VIP Chapter 126: The Lost Phone

Seeing her dazed, Guan Ling gave her a playful nudge and giggled behind her hand. "What, letting your imagination run wild? You'll be sleeping on this creaky bed for the rest of your life, you know—you’d better be prepared for that!"

Yu'er blushed, gave a coquettish cry of "Big Sister!", and shot her a sidelong glance. She then pulled a large cardboard box from the nearby table—the very same pile of items Ye Xiaoxuan had carried in earlier.

The other girls gathered around, curious. Guan Ling made quick work of opening the box. Inside lay a piece of white fabric, faintly marked with a pattern.

Yuan Caiyi’s eyes lit up. She turned to Yu'er and asked, "Is this... cross-stitch?"

Yu'er nodded, smiling. "I brought a lot of them. Some are quite large; they’ll take at least two or three years to finish. If I sell them to the hotel, I can make at least a hundred thousand! This is what I’ll do for a living from now on."

Jia Ran looked worried. "Will it be hard? I’m so clumsy, I’m afraid I won’t be able to learn it!" Yu'er hugged her with a smile. "Third Sister, it’s very easy. I guarantee you’ll pick it up after watching me once!"

Yuan Caiyi also nodded. "It does look easy, just time-consuming. I saw my roommate doing it back at school. I’ll take a piece, too, and stitch it for fun when I get back to the dorm!"

Guan Ling waved her hand dismissively. "Don't give me any. I don't do that sort of thing. I hate needles and thread—I’m much more interested in wielding swords and guns!"

Yu'er grabbed her arm. "Big Sister, did Father raise you like a boy since you were little?"

Guan Ling shook her head. "No, he always wanted me to be a well-behaved girl, but I just couldn't. I caused him trouble every single day! By the way, I need to call him and tell him I’m not going home tonight and will stay here with you all!"

The group of girls immediately cheered and clapped. Jia Ran asked with concern, "Tomorrow is Monday. Won't that affect your work?"

Guan Ling shook her head and smiled mysteriously. "Actually, I am at work right now! I came to Reed Village to investigate a case! But listen, sisters, we have a deal: I’ll tell you what I can, but don’t ask about what I can’t. That’s protocol!"

The girls, all sensible, nodded in agreement. Guan Ling reached into her pants pocket and said happily, "My dad would be so thrilled to know I have sisters like you... Wait? Where is my phone?"

Guan Ling lowered her head and searched every pocket on her person, but they were completely empty! In fact, she only had two back pockets and no others—no matter how she searched, there was nothing to be found.

Yuan Caiyi asked cautiously, "Big Sister, did you not bring your phone when you left today? Or did you drop it on the way?"

Guan Ling shook her head. "Impossible! The phone had the things I recorded on the road. When I got out of the car here, I even checked the time!"

Jia Ran held her hand and said, "If you’re sure you had it when you walked through the door, then it must be somewhere in the courtyard. Let’s go look for it right now!"

The girls returned to the courtyard and began searching carefully, bending over to inspect the ground. Ye Xiaoxuan set down his wine glass and turned to Yu'er. "Come over and eat. What are you all looking for?"

Yu'er straightened up, looking anxious. "Big Sister lost her phone!" Ye Xiaoxuan paused, stood up, and walked over. "Big Sister? Whose big sister?"

Guan Ling stood with her hands on her hips. "My phone is lost!" Ye Xiaoxuan felt a headache coming on. This girl had the makings of a troublemaker; she’d barely known them for an hour and was already forming her own clique. And to think she was a police officer!

The bald man, already tipsy, turned to the girls. "It’s in the courtyard; it can’t be gone. If it wasn't stolen, we'll find it! Don't worry. Kid, come over and drink with me!"

Ye Xiaoxuan gave a bitter smile. "That’s enough. My dad and uncle are already keeping you company. I’ll help them look for the phone."

Guan Ling’s face went pale. She pulled Ye Xiaoxuan aside and whispered, "The phone must be found! The things on it are very important!"

Ye Xiaoxuan frowned and asked in a low voice, "What exactly is on it?" Guan Ling hesitated, glanced around, and finally whispered, "Photos!"

"Photos?" Ye Xiaoxuan blinked, then, as if realizing something, looked Guan Ling up and down with a lecherous expression. "Artistic selfies?"

Guan Ling blushed, wishing she could kick him. She snapped, "Artistic my foot! There were three murders on the village road last night, all in the cornfields nearby. I got the report early this morning, which is why I rushed over! The photos on that phone are the suspicious traces I found!"

With that, the phone had to be found! But they scoured every corner, searched inside and outside the front gate, and didn't find a single trace of it.

This was truly bizarre! Guan Ling was certain she had it when she entered. Phones don’t grow legs, so it couldn't have just run off—unless someone had taken it!

Guan Ling looked crestfallen and said to Ye Xiaoxuan, "Buddy, do me a favor. Did you take it? Is this some kind of joke? Fine, you win—give it back now!"

Ye Xiaoxuan glared at her. "Are you crazy? I haven't even been near you. Why would I take it!"

Jia Ran also said to Guan Ling, "It wasn't San'er. Everyone here is family, it couldn't have been family..." She stopped mid-sentence. The girls looked at each other and shouted almost simultaneously, "Silly Girl!"

When they first arrived, Silly Girl had been darting around everyone. She must have taken the opportunity to snatch the phone!

The group took off running. But Silly Girl’s mind was not something an ordinary person could fathom; her whereabouts were erratic. Who knew where she might have run off to?

A pungent smell of goat wafted over from afar. The girls covered their noses and stepped aside as the old goat herder returned from the west side of the village, clutching his wine gourd.

Ye Xiaoxuan grabbed him and asked, "Where is your apprentice?" The old man rolled his eyes and said impatiently, "I don't know where she found that Silly Girl, but she's down by the lake skipping stones!"

Hah! Those two really were two peas in a pod! Ye Xiaoxuan waved his hand at the girls. "To the lake, quickly! If Silly Girl really did take it, we’re in trouble!"

The girls didn't dare delay and sprinted toward the west of the village. As she ran, Guan Ling cursed fiercely, "That little pickpocket has some nerve, stealing from a police officer! If it really is her, just wait until I get my hands on her!"

Jia Ran tried to plead on her behalf, "Big Sister, the little girl isn't quite right in the head, please don't..."

Yuan Caiyi snorted. "Third Sister, don't protect these little thieves. In the city, it’s even worse; some bad guys specifically encourage kids of thirteen or fourteen to steal. It looks like Silly Girl is likely one of them!"

Ye Xiaoxuan, running in front without looking back, said, "Don't jump to conclusions. It might not be her. Let's find her first!"

Little Yu'er held Jia Ran’s hand as she ran. "Third Sister, who is this girl? Why haven't I seen her before?"

Jia Ran glanced guiltily at Ye Xiaoxuan ahead and whispered, "I picked her up on the road when I was coming home from school last night..."