Chapter 124: The Soul Returns to Its Homeland
Their figures, huddled together in the dim light of dawn, looked rather shabby, but the lively and sprightly child was conspicuously missing—Jiang Youfu. His absence was like an invisible blade, silently slicing a trace of unease into the air.
As soon as Jiang Xunzhong entered the courtyard, he didn’t hesitate to take off his own coat, which was already soaked with rain, and gently draped it over the slim shoulders of Lady Zhao, carefully avoiding the fierce wound on her arm, fearing that even a droplet of cold rain would cause her pain.
He himself was drenched, with strands of wet hair clinging to his forehead, and his clothes dripping water, looking like a drenched chicken just pulled out of the river.
Su Yu witnessed this scene and could not help but internally sigh; this tender care indeed resembled that of a standard good husband, yet at the same time, that neglect and dereliction of duty toward their child made it difficult for him to be deemed a qualified father.
After changing into dry clothes, the couple returned to the room only to show faces that could not hide their fatigue and worry, their brows furrowed as if cloaked by dark clouds.
All day long, they had traversed every nook and cranny of the village, leaving no stone unturned, not even the most inconspicuous pond’s edge, yet there was still no sign of Jiang Youfu.
The casual chatter of the villagers hinted that the mischievous figure of the child had been seen in the village just the day before, but over the past two days, it was as if he had been whisked away by a gust of wind, leaving no trace.
Even the old Mrs. Zhang who always squinted and sunbathed at the entrance of the village shook her head, indicating she hadn’t seen a hint of Jiang Youfu leaving the village.
So, where could a child go in such a small world, all too familiar to him? A terrible thought quietly rose in Lady Zhao’s heart, trembling involuntarily, tears welling up in her eyes—could he have truly ventured alone to the back mountain, filled with unknown dangers? Thinking about the wild animals and unpredictable threats lurking in the jungle, her heart twisted in pain, and hope for his safe return seemed extremely faint.
Jiang Xunzhong gazed out the window at the endless curtain of rain, sighing deeply, his body and spirit both exhausted.
A day spent searching in vain left a restlessness and helplessness in his mind as persistent as the rain.