Chapter 2 — The Flight of No Return

A year ago, a young woman's parents walked into the police station to file a missing person report. They stated that after their daughter went out with Phong, she vanished completely, leaving behind no trace of contact whatsoever. They strongly suspected that her mysterious disappearance was tied to Phong. The police promptly contacted him, and he willingly presented himself at the precinct to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. In the end, he was cleared and released. To this day, the fate of that young woman remains entirely unknown. Uncle Liu had even forwarded the missing person flyer issued by her family straight to us. Zeng Hui, twenty-seven years old when she vanished, had just graduated with her master's degree. Twenty-seven years old as well... And still her whereabouts are a total mystery. The police let Phong go, which seemingly proved he had nothing to do with it. But did he really have nothing to do with it? Holding the documents in my hands, a creeping chill rose from the depths of my heart, paralyzing my thoughts before I could even process the horror. Suddenly, Mother burst through the door. Her entire body was trembling violently, and her voice was raw and hoarse.

Xiao Shu, your father is in deep trouble!

I froze in absolute disbelief.

What?

Mother wept uncontrollably as she choked out the words:

This morning, someone filed a formal report accusing your father of abusing his official position for personal gain and accepting bribes at his agency. Early this morning, investigators from the anti-corruption bureau came and took him away!

I just received the news!

Xiao Shu, what are we going to do now?

My mind went completely blank. My father was merely an ordinary clerk at the tax bureau, holding a neither high nor low position. He had always worked diligently, living strictly by the book and fulfilling his duties with utmost integrity. Years ago, when I wanted to test into the tax bureau, Father had flatly refused to help me. He was terrified that people would gossip about him pulling strings or giving me an unfair back-door advantage. With a man of such unyielding integrity, how could he possibly abuse his power for personal gain or take bribes?

Mother, please try not to panic! I will call the tax bureau and find out what is really going on!

I immediately dialed the numbers of several of my father's colleagues to fish for information. However, everyone was tight-lipped and evasive.

It seems someone reported him using their real name.

The documentation submitted was extremely thorough...

Old Nhan is probably finished this time.

Upon hearing those devastating words, my mother instantly lost consciousness and collapsed.

Mother!

Panic seized me as I scrambled wildly to catch her. At that very moment, Phong arrived at our home to check on me. He helped me rush Mother to the hospital, showering me with gentle, comforting words. But my mind was entirely consumed by the nightmare befalling my parents, leaving no room to care about his presence. After getting Mother settled into the emergency ward, he looked at me and offered his help:

I already heard about what happened to your uncle.

As it happens, I know an instructor who works inside the investigation unit. I will go talk to him and see if there is any way out of this.

I lifted my gaze to look at him. He pulled me into a protective embrace.

Do not worry, I am here to handle everything.

His arms felt warm, yet an icy dread seeped deep into my bones. Because Mother had merely fainted from an overwhelmingly sudden shock, she regained consciousness fairly quickly. Learning that Phong possessed powerful connections, she wept and begged him for assistance. He flashed a honeyed smile and reassured her:

Please rest assured, Nhan Shu’s father is my own father as well. I will definitely do everything in my power to help him.

Mother was moved to tears of profound gratitude. Phong immediately set off to take care of the matter. Only Mother and I remained in the hospital room. Over the next two days, Phong appeared constantly occupied with the ordeal. He left early and returned late every night, wearing an expression of deep anxiety and exhaustion. By the second day, he even brought his own parents along with him. He claimed that since our family was in crisis, there were not enough hands to manage everything, and Mother needed constant companionship. As luck would have it, his parents had been wanting to meet me anyway, so they came to lend a hand. His parents looked remarkably honest and down-to-earth. Especially his mother, who immediately teamed up with the nurse to tend to my mother, helping wipe her face and serving her meals. But the very second they appeared, that agonizing, desolate voice shrieked inside my mind: That is him! He... he pinned me down on the bed and violated me! He is a beast, an old beast! Gazing at the somewhat awkward, ingratiating smile on Phong's father, I clenched my fists so tightly my nails dug into my palms.

You must be Xiao Shu, right?

He stepped forward to greet me, proactively stretching out his hand.

I am Phong’s father. I have heard him talk about you often; you are truly as lovely as he described.

A wave of profound nausea surged within me. I refused to shake his outstretched hand. The smile on the elder man’s face stiffened awkwardly. Phong, standing off to the side, shot me repeated, frantic winks.

Nhan Shu, this is my father...

I forced myself to speak:

Hello, uncle.

After that, I uttered not another word. The expressions on both of their faces turned deeply unsightly. Mother also felt my reaction was terribly rude, glaring at me reproachfully. However, mindful of being in front of outsiders, she held her tongue. Whether it was due to Phong’s connections or something else, by the fourth day, my father was released and allowed to return home. The investigation had concluded, proving that all the accusations were fabricated and entirely groundless. Father was reinstated to his former position. Both of my parents felt the overwhelming joy of having narrowly cheated death. Once they learned of the immense effort Phong had poured into resolving the crisis, they were deeply grateful and took the initiative to invite his entire family out for a celebratory meal. Over the dinner table, the older generation even brought up the topic of marriage between Phong and me. Phong's father chimed in:

According to the traditions of our hometown, before getting married, the couple must return home to pay their respects to the ancestors.

His mother chimed in eagerly:

Xiao Shu, see when you have some free time to make the trip back with us?

Mother agreed instantly without a moment of hesitation:

She has time, the child always has time!

Father nodded in agreement as well:

Marriage is a monumental milestone in life, so we must naturally follow tradition and do things properly.