"I always feel like this kid is familiar with me."
"I can't bear her standing there all the time."
"And it's such a cold day."
"The child's face turned pale with cold."
"I walked over and asked her why she didn't go home yet?"
"The child seemed to be frightened by me and ran away immediately."
"I thought she had gone home, but I didn't expect..."
Brother Jin paused.
Then, he slowly said, "I didn't expect that child to run into the woods."
"What?!"
Su Xun was shocked, and the uneasiness in her heart became even stronger.
"Run into the woods?"
"Is it late at night?"
"What about her?"
"are you back?"
"Have you looked for it?"
"she-"
Looking at Brother Jin's heavy expression, the words "Is something wrong?" stuck in Su Xun's throat.
Can't get out, can't get down.
Su Xun was so uncomfortable that she felt a little nauseous.
Brother Jin said with some difficulty, "She is gone."
"Just like her sister."
"Gone."
...
"We mobilized the whole village to search the nearby mountains and forests."
"Also called the police."
Looking at Su Xun's ugly face, Brother Jin explained with a wry smile, "We have made every effort."
"Still haven't found anyone."
"The child disappeared without a trace just like her sister."
"Leaving no trace."
...
"You just give up?"
He looked around and saw the same scene as before.
With bright red lanterns, vermilion couplets, the Chinese character "福" and exquisite paper-cuts, everyone's faces were filled with cheerful smiles, creating a joyful New Year atmosphere.
But, what about that child?
Who remembers the missing child?
"Just one night?"
He couldn't believe it.
When a living child disappears, why does everyone still act as if nothing happened?
As if the missing child never existed?
Facing Su Xun's accusing gaze, Brother Jin coughed a few times.
He loosened his grip on the little boy's back collar and said, "Go back."
The little boy glanced at Su Xun and ran away quickly.
Brother Jin then looked at Su Xun, with a wry smile on his face, "When this child's sister disappeared, we and the police searched for it for three months, but found nothing."
"Now the child is missing too."
"We searched all night and found nothing."
"They all thought that the child had fallen to the bottom of a cliff just like her sister."
"Then we won't waste time."
"We plan to wait until the Chinese New Year is over and then set up a case table for the two children on the cliff and put incense sticks on them."
"I pray they go well all the way."
Brother Jin's words made Su Xun silent.
He was thinking, would the child go to find the monster alone?
Seeing Su Xun's gloomy expression, Brother Jin patted Su Xun on the shoulder and said, "I didn't expect you to really come."
"The kid will be happy."
...
"This is all fate."
Brother Jin suddenly whispered softly.
"What's the meaning?"
Su Xun asked subconsciously.
"ah?"
Brother Jin didn't expect that the young man's ears were so good. He was just talking to himself, but the other party heard him.
Su Xun frowned and looked at Brother Jin.
He didn't like what Brother Jin said just now.
It's like... the child's death is natural.
How can it be?
No one's death is taken for granted.
"That's not what I think."
Brother Jin waved his hand and said hesitantly, "Some people think that the child committed suicide out of fear of crime."
"Some people also think that the child is...retribution."
"She killed her sister, and eventually she followed in her sister's footsteps and lost her life."
…
"She didn't kill her sister."
Su Xun said seriously.
Others didn't know, but he knew that the child's sister was eaten by a monster.
It was obviously the fault of a monster, so why did an innocent child have to bear the consequences?
Brother Jin was stunned, "Ah, oh."
He didn't argue with the young man either.
That child is dead. No matter whether she killed her sister or not, she has paid the price with her life.
Then the facts are actually not that important.
…
Su Xun suddenly felt a little tight in her chest.
That child... tried so hard to explain that she didn't kill her sister, and wanted so desperately to find the monster that ate her sister...
She tried her best, but got nothing in return.
No one believed her.
Everyone is speculating about this child with malicious intent.
This child didn't get any kindness until the end.
He took a deep breath.
Then, exhale slowly.
It seemed as if he wanted to spit out the annoyance and discomfort in his heart.
He turned to look at Xiao Xiao, his expression seemed to be smiling and crying, "Master Xiao."
"Let's go take a look."
Immediately, Xiao Xiao looked at Brother Jin with a gentle expression, "Thank you for informing me, we have something else to do, so I'll leave now."
"Okay, okay."
Brother Jin nodded. Although he was a little curious about the name Su Xun said, he also knew that now was not the time to ask, "If you have something to do, just go and do it."
"Brother Su."
His eyes fell back on Su Xun, his mouth opened and closed, and he hesitated to speak.
The look on Su Xun's face made him feel a little sad because he was just a little sorry for the child's accident.
Still a child.
…
"Brother Jin."
Su Xun suppressed the gaffe on his face.
The corners of his mouth were slightly raised, with a calm expression, "Thank you for telling us this."
"Then let's take our leave first."
"Hey...ok."
Looking at the backs of the two young men walking away, Brother Jin let out a deep sigh.
He shook his head, turned around and walked back to his home.
…
"Master Xiao, go this way."
Following his own memory, Su Xun led Xiao Xiao towards the place where the little girl saw Niu Niu.
The mountain forests in winter are cold and depressing.
Without the chirping of birds and insects, it seemed extraordinarily quiet.
"Click~"
Su Xun stiffened.
Looking down, he saw that a branch had been broken by his step.
The originally slight sound seemed to be amplified countless times in such an atmosphere. At that moment, he felt that his heartbeat had accelerated a beat.
He raised his head and looked around, identifying the direction he was going.
Due to the demands of his profession, he has become accustomed to recognizing and memorizing roads, and has developed a sense of direction.
As long as he has walked the road once, he can basically memorize it and won't get lost.
"Master Xiao, the place where the child saw the monster last time is right in front."
It was obviously what happened the day before yesterday, but the child is no longer here?
He regretted a little. If he had known this, he should have taken the child with him.
"it's not your fault."
Xiao Xiao saw Su Xun's self-blame.
Su Xun opened his mouth.
He wanted to say something, but his interest was at a loss.