Chapter 37: Borrowing Money to Buy a House
  As Fang Qing walked along, she unexpectedly discovered that there were many more small restaurants around Tianqiao Primary School.

  Fang Qing walked over and asked curiously, and a shop owner cheerfully told her that many parents are busy now and don't have time to make breakfast for their children, so they let their children eat at the school gate. As time went by, the number of small restaurants at the school gate increased. Finally, the shop owner quietly told her that small restaurants can make money, as long as you are willing to work hard.

  Fang Qing looked at the rows of small shops thoughtfully, wondering if she could open a small shop outside Jingtan Middle School. But then she remembered that her family had just bought a house and was already in debt. If she opened a shop at this time, it would be too difficult.

  ...

  In the evening, snow fell again, and the red lanterns reflected the silvery white snowflakes, creating a unique atmosphere.

  Wen Ling came to Fang Qing right after lunch, saying she wanted to go out and see the lanterns. Fang's mother urged them to be careful and asked Fang Ming and Wen Ning to follow closely before letting the four children out.

  But when they emerged, it was still dark and the lantern festival hadn't even begun, and the four of them were already freezing cold.

  Wen Ling's eyes lit up as she looked at the nearby cinema. "Why don't we go see a movie first?"

  The other three hesitated, but Wen Ling's persuasion finally won, and they bought tickets and lined up to enter.

  Sitting in the theater, Fang Qing was also filled with curiosity. In her previous life, she had only been to the cinema once, for an educational film organized by school. She had never been to a movie theater like today, watching her idol's new film with friends over popcorn. The

  moment the God of Gamblers appeared on the big screen, the crowd erupted in cheers, and as the plot progressed, their emotions fluctuated.

  While the movie was good, the noise and bustle around her really dampened Fang Qing's spirit. She simply leaned back in her seat, closed her eyes, and fell asleep before she knew it. Halfway through, Fang Qing seemed to find a pillow with a fragrant scent. She adjusted her position with a smile and slept soundly until someone trying to leave woke her.

  Fang Qing tucked her legs in to make way for someone else, then turned around and froze. "Wen... Ning? Why are you sitting here?"

  Wen Ning's expression was unclear in the darkness; Fang Qing could only see his perfect profile.

  Wen Ning didn't turn around, but simply explained, "Wen Ling met a classmate and switched seats with me." Fang

  Qing nodded drowsily, but out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Wen Ning rubbing his shoulder. "What's wrong with your arm?"

  Wen Ning quickly lowered his hand, took a sip from the soda next to him, and said, "Nothing."

  Fang Qing didn't understand, but she felt much more alert after the sleep, and she downed the soda in one gulp. But soon, she felt restless and quickly left the room to find a public restroom to relieve herself. Finally, Fang Qing breathed a sigh of relief.

  On her way back, she saw an old man selling roasted sweet potatoes outside the cinema in the heavy snow. Fang Qing suddenly felt hungry, so she bought four and wrapped them in rough paper. She hugged them and went back to the cinema. But as the thick curtain at the entrance fell, Fang Qing's vision went dark and she could not see anything.

  There were many people coming in and out of the door. Someone behind her happened to bump into her. The blow was quite strong, and the roasted sweet potatoes in her arms almost flew out. Fang Qing also stumbled forward a few steps. Just as she was about to fall flat on her face, a hand suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her up.

  "So you're here? I've been looking for you for ages."

  Wen Ning's pleasant voice, accompanied by a warm breath, echoed above Fang Qing's head, leaving her momentarily bewildered. She could only lean against him blankly and answer, "I, I'm going to the bathroom..."

  A tap on her forehead startled her out of her daze, and she frowned slightly. "Shh, it hurts..."

  Wen Ning chuckled softly. For some reason, he just wanted to tease her. Seeing that she seemed anxious, he quickly turned around, grabbed her wrist through her sleeve, and walked forward. "There's a step

  up ahead. Be careful not to fall." The heat from his wrist crept up Fang Qing's cheek. She thought the cinema was too crowded; it actually made her feel a little stuffy.

  Only when they were safely back in their seats and the hand on her wrist loosened did Fang Qing feel relieved. She quickly shared the roasted sweet potato in her arms with Wen Ling and her eldest brother, but as she turned around, she bumped into Wen Ning.

  Fang Qing, tears welling up in her eyes, clutched her forehead as she offered the roasted sweet potato. Wen Ning didn't take it, instead reaching out and rubbing it. "Are you okay? I didn't expect you to be so tough."

  Fang Qing wanted to retort, but the boy's warm fingers gently rubbed her, warming her previously normal face again.

  "Okay, okay, I'm fine. Let's go, let's watch the movie..."

  Fang Qing had no idea who won in the end. Her mind was filled with the gentle hand on her forehead in the dark theater. She could only silently chant, "Sisters, these are sisters..." By the

  time they left the theater, it was already completely dark. A string of small red lanterns hung from the locust trees lining the street, reflecting the falling snow, creating a uniquely peaceful and beautiful atmosphere.

  Wen Ling and the others followed the streetlights straight to the county square. Before they even approached, they were drawn to a faint red glow. Wenling was like a little bird entering the forest. He let go of Fang Qing's hand and rushed over. While admiring the exquisite lanterns, he read the riddles on the lanterns and racked his brains to guess the answers.

  Fang Qing was guessing riddles with everyone at first, but as more and more people came to the square, the surging crowd separated them without knowing when.

  Fang Qing looked around but couldn't find them, so he simply stood there and waited for them to come back. While he was thinking about the riddle above his head, he saw two women picking up a child on the roadside and running away. One of the women even covered the child's mouth tightly!

  They were human traffickers!

  Although he only took a glance, Fang Qing could see clearly that the clothes on the child were obviously very expensive, while the two women were dressed like rural peasant women. They couldn't be people traveling together!
  Fang Qing made a judgment in an instant, quickly pushed through the crowded crowd, and chased after them.

  When she was little, she often heard her parents say that someone’s child was kidnapped, and that many bad guys would pat the child on the head and the child would go with the traffickers obediently. Therefore, her mother always told her not to eat food given by strangers, and not to go out to play alone.

  She used to think that these were all alarmist words from her parents, but it was not until this moment that she really believed that the crime was right under her nose.

  Fang Qing followed the two women all the way and found that not long after they entered a dead end, when they came out again, they not only changed into the same clothes and carried the same bags, but also separated at an intersection!
  Fang Qing quickly observed the clothes of the two people and found that one of them seemed to be having a hard time carrying the bag, and her whole shoulder was tilted, while the other was walking very fast! And that big bag, let alone a child, even Fang Qing could lie in it!
  It seemed that the child was in that person’s hands. Fang Qing gritted his teeth and followed!

  (End of this chapter)