Chapter Forty: The Good Child

Chapter Forty: The Good Child

The report was received the next morning after investigating and confirming the driving record of Zuo Dali, as well as obtaining confirmation from another driver who had been in the same vehicle with him.

An Changpu and Qin Ruonan did not receive the report directly. Instead, it was initially handled by police colleagues from another department who, noticing the case bore a striking resemblance to their ongoing investigation into a child's disappearance, feared a possible connection and thus transferred it to them.

Though no one could say for certain whether the two missing persons cases were entirely unrelated coincidences or the work of the same individual or gang committing repeated offenses, An Changpu and his team dared not jump to conclusions. After the case was handed over, they decided to go and assess the situation first. If the two cases were found to be unconnected, they could then pass it on to another team without delay.

Following the address provided in the report, An Changpu and Qin Ruonan immediately hurried there after taking over the case.

From what had been gathered so far, the missing person was a fourteen-year-old boy named You Xiaoyang. He was male and currently a student at a certain middle school in City C, in the second year of junior high. His family lived in the old central district of City C. Prior to his disappearance, he resided at the school dormitory and only returned home on weekends.

You Xiaoyang’s home was located in a bustling commercial area of City C, known as the old central district because it had once been the city's thriving core. Back when other parts of the city were still undeveloped, that area had been planned and built with some semblance of order. At the time, residents there were prominent figures in City C. However, as other commercial zones were developed, this initial business center remained prosperous but lost its status as the favored hub. With the rise of new development zones, residential communities, and better living environments, most of the "big shots" who once lived there had long since relocated. Those who remained either lacked the means to keep up with rising property prices or were waiting for demolition compensation, hoping to profit from it.

Regardless of which of these common situations applied to You Xiaoyang’s family, it was unlikely to be beyond these bounds.

Indeed, before even meeting the missing boy’s family, An Changpu and Qin Ruonan’s initial assumptions were confirmed.

You Xiaoyang's home was in a five-story small building with an exterior wall still showing the raw cement color—a rarity nowadays. Years of wind and rain had blackened the building, with moss creeping up the walls on the lower floors. Although the entrance had been replaced with a security door featuring a video intercom, the door to each unit was wide open, and many of the video doorbells bore marks of having been smashed.

Moreover, less than two meters away from this low-rise building stood a mixed-use high-rise with a shopping mall on the lower floors. Its windows had long been covered, with ventilation fans whirring, casting a shadow over the small old building, which now looked rather dilapidated.

The narrow road in front of the small building made parking impossible without blocking traffic, so An Changpu had no choice but to circle around and finally find a parking spot in the busy mall lot.

After parking, they found You Xiaoyang’s unit on the third floor according to the address. As soon as they entered the corridor, Qin Ruonan frowned and covered her nose. The hallway was filled with a strong stench of urine, likely because nearby restaurants often had people sneaking in to use the corridor as a free toilet at night. The once white walls were now stained, covered with footprints and various flyers advertising plumbing and lockpicking services. Bicycles and clutter lined the stairways, making the short three-story climb difficult.

Reaching the third floor, they hardly needed to look for the door number—it was easy to spot You Xiaoyang’s home.

The reason was simple: noise.

They could faintly hear loud voices even before reaching the third floor. Upon arrival, the voices grew clearer and louder, and even from the hallway, they could pick up fragments of conversation.

“Xiaoyang,” “You Xiaoyang,” and words like “kidnapping” and “ransom” repeatedly pierced their ears, reinforcing their suspicions. An Changpu knocked firmly several times.

The noise inside drowned out the knocking. An Changpu knocked harder and several more times until finally, someone inside heard it. Suddenly, the cacophony stopped as if a faucet had been shut off, and silence fell like a shroud.

“Who is it?” a low male voice called out. The light dimmed at the peephole as someone pressed against the door to look out.

An Changpu did not speak but displayed his police badge in front of the peephole. There was a click as the door unlocked. A man who looked to be nearly fifty scanned the two men standing outside, then nodded and stepped aside to let them in.

As An Changpu and Qin Ruonan entered You Xiaoyang’s living room, the scene startled them.

The small, square, not very spacious living room was crammed with no fewer than thirty people—men and women, old and young. Qin Ruonan even spotted an elderly man seated in a wheelchair, apparently asleep, looking at least ninety years old, and at the other end, a woman in her twenties or thirties holding an infant whose neck was still too weak to hold up.

No wonder the voices outside were so loud and chaotic—with so many people packed together, even breathing raised the temperature in the room by several degrees.

“You are from the Public Security Bureau, right? Yes, that’s correct. I’m You Xiaoyang’s father, You Zhou,” the man who opened the door introduced himself first. He then gestured toward a woman standing nearby with bloodshot eyes. “This is the child’s mother, my wife, Lan Xinli. The rest are family—uncles, aunts, cousins. When they heard the child was missing, everyone came over, anxious to see if they could help.”

Lan Xinli appeared rather dispirited and had her brow furrowed, though she maintained her composure. Upon You Zhou’s introduction and his explanation of the two men’s identities, dozens of eyes turned toward An Changpu and Qin Ruonan as if they were actors on a stage awaiting judgment.

“Could you tell us about the child’s situation?” An Changpu asked You Zhou.

“Of course! No problem! Ask whatever you want to know—we’ll fully cooperate!” You Zhou responded without hesitation.

An Changpu hesitated briefly, glancing at the eager faces of the relatives crowded in the living room. “If possible, we’d prefer a somewhat quieter place.”

You Zhou paused, then seemed to realize the reason for the request. He tapped his forehead, mildly chiding himself for not thinking sooner. Turning to a middle-aged man who resembled him but was younger, he said, “Help me get everyone settled!”

Then, linking arms with his wife, supporting her slightly, You Zhou said to An Changpu, “Please come with me over here.”

They led the officers to a room opposite the living room, closer to the entrance. As the door opened, sunlight flooded in from the south-facing window, sharply contrasting with the dim, north-facing living room overshadowed by the mall. All four instinctively squinted against the glare.

Once their eyes adjusted, Qin Ruonan took the opportunity to examine the room.

It was clearly a boy’s bedroom. Opposite the door, by the window, stood a tidy desk with only a few photo frames. One frame held a photo of You Zhou’s family of three, all smiling happily. A few phone recharge cards lay casually on the desk. Against one wall stood a double bed with blue-and-white checkered sheets—simple but clean. On the opposite wall hung several certificates and awards, all laminated before being affixed, showing the family’s reverence for these achievements.

Between the desk and the wall sat an accordion. The keys had yellowed with age, and the straps were shiny black, showing signs of frequent use.

Qin Ruonan examined the certificates carefully. All bore You Xiaoyang’s name, ranging from the 1990s to two years prior, mostly awards from accordion competitions with rankings mostly among the top three, indicating the boy’s considerable skill with the instrument.

You Zhou first helped Lan Xinli sit on a chair by the desk, then courteously invited An Changpu and Qin Ruonan to sit comfortably on the bed. He leaned against the desk, eyes fixed steadily on the two officers, waiting for their questions.

“How was You Xiaoyang’s relationship with you? How did he behave at home?” An Changpu considered carefully before asking, wanting to rule out the possibility the boy had run away. At fourteen, he was at an age known for rebellion, quite different from the situation with a one-year-old child.

“Officer, my son could never run away from home,” You Zhou was quick to catch An Changpu’s intention and answered resolutely. “Putting aside the fact that he’s been missing for four days and has very little money on him, just considering who he is—he’s an exceptionally good child! Smart, obedient, and sensible. He would never do anything to make me and his mother worry or be sad.”

Chapter Forty: The Good Child

Chapter Forty: The Good Child (continued)

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