The cold wind howls; winter in the northern frontier is always like this, bitterly cold.
Most people know that life is tough in border towns, but the proximity to the grasslands offers tempting opportunities to get rich and change one's fate.
With more opportunities come more people, and there are quite a few people in this small county who are willing to spend money.
"Please, Madam, I'll give you back Long'er, I'll give anything, even my entire fortune."
The girl in the arms of the beautiful young woman had dark eyes and tilted her head to look at the woman crying and pleading with Cen's mother.
"You're from Jiangnan?"
Mother Cen was wearing a long coat and holding a hand warmer. The black fur on the coat made her face look pale and eerily white.
"How long did it take to travel from Jiangnan to the border town?"
"Our family has been on the move for a year, following the trail of human traffickers all the way here."
The woman's waist was slightly bent, conveying a sense of pleading to the person sitting in front of her.
Huo Xiaolong didn't quite understand. In this era of underdeveloped transportation, why would someone chase after a child who was only a few years old and with whom they had no emotional connection, from Jiangnan to the Northeast? Wasn't it said that the infant mortality rate was high in ancient times? If one died, just have another one, right? After all, contraception wasn't very advanced back then.
If we look at the map from my past life, yes, this is Northeast China.
"The traffickers were caught earlier this month. My husband and I asked the constables at the county government office. They said that the children who went missing during the New Year were all sold in the border town. We rushed here last month. Today, we were on our way to return some clothes in the red-light district when we saw Long'er outside..."
"Long'er, do you still remember your mother? Huh?"
The woman crouched down, wanting to touch the little girl's face, but then withdrew her hand as soon as it reached her face.
Her gaze was urgent, and her tears seemed endless.
It was different from when the older women in the building cried.
Some of them cried because of their bitter fate.
Some weep for their unfaithful lovers
The woman cried with heartache and guilt.
The little girl shook her head.
She doesn't remember, or rather, eight months ago, this body was given a different soul.
"When the little girl was brought over, she was given medicine. After waking up, she forgot everything except her own name."
Cen's mother put down the hand warmer and pinched her chubby little face again.
"Let's talk about this when someone in your family who can make decisions comes. She cost me a lot of money back then."
"May I ask, Madam..."
"Oh, Madam, please don't be in such a hurry."
Cen's mother looked a little unhappy; she didn't want to give the little girl back to her.
The maid following behind Cen's mother quickly came out and poured the woman a cup of tea.
The tea was hot, as fiery and anxious as the woman's heart.
"mom"
The little hand grabbed the fur near Mother Cen's neck and cried out.
"What's wrong, little girl?"
"I need to use the restroom!"
Cen's mother bent down and put the little girl on the ground. Her short legs moved incredibly fast, and she disappeared in a flash.
"Madam... did Long'er... did he speak just now?"
The woman's cotton-padded jacket had several patches and looked like it was made of only thin cotton. Her hands, which had finally warmed up a bit, were now trembling uncontrollably as she held the cup.
Mrs. Cen frowned and asked...
"Little girl must be four years old by now. Shouldn't kids that age already be talking?"
The woman couldn't stop crying again, she said.
"Long'er was completely still from birth, not even a cry. The family thought he was stillborn. Later, they had a doctor examine him, who said that not only could Long'er not speak, but he also had mental problems and might be mentally challenged for the rest of his life, remaining completely silent."
So he might have been mentally challenged before. Huo Xiaolong hid behind a pillar on the second floor and secretly listened to the adults talking.
She really wasn't used to this kind of occasion, and she was crying and sobbing. I guess more people will come later, and she'll cry again then.
Why are you crying? There's nothing to cry about.
Huo Xiaolong must have never cried in her past life, that's probably it. From the time she left the orphanage to when she was recruited into the army, her emotions remained as stable as a stagnant pool.
The orphanage psychologist said during her counseling session
"Xiaolong might be a little different from other children. Xiaolong, tell the teacher, are there times when you're particularly unhappy and want to vent?"
At that time, she also shook her head. She didn't want to think about anything. She was lazy and even too lazy to use her brain.
Huo Xiaolong, an antisocial personality without aggression, was left in the orphanage. Later, due to his strong execution and obedience, he followed the advice of the orphanage teachers and joined the army.
Her life was rather dull.
She seems to have everything that others have.
House and car, both
But it seems like there's nothing there.
None of them have family, lovers, or friends.
The woman downstairs started crying again, this time even harder, muttering to herself.
"My dragon is healed! My dragon is healed!"
For some reason, the little dumpling's nose felt a little sore.
This was the first time she'd felt this way, and she felt a tightness in her chest, not understanding why. But then again, everyone has to experience many firsts.
The door creaked open again.
A man walked in through the wind and snow. He was very tall, but very thin, so thin that he looked like he could be blown away by the cold wind.
"Ayi, have you found Long'er?"
The man and woman were a good match in appearance; the woman was thin and looked frail, as was the man. However, both of them had decent facial features, with upturned noses, thick eyebrows and large eyes, and the woman had almond-shaped eyes, exactly like the eyes of a classic Jiangnan beauty.
That's true, if she weren't good-looking, the little girl wouldn't be so pretty.
"It was this lady who saved Long'er."
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