"Young Master, we finally found you, our grandfather and granddaughter. I didn't expect you to be so hard to find after you returned!" Qian Mingya said with a bitter smile.
Shen Feng had initially thought that finding the girl's guardians would clear his name, but he hadn't expected things to become even more complicated after meeting them. Perhaps it was because the guardian claimed to be the girl's father that the child was so convinced.
"Auntie, we don't actually know each other. Why are you still saying I'm the child's father? Can you please not deceive the child?" Shen Feng couldn't help but say.
Qian Mingya thought for a moment and then said, "This matter is actually very complicated, and it's hard to explain clearly right now. But as long as you come to our home and see someone, you'll understand everything."
Shen Feng began to ponder, "Could these two be trying to scam me? Or do they want to lure me somewhere and extort me severely? I seem to have heard of this trick, similar to a 'honey trap.' Once we get to an unfamiliar place, they'll make their move!"
Shen Feng had experienced many things and knew that people had various ways of robbing others. Some people specifically liked to lure people to secluded places before making their move. To gain sympathy, they often used women and children to lure their victims.
Shen Feng suspected he had encountered such a situation. However, he wasn't anxious at all because he had nothing else to do. It would be a good opportunity to catch some robbers and vent his frustration on them.
Therefore, Shen Feng bent down and picked up the little girl. The girl was very light, indicating that she had suffered a lot. Otherwise, her weight would not be appropriate for her age.
"Daddy, I'll take you to our house. I'll let you see Mommy!" The little girl looked very happy now.
Shen Feng smiled and then asked, "What's your name?"
The little girl replied, "My name is Yu Hongxiu!"
Shen Feng nodded and said, "That's a very nice name. It sounds very elegant. The words 'Hong Xiu' make one think of needlework, giving a sense of embroidering colorful brocade. It's clear that your mother must have had high expectations for you when she gave you this name!"
Yu Hongxiu nodded happily and then pointed with her finger towards the urban area south of the Yangtze River, saying, "Our home is over there. We can go there after crossing this bridge!"
When Shen Feng saw the bridge over the Yangtze River, he immediately realized, "As expected, these two want to lure me to a secluded place and then make their move. But are they so sure that I have money on me? If I didn't have any money, wouldn't they have wasted their trip by coming all this way?"
Shen Feng was about to carry Yu Hongxiu south, but at that moment, a sound came from the little girl's stomach. It was the gurgling sound of her intestines moving, which is what happens when one is hungry.
"Daddy, I'm hungry!" Yu Hongxiu said to Shen Feng.
After speaking, Yu Hongxiu pointed to a roadside stall in the distance. This stall specialized in selling offal, specifically sheep offal. Ordinary people couldn't afford this. In times of peace, it was considered scraps, and hardly anyone patronized it. Now, it was still not something ordinary people could eat.
Shen Feng understood when he saw this scene and thought, "It seems these two have undergone rigorous training and specifically know how to test if I have money. If I'm unwilling to let the child eat even some offal, they'll surely assume I have no money and find an excuse to leave!"
So Shen Feng turned and walked towards another stall. This stall sold various roasted meats, including roasted duck, roasted chicken, and roasted ham. However, the prices at this stall were even higher. In fact, such stalls were specifically set up for wealthy people leaving the city to purchase. After all, in the previous few days, the city had been completely forgotten, and doing business within the city was practically impossible. Therefore, these people found opportunities to do business outside the city.
"Hongxiu, that sheep offal doesn't taste good, and if it's not prepared properly, the smell is particularly strong. I'll take you to eat this delicious food. Auntie, please come along!" Shen Feng said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Yu Hongxiu couldn't help but cheer and hugged Shen Feng's neck, saying, "Daddy is so good!"
Shen Feng thought to himself, "It's a long game to catch a big fish. Once I lure out the robbery gang behind you, you'll know how good I am. For now, you're just a child. Later, I'll send you to an orphanage!"
Shen Feng still firmly believed that the two were part of a scam ring, otherwise, how could things be such a coincidence? Since he needed to lure them, he had to show his wealth.
So Shen Feng took out a handful of gold ingots from his person, placed them on the table, and said to the stall owner, "Two roasted ducks, please. Bring them over for them, along with sweet bean paste and chili sauce."
The owner heard this and quickly said, "We'll bring the roasted ducks right away. Please wait!"
As he spoke, the owner reached out and gathered all the ingots into his arms. After carefully examining them and confirming they were real gold, he stored them away and brought two roasted ducks to the table.
After this display, Shen Feng believed that the gang behind these two could see that he had enough wealth. If they intended to make a move, they would go to any lengths to bring him to their lair.
Yu Hongxiu, seeing the golden roasted duck on the plate delivered to her, immediately reached out, tore off a duck leg, and began to gnaw on it. With her other hand, she tore off another duck leg and offered it to Shen Feng, saying, "Daddy, you eat too!"
Shen Feng smiled and said, "It's okay, eat quickly. I've already eaten. I'm not hungry now. Eat as much as you can, and take away whatever you can't finish."
Yu Hongxiu then proceeded to gnaw on the two duck legs. She showed a look of happiness as she ate the meat, clearly indicating that she hadn't eaten so heartily in a long time.
Seeing her granddaughter's appearance, Qian Mingya said helplessly, "Young Master, if we weren't in such dire straits, we wouldn't have bothered you. After all, you haven't visited us, mother and daughter, for ten years. You've probably forgotten them long ago. But this time, please come to our home and see. You'll understand everything then."
Shen Feng heard this and calculated, "Indeed, it's this kind of trick. If you bring up things from ten years ago, most people won't remember and will fall for it. But I'll play along."
With that thought, Shen Feng immediately said, "It's alright. I really can't recall this child's mother right now. But since you've said so, as long as you take me to see her, I'm sure I'll remember immediately."
Qian Mingya's face showed a look of relief, as if she had seen hope.
Shen Feng looked at Qian Mingya. She showed no inclination to eat the roasted duck, so he said, "Hurry up and eat the roasted duck. These two ducks were ordered for you anyway."
Qian Mingya then said, "Normally, we live in the southern part of the city. There aren't many stalls there. The most common ones are the offal stalls we saw earlier. This delicious roasted duck, I plan to take it back for my daughter to eat. She's injured and urgently needs to replenish her nutrients!"
Upon hearing her grandmother say this, Yu Hongxiu quickly added, "Yes, yes, I can't eat too many good things either. The whole family needs to share. I want to take the remaining roasted duck back too."
Shen Feng couldn't help but pat the child's head. If this child wasn't a fraud, she would truly be a well-brought-up person.
"Boss, please pack these two roasted ducks to go!" Shen Feng then said to the owner.
The owner, having received a handful of gold ingots, was overjoyed because the amount was enough for his entire year's expenses. He naturally obliged Shen Feng's request. Upon closer inspection, he realized this person looked remarkably like the newly returned City Lord of Yu Zhou. Therefore, the owner dared not be negligent and immediately packed the roasted ducks.
Yu Hongxiu, with her little face and both hands greasy from eating, had Qian Mingya take out a handkerchief to wipe her clean. "Remember, you must not rush when eating. You must eat slowly. This is a girl's cultivation. Rude women are not liked!"
Shen Feng also became interested at this point, thinking to himself, "I want to see what kind of power is behind you two. No matter who tries to target me, I will make them pay the price."
Finally, the three of them walked towards the Yangtze River Bridge. Once they crossed this bridge, they would reach the urban area south of the Yangtze River. In the past, this area was a very prosperous place. After all, being on the banks of the Yangtze River in a plain area represented countless opportunities. Unfortunately, in the apocalypse, this urban area was not prioritized. The entire Yu Zhou city was built on the north bank of the Yangtze River, so the southern urban area became a gathering place for refugees. Although it was under the jurisdiction of the City Lord's mansion, the people here only needed to pay taxes, and other matters were ignored.
In other words, the people living in the southern urban area were basically poor or criminals who hid in the southern urban area of the Yangtze River to avoid capture.
When Shen Feng arrived in the southern urban area, he saw many dilapidated houses. There was water everywhere on the streets because the streets had not been repaired for a long time. In these houses, people often poked their heads out to peek at him.
Moreover, Shen Feng noticed that many people were carrying firearms. An ordinary person's combat power was not very high; they couldn't even deal with ordinary mutated beasts. However, if a person obtained a firearm, their combat power would increase exponentially.
"It seems I've really come to a den of thieves. The way these people are looking at me is clearly unfriendly," Shen Feng thought to himself.
Under many eaves, there were pipes used to collect rainwater. This was because the tap water pipes here had long since rusted, or had been stolen to be sold as scrap metal. Therefore, if people wanted to drink water, they had to find ways to collect rainwater.
In addition to this, many people looked sallow and thin, clearly the result of prolonged malnutrition.
"Do you normally live here? It seems your lives are not very good. Living here is too miserable!" Shen Feng couldn't help but say.
Qian Mingya was carrying the packed roasted ducks, each wrapped in brown paper and placed in a plastic bag. She was worried that someone would appear and snatch the food, so she said, "Although life here is a bit hard, it's not to the point of starving. As long as one is willing to work hard, there's food. Speaking of which, if it weren't for my daughter's accident, we wouldn't be starving now!"
Shen Feng nodded and stopped asking. This family had clearly lived in the southern urban area for a long time, and they were accustomed to life there.
Qian Mingya led Shen Feng back to her home, took out the key, and opened the door. Shen Feng, carrying Yu Hongxiu, walked in.
Yu Hongxiu jumped down from Shen Feng and ran inside, grabbing his hand, saying, "Mommy is sleeping inside!"
Shen Feng had been cautiously watching for any ambushing individuals, but since no one had emerged, he could only remain vigilant in his heart.