Chapter 4: The Kidnapper

Outside the house was a stone-paved path and street lamps casting a warm light. That light didn’t reach the room, and once inside, they felt as if they had entered an entirely different space.

Wang Jiexiang traced the wall upwards, and in no time, she found the light switch.

“Click.”

The ceiling’s fluorescent light flickered, lethargically lighting up the room.

What greeted her eyes was a small one-bedroom home. The house was tidy, and the items were arranged neatly. Beautiful floral curtains divided the room into different areas. On the left were the dining table and stove, on the right were two beds, one large and one small, and in the corner stood a low little desk.

Seeing a wedding photo of a couple on the TV in front of the dining table, Wang Jiexiang walked over.

“Why is it placed so high?”

She realized she had to tiptoe to reach the TV’s top.

Her hand… was that really her hand? Wang Jiexiang shook her hand, which looked as small as a biscuit.

Oh no, Wang Jiexiang realized, looking down at the rest of her body.

She had shrunk! Her down jacket had turned into a children’s jacket, and her once proud long legs now seemed as short as two pieces of lotus root. The rabbit in her pocket… where was Yin Xian?!

At that moment, thunder suddenly roared outside, and Wang Jiexiang turned to look at the window.

Flashes of lightning struck down in quick succession, and the window reflected a figure standing outside.

Who was that? She felt a chill run down her spine. Wasn’t Yin Xian the only one here on Little Rabbit Island with her? Wang Jiexiang rummaged through her pocket; her hammer had also turned into a cute mini hammer. Even with that, it still felt heavy in her hand.

Crouching down, Wang Jiexiang quietly crept toward the figure.

“Night rain sends my thoughts to the north, Tang, Li Shangyin.”

The childish voice reciting the poem startled her.

“Sir, when will you return? The night rain of Bashan raises the autumn pool. What… what…”

Wang Jiexiang watched as he scratched his head and looked down at his book: “When will we cut the candles at the western window?”

He repeated this line over and over, tapping his head.

Wang Jiexiang furrowed her brow and shifted her gaze to the boy’s side. She saw a water well, overgrown with wild grass, and the sky was filled with dark clouds, though it wasn’t yet night. The stone-paved path they had arrived on was no longer in sight.

There had been so many strange occurrences already; this was just another one. Wang Jiexiang forced herself to stay calm: no matter where she was, the most important thing was to find Yin Xian. He was now a rabbit, and with humans nearby, if he ran around and got caught, he might be turned into a dish.

She crouched down, using her current size advantage to search under the bed.

More people had arrived outside. From the sound, it was an older man talking to the boy.

“Little one, are you reciting poems here by yourself?”

The boy quietly answered, “Yes.”

“Can you tell uncle how old you are?”

He replied, “Four years old.”

The man smiled for no apparent reason, his voice kind and warm. “What’s your name?”

“Yin Xian.”

Wang Jiexiang suddenly raised her head, hitting it on the bedframe, causing her to grimace in pain.

Yin Xian? So, they had entered this childhood home, essentially traveling back in time to his childhood? Yin Xian had turned into his younger self? Why hadn’t she thought of that earlier?

“Aren’t your parents home?” The man’s questioning seemed endless.

Wang Jiexiang hadn’t paid much attention to them before, but now that she thought about it, something was off. The man didn’t know little Yin Xian, so why was he asking all these pointless questions?

“They’re not home,” four-year-old Yin Xian looked obedient. “I don’t have the key to get in, I’m waiting for them to come back.”

“Oh, do they come home late?”

The more Wang Jiexiang listened, the stranger it seemed. She muttered in her mind: When will Yin Xian’s parents come home? Why does it matter to you? Are you planning to steal from his house?

Yin Xian bit his lip, still answering honestly, “Yes, mom and dad are busy with work.”

The man smiled even wider, making a hissing sound as he did, like air escaping from his mouth.

“You’re so smart, learning poetry at such a young age.”

Little Yin Xian hid his hands behind his back and shook his head.

“Mom told me to learn. If I don’t recite it well, she’ll slap my hand tonight.”

“Your mom is so mean,” the uncle pouted and reached out his hand. “Little one, do you want to come with me?”

The boy looked confused by the offer.

“You don’t need to be scared,” he smiled and gently took his hand. “Your dad asked me to find you. He wants me to take you to his workplace.”

Wang Jiexiang couldn’t hold back any longer: This man was clearly a bad guy! If he really knew Yin Xian’s father, how could he have asked such nonsensical questions before?

Hearing “dad,” Yin Xian immediately relaxed, following the man without any resistance.

Before they could go far, Wang Jiexiang swung open the door and ran toward them.

Her legs were short, but she could still run fast. The hand that the man was holding Yin Xian’s with became her finish line. Running at full speed, Wang Jiexiang crashed into their hands, splitting them apart.

The man staggered from the impact. As he regained his balance, he was about to lash out at the intruder…

“What do you think you’re doing?” Wang Jiexiang took the initiative, confronting the man head-on.

“This should be my question,” he rubbed his wrist irritably. “Little one, you’re the one who crashed into us first.”

Yin Xian was protected behind Wang Jiexiang. She put her hands on her hips and boldly admitted, “Yes, I crashed into you. Where are you taking Yin Xian?”

The man didn’t respond. Behind him, Yin Xian tapped her shoulder.

“Who are you?”

The girl, around his age, looked unfamiliar. Yin Xian innocently asked, “Do we know each other?”

Wang Jiexiang glared at him.

“Little one,” the man pushed her aside and pulled Yin Xian back, “He’s going with me to find his dad. Do you have a problem?”

“You don’t know Yin Xian’s dad,” Wang Jiexiang was firm, having overheard their entire conversation.

The man became cautious. “You know Yin Xian’s dad?”

“…”

Yin Xian blinked up at her.

“Anyway, you can’t take him!” She was done arguing and went straight to grabbing him.

But now, with her current size, even using all her strength, she couldn’t fight against an adult man. He easily blocked her, picking up Yin Xian as if he were a little chick.

She had to jump just to reach his legs, and there was no way she could pull him down.

The rain started to pour heavily.

Wang Jiexiang shouted loudly, but her voice was drowned out by the increasingly loud rain.

It was getting dark.

Not far away, under a tree, was the man’s human-powered rickshaw. He was carrying Yin Xian there.

“I want to go with you!”

She grabbed his leg, desperate and left with no other choice but to resort to this tactic.

“I know Yin Xian’s dad. My dad works with him, and I want to go too.”

Wang Jiexiang’s ruckus attracted the man’s attention, making him look around, growing more agitated.

Yin Xian looked at her with a confused expression.

“See? He won’t let me go,” she signaled with her eyes, hoping he understood.

“Hey,” the man’s disregard angered Wang Jiexiang. “Why won’t you take me? I’m a kid too! I’m cute too!”

The man had Yin Xian sit in the back of the rickshaw and turned to slap Wang Jiexiang.

At that moment, an old woman walked over. Wang Jiexiang caught a glimpse of her and decided to ask for help.

The man saw her too and, feeling guilty, quickly stopped Wang Jiexiang. She immediately struggled, and in one decisive move, he picked her up by the waist and tossed her into the rickshaw along with Yin Xian.