Chapter 60

Chapter 60

After double-checking there were no other leads, Dai Xianghua rushed off. Wang Guizhi let out a sigh and shook her head, taking the chance to warn the three kids to watch out for strangers outside the village. It gave her chills just thinking about how the kids had run into traffickers more than once.

"These traffickers just keep coming—cut down one batch, and another one sprouts up," Wang Guizhi muttered.

Shen Banyue was thinking the same thing. These traffickers didn't seem like some ragtag bunch grabbing kids for pocket change—they looked like a tight, well-organized gang with clear roles and a lot of people.

She wondered if the cops could take the whole gang down in one go this time.

Worried about scarring the kids, Wang Guizhi wrapped up her warnings with some reassurance, then stood up, dusted herself off, and asked, "You want the rabbit stir-fried or braised?"

Xiao Dizi drooled a little and said no matter how you cooked it, a fat rabbit was always delicious. Lin Mian thought for a second, then nodded seriously, agreeing with Xiao Dizi, while Shen Banyue said adults make choices, but kids want both—she wanted stir-fried rabbit chunks and spicy rabbit head.

The rain had been coming and going for over ten days. When it finally stopped, the weather suddenly got hot.

Because of the rain, the brigade leader had banned everyone from going up the mountain or down to the creek, so the kids were stuck playing in the village. Not only hadn't they gotten any meat to satisfy their cravings, they hadn't even picked any mushrooms in ages.

Zhao Xuehai complained every day that his mouth was so bland a bird could fly out of it. Every time he did, Xiao Dizi would open her mouth and go "hiss-hiss," remembering the last meat they'd eaten two weeks ago—spicy rabbit, and it was so good.

Even though the rabbit meat had "bitten" her mouth and made it hurt, it was still tasty.

And there were cherries and loquats—a little sour, but also delicious.

Too bad they were all gone.

The thing was, even after the rain stopped, the adults still wouldn't let them go up the mountain. In late spring, with all the thick leaves, there were too many snakes, bugs, and critters. It was definitely not safe for the kids to go up alone—they needed an adult with them.

But the Shen family was short on adults who could take the kids up the mountain. Wang Guizhi and Shen Dechang were willing but not able—they could go up, but if something happened, they weren't sure they could bring the kids back in one piece.

After all, the adults who usually took the kids up the mountain were all at work in the factory.

One day after school, a few bored kids decided to go to the willow grove to dig for scrap. They went home to grab their tools and met up along the way. Just outside the village entrance, someone called out to them: "Wendong, Xuehai..."

The kids stopped and turned to look at the path off to the side. Shen Aihua stood there, looking at Shen Banyue and the others, and hesitantly called out, "Xiao Yue."

Of the four kids from the eldest branch, Shen Banyue knew Shen Aizhen and Shen Ailin better, but didn't have much of an impression of Shen Aimin and Shen Aihua.

But Shen Aihua had never caused any trouble. On the day of Shen Guoqing's wedding, he was the one who dragged the troublemaking Hu Huaihua and Shen Ailin away. Shen Banyue remembered hearing Hu Huaihua yell at him back then, so she had a pretty good impression of him.

She nodded and greeted him, "Aihua Ge."

Shen Aihua, a big, sturdy young man, seemed oddly nervous in front of a few kids. When Shen Banyue called him "Ge," he immediately turned red and stammered, unable to say a word for a long time. Just as the kids were about to wave goodbye and leave, he ran up from the slanted path and shoved the basket in his hand toward Shen Banyue: "These are mushrooms and bamboo shoots I dug up. Take them home and eat them."

Shen Banyue was taken aback: "Huh?"

Shen Aihua scratched his head: "Grandpa and Grandma are too old to go up the mountain easily, and you guys are still young. Don't go up for a while. I go up to chop firewood a lot, so it's easy for me to dig some on the side. I just don't know how to block rabbit holes or catch rabbits..."

Shen Banyue quickly dumped the mushrooms and bamboo shoots into her own basket and cut him off: "Okay, thanks, Aihua Ge. See you later." She had no idea when this honest guy had seen them catching rabbits, but if he kept talking, the whole village would know they'd been up the mountain every day catching rabbits.

"Ah, no need, no need to thank me." Shen Aihua took a couple of steps forward. "Um, Xiao Yue, could you help me tell Grandma something? My aunt is setting up a match for Aizhen."

Shen Banyue stopped in her tracks: "What?"

Shen Aizhen might be dumb and mean, but how old was she? How could they already be talking about a match for her?

"It's from deep in the mountains of Qishan Commune. I don't think that family's right for her," Shen Aihua said with a frown.

Shen Banyue was confused for a second. But why was she, a kid, being told this? She couldn't help asking, "Why don't you tell Grandma Wang yourself?"

Shen Aihua pressed his lips together: "I don't dare."

Shen Banyue: "..."

So that's why he'd come to stop them today—he wanted them to be messengers. Shen Banyue almost wanted to dump the mushrooms and bamboo shoots back into his basket, but after a moment's thought, she waved her hand: "Alright, I get it. I'll mention it to Grandma Wang later, but she might not get involved."

Hearing that she was willing to help, Shen Aihua sighed in relief, turned around, and ran off, probably not catching her last words.

Xiao Dizi commented with an air of maturity: "Aihua Gege is so timid, even smaller than a little mouse."

Lin Mian frowned: "That Shen Aizhen once splashed boiling water on Grandma Wang."

Xiao Dizi immediately said, "Bad person!"

Shen Wendong frowned too: "Then should we still tell Grandma Wang... uh, tell Auntie?" The generational mess almost tripped him up.

Shen Banyue picked up Xiao Dizi: "Tell her. Whatever happens next, Grandma Wang will figure it out on her own. We're just kids—we don't need to think too much. Let the adults worry about it."

Zhao Xuehai cackled: "Xiao Yue, you're so sly!"

Shen Banyue really wanted to kick him. This was the wisdom of living three lifetimes, wasn't it? This guy had no idea how to talk.

The kids were about to move on when they were called again: "Xiao Yue, Xiao Dizi, Lin Mian, wait, where are you going?"

Turning around, they saw the brigade leader, Shen Zhenxing, cycling over from the commune direction on his prized 28-inch bike, riding with such vigor. His usually stern face was beaming with smiles—clearly, something good had happened.

"Uncle, we're going to the willow grove to dig for scrap. Don't worry, we won't go near the creek," Shen Wendong quickly said, afraid of getting scolded.

Shen Zhenxing jumped off his bike, showing no intention of scolding them. Holding the handlebars with one hand, he pulled a handful of candy from his pocket with the other, smiling broadly: "Here, have some candy."

Zhao Xuehai's eyes nearly popped out: "Uncle Brigade Leader, why are you so generous today?"

If there was one thing this kid was bad at, it was talking. Shen Zhenxing, who had been all smiles, couldn't keep his grin up and couldn't help but slap the brat lightly, annoyed: "What, am I usually stingy?"

He bypassed Zhao Xuehai and handed the candy to Lin Mian, telling him to distribute it, then said: "Don't go digging for scrap. Dai Xianghua asked me to pass on a message—you're going to the county tomorrow for a commendation ceremony. Go home and clean up. Xiao Mian, your hair's a bit long; have Grandma Wang give you a trim. Let's make sure you're clean and sharp for the county tomorrow, showing off the spirit of our Xiaodun Brigade kids."

Hearing "commendation ceremony," Zhao Xuehai got excited: "What's a commendation ceremony? Is it for receiving awards? Lin Mian's going to get one, so Xiao Yue must be going too, right?"

Shen Zhenxing chuckled happily: "That's right, going to the county to receive awards. Xiao Yue, Xiao Mian, and Xiao Dizi are all going." Dai Xianghua had said he'd go too, representing the Xiaodun Brigade, and the county leaders might want to talk with him. Shen Zhenxing was thrilled inside—he usually only went to commune meetings; he'd never been to a county commendation ceremony before!

Zhao Xuehai let out a strange yell: "Is it that kind of certificate—Little Hero and Great Hero? Even Xiao Dizi gets one?!"

Xiao Dizi immediately puffed out her chest and declared loudly: "Xiao Dizi and Brother Mian are Little Heroes, and Sister Yue is a Great Hero! Hmph, Brother Xuehai is bad—Brother Xuehai is a big bear!"

Even Shen Wendong and Lin Mian couldn't help but laugh.

Zhao Xuehai sighed helplessly: "Alright, alright, you're a Little Hero. I was wrong, okay?" He looked up at Shen Zhenxing with anticipation: "Uncle Brigade Leader, what about me and Shen Wendong? Don't we get anything? We're Little Heroes following Xiao Yue the Great Hero."

Shen Zhenxing patted his shoulder and said earnestly: "Kid, you're dreaming."

It seemed today wasn't a good day for digging scrap. The kids turned to head home, with Zhao Xuehai chattering beside Lin Mian, asking why the county was giving them certificates. Lin Mian briefly explained.

Hearing that traffickers had been caught again, Zhao Xuehai and Shen Wendong both agreed that the outside world was terrifying and decided to tell their parents that they couldn't take younger siblings to the commune anymore, lest they accidentally lose the little ones.

Their quick return surprised Wang Guizhi. Hearing they were going to the county the next day, the old lady immediately went to the kitchen to start a fire, preparing hot baths for all three kids.

The weather was already warm, but not yet at the peak of summer heat. Afraid the children might catch cold, Wang Guizhi insisted they bathe in hot water. Zhao Xuehai, bored and not wanting to go home, sat in the courtyard chatting with Wang Guizhi, casually bringing up the message Shen Aihua had asked them to pass on.

Wang Guizhi suddenly understood: "So that's why you came back with a basket of mushrooms and bamboo shoots just from a short walk."

Thinking of Shen Aizhen, she let out a sigh and didn't say anything.

Shen Banyue first washed Xiao Dizi up, changed her clothes, then got fresh water to wash herself. Once they were done, it was Lin Mian's turn. Wang Guizhi looked him over and figured his hair was a bit long too, so she went inside and grabbed a pair of scissors.

Lin Mian wasn't too thrilled about it. Wang Guizhi had cut his hair before New Year's, and her skill... well, "shortened" was about the nicest word for it.

There was a mirror on the wall, and even without trying to look, he'd catch a glimpse walking past. Lin Mian had spent weeks getting used to his weird-looking haircut, and now facing another round, he wanted to run away.

Shen Banyue got a kick out of his expression and said, "Grandma, how about I cut Lin Mian's hair?"

Wang Guizhi wasn't having it: "You're just a little girl, scissors aren't toys. What if you accidentally poke Xiao Mian in the eye? Or even just his skin, it'll still hurt him. Besides, do you even know how to cut hair? Don't make it look like a dog chewed on it—how embarrassing would that be in the county?"

Shen Banyue smiled sweetly: "Don't worry, I've got steady hands. I promise I won't poke him." She winked at Lin Mian: "So, you pick. Do you want Grandma Wang to cut it, or me?"

Lin Mian hesitated, weighing the guaranteed ugliness against the maybe-ugliness, and decided to take a chance: "Sister Yue, you cut it for me."

Wang Guizhi let out a "Hey," and said, "Don't come crying if it turns out bad."

Lin Mian: "..."

Grandma Wang seemed pretty confident in her own haircutting skills, huh. Hadn't she noticed that ever since Uncle Guoqing started working in the county, he never came back home for haircuts and looked way more stylish and sharp?

Faced with this kind of baffling adult confidence, Lin Mian could only sigh to himself, obediently sit on the little stool, close his eyes, and hand his hair over to Shen Banyue.

Seeing his "ready to die" expression, Shen Banyue couldn't help teasing him: "Lin, don't be scared. If it turns out bad, worst case, we'll just shave your head. It's getting warm anyway, and being bald is nice and cool."

Zhao Xuehai, loving the drama, cackled loudly: "Ooh, Lin Mian's gonna turn into a little bald egg!"

Lin Mian shuddered, snapped his eyes open, and was about to say he didn't want a haircut anymore, when right then, Shen Banyue snipped off a lock of hair with a "click." She held it up, waved it at him, and smiled: "Just kidding! Don't worry, Sister Yue will make it look awesome."

Lin Mian hesitated, then closed his eyes again.

Shen Banyue took her sweet time, comb in one hand, scissors in the other—snip on the left, snip on the right... From an outsider's perspective, her technique looked super clumsy, her cuts totally random, with no sign she could pull off a "super good" haircut.

After about twenty minutes of messing around, Shen Banyue finally announced she was done. The kids crowded around Lin Mian, and Xiao Dizi immediately let out a "Wow" in amazement: "Brother Mian looks so good!"

Shen Banyue scooped some water to rinse the comb and scissors, flashing a mysterious smile like "job done, fame hidden."

The thing was, her haircutting skill was honed through countless trials in her past life.

With her metal ability, she could whip up a pair of scissors anytime, anywhere. She started by casually trimming the hair of teammates whose hair had gotten too long, but as she did it more, they started making all kinds of demands. So she'd practice on zombies in her spare time, perfecting her craft until even a snarling zombie could get a decent cut, let alone a normal person.

Back then, her teammates joked that if the world ever became peaceful, she could open a barbershop and be a top-notch Tony, requiring appointments at least half a month in advance.

Recalling those memories, a flicker of amusement passed through Shen Banyue's eyes, only to fade like a mirage.

That was all from a past life.

The kids marveled at Lin Mian like they'd never seen anything so good, and even Wang Guizhi, usually confident in her own haircutting, had to admit Shen Banyue's skill was a little better than hers.

"Child, you've never cut hair before, have you? Who'd be crazy enough to let a little girl like you do it? And you pulled this off on your first try?" Wang Guizhi was almost questioning her own life.

Zhao Xuehai squealed: "Xiao Yue, cut mine too! Make me look as good as Lin Mian!"

Shen Banyue glanced at his buzz cut and twitched her lips: "Yours is too short, can't do anything with it." Besides, good looks aren't just about the hairstyle, you know?

Lin Mian, clearly happy, smirked and went off to shower and change.

After all the kids had washed up, Shen Zhenxing, also freshly showered and changed, came running over. He gave the three kids a long lecture: don't be nervous, stand tall and proud when you get the award, show the spirit of new-era youth... He kept at it until Wang Guizhi finished cooking dinner and finally couldn't take it anymore and shooed him home.

"Telling the kids not to be nervous, but he's the most nervous of all."

And sure enough, the next morning, Shen Zhenxing was already there on his bike. Wang Guizhi couldn't help reminding him to ride slow and careful, afraid he'd get too excited and end up crashing into the fields with the kids.

The three kids were pretty calm, having been to the county several times before and knowing the way.

From the commune, besides Dai Xianghua, Security Director Jin Anguo and Cadre Liang Kang also came along. The kids had met both before—Jin Anguo had helped catch the human traffickers with Dai Xianghua, and Liang Kang had come with Commune Director Gong to give Shen Banyue the "Little Hero for Bravely Fighting Criminals" award.

Seeing Shen Banyue and the others, they couldn't help remarking how fast kids grow, noting the three had changed so much since they last met.

They took the early bus, and after a series of transfers, arrived at the County Public Security Bureau just before nine. The commendation ceremony started at nine, perfectly on time.

The large conference room was packed. A policewoman guided them to seats in the second row, smilingly handing each child two milk candies.

Probably charmed by the adorable Xiao Dizi, she couldn't resist pinching her cheek before leaving. Xiao Dizi, already bribed with the two candies, didn't mind at all and even said, "This sister is so nice."

Shen Banyue felt embarrassed—how could a protagonist be bought off with just two candies?

The room was filled with police officers in grass-green uniforms, the atmosphere solemn and serious. But with the two candies as a "buffer," even Xiao Dizi wasn't scared. She didn't understand a word of the leaders' speeches, but the candy in her mouth kept shrinking.

When the award ceremony came, the three kids walked up to the stage as Shen Zhenxing had hoped—proud and spirited. As the leader bent down to hand them their certificates, Shen Banyue and Lin Mian each said "Thank you." When it was Xiao Dizi's turn, she barely got out a "Tha—" when a milky white stream of candy drool dripped from the corner of her mouth.

The little one was stunned.

Just then, a reporter from the Shanxi Daily snapped a photo, forever capturing Xiao Dizi's panicked look with the sugary drool. Later, through Commune Director Gong, the photo was given to the three kids, becoming a "permanent black history."

At the scene, even the awarding leader couldn't help but laugh, and the sea of "grass-green" uniforms below burst into laughter.

The County Public Security Bureau not only awarded the three kids but also gave certificates to Yunling Commune and Xiaodun Brigade for their contributions. Shen Zhenxing hadn't known the brigade would get one, and when he went up to receive it, his face turned as red as Guan Yu's.

The leader did talk to him, saying a few words of praise as he handed over the certificate, encouraging him to keep up the good work.

This moment was also faithfully recorded by the newspaper reporter.

Thus, the special operation against the human trafficking ring, first discovered by Yunling Commune and spanning over half a year, came to a close. Those involved would face their deserved punishment.

After the ceremony, the county bureau treated them to lunch. The food was plentiful, and the three kids, whose "mouths had been tasteless" lately, ate with gusto, wishing they could win another award just for another free meal.

It was at the table that Shen Banyue got a rough picture of the case's current status.

Further investigations by H Province police had caught two more accomplices of "Xiangguzi" and rescued more victims from past years. Now, except for two higher-ups still at large, the entire gang had been arrested. "Xiangguzi" and others were also being transferred to T Province for joint trial.

Tian Xixiang initially refused to confess, denying that "Old Lady Zhang" was her mother, Tian Pozi. But the police found neighbors near "Old Lady Zhang's" home who identified Tian Xixiang as the "distant niece" who occasionally visited. Faced with the evidence, Tian Xixiang couldn't deny it and finally confessed.

However, no matter how they interrogated her, Tian Xixiang insisted she didn't know where Tian Pozi had gone.

After intensive searches, the police found no trace of Tian Pozi.

Information on the three fugitives had been sent to police nationwide. They might surface soon, or sink into obscurity until the next storm clears the fog.

And precisely because the two higher-ups were still at large, the question of where Shen Banyue, Lin Mian, and Xiao Dizi came from remained unanswered.

A few days after the ceremony, Dai Xianghua visited Xiaodun Brigade again to tell Wang Guizhi that the county had officially decided to relocate the three children.

"Some of the kids previously placed in the county have found their families, so there's space at the shelter. The county is also looking for foster families, prioritizing good conditions—preferably families working in government or state-owned units. So don't worry too much. Xiao Mian and Xiao Yue are a bit older, but it's still worth a try. Maybe someone will adopt them. If not, they can go to the city's welfare home. I've checked, and the conditions there are decent."

Dai Xianghua tried his best to comfort Wang Guizhi, his words jumbled and incoherent. Whether he believed them himself was unclear, but Wang Guizhi certainly didn't.

Their county had no welfare home. If no one adopted them, the kids would have to go to the city, and who knew what that was like?

Wang Guizhi waved her hand: "I told you last time, we've already decided. We'll raise all three kids. Xiao Dizi will live with Guo Qiang and his wife, and Xiao Yue and Xiao Mian will stay with your uncle and me. Tell the county and your commune leaders—no need to relocate them."

Dai Xianghua was stunned: "Huh?!"