"Why is everyone here in my house?" Liu Hai asked, clearly startled by the unexpected gathering.
The village elder glanced at Liu Hai, noting his groggy state. It seemed that he hadn’t been out or done anything suspicious, but she still needed to ask. Although she suspected that Liu Hai might not be completely truthful, her years of experience allowed her to often tell the difference between truth and lies.
“Liu Hai, I need to ask you something. Were you here sleeping all night?” she asked, her voice firm. “Did Zhang Nu come back at any point?”
Liu Hai looked around at the gathered villagers, clearly confused, as though he had no idea why Zhang Nu was being brought up.
“Granny, what are you implying?” he asked, bewildered. “How does this have anything to do with Zhang Nu? He hasn’t been to my house at all! Ever since I came back, I’ve been quiet and thoughtful, especially about why outsiders aren’t allowed here. But I understand how important it is to listen to the village chief. I’ve taken this very seriously. I wouldn’t risk bringing someone like Zhang Nu here, and he definitely hasn’t been around.”
The old woman, satisfied with his response, nodded approvingly. However, she remained perplexed by the situation. If Zhang Nu hadn’t been near Liu Hai’s home, why had children from the village mysteriously disappeared?
"So that's how it is. In that case, we elders owe you an apology. Don’t let it weigh on you," she said. "On behalf of all the uncles and aunts here, I’m sorry."
Liu Hai quickly waved it off, not wanting to make it a big deal.
“No need for that, Granny. It’s understandable you’d suspect me, given I sheltered Zhang Nu without permission,” he said. “But I still don’t know what’s happening in the village tonight. Why are so many people out and about? If there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know.”
The elderly woman listened carefully, her trust in Liu Hai deepening as his tone seemed genuine and heartfelt. No one could tell that Liu Hai was simply trying to ease their suspicions. In fact, Liu Hai saw this situation as an excellent opportunity to get Zhang Nu back into the village.
“Sigh… to be honest, something strange has happened tonight,” the elder admitted, her voice heavy with concern. “Several children from different families have gone missing—three, maybe four families all at once. The parents are beside themselves with worry. Some thought Zhang Nu might be responsible, which is why we came looking for you. But since this has nothing to do with you, we’ll let it go. Just make sure Zhang Nu doesn’t come back.”
Liu Hai nodded, but inwardly, he was shaken. The disappearance of the village children was alarming. How could this have happened so suddenly? This might just be the perfect reason to get Zhang Nu back into the village. He couldn't let this opportunity slip by and was determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.
The village elder was visibly moved by Liu Hai's offer, her eyes brimming with tears. His words resonated deeply with her. Since Liu Hai had volunteered, it seemed only right to let him help. After all, having more people meant a greater chance of finding the missing children sooner.
Liu Hai quickly followed the group to one of the homes where a child had disappeared. He glanced around the house, but nothing appeared out of place, there were no signs of forced entry or anything that seemed unusual.
"Jun Hao’s family, what exactly happened?" the village elder asked. "How could your child disappear so suddenly? Is it possible the child wandered off without you noticing?”
The woman, who had been crying, quickly shook her head. This was impossible. Every night, at this time, her child would already be fast asleep. There was no way her child would sneak out on their own, especially not along with so many others.
“Granny, there’s no way my child left the house on their own,” she sobbed, her voice shaking. “At this hour, they’re always in bed. What kind of sin have I committed to deserve this? Why did my child vanish without warning?”