Chapter 28: The Discarded Backpack and a Lingering Guilt

Hao Yang reached into the trash can, slowly pulling out her tattered backpack. It was covered in cigarette ash and other grimy stains. Gently, she patted the dirty spots, attempting to clean them away.

‘I don’t understand how my backpack ended up here. Who threw it away?’ Hao Yang wondered, a question forming in her mind.

Suddenly, Hao Yang thought of the police officer who had offered to help her earlier that day. But why would she throw away her backpack? Hadn’t she promised to help her?

Hao Yang could only think of Police Officer Wang. Yet, why would he discard her belongings? Who else could it have been but him?

For some reason, Hao Yang desperately wanted answers. The surveillance cameras would surely show who had thrown it away, but as a mere child, she couldn’t access them herself. Perhaps she could ask the person at the front desk.

Approaching the front desk where the duty officer was stationed, Hao Yang gathered her courage and spoke.

“Police uncle,”

Hao Yang’s voice carried a hint of endearing warmth.

“Ah, oh, little one, do you need something?”

The duty officer finally noticed Hao Yang, who barely peeked over the counter.

“Police uncle, may I ask you a question?”

Hao Yang deliberately phrased her words with a touch of cuteness.

“Go ahead and ask. I’ll tell you what I know,”

The duty police uncle replied.

“Do you know who threw this backpack into the trash for me?”

Hao Yang asked, lifting the backpack with both hands as she spoke.

“Oh, that… I think Police Officer Wang Jian threw that away,”

The duty officer explained. “He probably saw the backpack was so tattered and thought it was trash.”

“Who is Wang Jian?”

Hao Yang knew only that the officer who offered to help her was surnamed Wang; she hadn’t been certain of his full name.

“Look, there are pictures posted on that wall over there. You can go see for yourself,”

The duty officer said, pointing to a wall.

Hao Yang turned her head to look. Indeed, many portraits were displayed on the wall, and she should be able to find Wang Jian’s photo among them.

“Thank you.”

After thanking the officer, she hurried over to the wall. There, Hao Yang saw the female police officer, Captain Yan, and other familiar-looking individuals. Finally, her gaze settled on Wang Jian’s photograph.

It was a bust shot. Wang Jian, dressed in his police uniform and cap, looked remarkably spirited. A hint of a sunny smile graced his face.

‘It really was him, but…’

Hao Yang returned to the metal chair, still clutching her backpack.

Her head bowed, she stared blankly at the cold marble floor. She couldn’t comprehend why Police Officer Wang would discard her backpack. He should have known it was hers; how could he have just thrown it away?

Even though she herself disliked the backpack, it contained items that were incredibly important to her.

Hao Yang unzipped the backpack and gazed at its contents: the small hobo lantern, usable with a charger; some money; a very important photograph; and several elementary school textbooks. These textbooks were remarkably well-preserved, showing few creases despite their age. Hao Yang knew in her heart that these books represented Tang Xiao’s fervent desire to study.

How could an unregistered person attend school? Tang Xiao spent almost every day with her grandfather, scavenging for trash. The money they earned from collecting refuse was almost entirely used to buy medicine for Tang Shan.

The thirty yuan inside had been painstakingly saved, fifty cents by fifty cents. Every bit of loose change she found while scavenging had been carefully put aside, accumulating this small sum over a long time.

Every single item held extraordinary significance for her. Their meaning far surpassed their intrinsic value.

This backpack contained her dreams, her memories, and the culmination of her efforts. Yet, it had been carelessly discarded by that Police Officer Wang.

Even if these memories weren’t originally Hao Yang’s, she desperately wanted to protect them. But her memories had been casually tossed into a trash can by the very police officer who had promised to help her.

Hao Yang could actually sense a subtle aversion from this officer, especially when he had yelled at her earlier. She felt as though he was trying to drive her away.

However, she was reluctant to believe her own conjecture. The officer hadn’t appeared all afternoon, perhaps precisely because of her.

Hao Yang secretly resolved in her heart to confront the officer tomorrow and get a clear explanation. If he truly intended to drive her away, she wouldn’t wait for him to do it; she would leave on her own. ‘If there’s no place for a gentleman here, there’s always a place for a gentleman elsewhere,’ she thought.

It was already nine o’clock at night. The police station maintained a comfortable temperature, with the heating continuously running.

Hao Yang yawned, utterly exhausted from a day of constant movement. Sleepiness began to envelop her. She glanced at the duty officer at the front desk, who seemed preoccupied with his phone, laughing heartily, and paying no attention to her.

Hao Yang placed her backpack beside the chair, then lay directly on the chair, using the backpack as a makeshift pillow.

She was dressed warmly, and with the climate control continuously running, Hao Yang didn’t feel cold at all for the moment.

At the front desk, the duty officer idly scrolled through a drama on his phone, occasionally chuckling at the plot. Outside, the rain and snow continued to fall, seemingly growing heavier.

GazIng at the heavy snow outside the window, Hao Yang couldn’t help but ponder her future. What would she do next? What would her life become? Would she ever be able to return to her original body?

Even within the climate-controlled police station, Hao Yang felt that this winter was exceptionally cold.

Carrying these worries, she slowly drifted off to sleep. Her dream was wonderful, filled with everything she could wish for, but alas, it was only a dream.

****

After finishing his shower, Wang Jian lay down on his bed. According to Captain Yan, that troublesome child should have left by now, meaning he wouldn’t have any more problems.

As Wang Jian considered this, a sudden pang of guilt struck him. When he had first joined the police force, he had sworn an oath to protect the people and serve them. But what had he done this time?

Yet, he truly couldn’t think of a way to help her. He felt utterly powerless.

Comforting himself with these justifications, Wang Jian felt much better and soon fell asleep.