Website & Volunteers

"It's only right," Huo Baichuan said with a grin. "A man without far-sighted worries will have near-sighted troubles!"

The old station chief shook his head helplessly. But just as Huo Baichuan had said, it was not impossible to adjust the ages on their household registrations and issue them new ID cards. It would also make it easier for the two of them to start a company and handle other matters.

As for whether there was something suspicious behind the two children's persistent refusal to reveal their identities, the old station chief felt that he was experienced and a good judge of character. He would not be fooled by two children so easily.

And so, after Huo Baichuan pleaded and pestered him, the old station chief agreed to change their ages from the underage sixteen to the adult eighteen. He also had new ID cards processed for them at the household registration office.

Liang Xin prepared all the paperwork and asked them, "The standard processing fee is forty, and expedited processing is seventy. Which one do you two want?"

"Expedited." Huo Baichuan paid at once and asked, "How long will it take?"

"Seven days." Liang Xin smiled. "You two really know how to make trouble. Your previous ID cards haven't even arrived yet, and now you're applying for new ones."

The old station chief had originally planned to take Tao Yan and Huo Baichuan to the industrial and commercial office to apply for a business license. Now that they had talked him into changing their ages, there was no need to go. Still, he felt this special situation needed to be reported to his superiors.

"You two are victims rescued by the police from a human trafficking ring, so we have not been overly strict in reviewing your identities and household registrations. But you need to understand that refusing to cooperate with the investigation, refusing to disclose your identities, and refusing to let the police contact your parents and relatives are all highly inappropriate actions." The old station chief spoke earnestly. "From now on, I hope every move you make will be prudent. You must obey the law."

"Don't worry." Huo Baichuan patted his chest and gave himself a good-person badge. "We're both good people. We only do good deeds. Study hard and improve every day, work hard and don't look for girlfriends."

"What nonsense are you talking about?" The old station chief frowned. Seeing that it had just passed ten in the morning, he asked, "What are you two going to do later?"

They had just changed their ID cards, and the new documents had not arrived yet, so there was no need to rush into applying for a business license.

Huo Baichuan and Tao Yan wanted to visit Electronics Street to see whether they could pick up a secondhand computer. That way, they could build the Missing Persons Rescue Website before the company license came through.

Website & Volunteers

More than half a month later, the Missing Persons Rescue Website, developed entirely by Tao Yan, was successfully completed. After some simple testing, it could officially go online.

It was the height of July, and the blazing sun scorched the earth. Huo Baichuan held a telephoto camera borrowed from He Mei and bustled about, preparing to take pictures of the orphanage children.

"...Don't rush, don't fight. One at a time. Everyone will get a turn! No arguing, no fooling around, no running or jumping. Keep quiet!" The volunteer auntie had the children line up in the corridor.

Inside the library activity room, Huo Baichuan motioned for Big Treasure to stand before the camera and took a one-inch bareheaded photo, a two-inch bareheaded photo, a half-body photo, and a full-body photo.

Tao Yan sat at a small desk beside them, lowering his head as he registered the detailed information: He Baosheng, boy, nine years old, height, weight...

"Does he have any distinctive birthmarks?" Tao Yan looked up and asked.

The elderly director immediately said, "There's a birthmark on the back of his shoulder. About the size of a child's palm."

As she spoke, the elderly director pulled He Baosheng over to Tao Yan and lifted his clothes so Tao Yan could see.

Tao Yan examined it closely, even measuring it with a ruler before carefully recording, "There is a bluish birthmark on the right shoulder blade..."

Big Treasure blinked and lifted his little face. "Will this help me find my dad?"

"We'll put this information online. If your father is looking for you too, he'll be able to see it," Tao Yan said gently.

Big Treasure asked again, "What if he doesn't see it?"

Tao Yan said nothing.

The elderly director patiently said, "Even if he doesn't see it now, he may have a chance to see it later."

Big Treasure nodded and fell silent.

The elderly director asked Tao Yan and Huo Baichuan, "Can we let the next one come in?"

"Yes." Huo Baichuan lowered his head to fiddle with the telephoto camera, answering casually.

He Mei stood beside him, somewhat incredulous. "You really know how to take pictures?"

When Huo Baichuan had called to borrow the camera, He Mei had worried that he would not know how to use it. But she also felt that creating a Missing Persons Rescue Website to help victims abducted by traffickers and orphanage children find their families was an excellent news angle. She had even invited a cameraman from Jiangzhou Television Station to come along.

Unexpectedly, before they left, the cameraman suddenly had something to deal with and would arrive later. He Mei could only bring the telephoto camera over first. She had originally planned to reluctantly help take the photos herself, but Huo Baichuan criticized her focusing and composition, insisting on taking them himself.

He Mei was so irritated by his nitpicking that she could only hand the camera over to Huo Baichuan, wanting to see what he was capable of. Yet after taking the camera, Huo Baichuan handled it with a fluency that was even more practiced than hers.

That made He Mei even more curious. "You can assemble computers, write systems, design websites, and now you can even take pictures. Where did you two come from?"

"That shocks you?" Huo Baichuan teased. "We can do much more than that! Just wait and see!"

He Mei could not stand Huo Baichuan's smug expression. She gave a soft snort. "Fine, don't tell me."

As they spoke, the cameraman finally entered, carrying his camera and drenched in sweat. He had just filmed footage at the orphanage entrance and in the corridor, then chatted with the volunteer auntie stationed at the door to get a basic understanding of the orphanage and Tao Yan's original intention in creating the Missing Persons Rescue Website.

Seeing that He Mei had nothing to do in the classroom, he called her outside and said softly, "In a while, you'll act as the field reporter and interview the orphanage teachers and children. Then interview the creator of this website. After that, we'll go to Lianhua District Police Station to learn more about the situation, then do some street interviews."