It was only then that Xiao Jiu truly witnessed how rigorous, meticulous, and subtle the methods of inquiry were in this era.
If she hadn't been quick-witted and hadn't considered countless possibilities before returning, she could easily have fallen into the trap they had set.
Xiao Jiu's words were half true and half false. She really did meet Zhou Yue by chance at the cave entrance and really witnessed Zhou Yue jumping into the sea and climbing onto the boat.
As for Zhou Xing, she shook her head to indicate that she didn't know, and also mentioned her sister, saying that she went to deliver a letter and had never seen them since.
“Since you had the guts to run right up to the cave, it means you care about them. So how could you possibly stay put on the beach for eight days? Aren’t you worried about them? As for the place you mentioned, we will go and see it. Not only will we go, but we will also investigate it carefully. I hope you will think this through carefully, my little girl.”
"I was worried about them, so I went to the cave because at that time I didn't know that even the villagers here were problematic."
"And they've boarded the ship, how am I supposed to chase after them? That's the sea, the vast ocean! You want me to jump in and chase them? Is that even possible?"
As Xiao Jiu spoke, she became angry. "Why did we wait at the beach for so many days? You should ask that! Why were you so slow to come and rescue them? You ask me where my brothers went? How would I know? All I know is how much I've suffered these past few days. Now all I want is to have a good meal, take a shower, and see them safe and sound. We can't have done so many good deeds only to end up being detained and interrogated, can we?"
"Young comrade, please don't get agitated,"
How could Xiao Jiu not be agitated? "It's been a whole day, and you've been repeating the same things over and over again. I've said it so many times, yet you still keep asking me the same questions. I'm wondering, do you think I can come up with all sorts of new and interesting things to say? Or do you think I'm lying? That there's something wrong with me?"
"Where are my brothers? Since you said they've already arrived on the island, where are my two older brothers? Where is my sister? My sister should be waiting at the guesthouse after she sent the message, right? I wanted to go find her, but I didn't dare. My brother said there's something wrong with the villagers, so I don't dare to wander off. I can only stay here and wait for him."
But I waited so many days, and he still didn't come back. I couldn't wait any longer, and I couldn't hold on any longer, so I secretly ran away and came back. I've told you everything I needed to tell you, what more do you want from me?
When asked if she had noticed any passing boats or people rowing alone during her many days at the beach, Xiao Jiu shook her head directly.
"No, it's so cold at the beach during the day that I hide in the thatched hut. It's even colder at night. Even though I'm covered in grass, it's still not enough to keep out the biting wind. My nose is stuffy and my voice has changed. Didn't you notice?"
Thankfully, her body cooperated; at the crucial moment, she really fell ill, and as her cold worsened, she developed a high fever by nightfall.
The questioning of her at the station was almost over. The female police officer accompanied her to the hospital, but she didn't tell anyone about her older brother and sister.
"Once the investigation is complete, the person will naturally go back, or you can go home first?"
Xiao Jiu refused, saying, "You're joking. How can two seriously injured people be thinking about going home before they've reported that they're safe?"
As for Sister Cuimei, she wasn't worried at all. In fact, her staying would make it easier for them to send her messages at any time.
When the tension subsided and her body relaxed, Xiao Jiu, who usually had a very good constitution, suddenly couldn't control herself and collapsed, developing pneumonia after repeated high fevers.
She was originally planning to stay in a guesthouse, but now she's been hospitalized, and the police have completely stopped suspecting her.
It's not something anyone can fake to stay healthy for so many days and then fall ill as soon as they get back.
She was hospitalized alone, and the hospital arranged for nurses to take good care of her, and the nurses also bought her three meals a day.
This was a loneliness Xiao Jiu had never experienced before; in the dead of night, she would even secretly shed tears.
Fortunately, her fifth sister didn't keep her waiting too long. She appeared at her bedside on the second night after she was admitted to the hospital with a fever.
Upon seeing his loved ones, the strong little guy could no longer hold back his tears. His usually lifeless face was filled with grievance as he hugged Tang Cuimei and cried his heart out. Even the policewoman who had come along felt a lump in her throat and sighed in sympathy.
They're still just kids; they've never experienced anything like this before.
Come to think of it, they didn't originally come here to see the sea for tourism?
Who could have imagined it would end up like this?
Getting caught up in some unclear controversy?
Perhaps, they are the most innocent ones.
Once there were no outsiders left in the ward, Xiao Jiu wiped away her tears and, in a hoarse voice, whispered to Tang Cuimei.
"Sis, how are you? Are you alright?"
Cui Mei shook her head. "I'm fine. After delivering the letter, I was protected by Director Cai. Then he sent people to investigate the fishing village. I was shocked by what I found. I learned from him that there were many missing people in the village, but I didn't expect that the locals had all been replaced by Dieter who had gone undercover."
It's been chaotic here these past few days. Local armed forces are clashing with the fishing villages, resulting in countless deaths and injuries. Didn't you see more checkpoints when you came back?
Xiao Jiu exclaimed in surprise, "No wonder they asked me if I heard anything. Luckily, I reacted quickly and guessed that something might have happened between you and them, so I said I heard it. Because I heard it, I was so scared that I hid and didn't dare to show my face. Later, when it quieted down, I dared to return to the town. I sneaked back at night and saw that there were guards, so I tried to get around them, but I didn't expect to be taken away directly."
“I’ve been helping to save people in the makeshift hospital these past few days. They don’t seem to be wary of me, especially since I’m a medical student. My techniques are clean and efficient, and I’m more reliable than the doctors at the hospitals below. They need me, so they’re giving me good food and drinks. It’s just tiring; I can only sleep a few hours a day.”
Xiao Jiu only discovered after being hospitalized that the clinic had very few doctors and nurses; it turned out they had been transferred out.
It's fortunate that they were separated, otherwise it would have caused a huge impact!
When the two sisters asked the Zhou Xing and Zhou Yue brothers in unison, and saw that they both shook their heads, their gazes unconsciously became serious.
"Won't they be in danger if they go to the island?"
After much deliberation, Xiao Jiu decided to recount the process of her treatment.
"I haven't heard of them since I arrived on the island, and I don't know where they went."
Tang Cuimei caught the key point: "You mean, you've come to the island too? My God, how dare you?"
Xiao Jiu sighed and explained the situation on the island. Tang Cuimei couldn't help but give her a flick on the forehead.
"You're incredibly reckless! Aren't you afraid something might happen? You dare jump from such a high place? Aren't you afraid of hitting the rocks?"
Tang Cuimei became increasingly frightened as she thought about it, but Xiao Jiu felt that this was not the main point. The main point was that the Japanese devils were using their own people for human experiments.
"You know what, sis? On that island, every night there's the smell of burning corpses. That smell... ugh... I can't even think about it, it makes me want to throw up."
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