Siheyuan: I live next door to Xu Damao, my last name is Cao

With a slight but harsh "creak" sound, the tightly closed door of the office slowly opened.

I saw that Liu Haizhong looked panicked, his forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat, and his brows were tightly furrowed as if they were twisted into a knot.

His eyes, which were originally bright and lively, were now filled with anxiety and worry, like two burning flames, eager to find answers.

The man with the bangs walked in an unusually hurried pace, almost rushing into the room at full speed.

His figure swept past the door as quickly as a gust of wind, causing a slight air flow and making the air around him seem tense.

At this time, Director Wang, who was sitting at his desk, was concentrating on dealing with the piles of documents.

The documents were piled up densely, like a mountain towering into the clouds, daunting.

Director Wang stared at the paper in his hand with his eyes so sharp that it seemed as if he could penetrate the paper and directly understand the information contained therein.

His expression was serious and he was completely immersed in the world of work, unaware of anything in the outside world.

However, when the sudden sound of the door opening broke the silence, Director Wang suddenly raised his head as if he was struck by lightning.

His gaze met the gaze in the bangs unexpectedly in the air, and in an instant, time seemed to freeze.

During this brief eye contact, an elusive panic flashed across Director Wang's eyes, as if a small stone was suddenly thrown into the calm surface of a lake, causing a series of brief but obvious ripples.

But it only took a moment for Director Wang to quickly regain his composure.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his somewhat restless heart.

Then, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, and he forced out a slightly stiff and forced smile.

That smile looked very unnatural, as if it was a mask worn on the face. Although it gave people a feeling of ease and joy on the surface, it could not conceal the deep-seated uneasiness and anxiety behind it.

"Master Liu, why are you here again?"

Director Wang tried his best to make his voice sound calm and gentle, attempting to conceal his inner turmoil.

However, the slightly trembling ending of his voice inadvertently revealed his true mood at the moment.

Director Wang's heart was like a bright and clear mirror, and he knew very well his attitude towards the search for Liu Guangqi in the past few days.

In fact, he didn't take it to heart at all.

The reason was simple. He knew very well that even if he called the relevant parties in Heilongjiang Province, the child would definitely not come back because of Liu Guangqi's rock-hard determination and complete and compliant procedures.

However, these thoughts seemed to be hidden deep in his heart. He dared not say a word to Liu Hai, who was as anxious as an ant on hot pot and whose heart was burning with worry.

At this moment, Liu Haizhong's face was filled with anxiety, and he no longer cared about the usual formalities and courtesies.

He walked hurriedly, and in the blink of an eye he had strode directly to the large desk of Director Wang.

Then, without hesitation, he stretched out his hands and placed them heavily on the table.

Due to excessive force, even his knuckles turned pale.

Liu Haizhong's tone sounded unusually hurried, with a barely perceptible tremor in it.

He stared at Director Wang with wide eyes, and asked impatiently, "Director Wang, I came here to ask you if you have spoken to Heilongjiang Province on the phone? Is there any news about my son?"

As he spoke, his eyes were filled with eager anticipation, as if as long as Director Wang could give an affirmative answer, then his long-cherished son would miraculously appear before his eyes in the next second.

Director Wang subconsciously avoided the gaze in his bangs, his eyes began to wander, and he leaned back slightly, pretending to tidy up the messy documents on the table, trying to cover up his inner uneasiness.

He cleared his throat, trying to make his voice sound as calm as possible, and said, "Master Liu, don't worry. I have been working hard on this matter these days, and I have been in frequent contact with Heilongjiang Province."

As he spoke, he pointed to the slightly old phone on the desk, as if that was the ironclad evidence of his efforts.

"It's just that Heilongjiang Province is so vast that finding someone is like looking for a needle in a haystack. It takes time for information to be transmitted, so there's no rush."

Liu Haizhong stared at Director Wang with a sharp gaze, trying to capture a hint of real information from his every subtle expression.

"It's been so long, is there no useful information at all?"

His voice trembled slightly, with disappointment and anxiety that was hard to conceal. It was a father's deep concern and worry for his son.

Director Wang frowned slightly, with an embarrassment on his face, as if he was thinking about an unsolvable problem.

"Master Liu, I understand how you feel. I am a parent myself, and I understand your torment at the moment. But this matter is indeed difficult, and there has been no definite news from the other side. But don't worry, I will increase my efforts to search and arrange more people to follow up. I will definitely give you an answer as soon as possible, so just be patient and wait."

Liu Haizhong sighed deeply, his eyes full of loss, as if all hope was shattered at this moment.

He lowered his head and was silent for a moment, as if trying to suppress the pain in his heart, and slowly said: "I expected that it would not be so easy to get news. Director Wang, I know this is troublesome, but Guangqi is my only son, and I can't lose him."

He raised his head and there was a glimmer of pleading in his eyes, which was the last hope of a helpless father.

"You must take the trouble to help me find him, no matter what the cost."

Director Wang stood up, walked slowly to Liu Haizhong, patted him on the shoulder and consoled him: "Master Liu, don't worry, I will do my best. Go back and have a good rest, don't exhaust yourself. As soon as there is any news, I promise to inform you as soon as possible and will never let you wait for a second."

Then Liu Haizhong took a deep breath, and a hint of sharpness rekindled in his eyes, as if he saw a ray of light in the darkness.

"Director Wang! Actually, I came to see you for a more critical and important purpose! I wonder if you still remember the person who helped Liu Guangqi write the application materials last time. Do you have any impression of his appearance?"

When Director Wang heard this, his body trembled slightly and a look of astonishment instantly appeared on his face. Obviously, he had never expected that Liu Haizhong would suddenly mention this matter. It felt like a dazzling bolt of lightning suddenly streaked across the sky and struck him directly on the head, catching him off guard.

I saw that his brows were slightly wrinkled, his eyes narrowed into a slit, and his eyes revealed a thoughtful expression, as if he was searching hard for some related clues in the depths of his vast memory.

At this moment, his mind was like a high-speed projector, with countless blurry images flashing by at an astonishing speed.

After a long while, Director Wang slowly spoke: "As for the specific appearance of that person... Well, to be honest, it is indeed difficult for me to recall clearly. But I still have some impression of the general outline. I only remember that he had a short, neat haircut, which looked very neat and tidy. As for his age, I guess he should be about the same age as you. Anyway, he looks quite stable and mature. He is not very tall, and his figure is of average level. Overall, he is just an ordinary person, there is really nothing special about him."

When Liu Haizhong finished listening to Director Wang's detailed description, his heart suddenly skipped a beat, as if he had been hit by an extremely heavy hammer, and an ominous premonition suddenly came to his mind.

The image of Yi Zhonghai instantly appeared in his mind. The familiar flat head and moderate build, wasn’t that a true portrayal of Yi Zhonghai?

The look in his eyes instantly became angry and determined, his fists unconsciously clenched, his joints turned white due to the force, and his knuckles turned bluish-white.

"It's him! Director Wang, this must be Yi Zhonghai's doing!"

Liu Haizhong said this through gritted teeth, his tone full of anger and unwillingness, it was the overwhelming rage after being betrayed.

When Director Wang saw this, his heart tightened and skipped a beat. He had never expected that Liu Haizhong would determine that it was Yi Zhonghai based on this alone.

"Master Liu, don't be impulsive. Just based on this, we can't be sure that it is Yi Zhonghai. Maybe it's just a coincidence? The world is so big, there are so many people who look similar."

Director Wang tried to appease Liu Haizhong. He knew very well that if Liu Haizhong identified Yi Zhonghai, things might snowball and become more complicated and difficult, and the situation would be difficult to control.

"Coincidence? How can there be such a coincidence!"

Liu Haizhong retorted excitedly, his face turning red like a ripe tomato.

"I felt something was wrong with him before. When I confronted him in the yard that day, his behavior was very suspicious. His eyes were evasive and his words were hesitant. Now that you've said this, all the clues fit together. This is definitely not a coincidence!"

Liu Haizhong became more and more excited as he spoke, his chest heaving violently, as if he wanted to vent all the anger in his heart.

"Master Liu, calm down."

Director Wang frowned, the wrinkles on his forehead formed a "川" character, and a worried look appeared on his face.

"Even if it is really Yi Zhonghai, we still have to pay attention to evidence and not just draw conclusions based on speculation. Without solid evidence, everything is empty talk. Not only will we not be able to find your son, but we may also get into unnecessary trouble."

Director Wang knew that if Liu Haizhong acted impulsively, not only might he not be able to find Liu Guangqi, but it might also lead to greater conflicts and even affect the normal order of the factory.

"Evidence? What evidence do you need?"

Liu Haizhong roared angrily, the veins on his neck bulging.

"He had a grudge against me before and has always held a grudge against me. He must have taken advantage of my son's desire to leave and fanned the flames behind the scenes, deliberately letting Guangqi leave so decisively, just to make things difficult for me!"

Liu Haizhong was now completely convinced that Yi Zhonghai was the mastermind behind this. He turned and left, still muttering, "I'm going to settle the score with him right now! I want him to hand over my son!"

Director Wang hurriedly stepped forward to stop Liu Haizhong and held his arms tightly with both hands, fearing that he would really rush out.

"Master Liu, don't rush to find him. If you go there impulsively, what can you get out of him? It might even alert him and make him prepare in advance. We have to think long-term and find a way to find solid evidence first. It won't be too late to go and argue with him later. Only when there is solid evidence will he tell us the whereabouts of your son."

As Director Wang spoke, he pulled Liu Haizhong hard, trying to calm him down, his eyes full of sincerity and persuasion.

Liu Haizhong was stopped by Director Wang. Although he stopped, the anger in his eyes remained unabated, like two burning flames.

He gasped, glared at Director Wang and said, "What do you say we should do? Are we just going to let it go? My son's life or death is still unknown, how can I bear this? I spend every day in agony, do you know how much pain I am in?"

After he finished speaking, Liu Haizhong's mind flashed with lightning, and an idea suddenly came to him. His eyes suddenly lit up, and he said excitedly: "This matter is your responsibility, Director Wang! You must have met that man before, so as long as you see him again, you will definitely recognize him at a glance! Director Wang, please, just accompany me to the courtyard for a walk!"

As he spoke, he stared closely at Director Wang, his eyes filled with utmost urgency and deep expectation, as if as long as Director Wang nodded in agreement, he would be able to uncover the truth behind the matter and successfully find the whereabouts of his son who had been missing for many days.

However, at this moment, Director Wang had a bitter look on his face, his expression changed slightly, and he was secretly complaining in his heart.

He knew very well that going to the courtyard to identify Yi Zhonghai was not an easy task.

Not to mention that doing so is likely to trigger a larger-scale and more intense conflict, causing the entire situation to completely get out of control.

From his own perspective, he really didn't want to get too involved in this mess, so as not to bring himself into some unexpected big trouble.

However, when he saw the guy in front of him with bangs who was determined to achieve his goal, like a stubborn old bull, he found it difficult to refuse the other party directly.

So, after some inner struggle and weighing, Director Wang said hesitantly: "Master Liu, this... I'm afraid it's not very convenient."

As he spoke, his eyes involuntarily revealed a hint of hesitation and embarrassment.

"I'm very busy at the factory. There are mountains of documents waiting for me to deal with, and various meetings are also fully scheduled. I really can't spare the time. Moreover, even if I go, if I recognize the wrong person, it will be a big trouble. Not only will I wrongly accuse a good person, but it may also cause new conflicts."

"Director Wang, please don't refuse!"

Liu Haizhong said anxiously, his voice a little hoarse.

"Think about it. If Yi Zhonghai really did this and caused my son to go missing, could you just watch and do nothing? Go there and identify him in person. If it's really him, we can work together to get him to tell us where my son is. This is the only hope to find my son. Just help this poor father of mine."

Director Wang's eyebrows were tightly furrowed together, forming a deep "川" character. He looked worried and had a lot on his mind.

At this moment, his heart seemed to be placed on an unbalanced scale, constantly shaking between the left and right ends, making it difficult for him to make a decision.

On one side of the scale is his strong sense of self-protection. He really doesn't want to get involved in this muddy water, because once he gets involved, it is very likely to bring himself endless troubles and disasters.

However, at the other end of the scale, there are concerns about bangs.

He knew very well that Liu Haizhong was a stubborn person. If he refused to help, he was afraid that the other party would continue to pester him and make the matter worse.

This will not only cause serious interference and obstacles to one's daily work, but may also affect the reputation and image of the entire factory.

After careful consideration, Director Wang finally sighed helplessly, then slowly said: "Forget it, Master Liu, in this case, I will accompany you on this trip. But let me be frank, we must be careful and cautious on this trip, and must not act rashly. You must remember that finding your son is the top priority, and you must not act on impulse, so as not to cause some unnecessary trouble and disputes."

When he heard Director Wang finally agree, a glimmer of hope flashed in Liu Haizhong's eyes, just like suddenly catching a glimpse of the faint but hopeful light of dawn in the long and dark night.

He nodded hurriedly and said, "Okay! Director Wang, everything is up to you. As long as you can find my son successfully, I am willing to do anything. Even if it costs a lot, I will not hesitate!"

..................

..................