“Caiyun Photography” was housed in a self-built two-story building, with evident effort put into its decor. The store had an overall luxurious and elegant European style. Two large floor-to-ceiling glass windows display mannequins dressed in white wedding gowns, with warm yellow lights shining down. The plastic mannequins hold bouquets, and the diamond-studded wedding dresses are dazzling, making it the most eye-catching sight in the area.
Compared to the surrounding shabby and casual shops, this wedding photography studio is like a pearl in the mud, a refreshing presence on the entire rural road.
Zou Bin got out of the car and said, “This place is as well-decorated as any in the city. How do they make money in a place like this?”
Wen Huabei stepped out from the passenger seat, “Maybe they have a steady client base. If they weren’t making money, they wouldn’t have invested so much in the decor. For example, those two places I visited yesterday—they would’ve closed down long ago if they weren’t doing well.”
Jian Ru was the last to get out. Zou Bin locked the car, and the three of them walked into the shop together. As they opened the glass door, a mechanical female voice chimed from above, “Welcome~”
“Hello, is anyone here?” Zou Bin called out, while Wen Huabei and Jian Ru looked around, observing the layout. To the left was a reception area with sofas, wicker chairs, a glass coffee table with several photo albums, and a desktop computer—likely where clients select their photos. To the right was a short, narrow corridor, about four meters long, with a staircase leading to the second floor, and beyond the corner, there seemed to be more space.
“Coming!” The voice came from the staircase. A long-haired woman appeared, dressed very casually in a fitted pink woolen sweater and woolen shorts, wearing cloth slippers. Her hair was loosely draped over her shoulders, giving the impression she was the owner of the photography studio.
“Are you here to pick up your photos?”
“No, we’re here to… inquire about wedding photos,” Wen Huabei said, hooking his arm around Zou Bin’s shoulders, “He’s getting married.”
“Huh? … You two?” The woman’s expression became awkward. “Sorry, gentlemen, but we don’t offer wedding photography services for two men here…”
“Huh?” Wen Huabei and Zou Bin exclaimed in unison, looking at each other in shock. They quickly separated, putting a meter of distance between them. Jian Ru had already stepped back, pretending not to know them: You guys can keep continuing to be gay, just don’t drag me into this.
They rushed to explain to the shopkeeper, and she finally understood, pointing at Zou Bin, “Oh… so you’re the one getting married, and your girlfriend couldn’t make it, so you came with your friends to inquire about the wedding photos, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.” Zou Bin nodded repeatedly, “It would be great if we could also settle on the wedding arrangements today, so we don’t have to go anywhere else.”
“Is the wedding banquet going to be held in the city or in the countryside?” the shopkeeper asked.
“In the city/countryside.”
Zou Bin and Wen Huabei exchanged glances, and Jian Ru smoothed things over, “My friend and his wife have some differences of opinion; they haven’t decided yet.”
The shopkeeper nodded thoughtfully, then asked, “Have you decided on the date?”
“We have/haven’t.”
Zou Bin and Wen Huabei once again answered in unison, further confusing the shopkeeper. Jian Ru, channeling his inner actor, pushed Wen Huabei, “Da Gou, have you gotten so confused from working overtime? Er Gou just said the other day when we were drinking that it’s set for May Day. Did you forget?”
Wen Huabei slapped his forehead, “Oh, I blacked out that night from drinking, but now that you mention it, I remember.”
“May Day, huh? Then you’ll need to take the wedding photos quickly, or they won’t be ready in time. Handsome, come over and take a look; there’s a promotion on our packages.” The shopkeeper guided them to the sofa, unaware of the three men sighing in relief behind her. Zou Bin glared at Wen Huabei; how could they live like this with such a lack of coordination?
Jian Ru was exasperated, thinking that with such poor improvisational skills, the two of them might as well transfer out of the first team and join the second team with him!
The shopkeeper handed a menu to Zou Bin and patiently explained the wedding photo packages. Wen Huabei sat beside him acting as an advisor, while covertly giving Jian Ru a signal. Jian Ru, clutching his stomach, asked, “Ms., where’s the restroom?”
She pointed, “Just ahead, take a right, and you’ll see it.”
Jian Ru bent over slightly, even grabbing a few napkins from the counter, putting on quite the act. As soon as he rounded the corner, he straightened up, back to his usual self, and stuffed the napkins into his pocket. Next to the restroom was a scene room used for shooting simple indoor settings. Further ahead was a metal door, the back door of the two-story building.
Jian Ru glanced up, confirming there were no surveillance cameras, then entered the scene room, pulling out disposable gloves from his pocket and putting them on. He drew back the curtain, revealing some photography equipment inside. Two large fill lights took up a lot of space, with two boxes underneath them. He quietly opened one of the boxes, finding only ordinary decorative items like toys, cards, and fake flowers—all props for wedding photos.
After closing the box, he stood up, tapping the walls and floor, making sure this was just a regular scene room with no hidden doors. Satisfied, he exited the room.
This room was clear, but he still needed to check other rooms. The woman had come down from upstairs, so it was likely that the second floor was where she lived. If there were any contraband, it would make more sense to keep it upstairs.
But barging into someone’s home uninvited wasn’t exactly appropriate. The team leader had advised them to scout the place today without revealing their identities. Besides, they weren’t armed, and if those ruthless criminals were hiding upstairs, what then?
The back door seemed slightly ajar, with a small gap visible. Jian Ru approached, trying to peek through the crack to see what lay beyond. He bent down, only to find himself staring directly into a pair of dark, shiny eyes, startling him so much that he stumbled back, barely catching himself as his heart pounded in his chest.
Who else was peeking through this gap?
He moved closer again, this time more cautiously, and finally saw who it was—a little girl, about four or five years old, dressed in a pink tulle dress. The concrete floor was splattered with colorful paint, her face was dirty with streaks of red and green, and her hands were a mess too, making her look like a spilled palette.
An elderly woman lay asleep in a wicker chair nearby, her mouth slightly open, snoring softly, apparently unaware of the child’s “masterpiece.” Behind the door seemed to be a small courtyard, with a barbed wire fence above the iron gate on the other side.
The girl looked up, her black, grape-like eyes staring intently at Jian Ru, one hand reaching for the iron door while sneaking glances at the sleeping old woman.
Jian Ru, still bent over, lowered his voice, “Hello, little girl.”
The little girl, seemingly unfamiliar with strangers, bit her lip and didn’t respond. Jian Ru continued softly, “Are you the child of this family? Is that your mother outside?”
The girl’s eyes widened instantly, just as she opened her mouth, the snoring of the old woman grew louder, waking her up suddenly.
She grabbed the armrest of the wicker chair, getting up and noticing the mess on the concrete floor. Her wrinkled face immediately darkened, and she strode over, grabbing the little girl’s arm, “You little brat, you’re asking for it!”
The little girl jumped in fright, followed by a slap to her face. The old woman started hitting her, scolding in the local dialect. The child took the slap on her face, followed by harsh blows to her backside and back. Her tender cheeks showed clear finger marks, yet she bit her lip and didn’t cry.
Jian Ru tried to push the door open, but found it was latched from the inside. Hearing another sharp crack, his heart clenched, and he could no longer hold back, shouting, “Granny! Can’t you just talk it over? How can you hit a child like that?”
The old woman paused, finally noticing someone on the other side of the door. The girl reached out through the gap, her swollen, disheveled face pitiful and desperate, her eyes clear and pure, filled with longing.
His shout drew the attention of the three people in the front room, “What’s going on?”
Jian Ru pointed to the iron door, “Ms., is that your backyard? There’s an old woman in there hitting a child.”
The shopkeeper’s face changed, and she rushed over to bang on the door, “Mom! Mom! Open the door!”
The old woman slowly slid the latch open, and when the iron door swung open, the shopkeeper hurried in, immediately rushing to the girl’s side, “Tao Tao, are you okay? Does it hurt? Are you hurt anywhere?”
The girl named Tao Tao shook her head, still not looking at her mother. Her eyes remained fixed on the uncle standing at the door.
The shopkeeper placed Tao Tao in her arms, turned around, and began to scold the elderly woman. The old lady pointed at the ground, grumbling in a disgruntled manner, and the two began to argue in their dialect. The tension in the air grew thicker, and it seemed a mother-in-law-daughter-in-law conflict was imminent. The three men at the door picked up on some of the conversation: the elderly woman had a strong preference for boys over girls, and her deep-seated disdain for her granddaughter was apparent, which explained her harsh treatment.
Though it appeared to be a typical scenario of a protective mother, Jian Ru rubbed his chin, sensing something unusual.
Tao Tao’s gaze was strange.
Her pitch-black eyes were fixed unwaveringly on him. A child who had just been wronged would usually seek comfort in her mother’s arms, but Tao Tao showed no such behavior. Instead, her eyes conveyed a different emotion.
The elderly woman stormed off in a huff, leaving the shopkeeper to comfort Tao Tao. She stroked the girl’s face with a pained expression, “Tao Tao, I’m sorry. How about we go upstairs and watch some TV?”
Tao Tao shivered slightly and shook her head gently, “No… I don’t want to…”
Her voice was hoarse and weak, sounding far too mature for her age. Rather than being interested in watching cartoons like most children, she reached out towards Jian Ru, opening and closing her hand as if trying to grasp something.
“Oh dear, you don’t even know him; how can you want a hug?” The shopkeeper held onto Tao Tao’s small hand and offered Jian Ru an apologetic smile. “Sorry, her father is often away on business trips, so she doesn’t get many chances to be held. That’s why she wants a hug when she sees you.”
“It’s nothing,” Jian Ru replied, though he probed further, “How many kids do you have? It’s a holiday today, and I only see her playing alone in the yard. She must be lonely.”
“We have two. The other one is two years older than her and is attending a prep course at my sister’s place.” The shopkeeper nodded towards the iron door, “The old lady is biased towards her grandson, so she only spends money on his education while leaving the girl to play with mud in the yard.”
“So you’re at home taking care of your daughter full-time?”
“Yes, my husband isn’t home, so I have to look after her.” The shopkeeper huffed, “Leave her with her grandmother for a while, and she gets beaten like this. How could she be so harsh?”
Just then, the old lady entered the yard carrying a bucket and mop. Hearing this, she put down the tools and rushed over, pointing at the woman’s nose and cursing angrily. Wen Huabei could only make out words like “waste of money” and “extravagant,” and he sighed. Even in modern society, the deeply ingrained feudal mindset of favoring boys over girls still persisted in some families.
Initially, there were three people standing at the door, and during the mother-in-law-daughter-in-law quarrel, it became two, and soon after, it returned to three.
Zou Bin had come back, shaking his head to signal that he hadn’t found anything suspicious.
Jian Ru didn’t rush to any conclusions. As the shopkeeper passed by him with Tao Tao in her arms, the child’s tiny hand gripped his jacket. Jian Ru was startled and caught the girl’s frail body as she collapsed towards him.
Jian Ru quickly supported her, but Tao Tao clung to his neck and refused to let go. The shopkeeper looked embarrassed, “Oh dear, let go of the gentleman. Your face is all dirty like a little cat’s. Let’s go wash up with mommy.”
Tao Tao shook her head repeatedly. The shopkeeper tried a few more times to persuade her, but her tone gradually grew cold, “Tao Tao, I’ll say it again, let go of the gentleman.”
Tao Tao paused for a few seconds before slowly releasing Jian Ru and was then taken back into her mother’s arms. The shopkeeper apologized to Jian Ru with an embarrassed smile, but Jian Ru’s heart was heavy, and he couldn’t bring himself to smile back.
“Save me.”
The child had whispered these two words in his ear while resting on his shoulder.
Jian Ru quickly recalled the photos of all the registered hostages. This girl had delicate features, and even if he had only seen her photo, she would have left an impression. But despite going over the images in his mind, none matched her face. Could she not be one of the hostages from the kidnapping case?
Five minutes later, the shopkeeper came back downstairs, saying she had left her daughter in a room to watch cartoons. She smiled warmly, “Mr. Zou, have you made your decision? Which package would you like? Both the 3888 and 5888 yuan packages include four outfits and indoor and outdoor shoots. If you want something economical, either of these is a good choice.”
“Alright, I’ll discuss it with my wife first. Could you give me your business card?”
The shopkeeper pulled a card from the box near the door and handed it over. The card read “Caiyun Photography,” and the logo was not an orchid but an abstract cloud. The back of the card had a contact number and the name “Lu Caiyun.”
Wen Huabei casually asked, “My friend got married last year and hired a company called ‘Caiyun Wedding Planning.’ Is that your business too?”
“Oh, the wedding planning? We stopped doing that last year. There weren’t enough clients, so it wasn’t worth it.” Lu Caiyun spread her hands, “We rented out all the equipment. Mr. Zou, you might want to look elsewhere for your wedding planning. The May Day holiday is a popular time for weddings, so you’d better book a hotel and planning services soon.”
“Got it. We’ll be in touch.” Zou Bin and Wen Huabei bid farewell to the shopkeeper with smiles. Jian Ru remained silent until Zou Bin nudged his arm, “San Gou, let’s go.”
“Let’s go. We’ve done what we came for.” Wen Huabei’s words carried a deeper meaning. “Are you planning to stay for a meal?”
Jian Ru snapped out of it, “Oh, right. Let’s go.”
As they stepped out of the shop, Jian Ru glanced back at the second-floor window, hoping to catch another glimpse of Tao Tao, but her slender figure didn’t appear.
Once in the car, the three men exchanged information. Zou Bin had tried to sneak up to the second floor during the mother-in-law-daughter-in-law quarrel but had to turn back halfway when he noticed a surveillance camera in the corner. Jian Ru, on the other hand, felt that the strangest thing about the place was Tao Tao.
“Are you saying that little girl doesn’t belong to them?”
Jian Ru felt uneasy and took off his jacket. “Yes, I’m certain she was asking me for help. And she’s not one of the hostages. I’ve memorized those photos, and her face wasn’t among them.”
Wen Huabei stroked his chin, “There’s also a possibility that she’s connected to another case. Let’s check the household registration records when we get back and investigate Lu Caiyun’s family. Child trafficking is a serious matter, and we need to be careful not to jump to conclusions.”
“Definitely, we have to find out the truth.” Jian Ru held his jacket and noticed something hard inside the hood. Reaching in, he pulled out a small, colorful… stone?
What was this? When did it get in there?
Jian Ru picked up the thumb-sized, colorful little stone. It seemed to be painted, most likely placed in his pocket by Tao Tao when she hugged him.
Why would she give him a stone? What does it mean… A stone???
Jian Ru suddenly realized something, and shouted, “Damn!”
Wen Huabei was startled, and Zou Bin frowned, “San Gou, why are you yelling like that?”
Jian Ru hurriedly took out his phone and called Lin Heyu.
“Captain Lin, can you arrange for me to meet Xiao Shitou? I have something extremely important to discuss with him!”
