Wang Xiuzhi hurriedly picked up the scattered money from the ground, shook off the dirt, wiped it carefully with her sleeve, and then handed it to Lin Zhilan with a mix of shame and embarrassment.
"Comrade Lin, I'm really sorry... here's your money back."
Lin Zhilan took it, softly hummed in acknowledgment, and said nothing more.
"Chengzhou," Lin Zhilan called to her nephew, "his parents have already apologized, and the money has been returned. Should we head home now?"
Jiang Chengzhou pouted. "Liang Ping hasn't apologized to me himself."
Liang Ping hung his head even lower.
Commander Han's face turned ashen. He grabbed Liang Ping by the back of the collar, dragged him over, and kicked him behind the knee.
Liang Ping's legs gave way, and he fell to his knees with a thud.
"Apologize!" Commander Han roared, his voice like thunder.
Jiang Chengzhou was startled and instinctively stepped back half a step, hiding behind Lin Zhilan.
He had only wanted Liang Ping to apologize and admit his mistake.
Seeing this, he felt a vague, indescribable discomfort.
Jiang Chengzhou was about to say forget it.
But Liang Ping got up on his own, staring straight at Commander Han as if he were an enemy. "You're not my dad. I'm going to find my real dad!"
Commander Han's raised hand froze in midair.
Wang Xiuzhi gritted her teeth in anger, grabbed his arm, and slapped him hard on the back several times. "You wretched child! Ungrateful! We've raised you all these years, and it's all been for nothing!"
Liang Ping broke free from her grip, turned around, pushed through the crowd, and ran off.
"Commander Han," Li Jiang reminded him, "the kid's run off. Go after him!"
Commander Han snapped out of it and rushed out after him.
Lin Zhilan told everyone to disperse and go back to sleep.
She glanced back at Wang Xiuzhi, who lowered her head, not daring to meet her eyes.
Lin Zhilan sighed, took Jiang Chengzhou by the hand, and went home.
Jiang Chengzhou still refused to sleep.
So Lin Zhilan sat with him in the yard for a while.
"Now that the money's back, why aren't you sleeping?"
Jiang Chengzhou twisted in his seat, resting his head on the chairback. "I didn't expect it to turn out like this... at least not so harsh."
Lin Zhilan gently stroked his head. "If you had to do it over again, would you still do it?"
Jiang Chengzhou thought for a long time. "Yes."
Stealing was wrong to begin with, and Jiang Chengzhou felt he was on the side of justice.
If he had to do it again, he would still find a way to expose Liang Ping and get the money back.
"Your Aunt supports you," Lin Zhilan said, the corners of her mouth lifting. "Liang Ping made a mistake and deserved to be punished. What made you uncomfortable was that Commander Han's reaction was too extreme, right?"
Jiang Chengzhou nodded.
"So that's Commander Han's problem, not yours. Don't blame yourself for someone else's issues."
Jiang Chengzhou let out an exaggerated sigh like an adult. "If only someone could teach Commander Han a lesson."
"You little rascal!" Lin Zhilan gave him a playful glare, then pulled him inside to bed.
Deng Jing came out of her room, wrapping a coat around herself. "Zhilan, is everything okay?"
"It's fine, Second Sister-in-law. You all go to sleep. We'll talk tomorrow."
Deng Jing nodded and was about to go back inside when they heard Wang Xiuzhi crying and knocking at the gate.
Lin Zhilan frowned, opened the gate, and stepped out. "Sister-in-law, what's wrong?"
"Doctor Lin," Wang Xiuzhi panted heavily, "I just went to look for them. Old Han says the kid ran into the mountains, and they can't find him."
Lin Zhilan's heart tightened.
In summer, the island wasn't just full of mosquitoes; there were venomous snakes and bugs in the mountains too.
If Liang Ping got bitten by one, it would be over.
"Aunt!" Jiang Chengzhou called out anxiously.
"Chengzhou," Lin Zhilan patted his shoulder, "go to the dorm and find your uncle. Tell him to bring people and search the mountain."
Jiang Chengzhou agreed and took off running.
Lin Zhilan then called Li Jiang and Regimental Commander Ma to go up the mountain and search together.
Deng Jing dressed and came out. "Zhilan, I'll come with you."
Lin Zhilan waved her off. "Second Sister-in-law, you'd better not. Please take Linlin to your room. I'm afraid the three girls will be scared if they wake up and find no one."
"Got it. Don't worry."
Lin Zhilan grabbed a flashlight and followed Li Jiang and Regimental Commander Ma up the mountain.
With all the adults up there, Deng Jing saw Han Mei standing alone by her door, sobbing, and called her over as well.
A missing child was a big deal, and soon the search party on the mountain grew large.
The entire mountain was lit up like daylight with flashlights, and voices calling "Liang Ping" echoed everywhere.
The island's mountains stretched on endlessly. Just when you thought you'd reached the top, you'd see another, higher peak. If you weren't familiar with the terrain, you could easily get lost.
Lin Zhilan followed the group as they climbed, but soon she began to feel winded, with a tightness in her chest.
She stopped, leaned against a crooked tree to catch her breath, and sent the young soldier beside her to keep searching. "Go ahead. I'll rest here for a bit and catch up."
"Doctor Lin, take care of yourself."
The soldier reminded her and continued up the mountain.
Lin Zhilan looked around, found a tree stump, and sat down.
She had barely rested when she heard a rustling sound from the grass.
Her first thought was a snake.
She reached into her pocket, grabbed a handful of snake-repelling powder, and scattered it nearby. Then she struck the grass with her stick.
"Ow!"
Lin Zhilan froze, immediately shining her flashlight toward the grass.
She used her stick to part the thicket and found Liang Ping lying there.
"Liang Ping?"
Blinded by the flashlight, Liang Ping squinted, and when he saw Lin Zhilan, panic flashed in his eyes. He scrambled up and turned to run deeper into the woods.
A boy of about ten could move through the mountains like a monkey.
Lin Zhilan couldn't catch him in her state.
"Ouch!" Lin Zhilan cried out dramatically, grabbing a nearby tree. "Don't run! I've twisted my ankle!"
Liang Ping hesitated, turned back, and looked at her with suspicion.
Lin Zhilan reached out her hand. "Come help me. I'm serious—it hurts badly."
Liang Ping, his eyes red from crying, eyed her warily.
Lin Zhilan cursed inwardly at how hard this brat was to fool, but continued coaxing, "I'm pregnant, you know? I have a baby in my belly. If I take a fall here, it's no joke."
Liang Ping stared at her belly for a few seconds before slowly trudging over.
"You little brat!" Lin Zhilan was genuinely angry now and tapped his forehead. "Can't you see all these people searching for you? Hiding here and not making a sound. Do you know your parents are frantic?"
Liang Ping's head drooped, his shoulders began to shake, and muffled sobs escaped his throat.
Lin Zhilan had initially wanted to scold him some more, but seeing him like this, she swallowed her words.
