**Chapter 45**

  Zhou Yaqiong also found an envelope containing 200 yuan, which surprised her once again. She had heard that DaKui’s family was from the countryside and hadn’t expected much support from them. But now it seemed they were doing quite well.

  "DaKui, isn’t this too much?" Zhou Yaqiong asked.

  Da Kui thought for a moment and said, "Just take what the family has given us. Even though we haven’t officially divided the family yet, now that we’ve started our own lives, we might not be able to go back often. My parents probably gave us this much because they know we’ll need help setting up our new life. Once we’re settled, we can help support them in return."

  Zhou Yaqiong nodded, then rexed and smiled. "This is good. We’ll be able to manage while you recover from your injuries." Her current status was still that of a medical school student, and she only received a monthly stipend of 18 yuan. Although Dakui had a decent sary, they had just started their new life together and had nothing to their name. On top of that, Dakui needed proper nourishment to recover, which meant their expenses would be high.

  "Yeah, I think I’ve recovered enough. Maybe we can ask the doctor if I can go home to recuperate. That way, you won’t have to suffer here with me," Da Kui suggested.

  "No, you need to stay at least another week. Your injury was serious, and if you don’t recover properly, what will you do if you have sequee in the future?"" Zhou Yaqiong insisted.

  "Your leave is almost up, right? Maybe you should go back to css. I’ll be fine here. The hospital provides meals, so I won’t go hungry," Da Kui said.

  Zhou Yaqiong shot him a look and picked up the box. "Since the family sent the ginseng, I’ll go ask my teacher to prescribe a gentle tonic for you." After tidying up the items, she left the room.

  Dakui’s letter arrived a week ter. When Song Yuncheng opened it, his expression darkened. "That kid really was injured."

  "Is it serious?" Ma Hongmei asked.

  "He didn’t say, but the letter mentions he’s still in the hospital, so it must be serious. It’s been a while now," Song Yuncheng replied.

  "Did Brother say anything else?" Daniu asked.

  "Not much. He just thanked us for sending the package and mentioned that he and Zhou Yaqiong are married now. They’re living in a pce called ‘Mandarin Duck Building’ over there," Song Yuncheng expined.

  "What’s a Mandarin Duck Building?" Ma Hongmei asked.

  "It’s a building allocated by their unit, specifically for newlywed couples without children. They get one room, and the bathroom and kitchen are shared. But at least they don’t have to freeze in the winter since it’s indoors," Song Yuncheng said.

  "Brother’s pce isn’t cold in the winter," Daniu added.

  "Right, I forgot about that," Song Yuncheng said. "It’s good that they have a pce to live. His wife is still in training, so the couple is not living together for the time being. Once she’s assigned to a job, they can figure out where to work and live together. They’ll manage. After all, he’s taken care of by the state, so there’s not much we can do."

  Ma Hongmei nodded, then smiled. "At least our second son is married now. That’s one less thing to worry about. As for Dali, his wedding is set for October, which is just a few months away. Once he’s married, I’ll feel much more at ease."

  After May Day, the weather began to warm up. After taking off their heavy winter coats, everyone felt much lighter. This day, Daniu rode her bicycle to work. Last month, she had traded for some industrial coupons and finally saved up enough to buy a 26-inch Phoenix snt-frame dies' bicycle. She had been traveling to vilges frequently, and walking or riding a horse was inconvenient, so she decided to buy a bicycle.

  Originally, she had wanted to buy a 28-inch model, but the commune didn’t have any in stock, so she had to go to the county town to buy one. There, she came across the newly arrived snt-frame dies' bicycle. She liked it immediately, and it was easier to ride. The 28-inch model was a bit too big for her, so she took the opportunity to buy the smaller one. When she returned to the commune, her new bicycle caused quite a commotion.

  As soon as she arrived at work, she noticed that the office was empty. She went out and asked the gatekeeper, "Where is everyone?"

  "They all went to Xiaodong Vilge. Early this morning, there was a dispute between two brigades over water distribution. Everyone went over to make sure it didn’t turn into a fight," the gatekeeper expined.

  Daniu nodded. She was aware of the situation. Their vilge mostly grew rice, and water was plentiful. They were more worried about flooding than drought. However, Xiaodong Vilge was different due to its terrain. It only had a small stream, and every year during pnting season, disputes over water distribution would inevitably arise.

  Since everyone had gone to handle the situation, Daniu decided to stay behind and look after the station.

  Back in the office, she had just picked up a newspaper to read when she heard someone outside crying and shouting. Daniu rushed out to see what was happening. "What’s going on?"

  "Comrade Ma, my little Huzi is missing. Please help me find him!" A young woman cried as she approached.

  Daniu immediately recognized her as Widow Zhao from the east end of the commune. When she mentioned Huzi, Daniu’s heart sank. "How did he go missing? When did you st see him?"

  Huzi was her only son. Her husband had died in a quarry accident before Huzi was born, and she had raised the boy on her own, treating him like her most precious treasure. She worked hard, cooking for the quarry workers to make ends meet.

  "Lately, the quarry has been busy, so I’ve been cooking breakfast to keep the workers energized. I went to cook early this morning, and Huzi was still asleep at home. When I came back to take him with me, he was gone. I’ve looked everywhere but can’t find him. Someone said they saw him walking out alone. But Huzi is only three years old. How far can he go, alone? Comrade Ma, you have to help me. I can’t lose Huzi—" Widow Zhao broke down in tears again. The women around her tried to comfort her, and one of them said, "We’ve searched almost the entire commune but couldn’t find him. We heard you’re good at finding people, so we came to you."

  "Who was the st person to see the child?" Daniu asked.

  "I saw him. I was at home starting a fire and went out to gather firewood when I saw a little figure walking east.She wondered why the child went out alone but didn't think much. I wondered why the child was out alone but didn't think much."

  In those days, children often pyed on their own, growing up mostly unsupervised.

  Daniu nodded. "Alright, let’s split up and search. Spread the word and ask everyone to keep an eye out. I’ll head east. The child might have gone looking for his mother."

  Everyone agreed and started to disperse. Daniu got on her bicycle and headed east. The eastern part of the commune was surrounded by rice fields, and further ahead was a small forest. She was worried the child might have wandered into the woods.

  As Daniu rode along the eastern road. According to what the people said just now, the child should have walked out of the commune and ran outside.

  Daniu got off her bicycle and carefully examined the ground. The snow had long since melted, and after a few days of sun, the ground was hard, making it difficult to spot footprints, especially those of a small child.

  As she walked, she finally noticed a faint impression in the grass. Squatting down, she saw it was a small footprint. The child had indeed come this way. Daniu looked further ahead and spotted another small footprint. There were no adult footprints nearby, which gave her some relief. A lost child was better than a kidnapped one, but given the child’s age, she needed to find him quickly.

  Daniu rode her bicycle forward, her eyes scanning the surroundings. Images and information fshed through her mind as she analyzed what she had seen earlier. As she continued, she approached a grove of walnut trees pnted by the nearby Xiaozhuang Vilge. This grove marked the boundary between the vilge and the commune, located on a small hill.

  Since there was still a path, Daniu didn’t get off her bicycle but slowed down significantly as she rode along the edge of the forest. Suddenly, she stopped, pcing her feet on either side of the bike. She looked to the left, her mind processing the images until it settled on a specific spot. Daniu got off the bike and walked over, circling around a rge tree. There, she saw a small child lying on the tree roots. The child’s face was smudged with dirt and tear stains, but he had found a comfortable spot. The tree, likely decades old, had thick, protruding roots that the exhausted child had used as a pillow to sleep soundly.

  Daniu picked up the child, who stirred slightly in her arms, finding a more comfortable position before continuing to sleep.

  Daniu smiled. She was relieved to have found the child. Although this forest was man-made and free of wild animals, sleeping out here could still make the child sick.

  Back on the main road, Daniu held the child with one arm and steered the bike with the other. She was grateful she had bought a dies' bicycle; if she had gone for a rger model, she would have had to push it back.

  It took a little time to return. As soon as she appeared at the intersection, someone who had been searching spotted her. "Found him! Found him!" the person shouted.

  The child in Daniu’s arms was startled and almost struggled free, but Daniu quickly held him tighter, patting his back. "It’s okay, don’t be scared."

  The person who had shouted looked embarrassed and scratched his head. "I’ll go get his mom," he said before running off.

  Little Huzi opened his eyes to find himself in the arms of a stranger, but he was surprisingly calm, and he looked at Daniu and asked, "Who are you?"

  Daniu was a bit surprised, expecting the child to cry or fuss. "You can call me sister," she replied.

  Huzi tilted his head and looked around, recognizing the familiar surroundings. He rexed and said, "Sister."

  The child was quite amusing.

  "Huzi—" Widow Zhao rushed over and immediately hugged her son tightly.

  Huzi endured his mother’s tight embrace, though he frowned slightly. "Mom—"

  "You naughty child, where did you go? Do you know how worried I was?" Widow Zhao scolded, giving him a light pat on the back.

  "I wanted to go to where you work to find you, but I got lost. I was tired, and I fell asleep," Huzi expined.

  "How did you know the way? Don’t wander off like that again. I was so worried," Widow Zhao said, then turned to Daniu. "Comrade Ma, thank you so much. I heard you were good at finding people, but I didn’t expect you to be this good. Other people went into the forest earlier and couldn’t find him."

  Daniu smiled. "It’s okay. Just be more careful next time. Your son seems quite clever. Make sure he gets a good education. Good days are ahead." As for why the others couldn't find him, Daniu figured it was because the child had been sleeping near the edge of the forest. Most people would instinctively skip the visible outer areas and search deeper and dark pce. If not for her ability to analyze the situation, she might not have found him either. But it is all over now.

  Widow Zhao smiled. "Oh, he’s not that clever. He just talks well."

  After seeing the mother and son home, Daniu returned to the bureau office. As she entered, she noticed someone standing at the door. It was Zheng Sen. She smiled at him. "What brings you here? I heard you’ve been busy tely."

  Zheng Sen smiled back. "There was a group of educated youths coming this morning. I came with the truck and took a day off to come get a package," he said, lifting the package in his hand.

  "Come on in and sit for a while," Daniu said, leading him into the courtyard.

  "This is my first time here. Your pce is quite simple," Zheng Sen remarked, noting the two rows of houses.

  "It’s enough for what we need," Daniu replied, taking him into the office.

  "I heard you were helping someone find a child earlier. Did you find him?" Zheng Sen asked.

  "Yes, the child went looking for his mother, got tired, and fell asleep in the forest," Daniu said, thinking about the child’s behavior. "He was quite interesting."

  Zheng Sen raised an eyebrow. If Daniu said the child was interesting, he must be quite something.

  "Here, have some tea. I got this jasmine tea from the county town," Daniu said, pouring him a cup.

  "Let me try it," Zheng Sen said, picking up the cup.

  "Not bad. It’s fresh tea," Zheng Sen commented.

  "You can tell it’s fresh?" Daniu asked.

  "My grandfather loved tea. I spent some time with him as a child and picked up a few things," Zheng Sen expined. "Oh, by the way, I asked a childhood friend to send some things. Let’s see if they’re here." He opened the package.

  Daniu saw that the package contained quite a few items, all wrapped separately. Zheng Sen quickly found a small bundle. "Ah, here it is. This friend of mine is pretty reliable. These are dried fruits. I noticed you liked them st time, so I asked him to send some specialty dried fruits from the capital. Try them; they’re quite good."

  Daniu smiled and took the package. "You didn’t have to go through the trouble of acquiring these from so far away."

  "Just at them," Zheng Sen said, continuing to rummage through the package. His friend seemed quite meticulous, as each small package was beled. Zheng Sen pulled out a rectangur box. "This is Daoxiangcun pastry. Take it back for the old man to enjoy."

  "You don’t have to. Keep it for yourself. These can st a while, and you can eat them when you’re hungry at night."

  "It’s my way of showing respect to the old man. Besides, I’ve had enough of these since I was a kid," Zheng Sen said. Over the past six months, he had often eaten with Daniu’s family, and now that he had developed feelings for her, he naturally wanted to make a good impression.

  Daniu didn’t say much, noticing it was already noon. "How about I treat you to lunch?"

  Zheng Sen checked his watch. "Sure, let’s eat together."

  The two left the office and headed to the commune’s only state-run restaurant. Although it was lunchtime, the pce was empty. Not many people came here to eat, but the food was decent. Daniu’s favorite was their authentic sweet and sour pork.

  The two of them ordered their dishes and were waiting when suddenly two people walked in. Daniu gnced at them and then turned her head away.

  Zheng Sen noticed a hint of disgust in her eyes and turned to look at the newcomers, or more specifically, the man who was staring at Daniu.