nucmednet Chapter 156 Cloud City
Chapter 156 Cloud City
Cheng Zheng boarded the train to Yuncheng.
Clang, clang, the wheels rolled over the rails, making a dull, rhythmic sound.
The scenery outside the window rushed past.
Cheng Zheng bought a sleeper berth. There were four beds in one carriage. Opposite him was a young couple who were probably dating.
The woman leaned on the man's shoulder, holding a small mirror and looking at herself repeatedly. Then, somewhat nervously, she tugged at her clothes and asked, "Weihua, does this suit me? Will your parents like me?"
The man named Weihua smiled and put his arm around her shoulder: "Don't worry, my parents are very easy to get along with."
"What if they don't like me?"
"There's no chance of anything going wrong. Our Cui Cui is so wonderful, they'll definitely like her."
Cui Cui blushed and buried her head in Wei Hua's arms.
Wei Hua lowered his head and kissed her hair. The two snuggled together and whispered intimately.
Cheng Zheng looked at them, his Adam's apple bobbing, and a wave of bitterness washing over him.
He looked away.
Lin Shuyao inevitably came to mind.
He recalled her delicate face and soft body, her blossoming beneath him, her cheeks flushed, her eyes glazed, her red lips slightly parted, her pearly teeth biting her lower lip, unconsciously humming, a picture of ultimate bliss.
She nestled in his arms, acting coquettishly, her voice soft, her eyebrows curving like crescent moons, two dimples appearing and disappearing, her smile so sweet and beautiful.
She loved it when he kissed her; every time he did, she would moan softly, her waist would become even more limp than usual, her chest would rub against him, and she would wriggle in his arms...
They were so sweet together...
Why?
Why don't you want him anymore?
Why leave...?
She left without even saying a word to him, just quietly.
The sweeter it was before, the more cruel it is now. Cheng Zheng's heart felt like it had been hollowed out, with a huge hole in it. The cold wind was blowing in, chilling him to the bone.
The man, a man of unyielding integrity, had his eyes slightly redden as he thought about it.
He turned to look out the window.
The sky outside the window was gloomy, with leaden-gray clouds hanging low as if they were about to fall at any moment. The wind blew in through the half-open car window, carrying a damp, earthy smell.
"Hey, have you heard?" some people were chatting in the carriage. "There was a major robbery on the train from Beijing to Guangzhou last night!"
"I heard, I heard!" the young couple who were going back to meet the parents chimed in. Wei Hua said, "I heard that an entire sleeper car was robbed, and three women were kidnapped by the robbers and their whereabouts are still unknown."
Cui Cui exclaimed in fear, "Oh my god, it's one thing for them to rob us, but why are they taking people away? This is terrifying!"
"What else can they do? A bunch of desperate criminals... Sigh, those women who were taken away are probably doomed, either... or..." The person on the upper bunk opposite shook his head and sighed.
Cui Cui's face turned pale: "Do you think we'll encounter something like that on this train too?"
Wei Hua put his arm around her and said, "Don't be afraid, it's definitely not going to happen. Those robbers just finished one round of robberies, and the police are out there looking for them. They definitely won't dare to commit any more crimes."
"That's true." Cui Cui breathed a sigh of relief.
Cheng Zheng, who had been silent until now, suddenly clenched his fingers, his knuckles turning white. He stared at the person who had spoken first and asked in a deep voice, "Was it the train that left Beijing for Guangzhou at ten o'clock last night?"
The man was startled by his gaze and nodded blankly: "Yes, that's the one. It was raining heavily that night. The robbers tampered with the railway signal lights, forcing the train to stop, and then pried open the doors to rob it."
10:00 AM. Guangzhou.
That's the train she bought a ticket for.
Cheng Zheng's mind went blank for a moment, as if something had exploded in his ears, and all the surrounding sounds faded away.
The sky outside grew even darker, and the wind picked up, rattling the car windows.
Cheng Zheng suddenly stood up, strode across the carriage, and found the train police officer.
"Comrade, I'd like to know about the robbery on the train in Guangzhou the night before last. Do you have any information about the three women who were taken away?" He showed his identification, his voice carrying an undeniable force.
The train police officer happened to be on duty with Zhang Yang yesterday. He saw Zhang Yang come to see Zhang Yang, and afterwards, Zhang Yang mentioned their relationship. So, the officer relaxed, pulled him aside, and lowered his voice:
"The higher-ups have blocked the news and won't let it out. I only heard it from others. Two of the women are married and around 25 years old, and the other is around 20. I don't know any more information. If you want to know, I can ask the train police officer who was on duty that day, but we'll have to wait until we get back to Beijing."
Upon hearing that the woman was around 20 years old, Cheng Zheng couldn't wait a second longer and anxiously asked, "Is there any way to find out as soon as possible?"
The train police officer thought for a moment and said, "I'll go to the platform at the next station and call to ask for you."
"This is troublesome."
For the rest of the journey, Cheng Zheng was restless and uneasy.
The scenery outside the window receded frame by frame, and his mind was filled with a jumble of thoughts, one after another, that he couldn't suppress—
His precious daughter was cornered in the carriage by those beasts. She huddled in a ball, trembling, tears streaming down her face, crying for help, but no one came to her aid. Those filthy hands reached out, tearing at her clothes. She struggled desperately, but she was so frail; how could she possibly fight them off…
She cried and called his name, but he wasn't there.
He's not in now.
Cheng Zheng clenched his fist tightly, his nails digging into his palms, the pain making him numb, but the pain couldn't mask the panic in his heart.
He sat up, then lay down again, repeating this several times, unable to settle down.
His palms were sweaty. He got up and walked to the connecting area between the carriages. He stood by the window and smoked one cigarette after another. The smoke was blown away by the wind and quickly dissipated, but he couldn't untangle the mess in his mind.
Early twenties. A lesbian. Guangzhou.
That was the train she was on.
He dared not think about it, yet he couldn't help but think about it.
What if it really is her?
What if something happens to her?
His fingers were trembling as he put out his cigarette.
Finally, we've made it to the next stop.
The train police officer went to the platform to make a phone call and then returned.
Cheng Zheng went up to him, his voice hoarse: "Did you find out?"
The train police officer nodded: "We found out. The woman in her early twenties was visiting relatives in Guangzhou; her boyfriend lives there. When she was arrested, she was wearing a floral shirt, black trousers, and cloth shoes, and carrying a tan canvas backpack with a five-pointed star embroidered on it."
Not her.
It's not his baby!
She didn't wear floral shirts, backpacks, or cloth shoes.
Cheng Zheng exhaled subtly, his heart returning to its normal position after being suspended in mid-air.
Only he himself knew how fortunate he was at that moment.
We've arrived in Yuncheng.
The train slowly came to a stop, and Cheng Zheng picked up his luggage bag and got off the train.
It was also a cloudy day in Yuncheng. The ground was wet from the rain, and the air was filled with the unique coolness of rain.