Chapter 38

Chapter 38

After Shen Juanjuan finished introducing the telescope, he happily swayed his head. When he turned around, he suddenly saw Wang Zhusheng staring at him and tugging on his brother's sleeve.

His heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly reminded the other children, "Quick, hide! Quick, hide! Wang Zhusheng saw us; he’s going to get his brother to take it."

The children quickly put away the telescope and saw Wang Chengcai scolding his brother with an annoyed look. Wang Zhusheng lay down on the ground and started kicking his legs in circles, only to be picked up by Wang Chengcai and slapped on the butt a couple of times.

"Ah..."

"Get up."

"No, I want that, I want that."

"Fine, fine, stop crying. I’ll go get it for you, okay?"

Seeing Wang Chengcai looking over, everyone hugged their telescopes and backed away, huddling against the wall like a group of frightened quails.

Wang Chengcai's gaze fell on the telescopes in their hands, and he strode towards them. The children began to panic and moved towards the door, preparing to escape the cafeteria.

But just then, the door was suddenly pushed open, and Dean Liu and Manager Chen appeared at the entrance. Dean Liu stepped aside to let someone through, introducing, "It’s breakfast time, all the children are here."

As several officers in military uniforms entered the cafeteria, the noise instantly died down, and even Wang Chengcai, who had been approaching the children menacingly, stopped in his tracks.

The officers walked to the front of the cafeteria and pushed the bucket containing bean cakes further away. The leading officer raised his eyes and swept his gaze over the children below, making the entire cafeteria fall silent.

"There’s no need to panic. My name is Zhang, you can call me Captain Zhang. I have a few questions, and then we’ll leave without disturbing your breakfast." Captain Zhang smiled kindly. "Have any of you seen strangers recently?"

The cafeteria fell into silence. Captain Zhang asked again, "Have you? Have you seen any strangers?"

A bold child said, "I don’t know any strangers."

"A stranger is someone unfamiliar, someone you’ve never seen before," Manager Chen explained from the doorway.

The soldier beside Captain Zhang opened a file bag and pulled out an enlarged photograph.

"Everyone, look at this photo. Have you seen this person?"

The children all stared at the photo. Shen Juanjuan and a few others stood at the back of the line, having to tiptoe or crane their necks to see.

Shen Juanjuan bent his knees and leaned forward, and upon seeing the person in the photo, he froze.

It was an enlarged ID photo. The young man in the picture still looked youthful but had a serious expression with furrowed brows. He wore a white shirt with a blue tie, his short hair neatly combed, revealing clear and handsome features.

Shen Miaomiao...

Shen Miaomiao!

Some children recognized Chu Ya and pointed at the photo, saying to the officer, "That’s not a stranger. He’s been to our orphanage."

"Yes, I’ve seen him here."

Captain Zhang looked at Dean Liu, and Manager Chen hurriedly explained, "Not long ago, Councilor Wu and others visited the orphanage. Young Master Chu—whom you see in the photo—was part of the entourage. We held a small welcome party, so the students have seen him. By the way, Colonel Gu was also there; he can confirm it."

"After the welcome party, did you see him again?" Captain Zhang turned to ask.

"No, we didn’t."

"We saw him during that visit."

"He was standing right in front of me; I was in the fourth row."

"I was in the fifth row; I could see him."

"He’s so tall, and looks better than in this photo."

...

Lin Duozhi also recognized Chu Ya and hurriedly tugged at Shen Juanjuan’s clothes. "Juanjuan, look, quick, look."

But Shen Juanjuan didn’t respond, staring blankly at the photo, unable to come back to reality.

Captain Zhang’s gaze slowly swept across the faces of the students, pausing slightly when it reached a corner by the window, then he walked over.

Shen Juanjuan continued staring at the photo, unaware that the murmuring around him had ceased until he heard a voice say, "Little boy?"

Shen Juanjuan jumped, realizing a pair of military boots had appeared in front of him. His gaze followed the trouser legs up, past the brass buttons on the uniform, to Captain Zhang’s face.

"Little boy, do you know the person in the photo well?"

Shen Juanjuan stared at him blankly without responding. Dean Liu walked in from the doorway, "How would he know him? They only met once during the welcome party."

Captain Zhang’s smile faded slightly. Without replying, he turned to the junior officer beside him and said, "His reaction just now wasn’t normal. Show him the photo again."

"Okay."

This time, Shen Juanjuan got a close-up view of the photo, confirming it was indeed Shen Miaomiao.

Captain Zhang observed him closely and asked softly, "His name is Chu Ya. Have you seen him since? Where did you see him? Tell Uncle."

Shen Juanjuan glanced at him, then looked away and lowered his head, revealing a resentful expression under his hidden face.

"How could a little kid—"

"Manager Chen, please do not interfere with our duties."

Manager Chen was taken aback. "No, no, you misunderstood. Continue asking, continue."

"Tell Uncle, have you seen him?" Captain Zhang asked Shen Juanjuan again.

Shen Juanjuan remained silent once again, only shaking his head from side to side with a stern face before nodding.

"Where was that? Where did you see it?"

"We saw it while playing dong dong qiang," Shen Juanjuan replied softly, looking up.

"What? Dong dong qiang?"

Shen Juanjuan extended both hands and began tapping in front of him, muttering, "Dong dong qiang, dong dong qiang..." Lin Duozhi quickly joined in: "Dong dong qiang, dong dong qiang..."

Captain Zhang looked astonished, and Manager Chen leaned down to whisper, "It's the welcome ceremony. They're imitating our school's honor guard drumming."

Captain Zhang lost interest instantly and stood up amidst the children's dong dong qiang, but as he turned, his gaze fell on Shen Juanjuan's chest.

"What's this?" He reached for the binoculars hanging around Shen Juanjuan's neck, but Shen Juanjuan suddenly twisted away, leaving his hand empty.

Manager Chen explained, "This is a toy the child made himself."

"A toy he made himself..."

Shen Juanjuan turned his back, and Captain Zhang looked at the other children nearby, noticing several also had similar binoculars around their necks.

The paper tubes or empty bottles were wrapped in colorful paper, bearing the name of a pharmaceutical factory in Cloud Peak. Though rudimentary, the craftsmanship was not crude; the wires were twisted neatly, and there were no visible joints—definitely not something a five- or six-year-old could make.

Captain Zhang asked the nearest round-faced child with interest, "Where did you get these toys?"

Tang Yuanyuan replied softly, "We found them."

"Found them? No way, someone must have made these for you, right?" Captain Zhang looked at Shen Juanjuan again, "Did you make these for them? Or did someone help you? Where did you get the materials?"

Shen Juanjuan answered quickly this time, "We found the materials in the junkyard before, and the senior students helped us make the binoculars."

"The senior students helped you?"

"Yes."

Shen Juanjuan's smooth answer was due to Chu Ya's careful instructions when he handed over the binoculars.

"...If anyone asks about the origin of these binoculars, tell them you found the materials in the junkyard, and the senior students helped you make them. If they ask who the senior students are, point randomly at several people and say you can't remember their faces. Since you're young, you can say anything..."

Shen Juanjuan was about to point randomly, but Manager Chen spoke up again, "It's our fault for poor management. We only discovered a hole in the fence a few days ago. The children have been sneaking out all day, going to the junkyard and wasteland... Picking up trash is a minor issue, but safety concerns are serious, so we've already patched up the hole."

Captain Zhang's expression eased, and he turned to leave the cafeteria, turning to Director Liu, "Director, it's cold now. The mutated creatures from Keke Mountain have attacked Keke Town and the mine. Be cautious when you leave the orphanage."

Director Liu's expression tightened, "We will definitely be careful."

Seeing Captain Zhang's group leave, Shen Juanjuan still tensed up, his face full of anxiety. Lin Duozhi patted his shoulder, "After breakfast, let's talk in private."

Shen Juanjuan nodded, "Okay."

The children in the cafeteria were discussing what had just happened, and Wang Chengcai didn't come to ask for their binoculars again. Shen Juanjuan quickly got their food and hurried to the backyard with Lin Duozhi.

The backyard was quiet and empty. The two children squatted by the table nook, and Lin Duozhi was about to speak when Shen Juanjuan stopped him, "Check again to make sure no one is hiding."

The two children assumed the posture for psychic attacks.

"I didn't detect anyone with my psychic power," Shen Juanjuan said, eyes alert.

"Me neither," Lin Duozhi said solemnly.

"Alright, go ahead."

Lin Duozhi asked, "Why did they want to see your brother?"

Shen Juanjuan thought for a moment, "Whatever it is, it's bad. We can't let them catch my brother. Don't tell anyone, okay?"

"I won't tell anyone."

Tang Yuanyuan and a few other children emerged from behind the wall, and Chen Hongliang said, "Sure enough, you two are here."

"Shh..."

"Keep your voice down."

The children ran over and handed Shen Juanjuan extra bean cakes, "Here."

After Shen Juanjuan took them, Tang Yuanyuan looked around, "That man asked me where I got the binoculars. I told him I found them."

"Yes, yes," Shen Juanjuan nodded eagerly, "Tang Yuanyuan, you're so smart."

Chen Hongliang chimed in, "He didn't ask me. If he had, I would have said they fell from the sky."

"You're smart too."

Wang Xiaoxi added, "Me too, I would have said they fell from the sky."

"Haha, you're smart too."

Yu Datou stood silently beside them, then suddenly shouted and smashed his binoculars on the ground.

"What's wrong? What are you doing?" the children asked in surprise.

Yu Datou gruffly replied, "If they ask me, I'll break them and not say anything."

"Don't really break them; no one asked you." Wang Xiaoxi hurriedly picked them up.

Shen Juanjuan carried a bag of bean cakes on the way back to the junkyard, occasionally raising the binoculars to look around.

Through the round lens, he saw a vast wilderness dotted with mounds and unknown wild grasses. In the distance, Keke Mountain loomed tall and majestic, and a group of senior students approached on the main road.

Um, there's also Wang Zhusheng's brother.

Wang Zhusheng's brother!

Shen Juanjuan stared through the binoculars at Wang Zhusheng's brother for several seconds. He only reacted when he saw a malicious smile and then ran toward the garbage dump.

"Shen Juanjuan! Stop right there!"

Hearing Wang Chengcai's shout, Shen Juanjuan didn't stop but ran even faster.

He felt like he was running incredibly fast, too fast for anyone to catch up, but suddenly his back tightened as someone grabbed his collar and lifted him up.

Suspended in the air, Shen Juanjuan's feet still moved out of inertia before he was thrown to the ground, staggering a few steps before regaining his balance.

"Why are you running? Huh? Why are you running?" Wang Chengcai raised his hand and shouted roughly. Shen Juanjuan stared at the hand above him, shrinking his neck and blinking rapidly.

Wang Chengcai pushed the binoculars hanging around his neck. "Where did you get this thing?"

Shen Juanjuan stared at him silently, his neck tucked into his collar.

"I'm asking you." Wang Chengcai raised his voice.

Shen Juanjuan shuddered but remained silent. Wang Chengcai raised his fist, causing him to blink rapidly and tilt his head back desperately.

"I haven't hit you yet, why are you so scared?" Wang Chengcai withdrew his hand and reached for the binoculars. "I'll borrow this for a couple of days."

But Shen Juanjuan started struggling fiercely, trying to pry Wang Chengcai's fingers apart while kicking wildly with both feet. "This is my binoculars, mine..."

"Get lost." Wang Chengcai pushed him hard, sending Shen Juanjuan tumbling off the road and into a nearby drainage ditch.

Dressed in thick cotton clothes, he didn't hurt much from the fall, but his palms were scraped by small stones. Slowly climbing back onto the road, he saw that Wang Chengcai and the others had already moved ahead. He walked away crying, his head drooping, and the earflaps of his cap swinging beside his face.

Shen Juanjuan slowly made his way to Mixin Town, following the barbed wire fence. Suddenly, he stopped crying, his tear-filled eyes rushing to the fence. Through the gap between two houses, he saw Chu Ya sitting in his wheelchair.

From a distance, Chu Ya and Shen Juanjuan looked at each other. Their expressions seemed calm, but there was an unnoticed anger in their eyes.

After a few seconds, Shen Juanjuan came to his senses, calling softly, "Shen Miaomiao," tears streaming down his face. Then he rushed to the fence, beginning to complain.

"Shen Miaomiao."

"I got into a fight, but I couldn't win... wah... I got beaten."

"My binoculars were taken... sob... sob..."

"He threw me on the ground, tossed me... wah..."

Chu Ya, with a tight-lipped expression, wheeled himself closer. Shen Juanjuan hurried to the next gap, holding onto the fence and continuing his complaint: "It was Wang Zhusheng's brother who beat me... wah..."

"He poked me with an iron rod three times."

"He threw me up in the air and kicked me many times before I fell down, thump! I've already died once, sob... sob..."

Children often mix truth with exaggeration when complaining, believing their own stories. Shen Juanjuan became more and more upset, crying as if his heart would break, making it seem like Wang Chengcai had really beaten him severely.

Just as he was about to rush to the entrance of the garbage dump, Chu Ya called out to him and pointed to a spot nearby. "There's a gap here; just crawl through."

"Okay." Shen Juanjuan sniffled.

"Be careful not to get caught on the wire."

"Sob... okay."

As Shen Juanjuan crawled through the gap in the barbed wire, Chu Ya wheeled himself into the space between two buildings, moving closer to Shen Juanjuan's position.

After crawling through the wire, there was a narrow platform nearly two meters high. Chu Ya extended his hand, catching Shen Juanjuan in his arms.

"My binoculars, my binoculars..." Shen Juanjuan clung to Chu Ya's neck, sobbing uncontrollably.

Although the young man remained silent with a tight-lipped expression, his jaw was clenched, and anger flickered in his eyes. He patted Shen Juanjuan's shoulder gently and asked softly, "Was the person who pushed you earlier Wang Zhusheng's brother?"

Shen Juanjuan nodded. "Yes, that's Wang Zhusheng's brother." Then he added angrily, "He's a big dung beetle, a big, stinky dung beetle." He mimicked throwing something aside forcefully. "He loves doing that to me. He has killed all the freshmen in our dorm."

"Don't you report him to the management?" Chu Ya asked.

Shen Juanjuan hesitated. "Everyone is afraid to say anything, or they'll get beaten again."

Shen Juanjuan leaned against Chu Ya, cursing the dung beetle and imagining various ways to make Wang Chengcai suffer. Chu Ya listened patiently, soothingly stroking his head, gradually calming his agitated mood.

"He would lie on the ground screaming, 'Shen Juanjuan, I won't do it again, I won't do it again...'"

Shen Juanjuan was vividly imitating Wang Chengcai's imagined cries when Chu Ya gently interrupted. "Go wash your face first. There's hot water in the thermos. Use some soap and clean your face."

"Oh, okay." Shen Juanjuan sat contentedly on Chu Ya's lap, waiting for him to wheel them both back.

"You should go back now. I need to wait a bit longer." Chu Ya pushed him away gently.

"Go back by myself? Why do you need to wait?"

"I have something to do."

"I want to do something with you too."

"Go back and find some treasures in the house." Chu Ya lowered his voice, sounding mysterious. "See if you can find anything."

Shen Juanjuan's eyes lit up, and he whispered excitedly, "A treasure hunt game? I love that."

"Then hurry up."

"Okay."

Shen Juanjuan ran toward the street, and after taking two steps, he called back, "You have to come back quickly, okay? Come back before I find you."

"Mm." Chu Ya nodded.

"Not many more than two minutes, okay."

"Mm."

Chu Ya followed him out of the gap, watching Shen Juanjuan's figure disappear at the alley entrance. Only then did he push his wheelchair and head toward the dump. His face was grim, and his expression was no longer its usual cold indifference. A trace of ferocity silently flashed across his eyes.