Chapter 2063: Chapter 1966: Criminals
On the way to the child’s house, Huo Sining didn’t forget to dial the phone number of the child’s parents.
However, what frustrated Huo Sining was that one of the parents’ numbers was invalid and the other couldn’t be reached.
Huo Sining was torn, but with a mindset to give it a try, they still went there.
When they arrived at the child’s place, they were told that the family had moved long ago, and the current residents were different tenants.
Originally clinging to a glimmer of hope, upon learning that the family no longer lived there, not only did Huo Sining feel disheartened, but even Bai Buzhi felt his heart sinking.
Huo Sining was still a bit unwilling to give up and asked around the neighborhood and even the landlord of the house, but no one knew where the family had relocated.
Just when Huo Sining and her companions were about to return home in disappointment, her phone suddenly rang.
Huo Sining was startled, picked up the phone, and saw that it was Yu Fei calling, and her eyes instantly brightened as she quickly answered the call.
On the other end, Yu Fei was indeed excited and asked Huo Sining:
"Sister-in-law, are you guys looking for a seven-year-old boy named Dong Jing?"
Huo Sining asked puzzledly: "How did you know?"
Yu Fei laughed and said: "I called the captain and found out you went to Chaoyang Road. If you’re looking for this boy named Dong Jing, I have to tell you, you’re in the wrong place! I checked with the housing bureau, the police station, and a kindergarten’s records, and the boy named Dong Jing you are looking for hasn’t lived on Chaoyang Road for four years!"
Huo Sining was a bit surprised yet a little delighted: "Where does he live now? Have you found out?"
"Of course! You underestimate me! That boy’s parents probably bought a school district house on Erfang Street for convenience four years ago, and they’re living there now. The records from the housing bureau, the police station, and the kindergarten all overlap, so there’s no mistake." Yu Fei said proudly.
"Then hurry and send over the address information of the child’s house!"
Huo Sining wasn’t prepared to chat much with him; she only wanted to find that child now. Little did she know they had come all the way to Chaoyang Road, yet the child was, ironically, so close by living on Erfang Street.
Huo Sining couldn’t help but laugh silently.
Soon, Yu Fei sent over the information, including the child’s kindergarten, to Huo Sining.
Huo Sining hurriedly took Bai Buzhi and rushed to Erfang Street. As they approached a community, before they even reached Dong Jing’s building, they saw a woman in her thirties leading a child inside. Seeing that child, Bai Buzhi’s eyes lit up, and almost instinctively, he said to Huo Sining: "That’s the child!"
Huo Sining was stunned, quickly looking at the child the woman was holding.
It was a smiling young boy. Compared to her own Qibao, the child certainly looked much more sunny, but apart from that, Huo Sining couldn’t find any difference between the child and others.
But, Huo Sining trusted Bai Buzhi’s judgment since those who cultivate usually have a much sharper sense and intuition about fate than amateurs like her do.
"Hello, are you Dong Jing’s mother?"
Now that they found the right person, Huo Sining didn’t want to waste any more time and quickly approached, cautiously asking.
The woman was unsure of what Huo Sining and Bai Buzhi were up to. After Huo Sining asked such a strange question, she became a bit wary.
"Who are you?" The woman looked doubtfully and suspiciously at Huo Sining, instinctively drawing the child closer to her protectively.
There are far too many scammers and kidnappers these days; one careless move, and people fall for their tricks. No wonder Dong Jing’s mother is being so cautious.
Huo Sining smiled wryly, quickly taking out a business card from her wallet, saying:
"Hello, my name is Huo Sining. I work for the Cultural Relics Bureau. We are currently working on an archaeological excavation at a Han Tomb on Sanfang Street and encountered a unique situation. We’d like to ask your child for a small favor."
The boy’s mother instantly frowned, glanced at Huo Sining, and coldly said: "Is this a new con? What a terrible excuse. My child isn’t even seven yet; what use could he be to you? Is the Cultural Relics Bureau just a bunch of freeloaders not doing any work?"
Clearly, Dong Jing’s mother didn’t believe Huo Sining’s help request. She had been reading too many stories about kidnappers luring children away, crippling them, and forcing them to beg. Consequently, she became more vigilant around strangers and even quit her old job for a less stressful one with less pay, to better ensure her child’s safety and schooling.
Huo Sining wanted to explain further, but Dong Jing’s mother had already decided that Huo Sining was a scammer, so she didn’t want to listen. Seeing Huo Sining trying to persist, her eyes flashed with anger:
"What are you trying to do? Planning to snatch my child in broad daylight? What audacity you human traffickers have! Don’t come closer; if you keep following us, I’ll call the police right away!"
"Mrs. Dong, you misunderstand, we’re not..."
Huo Sining was immediately embarrassed, especially since many people in the vicinity started watching after Dong Jing’s mother yelled, glaring at her and Bai Buzhi with scrutinizing and wary eyes, clearly viewing them as bad guys.
Huo Sining wanted to explain, but Dong Jing’s mother wasn’t listening, turned around and pulled her child along. She ran so desperately that she didn’t even bother with her broken high heel, eventually scooping her child up and sprinting until they disappeared into a building hallway.
Huo Sining turned around and met Bai Buzhi’s grim expression.
Already feeling embarrassed and conflicted, upon seeing Bai Buzhi’s face, Huo Sining burst into laughter.
"Grandpa Bai, in all your years, have you ever been mistaken for a criminal?"
Huo Sining teased.
Bai Buzhi shot Huo Sining a dissatisfied glance: "You’re still laughing? People think we’re child traffickers. This isn’t easy to fix. What do you suggest we do now?"
Bai Buzhi clearly felt annoyed by Dong Jing’s mother’s defensive behavior, and his words carried some anger.
