Only Lin Sanya, standing to the side, was puzzled: "Did Second Sister really go up the mountain? Why didn't she bring a basket? Where is she going to put the herbs she dug up?"
She was the only one who noticed this small detail.
But she dared not voice her confusion, for she was afraid that her second sister would actually go up the mountain.
If they're not in town, then they've most likely gone to the mountains.
Where else could my second sister go?
There's no harm in going to the mountains to look for it.
Grandpa Lin immediately announced that he would personally lead a team, along with his three sons and several grandsons, to Nanshan to search for the animals early the next morning.
Shi Guang also volunteered to join the search team, feeling that the jade pendant gave him a clue that would increase the chances of finding the person.
When the Lin family thought Lin Momo had been abducted in town, he knew she must have gone into the mountains.
No one in the group understood Lin Momo better than him. She not only had a space to avoid danger, but also had so many self-defense weapons. Even a group of human traffickers were no match for her.
I remembered that she once said that after transmigrating, she wanted to run away from home and live a quiet life in the mountains.
She paid off the village's debts and had nothing left to hold her back, so she quietly left the Lin family and went into the mountains.
As for how Shi Guang knew that Lin Momo had paid off her debts, we have to mention Fan Chongyang here.
*
The Lin family's search for someone caused quite a stir. Linjia Village is not large, with only fifty or sixty households. It was also during the winter off-season for farming, so any news about someone would spread throughout the village in a couple of days.
In addition, Lin Xushi was a big mouth, and she spread the news of Lin Momo's disappearance as a negative example to educate children, making it known throughout the village.
Therefore, when Fan Chongyang returned to the village after his leave, before he even entered his house, he learned from the gossiping women at the village entrance that Lin Momo had become a missing person.
"Hey, how did Er Ya from Mu Sheng's family get lost? It's been so many years since anything like this has happened in our village."
"What's the big deal? She must have been wandering around town and got kidnapped by a kidnapper. There are plenty of kidnappers in the city, and they love kidnapping girls as young as Er Ya. Whether they sell them to a wealthy family or to a brothel, they can get a good price for them."
"The Lin family has never been particularly good to their daughter, so why is the whole family searching for her now that she's gone? It's like they cherish her so much."
"What's so hard to understand? The family has raised a girl all these years with great difficulty, and in the blink of an eye she'll be married off and receive a dowry. Which family would be willing to let her go?"
......
Fan Chongyang, who was about to greet someone, stiffened upon hearing these idle gossips.
He immediately picked up his book box, turned around, and took another road.
When the gossiping women sitting under the big tree at the village entrance saw Fan Chongyang's departing figure, they started talking all at once again.
"Look, isn't that the eldest son of the Fan family wearing the long gown?"
“That’s right. There aren’t many people in our village who can wear long gowns. This figure is obviously Chongyang.”
"If he doesn't go home, where is he going with his book bag?"
......
Hearing the voices behind him, Fan Chongyang ignored them completely, not even flinching, only thinking about getting to the Lin family as soon as possible.
Why did he think of going to the Lin family?
Is it still in such a hurry?
He was utterly astonished when he realized what had happened after calculating it:
"Based on the timeline, I should be the last person to see Er Ya... no, I mean Lin Momo. I'm the last person to see Momo-meimei..."
Thinking about this, he felt he should make a trip to the Lin family.
It can also provide the Lin family with some clues and ideas for finding the missing person, so as to avoid wasting time searching aimlessly and missing the best rescue time.
After returning to the village, Fan Chongyang mostly stayed at home and rarely took the initiative to visit other villagers.
"Oh, it's Chongyang Festival. You, you just came back from the academy? Come in and let's talk."
His arrival left Grandpa Lin, who was waiting at home for news of his granddaughter, completely bewildered.
After a moment of stunned silence, she invited him into the main room to talk.
He thought to himself, "Could he be in such a hurry to collect a debt?"
Aside from that, the old man couldn't figure out why he had come straight to his house after just returning from the academy. He was carrying a book box in his arms, clearly indicating he hadn't even settled inside yet.
At that time, Shi Xiucai was comforting his friend, and Shi Guang was also talking to him.
Upon seeing this young man who was about the same age as him, Shi Guang couldn't help but take a second look.
Chongyang, his surname should be Fan, right?
He had heard this name from Lin Momo; this man had borrowed sixty taels of silver from her.
In this era, this was no small sum; it was enough for a farming family to live on for three or four years.
He remembered that he immediately felt that this kid was definitely up to no good.
Unexpectedly, Lin Momo rolled her eyes at him and said, "She is the only scholar in the surrounding villages. Do you know how sought-after scholars were in the north in ancient times? What bad intentions could she possibly have towards a skinny village girl? She was just helping out of friendship with someone from the same village."
After defending the kid, she didn't forget to scold him, "You're just thinking nonsense!"
At this moment, Fan Chongyang, looking anxious, didn't say more than a few words before directly stating his purpose:
"I just got back from the county and heard at the village entrance that Uncle Lin's little sister, Er Ya, had gone missing. It suddenly dawned on me that I should have seen her the day she went missing..."
Knowing that Uncle Lin was recuperating on the kang (a heated brick bed) and couldn't do much, and would only cause him worry and anxiety, he went directly to the Lin family's old house.
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