Chapter Thirty: Shining in the Cold of Winter

“What? Ermao is missing? How could a perfectly fine child go missing?” Zhang Xiu’e asked, her brow furrowed.

Upon hearing the news, Tang Long’s face darkened as well.

He took the phone from Zhang Xiu’e’s hand and asked, “How long has he been missing?”

“About two hours. Secretary Xiu’e’s friends are helping to look for him. We thought he might have gone off to play somewhere, but it’s already past noon and he still hasn’t turned up. We’re getting really worried,” the young doctor Qiu Yuxia said through sobs.

Tang Long took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and said, “Don’t panic. Keep searching. Do you have a photo of Ermao on your phone? Good. Send a clear one to Secretary Xiu’e’s phone—make sure it’s sharp enough for facial recognition.”

As Tang Long hung up, Zhang Xiu’e, visibly anxious, asked, “What should we do now?”

“Don’t panic!”

Tang Long’s face was cold as he took Zhang Xiu’e’s phone and dialed a number.

“Hello?”

A somewhat lazy voice came through the phone.

“Tang Long here. A child from our village went to the provincial capital for ear treatment and has gone missing. I’m sending you a photo. Before nightfall, I want accurate news.”

He gave the order and hung up, not even giving the other party a chance to ask for details.

Since Tang Long had made the call personally, it showed how seriously he took this.

“Can we still get train tickets?” Tang Long handed the phone back to Zhang Xiu’e.

“We should be able to. Let me check,” she replied quickly.

She didn’t ask whom Tang Long had just called. Ermao had gone missing in the provincial capital—someone had to go there. If Tang Long didn’t go, she would have to.

But clearly, right now, she didn’t want to return. The night before, she’d had a big fight with her family over the phone and had hung up on a sour note.

“There’s a train at three thirty this afternoon from the city to the provincial capital. It’ll get there in less than two hours,” Zhang Xiu’e reported, looking up.

“Don’t worry. I’m here—nothing will happen,” Tang Long reassured her, gently resting his hands on her shoulders as she stood there, at a loss.

“Mm,” Zhang Xiu’e took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.

“Xiaobao, go to the back hill and call Uncle Liansheng over. Tell him to come quickly,” Tang Long beckoned to Xiaobao, who was helping build a straw shelter near the Lian Gully.

“Got it!” Xiaobao ran off toward the back hill.

Knowing Tang Long was about to head to the provincial capital, Zhang Xiu’e’s eyes reddened as she softly asked, “Do you need to pack anything?”

Tang Long shook his head. “No need. I’ll travel light. I’ll buy whatever I need when I get there.”

“Alright.” After a moment’s hesitation, Zhang Xiu’e pulled up several numbers from her phone and sent them to Tang Long. “The first two are my father’s and my brother’s numbers. If you run into anything you can’t handle, call them. The others are my friends—they each have some influence in the provincial capital and might be able to help.”

“Thank you.” Tang Long didn’t refuse her kindness. “I’ll leave Yutou Village in your care for now.”

When Liansheng returned, Tang Long asked him to drive straight to the city’s high-speed rail station, not even stopping in Taoyuan County.

It took about two hours on the highway from Taoyuan County to the city, and another two hours from Yutou Village to reach the highway entrance to the city.

“When you get back, keep an eye on Secretary Xiu’e. Don’t let her be wronged.”

“You can count on me, Chief. If anyone dares bully Secretary Xiu’e, I’ll break their legs!” Liansheng nodded.

Tang Long jumped down from the Isuzu light truck, waved to Liansheng, and strode toward the city’s high-speed rail station.

...

“Are you sure Tang Long will take this train?” Leaning against a military-green SUV, a woman in a black trench coat and large sunglasses chewed gum as she gazed toward the train station.

Next to her stood a man in his early thirties, with thick brows, striking eyes, and a thin scar between his brow, which lent him a touch of ruggedness.

“Miss, you know this could cause trouble,” Gao Peng said with a wry smile, looking helplessly at the beautiful woman.

The black-clad woman arched a brow, took off her glasses to reveal a face of stunning beauty, and snapped, “I asked you if it was this train, didn’t I? Can’t you understand plain language?”

Gao Peng could only endure the scolding. Who could blame him? He couldn’t afford to cross this young lady.

“That woman said it’s this train, so it should be right,” he replied. When Tang Long’s number was called, a woman answered and told him Tang Long was already in the city and would be taking the train to the provincial capital that afternoon.

The beautiful woman in black put her sunglasses back on, her thoughts unreadable.

A Hummer and a brand-new BJ 80 SUV, a man and a woman standing at the train station exit—it was impossible not to attract attention.

...

As Tang Long walked out of the station, he was moving quickly at first, but slowed down when he spotted the pair.

“Well, well. You didn’t turn around and run the moment you saw me. I’ll admit you’ve grown some backbone, Tang Long,” the girl in the black trench coat sneered playfully as Tang Long approached.

Tang Long glanced at Gao Peng, his face expressionless, and raised a middle finger at him.

Using Ermao’s disappearance to lure him to the provincial capital—he had to admit, it was a clever scheme.

Gao Peng shrugged, smiling wryly. “Don’t look at me. I had nothing to do with this.”

If he’d come up with this plan, Old Tang would have beaten him senseless.

“Hantong, was this really necessary?” Tang Long looked at the woman in black, a bitter smile flickering at his lips.

Yao Hantong removed her sunglasses, revealing a face beautiful and cold as frost. Her eyes flashed with sparks as she snorted, “Necessary? You tell me if it was necessary! Do I look like I know if it was necessary?”

Were anyone else speaking to him like this, Tang Long would have slapped them by now, but in front of this woman, he had no temper at all.

Not a trace of it.

“Where’s Ermao?” Tang Long hesitated, then asked softly.

Yao Hantong replied with icy disdain, “Ermao? What’s Ermao—a snack, a toy, or something to play with?”

Hearing her tone, Tang Long actually felt relieved. As long as Ermao was safe, nothing else mattered.

He marched over and bundled Yao Hantong into the car.

After closing the door, Tang Long walked over to Gao Peng and punched him hard on the shoulder, murmuring, “You’ve got real guts, kid. Fine, I’ll remember this lesson you gave me.”

Then he strode to the BJ 80 SUV, got into the driver’s seat, and drove away from the train station.

Gao Peng rubbed his aching shoulder, grimaced, and muttered to himself, “You two really are a pair of damn bullies—always picking on someone as honest as me.”

He felt he was the most wronged person today, but what could he do? He couldn’t afford to offend either of them.

He got into the black Hummer and obediently followed the military-green SUV.