On the other side, Dou Dawei arrived at the hospital. With a hopeful attitude, he asked at the reception desk, "You have an inpatient here named Sheng Yuxiao..."
The receptionist's expression changed, and she replied stiffly, "Patient privacy. Sorry, I can't tell you."
Dou Dawei was taken aback. So there really was such a person!
"I have urgent business with him," Dou Dawei said anxiously.
"Everyone says that, but I'm really sorry."
Dou Dawei suddenly realized that this "Sheng Yuxiao" was no ordinary person.
Earlier at the Second Hospital, the little girl had said Qin Sui was recording a show in Li Family Village. What kind of show?
Being a businessman, his mind was still quick.
Dou Dawei took out his phone and started searching for keywords like "Li Family Village," "recording show," and "Qin Sui."
A web page quickly caught his eye.
Sheng Yuxiao!
So it was this Sheng Yuxiao!
Dou Dawei was overjoyed, almost bursting into tears on the spot.
That little girl was his lucky charm!
The people around her were young masters like Qin Sui or Sheng Yuxiao!
Dou Dawei immediately raised his phone, found a photo of Li Xiaoya from the show, and showed it to the receptionist: "Search online, this little girl is missing. She's now at the Second Hospital. I'm here to inform Sheng Yuxiao."
The receptionist looked at him with uncertainty but eventually chose to make a phone call.
In less than half an hour, a long line of vehicles stopped outside the County Hospital, attracting everyone's attention.
Sheng Yuxiao stepped out of the car, looking around: "Where is she?"
Dou Dawei had never felt so popular before. He squeezed forward, thinking that this Young Master Sheng's appearance was truly one of a kind, recognizable at first glance.
"Young Master Sheng! I'm here!" Dou Dawei called out loudly.
The bodyguards were about to stop him from pushing forward, but they withdrew their hands at his words.
Sheng Yuxiao parted the crowd, taking two steps at a time to reach him: "You've seen Li Xiaoya?"
"Yes, yes, at the Second Hospital..."
"Is she hurt?" Sheng Yuxiao's brow suddenly filled with anger.
Dou Dawei involuntarily shuddered and said, "Yes, no, no, not hurt, she's sick, high fever, on an IV drip. Someone's watching over her."
Dou Dawei looked around, feeling he couldn't tell the truth. What if they all thought she was with relatives and stopped caring?
Dou Dawei said, "It's pitiful, her face is feverish, and she cried when they put in the needle..."
Before Dou Dawei could finish, he felt a gust of wind pass by him.
Sheng Yuxiao strode towards the exit: "To the Second Hospital!"
"Young Master Sheng, wait for me! Please wait!" Dou Dawei ran after him, afraid of being left behind.
Sheng Yuxiao also realized this person might still be useful, so he turned back, grabbed him, and half-dragged him forward.
Though young, Sheng Yuxiao was a head taller than Dou Dawei. At this moment, Dou Dawei didn't care about his middle-aged dignity; being dragged along by Young Master Sheng was an honor!
...
Several cars drove up to the entrance of Kangyuan Foreign Trade Company and stopped.
Qin Sui was the first to get out.
"Hey, who are you? You can't go in without an appointment," the receptionist tried to block them, lacking confidence.
How did so many intimidating people arrive?
The commotion was visible even to Uncle Li, or rather Li Hongguang, from upstairs.
Thinking someone had committed a crime, he opened his office door and walked out.
"Plainclothes police. Li Hongguang is your boss, right?" The people downstairs flashed their badges and then rushed past the reception desk.
They met face to face.
"It's him! That's Li Hongguang!" someone shouted.
Then, in front of his subordinates and everyone present, Li Hongguang was suddenly pinned down.
Li Hongguang shouted angrily, "What are you doing? Have you gone mad?"
"Li Hongguang, you're suspected of kidnapping a girl under seven years old. Please come with us," came an official voice.
"Let him lead the way." This was another, extremely young voice.
Li Hongguang struggled to raise his head, only catching a glimpse of the other person's trouser leg, embroidered with a custom pattern that exuded an air of expensive taste.
Who... was he?
*
Li Xiaoya's aunt by marriage returned home to get a cup and some hot water. Just as she reached the door, she saw numerous police cars roaring up, some even from the provincial capital, judging by their license plates.
"Who are they arresting? Such a big scene!" The aunt exclaimed as she stepped inside.
Just then, someone bumped into her, knocking the cup from her hand.
The aunt cursed loudly at the person for not watching where they were going.
The person, wearing tattered clothes and hunched over, hurriedly picked up the cup from the ground and handed it back to her.
The aunt, finding the person dirty and disgusting, quickly averted her gaze, thinking it was fortunate the water was for Li Xiaoya.
"Xiaoya, I'm back," the aunt said as she entered. Her son was still standing guard woodenly.
Li Xiaoya was still on the IV drip, silent, as if the illness had finally subdued her.
"I brought you some hot water, drink up," the aunt offered the cup. "See, we all care for you. In the future, you should just live well with us..."
A series of rapid footsteps approached.
"What's that noise?" Other patients receiving IVs craned their necks curiously.
"The county town hasn't been peaceful these past couple of days."
"So many people... why are they coming our way?"
The aunt suddenly had a bad feeling, but then thought it impossible.
Who was Li Xiaoya? Her mother dead, father gone, with a money-grubbing grandfather, and no one in the village who cared for her. Who would look after her?
The aunt's heart settled. She unscrewed the cup lid: "Quickly, have some water. Listen to how hoarse your voice has become."
Li Xiaoya was indeed very, very thirsty.
For two whole days and nights, she hadn't had any food or water, her throat feeling as if it had been torn apart by hands.
Li Xiaoya lowered her head, just about to take a sip.
"Li Xiaoya!" She heard someone call her name.
She looked up.
She saw Sheng Yuxiao rush in, pushing the aunt aside and scooping Li Xiaoya into his arms: "You scared the hell out of me!"
The aunt lost her balance and fell to the ground, the cup in her hand spilling, hot water pouring all over her trouser leg.
"Ah!" The aunt screamed, but before she could curse, she was pinned down by the police who had arrived.
Her son, stunned for a moment, tried to run but was pressed against the wall.
Seeing this, Aunt immediately went into a frenzy, screaming: "Let go of my son! Release him!"
But no one paid any attention to her.
Aunt could only fume, breathing heavily, as she turned to look at Li Xiaoya.
At that moment, she saw the person holding Li Xiaoya... it was an extremely young man.
Tall and long-legged, dressed in expensive clothes, he exuded an overwhelming presence. His handsome features were etched with deep hostility. He didn't look like someone who would typically appear in this small county town.
Like Great-Aunt, Aunt also recalled what Li Xiaoya had said: "Someone will come for me."
Aunt glanced around and saw more police officers than she had ever seen in her life.
Feeling both frightened and furious, she blurted out: "Li Xiaoya! Your grandfather will die a terrible death! He even went and sold you to rich people?"
