Qingmu didn't get to know more about the Awakeners' Alliance from Duwa, but the information he had so far was enough to shock him, and he became increasingly curious about Situ.
After Yu Meiren woke up, Qingmu took her down the mountain. It was afternoon, and if they hurried, they could still get back to China before dark. He didn't want to spend another night abroad.
Wu Suotun's mansion was now a ruin. When Qingmu returned there, he could still see the lingering smoke and embers. He had originally thought that the entire Masuba area would be under martial law, that Wu Suotun's mansion would be cordoned off, and that police would be arresting people all over the streets. However, whether it was because the government was unwilling to deal with the situation, none of this happened. The streets were even quieter than in the morning, with hardly any pedestrians in sight.
Qingmu rode away on his motorcycle, which was parked not far from the ruins, and took the Beauty to the restaurant where the other three girls were eating.
The shop owner was waiting anxiously. On one hand, he was a little scared by the sound of gunfire and wanted to close the shop and go home. On the other hand, he was embarrassed to abandon his three children after taking Qingmu's money. He was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan when he suddenly heard the sound of a motorcycle.
When he saw Qingmu, it was like seeing a long-lost relative; his eyes welled up with tears as he exclaimed, "Oh, you're finally back! I've been waiting so anxiously!"
When the Madman saw Yu Meiren enter with Qingmu, he danced with joy, mumbling, " Beauty! Beauty!"
Yu Meiren, upon seeing the Madman, exclaimed in surprise, "Hey, isn't that a Yeye?"
When the Madman realized she recognized him, he became a little embarrassed and chuckled, revealing a set of uneven, yellowed teeth.
Qingmu had Yu Meiren and the other girls sit together, then asked the owner, "Is there any more food? Get them some more."
The boss said somewhat awkwardly, "Didn't you hear the gunfire just now? Something must have happened. You should go home as soon as possible!"
Qingmu laughed and said, "It's alright, don't worry." As he spoke, he took out a wad of US dollars from his pocket and tossed it over.
The boss dared not accept the money. "You've already given me too much. I'll cook for them; I really can't take the money."
The girls quickly became acquainted, and by the time they finished eating, they were already good friends.
As they left the restaurant, Qingmu hopped on his motorcycle and said, "Let's go home!" The girls cheered excitedly.
Yu Meiren sat in front of Qingmu, Madman helped carry the other three girls to the back of the motorcycle. Then, Qingmu said to the Madman, "You sit in the back. It'll be a bit cramped, but you have to trust my driving skills—they're just as good as A-San's!"
The Madman shook his head and waved his hands repeatedly.
Qingmu asked curiously, "Aren't you leaving?"
The Beauty asked, "Beggar Yeye, aren't you leaving?"
The Madman shook his head, then grinned at the Beauty.
Qingmu started the car, and the motorcycle, carrying one adult and four children, drove off in a flurry.
The Madman chased after them for a few steps, watching them turn the corner and disappear into the distance. He kept waving and calling out " Beauty, Beauty."
In a village not far from the south bank of the Nangou River, a dark-skinned, thin man stood on the path at the village entrance, gazing into the distance with longing.
A woman yelled at him from behind, "You're a fool! Only a fool like you would lend a motorcycle to a stranger!"
"Oh, I said I'd pay it back!" the man said, his voice lacking confidence.
"Are you out of your mind? You think a stranger would return your motorcycle after riding it?" The woman grew angrier as she spoke. "Don't you know this motorcycle is for my son's wedding?"
"How could I not know? I wouldn't even dare to ride it myself!" the man said.
"I can't bear to part with it! I can't bear to part with it! You yourself can't bear to part with it, so how can you lend it to a stranger? How could I have married such a stupid man like you! Without a motorcycle, how are you going to pick up your bride? Do you want to embarrass my son to death?!"
"Let's wait and see! He said he'd come back before the wedding!" The man squatted on the ground, burying his head in his arms.
The woman kicked him hard. "Wait, wait, wait! All you do is wait! What if he doesn't come back? Are you just Tiantian here at the intersection until you die? Will our son never get married?"
As the two were arguing, a black dot appeared at the end of the path in the distance.
The man looked up, squinted, and muttered to himself, "Is it here?"
The woman said, "Come on, my foot! You're dreaming!"
Although it was already dusk, the road surface was still quite hot and humid in the summer heat, making it difficult to see things in the distance.
The black dot slowly grew larger, passing through the distorted heat, and became clearer. Before long, the sound of motorcycles chugging along could be heard.
"It looks like a motorcycle!" The man stood up and shaded his eyes with his hand.
"If it's a motorcycle, then it's your motorcycle!" The woman still didn't believe her.
Only when the brakes screeched and Qingmu brought the motorcycle to a steady stop in front of them did the man burst into ecstatic laughter. He laughed even more joyfully than when he bought the motorcycle.
He grinned at his wife and said, "See! I told you he'd come back! I knew I wouldn't misjudge him!"
The woman glared at him. "Look how happy you are, as if this motorcycle was a gift to you!"
Qingmu returned the motorcycle to the man, then rummaged through his trench coat pockets and pulled out several stacks of US dollars, neatly folding them on the motorcycle seat. He said, "Your son is getting married next month, right? The motorcycle's worn out; you should buy a new one."
The man and woman stared in disbelief. They had never seen so many US dollars before. In this small border village, a motorcycle worth 500,000 kyats was considered a decent wedding gift. The amount of US dollars on the motorcycle was perhaps more than they could ever earn in their entire lives.
The woman slapped the man on the ear. "Are you stupid?! Hurry up and thank her!"
The man awoke from his shock and, together with the woman, turned to look. The strange man was already leading four little girls by the hand, lined up in a row, clapping and singing as they walked towards the northern border.
Our motherland is a garden, and the flowers in the garden are so beautiful...
Wahaha, wahaha... Everyone's face was beaming with joy...
The afterglow of the setting sun spilled onto the Nangou River, creating a shimmering red glow. Several water birds flew back and forth on the water, showcasing the tranquil and beautiful scenery of the Southern Yunnan border.
Shi Dazhuang stood by the river, but he had no interest in appreciating the scenery. He paced anxiously along the riverbank, occasionally picking up his binoculars to look at the opposite side.
Peng Jiahu leaned against the riverbank, fiddling with his gun and repeatedly striking the stones on the bank with the butt of the rifle.
A policeman ran over. " Captain Shi, Captain Peng, it's almost time to go back. We can stay here and keep watch."
Peng Jiahu angrily retorted, "You won't let us cross the river, but you won't even let us wait here?!"
Actually, he and Shi Dazhuang had already planned it out. Tonight, they would sneak over in disguise under the cover of darkness and cause a ruckus in Masuba, venting their anger! If they couldn't rescue the Beauty, they wouldn't have the face to come back alive.
But Director Yan seemed to have seen through their intentions and sent special police to keep a close watch on them.
The SWAT officer said helplessly, " Captain Peng, we're just following orders."
Since they were all in the same industry, Peng Jiahu knew they were in a difficult position, so he just snorted and stopped talking.
Just then, a helicopter flew over and landed on an open space by the riverbank.
Upon seeing Director Yan disembark from the plane, Shi Dazhuang and Peng Jiahu quickly came over to salute.
"I knew you wouldn't give up," Director Yan shook his head and said, "We just received news that a large-scale armed conflict has broken out in Masuba, most likely a fight between Wu Suotun's sworn enemy and him. The higher-ups have approved our trip to rescue people, and this is also an excellent opportunity to capture Wu Suotun and Mu Ka."
"Really?" Shi Dazhuang and Peng Jiahu exchanged a glance, their faces lighting up with joy.
Director Yan nodded solemnly. "However, there's one condition: you cannot bring any identification or any of our standard equipment. After crossing the river, someone will meet you; you only have time tonight."
"Clear!"
Just then, someone suddenly shouted, " Director Yan, Captain Shi, Captain Peng, look!"
They looked in the direction of the sound and saw a bamboo raft slowly approaching from the opposite bank. A man stood on the raft, holding a bamboo pole, his clothes fluttering in the wind like a flag.
In front of him, four little girls sat in two rows, pointing and laughing.
" Abbess! It's Teacher Qingmu back! I see Beauty!" Peng Jiahu shouted, holding up his binoculars.
Shi Dazhuang's chest heaved violently. Suddenly, a sweet taste rose in his throat, and a mouthful of blood gushed out with a "pfft." But his tense face finally relaxed, and a smile appeared...