Chapter 541 - 540: Grand Reunion (Part 4)

Both Jia Bao and Chun Mei’s daughter were just microcosms of countless families with missing children.

A child can be lost in a matter of minutes, or even just a few seconds, yet the search can take years, decades, or an entire lifetime.

And that search may yield no results, or if they are found, they may be changed beyond recognition.

Chun Mei found her daughter, and even though the girl was now disabled, she was determined to raise her well and brought her to the grand reunion dinner.

Yet some families were unable, or perhaps unwilling, to acknowledge their sons or daughters who had been changed beyond recognition.

Sometimes, reality is crueler than movies, television, or novels.

Countless parents came to the Imperial City only to leave without their children, forced to continue their search.

Likewise, many of the abducted victims who were rescued remained unclaimed.

Aside from a few who were physically sound, the majority of them were disfigured and disabled.

’Did their parents not come, or did they come but not dare to, or were simply unable to, claim them?’ No one could be certain, and no one could force the issue.

Even after being rescued, these people would likely never have a bright future.

Their tragic fate was sealed the moment they were abducted.

The minors were sent to welfare institutions for the disabled, while the adults were ultimately left to fend for themselves.

They had no skills and were physically disabled. In the end, they would likely return to a life of begging.

The police officers who rescued them knew full well what their futures held.

When no parents came to claim them, it was the police who brought them to the grand reunion dinner.

Many parents who had not yet found their own children also attended. They hadn’t left the Imperial City yet, and so they accepted the invitation.

This grand reunion was a unique event, with several hundred people in attendance, making it even livelier than a wedding.

By the time Su Li and her party arrived, a large crowd had already gathered.

Whether they had found their children—in good health or not—or were still searching, everyone tried to be cheerful at this moment.

After getting out of the car, Su Li and the others were greeted by a sea of smiles as they entered, and they couldn’t help but smile in return.

"Tang Mo?" Just as they were about to look for seats, they heard a greeting filled with pleasant surprise.

Su Li looked in the direction of the voice and saw a mother, holding a boy of about three or four, walking toward them with a delighted expression.

"You must be Tang Mo, right?"

The mother had barely spoken when the little boy in her arms eagerly lunged toward Little Tang Mo.

"Brother Mo!"

"Little Frog." Little Tang Mo hurriedly caught the little boy.

"Brother Mo!" The little boy, called Little Frog, hugged Little Tang Mo and wouldn’t let go. "Mommy, Brother Mo, amazing Brother Mo!"

"I know, I know, Mommy sees." Little Frog’s mother looked at Little Tang Mo, her face full of gratitude.

"Thank you so much, Tang Mo. Little Frog told me everything. He said you took care of him the entire time."

This was Little Frog, one of the children who had been in the same vehicle as Little Tang Mo. Everything that happened on that trip had left an incredibly deep impression on the boy, and he had come to greatly admire and adore Little Tang Mo.

Although Little Frog had been frightened, he had listened to Little Tang Mo. After being taken from the vehicle and sold to strangers, he remained well-behaved and didn’t cry or fuss. As a result, he hadn’t suffered much by the time he was rescued.

Once he was back with his parents, "Brother Mo" became a constant refrain.

He was the one who had spotted Little Tang Mo entering just a moment ago, which was why his mother had come over.

Little Frog clung to Little Tang Mo, refusing to let go. As his mother’s gaze fell on Su Li and Wu Sheng, a flicker of confusion crossed her eyes.

"Are you Tang Mo’s parents?" ’The father I could believe, but the mother looks far too young.’

Su Li froze for a moment at the question. She stole a quick glance at Wu Sheng before smiling and replying.

"Yes. I’m Su Li, nice to meet you."

Wu Sheng, standing beside her, nodded with a slight bow. "Hello. I’m Wu Sheng."

He didn’t claim to be Tang Mo’s father, but he didn’t deny it either. It was... a tacit admission.

Su Li peeked at Wu Sheng. Beside them, Little Tang Mo also glanced at Wu Sheng, a flicker of amusement in his eyes.

For the moment, Little Frog’s mother didn’t consider why Wu Sheng and Tang Mo had different last names. She was simply happy with their response.

"Oh, Su Li! My goodness, you’re so young. Thank you, thank you so much. And thank Tang Mo. If it weren’t for your son, I..."

She was so grateful she didn’t even know how to properly express her thanks.

She grabbed Su Li’s hand, a thousand words of gratitude on the tip of her tongue, yet none seemed adequate.

Su Li looked into her eyes and could feel the depth of her gratitude. She patted the woman’s hand and was about to speak, but she was interrupted the very next second by another excited cry of "Brother Mo!"

Then another came, and another. Su Li’s group found themselves unable to take a single step, completely surrounded by sharp-eyed parents and children.

These were the other children who had been rescued from the same vehicle as Little Tang Mo, along with their parents.

They came from different walks of life. Some were dressed in expensive, well-tailored clothes, their faces well-cared-for. Others wore their cleanest outfits, though faded from countless washings, their faces sun-beaten and ruddy from years of hardship.

But now, they were all gathered around Little Tang Mo, exchanging pleasantries, holding hands, and talking amongst themselves.

Their environments and life trajectories were completely different, and their values may have been too. But at this moment, they were all united by a profound, shared experience.

They had all recently lost a child and experienced that unique despair. Likewise, they had all, thanks to Little Tang Mo, had their children returned to them, and they all knew the overwhelming joy and gratitude that followed.

In this moment, their hearts were one.

While the adults exchanged grateful pleasantries, a dozen or so children crowded around Little Tang Mo. They all vied to speak with him, yet were well-behaved enough not to shout. Their quiet excitement drew the attention of others nearby.

Curious onlookers began to ask what was happening. As they learned of Little Tang Mo’s incredible story, the news spread from one person to the next, and the crowd around him grew even larger.

By the time Su Li and Wu Sheng finished exchanging pleasantries with the parents, they looked up and were startled by the sight.

Little Tang Mo and Su Li had only wanted to quietly attend the reunion; they had no intention of being the center of attention, but now they had no choice.

By the time the police and various officials arrived, half the people in attendance had already heard about Little Tang Mo’s exploits.

And though these stories didn’t even cover a quarter of what Little Tang Mo had actually done, they were more than enough to astonish everyone.

An endless stream of thanks, exclamations of awe, and praise washed over Little Tang Mo.

When an announcement was made that the dinner was about to begin, the police officer hosting from a simple, makeshift stage asked everyone to find their seats. Even after everyone obediently sat down, their eyes kept drifting back to Little Tang Mo.

Little Tang Mo breathed a sigh of relief as the crowd dispersed. Su Li and Wu Sheng were about to lead him to a nearby seat when they were called over by Mr. Zhang.

"Su Li, come, this way."

Mr. Zhang squeezed through the crowd with a wide smile, ushering Su Li’s party toward the front.

In the end, Su Li and her group were seated at the main table in the center, right with the officials.

"Tang Mo." The highest-ranking official at the table greeted Little Tang Mo with a warm, friendly smile.

Su Li watched from the side, filled with a myriad of emotions.