Chapter 13 Decision

  We dragged our tired legs back home, and as soon as we entered the house, we saw Dad staring blankly with a lifeless gaze. Mom was holding a photo in her hand, which was taken when she and An's mom went shopping together last year. The smile on An's mom's face was still gentle and charming. It gave us the feeling that she was still by our side, not gone. The room was silent, contrasting with the occasional firecracker sounds outside.

  Mom looked at the photo of An and said with tears: "An Yun, I'm sorry to you. I didn't take good care of QiQi. I lost her. Originally, I wanted to raise her up, send her to college, until she gets married. It's all in vain that we knew each other." After finishing speaking, she buried her face on Dad's shoulder and cried bitterly.

  "Dad patted Mom's shoulder and comforted her, saying: "Don't cry, Qiqi won't be in danger. I think Qiqi was kidnapped by human traffickers, they saw how beautiful and lovely she is, so they took her away. We'll go to the police station tomorrow to report the case and let the police help us find her. As long as Qiqi is alive, we will find her one day."

  "Kiki's life is already so bitter. She lost her father at birth, and she and I have been dependent on each other for survival. We hadn't even had a few good days here when An Yun had an accident. And now, who knows which heartless person has kidnapped Kiki? What if they hit Kiki? She's still so young, how much more suffering does heaven want her to endure before it relents? This is just too unfair."

  "Dad sighed after listening to Mom's words: "This world was never fair to begin with. Qiqi became an orphan at such a young age, and who knows when we'll find her. He looked at Chen Kun and Cao Lei, 'You two call home and tell them not to come back tonight, lest you get lost again.'"

  After dinner, no one was in the mood to watch the Spring Festival Gala. Exhausted from a day's work, everyone retreated into their quilts early. Before long, the sound of dense firecrackers erupted outside. We all knew that this year was about to pass and a new one would soon arrive. So many things had happened in this passing year, leaving us with an unbearable feeling of nostalgia.

  The next day, we all went our separate ways. Dad and Mom went to the police station to report the case, while Chen Kun, Cao Yu, and I continued searching on the streets, showing everyone Qiqi's photo and asking if they had seen her. Time and time again, we asked, and time and time again, we received answers that left us disappointed.

  One day passed, two days passed. A month, two months passed. Dad and mom had given up already. But the three of us were still continuing to search, because we knew that as long as we continued searching, there was hope, if we gave up then we wouldn't even have hope anymore. However, having hope doesn't mean it will come true.

  "Winter went and spring came, with the passing of spring, summer arrived. Half a year has passed without any clues, we had no choice but to give up."

  Chen Kun and Cao Lei waited for me after school, I have something to say to you. As the bell rang, students rushed out of the gate like a swarm of bees. The three of us walked at the end. "What's up, big brother, let us wait for you," Cao Lei asked. I didn't answer his words, but looked at Chen Kun and asked: "You said we grew up to avenge our mother, what can we rely on? Do we have that ability?"

  Chen Kun thought for a moment and said, "Let's go learn martial arts. It must be useful." Cao Wei heard this and excitedly exclaimed, "Great! I love martial arts the most. Let's go to Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of all martial arts under heaven. Shaolin Temple is the place I want to visit the most."