Chapter 193

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

Wang Dashan has been tirelessly searching for Wang Erhai's whereabouts these past days.

So many days have passed, yet there hasn't been a single clue, filling him with a sense of powerlessness and making him keenly feel his own insignificance.

He has thought of every method he could think of, done everything he could do, and reached out to every connection he could find, yet there has been zero progress.

These past few days Zhang Zhihao even called to ask when he would return to work.

Zhang Zhihao said that bastard Zhu Zhiming simply isn't cut out for sales; he couldn't hack it and quit on his own initiative and ran off, so now only Zhang Zhihao is left busy at the store, and he can't quite keep up.

Upon hearing this, Wang Dashan could only give a bitter smile.

Zhu Zhiming didn't even say a word to him before quitting, and he didn't know what to say about it either.

He didn't speak up for Zhu Zhiming again, but instead said to Zhang Zhihao:

"Hao Ge, you don't need to wait for me. Go ahead and hire a few new salespeople. I still haven't found any trace of my second brother, and I don't know when I'll be able to find him. It could be a month, half a year, or even several years — I can't say for sure."

Zhang Zhihao could only sigh:

"Alright then. I'll hire a salesperson first. If you come back to Guangzhou, you're welcome to work for me anytime."

Wang Dashan hurriedly thanked him:

"Thank you, Hao Ge!"

At this point Zhang Zhihao said:

"Oh right, the day before yesterday Du Xiaojuan came to the store again. She saw you weren't there and asked where you went, so I told her you went to look for your younger brother."

Wang Dashan smiled bitterly:

"Hao Ge, why did you tell her all that? She can't help anyway."

Zhang Zhihao chuckled:

"I was just telling the truth. I'm not good at lying."

The two chatted idly for a good while before hanging up.

Zhang Zhihao is Wang Dashan's boss, but also counts as Wang Dashan's friend.

The friendship they've built will probably remain even if Wang Dashan doesn't go back to working at the computer store.

Du Xiaojuan's pretty little face floated up in Wang Dashan's heart. He has special feelings for Du Xiaojuan, and he is very clear about this in his heart, but right now he doesn't dare think that much. Rescuing his second brother from the pyramid scheme den is the only thing he needs to do right now; romance can step aside.

Just then, his mobile phone rang, and it was actually Du Xiaojuan calling.

Wang Dashan looked at the phone screen, involuntarily dazed.

He truly didn't expect Du Xiaojuan would take the initiative to call at this time.

After hesitating for a few seconds, Wang Dashan ultimately answered the call.

"Hello, Miss Du, is something the matter?"

Wang Dashan asked politely.

"I heard from the computer store's boss that your younger brother was tricked into joining a pyramid scheme."

Du Xiaojuan speaks very directly, getting straight to the point, because that's just her personality — when she encounters something, she won't dilly-dally but will directly look for a way to solve the problem.

"Heh, yeah. I've been searching in Guangxi Beihai for over a month and still haven't found my second brother."

Wang Dashan answered truthfully, a look of bitter weariness on his face.

Du Xiaojuan then said:

"Searching like this in the vast sea of people is like looking for a needle in the ocean — it definitely won't work. I have a method that can let you quickly find your second brother, but you'll need a bit of influence to pull it off. I heard you're a veteran; I don't know if you can muster that kind of influence."

Wang Dashan hurriedly asked:

"What method? Hurry up and tell me!"

Right now Wang Dashan is a bit desperate and willing to try anything; any method that can be tried, he's definitely willing to give it a shot.

So even though he doesn't know if Du Xiaojuan's method will work, he's willing to listen.

Du Xiaojuan then said:

"First, have someone check your second brother's bank card withdrawal records. Find out which bank branch he withdrew money from most recently. Then transfer a sum of money into your second brother's bank card, and go stake out that bank branch. That way, there's a good chance you might catch your second brother showing up. But it's only a good chance — I'm not certain this will work either. I'm just offering a suggestion."

Wang Dashan thought for a moment, then said:

"If those people know my second brother's bank card password, and they don't let him go withdraw the money but send someone else to withdraw it in his place, then I'm afraid this method won't work."

Du Xiaojuan then said:

"That's why I said my method isn't guaranteed to work — it's just a reference. Actually, if you can access the bank branch's surveillance footage, even if someone else withdraws the money in your second brother's place, as long as you check the surveillance and see who withdrew it, that counts as a new lead. It's just that I don't know if you have that kind of influence. Bank surveillance isn't something just anyone can access whenever they want; you need someone with a certain level of authority to pull it up."

Wang Dashan slowly nodded, deeply aware that Du Xiaojuan's words were spot on.

For over this month, he has been running all over Beihai, hitting a wall everywhere he turned.

The local police station said they were willing to help him search, but they only took down his information, and after that there was no further news.

Maybe they really did go look, but just had no leads.

Maybe they didn't put his matter to heart at all.

In short, right now he is very discouraged, his heart full of frustration.

He urgently needs to change the status quo, desperately wants to find a lead on his second brother.

So regardless of whether Du Xiaojuan's suggestion can succeed, he has to give it a try.

"Miss Du, thank you. I'll remember this kindness of yours!"

Wang Dashan thanked her from the bottom of his heart.

Du Xiaojuan smiled faintly:

"No need for politeness. We're all people from the rural areas out here making our way, so helping each other is only natural. Once you find your second brother and return, just treat me to a meal."

Wang Dashan hurriedly said:

"Good, good. No matter the outcome, I'll treat you to a meal when I return!"

After hanging up Du Xiaojuan's call, Wang Dashan immediately contacted Qin Dingjun, and told Qin Dingjun about the method Du Xiaojuan had provided.

After hearing this, Qin Dingjun was stunned.

He hesitated somewhat:

"Dashan, it's not that I don't want to help you, but the bank keeps customer information under very strict confidentiality. I'm just a small armored guard, and not even a formally appointed one at that. To help you check where your second brother's bank card has recently withdrawn money would be difficult."

Wang Dashan knew Qin Dingjun was telling the truth, but he was still willing to give it a try:

"Dingjun, I know it's difficult. After all, we're just ordinary people with not a shred of power in our hands. But no matter how hard it is, I must fight for it. That's my own younger brother—I can't just stand by and watch him die, can I? Consider it me begging you as a brother. When I return, I'll give you six thousand two hundred yuan as a thank-you fee."

Wang Dashan pleaded sincerely.

He truly had no other way left.

As for why it was six thousand two hundred yuan, not six thousand even, nor seven thousand or ten thousand:

it was because he now had only six thousand two hundred yuan left in his hands.

Previously he had earned a few thousand yuan at Zhang Zhihao's Computer Store, and together with his retirement pay, he had saved over ten thousand. After more than a month in Beihai, with food, clothing, housing, transportation, and various expenses for gathering information, he now had only six thousand two hundred yuan left.

He felt this method Du Xiaojuan provided really had a chance to find his second brother, so now he was putting everything on the line.

Hearing that Wang Dashan wanted to give him money, Qin Dingjun hurriedly said:

"Dashan, what do you take me for? We're comrades-in-arms. How could I take your money? Here's what we'll do: wait patiently for a few days, and I'll help you find some connections to see if it can be done. But I can't guarantee anything either. You said it yourself—we're ordinary people with not a shred of power, and getting things done is difficult to move an inch!"

Wang Dashan said gratefully:

"Good brother, then let me thank you first here. Whether or not it gets done, I'll keep this favor in my heart!"