Chapter 81: The Reward Distribution Method
Jian Xingxia’s harvested chestnuts were nearly sold out.
She had made 1,282 yuan at the compound gate yesterday, and the big brother and Sister Yu had rounded their payment up to a flat 1,300 yuan. This morning, she made over nine hundred yuan at the wet market. From ten in the morning until three in the afternoon, she sold over fifty catties, taking in four hundred-plus yuan. Finally, the pre-four o’clock rush at the kindergarten gate generated five hundred-plus yuan.
[Calculation complete. The Estate Owner has generated a total revenue of 4,521 yuan within 24 hours. The double income reward will be distributed within 2 hours. Please check carefully.]
Two hours?
The solar energy system last time had a three-day distribution window, and Jian Xingxia had ultimately received it via a legitimate channel through a soda lottery. She didn’t know what it would be this time. But remaining in the town would undoubtedly present more opportunities.
Jian Xingxia went back to her stall to continue selling chestnuts, keeping a sharp eye on her surroundings. Unfortunately, she didn’t spot any kind of lottery draw this time.
Even as the chestnuts she brought out were on the verge of selling out and an hour had passed, Jian Xingxia still hadn’t found the channel for the reward distribution. Just as she packed up her stall and prepared to wander around to look for opportunities, she unexpectedly spotted a little girl by the side of the flowerbed next to the kindergarten.
The little girl stood all alone by the flowerbed, a small red paper flower from the kindergarten still stuck to her forehead. Jian Xingxia looked left and right; school had let out over an hour ago, and the area was completely empty. Even the street vendors had all packed up and left, with only two or three stalls remaining to pack up their things. Why would a little girl be here all by herself?
Jian Xingxia quickly walked over to ask.
“Little girl, why are you here alone? Where are your mommy and daddy?”
The little girl pursed her lips, trying her best to hold back her tears. But Jian Xingxia’s concerned greeting instantly caused the little girl to break down.
“Waaah—”
Opening her mouth, she wailed loudly.
Jian Xingxia scooped the little girl down from the flowerbed, half-squatting to soothe her. “Don’t cry, don’t cry. Did your mommy and daddy not come? What about your teacher? Do you remember your teacher’s name?”
Since this kindergarten was close to the residential compounds, making a few discrete inquiries should allow her to find the teacher’s phone number and contact the parents.
The little girl wept, “Daddy picked me up. He said he needed to buy something and told me to wait for him here.”
The result was that an hour had passed, and the man hadn’t returned.
As courageous as Jian Xingxia was, hearing this still left her with a wave of lingering fear. This lane on the side of the kindergarten was only lively right when school let out. Now that the peak rush hour had passed, it was deserted and desolate. If she waited a few more minutes, even she—who was lingering around waiting for the reward opportunity—would have left, leaving the little girl entirely alone in this alleyway. Never mind getting abducted; just waiting alone until dark would leave a psychological scar on a young child.
Jian Xingxia couldn’t care less about the reward now. She quickly lifted the little girl onto her tricycle and rode toward the entrance of a nearby residential compound.
The young security guard at the compound gate recognized Jian Xingxia. “Sister Xia, why are you here? I’ll find a spot for you.”
“No, no, no, no need for a spot today.” Jian Xingxia lifted the little girl down. “Do you recognize this child? Do you happen to have the phone number of any teacher from the kindergarten over there?”
The guard shook his head. “She’s not from our compound; she looks unfamiliar.” But the young guard was sharp. “Wait for me, I’ll ask in the property management WeChat group first.”
Very quickly, the administrator of the property management group forwarded the message and a photo of the little girl to the homeowners’ group. The child indeed didn’t belong to their compound, but someone in the homeowners’ group recognized her: “This is my son’s kindergarten classmate!”
The classmate’s parent quickly contacted the teacher, who posted a message in the kindergarten group. This time, the reply was swift. Less than two minutes later, an unfamiliar number called.
On the other end of the line, a young woman’s frantic voice came through: “Hello, are you the Chestnut Sister? I’m Qiqi’s mom, thank you so much! Please wait just a moment, I’m heading over right now, it’ll take about ten minutes.”
Jian Xingxia could hear that the other party seemed to be driving. She quickly noted, “No rush, I’m right at the entrance of Jiahe Gardens. There are security guards here, and the property manager is around too.”
On the other end of the phone, the young mother suddenly burst into tears. “Thank you, thank you! I’m coming right now!”
“All right, all right. Drive safely, no rush!”
The call hung up, and Jian Xingxia looked down at the little girl. The girl was happily munching on chestnuts, and the property manager had even bought her some candy. Aside from the tear stains still drying on her face, she looked absolutely thrilled.
Before ten minutes were up, a man arrived first. Sweating profusely, he ran straight toward the security booth. “Have you seen a little girl? She looks like the photo.”
The guard took a look. Wasn’t this the little girl Jian Xingxia had brought over?
Just as he was about to speak, the property manager spoke up first: “Who are you to this child? The child is lost? How did she get lost?”
Separated by the security booth, the man didn’t see the little girl squatting and playing with Jian Xingxia.
Jian Xingxia looked at the little girl. The girl pouted, whispering softly, “Daddy broke his promise. I don’t want to see smelly Daddy.”
Over there, the man’s voice carried over: “I—I just picked up the child after school today. I went to buy something, and in the blink of an eye, she was gone.” The man’s voice trembled slightly; by the looks of it, he was thoroughly terrified as well.
The property manager stood at the door of the security booth, demanding the man provide photos or other proof of relationship. The situation was clear. But as a mother herself, the property manager was truly furious at the man’s actions. What could he possibly buy that was so urgent? Couldn’t he bring the child along?
Just as the man frantically unlocked his phone, found his wife’s Moments, and handed it to the property manager, a sharp screech of brakes echoed behind them.
The next second, a young woman wearing a professional business suit climbed out of the car. She charged straight toward the compound gate post.
“Hello! I’m Lin Ziqi’s mom. Did someone just bring a child over?”
The property manager was still rather displeased, but since both parents had arrived and she had verified the Moments photos, she finally relented. “Yes, she’s right here.”
Behind the security booth, Jian Xingxia was currently wiping the little girl’s hands. Eating the candy had left a sticky coat of syrup all over her fingers.
Catching sight of the child, the young woman rushed over and threw her arms tightly around her. Jian Xingxia could clearly see the woman’s entire body trembling. It took a long moment before the woman finished thoroughly inspecting and feeling every part of the child, finally catching her breath.
She turned to express her repeated thanks to the property manager, the guard, and Jian Xingxia. “Thank you, thank you so much!”
The guard scratched his head. “No need to thank us, we didn’t really do anything. It was this lady who brought the little girl over.”
The property manager smiled and said, “It’s what we ought to do.”
Qiqi’s mom gave Jian Xingxia a deep bow, her eyes completely bloodshot. “Thank you!”
Jian Xingxia smiled. “It’s fine, as long as the child is found. But don’t be this careless next time.”
Qiqi’s dad felt a bit awkward. “We won’t, definitely won’t happen next time.” Saying this, he wanted to step over to hold the child. He had been scared half to death as well.
But Qiqi twisted her body, dodging away. Smelly Daddy had left her all alone on the flowerbed.
Qiqi’s mom’s eyes blazed with fury. “I told you to pick up the child, where on earth did you go?”
Qiqi’s dad stammered, still refusing to speak up.
Qiqi’s mom slapped him right across the face. “Are you going to speak or not?! Tell me, or we’re getting a divorce!”
