si-mexico Chapter 199 You're Calling Back the Soul!
Chapter 199 You're Calling Back the Soul!
Based on the information on the ID card, Tian Guoqiang went back to investigate Yan Wenying.
Deng Xiuzhen was responsible for contacting and observing Yan Wenying, trying to glean information from the old woman.
They all agreed that Qin Yanlin's disappearance was definitely related to the old man's family.
"Never go alone! Tell me before you go, and call or message me immediately if you find anything wrong. Please remember this!" Tian Guoqiang repeatedly urged.
Deng Xiuzhen readily agreed.
To avoid any unforeseen complications, Tian Guoqiang observed the situation for a while and, finding nothing amiss, left first. A few minutes later, Deng Xiuzhen cautiously closed the door and left.
It was still early, and there were quite a few pedestrians on the road. Deng Xiuzhen walked and stopped frequently, buying a few things along the way. Only after feeling that no one was paying attention to her did she feel at ease and go home.
As I reached the door, I took out my keys and was about to open it when I suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed to the ground with a thud.
Immediately, two men dressed entirely in black, wearing hats and masks, lifted Deng Xiuzhen up, threw her onto a tricycle, and quickly drove away.
Tian Guoqiang, accompanied by He Xiaohai and two policemen, traveled in plainclothes and quickly found the address on Yan Wenying's ID card: a remote fishing village in a township under Shenzhen.
The villagers weren't welcoming; they just stared at them with scrutinizing eyes, which made them feel vaguely uneasy.
"Excuse me, does Yan Wenying live here?" Tian Guoqiang asked an elderly man with a smile.
"What do you want with her?" the old man asked them warily.
“We are her friends. She asked me to bring some things back for the villagers to thank you for your help and care.” Tian Guoqiang smiled broadly and took out some local specialties from Shenzhen from his backpack and handed them to the old woman.
This was something Tian Guoqiang specially prepared after hearing Deng Xiuzhen talk about Yan Wenying's situation, taking into account the character of the people in the fishing village.
After accepting the gifts, the old man's attitude immediately changed completely. He led Tian Guoqiang and the others to Yan Wenying's former home, which was now a pile of ruins.
They couldn't find a single object, let alone a photo of Yan Wenying.
Several people looked at each other.
The old man chuckled and said, "The child never came back after he left. After a few rain showers, this mud-brick hut collapsed."
“We have another favor to ask of you. Wenying asked us to help him pay back the money he owed to the villagers. Could you take us to the village chief and gather all those who lent money to Wenying together?” Tian Guoqiang suddenly remembered what Deng Xiuzhen had said about Yan Wenying owing money to the villagers.
"Yes, you can do it! Come with me, I'll take you to the village chief!" The old man said happily as he walked forward, his steps as light as a young man's.
As they walked, the group discreetly observed the village: it was a traditional fishing village with about twenty households, arranged some distance from the sea. Fishing gear and boats were located beside the houses.
The houses have a simple structure, with walls made mostly of stone and brick, and roofs usually made of tiles or thatch, adapted to the humid and salty environment of the seaside.
The roofs are sloping to facilitate drainage; the windows are small to reduce the impact of sea winds; some houses have corridors or balconies for drying fishing gear and clothes.
Arriving at the two-story house, the old man reached out and knocked on the door, calling out, "Village Chief! Village Chief!"
"Old Li, are you calling back the soul? Why are you shouting so loudly!" A burly, dark-skinned man in his fifties pushed open the door and came out.
Upon seeing the group, the man paused, then glanced at the old man with displeasure, his expression full of reproach.
“Village chief, these aren’t outsiders, they’re Wenying’s friends. Wenying asked them to come back and help pay off the debt,” the old man said with a smile.
"Oh, it's Wenying's friend! Come in, come in!" Upon hearing the old man's words, village chief Yan Shuntang immediately forced a smile and ushered Tian Guoqiang and the others into the house.
"Your house is great, with a good layout, spacious and very grand!" Tian Guoqiang praised loudly.
Yan Shuntang was overjoyed to hear this and happily led them on a tour.
The house has a simple but spacious layout on the first floor, with four rooms, a kitchen and a toilet at the back, and a large courtyard. There is an attic on the right side of the courtyard for storage.
However, he only took them on a brief tour of the first floor before returning to the main hall.
"Where is Wenying now? Is she doing well?" Yan Shuntang asked Tian Guoqiang and the others to sit down, and then instructed his wife to pour tea.
Yan Guobao, the old man who brought Tian Guoqiang and the others earlier, couldn't help but nudge Yan Shuntang when he saw that Yan Shuntang hadn't mentioned "business" for so long.
Thinking to myself: Hurry up and talk about the money!
Yan Shuntang nudged back: "I was thinking the same thing, but we can't act completely heartless. Besides, they came to repay the money on their own initiative; they can't just run away."
Yan Guobao nudged Yan Shuntang again: "Hurry up and tell me!"
Yan Shuntang touched it again: Let me ask about the situation again...
Seeing the movements of the two men's arms and the exchange of glances, Tian Guoqiang and his companion felt a chill run down their spines and instantly went on high alert. Their hands were already in their pockets, ready to draw their guns.
"Go and tell everyone who lent money to Wenying, and bring them the IOUs." Yan Shuntang wanted to find out more before making a decision.
But Yan Guobao kept bumping into him and urging him, so he had no choice but to make arrangements immediately.
Soon everyone arrived with IOUs. There were many people in the village who owed money, but the amounts were not large, totaling only a little over five hundred yuan.
Tian Guoqiang returned all the money and then distributed the gifts in the bag to everyone.
After all that, everyone was very welcoming to them, inviting them to their homes, asking about the outside world, and hoping to take them out to broaden their horizons.
"Could you please help me out...?"
"Yes, we can definitely help! If it's possible, we'll definitely help! Tell me, what is it?" The villagers were so enthusiastic and answered so quickly that they interrupted Tian Guoqiang.
“Yan Wenying is quite busy at work right now. When she heard we were coming here, she specifically asked us to do three things: first, bring some gifts for everyone; second, return the money to everyone; and third, bring back something memorable, such as a photo of her with her family, or something else, as a keepsake.” Tian Guoqiang wasn’t in a hurry and spoke slowly.
"This……"
"This one……"
"Wenying's shed collapsed..."
"Where is anything left behind?"
Everyone chimed in with their own opinions, but they all said nothing of substance.
“I’ve got it!” Village Chief Yan Shuntang stood up and said.
"What is it? Village chief, tell us quickly!" everyone said in unison, their hearts filled with anticipation.
They really wanted to help these people, especially since the money they thought they had lost had been returned. Although it wasn't much, it was better to gain than lose.
Furthermore, they believed these individuals were capable and worldly-wise. If they could help them, they might be able to take them out of the country.
“Don’t we have photos of Xiaoying and her grandmother in the village? Let’s bring them over,” Yan Shuntang said.
“Yes, yes, last time it rained heavily, we moved Wenying’s things to the village’s storeroom. They can take a look and take whatever they like,” village accountant Yan Shuibing interjected.
Those things were actually placed in the village after Yan Wenying pleaded with everyone before she left. Yan Wenying was afraid that if her house collapsed, she would come back with nothing.
Everyone tacitly refrained from exposing Yan Shuibing's words.
Looking at Yan Wenying's photo, Tian Guoqiang felt a great deal of emotion. Yan Wenying in the photo was very dark-skinned and had rough skin, but she looked much younger.
The Yan Wenying in the photo is 99% the same person as the Yan Wenying on the ID card.
At first glance, this Yan Wenying bears a slight resemblance to the "Yan Wenying" who holds an ID card and works for Deng Xiuzhen. However, upon closer inspection, they are quite different.
Tian Guoqiang, however, showed no sign of anything amiss.