Chapter 61: Finding the Nurse from Back Then

Mu Nanhe tightly grasped his uncle’s hand, his voice trembling slightly, “Uncle, it’s been so long since we last met. How have you been? I’ve been thinking about you and Auntie.”

His uncle patted the back of Mu Nanhe’s hand, smiling as he replied, “I’m doing well! Look at you, you’ve become quite a promising young man, and you even thought to come back to see us.”

Just then, Auntie emerged from the back room. Upon seeing Mu Nanhe, her face broke into a broad smile. “Oh! Nanhe is back, and Qingyan is here too!”

Mu Nanhe smiled as he introduced his parents, Xia Hai and Xia Qiming, to his uncle and aunt. Everyone settled down, and a warm atmosphere filled the room.

His uncle carefully looked over Mu Nanhe, reflecting, “Nanhe, you were so skinny as a child. I never expected you’d grow into such a fine young officer.”

Feeling a bit shy, Mu Nanhe scratched his head and replied, “Uncle, it’s all thanks to you and Auntie’s care. If you hadn’t frequently supported me with food and encouragement to join the army, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

His uncle waved his hand dismissively. “We’re family; no need to mention those things. Seeing you live well brings us joy from the bottom of our hearts.”

Without further pleasantries, Mu Nanhe got straight to the point, “Uncle, we came back this time to investigate the circumstances surrounding my birth. Do you remember anything?”

His uncle frowned slightly in thought, recalling, “When your parents brought you home from the hospital, they just told everyone they had a baby boy, but didn’t elaborate. Times were tough back then; everyone was focused on food and clothing and didn’t pay much attention to details.”

Mu Nanhe pressed further, “Uncle, please think carefully. Did anything unusual happen back then, even something minor?”

His uncle shook his head and sighed, “Nanhe, things were a blur during that time. I really didn’t notice anything special. I just remember your parents bringing home a little one and being happy for a while.”

After hearing his uncle’s words, everyone felt a bit despondent. However, Mu Nanhe refused to give up. His uncle suggested they ask some of the elders in the village. With his guidance, they visited a very elderly villager who was over seventy.

The elder sat in his yard, slowly recalling, “Back then, I had a relative who worked as a nurse at the hospital where you were born. I heard she saw your mother give birth. But so many years have passed, I don’t know if she’s still there. We haven’t been in touch for a long time.” He wrote down an address on a piece of paper and handed it to Mu Nanhe. “This is where she used to live; maybe you can find her there.”

Just as they were about to leave, a loud commotion erupted from outside the yard. Suddenly, Mu Nanhe’s parents barged in, clearly in a fury.

“Mu Nanhe, you ungrateful child! You return with so much, yet you don’t come home and run off to your uncle’s!” his father yelled, eyes wide with anger.

Looking at his parents whom he hadn’t seen for so long, Mu Nanhe felt a mix of emotions. “You know how you treated me when I was little. After all these years, you haven’t even cared about me while I struggled outside.”

Upon hearing this, Mu Nanhe’s mother immediately plopped down to the ground, wailing, “Everyone! Look at this child! Now that he’s successful, he doesn’t even recognize his parents! What has the heavens done to me!”

His uncle hurriedly stepped forward to mediate, “Now, brother and sister, let’s not raise our voices. We should talk calmly. It’s been years since Nanhe has returned, so let’s just be happy. Any issues should be resolved peacefully.”

Yang Qingyan also stepped forward, stating, “We came back to investigate the incident, not to see you. If you want to save face, then just step aside.”

His father waved his hand impatiently, “What could possibly be the matter? Don’t be nosy!”

The villagers, who had been scattered all over, began to crowd around, creating a scene. People whispered and speculated, showing expressions of confusion, disdain, and sympathy. An elder from the crowd spoke up, “They haven’t treated Nanhe very well!” He shook his head and sighed.

Immediately, someone else chimed in, “Isn’t that the truth? I heard this child could barely fill his stomach when he was little. Who knows if they are really his biological parents? How could parents treat their child like this?” The crowd murmured, expressing sympathy for Mu Nanhe, some speculating there might be deeper issues at play. The atmosphere grew lively with chatter.

In the midst of this, Zhu’s mother caught sight of Xia Qiming standing nearby, and her face turned pale as fear filled her eyes. She anxiously tugged at Mu’s father’s sleeve, whispering, “Let’s go!” Before he could react, she was pulling him away.

The sudden scene left everyone looking at each other in confusion. Mu Nanhe furrowed his brow, feeling an increasing sense of puzzlement. “Their reaction to seeing Mom means there’s likely a big problem with the incident.”

Yang Qingyan nodded in agreement, “Absolutely; this is too suspicious. We need to get to the bottom of this.”

Xia Hai thought for a moment and said, “It seems we didn’t come here for nothing. The incident definitely harbors some secrets, and they are afraid of being discovered.”

To quickly locate the nurse who assisted in the delivery, Mu Nanhe decided to call on an old comrade for help. He dialed his friend Chen Lie in the county town and explained the situation in detail.

“Hey, Old Chen, it’s Mu Nanhe. I’ve run into a bit of a tough situation and could really use your help.”

“Nanhe, just tell me what you need. We’re brothers; no need for formality!” Chen Lie replied swiftly on the other end of the line.

Mu Nanhe detailed the entire story, concluding, “Now we just need to find the nurse who assisted in the delivery; only she might know what really happened back then.”

Chen Lie responded without hesitation, “Don’t worry, Nanhe. I’ll do my best to help. This matter seems fishy, and we need to get to the bottom of it. I’ll go and ask around.”

However, the search for the nurse did not go smoothly. Chen Lie later reported that the address of the nurse had been demolished, and she had moved elsewhere. Everyone’s heart sank immediately.

“What now? We finally had a lead, and now it’s gone,” Yang Qingyan said anxiously.

Mu Nanhe furrowed his brow in thought and said, “Old Chen, think of another way to find her relatives or friends and see if you can figure out her new address.”

“I’ll do that right away. I’ll let you know as soon as I have any news,” Chen Lie assured.

During the waiting period, the group felt increasingly anxious. A day passed, and finally, Chen Lie called back.

“Nanhe, after a lot of effort, I finally found her! She’s now living in Sunshine Town, specifically at 18 Sunshine Road.”

“That’s great news, Old Chen! Thank you so much! I’ll also need to borrow a car from you!” Mu Nanhe excitedly replied.

“Of course, no problem! Just come by the office to pick it up,” Chen Lie said.

Don’t dare to delay, Mu Nanhe and the group immediately set out to drive to Sunshine Town.