Police cars were a scarce resource, and Li Guodong couldn't abuse his power. He borrowed one from a friend and asked someone to drive for him. One hundred a day.
In the morning, while Bo Xin was brushing her teeth, the car pulled up at the door. Ji Xingzhi didn't smoke, but he politely offered the driver a cigarette. His eyes were clear, and he smiled freely while chatting with the driver. From the outside, nothing seemed wrong.
Bo Xin packed a bag of clothes with the wallet at the bottom. The original meeting time was eight o'clock, but Li Guodong's friend was an honest man and arrived at half past seven. She had to wake the children one by one.
Ji Xingzhi opened the car door for her. Bo Xin stared at him. "What? Don't dare look at me anymore?"
Ji Xingzhi shrugged, good at joking. "Is that so? I've never dared to look directly at your stunning beauty."
The driver's mouth opened and closed in surprise. No wonder, coming from the military camp with limited chances to meet women, Major General Ji still got married and had children so quickly. If it were him, without family arranging blind dates, he'd probably be single forever. He was a police station staff member, and this driving trip also involved sending Ye Jinyi for a statement. As the person involved, Ye Jinyi's testimony was very important, but his memory was damaged, so his words were only for reference.
Ye Laoqi seized on this, cursing Ye Jinyi in the police station until the police forcibly restrained him and pressed him into a chair.
Bo Xin remembered the child's trembling hands last night and asked with concern, "Are you okay?"
Ye Jinyi's expression didn't change. "I'm fine." He truly felt at ease now, absolutely because being around Bo Xin, his benefactor, gave him security. With the two younger brothers joking around, he experienced unprecedented relaxation.
"If it weren't for fear of Ye Laosan, I'd have had the chance to beat Ye Laoqi up."
Bo Xin said sincerely, "That's a bit of a pity." Now that the man was going to prison, there would be no such opportunity.
Bo Yuxu was also concerned. He tugged at Bo Xin's sleeve lightly, enough to pull her toward him. "Will he go to jail?"
Bo Xin found it odd—Yuxu knew but still asked. "Of course. What are you worried about?"
In front of his mother, Bo Yuxu never lied, but speaking of such gloomy thoughts made him uncomfortable. "I'm thinking about what Ye Changbao's expression would be if he knew."
Was he eager to see Ye Changbao's expression, or Li Qiang'an's? It seemed with all that had happened, it was impossible for Yuxu to completely forget.
Bo Xin touched his chin. "Hold on. I'm taking Jinyi to the hospital soon. Whether or not he's your squad leader's brother, recording his DNA in the database will make it easier for him to find his family."
Bo Yuxu nodded. "Can I not go to the hospital?"
Unless necessary, Bo Xin wouldn't take children to the hospital. Even with mature minds, children had weak immune systems. "Don't say that in front of that man."
"Why?"
Bo Xin chuckled. "Because he'll tease you for being a clingy kid who can't leave his mother."
Bo Yuxu pursed his lips. He was annoyed because he realized it was entirely possible.
Ji Xingzhi sat nearby holding a newspaper. In the countryside, with no supply, he had just bought it at a bookstore. "'Hengxing Charity Anti-Trafficking'—the headline wasn't flashy but appropriate. He had cunningly contacted the newspaper, placing his photo in the center of the crowd. This way, proving he was still alive would somewhat restore the company's reputation and reduce He Mingqiao's pressure. He looked up, his gaze meeting Bo Yuxu's.
Bo Yuxu turned his head away first.
If Ji Xingzhi remembered correctly, Yuxu had just been talking to Bo Xin. How could this involve him? He pointed at himself, feeling terribly wronged. He habitually crossed his legs, even now in the police station. Many people had already mistaken him for an insider, asking for directions. Using the external map he remembered, he pointed the way. Half an hour later, he folded the newspaper.
"Are we leaving?"
Bo Xin nodded. "What were you doing just now? We've been discussing for a while."
Ji Xingzhi didn't hide it. "Reading articles praising me in the newspaper."
Bo Xin was curious about such press releases printed in the paper. "Did you pay for them?"
"Half and half." This event didn't need paid coverage, but making his photo and story look good required money.
Bo Xin found it amusing. She understood why 'Hengxing' had grown so fast—the CEO had recognized the importance of marketing from early on.
They got into the car and then parted ways on the road.
Department stores were all similar, mainly selling clothes, but they had to wait for the hospital staff to arrive so Ye Jinyi could try on clothes. So they started at the outskirts of the department store—small accessory shops showcasing local specialties. Buying them as souvenirs was meaningful, and Bo Yuxu was interested.
But Ji Xingzhi didn't stop; he kept walking forward swiftly. Bo Yuxu held a porcelain flower, advertised as never wilting, and had been staring at it. Ji Xingzhi's steps were large and fast; if not careful, he might bypass Bo Yuxu and disappear. Weighing his options, Bo Yuxu immediately stepped forward and grabbed his sleeve.
"Why are you walking so fast?"
Ji Xingzhi turned around, a smile that seemed apologetic on his face. "Sorry, I couldn't help it."
Bo Yuxu paused, his tone dry with confusion. "Couldn't help what?"
Ji Xingzhi: "Couldn't help seeing how much initiative you show in staying within my sight."
Bo Yuxu felt like his newly grown teeth might grind to pieces. How could anyone have so little adult decorum? And how could anyone make such a big deal out of a small favor? If his mother hadn't said 'stay within Ji Xingzhi's sight,' he wouldn't have stopped him even if Ji Xingzhi walked eight miles away.
"What if I really didn't stop you?"
Ji Xingzhi thought for a second. Seeing the child angry, he really wanted to pat his head. But he restrained himself and withdrew his hand, explaining, "Then I would obediently come back."
Bo Yuxu was stunned for a moment.
Ji Xingzhi: "Because I'm in the same family position as you—both of us listen to your mother."
Bo Yuxu immediately let go of his sleeve, turned his head, and refused to look at him.
Ji Xingzhi: "..." If he remembered correctly, when he bought the newspaper, he also bought a parenting book called "Troublesome Seven, Disobedient Eight." The title was too targeted; he had immediately paid for it. The book said to build a good relationship with children, one must find common ground and common topics, and if necessary, a common position. But it seemed the effect was dismal. He couldn't help but voice his reader opinion—this was a garbage book.
Ji Yanyi followed beside them, feeling his brain couldn't understand what they were sulking about. If he had free time, he'd rather look at his rabbits. He loved cute animals—giant pandas, little rabbits. It would be great if he could pet all the fluffy ones, but he was especially disliked by small animals. A roadside puppy would run away if touched, so he could only look to satisfy his eyes. Just like now, his gaze was glued to a nearby stall. He stood on tiptoe and counted nine rabbits.
But Ji Yanyi didn't forget his mother's instructions. So he pointed to the rabbit cage and informed his father. "I want to go see that."
Ji Xingzhi's head ached. "Wait a moment. Yuxu spoke first. Let him buy first."
Ji Yanyi couldn't hold back. "Dad, you're so useless. Don't you have two eyes? Can't you look one way with one and the other way with the other?"
Ji Xingzhi felt it had nothing to do with uselessness—he was very useful. And normally, looking one way with one eye and another way with the other was impossible for most people. Here it comes, the familiar headache from dealing with Yanyi, the feeling of his cerebral cortex smoothing out—truly nostalgic. Ji Xingzhi vaguely heard Yuxu's laughter. He frowned and clicked his tongue.
"I don't have the skill to look in two directions with two eyes."
Ji Yanyi shook his head. "That's not a great skill. I can do it." He just needed to put a finger in between his eyes. He had discovered it when he was exhausted from martial arts practice and lying face down to rest.
Ji Xingzhi: "..." No, don't do stupid things, no, this somehow made him dizzy. He shook his head to clear it, but suddenly, a not-light-not-heavy slap landed on his head, instantly weakening his consciousness. What the hell?
"Human trafficker! You're a human trafficker!"
Jiang Tianyuan was short and lacked strength. Feeling one slap wasn't enough, he tried to slap again, but his hand was restrained the next second. The other party couldn't use much force, so he grabbed both hands and pulled his arm back, almost dislocating it. Pain brought tears to Jiang Tianyuan's eyes.
Ji Xingzhi pressed his knee into the man's waist. "Who do you think is a trafficker?"
"Who else? You! You took my Yuxu without paying. There's no such good deal in the world."
Ji Xingzhi had never seen him and couldn't recognize him. But he had heard about it from Bo Xin—the Jiang family still hadn't given up on that money. Passersby had gathered around. The thin air made him uncomfortable. In this situation, the one who accused first often had the upper hand. But Ji Xingzhi had a strong advantage: he looked too much like Yuxu.
"I don't know if this is a new trick from you traffickers, but my son and I look this similar. I wonder how bold you are to target us." As he spoke, he glanced left. Bo Yuxu stood there, looking warily at Jiang Tianyuan. Bo Yuxu didn't know how Jiang Tianyuan had ended up here. If he had known, he wouldn't have come out. Such a huge trouble. Bo Yuxu instinctively stepped back half a step. But at that moment, his reaction was correct—shouldn't a child be afraid when seeing a trafficker? This kid looked so much like his father that it was clear who the trafficker was. The crowd immediately turned on Jiang Tianyuan.
"You damned trafficker! Why weren't you executed back then?" "Exactly! You dare to scam someone who looks so alike? How many families have you ruined with this trick?" "What are we waiting for? Take him to the police station. Maybe we can save a few kids."
Jiang Tianyuan panicked. Sweating profusely from pain, he struggled on the ground, unable to break free, drooling in his sorry state. The crowd's disgust stabbed into him. He had never been so humiliated in his life. He remembered Jiang Cuijuan saying the kids were switched, so the other one was the Jiang family's seed. Yes, if Ji Xingzhi and his wife wouldn't pay, they could return the switched child. Seeing the child raised fair and tender, it seemed like a good deal. He shouted his explanation.
But saying such things only further confirmed his identity as a trafficker. If one scheme failed, he plotted against the other child. Truly damned.
When Bo Xin arrived, it was chaotic, with a large crowd shouting for the police. She glanced at her watch. Normally, she should have been heading to the agreed meeting place with Ji Xingzhi, but for some reason—she who usually avoided crowds—she chose to walk toward the crowd. Maybe it was that bad premonition in her heart. But from a distance, not seeing familiar faces, she breathed a sigh of relief. Yet before she could fully relax, she looked down and saw Ji Xingzhi pinning someone down and Ji Yanyi kicking the man's butt. Father and son...?
Bo Xin stepped forward and helped Ji Xingzhi up. He was in a bad state, his eyes unfocused, unable to focus even when she waved her hand in front of his face.
Bo Xin: "What happened?"
Ji Xingzhi forced himself to swallow. "He hit my head."
Bo Xin: "How do you feel?"
Ji Xingzhi: "... Terrible."
Bo Xin felt a weight on her hands. Even though she was strong and often helped carry equipment, she usually needed assistance. Carrying a grown man by herself was a bit... Before she could finish her thought, she realized she could manage it. The weight on her shoulder was very present—it wasn't a princess carry, but she could support him. It seemed Ji Xingzhi really hadn't been eating properly lately.