Chapter 26: The Lingering Wait

Hao Yang sat on the iron bench at the police station’s entrance, her gaze fixed on the people passing by outside. Most were families of three or five, their lives unfolding in quiet normalcy.

Watching these scenes, Hao Yang was suddenly overcome with a powerful yearning to return home and reunite with her parents.

Yet, she knew this was far from realistic. Even if she told the police where her original body’s hometown was, they likely wouldn’t believe her. She had to devise a plan to find her way back herself. Hao Yang didn’t anticipate it would be overly difficult; after all, her city was only a two-day car ride from this small town.

Outside, the snow continued its descent, though not as heavily as before. Still, there was no sign of it stopping, leaving her to wonder how long it would persist.

A chilling gust of wind pierced through a gap in the door, sweeping over Hao Yang and eliciting a shiver and a sneeze.

She glanced at the wall clock; it was already four in the afternoon. She had been sitting there for hours, yet no police officer had approached her. ‘Surely, someone should at least acknowledge my presence,’ she thought.

Her lodging for the night remained uncertain, but she absolutely refused to sleep outdoors again. The thought of freezing to death was horrifying, compounded by the fact that two murderers were still at large, possibly even targeting her.

Hao Yang reasoned that the police were probably swamped with work, leaving them no time to attend to her. Perhaps if she waited a little longer, an officer would finally appear.

With this thought, Hao Yang settled back, dismissing further worries, and continued her vigil on the public iron bench.

Hours crawled by. It was nearing eight in the evening; darkness had enveloped the outside world, and streetlights glowed to life. Yet, the police officer remained confined to their office. Hao Yang slumped on the chair, a sense of helplessness washing over her.

For several hours, the officer hadn’t even emerged from their office. Hao Yang couldn’t fathom what could possibly keep them so occupied for an entire afternoon.

She had sat on the iron bench for so long that her body heat had warmed the metal beneath her. Her backside ached, but still, no police officer came. A mix of frustration and resignation stirred within Hao Yang.

To be left waiting outside for an entire afternoon felt like being completely ignored. This thought ignited a spark of irritation within Hao Yang. However, remembering that they were police officers who were supposed to help her, her anger quickly dissipated into a quiet helplessness.

Grrrglglgl—

Hao Yang’s stomach rumbled, and she instantly felt her energy drain away. Her body felt weak and lifeless, her head a little lightheaded—likely a symptom of low blood sugar.

Having just recovered from a high fever and not eaten for nearly a day, Hao Yang’s body felt incredibly uncomfortable. Her stomach, in particular, was in severe distress, almost painful.

She gently rubbed her stomach with her small hand. She knew that if she didn’t eat something today, the discomfort would only worsen, and she might even discover a new way to die: starvation.

Hao Yang peered at the office door, then rummaged through her backpack. She found the money in her pocket—the original thirty yuan, plus the earnings from selling scrap to the unscrupulous boss, now totaling almost fifty yuan.

She decided to use some of it to buy food. However, just as she was about to stand, she glanced back at the police office. It remained shut, silent and still.

She didn’t expect the police to provide her with a meal, but she feared that if she left to buy food, the officer might simply clock out and leave.

After all, it was already 8:00 PM, and it was almost time for the police to go off duty. It would be quite troublesome if she went to get food and the officer left in the interim.

Even though the officer had promised to handle her situation, and logic dictated that they wouldn’t abandon her, Hao Yang was plagued by an ominous feeling. She felt certain she would regret it if she went to buy food now.

Hao Yang weighed her options, deciding to wait a little longer. But just a few minutes later, her stomach growled again, and her head spun even more. Her existing low blood sugar, combined with the recent fever, made her feel utterly miserable. If she didn’t eat soon, she might faint from hunger.

She turned back to look at the officer’s office once more, but there was still no movement. Her stomach cried out again. Finally, she resolved to go out and buy something to eat; she truly couldn’t bear the hunger any longer. With one last look at the still-closed office door, Hao Yang made her decision and set off.

She placed her backpack on the chair, knowing she would return shortly and wouldn’t need to carry it. Tucking the money into her pocket, she then hopped off the iron bench.

As she landed, she nearly lost her balance, quickly steadying herself by grasping the now-warm iron chair. Only then did she regain her footing. She cast another glance back at the office, which remained motionless.

Hao Yang, clutching her money, slowly made her way out. Her steps felt unsteady, her head light and heavy at once. She understood this was a consequence of her low blood sugar and the lingering effects of her high fever.

Soon, she had left the police station’s perimeter. Hao Yang walked in a random direction, searching for a restaurant to buy something warm to eat. Having just recovered from a fever, warm food was essential.

Unbeknownst to Hao Yang, however, the moment she stepped out of the police station, the officer opened the office door.

Wang Jian had spent the entire afternoon engrossed in his work, not once leaving his office. He had deliberately avoided the troublesome situation waiting outside.

The instant he opened the door, Wang Jian silently prayed not to see that particular nuisance. He stepped out, scanned the doorway, and finding no trace of the trouble, a wave of relief washed over him.

“Officer Wang, where’s that child? I don’t see her,” Officer He asked, stepping out of her office and glancing around with a puzzled expression.

“She’s probably with Captain Yan. I’ll go handle it in a bit,” Wang Jian replied, casually fabricating an excuse.

“Working so late, and still putting in overtime? You’re truly dedicated,” Officer He remarked, removing her police uniform and changing into a down jacket.

“Not at all, not at all. It’s my honor to serve the people,” Wang Jian said, but as the words left his mouth, he felt a sting of irony, realizing he had spoken amiss.

“Ah, you young people are so energetic. Not like us, who just want to collapse after work. I remember when I first started, I used to work overtime a lot too,” Officer He teased, having finished changing and retrieving a small handbag from her locker.

“Officer He, I think you’re still young. Why do you speak such old-fashioned words?” Wang Jian said, a hint of exasperation in his voice.

“Your words are sweet, but I’m clocking out now. You can keep working overtime. Bye-bye.” With that, she grabbed her handbag and headed towards the exit.