I trade in both worlds

"They have never been registered? They are illegal residents?" the security guard said in surprise.

The people waiting nearby turned around and looked over when they heard the security guard's words. Even the staff at the service window looked over curiously.

When they saw the tattered clothes on the people, everyone was so shocked that they didn't know how to react.

Everyone's gazes made Xu Xu feel even more uncomfortable. He was so nervous that he huddled behind Xu Ziqi.

An aunt in her fifties nearby felt sorry for them and wanted to step forward to say a few words of concern, but when she saw how scared she looked, she stepped aside for fear of scaring her and just watched quietly.

Seeing this, the security guard lowered his voice and asked, "Is this your relative?"

"No." Xu Ziqi repeated the words they had discussed yesterday: "She just came down the mountain the day before yesterday. She doesn't know anything about the area down there. She doesn't understand anything and hasn't seen many things."

"My sister saw that she was alone with several children and was hungry and tired after walking for a day and a night, so she took them back home."

"I asked her yesterday, but she didn't know what a household registration or ID card was. So I thought about helping her get a household registration. Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to find a job without an ID card. I can't let her continue to live in the mountains."

The security guard nodded, looked at Xu Xu pitifully and said, "There are still people who live in seclusion in the mountains and don't understand worldly affairs. Wait a minute, I'll go ask for you."

Just as he finished speaking, he saw a middle-aged man in police uniform coming over and nodded to the security guard: "Let me handle it."

Then he said to Xu Ziqi: "Hello, my last name is Chen, please follow me."

"Hello, Officer Chen." Xu Ziqi greeted.

Officer Chen nodded and led a few people to a conference room. Xu Ziqi sat at the outermost seat. Next to her was Xu Ziqing holding Xu Qiwei, and next to her was Xu Xu holding Xu Tingting.

The twins moved the chair next to Xu Xu and found that it had wheels and could roll like Xu Tiantian's walker. They pushed the chair back and forth. Xu Qiwei also wanted to go down and play when he saw it, but he was a little scared. He glanced at Officer Chen and continued to stay in Xu Ziqing's arms.

Xu Xu pulled the chair and whispered, "Sit still, don't play, or you'll have to pay for it if it breaks."

The twins climbed onto the chairs together and sat down. Xu Xu saw that the chairs were big enough for the two brothers to sit on without being crowded, so he let them sit as they pleased.

Officer Chen poured them a glass of water, sat down opposite Xu Xu, looked at the children with a smile on his face and asked, "Kids, what are your names?"

Xu Qiwei shrank into Xu Ziqing's arms in fear, while Xu Tiantian looked at him with curiosity. Xu Xu reached out and touched the twins' heads.

Xu Jin looked up at Xu Xu, then at Xu Ziqi, then turned to look at Officer Chen and whispered, "My name is Xu Jin."

"My name is Xu Zhun." Xu Zhun opened his eyes wide and looked at him curiously.

"Which Jin? That Zhun?" Officer Chen continued to ask with a smile.

Xu Zhun shook his head: "I don't know."

"I don't know." Officer Chen looked at Xu Jin and continued to ask, "You don't know either?"

Xu Jin shook his head.

"So how old are you?"

Xu Zhun stretched out his hand and gestured: "Five years old."

"Are you in kindergarten?"

Xu Zhun was sitting on a chair, his vision blocked by the conference table, so he simply leaned on the table, half-knelt on the chair, looked at Officer Chen and asked, "What is a kindergarten?"

Children have short memories. After a few questions, they have already forgotten the nervousness and fear they just felt.

Xu Xu supported Xu Zhun and said, "Sit down, don't kneel."

Officer Chen smiled and stood up: "See, I forgot you are young. This chair is too low for you. Let me help you move it higher."

Officer Chen adjusted the chair to its highest position, and the twins were finally able to reveal their heads, with their view no longer blocked by the table.

After Officer Chen sat down, he looked at Xu Xu and asked, "What's your name, and how old are you?"

Xu Xu glanced at him nervously, looked away, and said softly: "My name is Xu Xu, the Xu of willow catkins, and I am 20 years old."

"What is your relationship with these children?" Officer Chen asked, pointing at the children.

"The twins are my younger brother, and these two are my children. The older one is Xu Qiwei, who will be 9 years old in September, and the younger one is Xu Tiantian, who is already 3 months old."

"You gave birth to a child at the age of 17? You are still a minor." Police Officer Chen was a little angry. The child gave birth to a child at the age of .

Seeing their clothes, she took a deep breath to suppress her rising anger and continued to ask, "Where are your parents and your husband?"

Xu Xu lowered his head and said sadly: "They are all dead."

"Please accept my condolences." Although I felt sorry for her, as she was still so young and had several children, I still had to ask: "Did they die of illness? Or?"

"My father and the child's father were bitten by poisonous snakes when they were chopping wood at the beginning of last year. When I found them, their bodies were already stiff." Xu Xu lifted her sleeves to wipe away her tears, sniffed and continued: "My mother caught a cold at the beginning of this year, and she kept getting sick until she passed away a few days after the Dragon Boat Festival."

Officer Chen sighed and handed her two tissues: "The dead are gone, don't be sad, drink some water."

Xu Xu took the tissue, wiped her tears, looked at him embarrassedly and smiled.

Seeing that she had calmed down and stopped crying, Officer Chen continued to ask, "Where did you live before?"

"On the mountain." Xu Xu replied.

"Which mountain?"

"Uh..." Xu Xu didn't know what the mountain near Xu Ziqing's home was called. She looked at Xu Ziqing helplessly.

Seeing this, Xu Ziqing wanted to help her answer, but Officer Chen stopped him with his hand. He continued to ask, "What is the name of the mountain where you live?"

"I don't know. Usually we say going up the mountain and down the mountain. Does the mountain have a name?" Xu Xu turned and looked at Xu Ziqi.

"Yes, we usually..."

Before Xu Ziqi could finish his words, he was interrupted by Officer Chen: "Have you ever been down the mountain before?"

Xu Xu shook his head: "No."

"Is this your first time going down the mountain?" Seeing Xu Xu nod, he continued to ask, "Why are you going down the mountain this time?"

"When my mother passed away, she told me to take them down the mountain to live. I had never been here before and didn't know the way. I was even more afraid of life down there."

"But the food at home was almost gone. I had no choice but to pack up my things and take the children with me and leave like this."

"Don't you know the way? How did you get to Baiping Village?" asked Officer Chen.

"Just...just walk like this and you'll get there." Xu Xu replied helplessly.

"Where did your father go down the mountain before?"

"Ah?" Xu Xu looked at Officer Chen in confusion and asked uncertainly, "Isn't Baiping Village at the foot of the mountain?"

Officer Chen: “…”