Chapter 428: My son, Dad will take you home! (ask for monthly ticket)
Baishi County, a Cantonese restaurant next to the county government office.

The round table in the box was filled with exquisite dishes brought by the waiters.

Sichuan cuisine and Hunan cuisine can be found everywhere, and most of them are spicy. They are certainly delicious, but they are not suitable for people who rarely eat spicy food on weekdays.

So, Lin Chen specifically looked for a restaurant that serves light Cantonese cuisine.

Looking at the plates of braised pigeon, crispy roast goose, baked lobster in soup, and eight-treasure vegetables on the table, Xiangnan waved his hands repeatedly: “Officer Luo, you can’t eat so much, enough, really enough!”

Luo Rui waved his hand and said with a smile: “To celebrate your reunion, what’s the point of these dishes? Besides, don’t you see these people are so energetic? If I don’t feed them well, they will gossip about me behind my back.”

Fang Yonghui chuckled twice, but Zhang Yong didn’t laugh because he had already started eating.

As soon as they heard that Xiangnan, who had traveled thousands of miles to find his daughter, had found her after being missing for six years, they all rushed over.

Chu Yang also wanted to come, but because someone had to be on duty at the hospital, he had to give up.

When Xiangnan heard this, he wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes.

Xiang Tao sat next to him, looking at the people in the box timidly.

After a few days of getting familiar with the place, she was no longer afraid, but after being missing for six years, she became very wary of everyone, including her father.

Fang Yonghui saw Zhang Yong picking up his chopsticks before all the dishes were served. Just as he was about to make fun of him, he saw Zhang Yong gently place the best piece of roast goose in the bowl in front of Xiang Tao’s table.

“Little sister, this is delicious, neither fat nor thin.” Zhang Yong said with a smile, the smile in his eyes was very warm.

Xiang Tao swallowed a few mouthfuls of saliva, but did not dare to pick up the chopsticks.

“Eat it.” Lin Chen sat next to her, his tone extremely gentle: “This is delicious, it’s sweet.”

Xiang Tao still didn’t pick up her chopsticks, but just glanced at Luo Rui with her head tilted.

Seeing her expression, Luo Rui felt very sad. Xiang Tao disappeared when she was five years old. She must have experienced a lot of bad things in the past six years, so that no matter where she goes or what she does, she has to carefully observe the environment and see other people’s expressions.

She knew who was the most authoritative and who was the “boss” among the people in front of her, so she didn’t dare to pick up her chopsticks until Luo Rui gave the order.

Luo Rui sighed and smiled at her: “Taotao, don’t look at me, just eat whatever you want, I ordered all this for you.”

After he finished speaking, Xiang Tao nodded slightly, picked up the chopsticks, and carefully picked up the crispy roast goose in the bowl. She swallowed and was about to bring the chopsticks to her mouth, but then hesitated and put the piece of meat to Xiang Nan’s mouth.

“Dad, you eat first…” She looked timidly at her father with a haggard face.

Xiang Tao knew from the conversations with the police uncles and aunts that her father had traveled all over the country to find her over the past six years. He had lived in the open air day after day, was hungry and cold, and was often bullied.

Especially when she saw her childhood photo hanging on the back seat of the motorcycle, her whole heart was filled with warmth.

There is still someone in this world who remembers me. Dad has been looking for her!

Xiang Tao’s childish and joyful voice made Xiang Nan burst into tears. He said in a hoarse voice, “Tao Tao, eat. Daddy is not hungry.”

Lin Chen sat next to them. She pulled a tissue from the table, but instead of handing it to Xiangnan, she used it to wipe away her own tears.

Seeing this scene, Luo Rui felt a little uncomfortable. He cleared his throat and said, “Don’t just stand there. Let’s eat. There are still a lot of dishes. If it’s not enough, order more later.”

As he said that, he picked up the chopsticks and started picking up the food.

So Fang Yonghui and Zhang Yong also quickly started eating.

But just as they took a bite, Lin Chen pressed the glass turntable with his hand, making it spin, and with his other hand, he held the chopsticks and kept picking up dishes and putting them in Xiang Tao’s bowl.

“This squab is delicious, Taotao, eat this…”

“Lobster is also fine. Come, have a piece…”

“The fragrant and smooth fish balls are okay, but don’t eat too much, or you’ll get sick of them…”

Luo Rui, Fang Yonghui and Zhang Yong’s chopsticks stayed in the air and they were unable to put down their chopsticks.

Lin Chen was busy, and Xiang Tao’s bowl was already full of food.

Xiangnan said repeatedly: “Officer Lin, that’s enough. Taotao can’t eat so much.”

Lin Chen waved his hand: “No, that won’t work. Taotao is lacking in nutrition now. Look how thin she is. She must eat well. Oh, Mr. Xiang, you should eat too. Don’t worry about me.”

In these six years, Xiang Tao had never eaten so many delicious foods. She hunched her head beside the bowl, picked up the food with chopsticks and put it into her mouth.

Lin Chen smiled and asked, “Is it delicious?”

Xiang Tao nodded contentedly. Her face was dark and thin. At the age of eleven, her height and physique were like a six or seven-year-old child, which was caused by long-term malnutrition.

Lin Chen added: “Eat slowly, don’t be impatient, be careful not to choke.”

Then, she turned to look at Zhang Yong: “Hey, pour me a cup of tea.”

Zhang Yong put down his chopsticks, sighed, and quickly did as he was told.

Fang Yonghui looked at Luo Rui with a distressed look on his face: “Luo Da, how about we open another table? I just took a bite and all the delicious dishes were eaten by Lin Chen.”

Luo Rui turned his head to look at Lin Chen. The girl was still turning the glass turntable. There were already three full bowls in front of Xiang Tao.

Seeing that she couldn’t put it down anymore, she didn’t stop and helped Xiangnan to pick up some dishes.

This is an overflow of maternal love.

Luo Rui snapped his fingers at the waiter standing by the door: “Bring another menu.”

“What?” The waiter didn’t understand.

“I say, give me another serving of everything on your menu.”

The waitress swallowed her saliva and thought, can you guys finish it? But she didn’t care about such a sucker and hurried to the kitchen.

An hour later, the table was a mess and there was no way to finish the food.

Fang Yonghui burped contentedly. Zhang Yong covered his mouth with a toothpick and picked his teeth, saying happily, “This is the only full meal I’ve had in the past half month. It feels great.”

Luo Rui put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth with a tissue: “When we get back, let’s call Captain Cai, Chu Yang, Qiao Xue and the others to go to the yacht to eat seafood.”

Zhang Yong’s eyes lit up: “Director Luo, I thought you were treating me to this meal?”

“This is not pleasant, and I didn’t invite you specifically.”

Lin Chen also put down his chopsticks at this time, and looked at Xiang Tao who was eating her fill. A smile appeared on her face for the first time, and she was extremely satisfied.

Then, she picked up several large bags from the corner of the box and handed them to Xiangnan: “Mr. Xiang, these are the clothes I bought for Taotao. Please keep them.”

Xiangnan quickly stepped back, waving his hands repeatedly: “Officer Lin, this won’t work. We can’t accept it. Finding my daughter is the luckiest thing in my life. I haven’t thanked you yet. If I still accept your things, I’m really not a human being.”

“Here!” Lin Chen forced it into his hand: “It’s for the child.”

Xiang Tao looked at the new clothes in the bag, her eyes suddenly lit up and she couldn’t take her eyes off them.

Luo Rui asked: “Mr. Xiang, the child has been found, what are your plans for the future?”

Xiangnan looked at him seriously: “I want to take the children back to Fengshui County tomorrow.”

Fang Yonghui said: “The paternity test hasn’t come out yet, why don’t you wait a little longer?”

Xiangnan answered firmly, “This is my daughter. I recognized her right away. Although she was only five years old when she disappeared, she remembers a lot of things. That’s for sure!”

Luo Rui nodded. Xiang Nan and Xiang Tao had checked the details of their previous lives many times. Xiang Tao could answer them fluently and her appearance had not changed much, so it was impossible for anything to have happened.

He continued, “What I’m asking is how are you going to live in the future?”

Hearing this, Xiangnan hesitated for a moment. He had already sold the house on Huainan Street in Fengshui County and used all the money from the sale to look for his daughter. He had no house in the county town, so he had to return to his hometown in the countryside.

Moreover, because he had been searching for his daughter relentlessly, his wife had divorced him a long time ago and went out to work, leaving no one to take care of their newly found daughter.

He couldn’t make much money by farming in his hometown, and he had owed a lot of debts in the past six years, which needed to be repaid.

Seeing him sigh slightly, Luo Rui asked: “What skills do you have?”

Xiangnan shook his head: “I used to work outside to support my family. I have been looking for my children for the past six years. When I ran out of money, I took odd jobs. I worked in a steamed bun shop, washed dishes in a restaurant, and worked on a construction site for a while.”

Luo Rui nodded, picked up the briefcase at his feet and placed it on his knees.

He unzipped his pants, pulled out a thick stack of brown paper, and handed it to Xiangnan’s desk.

“This is fifty thousand yuan…”

Hearing this, Xiangnan immediately stood up from his chair, looking as if Luo Rui had placed a bomb in front of him.

Luo Rui looked up at him and said, “Take this money and go back to Fengshui County to learn a craft.”

Xiangnan was about to cry. He immediately refused: “No! I can’t take this money! Officer Luo, you gave me a lot a year ago. If I want this money again, I really…”

“I lent it to you.” Luo Rui seemed nonchalant: “Pay it back to me when you make money.”

“That won’t work either!” Xiangnan shook his head.

Luo Rui stared at him and said, “Xiangnan, you have been able to persevere through these six years despite all the hardships. I am proud of you. You are the greatest father. No matter what, you must take this money!”

Lin Chen immediately agreed, “Mr. Xiang, Director Luo has already said that it is a loan to you.”

Fang Yonghui and Zhang Yong also tried to persuade him, but Xiangnan refused.

Seeing this, Luo Rui tore off his pride and insisted on giving the money. Xiang Nan saw that he was really angry, so he had to stretch out his trembling hand and tightly hold the heavy 50,000 yuan in his hand.

Luo Rui let out a long sigh, and his expression finally relaxed.

———-

Although Xiangnan can confirm Xiang Tao’s identity without a paternity test, the Baishi County police cannot let you take the child away, so Luo Rui smoothed the way with his connections, and the result of the paternity test will be out tomorrow morning, allowing Xiangnan and his daughter to return home earlier.

In the afternoon, Luo Rui went to the county hospital.

Normally, Lin Chen would definitely be by her side, but this girl’s maternal love was overflowing, and she took Xiang Tao shopping after dinner.

As soon as he went up the stairs, he saw Chu Yang and Qiao Xue sitting on the metal bench in front of the ward. Their bodies were pressed close to each other and their behavior seemed too intimate.

Luo Rui raised his eyes, slowed down his footsteps, and moved closer to the wall. He then heard Chu Yang say, “If there is a holiday on May Day, let’s go traveling, okay?”

Qiao Xue stared at the nurses’ station and shook her head, “It must be true. Besides, there are people everywhere on May Day, and the tourist attractions are crowded. It’s better to watch TV at home.”

Chu Yang asked again: “Then let’s go to the movies?”

Qiao Xue shook her head again: “We’ve watched several movies, aren’t you tired of it?”

Chu Yang smiled and scratched the back of his head: “If that doesn’t work, we can go shopping.”

Qiao Xue glanced at him and said, “I don’t like it.”

“Uh…” Chu Yang was a little embarrassed, and hesitantly said: “We don’t have money. If we had money, we could rent a boat to go fishing and watch the sunset over the sea, which would actually be pretty good.”

Qiao Xue was speechless: “This is not a question of money, Chu Yang, I am different from other girls, and I like different things. If you really want to date me, then we might as well go shoot guns.”

“Shooting?” Chu Yang was surprised.

“Yeah, it’s not bad to practice shooting during the holidays.” Qiao Xue smiled and said, “Besides, I have signed up for a judo class. How about you also sign up? Let’s practice together?” Chu Yang groaned, thinking that he might as well be playing games at home.

“Well, let’s call the team leader. The team leader has an RV, and we can go camping. We can also barbecue and go fishing. I remember the last time we had a barbecue, Yonghui and Tian Guanghan even caught a corpse…”

Hearing this, Qiao Xue’s eyes lit up: “Did they really catch a corpse?”

Chu Yang found a topic and said excitedly: “Of course it’s true. The fish in the river ate the corpse. Tian Guanghan and his men ate the fish and felt sick. I remember what case we were investigating that time…”

“Espionage case.”

“Yes!” Chu Yang nodded, and then found that the voice was wrong. Qiao Xue also heard this familiar voice.

The two men looked up quickly and saw Luo Rui looking at them with a smile.

“Oh my, I haven’t seen you two for two weeks. Are you two dating?”

Qiao Xue blushed, and immediately stood up, bowed her head and greeted, “Director Luo.”

Chu Yang was seen through by Luo Rui, and his heart sank: “Team Leader, it’s not what you think, Qiao Xue and I are just friends…”

“Oh?” Luo Rui spread his hands: “Aren’t they colleagues?”

“Yes, yes, colleague.” Chu Yang immediately changed his tone.

Luo Rui looked at Qiao Xue, her face flushed: “Sister Qiao, did you hear that? Chu Yang only regards you as an ordinary colleague, not even a friend.”

Qiao Xue glared at Chu Yang fiercely, then turned away.

Chu Yang was extremely anxious, but it was difficult to explain.

Luo Rui shrugged: “If you two are really in a relationship, tell the organization. Well, one of you will have to be transferred in the future, what a pity, what a pity…”

Qiao Xue immediately replied: “I won’t be transferred! Chu Yang and I…there’s really nothing going on.”

Chu Yang felt uncomfortable seeing Qiao Xue’s firm attitude.

Luo Rui stared at Chu Yang innocently, his eyes seemed to be saying, look, this is a woman.

Luo Rui thought that the little flame of love that had just ignited seemed to have been extinguished by himself. He hurriedly said, “As long as I am here, no one can transfer you away. You are the only pair in our attack team, so don’t let the little flame go out.”

Seeing Chu Yang’s ugly expression, Qiao Xue didn’t dare to deny the connection and had to keep silent.

Chu Yang wanted to stop talking and said, “Team Leader, Song Zelin and He Ying have woken up.”

Luo Rui nodded: “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.” Chu Yang opened the door of the ward for him, and the three of them filed in.

There were only two beds in the ward. Song Zelin and He Ying were handcuffed tightly to the beds, with their limbs handcuffed separately.

For this purpose, the hospital also has special nurses to feed them medicine, water, meals and clean up their excrement, and their wages are naturally paid by the provincial department.

Of course, they would be allowed to move a little. At this time, Chu Yang and Qiao Xue would release their limbs and tie up their left feet and right hands, or their right feet and left hands, in order to prevent them from turning over.

Not only that, Chu Yang and Qiao Xue will keep an eye on them to prevent them from making any unwise moves.

At this time, Song Zelin’s eyes were still blindfolded with gauze. When he heard the footsteps, he turned his head slightly, but towards the window, as if he was unwilling to face people.

Instead, He Ying stared at Luo Rui without blinking, her eyes showing a complicated expression.

Luo Rui dragged a chair and sat beside He Ying’s bed, his tone without any emotion: “He Ying, are you feeling better?”

He Ying nodded weakly.

Luo Rui sighed in his heart and continued to ask: “On April 8, in order to avoid being arrested by our police, you and Song Zelin ran away for half a month. Can you tell me what happened during this half month?”

“Okay…” He Ying licked her dry lips, and just as she said one sentence, her throat became stuck with saliva.

Qiao Xue took a bottle of water with a straw from the table and asked He Ying to drink two sips. Then she told her what had happened in the past half month.

“…After our car was stolen, I knew we couldn’t get out. I wanted to turn myself in, but Song Zelin disagreed. After that, our money and bank cards were also stolen on the bus to Baishi County. I didn’t expect that after meeting Scarface, we would be in such a miserable state…”

“Did you see the pickpocket’s appearance?”

He Ying shook her head: “I didn’t notice.”

Luo Rui urged: “Recall it carefully, maybe we can catch these people.”

“I really don’t know. Maybe it’s God’s retribution. We deserve it.”

Luo Rui had no expression on his face: “Do you plead guilty to the crime you committed?”

He Ying nodded slightly: “I plead guilty, I will confess.”

After hearing her say this, Luo Rui stopped talking. He stood up, dragged the chair to Song Zelin’s bed, and asked the same question, but Song Zelin refused to answer, and Luo Rui ignored him.

Then, Luo Rui asked Chu Yang: “How long will it take for them to be discharged from the hospital?”

“The doctor said there are at least ten days left.”

“That’s fine.” Luo Rui patted his shoulder and said, “You and Sister Qiao, please stay here for a few days. Yonghui and Zhang Yong will take turns with you. The people from Qingyang City Bureau are on the way. Once they arrive, you will hand over the two suspects and then go back to the provincial capital directly.”

Qiao Xue immediately asked, “What about you, Director Luo?”

Luo Rui replied: “Lin Chen and I will take a plane back to Guangxing City early tomorrow morning.”

“Yes.” Qiao Xue nodded.

After giving the instructions, Luo Rui looked back at the ward. The woman named He Ying was still staring at him blankly.

——–

Six o’clock the next day.

When Luo Rui and Lin Chen arrived at the physical evidence identification hall in Baishi County, Xiang Nan and Xiang Tao were already waiting there.

The father and daughter held hands and sat timidly in the metal chairs.

Luo Rui smiled and handed Xiang Tao a doll he had bought last night.

“Like it?”

Xiang Tao looked much more energetic in the new clothes that Lin Chen bought. She smiled and nodded: “I like it.”

“Uncle gives it to you.”

“Thank you, policeman.”

Luo Rui sat next to her. After thinking for a while, he decided to speak: “Taotao, uncle will ask you a few questions, okay?”

Xiang Tao hugged the doll tightly and nodded.

“You know that uncle is a policeman. Uncle wants to ask you how you were caught by those people?”

When Xiang Tao heard this question, panic filled her eyes and she immediately moved closer to her father.

Xiangnan turned sideways and said comfortingly, “Taotao, uncle is asking you a question, tell uncle.”

Xiang Tao shook her head and continued to shake her head, trying hard to avoid the question.

Luo Rui sighed and gave up.

Lin Chen squatted down and comforted Xiang Tao softly: “It’s okay, if you don’t want to talk about it, then don’t talk about it. Let’s be happy, okay?”

Xiang Tao’s expression finally relaxed.

Soon after, a staff member from the Forensic Identification Center came out and called out, “Xiangnan, is there anyone named Xiangnan?”

Xiangnan stood up immediately, and Lin Chen walked over first.

The staff handed her the appraisal report and asked, “Do you know how to read it?”

I’ve seen this countless times, Lin Chen thought, but she still said thank you, “I will.”

She took the report in her hand and looked directly at the line of numbers at the bottom. Then she raised her head and said with a smile, “It’s confirmed. This is our little Taotao!”

Xiangnan was also very happy and thanked the staff repeatedly.

Luo Rui touched Xiang Tao’s head and said, “Let’s go. Once you have completed the formalities, you can go home.”

The procedure was not complicated, and Luo Rui personally took action. The Baishi County Bureau directly asked Xiangnan to sign, and then they took group photos and took pictures.

After the matter was settled, Luo Rui and Lin Chen packed up and prepared to go to the airport.

Xiangnan and his daughter couldn’t wait to go home. The police in Fengshui County wanted to send someone to pick them up, but Xiangnan thought it was too troublesome.

One of his sons was murdered, and he finally found his daughter. The truth of the case and the whereabouts of his daughter were not revealed by the local police in Fengshui County, so he naturally felt a little uncomfortable.

The two parties parted in the courtyard of Baishi County. Because the county bureau gave Luo Rui a lot of local specialties, Xiangnan helped him carry his luggage into the car.

Then, Luo Rui touched Xiang Tao’s head and said, “Good boy.”

Lin Chen said with tears and snot: “Taotao, did you remember my sister’s phone number?”

Xiang Tao nodded vigorously: “1351111…”

Lin Chen wiped her tears and said, “Remember to call your sister. Listen to your father when you go back. Don’t run around. Go to school well. Your sister is looking forward to you growing up. Do you understand?”

“I will.” Xiang Tao looked at her, then at Luo Rui: “I want to be a police officer when I grow up!”

“Good job!” Luo Rui nodded heavily. He pursed his lips and looked at Xiangnan: “You guys go first.”

“Okay, Officer Luo, have a safe trip.”

Xiangnan pressed the child’s shoulders, bowed deeply to Luo Rui and Lin Chen, and then bowed to the comrades from the Baishi County Bureau.

The flag on the back of the motorcycle had not been lowered yet. Xiangnan carried his daughter onto the back of the motorcycle and got on the motorcycle himself.

Then he looked at Luo Rui and Lin Chen, stepped on the accelerator, and the motorcycle slowly drove out of the county bureau compound.

The missing person notice flag on the back seat of the motorcycle fluttered in the wind, and the childish smiling face on it slowly overlapped with Xiang Tao’s face on the back seat.

She hugged her father tightly, and only heard her father say in front of her: “Daughter, Dad will take you home…”

The motorcycle drove out of the county, passed through the fields, crossed the mountains, and sped along the river…

Xiang Tao felt the free wind, smelled the fragrance of flowers, and hummed a song softly…

————

At the airport, when Luo Rui was checking in his luggage, he suddenly noticed that the zipper of his suitcase was half open.

He unzipped the entire box and saw a thick leather envelope inside. The fifty thousand dollars had been returned intact, and there was also a handwritten letter inside.

Luo Rui unfolded the letter and saw this sentence written on it: [Officer Luo, I can support my daughter with my own hands.]

(End of this chapter)