Chapter 12: Lin Qingyan Missing

I remember that time, he was already in Beidahuang, shouldering a hoe to earn work points.

His sister feared he would be bored, often mailed him books, among them some newspapers from the Capital City.

It was also in the newspaper that he saw the later‑caught thieves.

That's right, it was that group, Lu Cheng remembered them clearly.

Only because that woman was rather pretty, with a noticeable tear mole under the corner of her eye.

Of course, if she had been a man, he would probably have forgotten her long ago.

The woman seemed harmless to everyone, and until she was captured, many people didn't believe she was the leader of the train‑roving thieves.

Precisely because she was a woman, the Traffic Police Unit never thought of her, keeping the target on men.

So even now, they still haven't caught that gang of thieves.

While he was straining to recall, he suddenly heard someone in the crowd call his name.

"Lu Cheng, Lu Cheng…"

It was his sister's voice; Lu Cheng turned toward the direction and said, "Sister, I'm here."

The ticket inspector stopped Lu Ying, "Hey comrade, do you have a ticket? No ticket, you can't go inside."

Lu Cheng quickly ran over and said to the person, "Big Sister Ma, this is my sister; she asked to talk to me."

Upon hearing she was a family member of the Train Police, Big Sister Ma immediately regained a good expression.

"Oh, it's Xiao Lu's sister, then go in."

She led her sister to the inner side of the railing; Lu Ying looked at her brother in his attire and couldn't help saying, "You're already in uniform; I was looking for you forever."

Wearing that Police Uniform made him look very imposing; wherever he went, people would look up and glance at him.

Anyone with a thief's guilty conscience would shiver upon seeing it.

Lu Cheng adjusted his Big Brim Hat, then patted his collar, "How's that, sister? Your brother's impressive enough, right? Walking with you on the street will definitely make you proud."

Lu Ying had no time to dally with him, her face full of anxiety.

"Lu Cheng, can you go back now? Your sister Qing Yan is missing."

"What! Missing?"

Lu Cheng sensed something was wrong, "Sister, don't worry; what's actually going on?"

Lu Ying swallowed, "Yesterday you said let me talk to your sister Qing Yan about marriage; after breakfast this morning I went over, but Qing Yan wasn't home."

"I felt something was off, so I came to find you."

It was indeed odd; ever since Uncle Lin was reassigned, Lin Qingyan had been staying indoors.

Early in the morning, where could she have gone?

Lu Cheng quickly asked, "Did sister Qing Yan's house have its door locked?"

Lu Ying shook her head, "No, and when I went into her bedroom, it was quite messy."

"Did anything go missing?"

Lu Ying recalled, "I didn't look closely either. Oh right, a few Cotton-padded Jackets that were on the wardrobe are gone; I gave them to your sister Qing Yan just yesterday."

The scene was messy; the jackets were gone.

Based on these details, Lu Cheng quickly deduced.

"It seems the Street Office acted early."

"Huh? So you mean Qing Yan was sent on a train to Beidahuang."

That's the only possibility.

Lu Cheng asked Big Sister Ma about the departure times at Beijing Station.

Beijing Station is the main station, with more operating lines than other stations, including the Beijing‑Shanghai Line, Jingguang Line, and Jingha Line.

Therefore, Lin Qingyan would have to take a train from Beijing Station to go to Beidahuang.

"What should we do, Lu Cheng? Didn't you say that if Qing Yan really got to the countryside, she would be tortured to death, but now she's already been sent away."

After getting the departure times from Big Sister Ma, Lu Cheng immediately said, "Sister, don't worry. The Jingha Line has only two trains this morning; the earliest is at five a. m., and Qing Yan certainly wouldn't take that early. The next train is at eleven thirty a. m., we can still make it if we hurry now."

As Lu Ying nodded, Lu Cheng ran over to Liu Jian'an and said, "Comrade Jian'an, I have something to attend to; I need to take a leave first."

"Ah, on your first day of work, you're already taking leave?"

Lu Cheng ran back while shouting, "If the superiors ask, just say I have a stomachache, cover for me for now, and later I'll treat you to a meal."

……

At Beijing Station's ticket gate, Lin Qingyan held her train ticket but hesitated to pass through.

Zhong Qingbao grew a bit impatient, "Comrade Lin Qingyan, this train ticket was bought for you by our Street Office; what more could you want? Others don't have this privilege."

Lin Qingyan clutched the train ticket tightly in her hand, while her eyes looked out beyond the crowd.

She saw people on the platform, about to board the train, each with relatives or friends seeing them off.

But she was alone.

She didn't refuse to board; she just feared that once she left, she might never be able to return.

Before parting, she wanted to see her good friend Lu Ying one last time.

She left in such a hurry that Lu Ying didn't know she was on today's train.

Zhong Qingbao also saw that she was waiting for someone, and he was a bit worried that Lu Cheng would rush over.

So he snatched the train ticket from her hand, handed it to the ticket inspector, and forced Lin Qingyan onto the train.

But it was still before ten o'clock, and the departure was at eleven thirty; Zhong Qingbao, fearing Lin Qingyan might change her mind, simply bought a platform ticket and waited there for the train to depart.

The journey back was smooth; fortunately traffic was light at that hour, and at eleven fifteen, Lu Cheng arrived at Beijing Station with his sister.

He rushed straight to the ticket gate; the ticket inspector initially tried to stop him, but upon seeing his uniform and the Red Sleeve Badge indicating Train Police on his arm, let him in without further questioning.

On the platform, Lu Cheng immediately spotted Zhong Qingbao squatting there, smoking.

Because he didn't see Lin Qingyan, Lu Cheng walked straight over and grabbed his collar: "Where's Lin Qingyan?"

Seeing Lu Cheng arrive, Zhong Qingbao jumped in surprise; he had been beaten up yesterday, his face was swollen, and it hadn't healed today either.

He also knew why Lu Cheng was here, but he checked the time—there were still a dozen minutes before departure, and once the train starts, no one can do anything.

So he decided to grit his teeth and stall a little longer.

"Didn't see."

"Didn't see? Lying—believe it or not, I'll still beat you."

Zhong Qingbao glanced and saw the Red Sleeve Badge on Lu Cheng's arm, which read "Xizhimen Railway Bureau Train Police."

"Hmph, you're from over at Xizhimen, this is Beijing Station, you have no jurisdiction here. If you dare hit me, I'll call the Train Police at once."

"You…" Lu Cheng was about to slap him, but Lu Ying stopped him.

"Forget it, Lu Cheng, let's just look for him ourselves."

Lu Cheng thought that made sense; there was no time to tangle now, the train was about to depart, and Zhong Qingbao was surely thinking that even if he got hit, he had to stall.

For a Siheyuan, even taking a beating was worth it.

Lu Cheng released Zhong Qingbao, and using his Train Police identity, went straight onto the train to search.

Lu Ying, meanwhile, moved along one side of the train, hopping from carriage to carriage to look.

"Qing Yan, Qing Yan…"

Zhong Qingbao suddenly became a bit anxious; he only wished time would pass faster so the train would leave quickly.