Chapter 142: They Were the Ones Who Saved Me!

The day before leaving Guangzhou, Jiang Ran's ankle had almost fully recovered, so Su Ruan suggested taking a stroll in the street to buy some Cantonese specialties to bring back for her family and the senior craftsmen in the shop to taste.

The two did not go to the bustling market, but chose a relatively quiet arcade old street.

Sunlight filtered through the stained‑glass windows and the lattice arcade railings, casting mottled shadows on the ground.

The air was filled with a mixed aroma of cured meat, pastries, and cool tea.

Su Ruan enthusiastically selected chicken biscuits, wife's cake, and Cantonese cured sausages.

She also picked out two silk belly‑bands embroidered with delicate Cantonese tiger motifs for Jinjin and An'an.

Jiang Ran carried a large sack of purchases, cheerfully trailing behind her, occasionally reminding, "Wife, that's enough, enough—if we buy more we won't be able to carry it together."

Just as they stepped out of an old‑brand bakery, a crisp, slightly urgent little boy's voice rang out nearby.

"Dad! Mom! It's them! It's the uncle and aunt who rescued me on the train!"

Su Ruan and Jiang Ran followed the voice and saw a tidy‑dressed navy‑blue child in a smart outfit, a sprightly little boy, wriggling free of his parents' hands and darting toward them like a tiny cannonball.

He tilted his little face upward, his big dark eyes sparkling as he looked at them, his small finger pointing at them, excitedly shouting to the young couple hurrying up behind him.

The couple appeared to be around thirty; the man wore a finely made gray jacket, glasses on, looking scholarly and refined.

The woman wore a fitted off‑white knit suit, her hair tied up, exuding a gentle yet capable demeanor.

Hearing their son's words, they were first startled, then their faces broke into huge surprise and excitement, and they hurried forward.

"Ah! It's really you! Our benefactors! We're truly so grateful!"

The gentleman seized Jiang Ran's free hand and shook it vigorously, his Mandarin tinged with a distinct Cantonese accent, but sincere.

The lady's eyes were slightly reddened, repeatedly thanking Su Ruan: "Thank you! Really thank you! If it weren't for you, our son…"

She could not finish, only holding her son tightly and looking gratefully at Su Ruan.

Only then did Su Ruan and Jiang Ran recognize that this little boy was the child who had been drugged into a deep sleep on the train!

Now he was lively and his cheeks flushed, a world apart from his former self.

They never expected to reunite on a Guangzhou street!

"It's you, then. The child is alright, right? That's such good news!"

Su Ruan also felt genuine happiness, crouching down and gently patting the boy's head.

The little fellow was not shy at all; instead he shyly hid behind his mother, then couldn't help but peek out to look at them.

"It's fine, it's fine! We got him to the hospital in time; the doctor said a later delay would have been dangerous. Really, it's thanks to you!"

The boy's father, who introduced himself as surnamed Chen, given name Qiwen, was still emotional.

"These past few days my wife and I have been trying to find you, but the public security comrade only said you were comrades from the north, with no specific details. We never imagined we'd run into you on the street! It really is fate!"

Mrs. Chen (Madam Chen) nodded repeatedly: "Yes, benefactors, we must have a chance to express our gratitude. Do you have time now? We'd like to treat you to a simple meal, please accept."

Su Ruan and Jiang Ran hurriedly declined: "Mr Chen, Mrs Chen, you're too polite. It's a trivial favor anyone would do. As long as the child is safe, that's enough; we don't need a meal. We'll just wander a bit and then head back."

"How can you say that!" Chen Qiwen replied resolutely, "What's a trivial favor for you is a monumental grace for our whole family!"

"You won't even accept a single meal; we feel uneasy. Moreover, you saved our son, making you the benefactor of our entire family—how can you refuse even this courtesy?"

Mrs. Chen gently yet firmly grasped Su Ruan's hand: "Exactly, Comrade Su, Jiang Comrade, just consider it a chance for us to feel at ease."

"Also, I see you bought many souvenirs; you must be preparing to leave? After the meal, my husband can arrange a car to take you back to the guesthouse, which would be much more convenient."

Finding it hard to refuse such warm hospitality, and seeing their sincere words, Su Ruan and Jiang Ran exchanged a glance, found it difficult to decline further, and nodded in agreement.

Chen Qiwen and his wife were delighted, immediately leading them to a nearby restaurant with elegant decor and distinct Lingnan garden features, and reserved a quiet private room.

After they were seated, Mrs. Chen carefully ordered light dishes and desserts suitable for children for her son, and warmly invited Su Ruan and Jiang Ran to order as well.

During the meal, the couple continuously served dishes and poured tea for Su Ruan and Jiang Ran, their gratitude evident.

In conversation, Su Ruan and Jiang Ran learned that Chen Qiwen and his wife were locals who ran a clothing business.

The little boy, named Jia Le, had been with a nanny at the park that day, and was snatched by someone with candy; fortunately, Su Ruan and the others discovered him on the train.

"It's truly terrifying," Mrs. Chen said, her eyes reddening again, "Jia Le is our lifeline…"

"Let's not dwell on the past; it's best that Jia Le is now fine."

Chen Qiwen gently patted his wife's hand and then turned to ask Su Ruan and Jiang Ran.

"Jiang Sheng, Miss Su, your accents suggest you're from the north; is this trip to Guangzhou just tourism, or is there another purpose?"

Since they were being sincere, Su Ruan and Jiang Ran did not conceal anything.

Jiang Ran roughly explained that they came from a small northern town, and the couple ran a clothing shop called "Chongsu," and this southward trip was mainly to survey the market, seek inspiration, and explore business opportunities.

"Oh? You both are in the clothing business?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Qiwen's eyes behind his glasses lit up, and he exchanged a surprised yet delighted glance with Mrs. Chen.

"Isn't it true that we're practically family, not even needing to enter each other's doors!" Chen Qiwen laughed, his tone adding a camaraderie, "My wife and I are also in the clothing trade. We have our own small factory, mainly producing women's and children's wear, and we also operate several retail outlets."

That turned out to be an unexpected coincidence. Su Ruan and Jiang Ran also felt surprised.

Mrs. Chen smiled and added, "My husband mainly handles production and export, while I take charge of design and store management. Hearing you talk about 'Chongsu', is it focused on self‑design and custom orders? That's a very clever concept."

The conversation naturally shifted to the clothing industry, and both sides found increasing rapport.

Su Ruan spoke of her observations in Guangzhou, noting the southern region's novel fabrics, bold color usage, and relatively avant‑garde styles, and she candidly mentioned possible bottlenecks in the local market.

Jiang Ran then shared Chongsu's business model and some localized design ideas.

Chen Qiwen and his wife listened very attentively.

Chen Qiwen was very interested in Jiang Ran's idea of leveraging unique designs to break into the high‑end custom market in a small town, while Mrs. Chen highly praised Su Ruan's design talent and keen observational skills.

"Miss Su's eye is sharp," Mrs. Chen said, "The issues you raised about fabric texture and color matching are indeed crucial elements in design."

"Our factory has recently been experimenting with some new blended materials; the results are good."

Chen Qiwen paused briefly, then said, "Jiang Sheng, Miss Su, since we're all in the same trade and share such a fate, I have an idea—would you be interested in hearing it?"