Chapter 309: Child Missing

"Fifth sister, you've been in a low state lately. Is there something wrong with your health?"

"You, a single dog, what do you know? Women, you know, have those uncomfortable days every month. Don't bother about it."

"If you ask me, even if I'm not married, do you think I wouldn't know about women's stuff? But look at fifth sister, does she look like she's having her period?"

"You're so crude. Can't you be more civilized and refined? Talking about periods while I'm still eating."

"Haha! I'm not a refined person. Everyone who knows me knows that. You didn't just meet me today!"

On the construction site, a group of workers gathered for lunch, some drinking cheap white wine, others sipping inexpensive beer. After a tiring day, this was their most relaxed moment, with laughter and a decent atmosphere.

However, one person seemed out of place, looking burdened with concerns.

This person was the fifth sister mentioned by the workers, the middle-aged woman who had crossed paths with Yang Haoran at the Death God Temple today.

Fifth sister is the fifth in line at home, so her fellow workers affectionately call her fifth sister.

Working on the construction site is not exclusive to men; there are also women. However, usually, women come with their husbands, and their tasks mainly involve supporting roles.

Here, as long as you can endure hardship, you can earn money, provided the boss doesn't disappear and pays on time.

Fifth sister is not married, so she didn't come with her husband but joined her fellow villagers who work on the same site.

Seeing fifth sister looking dispirited and with heavy dark circles, the other workers present hesitated to continue joking.

"Fifth sister, if you're not feeling well, go see a doctor. Don't force yourself. Some illnesses get worse the longer you ignore them. Don't try to save a few bucks."

"Yeah, fifth sister, we were just joking. Don't take it to heart. Honestly, your current appearance is a bit scary, like you haven't slept in days."

The concern from her coworkers brought a slight smile to fifth sister's face.

"Thank you for your concern. I'm fine; it's just that I haven't been feeling well lately, haven't rested properly, so I look a bit out of sorts."

"If you're not feeling well, take a few days off. Money can't replace your health. What's the use of earning a lot if you lose your health?"

"I'm not capable? You are! A big man like you, facing such a situation, can't even assert yourself. You're not as good as a woman. Truly capable!" The woman raised her voice at the man.

"You!!!" The man was furious and abruptly stood up, seemingly ready to teach his wife a lesson.

Other coworkers intervened, pulling and persuading, finally silencing the woman. The man returned to his seat.

"Calm down, everyone. Let's calm down. Getting angry won't solve anything, especially arguing among ourselves won't fix the problem. I called Old Zhang today, and he said he would talk to the boss and get our wages after he finishes dealing with some family matters." One coworker tried to pacify the situation.

"How many times have we heard that? My ears are calloused. It has never been implemented."

The woman, who spoke earlier, dropped this comment and left. Her husband glared at her retreating figure, but he didn't chase after her.

"Alright, let's not argue with a woman. Come, let's drink, let's drink!" Another coworker tried to soothe the man.

The man took a sip of his drink, still sulking in silence. The coworker who spoke earlier continued, "Actually, Old Zhang is really unlucky. Bringing us out to work and encountering such a boss. His daughter also went missing a while ago, and they still haven't found her."

Another coworker chimed in, "Old Zhang has had a tough year. He got married late, at the age of forty, and had this precious daughter. They thought of working hard and earning more money, paving the way for their daughter's education. Now, they haven't earned the money, and their daughter is missing. It's really... sigh!"

"What happened to Old Zhang's daughter exactly? I heard about it these past few days, but the information I got wasn't very detailed." Another curious coworker asked.

This coworker was not from the same village as Old Zhang. He was recruited from another village to work here. He had recently heard others mention Old Zhang's family situation but didn't know much about it. Now, with coworkers discussing it, he had a chance to find out more.

"Old Zhang is the youngest in his family. His siblings are all working outside. Only an elderly mother is left at home. The mother, being old and not familiar with mobile phones, didn't realize the child didn't come home at night. She thought the child might be at a relative's or a friend's place, as similar incidents had happened before and weren't a cause for concern."

"It wasn't until the next day, when the teacher called Old Zhang, that he learned his child hadn't gone to school. At that time, Old Zhang thought the child might be sick, so he called the neighbors and, through them, contacted his elderly mother. That's when he found out the child not only skipped school that day but also didn't return home the previous night."

"Old Zhang considered the possibility that the child mischievously went to a relative's place. So, he called relatives, both those likely and unlikely to have the child. But the result was the same. They hadn't seen the child."

"If relatives haven't seen the child, it complicates matters. So, Old Zhang immediately dropped everything, left all his work, and hurriedly returned home with his wife to search for the child. They've been gone for several days, and there's still no news of the child."

At this point, the coworker took a sip of his drink, and the one who asked earlier continued, "Did Old Zhang report it to the police?"

"Of course, he reported it on the same day they returned home. But even after several days, there's been no good news."