Chapter 9. The World's Greatest

The little monk uses a recording pen to chant scriptures and recite Buddhist teachings. It seemed she had forgotten to turn it off, because Luo Qingshu heard this section while checking homework.

[Sell, sell, sell! This is the price!]

[No, no, we're not trying to trick you. This child was originally bought by this aunt for ten thousand yuan. Lin San also said the child used to be from the city, with good genes or something, and will definitely be successful when he grows up. Don't worry, little host, he's a great worker, very useful!]

The little monk actually made a recording!

Oh no, oh no! Lin Shuixiang, of course, knew that buying and selling children was a crime punishable by imprisonment, otherwise, she wouldn't have told outsiders that the little bastard was adopted from a big brother's house in the countryside!

The little monk can actually recorded it!

Lin Shuixiang's legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground. This time, she truly felt like the sky was falling!

Song Xifeng didn't waste any words with these two. He directly called two equally indignant police officers, "Take them for interrogation and see who this Lin San is." This matter couldn't be delayed. Human traffickers are usually repeat offenders, committing more than one crime, and many are even organized in groups. If they could follow the clues and catch this Lin San, there might be other children waiting to be rescued. Every minute counts.

The town publicizes every day that trafficking children is a crime punishable by imprisonment, and buying them is an equally serious crime.

Gu Zhiming also panicked, trembling and begging for mercy, "Police officer, police officer, please listen to my explanation... We were wrong, we'll never do such a thing again!"

"Please spare us this time..."

"Police officer, I can't go to jail, what will my son do if I go to jail? My son is still young, only seven years old, he can't be without his parents..."

Gu Feihuang was raised like this, completely spoiled.

Song Xifeng ignored him. This big, burly man felt like a giant baby, idle and lazy, doing nothing serious. He was addicted to eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling. He's already like this, what's the point of begging for mercy? Does he think the whole world is his mother, and begging will make this matter pass?

Gu Zhiming and Lin Shuixiang turned around and cried to Gu Zhaochen again, "Xiao Zhao, Xiao Zhao, Mom and Dad were really wrong. Tell the police officers not to blame us, and come home with us. Let's pretend nothing happened today, and we'll live a good life in the future, okay? Xiao Zhao, Mom and Dad beg you, we'll kowtow to you, Xiao Zhao, we can't go to jail..."

The entire police station was filled with Gu Zhiming and Lin Shuixiang's cries, which were quite frightening in the middle of the night.

Song Xifeng frowned: "Violating the law is not a child's play. Begging anyone is useless, and whether or not you go to jail is not something a child can decide. Stop wailing, it's useless. Save some energy and honestly explain Lin San's matter."

During the Chinese New Year, the situation is special, and the police station has the right to handle urgent matters. The procedures and formalities are much less.

Song Xifeng waved his hand to tell them to drag them away quickly. When the two were dragged to the interrogation room at the end of the building, the noise was shut inside, and the air in the hall became much fresher.

While people were being interrogated, Song Xifeng didn't idle around. He immediately contacted the director of the bureau, the public security bureau, the women's federation, public interest lawyers, and other relevant departments and personnel, and held a video conference to report the specific situation of the case - human traffickers are a hundred times more detestable than ordinary thieves, and the crime is also serious. It can't be delayed. Even if it's the Chinese New Year, Song Xifeng called everyone he should call.

Gu Zhiming and Lin Shuixiang don't have guardianship rights at all. The crimes of buying and selling children, child abuse, and extortion are all set in stone. These can all have a general overview first, and then be dealt with after the new year, but the next thorough investigation and arrest operation must be decided as soon as possible. In addition, the whereabouts of Gu Feihuang and Gu Zhaochen must also be arranged as soon as possible.

Chen Yun and Lao Xu were outside taking care of the children.

Not everyone likes children, but cute and well-behaved children are definitely more likable. Especially the little monk, not only Gu Zhaochen's eyes were focused on him, but even adults found him amazing.

The little monk clearly knew some legal knowledge, even if what he knew was not comprehensive, it was already terrifying. Including what he did in the Gu family before, it was hard to believe that this was a five-year-old child.

Chen Yun scavenged the colleagues' snacks and piled them all next to the little bald head, "Little friend, you are really amazing, where did you go to school?"

"What grade are you in? You know so many words and understand so much knowledge."

"Who is your teacher?"

"Does your school usually promote legal knowledge to you?"

Ah, this is a good opportunity to promote Qingling Temple. Mingjing was excited and immediately replied, "Mingjing studied at Qingling Temple on Qingling Mountain. Mingjing's teacher is Master, and Master is super powerful..."

Although she tried hard to restrain herself from being proud, she raised her little head when mentioning her Master, with a look of excitement that my master is the most powerful in the world. If she had a tail, she would definitely be wagging in the clouds.

Chen Yun was about to be charmed to death by the little monk. Although she knew it was inappropriate, she couldn't help but gently kiss the little monk's fleshy little face. It was so cute, "Little Mingjing is so cute!"

The little bald monk blushed, and her shy look made the others come to tease her. Her porcelain white face turned pink.

Gu Zhaochen sat quietly beside the little monk, very peaceful and calm. It was the first time he felt that time was not difficult to endure, and the first time he felt that winter and snow, which only brought coldness, were quite good, because he met the little monk in this winter.

It was also the first time he understood what the adults meant by beautiful and smart.

Both smart and beautiful are like the little monk, like a real little fairy child.

Gu Zhiming and Lin Shuixiang were not people who could withstand questioning. In less than half an hour, they confessed everything, saying that Lin San was from the neighboring town, his full name was Lin Sanquan, he was forty-five years old this year, an orphan with no relatives or friends. He had been doing this kind of business in his early years, and they also heard people introduce him before they went to Lin San to buy Gu Zhaochen.

Lao Xu took people to arrest him. Fortunately, the neighboring town was not far from here. Three police officers drove for two hours, and it was the Chinese New Year. They raided and arrested people overnight and successfully caught him.

After the person was caught, Chen Yun and Lao Xu immediately went to interrogate him. Chen Yun left a cake for the two children, mainly for the little monk, because Gu Zhaochen was injured on his face and needed to avoid all activities that would involve the wound, including talking and eating. These days, he could only drink rice porridge.

The cream was smooth and greasy, the cherries were sweet, and the golden bread was a perfect match. It was so, so harmonious and delicious, like lying on a cloud of cotton candy.

Mingjing restrained himself and ate a small piece, her eyebrows and eyes curved with happiness, leisurely and contented.

Gu Zhaochen sat opposite and watched. After watching for a long time, it was not that he wanted to eat it himself, but that he wanted to earn a lot of money, a lot of money, and then buy cakes for the little monk to eat, buy a lot of cakes.

Apart from revenge, this was the first time he clearly wanted to do something. This strong desire was different from the feeling of revenge. Because he thought about buying cakes for the little monk, thinking about the little monk's happy appearance when eating cakes, his own heart was like carrying a small sun in his arms, and his whole body was warm.

I really want to pile a lot of cakes for the little monk now... Gu Zhaochen was a little annoyed. His current ability was still too poor. Earning money by picking up cardboard, wires, and bottles was too slow. He should study more books and go to live around more schools where students are there, so that he can earn more...

When Gu Zhaochen came back to his senses, he saw that the little monk's white and soft face was stained with cream. He wanted to help wipe it, but his hands were rough and stiff, and he would definitely hurt the little monk. So he stretched out his hand and pointed to his cheek, signaling him to wipe it off.

Mingjing blinked his eyes, wiped his left cheek but missed it, and looked blankly at the wound above the human cub's finger. He let out an "ah" and came down from the chair, walked to Gu Zhaochen's side, put his hands behind his back and leaned over, earnestly kissed the spot where the human cub was pointing, "Does it still hurt? Is it a little better..."

Like cotton candy, soft lips landed on his cheek, with the sweet scent of cream and a warm breath.

Gu Zhaochen froze in the chair. After realizing what just happened, he felt like a piece of red-hot charcoal being doused with water. Smoke and heat instantly swept up from the soles of his feet, and his usually sallow face turned fiery red in an instant. His dark pupils became moist and shiny. Because it was too hot and too excited, steam rose from the top of his head, and even some short hairs stood up and exploded, making his head directly bigger.

No one has ever been this close to him...

His mind was empty, and he couldn't feel any pain at all. It seemed that the surrounding was the smell of White Rabbit candy. He felt dizzy, as if the chair and the person had grown wings, spinning in the air, slowly flying around in circles.

Gu Zhaochen was like a steam train working hard, smoke coming out of his head, and his two ears were whistling with heat, his face getting redder and redder, until it turned dark red.

Oh, the human cub in front of him turned into a cooked shrimp. The little monk watched for a while, not quite understanding if he was better, and asked in a childish voice, "Gu Zhaochen, do you still hurt? Is it a little better..."

Gu Zhaochen's head was still dizzy, he didn't know what pain was at all, and his words became stuttering, "No... no pain." He really likes the little monk! He really likes him!

It's good if it doesn't hurt. Mingjing also became happy, his eyebrows and eyes curving.

Luo Qingshu looked up and glanced at them. In an instant, he understood why many parents like to play matchmaker: because their own cub is the most adorable in the world, and any other excellent cub becomes a big bad wolf that can snatch their cub away in his eyes—he just can't stand them.

Luo Qingshu's pen moved freely, sketching a vivid picture of a gluttonous monk carrying a flower wreath. Mingjing saw that the human cub was no longer in pain, so she walked to her master's side to look at the painting her master was drawing. His master was drawing her.

The little monk had a small flower wreath on her head because she is a girl, so she would have a flower wreath on her head.

Mingjing stood beside him, looking at the painting with big eyes full of love and admiration. She then saw a small wound on the back of her master's hand. She reached on tiptoe to reach it, but couldn't, so she said softly, "Master, give Mingjing your hand."

Luo Qingshu was surprised, not knowing what the little guy wanted to do, but he still put down his pen and gave her his hand.

Mingjing pulled her master's hand over and kissed the wound on the back of his hand heavily, nervously and expectantly asking, "Master, does it still hurt? Is it a little better?"

Luo Qingshu immediately understood why the little monk kissed the little boy just now. She thought her kiss had a magical effect and could cure diseases and heal injuries.

Luo Qingshu chuckled and nodded in the little monk's expectant gaze, thinking that the little monk was, after all, a girl, so he still instructed, "Master doesn't hurt anymore, but this kind of therapy can only be used on people you like and who like you. For others, it's better to let the doctor do it."

Master always says the right thing. Mingjing nodded heavily, "Yes, disciple remembers."

An hour later, Song Xifeng came out of the conference room with documents and briefly explained the situation, "Buying children, abusing children, and extortion, any of these are enough for Gu Zhiming and Lin Shuixiang to have a hard time. The public security bureau said to deal with it severely, it is estimated to be more than three years but less than ten years. People are detained first, and the specific matters of sentencing will be dealt with after the new year. Gu Feihuang will be taken care of by Gu Zhiming's eldest brother first. As for Gu Zhaochen, the Women's Federation has already contacted the city welfare home and will come to pick him up tomorrow morning. He will spend the night at the police station tonight."

The police station and the Women's Federation checked the information of missing children together with Gu Zhaochen's photos, and none of them went beyond the Haihe River boundary. Gu Zhaochen's basic information was all found.

Because he was originally a child of the Guangming Branch Welfare Home in Haihe five or six years ago. The child is a good child, but he was just unlucky, and the couples he met were not of good character.

The first family to adopt Gu Zhaochen had good conditions, and they made a big show of adopting him, but the child was sent back to the welfare home after only a few days, saying that the child stole something. Gu Zhaochen did not admit it. Later, the police intervened and found out that it was their own son who was worried that Gu Zhaochen would steal his parents' love and grow up to share the property, so he designed to frame him. However, after such a fuss, the couple regretted adopting him because they saw their own son was so repulsive. They used their connections and put pressure on the Guangming Branch Welfare Home, directly forcing the child back.

The second couple could not have children and had average family conditions. They raised him for a period of time. But when the company organized a physical examination, they found out that the wife had a serious illness with high expenses. They adopted the child and could not go back on their word, so they directly abandoned the child in the amusement park. After a while, the couple felt uneasy and went back to look for him, but the child was long gone. Fearing being convicted of abandonment, they dared not report the case. When the welfare home returned to visit, it was already too late.

Finally, there were Gu Zhiming and Lin Shuixiang, two scum who only had money in their eyes. They were worried that their own son would get a terminal illness and no one would take care of them in old age, so they hurriedly borrowed money to buy the child. As a result, their own son was fine, and the couple turned to resent Gu Zhaochen for spending money unjustly. They could not sell him and had no ability to earn money to repay the debt, so their anger was vented on Gu Zhaochen. Gu Feihuang was taught badly, and none of the three treated Gu Zhaochen as a human being.

For three or four years, this child was still about the same size as in the photo, not growing taller, still as thin and small.

Eight years old, displaced and wandering, it is estimated that he has not had a single comfortable day. It is a miracle to survive until now. It is estimated that the words "dad" and "mom" are like monsters and disasters in the child's eyes.

Song Xifeng felt a tightness in his heart and ruffled the little boy's head, "After a great disaster, there will be good fortune. Did you hear what the little monk said just now? 'Heaven will entrust a great mission to this person, and he must first suffer his mind, strain his sinews and bones, starve his body, and exhaust his body.' The hard days are over, and life will be better in the future."

Gu Zhaochen could go months and years without speaking, and he knew that this was just repeating the previous path, and life would not change in any way, but he still said thank you to the policeman, at least they had no malice and were helping him in the ways they could.

And very strangely, he was not worried or scared at all, nor was he sad or uncomfortable. It was as if life had become colorful. He noticed for the first time that the winter night also had stars, and when fireworks exploded in the night sky, they were colorful, and the snowflakes were really like goose feathers, both light and beautiful...

He had something he wanted to do. His mind was not thinking about anything else, just thinking about what to do tomorrow, what to do the day after tomorrow...

Work hard to live, work hard to earn money, and then work hard to grow up, become as strong and reliable as the big monk, and be able to protect the little monk.

Tomorrow and the future, these two words, in his life, have never been as clear as they are now. Gu Zhaochen pursed his lips tightly, his dark pupils shining with light, clear and moist.

Did this human cub smile just now?

Mingjing widened her eyes to look, but could not tell at all, feeling that she was too tired and had hallucinations.

Mingjing rubbed her eyes, took out the jade pendant from her bag, put it around Gu Zhaochen's neck, her childish voice was tender, but particularly serious, "Gu Zhaochen, this is jade. Master said that when you have no money, you can sell this to exchange for money to buy food. You must take good care of yourself and don't do stupid things again. Life is so precious..."

In the little monk's eyes, the police uncle is as reliable and trustworthy as Master. The human cub will be well taken care of here.

Gu Zhaochen didn't speak, just followed the little monk to the gate, his hand grasping the door frame, watching the little monk's back disappear at the end of the road, and didn't move for a long time.

Chen Yun came up and took his hand, "Xiao Zhao, go to the rest room with Auntie first. Your Uncle Liu has made a soft and warm bed for you. Have a good sleep tonight, you must be exhausted after a day's trouble."

He was not tired at all. Today was the happiest day he had had in four years, not because Gu Zhiming and Lin Shuixiang were going to jail, nor because he was sitting in the warm police station without working or being beaten, but because he was always thinking of the little monk in his heart, and there was a little sun in his heart, gurgling with heat.

Gu Zhaochen asked Song Xifeng two questions, and was led to the rest room to sleep.

Song Xifeng had something on his mind, so he didn't pay much attention when Gu Zhaochen asked about Su Shiyang, and told him what he knew.

When everyone else went in, he was still standing by the door, holding a painting in his hand. It was a painting that Master Luochen casually drew while sitting there. He accidentally wrapped it in a folder when he was in a hurry to attend the meeting. He just found it and wanted to return it to Master Luochen, but he had already gone far.

On the painting was a Q version [1] of a little taotie, with a chubby body, two round horns on its head, big watery eyes, and a fluffy tail that could almost wrap its whole body. On its body sat a delicate and lovely little monk with a smile on his face.

The little monk wore a flower wreath on her head, two fleshy little hands holding a roasted sweet potato, half of her face puffed up like a squirrel, eating with relish.

Although it was just a simple sketch, the drawing skill was superb, lifelike and vivid.

Chen Yun came over to take a look, and exclaimed in surprise, "It's so well drawn, I wouldn't know it was a painting if I didn't see it, I would have thought it was a photo processed with special effects."

Who does it look like? The eyebrows and eyes look really familiar.

That otherworldly beauty and temperament...

Song Xifeng stared blankly in the direction the big monk left, and suddenly his whole body shook, jumping up as if he had been struck by lightning, "Luo Qingshu... I remember who he is! He is Luo Qingshu!"

"Luo Qingshu?"

"Team Leader Song, are you okay!"

Notes:

[1] Q版 (Q bǎn): Q version. This refers to a style of drawing that is characterized by its cute and cartoonish appearance, often with exaggerated features.