Chapter 17: A New Identity and a Cold Reality

“I remember there are a lot of children’s clothes left behind at the hospital that you should be able to wear. Wait here, I’ll go look for them.” The nurse, a kind elder sister, said before stepping out of the ward. প্রশিক্ষক

A short while later, she returned with a stack of clothes, and even some shoes.

“Xiao Xiao, these clothes were worn by other patients and no one claimed them. However, our hospital has already sterilized and disinfected them. They were meant to be donated soon, so you can have them.”

Hao Yang took the clothes with some effort, then casually placed them on the bed.

These were children’s winter clothes, and they seemed to be roughly her size. They would definitely fit.

However, upon seeing the large cartoon Ultraman emblazoned on the back of one shirt, she suddenly lost all desire to wear it.

Just as Hao Yang was about to change, the nurse beside her suddenly spoke.

“A girl is changing clothes. Could the two gentlemen please step outside for a moment?”

Hearing this, the two police officers awkwardly exited the ward, then waited patiently by the door.

After shedding her hospital gown, Hao Yang slowly sifted through the pile of clothes, searching for what she needed to wear.

Once she had put on the thermal underwear and long johns, she began selecting outerwear. She donned the Ultraman jacket, then chose a pair of pants that looked slightly better, adorned with a Pikachu print. This, Hao Yang found, was marginally more acceptable.

Next, she pulled on a pair of slightly pilled socks, followed by a pair of ordinary sneakers.

The nurse had selected clothes that leaned heavily towards feminine styles, with many items being pink or even dresses. Yet, from this assortment, Hao Yang deliberately chose the most masculine-looking pieces.

The outfit she now wore would appear perfectly natural on a boy; in all likelihood, these were indeed boys’ clothes.

As Hao Yang stepped out the door, she saw the two police officers seemingly discussing something. They immediately ceased their conversation upon noticing her.

“We’ll drive over to check out the murder scene you mentioned first.” Wang Jian paused, then suddenly crouched down to speak with Hao Yang face-to-face.

“Little one, if you dare to lie to Uncle Police, Uncle Police will have to lock you up!” Wang Jian declared in a serious tone. After all, it was improbable that the child’s claim of a murder was true. What if it was a fabrication, a waste of his time? He intended to scare the child, hoping that if a lie had been told, fear would compel the truth.

“How could I possibly lie to Uncle Police? Uncle Police, you must believe me. I am a good, law-abiding citizen.” Hao Yang was not intimidated. She easily discerned that the officer’s intent was merely to scare her, to ascertain whether she was telling the truth.

“Alright then, little one, what’s your name?” Wang Jian asked again.

“My name is Tang Xiao.” Hao Yang revealed the name of this body without hesitation, her trust in the police being quite high.

“Tang Xiao, then please get in the car and show us the way.”

“Mm.”

Following the police, she walked towards the hospital exit. Inside, the heating had kept the building warm, but as they reached the entrance, Hao Yang couldn’t help but shiver from the cold. The outside world was a vast expanse of white, explaining the biting chill.

Noticing Hao Yang shivering, Wang Jian took off his own warm jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

“Thank you, Uncle Police,” Hao Yang quickly said, seeing his gesture.

“No need to thank me. Hurry and get in the car; it’s warm inside,” Wang Jian said, pointing towards the patrol car parked by the roadside.

Wang Jian pulled out his car keys, pressed a button, and the car beeped twice. Hao Yang ran over, opened the door, and settled inside.

The two police officers quickly got in as well, their first action being to switch on the heater. The car’s interior was freezing, like an ice cellar, with a thin layer of frost clinging to the windows.

Perhaps the car hadn’t been stationary for long, as the thin ice on the windows slowly melted away once the engine started.

It took several minutes for the car’s interior to truly warm up. Only then did Wang Jian start driving.

As Wang Jian drove, he continuously observed Hao Yang in the rearview mirror.

Outwardly, she was a very cute little girl with a delicate nose and clear, beautiful eyes. Her hair appeared somewhat disheveled; if properly combed, she would undoubtedly be even more adorable. Her face lacked the baby fat typical of girls her age, appearing exceptionally thin, a clear sign of malnourishment.

Her face was consistently expressionless. Wang Jian found it difficult to discern any emotions from Hao Yang’s features. Children her age were usually talkative, not so quiet and reserved.

As if sensing something, Wang Jian and Hao Yang’s eyes met in the rearview mirror.

Wang Jian felt a flicker of embarrassment. Had he been caught staring? Yet, he quickly composed himself.

“Tang Xiao, little one, where do you live?” Wang Jian decided to start by gathering some information about the girl’s home life.

“Currently… temporarily… I don’t have a home.” Hao Yang pondered for a moment, then decided to state the current situation of this body.

‘Temporarily without a home? Does that mean she has no house or is renting? In a child’s eyes, ‘home’ usually refers to a house, so it likely means she doesn’t own one or is living in a rental.’ Wang Jian mused, making his own conjectures.

“Then, Tang Xiao, where are your parents right now?” Wang Jian continued to ask.

“I don’t know,” Hao Yang replied.

“You don’t even know where your parents are?” Wang Jian asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.

“I don’t even know who my parents are. I’ve never met them.” Hao Yang continued.

‘This child is likely a left-behind child. Perhaps she ran away after being hit by someone and feeling resentful. It seems I’ll need to speak with her parents and tell them to spend more time with her.’ Wang Jian thought to himself.