Kyoto Night Kiss

The depths of the jungle are gloomy and humid.

The thick branches and leaves intertwine to form an impenetrable dome, making even the faint moonlight that seeps in appear fragmented.

Lu Jinxing successfully found a natural shallow cave. He squeezed his small body inside, his back pressed tightly against the cool rock wall.

The coat in my arms still seemed to smell like my mother.

Lu Jinxing buried his face in the soft fabric and took a deep, greedy breath.

All he could hear was the rustling of leaves in the wind. He kept telling himself to be strong and to wait for his parents to come and take him home.

But looking at the swaying shadows of the trees in the darkness, I still felt scared.

Lu Jinxing curled up his legs, his shoulders trembling slightly.

He recited the multiplication table he already knew, over and over again.

Time seems to have passed a little faster...

However, this tranquility did not last long.

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the bushes outside the cave, and the thick branches were shaken by a mysterious force.

Something... is slowly walking towards us, stepping on the rotting leaves on the ground.

If it were his parents, they would definitely call him by his name.

—Could it be that Aunt Tang has found him again?

Lu Jinxing instantly held his breath, shrinking into a small ball. He raised his eyes slightly and looked warily into the dim light at the cave entrance.

In the pitch blackness, two cold, eerie green lights appeared.

The green light locked onto him, getting closer and closer.

The moon in the sky moved a little further away with the dark clouds, and Lu Jinxing could clearly see a very large wild boar not far from the cave entrance.

The wild boar was covered in coarse, stiff, grayish-black bristles, some of which were bristling. Long tusks protruded from its mouth, and hot, murky white vapor was constantly being exhaled from its nostrils.

Its four hooves were still pawing at the ground, making a low, fierce snorting sound.

Although Lu Jinxing didn't know much about wild animals, he knew very well that once a wild beast lowered its forelimbs slightly and assumed a charging stance, it meant it was going to eat a person!

He couldn't imagine what his parents would do if he were eaten by this wild boar.

Mom and Dad will definitely not find him inside the wild boar's belly!

Therefore, he must find a safe place to hide!

Lu Jinxing's heart was pounding so hard he felt like he was going to stop, but he bit his lower lip tightly and didn't let out a single cry.

The cave behind him was too shallow; the wild boar didn't even need to come in to bite his leg and drag him out.

But if he continues to flee deeper into the rainforest, he will surely lose his way, and his parents will have a hard time finding him.

After a quick deliberation, Lu Jinxing decided to find an opportunity to run back.

Before the wild boar could rush in, he turned around, using both hands and feet, and stumbled out of the cave. Then, he ran back the way he came with all his might.

Along the way, many sharp branches on the ground tore his pants and scratched his legs.

Lu Jinxing didn't care at all; he knew the wild boar was chasing him.

Just like a big bad wolf chasing a little white rabbit, the big bad wolf will run slowly at first, exhausting the little white rabbit's strength before rushing up and biting its prey to death.

But he's not a little white rabbit!

During the run, Lu Jinxing accidentally lost one of his shoes.

Thankfully, he really did run back to that abandoned little house!

But upon closer inspection, Lu Jinxing realized that the door to the hut could not be closed, and it would sway from side to side with the slightest breeze. How could it withstand the attack of a wild boar?

No, he can't hide inside the house either!

Behind them, the low growls of wild boars grew clearer, and two green lights appeared and disappeared among the trees, closing in on each other.

Lu Jinxing frantically turned his head to see where he could hide, and all he could see was a surging, rushing river.

Otherwise... he could hide in the water first, and then come out after the wild boar can no longer smell him and leaves?

Lu Jinxing thought the idea was feasible.

He can swim; he even went snorkeling yesterday. This river doesn't look deep, so if he swims just a little further, he should be able to avoid the wild boar.

Then he just needs to wait patiently for his parents to come!

The evening breeze on the shore, carrying cool water vapor, slapped against my face. A pale crescent moon rose on the horizon, its silvery light spreading across the rippling water, shattering into countless shimmering fragments.

Lu Jinxing didn't want to get the coat he was going to bring for his mother wet, so he deliberately put the coat on a rock before clenching his little fists, taking a deep breath, and resolutely jumping into the water.

"Thump—"

The icy river water reached his calves and waist. He remembered the swimming techniques his coach had taught him, and gently paddled with his hands and feet, slowly swimming towards the patch of moonlight scattered on the water's surface.

The area under the moon is the brightest and safest place.

As long as he stays on the moonlit water, his parents can see him from afar.

With this thought in mind, Lu Jinxing kept taking deep breaths; he was going to chase the moon!

That was his moon.

The bottom of the reservoir was riddled with pits of varying depths, and underneath grew what looked like rotten aquatic plants that nearly tangled around Lu Jinxing's ankles several times.

Lu Jinxing struggled to move his limbs, trying to get closer to the floating moonlight, but his breathing gradually became labored, and his chest felt tight and painful.

Why... is the moon in his eyes getting blurrier and blurrier?

But he seemed to hear his parents calling him.

Then let's add a little more fuel... He's almost there!

Lu Jinxing reached out with both hands to touch the moon shining on his face.

The shimmering moonlight rippled across the water's surface.

Something very heavy seemed to have vanished gently in the wind...

The screeching sound of brakes echoed by the reservoir, the car headlights piercing through the darkness.

Qu Yun couldn't even wait for the car to stop before she wanted to open the door and get out.

She dragged her sprained ankle and staggered toward the abandoned house with the lights on.

Great news... The child has been found... He's inside...

A burning joy surged within Qu Yun. She refused Lu Junhe's help and stumbled forward on one leg, her voice hoarse and trembling as she cried out, "Jinxing! Jinxing!"

The rusty door was ajar.

Qu Yun went inside and found the room empty, without a single person in sight, except for a rusty iron frame standing alone in the center.

She frowned, and as she walked over, she found not only a knife and rope on the ground, but also... a few drops of bright red blood.

Qu Yun's legs went weak, and she almost collapsed to the ground.

Lu Junhe followed her gaze and saw that the fingers gripping her shoulders were tightening.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and he said in a hoarse voice, "Don't be afraid, it's just a few drops of blood. Your son probably just scraped his skin while struggling."

"He'll be alright, nothing will happen to him."

Upon seeing this, the police officers outside immediately deployed into a search formation.

They crouched down and carefully compared the footprints on the soil. One group followed the footprints deep into the jungle to investigate. At that moment, another team of police officers responsible for examining the traces on the shore suddenly shouted loudly.

"Captain! There are fresh footprints here, turning back and extending towards the reservoir!"

The officer in charge immediately became serious. He knew how deep the reservoir was; even a swimming champion with exceptional swimming skills could have an accident.

Without hesitation, the officer picked up his walkie-talkie and contacted the water rescue team to come to the scene.

Hearing the commotion outside, Qu Yun forced herself to go out.

She trembled uncontrollably, as if struck by a block of ice, and exclaimed, "Water rescue team?"

"Why contact the people on the water? What does that mean...? My child, could it be...?"

Lu Junhe's eyes were filled with an unprecedented coldness and deathly stillness.

He couldn't panic yet. He gently patted Qu Yun's back with his palm, comforting her, "It's okay, don't be afraid."

"We've already found our way here, our son will be alright..."

At the same time, Tang Bingqing was questioned by the police interrogating her: did she really kidnap the child and keep him in an abandoned hut by the reservoir?

Tang Bingqing frowned. "Of course."

"I've already turned myself in, why would I need to tell such a lie again?"

When the police told him the child was missing.

Tang Bingqing's heart tightened as her handcuffs slammed against the table with a clanging sound.

"How could this happen? I clearly warned him to stay in the house and not run around. Why did he run away? How is the child now? Is he still alive? Tell me... he must still be alive, right?"

The police officer in charge of interrogating her simply shook his head in silence.

He gave no reply, then coldly informed her of the results of another investigation: "I also want to inform you that the cleaning staff member you struck on the head at the hotel has been rescued. Although he lost a lot of blood, he survived."

"However, if the missing eight-year-old child is ultimately confirmed dead, you will be suspected of multiple serious crimes, including kidnapping a minor, intentional injury, and manslaughter, and you will face the most severe sentencing."

Tang Bingqing was completely exhausted and couldn't even utter a single word in rebuttal.

Fate... how could it play such a cruel trick on her?

The entire body of water was brightly lit by searchlights, and several rescue boats were scattered around. Rescue personnel bent over, their eyes carefully scanning every inch of the water's surface.

Time ticked by agonizingly, but no good news came back for a long time.

Qu Yun knelt down on both knees.

She prayed to God for her child's safety.

Lu Junhe watched this scene with a heart full of anguish, yet he felt utterly powerless.

They were all afraid to hear the news.

Even though I'm suffering terribly inside...

After an unknown amount of time, suddenly, urgent shouts from the rescue team echoed across the water: "Over there! There are people over there!"

"Found it! Found it!"

Qu Yun suddenly opened her eyes, and the ecstasy she had just suppressed surged up to her head.

She practically scrambled to her feet, and just as she was about to call out "Baby," she saw a small figure floating on the water.

Qu Yun was stunned and completely unable to think.

Despite her fear of water and the tearing pain in her ankles, she stumbled and walked step by step into the water.

The water is really cold.

Qu Yun, however, was completely unaware, her gaze fixed on the dark shadow that was bobbing up and down on the water.

She was all too familiar with that blue dinosaur t-shirt and khaki shorts.

—It's her child.

—It is Lu Jinxing.

In an instant, all sounds in the world were stripped away from Qu Yun's ears.

She could no longer hear the sounds of the wind, the flowing water, the shouts of the rescuers, or even Lu Junhe's sobs after he hugged her.

She was just thinking... no.

The body floating on the water... wasn't her child.

Qu Yun didn't even know how to cry.

The body was recovered by the rescue team.

Qu Yun rushed over and hugged the child tightly in her arms.

The icy water kept flowing down Lu Jinxing's hair and clothes, and his small body was so stiff and cold that it had no warmth at all.

"Baby, Mommy's here..." Qu Yun called out gently in a hoarse voice, "Open your eyes and look at Mommy, why are you sleeping here..."

Qu Yun looked up and saw that many people around her were looking at her, but no one called for an ambulance.

All she could do was shout in her broken, almost incoherent voice, "Ambulance! Call an ambulance! Can anyone make a call? Save my child!"

The crowd remained silent.

Qu Yun looked around, but no one responded to her cries for help.

Through her teary eyes, she looked at Lu Junhe, who was standing frozen in place, and said, "Husband... call an ambulance right away."

"Son...son will be fine after going to the hospital. He just got chilled; he'll wake up if we treat him..."

After she finished speaking, Qu Yun saw tears welling up in Lu Junhe's eyes.

She stood there dumbfounded: "Why are you crying? What are you crying about... Our son is right here, being held by me, he's just asleep. He'll be fine once the ambulance arrives. You shouldn't be crying."

Qu Yun lowered her head and wiped Lu Jinxing's cold face with her palms again and again.

The coat was still lying safely on the rock.