Dressed as a farmer's widow, she brought her daughter to stock up on food and reached the top

As the sun sets, Shi Liu and A Fan, who were out selling preserved eggs, come back on a ox cart.

Shi Liu had a tired but satisfied smile on her face: "Afan, the preserved eggs are selling well today."

Afan waved the whip: "Yes, our hard work has not been in vain." The ox cart slowly approached the door, and the two saw from afar the people waiting anxiously at the door.

Shi Liu happily jumped off the ox cart, took out a box of cakes from the cart and handed it over, "Mom, this is what Luo Jing'an bought for you."

Xiuying took the cake and smiled happily: "This child is always so thoughtful."

While helping to unload the goods, Shi Liu said, "I encountered a lot of interesting things while selling preserved eggs today."

Taohua and Guihua set the table for the food, while Afan and Chen Zexi brought chairs.

Taohua deftly brought plates of steaming hot dishes to the table: "Come on, everyone, it's time to eat!" Guihua smiled and set the table.

Afan and Chen Zexi put the chairs in order. Chen Zexi wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "This chair is really heavy."

Xiuying stood on the hillside outside the yard and shouted at the top of her voice, "Yinlian is ready to eat, go home quickly!" The only response from Xiuying was the echo of the valley, and Xiuying became anxious.

Xiuying frowned and clenched her hands unconsciously: "Where can this child run to?" She turned around and walked quickly back to the yard.

"Afan, go look for Yinlian nearby. I feel uneasy because the child hasn't come back yet." Afan responded, put down the things in his hands and ran out.

Pomegranate, Taohua, and Chen Zexi also ran out to look for Yinlian.

Shi Liu ran and called out, "Yin Lian, where are you?"

Taohua was so anxious that tears welled up in her eyes: "Please don't let anything happen."

Chen Zexi looked around and said, "Let's search separately, it will be faster this way." The shouts of several people echoed in the village.

Xiuying and her little daughters stayed in the yard so that there would be no one around when Xiao Laoliu came back.

Xiuying paced back and forth in the yard, looking at the door from time to time, and her little daughters also looked anxious.

Lao Wu whispered, "Mom, will Liu Mei be okay?" Xiuying comforted him, "She will be okay, she will definitely be okay."

Xiuying comforted her daughter verbally, but she was worried in her heart. Although Xiao Laoliu was young, she never went out to play alone, and even if she went out, she would come back on time.

Xiuying's heartbeat was getting faster and faster, and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. She prayed silently in her heart: "God bless me, please don't let anything happen to the child."

At this time, footsteps were heard in the distance, and Xiuying looked over expectantly.

It was Afan, who was holding a small backpack in his hand. Xiuying recognized at a glance that this was the one that Xiao Laoliu usually carried while doing work.

Xiuying's heart sank suddenly, and she asked in a trembling voice, "Afan, where's Xiao Laoliu?"

Ah Fan lowered his head, a look of guilt on his face: "Auntie, I didn't find Xiao Laoliu. I only found the small backpack she usually carried in the field."

Xiuying's body swayed and she almost fell. Afan was quick to support her.

Ah Fan anxiously comforted her, "Auntie, don't worry, we'll keep looking and we'll definitely find Little Six."

Xiuying struggled to stand, tears welling up in her eyes: "Where on earth did this child go?"

Taohua, Shiliu, and Chen Zexi ran all over the village but couldn't find Xiao Laoliu.

Taohua came back panting, her face filled with frustration: "Mom, we've looked everywhere, but there's no sign of Xiao Laoliu."

Pomegranate also started crying: "What should I do?"

Chen Zexi frowned and said, "Could it be that he ran out of the village?" Everyone felt even more depressed when they heard this.

Xiuying took a deep breath. Who could take someone away in the village without making any noise? If he was from another village, he would have been discovered by the women gossiping under the old locust tree at the entrance of the village as soon as he entered the village. So the person who took Xiao Laoliu away must be from this village.

Xiuying's eyes became firm: "Afan and Chen Zexi, go ask those idle young men in the village to see if they did it.

If they did it, tell them that everything will be fine as long as they release the person, and we will let bygones be bygones. Don't say harsh words to them.

(The eldest) Taohua, (the second) Shiliu, come with me and ask every household.

(Third brother) Osmanthus and (Fourth brother) Wintersweet, you go to the village entrance and keep watch so that you can be the first to know if there is any news.

(Old Five) Yingchun and (Old Seven) Mudan, you guys stay home, in case Yinlian comes back there might be no one home."

The children nodded and started to act separately.

The first place Xiuying took Taohua and Shiliu was to visit was Mrs. Sun's house at the entrance of the village.

Xiuying knocked on the door anxiously: "Mrs. Sun, open the door"

The door opened, and Mrs. Sun looked puzzled: "Sister Xiuying, what's going on?"

Xiuying asked hurriedly, "Mrs. Sun, have you seen our little Laoliu today?"

Mrs. Sun shook her head: "I haven't seen it, what's going on?"

Xiuying sighed: "Little Six is gone."

Mrs. Sun was shocked: "Huh? Then hurry up and look for it! I'll ask Jindan, Goudan and Tiedan to help you find it!"

Xiuying shook her head and said, "We've already searched everyone in the village. I guess Lao Liu was taken out of the village. I want to ask if you have seen any strangers enter the village."

Mrs. Sun frowned and thought for a while: "Sister, I have been busy at home today and didn't notice if there were any strangers entering the village."

Xiuying's face was full of disappointment. "Oh, sorry to bother you, sister-in-law." She was about to turn around and walk towards another house with Taohua and Shiliu.

He was stopped by Jindan. Jindan and Tiedan had been outside making bricks today. He saw Hongmei's father, a pig butcher from the next village, coming in a hurry and leaving angrily.

When Xiuying heard this, her heart skipped a beat.

"Golden Egg, are you sure you saw it right?"

Jindan patted his chest and said, "Auntie, I saw it clearly, there is no mistake."

Xiuying's face darkened: "Could it be him..."

Taohua anxiously tugged at Xiuying's clothes: "Mom, could it be that he took Xiao Laoliu away?"

Xiuying gritted her teeth and said, "Let's go to Hongmei's house and ask."

Seeing Xiuying was going to Zhou Dazhu's house, Jindan quickly added, "He came with a big piece of fat meat and left empty-handed."

Xiuying lowered her eyes and decided to go to the village chief's house first.

Along the way, Xiuying walked hurriedly with a serious expression.

Peach blossoms and pomegranates followed closely behind, not daring to make a sound.

Arriving at the village chief's house, Xiuying raised her hand and knocked on the door: "Village chief, village chief, please open the door."

The village chief opened the door and saw Xiuying's anxious face. He hurriedly asked, "Xiuying, what's going on?"

Xiuying recounted what had happened, and the village chief frowned. "How could such a thing happen? Xiuying, don't worry. I'll have my eldest daughter-in-law go to Zhou Dazhu's house first. If it's really his family who did it, we can't alert them."