Chapter 54

Liu Handong's cold attitude infuriated Zhu Pengpeng. She placed her hands on her hips and pointed at Liu Handong, shouting, "Do you have a conscience? It was wrong of us to destroy your tricycle, but it wasn't intentional, and we have already apologized. Do you know how much weight Shuangshuang has lost over this? Do you know how much effort and connections we used to buy you a new motorcycle?"

Pengpeng's chest heaved with anger, her breaths heavy, but Liu Handong was unperturbed. He knew these two girls were just playing a prank. From their regretful expressions at the scene of the destruction, it was clear they were remorseful. Looking at Song Shuang, she had indeed lost a lot of weight, her chin now sharp.

"Shuangshuang is injured and lying in the hospital. When she heard you were at the police station, she immediately rushed over. What more do you want from us!" Pengpeng stomped her foot.

Song Shuang tugged at Pengpeng's sleeve, "Forget it. If he hadn't forgiven us, he wouldn't have risked his life to save us. He's right, we're not that close. Let's go."

As she turned to leave, her back to Liu Handong, her eyes were filled with tears.

"Wait." Liu Handong suddenly remembered something.

"Is there something?" Song Shuang didn't turn around.

"Do you have a lot of influence?" Liu Handong asked.

"By most people's standards, yes. My father is Song Jianfeng," Song Shuang said calmly.

"Song Jianfeng, what does he do?" Liu Handong scratched his head; he didn't watch much TV and hadn't heard of this name.

"He's the Director of the Jiangdong Provincial Public Security Department. Is that big enough?" Zhu Pengpeng said angrily.

Liu Handong scratched his head. "Indeed, it's big enough. I have something I want to ask for your help with, as a way to repay you."

Song Shuang finally turned around. "What is it? No matter what, I'll do my best to help."

Liu Handong said, "A few of my friends were arrested by the police. Can you help get them lenient treatment? There's a girl among them who is definitely innocent. I know her; she wouldn't do that kind of thing."

"What kind of thing?" Song Shuang and Pengpeng exchanged glances, both puzzled.

Ling Zijie, who had been silent, took out his phone and showed it to them. "Is this the person you're talking about?"

The person on the screen was Lan Huanxi, carrying a backpack.

"Yes, it's her," Liu Handong nodded. "She works at Mei Jie's hair salon, but she's not a prostitute."

Ling Zijie was delighted. After searching high and low, he had finally found his research subject.

Song Shuang said, "Alright, I can help with this, but it will take time. We'll go through the proper channels and apply for administrative reconsideration."

This response satisfied Liu Handong. If Song Shuang had said she could immediately release Mei Jie and Huanxi, he would have looked down on her. Prostitution and solicitation are minor offenses, and with the daughter of a provincial director speaking up, the police would surely be cooperative.

"There's one more thing," Liu Handong thought for a moment.

"Go on," Song Shuang was eager for Liu Handong to make more requests.

"Recently, there was a drunk driving incident at the roundabout in the southern suburbs. Two people died and one was severely injured. The victims were a mother and daughter, the child only three years old. A family was destroyed, but the perpetrator forged his age to escape legal punishment and is now out on bail. If you can, talk to your father about it and bring this guy to justice. His name is Xia Zhou, the son of Xia Baishi."

Song Shuang took out her phone and tapped away, writing this down in her notes. "I've noted it down. I'll give you a satisfactory response."

"One last thing," Liu Handong said. "Talk to the police outside and tell them to stop asking the same questions over and over. They seem to want to charge me with assault and detain me for a few days."

Song Shuang bit her lip. "Don't worry. You acted bravely, and they are just ensuring the record is accurate. They asked a few more times for confirmation."

"I should go back," Liu Handong stood up. After sitting for so long, he stretched, pulling at the wound on his back, which made him wince. Song Shuang and Pengpeng also flinched, as if they were in pain too.

No one stopped Liu Handong as he left. The police had already taken his statement. He was a good citizen who had acted bravely and saved the daughter of a leader, so no one would make things difficult for him.

Song Shuang and the others followed him out, insisting on taking him home.

"What are you following me for?" Liu Handong stopped.

Ling Zijie explained, "We're planning a research project on the living conditions of prostitutes. You know them well, can you take us to visit them? It would be a great help."

Liu Handong looked at him. He wore glasses and had the appearance of a polite college student, the man who had been attacked in the car earlier. Perhaps he was Song Shuang's boyfriend. Liu Handong nodded, "Alright, there are many hair salons on Tiezha Street. You can interview them freely."

Ling Zijie walked alongside Liu Handong, took out his phone, and turned on the recording function. "Mr. Liu, how did you get to know these women?"

Liu Handong said, "I took care of their business."

Song Shuang, who was following behind, felt as if she had been hit by a hammer. She never imagined Liu Handong to be such a person, someone who had done such despicable things. It seemed that imagination was always beautiful, but reality was always harsh.

She didn't hear the rest of the conversation, just walked mechanically, her mind in turmoil.

Unconsciously, they reached the middle of Tiezha Street. The street was indeed lined with red lights, and the signs on the light boxes read "Relaxation," "Massage," "Foot Bath," and "Health Care." The women sat inside the glass doors, posing and occasionally waving to passersby.

Liu Handong stopped at a rolled-down shutter door and said, "This is Mei Jie's hair salon."

The shop was small, with a sign that read "Mei Zi Hair Salon." The light box had been smashed by the thugs sent by Hua De and hadn't been repaired yet.

Ling Zijie took a few photos with his phone and said, "Let's go."

Suddenly, Liu Handong walked to the shutter door, crouched down, and then lay flat, pressing his ear to the gap at the bottom. After a moment, he stood up, dusted off his hands, and said, "There's someone inside."

Ling Zijie was surprised. "Really? Are you sure?"

The police had taken everyone away, and the place was pitch black. How could there be someone inside? Ling Zijie also crouched down and listened carefully. After a while, he stood up, his expression serious. "There is a sound, it sounds like a child crying."

These words were like a cold wind, making Song Shuang and Zhu Pengpeng shudder. There couldn't be anyone in the shop, could it be... something unclean? Various ghost stories from Tianya Lianpeng came to mind. The two girls trembled, their voices shaking. "Let's go."

"Wait," Liu Handong circled around to the back entrance of the residential area, listened again, and confirmed that there was a child's cry. He took a few steps back, ran, and leaped, grabbing the top of the wall and flipping over it with the agility of a thief.

After confirming there was no danger inside, Liu Handong jumped down and opened the gate from the inside. Ling Zijie took out his phone and turned on the flashlight, calling the two girls, "Let's go in."

Zhu Pengpeng clung to Song Shuang. "Don't go, there's a ghost, a child ghost, it can possess you."

Song Shuang was also scared but had to act brave. She pulled Pengpeng. "Let's go in!"

Liu Handong, familiar with the place, found the light switch and turned it on. In the bright light, they saw a little girl curled up in the corner, surrounded by food scraps, including instant noodle packets, sunflower seeds, and a handful of raw rice. Her hair was messy, her feet bare, and her face dirty, but her eyes were bright.

Ling Zijie asked Liu Handong, "Do you know her?"

Liu Handong shook his head. He hadn't heard that Mei Jie, Nana, or Xiaoya had a daughter.

Since it wasn't a ghost, it was time for the girls to take action. Song Shuang slowly approached, crouched down, and said softly, "Little sister, what's your name?"

"Xiaoyan," the little girl's voice was timid.

"Xiaoyan, you're so good. How old are you?"

"Three and a half."

"Where is your home? Where are your parents?"

"My home is there, and my mom is gone," Xiaoyan pointed to a bedroom, which was Mei Jie's room. Xiaoyan thought it was her home.

The truth was revealed. This little girl was the daughter of one of the women, forgotten here and surviving on leftover food, living like a mouse in the small courtyard. If they hadn't found her by chance, she might have starved to death in a few days.

Song Shuang's nose tingled, and she held back tears. "Xiaoyan, your mom is playing hide-and-seek with you. Now we'll take you to find her, okay?"

"Okay," Xiaoyan said in a babyish voice, extending her hands.

Song Shuang, not minding the dirt, picked up Xiaoyan. But the next step was a problem.

"To the hospital, Xiaoyan is sick," Song Shuang felt the little girl's body was burning with fever.

"Wait, I'll go get the car," Liu Handong ran off, not looking like someone who was injured.

A few minutes later, a white Fukan arrived, and Liu Handong poked his head out. "Get in!"

The three of them carried the girl into the car. Liu Handong, injured in the shoulder, drove with one hand, shifting gears and steering without any trouble, which scared Pengpeng. "Is Liu Handong okay? Let Ling Zijie drive."

Ling Zijie was embarrassed. "Sorry, I only know how to drive automatic."

"Really stupid!" Pengpeng said, forgetting that she also only knew how to drive automatic.

The streets were quiet at night, and they quickly arrived at the emergency department of the medical university. Song Shuang carried Xiaoyan inside for a check-up, while Ling Zijie went to pay and register. The doctor examined Xiaoyan and found she had a high fever of 39 degrees, severe dehydration, and was extremely weak. He immediately prescribed medication and started an IV.

"Where did you find this child? Have you reported it to the police?" The doctor could tell that Song Shuang and the others were not related to Xiaoyan.

"No need to report it. We'll cover all her expenses," Zhu Pengpeng took out her platinum credit card.

Liu Handong came in with a bag of food, which he had bought from a 7-11 at the hospital entrance.

Xiaoyan looked around, confused. "Where's my mom?"

Song Shuang turned away to wipe her tears, stroking Xiaoyan's hair. "Be good, your mom will be back tomorrow."

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