After talking for a while, Huo Xing’Er realized that Xiaosuisui was not by Ji Youzhi’s side.
"In the Mountain Cave!" Ji Youzhi said and, gathering his Qi, headed for the Mountain Cave.
"Suisui! What are you looking for?"
Upon entering, Ji Youzhi saw the little girl squatting on the ground, her small hands groping around.
"Looking for hair!"
Ji Youzhi frowned. "Why are you looking for hair?"
"Nothing, I just want to find some to play with!"
Ji Youzhi’s mouth twitched. His little niece’s hobbies were rather peculiar. Letting rabbits eat bugs, liking Feifei, and now even searching for other people’s hair.
"HAHAHA! Baby girl, don’t tell me you think your hair is too thin, so you’re looking for other people’s hair to attach to yours?" Constable Wang teased her.
Xiaosuisui pouted and touched her own little head. "It’s not thin at all! Suisui has lots of hair. Uncle, *your* hair is thin! It’s almost all gone."
Constable Wang choked and touched his sparse hair. The pressure of casework was immense; there was nothing he could do about it.
"Nonsense, my hair is perfectly fine. It won’t all fall out even in three or five years," Constable Wang retorted stubbornly.
Xiaosuisui stuck her tongue out at him but didn’t say anything. She tightly clutched a few strands of hair in her hand and ran to Ji Youzhi’s side.
"Uncle Seven, hug, Feifei!"
Ji Youzhi said, "...No Feifei. Suisui, be good. Your Second Aunt is here to take you home. Go back with your Second Aunt."
Xiaosuisui refused. "Not going back, not going back! Uncle Seven, hug, Feifei, Feifei!"
She had promised to take Brother Yanchen home. If she went back now, how could she possibly pick him up?
"Suisui, your Eldest Uncle said it’s not safe for you outside. Let your Second Aunt take you home."
Huo Xing’Er stepped forward, reaching out to hold her.
Xiaosuisui hugged Ji Youzhi’s leg tightly. "Not going back, not going back! I want to go back with Brother Yanchen!"
Huo Xing’Er asked, "...You told Zhou Yanchen you’d personally take him home?"
The little girl nodded vehemently. "Yes, yes! I said I’d come pick him up!"
Ji Youzhi found it strange. "When did you tell him that?"
There was something about the little girl’s words that didn’t sit right with him.
"In my dream. I told Brother Yanchen in my dream."
Ji Youzhi was speechless. So it was just a child’s fantasy; that explained it. He had thought there was something about the little girl that he didn’t know.
Huo Xing’Er said, "Alright! But you have to promise your Second Aunt that you’ll talk less with your Uncle Seven. And if you do talk, do it quietly, understand?"
The little girl and Number Seven’s fates were intertwined. She had realized this long ago. Perhaps this time, with Number Seven bringing the little girl along, they might just turn misfortune into fortune.
However, many things about the little girl couldn’t be known by outsiders. It would be best if she stayed to keep an eye on things.
"Lord God Hunter, we’ve found traces of carriages to the south, and there’s more than one. After receiving your message, we had our men proceed cautiously and continue tracking those carriages."
Constable Lin arrived to rendezvous after receiving the message from Constable Wang. Afterwards, as instructed by Ji Youzhi, he arranged for dry rations to be prepared in Baiyun Town.
Huo Xing’Er took the token given by Zhu Xiuxiu to Bright Moon Pavilion and, while there, also sent a message to her family.
When she returned, she saw Constable Wang and Constable Lin talking.
"The Lord God Hunter means we should pick a few skilled men to continue the pursuit. The others should be sent back, and make sure they keep their mouths shut," Constable Wang said.
Constable Lin nodded. "Alright, I’ll go pick the men now."
Constable Wang anxiously ran a hand through his hair, and several more strands fell out.
Constable Lin turned to look at him. "Why do I get the feeling you’re losing a bit more hair than usual today?"