Chapter 25: Another Encounter

Three days passed.

The entire town had been searched from end to end, but there was still no trace of Liu Chun.

Even the inns had been checked, with no suspicious individuals coming or going. The police had officially filed a case and were conducting investigations, making discreet inquiries, yet there were still no leads.

Zhang Rui was so distraught that she had stopped eating and drinking, on the verge of a breakdown. Liu Jianchang’s face was lined with worry, and Liu Yan blamed herself for not taking better care of her younger sister.

Liu Jianchang even took leave from work, searching through the nearby hills multiple times.

But nothing.

Finally, the snow stopped, but the thick layer—twenty to thirty centimeters deep—made it impossible to move around easily. With no other choice, they could only stay home and wait for news from the police.

The entire Liu household was engulfed in gloom.

Even their usual deliveries to the cafeteria were put on hold.

But the cafeteria director was understanding. “Family emergencies come first,” he said. “When the child is found, you can resume deliveries. No rush.”

Two more days passed.

The villagers had come together to clear the roads, opening a path from the village to the town. Public transportation resumed, and Jing Xi decided to make the delivery herself. She also planned to stop by the police station for any updates.

Liu Yan insisted on going with her.

In the end, both girls carried thirty pounds of pickled dihuang each and headed to the power plant cafeteria.

The cafeteria director recognized Liu Yan immediately and quickly arranged for someone to take the goods. He also asked about the situation at home.

Hearing that there had been no progress, he tried to comfort her. “Tell your parents not to worry. Your father can take as much time as he needs. His job in the kitchen will still be here when he’s ready to come back.”

Liu Yan couldn’t hold back her tears anymore.

After handing over the delivery and receiving the payment, the director insisted that the two girls stay for lunch. Jing Xi declined at first, but in the end, she had no choice but to accept.

The cafeteria director, surnamed Liu, was a plump and cheerful woman a few years older than Liu Jianchang. She was set to retire in a couple of years.

She had a straightforward and warm personality, which made Jing Xi like her instantly.

The three of them ate in the cafeteria, using Director Liu’s meal vouchers.

Three large plates of cabbage dumplings.

Jing Xi’s eyes lit up at the sight.

“Eat up! Our cafeteria’s dumplings are the best. We add crispy pork cracklings inside—they’re incredibly flavorful!”

Jing Xi took a bite and had to admit—they were delicious.

But across from her, Liu Yan simply stared at her dumplings, silent tears rolling down her cheeks.

Jing Xi understood. She was thinking about Liu Chun, worrying that her little sister might be hungry and cold somewhere.

Director Liu noticed too. She patted Liu Yan’s shoulder reassuringly. “Child, don’t worry. Your sister will be found! Your parents are reliable people, and you two sisters are smart and kind. Heaven will help you.”

Liu Yan nodded, taking the tissue Jing Xi handed her and wiping her tears before finally starting to eat.

To distract her, Jing Xi brought up the pickled dihuang, asking for Director Liu’s opinion. To her surprise, the woman had no criticism at all—only praise.

“This pickled dihuang—it’s addictive! I can’t stop eating it!” Director Liu said, almost in disbelief. “At first, I thought it was just me, but everyone in the cafeteria says the same thing!”

Jing Xi chuckled, and Liu Yan, despite herself, gave her a grateful look. At least she wasn’t entirely consumed by grief for a moment.

Just as they were about to finish eating, three men sat down at the table next to them.

“Hey, did you hear? Lately, a lot of teenage girls have gone missing in our city. I heard there are even missing person notices posted everywhere in the city center. The police station is full of parents looking for their kids!”

“Yeah, I heard that too! A distant relative of mine lost their daughter two weeks ago. The whole family is desperate, but there’s still no sign of her!”

“Man… you think they got trafficked?”

“Of course! There’s no doubt about it! Sigh… Nowadays, my parents personally drop off and pick up my little sister from school. You can never be too careful! If she really got trafficked, there would be no hope of finding her again. She’d be sold off to some remote mountain village or a brothel, or even have her organs harvested—there’s no good outcome. She probably wouldn’t even be able to escape.”

“Brother…”

As they spoke, Liu Yan, who had finally calmed down a little, broke down crying again.

Jing Xi quickly stood up and looked at the group of men. “Stop talking!”

The three men were a bit confused at first, but when they saw Liu Yan sobbing and noticed Director Liu repeatedly signaling them with his eyes, they immediately understood.

This girl’s family must have lost a child too.

“We’re sorry, we didn’t mean to…”

They stopped talking and quietly continued their meal.

Liu Yan, however, had lost her appetite. There were only fifteen dumplings on her plate, and she couldn’t even finish ten.

When your mind is troubled, even your favorite food becomes hard to swallow.

After finishing their meal and bidding farewell to Director Liu, the two of them hurried to the police station.

Today, neither Li Tao nor Officer Liu was on duty. Jing Xi inquired with the officer on duty, but the answer remained the same—no updates.

The officers at the station were still working overtime, checking major roads, bus stations, and train stations, but they had found nothing.

Jing Xi started wondering—could they have been looking in the wrong direction?

Maybe these people weren’t human traffickers after all.

In January, the winter nights fell quickly. Even though the winter solstice had passed, the nights were still long and the days short.

Jing Xi and Liu Yan prepared to wait for the bus to go home.

“Hey! Hello! Ladies, wait a moment!”

Jing Xi turned around and, to her surprise, saw the man surnamed Huang from last time.

Huang clearly recognized her too. “Well, what a coincidence! It’s you again!”

“Look at us running into each other again. You know what that means? It means we’re destined to meet!”

Jing Xi curled her lips in a smirk but quickly noticed that Huang was dressed in a formal suit, his hair slicked back with pomade.

Then, she suddenly recalled what Zhang Rui’s sister-in-law, Wu Wen, had said—

A man in a suit was seen with a group of girls near the bus station. One of the girls looked a lot like Liu Chun.

Jing Xi’s mind tensed up. How had she forgotten about this guy?

“Yeah, what a coincidence! So, haven’t you filled all your karaoke lounge positions yet?”

Huang nodded. “That’s right! Since we seem to have such a connection, why not give it a try? Fifty yuan a month, with free food and accommodation. Plus, since it’s almost the Spring Festival, the boss will be giving out big bonuses!”

Jing Xi glanced at Liu Yan before quickly putting on a smile and looking at Huang. “Do you have a business card? Let me think about it.”

Huang nodded, pulling a card from his pocket.

[Huang Degang – Recruitment Manager, Grand World Karaoke Lounge]

The back of the card had the address of the lounge.

“Alright, Manager Huang. Let me think it over, okay? I need to discuss it with my family first.”

Huang nodded. “No problem! By the way, can I ask your ages? The pretty girl next to you can come too!”

Jing Xi quickly pulled Liu Yan behind her. “I’m seventeen. She can’t go—she’s still in school and can’t take a job!”

Huang looked a bit disappointed, but seeing how beautiful Jing Xi was, he figured she’d attract plenty of customers just by standing there.

“Alright then, take your time to think it over. I’ll be at the lounge every day! Don’t worry, I didn’t take what you said last time to heart. We’re all big-hearted people!”

Jing Xi nodded and immediately grabbed Liu Yan’s hand, pulling her away.

Huang Degang watched them leave before finally moving his feet.

As he turned, he smirked and murmured under his breath, “Fresh stock coming in soon! This one’s smart—she’ll bring in good money.”