Chapter 38: Your Child

Yao Jia and Meng Xingzhe searched along the street for a long time. The more they searched, the more anxious they became. After meeting up with Tian Huasheng and Lu Fangfei, they exchanged information, but unfortunately, there were no surprises—all of them came up empty-handed.

Yao Jia’s heart was especially uneasy.

Such a young child, could he have been kidnapped? Where would they take him? Being sold to a poor family might be a blessing in disguise, but if he ended up in a begging syndicate, having his limbs cut off and stuffed into a jar to beg… Yao Jia couldn’t bear to think any further.

They went to meet up with Chen Luoxi.

The police had already arrived and were asking questions. Chen Luoxi was beside herself, speaking incoherently, but fortunately, Lu Fangfei was there to help fill in the gaps.

Chen Luoxi told the police, “I asked Shanshan—my child—to cooperate and quickly take a bath and go to sleep because he had to get up early for kindergarten tomorrow. But he just cried and fussed, refusing to do anything. I… I wasn’t in a good mood either, so I scolded him and gave him a couple of spanks, then made him stand by the wall as punishment… Later, I was working overtime on company reports, and I was so exhausted that I fell asleep at the desk… I barely slept for half an hour, and who would have thought that in such a short time, he opened the door and ran out! Officer, I’m a single mother. My child and I have always depended on each other; he is my life! Please, you must help me find him. Without him, I can’t go on living!”

Listening to Chen Luoxi’s heart-wrenching cries, Yao Jia was moved. She felt that being a single mother in the workplace was truly difficult. During the day, they had to work, navigate their boss’s moods, and get along with colleagues. At night, there was no rest—they had to work overtime and take care of their child.

Other mothers might have the child’s father to share the burden when they’re tired, but single mothers have to be both father and mother, shouldering all responsibilities alone. It seemed they had no right to rest, whether at work or in life.

Yao Jia thought sadly, although Chen Luoxi had spanked Shanshan and made him stand as punishment, which was wrong, she truly loved her child.

She also thought that Shanshan was just a poor little boy. He must have thought his mother didn’t love him anymore after she yelled at him, hit him, and punished him. That’s why he was so upset and wanted to run away from home. Wasn’t that what she did when she was a child? At five years old, after being scolded by her parents, she was so heartbroken that she packed her little backpack, planning to run away in search of freedom.

Back then, she was convinced her parents didn’t love her, that they only loved her sister. But when the police officer brought her to the station and her parents came to pick her up, even though they scolded her, her mother immediately crouched down and hugged her tightly. Although after the hug, her mother did give her a couple of hard spanks on her backside.

On the way home, her father carried her all the way, not letting her walk on her own.

That embrace was something she could never forget. It was that embrace that made it impossible for her to truly walk away from the oppressive home. Because she thought, no matter how dissatisfied her parents were with her laziness and lack of excellence, deep down, they must still love her.

On the other side, the police officer’s radio suddenly crackled to life.

After listening to the message, he turned to the nearly collapsing Chen Luoxi and said, “Don’t worry anymore. Your son has been found. Someone brought him to our station. Come with us to pick him up.”

Chen Luoxi collapsed onto the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

Yao Jia let out a long sigh of relief.

She turned her head and suddenly saw Meng Xingzhe looking at her.

“What are you looking at?” Feeling as if her secret inner world had been exposed, she asked defensively, not in the best mood.

“I’m just checking if you’re crying or not,” Meng Xingzhe replied earnestly.

“…” Yao Jia was speechless. “Don’t worry, I don’t know what crying is. If I shed tears, it’s because I’ve eaten too many chili peppers!”

With limited space in the police car, Chen Luoxi pleaded with Yao Jia and Meng Xingzhe to accompany her to the station. Since Lu Fangfei’s sister was still in the dormitory, it was better for her to go back and take care of her. Tian Huasheng, being large, took up two seats in the car, so he didn’t go along either. He and Lu Fangfei returned together, which put everyone at ease.

Thus, Tian Huasheng and Lu Fangfei headed back to the dormitory, while Yao Jia and Meng Xingzhe accompanied Chen Luoxi to the police station to pick up her child.

Yao Jia sat in the middle of the back seat. On the way to the police station, she felt Meng Xingzhe subtly tugging at her shirt sleeve to get her attention.

She turned her head and asked, “What?”

She saw Meng Xingzhe raise an eyebrow at her, speaking in a low voice, “I get the feeling you see yourself as that lost child. I feel like any second now, you’ll rush into Chen Luoxi’s arms and call her ‘mom’.” He paused, leaned in closer, and asked the key question, “Did you get lost as a child, too, and that’s why you empathize?”

“…………”

She was impressed by Meng Xingzhe’s imaginative leap, which was surprisingly sharp.

******

When they arrived at the police station, little Shanshan, not yet three years old, was sitting on a chair, holding a cup of water. The cup was so large it seemed to cover his small face. After drinking, he sat quietly in the chair, neither crying nor fussing.

The little boy seemed so small that the chair looked oversized. Sitting there all alone, his short legs dangling, he appeared both well-behaved and quiet.

Next to him stood a man in his thirties, of average height, with a kind and honest face.

As soon as Chen Luoxi saw Shanshan, she burst into tears and rushed over. She hugged Shanshan tightly, holding him close as she sobbed uncontrollably.

Yao Jia watched from the side, her heart softening like a ball of cotton, sinking into a tender mess. It was a scene straight out of her own childhood.

Suddenly, Chen Luoxi released Shanshan, stood him up, and began spanking him while crying and scolding him.

“Why are you so thoughtless? Mommy works all day and overtime at night to take care of you. It’s not easy for me, so why do you still upset me? Why do you make me worry? Aren’t I tired enough? Why do you disobey and wander around? Shanshan, why are you so inconsiderate?”

Yao Jia was speechless.

How could this development be the same? After hugging the child, she immediately started spanking him. She used to think only her mother did this, and she believed it was because her mom favored her sister and didn’t care enough about her. That’s why the comforting was short, and the scolding was long.

But now, it seemed that wasn’t the case. Perhaps those spankings had nothing to do with loving her sister more.

Maybe it was just an outburst of panic and fear. It was simply a mother venting her terror at almost losing her child.

Yao Jia suddenly realized that if she looked at the past events between her and her parents from a different perspective, they didn’t seem as unbearable as she remembered.

The little boy, after getting spanked, immediately started crying loudly. His cries intertwined with his mother’s scolding and sobbing, filling the entire room with noise.

The middle-aged man beside the child couldn’t bear to see him continue to be hit, even if the spanks were light. The child’s heart-wrenching cries moved him to intervene.

He stepped forward, speaking nervously, “Uh, comrade, the child is still young. Maybe you shouldn’t hit him… You see, he’s already this big. If you talk to him, he can actually understand.”

Yao Jia glanced at the man. He was an honest person, too nervous to speak coherently, calling the child both young and big in the same breath.

Chen Luoxi stopped her hand. Little Shanshan, still holding a grudge, refused to let her hug him. Since Chen Luoxi needed to complete a report, Yao Jia quickly went over to comfort the little guy.

Looking at Shanshan’s aggrieved and helpless expression, it was like seeing her younger self. Her parents doted on her sister, and she felt like an extra. So, she decided to run away from home with her backpack, only to be caught and spanked. They only said she was disobedient, never asking why she wandered off. Even as a child, she had thoughts, but no one considered them important, dismissing her as merely acting out.

Yao Jia hugged Shanshan, holding him close like she was comforting her own sad, younger self.

Fortunately, perhaps sensing her empathy, the soft little boy quieted down in her arms. He timidly reached out his small hands and wrapped them around Yao Jia’s neck.

Yao Jia, having never felt the happiness of being a child, always believed that even if she married, she wouldn’t have children. But in the moment Shanshan hugged her neck, a gentle current seemed to flow through her body. Holding the little Shanshan, she felt a fleeting desire to become a mother.

She gently patted Shanshan’s back to soothe him. As she turned her head, she saw Meng Xingzhe standing outside the police station, holding his phone and video chatting. She remembered that before they left, Meng Xingzhe mentioned chatting with a friend. She decided to let it be.

She held Shanshan, waiting for Chen Luoxi and the sturdy man to finish their report. During the wait, she learned the full story of Shanshan’s disappearance.

It turned out the sturdy man wasn’t as old as he looked, just over thirty, even younger than Chen Luoxi by half a year. His name was Tang Minghui. After work, he drove a ride-share to earn extra money. After dropping off a passenger, he saw Shanshan standing alone by the roadside with no adults around. The little boy walked along the road, and Tang Minghui, concerned, drove slowly behind him, hoping a parent would soon arrive to take the child.

Instead of a parent, a suspicious person appeared. An older man approached with candy, trying to coax Shanshan to go with him. Tang Minghui immediately pulled over, rushed over, and picked up the child, questioning the man about his relationship with the child.

The two accused each other of being traffickers, and eventually, Tang Minghui took out his phone to call the police. The older man, seeing he was serious, tried to leave. Tang Minghui, unable to chase with the child in his arms, took a photo of the man with his phone.

Then he brought Shanshan to the police station.

The police told Tang Minghui and Chen Luoxi, “We’re currently cracking down on a child trafficking ring. The photo you provided, Mr. Tang, is very helpful for our ongoing investigation. Thank you!”

Chen Luoxi repeatedly expressed her gratitude, thanking him for saving her child.

The police also advised Chen Luoxi, “No matter how busy or tired you are, always keep an eye on your child. You work so hard for what? Isn’t it for your child? If you lose the child, what’s the point of all your efforts? Don’t you agree?”

Chen Luoxi nodded, taking the advice to heart, but she also explained hesitantly, “Sigh, the competition at my company is fierce. If I get too distracted by my child, I’ll quickly be replaced. If I lose my job, I won’t be able to support myself and my child!”

Holding Shanshan, Yao Jia listened to Chen Luoxi’s words, feeling deeply moved.

After women reach the age of marriage and having children while working hard in their careers, it turns out to be quite challenging. Especially for Chen Luoxi, who is a single mother in the workplace.

Once the statements were recorded, everyone could finally go home.

Before they parted ways, Chen Luoxi expressed her gratitude profusely to Tang Minghui.

Tang Minghui, feeling shy, waved his hand repeatedly, saying there was no need for thanks.

Shanshan wriggled free from Yao Jia’s arms and, understanding that everyone was about to leave, ran over to Tang Minghui. Looking up with his little face, he sweetly called out, “Uncle.”

“Thank you, Uncle. Shanshan likes Uncle!”

Tang Minghui seemed to melt at the little one’s words. He crouched down, patted Shanshan’s head, and advised him, “Don’t run off again, okay?”

Shanshan hugged him tightly and suddenly said, “Shanshan wants Uncle to be Daddy!”

Chen Luoxi’s face turned red instantly. She quickly pulled the little one away from Tang Minghui and apologized repeatedly, saying the child was just speaking nonsense.

Tang Minghui, also blushing, said goodbye and drove away.

The police station was close to the dormitory, and the short distance made it difficult to hail a cab, so the three adults prepared to walk back with the child.

As they set off, Meng Xingzhe remarked, “In hindsight, we should have asked Tang earlier to give us a lift.”

“…” Yao Jia wanted to comment on how calculating he was, truly a refined egoist.

“It’s not like I wouldn’t pay,” Meng Xingzhe said, as if he had read her mind.

Shanshan was still sulking with his mother for spanking him, refusing to hold her hand or let her carry him. Chen Luoxi, growing anxious, almost raised her hand to spank him again.

Yao Jia quickly crouched down and said, “Shanshan, would you like Sister to carry you?”

Shanshan ran into her arms with his little legs.

Yao Jia picked him up, and the three of them continued walking. Chen Luoxi kept thanking and apologizing, expressing her gratitude for Yao Jia and Meng Xingzhe’s help in finding the child and apologizing for disrupting their rest.

After a few steps, Yao Jia’s arms began to ache. She had underestimated the solid weight of the little one.

Seeing that Yao Jia was struggling, Chen Luoxi wanted to take over, but Shanshan clung to Yao Jia’s neck, still upset with his mother, refusing to let go.

Yao Jia glanced at Meng Xingzhe beside her. Over six feet tall, his hands were empty, and he walked leisurely and carefree.

She suggested to Shanshan, “How about letting Brother carry you for a while?”

Shanshan didn’t respond, but Yao Jia took it as a yes.

Upon hearing he might have to carry the child, Meng Xingzhe’s expression changed immediately.

“Don’t give him to me. I can’t stand…” He wanted to say he couldn’t stand bratty kids, but with the child’s mother present, he swallowed the rest of his words.

Yao Jia ignored him. The more he resisted, the more she wanted to do it.

She handed Shanshan over to Meng Xingzhe, who awkwardly took the child. Shanshan didn’t resist, nestling comfortably on his shoulder, tilting his little face and closing his eyes. One small hand wrapped around Meng Xingzhe’s neck, while the other clung to Yao Jia’s finger. He fell asleep on Meng Xingzhe’s shoulder, his tiny mouth slightly open, breathing out the sweet scent of a child, making the city’s night feel peaceful and gentle.

Meng Xingzhe was so tense he could barely walk, his upper body frozen in place. He and Yao Jia were bound together by the little one, needing to move in sync.

Chen Luoxi kept apologizing, “Oh, this little rascal is mad at me, won’t let me hold him. I’m really sorry for the trouble!”

Yao Jia repeatedly assured her it was fine.

Suddenly, she felt Meng Xingzhe stop.

With Shanshan holding her finger, she had no choice but to stop too.

She turned to look at Meng Xingzhe, who wore an expression of utter misery.

“What’s wrong?” Yao Jia asked.

Meng Xingzhe felt as if he were being slowly turned into stone by some chemical seepage from his shoulder.

Yao Jia shifted her gaze to his shoulder.

Shanshan was resting his head there, his little mouth slightly open, drooling. The drool had soaked through the shirt, seeping into Meng Xingzhe’s skin.

Yao Jia stifled her laughter.

Meng Xingzhe shot her a fierce look, full of complaints. He felt like he was living a life that wasn’t his own tonight!

He had left his company’s technical issues unresolved to help find a child in the middle of the night! This was so unlike him. In his world, nothing was more important than his own interests. External matters were far less significant than company profits.

Yet here he was, having spent the whole night helping find a child, and now he couldn’t even catch a ride back! And to top it off, he had to carry a little monkey who was drooling on him.

A month ago, he couldn’t have imagined living such a rough and miserable life, even if he tried.

Next to him, Chen Luoxi seemed to be in better spirits, even teasing Yao Jia and Meng Xingzhe with a playful remark.

“If someone didn’t know better, they’d think Shanshan was your child!”

Yao Jia nearly slipped and fell.

Meng Xingzhe blurted out, “Chen Jie, don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not her boyfriend!”

Yao Jia quickly chimed in, “Chen Jie, you’re overthinking it. I’m not his romantic target. Actually, he’s got a bit of a thing for Lu Fangfei from your dorm. Oh, right! I should have invited Lu Fangfei earlier to give you a chance! No wonder you’ve been sulking. I was wondering what was bothering you. Oh, I’m such a fool!”

Meng Xingzhe rolled his eyes at her tiger-like analysis. With outsiders present, he couldn’t fully express his frustration. In the end, he could only retort angrily, “You really are a fool!”

Chen Luoxi watched their banter with a smile, shaking her head, increasingly baffled by the antics of today’s youth.

At the stairwell, they parted ways. Meng Xingzhe handed the sleeping child to Chen Luoxi, and everyone softly exchanged goodnights. Chen Luoxi expressed her gratitude and apologies once more.

Yao Jia returned to the dorm and informed Tian Huasheng that the child was safe. Relieved, Tian Huasheng went back to her room to sleep.

Tong Yumo’s room was quiet, indicating she was already asleep. Yao Jia thought there was no need to knock on her door to tell her the child was found, as she didn’t seem too worried anyway.

Yao Jia quickly took a shower. Afterward, as she walked past Meng Xingzhe’s room while drying her hair, she overheard his voice through the slightly open door.

“I really had something to do tonight.”

“Calm down, let’s all calm down, okay?”

“Can we not just break up like this? Can you give me a little more time? It wasn’t easy for us to be together. We can’t just end things over minor difficulties, right?”

“If we get through this, our future will be bright and beautiful, won’t it? So, let’s solve the problem together now.”

Yao Jia listened, her heart pounding.

She hurried back to her room, closed the door, her heart still racing.

She had just stumbled upon some explosive gossip!

Meng Xingzhe has a girlfriend?!

Was he dealing with relationship issues tonight?

But was interrupted by the search for the child?

And now, his girlfriend wants to break up with him?!

Yao Jia punched her bed in frustration.

She thought Meng Xingzhe was such a jerk. Having a girlfriend yet still inviting other girls to dinner, what a scumbag!

******

Meng Xingzhe stayed up all night. Fortunately, he found a breakthrough for the bottleneck issue. No one wanted to leave, so Meng Xingzhe announced the meeting was over and told everyone to get some sleep.

Bei Luonan stayed online to chat with him.

Bei Luonan asked, “What were you rushing off to do earlier?”

Meng Xingzhe replied, “I went to find a child.”

He recounted the story of his colleague’s missing child.

Bei Luonan shook his head and sighed, “That doesn’t sound like something you’d do.”

After a pause, he asked, “If someone had resigned today and you couldn’t fix it because you went to find the child, would you regret it?”

Meng Xingzhe thought of the little one sleeping on his shoulder, drooling all over his shirt.

“I don’t regret it,” he told Bei Luonan. “Holding that little one, feeling his warmth and life, I realized he’s a living, breathing little being. Isn’t life more valuable than anything else?”

Only now did he truly understand the significance of his decision to search for the child. While the meeting was important, life was more so.

When he heard Yao Jia say that if the child fell into the hands of a stranger, how scared and desperate would he be, longing for rescue? If no one came to save him, how hopeless would he feel?

Fear, longing for rescue, despair. These words struck him deeply. He had experienced them before, deliberately forgotten them, and became a refined egotist, a hedonist—once trapped in darkness, despairing that he would die. It was because he helped someone that he ended up in that situation. He vowed never to help anyone again.

But if he hadn’t gone to find the child today, and the child was abducted, even if the company was saved, he might never achieve self-redemption. He would truly become a cold-blooded successful businessman, with no guilt towards life, only interests and losses.

So, choosing to find the child over continuing the meeting, does he regret it?

No, he doesn’t. He thinks it’s the most worthwhile choice he’s ever made.

“If I hadn’t gone to find him today for the sake of the meeting, I would still be the person I despise, the kind of person I hate the most,” Meng Xingzhe told Bei Luonan through the screen.

His expression held a newfound calmness, peace, and even a bit of relief. There was a hint of determination in his eyes. He seemed more handsome than ever, not just because of his striking features, but because of the spirit and energy he exuded.

Bei Luonan smiled at him and said, “I initially thought you went to find the child for Yao Jia. Now I see, asking that was shallow of me.”

After a pause, he became serious and said, “You’re actually redeeming yourself from your past PTSD.”

“I’m really happy right now,” Bei Luonan said, looking at Meng Xingzhe through the video call, speaking each word deliberately. “Your PTSD might heal, and one day you won’t need to keep the lamp on when you sleep.”

— Translator’s Notes —

– begging syndicate: In China, begging syndicates are organized criminal groups that kidnap children, often maiming them (e.g., by amputating limbs) and confining them in jars or boxes to beg on streets, exploiting public sympathy for profit.