "Dr. Su, is there anything I can do to help with the person you mentioned you're looking for?"
Su Ruyi shook her head. This matter could not be known to Qi Yasheng or anyone in the Qi family.
However, Su Ruyi thought again that Qi Yasheng had many students. If she borrowed a few students to help, the efficiency would probably increase many times over!
Thinking this, she asked, "Do you have any free students you could lend me a few?"
Qi Yasheng nodded hurriedly and said, "Students? I have too many on hand. Shall I help you find someone?"
Su Ruyi nodded.
Qi Yasheng immediately agreed: "How many do you want?"
Su Ruyi pondered for a moment: "Would three be alright?"
"Are three enough?" Qi Yasheng asked, as if he actually had a large number of students in his hands.
Su Ruyi said, "I need three clever and obedient young men to help me find people for half a month. I'll give them two yuan a day as a subsidy, based on the duration of half a month!"
Qi Yasheng scratched his head: "Two yuan a day? My students will probably fight tooth and nail for that spot!"
"The two yuan includes the cost of food and transportation, so it doesn't amount to much in the end," Su Ruyi added.
Qi Yasheng grinned and said, "Okay! I'll bring the student over this afternoon!"
Su Ruyi was overjoyed: "That's wonderful! Teacher Qi, you've really helped me a lot."
Qi Yasheng shook her head: "We don't have much else in our research institute, but we have the most free students. What's so busy about this? Those guys will definitely fight tooth and nail for it."
Just as I expected.
When Qi Yasheng arrived in the afternoon, she brought four students with her.
He glanced at the four people and smiled helplessly at Su Ruyi, "These four are like leeches that I can't shake off no matter what! As for which three to choose, Dr. Su, they are all fresh blood in our institute, full of enthusiasm. You can decide for yourself!"
Su Ruyi looked at the four clever-looking young men and scanned their faces.
All four men stood upright with their chests out and their hands placed on their trouser seams, almost holding their breath.
Su Ruyi smiled: "Then let them all stay."
The young men cheered and said in unison, "Thank you, Teacher Qi! Thank you, Teacher Su! Please assign us a task, Teacher Su!"
Qi Yasheng dropped off the group and then went to get busy.
Su Ruyi divided the more than 300 villages into five areas and assigned them to each young man. Then, Su Ruyi distributed a week's worth of subsidies and explained that whoever found someone named "Zhang Ruyi" would receive an extra five yuan!
The four young men were all eager to get started.
Half a month passed in this way, and all 300-plus villages in the suburbs of Beijing had been thoroughly investigated.
One of the young men found two "Zhang Ruyis," and Su Ruyi herself also found one.
So, a total of three girls named "Zhang Ruyi" were found, and they were all around 15 years old!
The one that Su Ruyi found herself was basically ruled out by her.
The little girl looks very much like her mother, almost like they were made from the same mold, but she has no resemblance to Qi Yaqin and Qiao Renhai.
If we rule out this one, then one of the two "Zhang Ruyi" the young man found must be the real one.
These two "Zhang Ruyi" are from Liuying Village and Hekou Town, respectively.
Su Ruyi hadn't expected to go to town to look for someone.
Based on her memories from her previous life, Su Ruyi judged that the "Zhang Ruyi" in Liuying Village was more likely the real Qiao Tianyue.
She secretly went to Liuying Village.
However, Zhang Ruyi from Liuying Village doesn't look like Qi Yasheng at all, nor does she resemble Qiao Renhai. She looks more like her own father.
Furthermore, no one in the village had ever heard that the child was adopted.
Su Ruyi arrived at Hekou Town somewhat disheartened; it was her only hope.
According to intelligence, "Zhang Ruyi" in Hekou Town is actually a worker!
They were workers who got their jobs through proper examinations and worked at the grain station!
Su Ruyi remembered very clearly that Qiao Tianyue's husband was a farmer.
How could a worker at a grain depot marry a farmer?
With her last hope, she went to the grain station to inquire, but the workers there said that Zhang Ruyi had taken a week's leave and returned to her rural hometown.
Su Ruyi found out the address; it was a village called "Zhangqiao Village" in the far suburbs of Beijing.
The moment the word "suburbs" came out of the person opposite her, it exploded in Su Ruyi's mind—yes, in her previous life, the reports had described it as "suburbs of Beijing"!
She, however, automatically substituted "far suburbs" for "suburbs," doing so much useless work!
At this moment, Su Ruyi was extremely grateful that the clever young student had thought of going to town to look for someone.
She went directly to Qi Yasheng, took fifty yuan, and asked him to give it to the student.
...
Zhangqiao Village is a small village with very poor transportation.
The entire village is firmly nestled between a large river and small hills behind it, making it almost seem like a plain.
The only connection between the village and the outside world is a stone bridge.
This bridge is said to have been built several hundred years ago by a kind-hearted man surnamed Zhang.
The most common surname in Zhangqiao Village is Zhang.
Su Ruyi found the village chief, showed him her official letter of introduction, and was immediately given a warm welcome.
Her excuse was still to investigate the living conditions of educated youth sent to the countryside.
The village chief had no suspicions.
When Su Ruyi suggested staying at the house with the apple tree in the yard not far away, the village chief had no doubts and arranged it according to her request.
The village chief had no idea that she had inquired beforehand and that it was Zhang Ruyi's yard.
The village chief led Su Ruyi into the courtyard and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Dehui!"
Zhang Ruyi's father, Zhang Dehui, was a dark-skinned and robust man.
He came out to greet her, and when he saw Su Ruyi, he was a little flustered.
The village chief pointed to Su Ruyi and introduced her, saying, "This is Cadre Su from Beijing. She came to our village to investigate the living conditions of the educated youth, and we've arranged for her to stay at your house!"
Before Zhang Dehui could speak, a very thin peasant woman lifted the curtain from a nearby room, poked her head out, and spoke with a troubled expression.
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