Chapter 33 Searching in the Mountains

Chapter 33 Searching in the Mountains

At the sound of this voice, Yu Sanbao's expression changed.

While others were still stunned, he had already rushed out.

The crowd also came to their senses and hurriedly swarmed out the door.

In the courtyard stood Su Rouer, who had run hastily and shouted urgently. She was now gasping for breath, struggling to catch her breath.

Yu Sanbao rushed over and held Su Rouer's arm. "Wife, what happened? What about Ju Geer? What about Ju Geer?"

Hearing Yu Sanbao's question, it was clear that Ju Geer hadn't returned either. Su Rouer nearly broke down. At this moment, she didn't care about the conflicts with Yu Sanbao anymore. She grabbed him and cried, tears streaming down her face: "Ju Geer, Ju Geer is missing! He, he hasn't come back, has he?!"

Wei Pozi and Old Man Yu, who followed closely behind, immediately turned pale.

"Ju Geer hasn't come back at all!" Wei Pozi looked grim. "He's just a four-year-old child; how could he return from the county by himself?!"

Su Rouer couldn't even stand steadily, crying uncontrollably.

Yu Sanbao was extremely anxious and pulled her up, making her stand firm. "Wife, tell me clearly. What exactly happened to Ju Geer?! When did he go missing?!"

Su Rouer cried, "It was in the afternoon. Ju Geer hit his cousin Xiaobao on the head. That child must have been afraid of our scolding and ran away... I searched everywhere but couldn't find Ju Geer. The neighbor said she saw Ju Geer running out of the alley. When she asked where he was going, he said he was going back to grandma's house... But I searched all the way here and didn't see Ju Geer."

As she spoke, Su Rouer cried even harder, wailing aloud: "My child, where have you gone?!"

Wei Pozi felt dizzy.

There were many kidnappers around these days. For a four-year-old child like Ju Geer not to return by now meant grave danger!

Old Man Yu was also very anxious, trying to say something but ended up coughing so hard he couldn't straighten his back.

Wei Pozi supported Old Man Yu and patted his back. Su Rouer continued crying, while Yu Sanbao paced anxiously. Wei Pozi couldn't help but say, "Enough, stop crying! What good does crying do?"

Su Rouer, finding an outlet for her frustration, pushed Yu Sanbao away while crying: "You're the one to talk! It wasn't a big deal, yet you forced me to take Ju Geer back to my parents' place! If it weren't for that, Ju Geer wouldn't have been lost!"

Li Chunhua and Bai Xiaofeng both changed expressions.

What was this third daughter-in-law saying?!

The men of the Yu family also changed their faces.

This third daughter-in-law was indeed too much!

Wei Pozi's face turned extremely ugly!

At that moment, a young voice spoke anxiously: "Third Aunt, what you're saying isn't right! You were the one who took Ju Geer out. Why blame Grandma? When Grandma and Xingxing went to the county and saw Ju Geer alone in the market, Grandma was worried and told you to watch him carefully! And you were mean to Grandma then!"

Xingxing was almost crying too.

She knew what it meant to be lost. She had heard villagers say she was a lost child—being lost was not a good thing. Knowing Ju Geer was lost, she understood the family must be very worried!

But that wasn't a reason for Third Aunt to scold Grandma!

Xingxing spoke quickly and tearfully, more touching than Su Rouer's hysterical crying.

Even Yu Sanbao, in his anxiety, momentarily regained some clarity and looked at Su Rouer with disappointment.

He had never known about this incident.

His mother had never spoken ill of his wife to him.

But looking at his wife's words and actions, what kind of behavior was this?

As soon as those words left her mouth, Su Rouer felt a twinge of regret.

But the words were already out, and with the panic of Ju Geer being lost, Su Rouer couldn't think straight and only rebuked Xingxing: "This is no place for you to speak!"

Wei Pozi was furious.

Xingxing bit her lip and tugged at Wei Pozi's sleeve. "Grandma, forget it. I was too anxious just now. Third Aunt is an elder... Let's hurry and find Ju Geer."

Xingxing knew Ju Geer never liked her, so she didn't dare call him brother, only following others in calling him Ju Geer.

Seeing such a considerate Xingxing, Wei Pozi's heart ached. She took a deep breath, ignoring Su Rouer, and gave instructions to the men: "Go ask the friendly families in the village for help. Ask them to help us search the mountains for Ju Geer!"

Old Man Yu also said, "I'll go borrow the hunting dogs from Old Bai... Get some wood and make torches. Be careful on the road."

Yu Daniu, Yu Erhu, and Yu Siyang all responded in unison.

Even the younger boys of the Yu family went to get things, preparing to join the adults in searching the mountains.

Yu Sanbao looked at the stubborn Su Rouer, pursed his lips, and instructed: "Stay home." Without saying anything else, he joined the family, disappearing into the night outside the courtyard.

For a moment, only Wei Pozi, Li Chunhua, Bai Xiaofeng, the sobbing Su Rouer, and a very eager-to-help Xingxing remained in the house.

Wei Pozi didn't look at Su Rouer and instructed Li Chunhua: "Go to the kitchen and boil a large pot of ginger soup. Make it thick. It's very cold in the mountains at night. When they return, they can drink it to warm up."

Li Chunhua agreed.

Bai Xiaofeng, seeing Wei Pozi hadn't given her any instructions, volunteered: "Mother, I'll help start a fire. We should do something to feel better."

Wei Pozi nodded without saying anything and led Xingxing into the house.

Su Rouer cried in the courtyard for a while. Seeing no one paying attention to her, she gritted her teeth and was about to leave.

Xingxing walked out of the main house and called out: "Third Aunt!"

Su Rouer looked at Xingxing with suspicion and hatred.

Xingxing was a bit afraid of such a gaze. She shrank back but still managed to deliver the message her grandmother had given her: "Grandma said you shouldn't go out. Otherwise, they'll have to look for you again."

Su Rouer seemed to be pushed to the brink by these words. She cried out, "Ju Geer is my son! If I don't go out to find him, what else can I do?"

Xingxing was just a little girl of three years old. She didn't know how to comfort Third Aunt, who was losing control of her emotions.

She thought hard and then said earnestly, "When Ju Geer is found, he will definitely want to see Third Aunt right away. It's best if Third Aunt waits at home."

Su Rouer couldn't help but burst into tears.

The crescent moon rose, and half of Nantuo Village was mobilized.

Many people volunteered to join the search for Ju Geer.

For a while, the slopes of Mount Langshen echoed with calls for "Ju Geer."

However, despite searching until late at night, no one was found.

Someone couldn't help whispering, "Could it be that someone has taken the child?"

At this, someone elbowed him, signaling him to keep quiet, worried about upsetting the Yu family.

As the night grew deeper and the search proved fruitless, the villagers gradually returned from Mount Langshen.

Finally, even the Yu family came back, their faces grim.