Chapter 44: Zhao Jiawen Has Met with Trouble

Chapter 44: Something Happened to Zhao Jiawen

Since Xia Qianrou had already tracked him down to his home, Zhuo Nan had no choice but to go to school to meet her. To be honest, Zhuo Nan dreaded going to school. Between Xia Qianrou and Zhao Jiawen, balancing his relationship with the two women was a real headache. Xia Qianrou was slightly easier to handle—after all, he had only offended her, and he figured that if he offered an apology and brought up the idea of transferring schools, she would likely agree. Zhao Jiawen, however, was a much trickier case. Brother Nan had hooked her when they were kids, and now that he wanted to shake her off, he found he couldn't. Brother Nan, your life is truly a tragedy.

Before afternoon classes began, Zhuo Nan found Xia Qianrou's office. "Report..." Zhuo Nan thought to himself, what kind of idiot came up with the rule that one had to report before entering a teacher's office? It felt just like the army.

At this moment, Xia Qianrou was hunched over her desk, writing and sketching. Today, she was wearing a light purple dress with a subtle floral pattern, her long hair draped neatly over her shoulders. She wore sexy black silk stockings, and because she was leaning over the desk to write, Zhuo Nan could naturally see the deep valley between her collarbones. He couldn't help but swallow hard, thinking, "Teacher Xia, if you teach classes dressed like this, the beasts in the classroom won't have any interest in listening to the lecture."

Hearing the "report," Xia Qianrou looked up. Seeing Zhuo Nan standing at the door with a lecherous expression, she paused for a moment before realizing that her posture had once again allowed him to see everything. While she felt a secret sense of pride in her own charm, she put on a look of annoyance and nodded, saying, "Come in."

When not using his "Super Brain," Zhuo Nan couldn't read other people's thoughts. Seeing Xia Qianrou's angry expression, he thought, "She probably hasn't cooled off yet; I'll have to play it by ear."

Walking up to her, Zhuo Nan asked with concern, "Teacher Xia, how is your foot?"

Xia Qianrou had intended to give Zhuo Nan a good scolding. The boy had been skipping classes since yesterday afternoon, and he hadn't shown up this morning either. If she hadn't gone to his house earlier, who knew when he would have bothered to return. Now, hearing Zhuo Nan lead with a question about her foot, she felt a sudden surge of warmth. "I didn't expect him to still be so concerned about me."

Women are like this, especially single women like Xia Qianrou who usually keep their guard up around men. When suddenly shown concern by a man she felt relatively safe with, she couldn't help but feel a sliver of gratitude. It was as if Xia Qianrou were an iceberg; while Zhuo Nan’s small chisel couldn't topple the entire mountain, it could chip away at the ice, one piece at a time, until eventually, the iceberg would simply cease to exist.

"My foot is much better. I should thank you for that," she said, her face turning uncontrollably red.

Zhuo Nan smiled slightly. "Teacher Xia, no need to thank me. You should just make sure to rest more and avoid walking too much so it can heal faster."

Xia Qianrou was filled with joy, nodding with a shy, flushed face. The expression made her look like a young bride responding to her husband.

The atmosphere suddenly turned awkward, and neither knew what to say. Fortunately, Xia Qianrou didn't forget her status. Her expression darkened, and she asked sternly, "Zhuo Nan, you missed class yesterday and didn't come this morning either. Where did you go?"

Zhuo Nan was more comfortable with this attitude. He said solemnly, "Teacher Xia, there is something I need to tell you."

Xia Qianrou paused slightly, then said, "Go ahead..."

Zhuo Nan made up his mind and said calmly, "Teacher Xia, I want to transfer schools."

The six simple words hit Xia Qianrou like a hammer to the head, making her ears ring. "Say that again?" she asked incredulously.

Zhuo Nan sighed and said firmly, "I want to transfer."

Xia Qianrou lost control of her emotions and shouted, "Why? Why do you want to transfer? No. 1 High School has the best academic quality in the city, and you are a top-performing student. Why would you want to leave?"

Zhuo Nan knew she wouldn't agree, but he hadn't expected such a strong reaction. He quickly tried to explain, "Teacher Xia, please calm down. I just don't think No. 1 High School is right for me. The discipline is too strict here, and I'm a lazy person. I want to go to a school that isn't so rigid."

Xia Qianrou glared, shouting, "Nonsense!" This startled Zhuo Nan; he couldn't believe his eyes. The gentle, considerate Teacher Xia before him now looked more like a furious tigress.

"Zhuo Nan, don't think I don't know what you're thinking. You just feel ashamed to face me, don't you? I haven't even given you any trouble, yet you’re the one suggesting a transfer. What do you take me for? Have you even considered my feelings?"

Xia Qianrou’s emotions were clearly spiraling. Her words were incoherent, and Zhuo Nan couldn't understand what she meant. He thought, "I'm just transferring schools, what feelings could you possibly have about that?"

Just as he was about to explain, Xia Qianrou cut him off. "Zhuo Nan, even though something happened between us, it was just a beautiful mistake. No one is going to hold you accountable for it. Why are you running away? Why are you abandoning me?" As she spoke, tears began to stream down her face uncontrollably.

Xia Qianrou didn't know why she said such things. The moment she heard he was leaving, she felt as if she were being abandoned—the same feeling she had when Zhong Yuxin left her years ago. She was afraid, terrified of experiencing that bone-deep pain again.

Seeing that the situation was getting out of hand, Zhuo Nan stood up and hurried to lock the office door. If other teachers saw Xia Qianrou like this, who knew what rumors might start.

Seeing him lock the door, Xia Qianrou realized she had lost her composure. She quickly wiped her tears with a tissue, took a deep breath, and said, "Zhuo Nan, I will not agree to your transfer."

Zhuo Nan had anticipated her decision, but not her intense reaction. He walked up to her and said calmly, "Teacher Xia, please listen to me."

Seeing that she was willing to listen, he continued, "You are a good teacher, and I am not a good student. When I face you, I feel a sense of guilt. That feeling makes it impossible for me to look you in the eye; it makes me feel like I’ve let you down."

Xia Qianrou felt a glimmer of comfort. This student was, in every way, a talented child. At his core, he wasn't a bad person at all. A faint smile touched her lips, and she looked at him affectionately. "Zhuo Nan, do you realize that what you're doing is an act of irresponsibility? You are running away—running away from me, running away from what you've done..."

***

Xia Qianrou was speaking the truth, and Zhuo Nan was left speechless. He sat down dejectedly in the chair opposite her. He knew himself that he was running away. He was terrified of seeing Xia Qianrou, not knowing how to act around her in the future. To call it a teacher-student relationship was something even he couldn't believe, and Xia Qianrou certainly couldn't return to that role, or she wouldn't be speaking to him in this tone.

Seeing his dejected expression, Xia Qianrou felt a pang of sympathy. After all, he was still just a child, immature in his thinking. As his teacher, she had a duty to guide him. She walked over to him, crouched down before him, completely oblivious to the fact that her posture had exposed her undergarments. Just as she was about to speak, a sharp knock came at the door.

Both Xia Qianrou and Zhuo Nan were startled. Zhuo Nan quickly stood up and assumed a posture of respectful instruction. Xia Qianrou noticed this and found it amusing; he was quite good at putting on an act. Wiping the last of her tears, she walked to the door and opened it.

Standing there were two men and a woman. One of the men was a young teacher at the school. Seeing Xia Qianrou and Zhuo Nan in the office, he paused, but didn't think too much of it. He hurriedly said, "Teacher Xia, these two are the parents of Zhao Jiawen, a student in your class." Hearing the name Zhao Jiawen, Zhuo Nan's heart skipped a beat. Seeing the anxious expressions on the middle-aged couple's faces, he realized something must have gone wrong.

The middle-aged woman grabbed Xia Qianrou's hand, her voice choked with sobs. "Teacher Xia, our Wenwen is missing." The words hit Xia Qianrou and Zhuo Nan like a lightning bolt, leaving them frozen in place.

Zhuo Nan felt even more conflicted. If Zhao Jiawen were truly missing, he would undoubtedly be the primary culprit.

Though shocked, Xia Qianrou wasn't as conflicted as Zhuo Nan. Like him, Zhao Jiawen had also missed class since yesterday afternoon. At first, Xia Qianrou had assumed she was just playing hooky, but now that her parents had come to the school, it was clear she had been missing since yesterday.

Xia Qianrou quickly calmed her mind and asked, "Does Zhao Jiawen have any close friends, or places she frequently visits?"

Zhao Jiawen's father, Zhao Baohua—whom Zhuo Nan remembered as a factory engineer—replied in a hoarse, anxious voice, "Teacher Xia, our Wenwen only moved back to Deqing last year. She only knows the way home and doesn't usually go out. We've never heard her mention any close friends. I’m worried sick."

Hearing this, Xia Qianrou realized the gravity of the situation. "Don't worry, let's call the police first," she comforted them.

Zhao’s mother interjected, "We already went to the police station, but they said they wouldn't file a report until 48 hours had passed."

Xia Qianrou gasped. This was bad. If the police wouldn't file a case, and given that Deqing was neither too big nor too small, finding someone was like looking for a needle in a haystack—especially without a single clue.

Turning to see Zhuo Nan looking pale, she felt a surge of suspicion and asked, "Zhuo Nan, do you know where Zhao Jiawen is?"

Zhuo Nan had been deep in thought about where she might have gone. Startled by the sudden question, he instinctively gasped, looking flustered. Xia Qianrou noticed his agitation but didn't press him further for the moment.

Zhuo Nan quickly said, "Teacher Xia, I don't know where she is." He walked over to Zhao Baohua and asked softly, "Uncle Zhao, do you recognize me? I'm Zhuo Nan. Jiawen and I used to go to kindergarten together at the steel plant."

Zhao Baohua paused, thought for a moment, and a smile appeared on his face. "You're Zhuo Wengang's nephew?"

Zhuo Nan smiled and nodded. "You remember, Uncle."

Zhao Baohua chuckled, sighing with emotion. "My, how many years has it been? You've grown so much. Your uncle was a good man; we used to drink together all the time."

With their daughter missing, the mother was clearly unhappy with her husband's small talk. "Old Zhao! Our daughter is missing, and you're still here chatting about the past!"

Remembering their daughter's disappearance, Zhao Baohua sighed again and turned to Zhuo Nan. "Zhuo Nan, you have to help your uncle find Wenwen."

"What can a kid like him possibly do?" the mother muttered bitterly.

Zhuo Nan smiled slightly to reassure them. "Uncle, Auntie, don't worry. Jiawen is my classmate, I will definitely help."

With that, he took his phone from his bag and dialed Chen Longming’s number. "Hello, Commissioner Chen? It's me, Zhuo Nan..."

"Oh, Young Master Zhuo, what are your orders? Shall we grab dinner tonight?" Chen Longming was currently scolding his subordinates in his office. Seeing Zhuo Nan's call, he immediately waved them out and answered with a half-joking tone.

"Dinner? Give it a rest. I'm calling about something serious. Commissioner, I have a favor to ask. A classmate of mine is missing, but it hasn't been 48 hours yet, so your department won't open a case. I need you to look into this personally." Zhuo Nan spoke directly, completely oblivious to the stunned expressions of the four people watching him.

"Young Master Zhuo, why are you calling personally for such a small matter? Tell you what, have the parents bring over her photo, name, and relevant materials. I'll arrange for a special task force to be established immediately and mobilize officers to search for her with full force." Chen Longming’s tone became solemnly righteous; anyone who didn't know better would have thought he was a selfless public servant.

Zhuo Nan chuckled. "That's great, Commissioner. Thank you for the trouble. I owe you one; I'll be over in a bit."

Chen Longming laughed along. "I'll wait for you in my office." Both hung up the phone simultaneously.

Zhuo Nan turned back to see the four people staring at him with wide eyes. Knowing this wasn't the time for explanations, he said to Zhao Baohua, "Uncle Zhao, go home and get a photo of Jiawen. We'll meet at the police station in a while."

Zhao Baohua couldn't wrap his head around who Zhuo Nan had called. He had begged the police station for ages to no avail, so why could this kid get it done with a single phone call?

***

Zhao Baohua knew this wasn't the time for questions, so he said, "Alright, I'll go home and prepare. We'll meet at the police station."

The couple rushed home, and the teacher who had brought them left as well. Only Xia Qianrou and Zhuo Nan remained in the office. Xia Qianrou looked at him with a strange expression. Zhuo Nan sighed and said, "Teacher Xia, ask whatever you want."

"Fine. Who did you just call?" Xia Qianrou stared at him intensely, as if to say, "You'd better tell the truth."

Zhuo Nan maintained his lazy demeanor. "Police Commissioner Chen Longming."

"What?" Xia Qianrou gasped.

Zhuo Nan chuckled. "Who else did you think it was? Who else would dare to talk about forming a task force and mobilizing police forces?" He said it as if it were child's play, completely nonchalant.

Xia Qianrou asked curiously, "How do you know him? It seems your relationship isn't exactly ordinary."

Zhuo Nan shrugged. "It's a long story. I'll explain it to you another time. Anyway, I'm not a bad person. If I were, the Police Commissioner wouldn't be so polite to me, would he?"

Xia Qianrou continued, "Why didn't you tell me you knew Zhao Jiawen?"

Zhuo Nan was puzzled. "Why would I need to tell you who I know?" But he explained, "She used to go by Zhao Baowen. I hadn't seen her in years, so I didn't recognize her at first. I only found out yesterday."

Xia Qianrou was sharp. From his words, she deduced that Zhao Jiawen had gone missing right after reconnecting with Zhuo Nan, and it must have been related to him. She asked, "You must know why she went missing, don't you?"

Zhuo Nan sighed, as if unburdening himself. "She confessed her feelings to me yesterday." Hearing this, Xia Qianrou felt a sudden tension and a surge of jealousy.

"And what did you say?" she asked urgently. She seemed to have lost her ability to reason; if Zhuo Nan had accepted, Zhao Jiawen wouldn't have gone missing.

Zhuo Nan looked at her blankly. "I rejected her."

Hearing the answer, Xia Qianrou let out a long breath and whispered, "Thank goodness, thank goodness."

Zhuo Nan hadn't heard her, only seeing her lips move. "Teacher Xia, what did you say?"

Xia Qianrou panicked and waved her hands. "Nothing, nothing at all." She added, "Let's go, we need to get to the police station."

Zhuo Nan asked, "Don't you still have classes?"

Xia Qianrou waved her hand. "Not anymore. I'll go ask for leave. Wait for me at the school gate, we'll go find Zhao Jiawen together." With that, she turned and left the office, heading toward the administration building.

Zhuo Nan watched her back and smiled. He then picked up his phone and dialed Long Kun. "Long Kun, I have an important task. Do it immediately. Mobilize all our people and search for someone for me."

Long Kun was excited. "Brother Nan, do you want her alive or dead?"

Zhuo Nan’s rage flared instantly. "Damn it! If she's dead, I'm holding you responsible!"

Long Kun felt deeply depressed. He had tried to kiss up to his boss, but ended up in deep trouble. He didn't dare speak. Zhuo Nan continued, "Listen, the girl's name is Zhao Jiawen, about 15 years old. Long hair, carrying a yellow bag, wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans." He remembered exactly what she was wearing when they parted yesterday.

He added with an authoritative tone, "Even if you have to turn Deqing upside down, you find her. Do you hear me?"

Long Kun was shocked and replied immediately, "Don't worry, Brother Nan, I'm on it." If Brother Nan said to turn Deqing upside down, then it would be turned upside down.

All three thousand of Long Kun's thugs were mobilized. Even the smaller gangs in Deqing received notice to join the search for Zhao Jiawen.

Within just half an hour, the people of Deqing saw groups of thugs on every street corner stopping fifteen or sixteen-year-old girls to ask if their name was Zhao Jiawen. The city was thrown into absolute chaos.