A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Song Xichen was restless from the moment he went to work. He usually didn't go home for lunch. Today, because he was worried about the little girl's illness, he decided to go home to see her and have a meal. He drove back to the Song Mansion and just got off the car and was about to enter the door when he suddenly saw Wu Ma leading an unfamiliar old woman towards the door. When she saw him, she suddenly hesitated and her eyes were evasive.

Song Xichen was the chief of police after all, so he immediately sensed something was amiss. He stopped Wu Ma, who was about to turn around and take the maid away, and asked, "Wu Ma, this lady looks unfamiliar. Where is she from? What are you doing here?"

Wu Ma's eyes were vague and she hesitated, not daring to answer.

The old woman was wearing a silk dress with large flowers and gold bracelets on her hands. She looked like a wealthy woman. She glanced at Wu Ma and when she saw that Wu Ma didn't answer, she took out a handkerchief from her bosom and shook it in her hand. She walked forward with a smile on her face and said, "Director Song, don't you recognize me? I am Rong Mama from Chun Man Lou."

Song Xichen suddenly remembered that Chunmanlou was a well-known brothel in the local area and he had been there several times to investigate cases.

Song Xichen frowned and said, "I wonder what Rong Mama wants to do in my house?"

"It's nothing. She was just passing by and I just said hello to her." Aunt Wu said first.

When Rong Mama saw Wu Ma say this, she seemed to understand what she meant and nodded quickly, saying, "Yes, yes."

Song Xichen saw that the two were acting suspiciously, and thought there must be something fishy going on, so he said with a smile, "Since Rong Mama doesn't like to tell the truth, I will bring my brothers to visit you this afternoon and investigate thoroughly."

Upon hearing this, Rong Mama was horrified and quickly complained, "Director Song, please don't be like this. We still have business to do. It's none of my business. It was your Madam Wu who said there was a restless little girl at home who originally came here to play with flower boats. The family couldn't accommodate her, so they asked me to take her in. I came here for your sake."

Song Xichen knew it was Gui'er the moment he heard her. He gave Wu Ma a sharp look, and she lowered her head in fear, not daring to say a word. He turned to Rong Mama and said, "You've come all this way for nothing. We don't have anyone to sell. Please go back." He then pulled some small change from his pocket and handed it to Rong Mama, saying, "Here's a little something. Go have some tea."

Aunt Rong smiled and said, "Oh, Director Song is too polite. How can I deserve it?" But she quickly took the silver and said, "Thank you very much, Director Song. Please come and visit me often when you are free." Then she walked away with a twist of her head.

When Rong Mama walked away, the smile on Song Xichen's face immediately disappeared, and he asked Wu Mama in a stern voice: "Where is Gui'er?"

Wu Ma didn't dare to delay and whispered, "I locked her in the woodshed. Don't worry, Master. I didn't do anything to her. I just scared her."

Song Xichen was too lazy to talk nonsense with him and ran towards the woodshed, with Dagang following behind him.

Arriving at the door of the woodshed, the two guards panicked when they saw Song Xichen. Song Xichen said, "Open the door."

The two of them quickly agreed and turned to open the door. Song Xichen saw Gui'er's clothes at a glance and thought that Gui'er was sitting there. He walked in quickly and wanted to pick her up. When he pulled the firewood, it fell apart and only a piece of clothing was pulled out.

Song Xichen was startled and turned to the two servants and shouted, "What's going on?"

The two servants were so frightened that they lost their souls. They quickly said, "Master, this is none of our business. We are just guarding outside."

Song Xichen kicked the stool away, and the firewood pile around it collapsed, revealing the hole in the wall where Gui'er had escaped. Dagang walked over and reached out to grab a handful of soil from the hole. It was fresh. He turned to Song Xichen and said, "She must have just escaped."

Song Xichen said to him: "Go back and notify the police station to send more people out to look for her immediately." Everyone in the police station knew Gui'er, so it would be easier to find her.

Dagang agreed and ran out.

At this time, Wu Ma appeared out of nowhere, looked at Gui'er's little dress and said, "This damn girl, I knew she was restless, but she actually managed to escape."

Song Xichen glared at her and said, "If I were to sell you to a brothel, would you run away?"

Wu Ma was speechless and walked away embarrassedly.

Song Xichen turned and walked to the front hall. The master, mistress, and the second young master were having lunch. They were a little surprised to see Song Xichen. The eldest mistress asked, "Xichen, why are you back for lunch today? Come, Madam Zhou, ask the kitchen to bring some meatball soup."

Song Xichen did not sit down at the dining table. Instead, he walked over to the sofa next to him and sat down, crossed his legs, and asked, "Who asked Aunt Wu to sell my personal maid?"

No one said anything. Master Song Shichang felt something was wrong and asked with a frown, "What's going on?"

Song Xichen said, "I just got home at noon and found Wu Ma leading the madam of Chun Man Lou to our house to buy someone. Upon closer inquiry, it turned out to be my personal maid Gui Er. I finally managed to rescue her from the brothel, and now you want to sell her to a brothel again. Are you trying to slap me in the face?"

The master was furious when he heard this: "My Song family is a family of scholars, a prestigious family, and a family of wealth and luxury. If others knew that we actually sold the orphan we rescued to a brothel, where would our family be able to save our reputation?"

The eldest wife panicked at this time and whispered, "I didn't intend to sell her to a brothel. I just asked Aunt Wu to sell her off so that I wouldn't be upset by her presence."

"She has just been in the mansion for a few days. You hardly see her several times a day. What could she do to upset you? You are just intolerant. Madam Zhou, go and call Butler Zhang." The master said, and Madam Zhou responded and walked out quickly.

Everyone could see that both the master and the eldest son were in a bad mood, and no one dared to speak. Taohua was very worried when she heard that Gui'er was going to be sold, but she didn't dare to move or say anything. She just secretly held back the tears that were about to flow.

Not long after, Butler Zhang arrived. He was wearing a long robe, had gray hair, and wore a pair of round-framed glasses. He was a few years older than the master. He had been in charge of the accounts in the Song Mansion for decades and was highly respected by everyone. General household chores were mainly arranged by Nanny Zhou, and he was only required to take action for major events.

Butler Zhang walked into the hall calmly and came before the master. He said calmly, "Master, are you looking for me?"

The master held his forehead and said, "Old Zhang, there's a little trouble right now. There's a little girl who just came to our house. Because she did something wrong, she upset Madam, and Madam said she would sell her off. The little girl ran away when she heard that, and we haven't found her yet. I'm afraid she'll run away and say something bad, which will damage the reputation of our Song Mansion."

In fact, Housekeeper Zhang had probably already heard Nanny Zhou's general account of what had happened on the way here. He pondered for a moment before saying to the master, "This matter is easy to handle. As long as we find the person first, this kind of thing won't happen again. We can send someone to give some money to the madam of Chun Man Lou and say hello. I believe she won't dare to offend our Song family."

The master nodded and said, "Okay, then go ahead and do it."

Butler Zhang said, "Okay." He turned and asked the eldest young master, "I wonder if you know where this girl usually goes?"

Song Xichen said: "She is not from here. Since she came to our house, she has either stayed at home or gone to school. She has also been to the hospital twice when she was sick."

Butler Zhang smiled and said, "I see. Then she will most likely go to school. I'll take someone there to look for her."

When Song Xichen heard this, he thought it made sense and said, "Let me do it. I'll go to the school to look for it, and you guys can look somewhere else." Then he stood up and walked away with big strides.