Chapter 60 Unannounced Visit

Licheng, Simon.

Going out of the west gate is in the direction of Wuyang City. There are many caravans entering and leaving, and there has never been an endless stream from the opening of the city to the closing of the gate.

On a corner near Ximen Banjie Street, a couple opened a breakfast stall selling steamed buns, soy milk, porridge and meatloaf. Behind the stall is the facade of a half-residential half-shop, where the couple live.

There was a child about three years old, who was babbling and talking, walking flickeringly, with a little saliva hanging from the corner of his chubby mouth. The strange thing is that the child's waist is tied with a rope, and the other end of the rope is about one and a half feet tied to the waist of the mother who is busy outside the front door.

It's already noon now, and the couple are going to close up.

"Two bowls of soy milk, five meatloaf."

"Hey, are you having breakfast now?"

"For lunch. What? The stall is closed?"

"Yes, yes, the pancakes are a bit cold, I'll warm them up for you, and I'll come right away."

When a business came suddenly, the men immediately greeted them with smiles, and they didn't care whether it was time to close the stall, even though they got up before dawn and kept busy until now.

Because it was the last bit of soy milk, I poured two bowls of bean dregs that were sinking to the bottom. The meatloaf was okay, but the appearance was not very good, but the portion was very large, at least two or two.

"Yo, is that your kid? How old is it?"

The child flickered and hugged the idle man, and babbled and called Dad.

"Yes, just three years old."

"Second or third?"

"Just, just one baby."

"A baby? Are you two in your thirties? Did you get married too late?"

"No. Hehe."

"It's not that you got married late, so how come you only have one baby? Still so young? Ha, don't mind, I'm just curious, just ask."

The baby was taken away by the woman, and she put away all the stalls except the customer's table. Now that the man is free, he sits on a stool and chats with the guests.

"How to tie a rope to the child? What if it is accidentally pulled down?"

"Hey, isn't it because I'm afraid that the baby will be lost?"

"Tsk, what you said is right, what are you throwing away in broad daylight, you are just too careful."

"."

For three days in a row, this curious customer came to Ximen's breakfast stall just before noon, and it also served two bowls of soy milk and five meatloaf.

The number of times I come here is too many, and it happens to catch up with the idle time, and the stall owner's family will gossip with the customers again. Sometimes it’s best to talk about what to eat with soy milk; sometimes you talk about Hualou’s sister in a low voice behind the proprietress’s back.

It was the same guest who was eloquent. Although it didn't take long to sit down each time, it was always a pleasant chat with a few words.

"By the way, why is your baby still tied with a rope? Humans are not dogs, so you don't feel guilty?"

"this"

"What's the matter? Last time when it was mentioned about your baby, you were frowning. Don't tell me you don't want him? What a lot of smart babies!"

"No, no, hey, big brother, to tell you the truth, the reason for tying the rope to the baby is because we two lost a baby before. The girl is nine years old, but I couldn't find it in a blink of an eye."

There is a saying that once bitten by a snake for ten years, you are afraid of well ropes, and only when you lose a baby will you look like a human trafficker to everyone. Is it difficult to understand how to tie a rope to a baby? If it wasn't for the conditions, the two couples wanted to keep the baby at home and not let it out.

"You can lose it at the age of nine? What's going on?"

Perhaps it was because he was sad and wanted to find someone to confide in. In the past few days, this customer did not look like that kind of unreliable person. The stall owner was silent for a moment, and his voice was slightly gloomy about the past.

The matter is actually very simple, so simple that it's like a time baby who can't find it, and can't even remember when it got lost.

"I definitely didn't get lost by myself! Your baby is already nine years old, let alone on this street, going back and forth to the east gate is not a problem."

It's not the eldest lady of a rich family. It's impossible for a nine-year-old girl to be so spoiled that she doesn't even know the way, and it's even more impossible for a random person to coax her away without being noticed.

"Yes!" The stall owner's eyes were wide open, and the originally amiable person suddenly became full of ferocious eyes, his fists were tightly clenched, and a voice popped out from between his teeth: "I thought so too! My daughter I have always been quick and capable, and I have run errands as far as a caravan in the outskirts of the city, so how can I get lost! It must be some dog who has been paid a thousand dollars to kidnap my daughter!"

"Did you report to the officer?"

"I reported it at that time, it was useless."

"how could be?"

"I visited all the shops on a street, and no one saw my daughter at all. But for such a grown-up person and acquaintances, how can you walk on the road without seeing a single one?"

"No one looked at your daughter? Who did you go with, and no one saw where you went?"

"No. Everyone is blind, hey."

Probably got angry enough, the stall owner gritted his teeth and cursed a few words in a low voice and did not continue to let his emotions control him. There was a wry smile on his face, his eyes were slightly red, and things obviously wouldn't fade away in his heart because of time.

"My mother-in-law almost cried stupidly. I originally thought about taking her back to my hometown and forgetting about it, but she said that in case, in case the baby is found, we left, how pitiful the baby is? Phew. So I have been suffering Up to now. Fortunately, she gave birth to her second child the year before last, which took away some of her energy, otherwise she would be troubled sooner or later."

"Didn't the yamen give any explanation?"

"What explanation can I give? No one has seen my daughter, and there is no clue at all. Those poor masters can spend their time trying to help find it for two or three days, thank God, not to mention it's been a few years now, hey."

"Don't be discouraged, there is a contingency for everything. Although it has been many years, what if the truth comes to light? You have to carefully recall the memories. What if there is something you overlooked before?"

The stall owner shook his head, but didn't speak again. After all these years, he hasn't repeatedly recalled the situation that day. What is desperate is that he can't remember anything useful at all.

"Do you still remember what shops were on this street at that time? Has it changed in the past few years?"

"Of course I remember these. I remember which ones are old faces and which ones have changed owners. I also inquired about the people who left. I probably know where they are now."

"Yo! It seems that you have put in a lot of effort."

"Hey, what can I do? I'm not reconciled!"

"The copper cabinet set up by Xuanqingwei in the city is said to be able to help people investigate cases. Have you tried it?"

"Hey, to tell you the truth, I tried it, but I just want peace of mind. I worry that the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment."

"Not this time."

The guest drank the last sip of soy milk and got up to leave, so he slapped an ingot of ten taels of broken silver on the table.

"Hey, big brother, I can't find so many!"

"No, I'll let you here. I'll come to eat tomorrow."

"Alright, then you have to tell me your name, and I will keep the account for you."

"My name is Shen Hao."