Chapter 136: Gone

  Thank you for your long-term support and encouragement, I love you!

  Zhao Juan led the two children to stroll around the vegetable market, seeing that there were more and more people, if they didn't go further in, they might not be able to squeeze in.

  The girls' clothes can be bought at the department store, but Zhao Father and Zhao Mother's shoes have to be bought at the fair. They are used to wearing cloth shoes with cotton soles and are not too accustomed to those fancy cotton shoes.

  In order to buy shoes for the elderly, this time I had to grit my teeth and rush into the crowded area.

  As soon as I turned the corner, the number of people surged, and even the air seemed to thin out. The weather was a bit dry and cold at this time, but walking into the crowd made my forehead sweat.

  Zhao Juan led the two children to walk forward with difficulty, this time of year is the most difficult, and they were all panting. Song Jie was also squeezed enough, really wanted her own family to open a supermarket in the future, thinking about buying whatever she wanted.

  But it's just a thought in my mind, every family has its own plan, how can it be changed because of her idea? That's too absurd. Besides, she is not a wasteful person, so let's just think about it secretly in my heart to comfort myself.

  People are in a hurry, the sound of bargaining and discounting is everywhere, it's bustling with excitement, but everyone's face is filled with joyful smiles, the most anticipated holiday is the New Year.

  After great efforts, I finally arrived at the shoe stall.

  "Nini, take care of your brother, I'll go take a look at the shoes."

  Song Jie nodded after listening, "This shoe is not easy to buy, it must be made of thick and sturdy fabric. This kind doesn't leak air, otherwise the thin fabric won't keep warm."

  Things nowadays are still very practical and haven't been faked like they were in later generations. These shoes aren't bad at all. Although they look a bit rustic, once you wear them, you'll know how warm they are.

  Zhao Juan was satisfied with the shoes she had picked out, found a suitable size, paid for them and left with her two children.

  "Let's go get some more fabric, and then we'll make a new bed sheet for your grandfather. That old gray one is too ugly. Come on."

  Song Jie and Hu Yue quickly followed closely behind, without leaving his side for a single step.

  Now that the conditions at home have improved, Zhao Juan really can't wait to replace everything in the house with new ones, but the old man is unwilling, and can only reluctantly watch them use the old ones.

  This time Zhao Juan was determined, hum, when the time comes, things will be bought back, can't they just be thrown away? She must have calculated that after buying it back, she wouldn't dare to return it again, so she bought it.

  The old man will probably have no choice but to agree, and during the winter, his sister-in-law will also come back to live with them. Will they still use the old bed sheets? He'll definitely compromise. Song Jie secretly gave her mom a thumbs up in her heart. That's how you deal with stubborn old people!

  A few people who had been wandering around arrived at Buzhou City again. There were fewer people here than in the city where they sold clothes, and at least it was more convenient to walk around.

  When Hu Yue came, he was educated to listen and was brought over as an exception. However, he had been impatient for a long time. A middle-aged woman led a 7 or 8-year-old boy in front of Hu Yue, and the little boy still held a string of tempting sugar gourds in his hand.

  Hu Yue's mouth was watering, he couldn't help it. He tugged at Zhao Juan's clothes and said: "Mom, I want to eat sugar gourd. Can you buy me some?"

  Zhao Juan was busy. Who had the time to bother with him? She casually said: "Okay, don't rush, wait for me to finish buying fabric, and then we can go buy sugar gourd together, okay?"

  "I want to eat now! Mom, buy it for me now."

  "Alright. I'll buy it for you later, but that place is quite far from us and we'd have to make a big detour to get back. It's too much trouble. Just wait a bit and I'll definitely buy it for you, just a little while."

  "Hu Yue thought for a moment and reluctantly said: 'Okay, then hurry up.'"

  Zhao Juan ignored him and turned to pick out fabrics instead. The woman leading the child also came over to sell fabrics, and now things were getting better, with sugar gourds dangling in front of them, the little kid's heart was itching, how could he bear it anymore?

  "Mom, let's go buy some sugar gourd, let's go, let's go now." Hu Yue started to pester.

  "Didn't I just say so a moment ago? What's the hurry, why don't you keep your word?" Zhao Juan was getting annoyed, what kind of child is this, changing his words every minute.

  "This big sister, if the child wants to eat, just buy it for her. It's almost New Year's, don't be stingy with the kids. Otherwise, let my son share some with the little brother. Da Guo, come on, give your candied hawthorn to your little brother." The woman said warmly, revealing a rustic simplicity in her words.

  Zhao Juan only then discovered that there was still an older sister standing beside her, and she hastily stopped her: "No no no, just this one string, don't divide it up, I'll buy it for him, what's the point of dividing kids' things?" Zhao Juan wouldn't accept someone else's things anyway, besides, it wasn't hygienic to eat something that had been passed around.

  "Mom, why don't I go buy it? I know the way and will be back soon." Song Jie said from the side, seeing her little brother's expression made her feel a bit unbearable.

  "Do you know her? Don't get lost." Zhao Juan's face was full of suspicion.

  Song Jie Hei Xian, even if you're a bit silly, it's not like you'd get lost in such a big place.

  "It's okay, I remember the way, you go shopping, I won't get lost or cheated, I'm clever!" Can't even trust me with such a small thing? Song Jie was speechless, didn't she know that she had been smart since childhood? The title of "prodigy" wasn't given to her for nothing.

  Thinking of her daughter who is also over ten years old, she herself is a bit overcautious. At the age of ten or so, they are already big kids, and she shouldn't be so worried. Zhao Juan looked up at her son with pitiful eyes and said helplessly: "Then go, come back quickly, do you want money?"

  "Never mind, I'm leaving." Song Jie waved her hand and left without looking back. It's really annoying that such a small matter dragged on for so long.

  Zhao Juan saw Song Jie walking far away, then she withdrew her gaze and lowered her head to buy fabric. The woman next to her was also buying fabric, so she asked Zhao Juan on the side, looking at which one was more suitable.

  Zhao Juan also thinks that the fabric quality of this store is good, so she wants to buy it here. It's best if someone can follow and refer to it together. She also carefully selects the fabric, which needs to be carefully checked. Sometimes there are loose threads in the fabric, which will not last long.

  Then several people came to buy cloth, and the stall suddenly became lively. Zhao Juan didn't notice that Hu Yue, who had been standing beside her all along, was gone!!

  Song Jie found the peddler who was wandering around the fruit stand, carrying a target with sugar gourds and constantly turning around. It made sense, there were too many people elsewhere, it was hard to move around, and if the sugar gourd hit someone, it wouldn't be good.

  "Bring two strings of candied hawthorns."

  "Alright, little girl, you choose yourself, pick whichever one you like."

  The vendor was quite business-minded. Song Jie picked two hawthorns with more sugar and paid happily, then walked back.

  Through the dense crowds, Song Jie carefully protected the sugar gourd in her hands, not letting anyone bump into it and get it dirty.

  Arriving at the fabric store, I saw Zhao Juan and that aunt still picking out fabrics. They've been doing it for so long and still haven't finished selecting yet.

  But something doesn't feel right, what's missing? Song Jie was stunned for a moment, her mind went blank, and then she slapped her forehead, where did Hu Yue go?

  She ran over in three or two steps and pulled Zhao Juan who was bargaining: "Mom, where is Hu Yue?"

  Zhao Juan was just getting into the swing of things when she suddenly heard Song Jie say, "She's standing at that station." She pointed casually, only to find that the person had vanished!!

  "What about Hu Yue?" Zhao Juan was also confused, she looked around in all directions for several circles but couldn't find anyone, and suddenly panicked, "Why can't I see him?"

  Seeing Zhao Juan's distracted appearance, her sister-in-law also hastily said: "Will she go out to play? Does he have money in his hand? It's not necessarily going to buy something."

  "That's right, he has money in his hand, he must have gone to buy food." Zhao Juan now hears whatever she is told and has completely lost her own opinion.

  Song Jie said, "This is not good," and quickly told Zhao Juan: "Hu Yue is usually well-behaved, wherever he goes, he will tell you, this time he didn't say anything, it must be something wrong, he has never run away by himself before."

  After hearing this, Zhao Juan's rationality returned. Her daughter was right, Hu Yue would never run around randomly and would always tell her where she was going. This time, since she didn't say anything, something must have happened.

  "Alas, could it be that we've encountered a kidnapper? This is terrible, how can someone be so cruel. Don't worry, big sister, we'll definitely find her." The older aunt also looked somewhat anxious.

  Song Jie also thought that this sister-in-law was quite kind-hearted, at this time kind-hearted people were everywhere, she didn't suspect anything.

  "What can be done about it?" Where can I go? There are people everywhere.

  "Let's split up and search separately. You go east, I'll go west. If you can't find it, just call someone to come over and report the police at the same time."

  After listening to her daughter's words, Zhao Juan nodded involuntarily. At this time, she also lost her mind and agreed with her daughter's suggestion without thinking. This is also related to Song Jie's usual reliable handling of things.

  Both of them were anxious and worried, the longer time passed, the slimmer the hope was for Hu to come back, both of them knew clearly in their hearts that he couldn't have just walked away...

  With a plan in mind, the two of them split up and took action, one heading east and the other west, both running.

  Song Jie walked out for a while, only to remember that she wasn't the one who gave her brother a small mouse-shaped jade pendant when he was born? Why didn't she think of engraving a tracking curse on it?

  It's also her fault for being too careless. She knew there were a lot of people today, but relying on her own abilities, she thought nothing would happen under her nose. As soon as she left for a while, someone took advantage of the opportunity.

  Damn it, whether it's intentional kidnapping or taking advantage of the situation, if I find out who did this, I won't let them off easy, those damn bastards. Song Jie cursed these people a hundred times in her heart.

  PS: Without the tracking curse, how will Song Jie get through this crisis and find her brother back?