Chapter 7: The Boy and the Traffickers’ Lair

Xu Hengzhou found himself transmigrated into a small alley within the provincial capital.

It was early morning, and the alley was deserted. Xu Hengzhou quickly ascertained that the body was his own, belonging to a boy of roughly eleven or twelve years old. He also discovered the golden finger he had brought with him: his family’s department store.

Everything inside the department store remained perfectly preserved, as if time itself had frozen. Freshly brewed coffee still steamed, and ice cream had not melted in the slightest. The sheer volume of supplies stored within could sustain Xu Hengzhou for ten lifetimes.

Instantly, a sense of calm settled over Xu Hengzhou. He discreetly observed his surroundings, changed into more suitable clothes, and then, using a cheap fountain pen, managed to exchange it for some money and food. This allowed him to confirm the current year.

It was 1961. The three-year famine had not yet passed, and resources were exceedingly scarce. Xu Hengzhou acutely realized the immense wealth he now possessed.

The immediate challenge, however, was how to legitimize his presence.

Xu Hengzhou ambled through the city, taking in its sights while simultaneously devising a plan to acquire a legal identity.

By sheer coincidence, he stumbled upon a group of individuals whose movements struck him as suspicious. Curiosity piqued, he secretly followed one of them, only to uncover the group’s true nature: they were a human trafficking ring.

Xu Hengzhou pondered for a moment, an idea forming in his mind. Since he lacked an identity, he would simply let someone else provide him with one. And who better to do so than this very group of traffickers?

Leveraging his youthful appearance, Xu Hengzhou first swapped his clothes for tattered rags, disguising himself as a homeless child. He was then ‘accidentally’ discovered by a trafficker, who, captivated by his striking looks, easily lured him back to their lair with a few morsels of food.

Upon entering, all newly abducted children were subjected to a thorough registration process, detailing their age, gender, height, and appearance to cater to the diverse demands of potential buyers.

Once his information was recorded by the traffickers, Xu Hengzhou patiently bided his time. After successfully escaping with the aid of his golden finger, he went directly to the Public Security Bureau to report the crime.

The traffickers comprised an inter-provincial gang, having fled from another province only to commit numerous heinous crimes within this one. Every single member deserved the death penalty.

However, their hiding places were too secure, and they were widely dispersed.

The public security officers, exhausted from their relentless pursuit, were unaware that the entire group had converged in the provincial capital. They were merely awaiting their leader’s command to scatter once more, taking the abducted children to another province.

Xu Hengzhou’s information proved incredibly timely. Although he was merely an underage boy, the officers found his account coherent and his demeanor remarkably calm and collected.

Given the gravity of the situation, they decided it was better to believe him than not. Consequently, they launched a swift raid, dismantling the traffickers’ stronghold.

The Provincial Public Security Bureau had cracked a major case, rescuing dozens of abducted children, with dozens more expected to be recovered. The entire bureau, from top to bottom, was brimming with excitement.

It was then that Xu Hengzhou mentioned he had overheard during his captivity that another trafficker was en route. He proactively offered to meet this individual, luring them into a trap.

Having performed such a great service, Xu Hengzhou earned the high regard of the officers; some even playfully called him a ‘little hero.’ Xu Hengzhou, however, cared little for such empty accolades, nor was he genuinely eager to put himself on the front lines to catch traffickers.

His reasoning was simple: if he was going to do it, he would ensure every last one was caught. Leaving any stragglers would only invite future trouble should they ever uncover his identity as an informant.

And so, Xu Hengzhou proceeded to deliver the remaining two small fry into the hands of the Public Security Bureau. With their capture, the matter was finally settled.

Now, it was up to the Public Security Bureau to decide his fate. After all, he was a meritorious individual and would not be casually dismissed. Even if sent to an orphanage, he would likely be well cared for.

Moreover, Xu Hengzhou had already laid the groundwork for his story. He had told the officers he was a child from a small village, having never left it, and was abducted at a very young age. Thus, he could no longer remember where his home was, only a large locust tree at the village entrance. Of course, there were hundreds, if not thousands, of such villages in China, making it impossible to search for them one by one.

Regarding his abduction, he claimed his biological father was a soldier. Later, he heard his father had died, and his mother had passed away during childbirth.

His paternal uncle had adopted him, but his aunt refused to feed him, forcing him to venture out alone in search of food, which led to his abduction.

He further elaborated that after being sold, the family later had a son and subjected him to constant abuse, prompting him to run away.

He spent several years as a street orphan and, when he encountered traffickers again, he was prepared, allowing him to successfully escape.

This backstory was meticulously crafted by Xu Hengzhou. He had no relatives in this timeline, so his personal history needed to be pristine.

Having both parents deceased evoked sympathy and eliminated the worry of unexpected individuals appearing later to claim him as their son.

He stated his father was a soldier because, at that time, military personnel were highly respected. He sought a small advantage; a martyr’s son would surely enjoy certain conveniences and potentially a minor shield during future turbulent times.

As for whether it was inauspicious to curse his own father to death, Xu Hengzhou felt indifferent. After all, his father had numerous illegitimate children, and the two of them despised each other.

His mother, however, had genuinely died in childbirth, driven to her death by his father’s mistress.

Xu Hengzhou’s narrative, coupled with his composed demeanor, successfully convinced the public security officers. No one suspected that within this twelve-year-old child resided a mature soul.

Thus, Xu Hengzhou’s background received official recognition.

The officers at the Public Security Bureau took turns housing Xu Hengzhou for several days while they processed his household registration and prepared to transfer him to a state-run orphanage in the provincial capital.

During his downtime, Xu Hengzhou occasionally recalled the day before his transmigration. He felt a slight pang of regret for having chased away that silly little idiot so abruptly. He should have at least given them a kiss…

Xu Hengzhou lay on a public security officer’s bed, three children sprawled asleep beside him. The mattress beneath him was hard and unyielding. Young Master Xu couldn’t sleep, his thoughts drifting to his silly little idiot.

As he mused, he then thought, ‘Perhaps it was for the best that I didn’t hold back that day and chased them away. If I had transmigrated with them, that little thing, being so foolish, would have surely cried themselves to death.’

After several days at the officer’s home, Xu Hengzhou’s household registration was complete, and arrangements were made to send him to the orphanage.

However, on the very day Xu Hengzhou was set to leave, the bureau chief arrived with a man.

The man was in his forties, with a tall, upright stature. Even in civilian clothes, it was evident he had spent a considerable amount of time in the military.

Upon seeing Xu Hengzhou, the man scrutinized him intently for a long while before inquiring about his background. Many of the questions were ones Xu Hengzhou had already answered for the public security officers.

Seeing the man’s demeanor, Xu Hengzhou vaguely understood the situation. He dared not answer carelessly, first addressing the more general questions that had widely accepted answers.

The man had already learned about Xu Hengzhou’s situation from the bureau chief. His renewed questioning was merely to confirm the details.

After confirming the basic information, the man took a deep breath, a glint of excitement in his eyes. His subsequent questions delved into matters Xu Hengzhou had not previously disclosed.

He asked if Xu Hengzhou remembered his original name. Xu Hengzhou had already stated his surname was Xu but claimed not to remember his given name.

The man then asked if he had any impression of his father or if his family members had ever mentioned anything about him.

Xu Hengzhou suppressed the excitement rising within him, knowing this was the crucial moment. If he answered well, this man might be willing to adopt him, saving him from the orphanage.

At this time, everyone struggled to find enough food. Even those with parents faced hardship, let alone orphans. The deplorable conditions of orphanages were easily imaginable.

Although Xu Hengzhou possessed his spatial ability and supplies, discreetly using them in a communal living environment like an orphanage would be exceedingly difficult.

Therefore, being adopted was his best possible outcome.

Xu Hengzhou hesitated, his mind racing, then tentatively offered, “I think I heard my mother say that my father… had a scar?”

His statement was deliberately ambiguous. Many rural men had scars, perhaps from falling out of trees as children or injuries from farm tools. However, to a hopeful listener, it would naturally be interpreted in the direction they wished.

Indeed, the man’s eyes lit up, and his voice grew louder. “A gunshot wound, wasn’t it? Where was the scar?”

This question was difficult to answer. The human body had so many parts; excluding those that would be fatal, could he really only guess the location? The probability was too low.

Xu Hengzhou frowned, thinking his chances might be lost. He glanced up, about to blurt out a random location, when he suddenly noticed a hint of vexation on the man’s face.

‘Vexation? Why? Does he think he asked the wrong question? Why would it be wrong? It must be that I might not be able to answer it. A secret known by the wife but not the child must be in a more private place.’

Xu Hengzhou’s mind spun. This was an opportunity. If he could answer such a hidden question, his identity would be virtually secured. But a wrong answer would ruin everything.

He was not an indecisive person; a gambling streak ran in his veins. Gritting his teeth, he feigned a sudden recollection. “My mother mentioned it once… I think it was… on his thigh!”

Xu Hengzhou gambled, but not without basis. Rural men were less particular; many went shirtless in summer, so the upper body wasn’t considered a private area. A place a child wouldn’t see but a wife would made the thigh a strong possibility, which is why Xu Hengzhou chose it.

He had gambled correctly.

The man was so agitated he nearly leaped up, grabbing Xu Hengzhou’s arm and lifting him into the air. He exclaimed, “Gouzi, your uncle has finally found you!”

Xu Hengzhou: “…”

Suddenly, the name Wang Dagui didn’t sound so bad after all.