Tang Tang was stunned. She turned to look at Zuo Mu. As she turned her head, she saw herself in the side - view mirror and realized that her eyes looked a bit eager.
Tang Tang raised her hand and pinched the palm of her hand. Then she looked up at Zuo Mu. "It's..."
"It's from the orphanage."
Tang Tang felt a pang in her heart. "What... What happened?"
Seeing Tang Tang like this, Zuo Mu couldn't help feeling heart - ache. "The child went missing last week. Chief Li suppressed the news."
Tang Tang frowned. "Then..."
Zuo Mu glanced at the cotton candy that Tang Tang had only taken one bite of. Finally, he sighed. "Eat first. I'll tell you later."
Tang Tang had no appetite at all, but since Zuo Mu told her to eat, she didn't want to go against his wishes.
After all, it was she who had coaxed Zuo Mu to buy this cotton candy for her near the hospital.
Tang Tang took a bite of the cotton candy as if it really mattered, but it tasted like nothing in her mouth.
However, her mind was much clearer than before. While eating, she thought about the matter. "Chief Li told you. Does it mean that there's a new child who has been given a number?"
Zuo Mu looked at Tang Tang in surprise. He knew that Tang Tang could guess he knew something, but he didn't expect her to figure it out so quickly.
"Yes," Zuo Mu didn't hide it. "This time it's a kindergarten kid. The parents found out and reported it to the police."
Tang Tang sorted out the whole thing while nibbling at the cotton candy. "Since Chief Li told you, does he want to see me today?"
Zuo Mu raised his hand and rubbed the space between his eyebrows. He knew that nothing could be hidden from Tang Tang.
Chief Li had indeed mentioned it today, but he had diverted the topic. Tang Tang had been involved in the last incident. This time, he definitely didn't want Tang Tang to get involved.
"Brother."
Tang Tang calmly finished the whole cotton candy. She took the wet wipes that Zuo Mu had put in the car and slowly wiped her hands. As soon as she called "brother", she saw Zuo Mu looking like he was facing a great enemy. She couldn't help but find it funny. "Brother, what are you afraid of?"
She threw the tissue into the trash can. "Take me to see Chief Li."
Zuo Mu frowned. "This matter has nothing to do with a high - school student like you."
"But I want to know who Tang Tang is. I think Shen Tian is looking for me. I have a hunch that Shen Tian seems to have something to tell me."
Tang Tang smiled at Zuo Mu. "Moreover, even if I don't go this time, Shen Tian will find another chance to call me over."
Zuo Mu looked at Tang Tang. "Did he send you a message?"
Zuo Mu had tampered with Tang Tang's phone, so he would know immediately if there was any abnormality. But he hadn't received any notice, so he was a bit unsure.
Tang Tang took her schoolbag from the back seat and rummaged through it for a long time. Finally, she took out a piece of paper with the number one clearly written on it in marker.
As soon as the paper was taken out, the whole car fell silent.
Zuo Mu had seen the real paper before, but he still took it over, felt it, and looked at the familiar handwriting. He endured for a long time before asking, "When did this happen?"
Tang Tang lowered her head. It took her a long time to whisper, "The day before yesterday."
Zuo Mu tried hard to suppress his anger. He stopped the car at the upcoming turn, turned to look at Tang Tang, and asked in a hoarse voice, "Then why didn't you tell me?"
It had been three days!
She had even been joking on the phone today, saying that she wanted to eat cotton candy, but she was just telling him now!
Just thinking that Tang Tang had been carrying this thing around for three days without saying a word made Zuo Mu angry.
"Speak!"
Tang Tang lowered her head. "I wanted to tell you, but you had a surgery the day before yesterday... And you were busy yesterday too. I never got the chance."
Zuo Mu frowned. "What about on the phone today?"
Tang Tang whispered, "I thought it wasn't suitable to talk about this on the phone. Someone might overhear us."
"Brother," Tang Tang reached out and pulled Zuo Mu's hand. "I don't distrust you. I just thought it wasn't that harmful. He hasn't had a chance to send me a message yet."
Zuo Mu's temples throbbed. The two of them sat in the car, and for a moment, neither of them said a word.
Zuo Mu was angry, and Tang Tang knew she was in the wrong.
Tang Tang usually only had English words and math formulas in her head. Now she was wracking her brains to figure out how to coax Zuo Mu.
After thinking for a long time, she took out a chocolate from her pocket that Huang Xiaoli had given her a few days ago. Huang had said it was an imported chocolate that her father had brought back from a business trip abroad. Tang Tang had been reluctant to eat it at that time, thinking that such a precious thing should be eaten in a more ceremonial way.
She never thought that Zuo Mu would be so hard to coax.
Tang Tang carefully took out the chocolate from her schoolbag and unwrapped it.
She looked at it for a long time and still felt reluctant, but it was more important to make Zuo Mu happy.
Tang Tang held the chocolate and carefully chose her words. "This was given to me by Huang Xiaoli. Here, brother, have it."
Zuo Mu glanced at the chocolate and knew it was very expensive. He wondered when his sweet - loving girl had become so generous. Then he turned and saw Tang Tang looking so regretful.
Zuo Mu couldn't help but want to laugh, but then he remembered he was still angry. He pretended to take the chocolate. "Oh, put it there."
Then he casually put the chocolate on the car seat. When Tang Tang saw Zuo Mu's gesture, she couldn't help but interject, "Brother, be careful. Don't break it."
Zuo Mu gave Tang Tang a sidelong look. "Even if it breaks, I'll still eat it."
Tang Tang was at a loss for words. She looked at the chocolate with a reluctant expression and whispered in a soft voice, "It won't taste good if it breaks..."
Zuo Mu was almost angered into laughter. He picked up the chocolate in his hand and looked at it. Seeing Tang Tang's expression, he couldn't help scolding her. "If you're reluctant, don't give it. If you give it, don't be so stingy."
Then he threw the chocolate back, and Tang Tang carefully hugged it in her arms. Then she turned and carefully observed Zuo Mu's expression. "Is brother still angry?"
Zuo Mu replied without thinking, "Yes."
Tang Tang immediately deflated. She then held the chocolate out to Zuo Mu again.
"I don't want it," Zuo Mu couldn't stay angry seeing Tang Tang's expression, but he still said in a bad mood, "You're always giving your own precious chocolates to others. Do you think everyone is as greedy as you?"
Tang Tang smiled faintly.
As soon as Zuo Mu saw Tang Tang smiling, his anger inexplicably dissipated. He looked at the time, turned the car around, and drove in the direction of the appointed place.
It was different now that he knew Tang Tang had the note.
Tang Tang was sitting in the passenger seat. She glanced at Zuo Mu's expression, broke off a small piece of the chocolate and put it in her mouth. The aroma of the chocolate filled her lips and teeth. It was really delicious.
Tang Tang couldn't help but curl the corners of her eyes. She turned to look at Zuo Mu. "Is brother still angry?"
"Yes."
Tang Tang held a small piece of chocolate out to Zuo Mu. "Then have a piece of chocolate."
Zuo Mu was angered into laughter. He took the chocolate from the tip of Tang Tang's finger. "Stop teasing me. I'll eat it all up later."
Seeing that Zuo Mu's expression had softened, Tang Tang felt relieved. She couldn't help but curl the corners of her eyes. "It's okay. Brother is the most important."