Ruan Xingyao took the file, opened it, and skimmed through it.
Aside from the abandoned circus in the western suburbs that Xie Lin had mentioned, it also listed circuses in ten other surrounding cities.
The level of detail genuinely surprised Ruan Xingyao.
Satisfied, she closed the file, rolled it into a tube, and tapped it against Xie Lin’s arm.
“Thanks, Captain Xie! But I can go by myself. You’ve been so busy lately, this little thing’s nothing—I can handle it on my own.”
Xie Lin was just about to say something when Ruan Xingyao continued,
“I can see the dark circles under your eyes. Didn’t sleep last night, did you? You should get some rest. I’m heading out now!”
“You really don’t need me to go with you?” Xie Lin reached out and held her arm.
Ruan Xingyao glanced down.
Perhaps because of long-term training and missions, his skin was much darker than hers, and there were many scars on the back of his hand.
With his large hand gripping her slender arm, the stark contrast in skin tone made her subconsciously swallow a bit of saliva.
A few seconds later, Ruan Xingyao tugged at her arm and looked up at Xie Lin.
“What’s this? Captain Xie sacrificing yourself for others? Or are you afraid I’ll mess things up?” she asked.
Xie Lin said, “No, I…”
“Don’t worry!” Ruan Xingyao shook the rolled-up file in her hand.
“I’ll bring back the little black snake later.”
With that, she turned and walked away without looking back.
Xie Lin watched her back disappear into the distance, chuckling and shaking his head.
Just then, Zhou Zelu happened to pass by.
Catching a glimpse of Xie Lin’s expression from the corner of his eye, he walked in with surprise.
“What’s with that expression?” Zhou Zelu asked.
“What about it?”
“You look… lovestruck.”
“You’re insane.”
Ruan Xingyao left the police station and casually hailed a taxi.
An hour and a half later, she finally arrived at the western suburban circus.
The place was even more rundown and desolate than it had looked on her map.
Not only was there no one around, but there wasn’t even a single shop nearby.
She walked to the gate and touched the rusted iron bars, hesitating for a moment, wondering if she should just head to the next location.
She really doubted there were still any small animals here.
Just as she was thinking this, a voice suddenly spoke from beside her:
“Who are you?”
Ruan Xingyao turned her head and met a pair of slightly sinister eyes.
It was a short, hunched old man with white hair.
Instead of being frightened, Ruan Xingyao stared straight into his eyes and asked, “Are you the person in charge here?”
The old man seemed as though he hadn’t seen anyone unafraid of him in a long time.
His gaze swept up and down over her.
“What do you want?” he asked.
Ruan Xingyao replied, “Excuse me, are there still small animals inside?”
At her words, the old man’s eyes grew even less friendly.
Ruan Xingyao instinctively took a small step back.
“Who are you?” the old man asked again.
Ruan Xingyao had already slipped her hand behind her back to pull out her phone, quickly opening her contacts and dialing a number.
She didn’t know who exactly she was calling, nor whether anyone would even pick up.
“I just want to buy a small animal to keep as a pet. I was wondering if you have any here,” Ruan Xingyao said.
The little old man seemed to be thinking about something.
After a long pause, he finally said, “Then go in and have a look.”
As he spoke, he turned and went back into the guardroom, taking out a ring of keys.
Ruan Xingyao hesitated for a moment, but still followed him inside.
The old man’s legs were both crippled, and he walked very slowly.
Ruan Xingyao trailed him at half an arm’s length, watching him move like that, and put her phone away, ending the call.
She hadn’t even noticed who she had called.
Because, looking at this old man, if there really was any danger, she was certain she could handle him easily.
Besides, ever since they had stepped inside, she could already hear faint, weak sounds of small animals.
【Did you hear that? I think someone’s here.】
【You must have heard wrong. Only Old Man Yu comes to check on us every morning and evening. Who else would come?】
【But I can recognize Old Man Yu’s footsteps, and right now there’s a stranger walking with him.】
【That’s so strange… It’s been more than half a year since anyone else came here. Who could it be today?】
【I wish I could fly out and see… but my wing’s already broken. I can’t get away.】
【Me too. My leg hurts so much… wuu wuu wuu…】
【I’m so hungry… I want meat… I really want to eat meat…】
【…】
The voices kept drifting in one after another.
From them, Ruan Xingyao could already tell there were at least seven or eight different kinds of small animals here—and judging from their conversation, all of them were injured or disabled.
And this Old Man Yu was the only one caring for them.
In that instant, Ruan Xingyao let down her guard toward him.
In her mind, anyone who cared for small animals couldn’t have a bad heart.
If he hadn’t abandoned these injured creatures and still came every day to look after them, how could he possibly be a bad person?
However, even though she had already imagined the circus might not be in good shape, when Old Man Yu unlocked the door, the scene before her still made her eyes sting red instantly.
A yard no bigger than a classroom, covered with a plastic sheet overhead, already torn and tattered, long unable to provide any real shelter.
Inside were eleven or twelve kinds of small animals—nearly all just one of each species, except for two cats.
Every one of them was locked in a rusted cage.
Every one of them was covered in scars.
Ruan Xingyao quickly scanned the surroundings and already spotted several animals that were on the verge of death.
Her eyes instantly welled up with tears.
She could never bear to see small animals end up like this.
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Ruan Xingyao forced the tears back down.
She turned to Old Man Yu and said, “Can I stay with them alone for a while?”
Old Man Yu gave her a long, deep look.
Without saying anything, he turned around and walked out.
Ruan Xingyao hadn’t expected him to agree so easily.
However, she didn’t move right away.
Only after seeing him close the door completely did she turn and walk toward the nearest cage.
Inside was a myna bird.
Ruan Xingyao reached out and touched its broken wing.
It would never be able to fly again.
Such a beautiful pair of wings, now ruined.
In a soft, gentle voice, Ruan Xingyao asked, “Does it hurt?”
The myna gave a cry.
【It hurts! But… strangely enough, when you touch it, it doesn’t hurt anymore.】
Quietly, Ruan Xingyao was channeling spiritual energy into it to ease its pain.
The myna was already a chatterbox by nature, and now it chirped endlessly.
【Human! Why did you come here? Are you here to take us away?】
【Human! Can you help us?】
Ruan Xingyao’s gaze swept over the other small animals in their cages one by one.
Her expression was deeply conflicted.
With her personality, she would normally agree without hesitation.
But with her current financial situation, she could only refuse.
Just then, a voice suddenly came through.
— The end of the Chapter–
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