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Final

The doorbell rang again. Lu Qingrong opened the door, surprised to find policemen.

The police, not just one but several, had come to Lu Qingrong's door, and Gu Qin never expected them to show up on New Year's Eve.

The middle-aged man at the front was quite gentle in his tone, "Hello, we're from the Liangping Police Bureau. We need to talk to a comrade named Gu Qin about a case. Is Gu Qin here?"

This voice wasn't too quiet; everyone inside heard it. Gu Qin wasn't surprised; she roughly knew why they were there. She stood up and walked to the living room entrance, where she saw the policemen. "I'm Gu Qin."

The middle-aged man smiled. "It would be a bit of trouble for Comrade Gu Qin to accompany us back to the police bureau for some case-related investigation. Don't worry; it's just a matter of cooperation."

Gu Qin nodded and took her coat, preparing to go with them. Lu Qingrong, who didn't feel at ease, pulled Gu Qin behind him and suspiciously looked at the policemen. "Today is New Year's Eve, and my niece is just an ordinary high school student. What kind of case could she assist you with?" Lu Qingrong thought his niece was just a child, and he didn't trust these people.

The middle-aged man laughed. "Is this Comrade Gu Qin's parent? Don't worry, it's related to a human trafficking ring case, so we need to take Gu Qin back for assistance."

Everyone in the living room was stunned. They didn't understand what was going on. Only Gu Jia knew what was happening, but he always thought the case was already solved. Why would they come for his sister again?

Gu Qin told Lu Qingrong, "Uncle, don't worry, it's nothing serious. I met a human trafficker today, and it’s related to this case. So they want me to help with the investigation. You all stay here, I'll be back soon." The police were from the Liangping city bureau, which had taken over the case from the Bai'anpo bureau. The Bai'anpo bureau captain must have contacted his superiors after reading her note, leading to the transfer of the case. Seeing the relaxed expressions of the police, she assumed they had already dismantled the trafficking ring.

Gu Qin knew that she would be called in for questioning. The information she provided was too specific, and she couldn’t stand idly by while children were sold. Besides, heaven had given her the gift of foresight and a second chance, and she couldn't ignore such matters. Helping these children meant the difference between happiness and despair for many families.

She couldn't handle the situation alone or take risks by directly intervening; only the police could save the trafficked children. Gu Qin said to Lu Qingrong, "Uncle, don't worry, everything's fine." She then prepared to go with the police. Lu Qingrong, who didn't feel comfortable, decided to accompany her. He figured he might be able to look out for her if anything happened.

Seeing the Cheng family eagerly waiting at the door, Lu Qingrong sternly said, "Go inside, I'll go with Gu Qin."

Cheng Yinxiang came out of the kitchen, initially thinking something serious had happened. After learning it was related to human trafficking, she didn't pay much attention, assuming her daughter was assisting with the case.

After the police left with Gu Qin, the family in the living room exchanged puzzled looks. Cheng Mother worriedly asked, "Yinxiang, what's going on? How did we get involved with human traffickers?"

Yinxiang explained the events in the car and mentioned her daughter's fortune-telling abilities. She felt it was better to tell the truth now that they would interact more. She admitted to the divorce with Gu Yuanjiang, which shocked the family. Cheng Mother, however, wasn't surprised and found it somewhat relieving.

Cheng Yinxiang sighed and revealed the truth: "Mom, Dad, I got divorced from Gu Yuanjiang."

This revelation left the family stunned. Cheng Mother, who had always opposed the marriage, was relieved. Cheng Yinxiang explained the details of the divorce, and the family eventually accepted it.

Gu Qin went to the police station with Lu Qingrong. The police chief leading her was Huang Kun, a middle-aged man from the Liangping police force. The Liangping police station was larger than the Bai'anpo station and had more officers involved in arresting the traffickers. Only Huang Kun knew about Gu Qin's involvement, as the case needed thorough investigation.

Huang Kun questioned how Gu Qin knew the location of the traffickers without providing any evidence. Wang Kelin, the Bai'anpo captain, explained that Gu Qin had given him a note with the details, and he had acted on it.

Huang Kun was skeptical but intrigued. He asked Gu Qin how she knew about the traffickers. Gu Qin replied that she was a feng shui master and had used her abilities to find their hideout.

Huang Kun and the young officer were stunned. Lu Qingrong was equally amazed, having never known his niece had such abilities. Huang Kun recorded Gu Qin's statement, asking her about the events on the car and her predictions.

Ten minutes later, Huang Kun's phone rang. His wife was crying, saying their son had been scalded by hot water. Gu Qin had predicted this, and Huang Kun was shocked. She provided a herbal remedy to treat the burn, which Huang Kun passed on to his wife.

The young officer also received a call from his girlfriend, as predicted. This further convinced Huang Kun of Gu Qin's abilities.

After recording her statement, Huang Kun thanked Gu Qin for her cooperation. He promised to send a banner to her school. Gu Qin declined, not wanting to become famous.

Huang Kun offered to take them home, but Lu Qingrong had already arranged transportation.

Huang Kun wished them a happy New Year and asked if Gu Qin could provide her contact number for future cases. He admired her abilities and hoped she could assist them in solving difficult cases in the future.

Gu Qin agreed to leave her contact number. Huang Kun was excited about the possibility of working with her in the future. Gu Qin felt lucky to have helped solve the case and hoped her actions could make a positive impact on the lives of those affected by human trafficking.

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After leaving his phone number, Gu Qin left with Lu Qingrong. Indeed, there was a car waiting for them outside, and the two of them got in and headed towards the Cheng family's place.

Throughout the journey, Lu Qingrong remained silent. He had been thinking about many things during this time. There was surprise at his little niece, and he also recalled past events. He had known since childhood that he wasn't from the Cheng family; the Cheng parents had never hidden this fact from him.

At first, he merely regarded Cheng Yinxiang as a sister, but without realizing it, things changed. In his teens, he developed feelings for her, but she liked someone else. He watched helplessly as she married another man and later never even told her about his feelings. Later on, he himself got married, but perhaps because his wife thought he was too poor, they divorced. That year, she returned to her family home, and after drinking heavily, he couldn't resist confessing his love to her, only to receive a slap in return. He then woke up, though this incident was witnessed by the Cheng family members, and he never mentioned it again.

Thinking back on these memories, Lu Qingrong couldn't help but sigh. The feelings of youth were the purest, unadulterated by any impurities. He genuinely loved Cheng Yinxiang, and those youthful feelings were the most heart-stirring. Actually, his previous marriage was arranged by others, and he felt quite desperate at the time, so he married. After the divorce, he started doing business, and in recent years, he hadn't considered finding another woman. Not that he didn't want to, but he felt that if it wasn't the one he truly loved, settling for less would be worse than not having anyone at all.

After achieving success in his career, many women showed interest in him, but it meant nothing to him. So, he had been single all these years. As for Cheng Yinxiang, he dared not think about her anymore; perhaps this was how it would be for the rest of his life.

He had no children, and he couldn't help but turn to look at Gu Qin. He wanted to treat Jiajia and Qin Qin as his own children, but he feared the Gu family wouldn't approve. Well, everything should happen naturally.

Gu Qin didn't say much along the way. Uncle Er knew, and there was no need to hide anything from the other side. The relatives on this side were different from the Gu family's relatives.

When they returned to the Cheng family home, it was almost six o'clock. The Cheng family wasn't too worried. Seeing Gu Qin and Lu Qingrong return, they laughed and said, "Good, good, you're back. It's time to eat. Today is New Year's Eve, everyone, Happy New Year."

Gu Qin went into the kitchen to help serve the dishes, while Lu Qingrong helped set the table. Cheng Yin Hua smiled and said, "How did it go? Wasn't there any trouble at the police station? We know what happened on the way here; you identified a human trafficker and saved a child in the car." She couldn't help but admire, "Qin Qin is really brave."

Lu Qingrong chuckled. How could she just be brave? It was astonishing. They probably didn't know what Gu Qin had done. Using techniques to see through the gang's hideout and the leader's notebook was simply amazing. These extraordinary things only seemed magical when heard about, but now that they were happening right in front of them, they were truly shocking.

For now, Lu Qingrong didn't plan to reveal this matter. First, they would have dinner. Just as he finished setting the table, Cheng Yin Hua leaned over and whispered, "Qing Rong, I have good news for you. Cheng Xiang has divorced..."

With a loud 'crash,' Lu Qingrong accidentally broke a porcelain bowl. Cheng Yin Xiang, who was carrying a plate of food out of the kitchen, smiled and said, "What happened? Broken bowls mean peace and safety... it's a good thing..." She placed the plate on the table and prepared to pick up the broken pieces.

Lu Qingrong finally regained his senses and pulled Cheng Yin Xiang's wrist. "Don't pick them up, I'll get a broom. Be careful not to hurt yourself."

Cheng Yin Xiang quickly withdrew her hand and laughed, "I forgot my manners. Brother Er, sit down first. I'll go to the kitchen and get a broom to sweep it up."

"I'll do it," Lu Qingrong said, already hurrying to the kitchen. The adults understood each other, but the children didn't know what was going on. Cheng Chu Chu and Cheng Yue Guang were asking Gu Qin questions nonstop. They were young and admired heroes, and Gu Qin was their hero.

They had already heard the story of the car incident from Gu Jia a couple of times, but they still weren't satisfied. They wanted to hear it again from Gu Qin's mouth. Gu Qin told it in more detail, and by the time she finished, the food was all served.

Mother Cheng laughed and said, "Alright, you two. Your cousin will be staying here for a few days, so there will be plenty of time later."

The whole family had a lively dinner. After dinner, they cleaned up and sat down to watch the Spring Festival Gala. This was a tradition in China, where families gathered happily to eat and watch the show. Father Cheng and Mother Cheng couldn't stop smiling, their eyes always falling on Cheng Yin Xiang. They were open-minded elders, and considering Gu Yuan Jiang's character, it was better for their daughter to be away from him. They noticed that after the divorce, their daughter looked better, younger, and they were very happy about it.

Mother Cheng smiled and said, "Xiang Xiang, how long do you plan to stay with Gu Qin and Jia Jia? Stay for a few more days. It's fine if they go back after school starts."

Cheng Yin Xiang replied, "Jia Jia is taking the college entrance exam this year, and he needs to start school on the ninth. Qin Qin's school starts on the fifteenth. I plan to go back when Jia Jia starts school."

"Alright, stay for a few more days," Mother Cheng smiled. "There are plenty of rooms here, enough for all of you to stay."

This house was given to them by their parents when they exchanged their old homes during the demolition. The parents had two apartments in the city center, and after the exchange, they received two new ones. One was under their names, intended to be given to their daughter after they passed away, and the other was given to their eldest son.

The parents lived close to their eldest son in the same neighborhood. Their house was large, four bedrooms and two living rooms, but usually empty with just the two of them living there. Now that their daughter and grandchildren were back, there was plenty of space. Lu Qingrong had a house in Liang Ping, but it was far from the city center and was a villa. He didn't want to go back there and, knowing Cheng Yin Xiang had divorced, he had no intention of leaving. This was a rare opportunity, and he wasn't going to let it slip away.

As they watched the gala, they chatted. The younger people weren't interested in the show. Cheng Chu Chu was playing on her tablet, browsing forums. Soon, she found a post: "Today is New Year's Eve, and this morning on the way home, I encountered a group of human traffickers. It was incredibly dangerous, almost getting fooled."

Such posts, even with ordinary titles, attracted many views. Cheng Chu Chu saw that the post already had thousands of clicks and numerous replies. Some praised the girl who exposed the traffickers, saying she was a good person, while others criticized the passengers for moralizing and not helping. Some asked if the poster had taken a photo of the girl who exposed the traffickers. The poster responded that they didn't have a photo and wouldn't upload one, as it would be a violation of privacy.

Many praised the positive energy, but a few trolls commented that human traffickers did good by getting rid of troublesome kids. Everyone started criticizing these trolls, and the conversation veered off-topic.

Gu Qin felt helpless. Such trolls were everywhere. She hadn't expected such incidents to spread online so quickly. But it was normal in the internet age. Since her photo wasn't posted, it didn't matter.

At eleven, Cheng Yin Xiang and her aunt went to cook dumplings. They ate a few and were ready by midnight. At twelve, the sound of cheers came from the TV, but outside was quiet due to the ban on fireworks. The elderly slept easily, but even slight noise would wake them.

Mother Cheng couldn't help but laugh, "This is the first year we've banned fireworks. We can finally sleep well tonight."

After the gala ended, Cheng Yin Hua took his family home. Cheng Yin Xiang helped her mother clean up. Lu Qingrong often visited his parents-in-law and had a fixed room. He went to prepare his room and brought toiletries for Gu Qin and Gu Jia. Each room had two bathrooms, so both went to wash up.

Cheng Yin Xiang prepared the bed and went to sit in the living room. Her parents were already asleep, and she felt awkward. Lu Qingrong said, "Yin Xiang, come and sit."

She sat down, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Erge, how have you been? How's your business?"

Lu Qingrong stared intently at her. "I'm doing well. What about you?"

Cheng Yin Xiang felt nervous. His gaze was too intense. "I'm also doing well. Erge, why haven't you remarried?"

"Don't call me Erge," Lu Qingrong said self-deprecatingly. "I'm not surnamed Cheng. You can call me Qing Rong or Uncle Lu."

"Uncle Lu," Cheng Yin Xiang smiled bitterly. "It's been so long, how can I change?"

Lu Qingrong decided not to beat around the bush. They were both older now and didn't want to waste time. "Yin Xiang, I heard you divorced."

Cheng Yin Xiang's expression stiffened, nodding after a moment.

Lu Qingrong said softly, "Yin Xiang, I've waited for you all these years. Are you willing now?"

Cheng Yin Xiang froze. "Uncle Lu, I haven't thought about these things. You know, our children are grown up now. All I want is to take care of them."

"But they need their own lives, and so do you. Yin Xiang, we're not teenagers anymore. We're over forty, and we've lived half our lives. I don't want to waste any more time. Yin Xiang, I'll pursue you properly. From now on, I won't let you go."

He held her hand tightly.

Cheng Yin Xiang recoiled as if she'd been burned. She hurriedly stood up. "Uncle Lu, it's late. I should go to sleep."

She went into the room.

The Cheng family had four rooms, but one was converted into a storage room. Gu Qin and Cheng Yin Xiang shared one room, and Gu Jia and Lu Qingrong shared another. After washing up, Gu Qin entered the room to find Cheng Yin Xiang blushing, even her ears red. She looked puzzled. "Mom, why are you blushing?"

"Oh?" Cheng Yin Xiang touched her face. "Maybe the heater is too high."