Siheyuan came through and sent Jia Zhang to prison

Chapter 706 Preparing to Go Out and Search

Jia Dongxu and his aunt stood on the veranda, their eyes meeting briefly before quickly looking away. Something unreadable lurked in their eyes, like two clumps of damp cotton, heavy and sticky—they were calculating how to cover up their scheme, yet worried about giving themselves away. A gust of wind swept through the courtyard, swirling scraps of paper and withered leaves against the wall, carrying a chill that made one's neck tingle, as if someone had secretly breathed a cold breath from the shadows.

In the west wing, the dim, yellowish light of the oil lamp cast flickering shadows on the earthen walls. Qin Huairu and Xiao Dang lay on the kang (heated brick bed), the texture of the mat digging into their bones. How could Qin Huairu sleep? Her heart felt like it was being branded with a red-hot iron, tossing and turning, her mind filled with images of Jia Cai's chubby little face—just a day ago he was clutching half a candy stick, chasing after her calling "Mother," how could he be gone so quickly?

She had originally planned to sneak out to look for them late at night, but when she thought about how dark the alley was at night, without even a streetlamp, and how the cats meowing under the wall sounded like children crying, and what would happen to Banggeng and Huaihua if she got lost again, tears started falling like broken beads onto her pillow, leaving a large, dark stain.

Xiao Dang lay beside her, her eyes wide open, staring blankly at the spiderweb on the roof beam. She felt no remorse whatsoever. This family had hardly been kind to her—if there was a piece of candy, her older brother Bang Geng would be given first; if there was a bite of flour, Jia Cai would be the first to receive it. She was always the one who had to give way to the younger one, sweeping, fetching water, and coaxing her younger brother. If she made the slightest mistake, she would be scolded by Jia Zhangshi, her spittle flying onto her face.

Besides, she had done her research. The family that bought Jia Cai were businessmen from the outskirts of the city. They had three large brick houses, two oxen tethered in the yard, and reportedly two hired helpers; they lived a very comfortable life. If Jia Cai stayed with them, at least he could eat white flour buns every day and have a cotton-padded coat in winter, which was much better than eating thin porridge and cornbread every day here. Wasn't that a good thing?

Hearing her mother's suppressed sobs, like a wounded little animal whimpering, she quietly turned over, covering half her face with the blanket, her voice choked with forced sobs: "Mom, let's go look for my brother at dawn, okay? He's such a good boy, he can't have gone far. Maybe he's sleeping by the woodpile at the alley entrance..."

Qin Huairu pulled Xiaodang into her arms, her hands still trembling uncontrollably, her nails almost digging into her daughter's arm. She had never doubted her eldest daughter—after all, she was her own flesh and blood, how could she be so heartless as to sell her own brother? But who did it? Was it someone in the courtyard who was dishonest, or a kidnapper who roamed outside? Her mind was a jumbled mess, like a tangled ball of thread, the more she thought about it, the more panicked she became, and her sobs grew louder, filled with despair.

She cried for half the night. As dawn approached, Qin Huairu's voice was hoarse, her eyelids felt like they were glued shut, and she finally couldn't stay awake any longer and drowsily closed her eyes. Xiao Dang didn't dare say a word. She knew that too much talk would lead to trouble. If she said anything wrong and revealed that she had secretly taken her younger brother to that family while he was asleep, given her mother's protective nature, she might pounce on her and devour her alive.

These past two days, she'd been using grocery shopping as an excuse to pry into other people's backgrounds, and she was exhausted to the point of feeling like her bones were about to fall apart. Hearing her mother's breathing gradually calm down, her eyelids drooped, and she drifted off to sleep.

But she had barely fallen asleep when a nightmare struck. In the dream, He Feng, dressed in a crisp police uniform with his hat pulled low, was staring coldly at her, his eyes like icy knives.

"Xiao Dang, we've found out." He Feng's voice was exceptionally clear in the dream, carrying the unique echo of an interrogation room. "Your brother Jia Cai was secretly sent away by you. We have both witnesses and physical evidence. Come with us and cooperate with the investigation."

Xiao Dang trembled with fear, waving her hands frantically, her throat feeling like it was stuffed with cotton: "It wasn't me! It really wasn't me! What right do you have to arrest me? You can't arrest people without evidence!"

He Feng completely ignored her explanations and simply waved his hand behind him. Immediately, two policemen stepped forward, and the cold handcuffs clicked onto her wrists, the chill seeping into her heart through her bones.

"Ah!" Xiao Dang suddenly woke up from her dream, her forehead covered in cold sweat, which soaked through her undershirt. Her heart was pounding as if it were about to shatter her ribs.

Qin Huairu was already dressed and sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) tying her shoelaces, the straps of her cloth shoes worn rough. Seeing her wake up, she turned around and asked with concern, "Xiao Dang, did you have a nightmare? You were shouting so loudly just now, your face was all pale."

Xiao Dang hurriedly wiped the sweat from her forehead, her fingertips icy cold. Afraid of letting something slip, she lowered her head and whispered, "Mom, I... I dreamt about my little brother. I dreamt he was crying, saying he couldn't find his way home, and that he was hungry..."

Qin Huairu sighed, reaching out to stroke her head, her palm weary from a sleepless night. She knew Xiaodang was usually close to Jia Cai; although the siblings occasionally fought over things, they were always friends. "Silly child, dreams are often the opposite of reality," she said, ruffling Xiaodang's hair. "Get up quickly now that you're awake. We'll go find your Uncle Yi later and ask him to spread the word in the yard, and also get the neighbors to help search. The sooner we find the child, the better; the longer we wait, the harder it will be."

Xiao Dang's heart skipped a beat, as if struck by something, but she dared not show it on her face and quickly replied, "Yes, Mother, I'll get up right away." She dressed quickly, but her mind was perfectly clear—their search would be futile. The family had given her money and left for the neighboring county last night with Jia Cai, taking the earliest donkey cart. They were probably long gone by now; how could they possibly find them?

The mother and daughter had just stepped out of the courtyard when they bumped into He Feng, who was on his way to work. He was wearing a faded police uniform, carrying a canvas bag, and walking steadily toward the alley entrance. Qin Huairu, as if grasping at a lifeline, rushed over in a few steps, her voice trembling with tears, almost kneeling down: "Director He! How is it? Have you found my son, Jia Cai? Is there any news?"

He Feng stopped and looked at her bloodshot eyes and haggard face—the wrinkles around her eyes were much deeper, and her lips were chapped and peeling, clearly from staying up all night. He shook his head, his tone becoming heavy: "Sister Qin, don't worry too much. This matter is indeed tricky. Last night, our people searched the nearby alleys, the station, and the docks, but haven't found any clues yet. But don't worry, the bureau has already sent more people, and I'll let you know as soon as there's any news."