“Big sister? What big sister?” A woman around forty, poor as winter soil, stepped out with worry clinging like damp fog.

“Mom!” The little boy shot forward like a sparrow to a branch, yelling as he crashed into her arms.

“Good boy, Tao.” She smiled, hand warm as a small hearth, stroking the child rubbing his cheek against her belly. She looked up, and saw a golden‑haired girl leaning on the doorframe, beauty bright as morning frost yet playful as a kitten.

“And you are?” Her voice was cautious, like a door held on its chain.

“I’m the big sister Xiao Tao mentioned.” Little Loli showed that never‑fail smile, a lantern blooming in dusk. “May I come in and sit, ma’am?”

“You’re here already, so welcome. The place is small—don’t mind it.” Seeing such a cute girl, her guard dropped like snow off a branch. Little Loli lifted her suitcase and stepped inside, quiet as a cat.

The room was bare as a winter field: one sofa, a couple tables and stools, nothing else. No TV, not even a radio—silence like a dry well. Relief rippled through Little Loli like warm sunlight; they knew nothing about the manhunt. She set down her suitcase and sat on the sofa, calm as still water.

“Girl, how did you meet Xiao Tao?” The mother spoke gently, like wind over reeds, seeing the blonde sit without fuss.

“I ran into Tao outside, and he… he brought me here.” Remembering what happened, Little Loli’s face pinked like peach blossom at dawn.

“You’re from the city center, right? How’d you end up here?” Her doubt hovered like mist.

“I got too excited while playing and took a wrong turn.” She stuck out her tongue, a mischievous spring sparrow; her smile spread like warmth from a brazier, and the woman’s face thawed into a smile.

“What can we do? We’re poor, like cracked earth. We can’t even afford a phone, or you could call home right away.” She rubbed the scarf at her chest, helplessness hanging like a gray cloud.

“It’s fine, ma’am. I’ll rest a few hours, then I’ll go back on my own.” Little Loli’s tone was steady as a quiet stream. “Please don’t worry. I’ll also leave money to help you and your boy.”

“Thank you.” A breath left the mother like steam in cold air; she’d been choking on a hard debt lately, a stone in her gut.

“By the way, what is this place? Why’s the area so run‑down, and the people here…” Little Loli’s curiosity fluttered like a scouting swallow, plotting paths under her calm surface.

“This is the slum of A City,” the mother said without flinching, blunt as a bare branch. “Girls like you from rich families almost never come here. Even the government’s about to give up on it.”

“And which part of A City is it?” Her guess firmed like frost setting. Little Loli twirled a golden strand by her ear, thinking through her escape like a fox tracking snow.

“Southwest A City.”

“That’s perfect.” Little Loli’s joy sparked like a struck flint.

“What’s wrong, girl?” The mother watched her bright face, baffled like a hen pecking at mirrors. Knowing an address shouldn’t make someone that happy.

“It’s nothing. I think I know the way home now.” Her confidence settled like a compass needle.

If this was the southwest, reaching that place would be easy as following a river.

“Then rest well. It’s noon already; I’ll cook.” The mother’s cheer lifted like steam from a pot. “Go ahead, ma’am, don’t worry about me,” Little Loli said, voice light as a breeze.

“Big Sis! What were you talking about with my mom? You sounded amazing!” Xiao Tao cupped his hands around his mouth, eyes bright as stars.

“Nothing big. How old are you, Tao?” Plans drawn and routes mapped, Little Loli smiled down at him like spring sun, waiting for the system’s cooldown to end.

“I’m six!” Pride puffed him up like a little rooster. “Do you go to kindergarten?” she asked, uncertainty drifting in like haze—families this poor struggled with school.

“No. Mom teaches me to read at home!” His answer rang like a bell.

“You’re such a good boy, and you love your mom.” Her heart warmed like tea in cupped hands; thinking of her own parents, the warmth steeped deeper.

“Hope Dad and Mom are fine. Their daughter caused such trouble—so sorry.” The thought sighed through her like wind in bamboo. She shifted, hugging her knees; her hair fell like golden water, her face peeked out now and then like moon through clouds.

“Big Sis, you’re so pretty! When I grow up, can I marry you?” Xiao Tao stared, conquered by the blonde glow like a moth to a candle.

“Haha, you’re too young to be naughty.” Her tone tapped his nose like a playful leaf. “Study hard, earn money, and take care of your mom first.”

Little Loli set her hand on his head, gentle as a feather. “Finally got to use head‑pats on someone,” she murmured, amused as rain on tiles.

“Xiao Tao, what are you saying all day?” His mother came in with dishes and rice, the smell rising like a good wind, and caught their talk.

“Don’t mind him, ma’am. He’s little. He’s just playing,” Little Loli joked, voice light as drifting pollen. “No! I’m serious!” Tao dug in his heels like a tiny ox.

“Girl, come eat. You too, Xiao Tao. Eat first, don’t disturb your sister’s rest.” The mother’s tone was firm as a broom handle.

“No! I’ll marry Big Sis or I won’t eat!” He threw a tantrum like a summer squall.

“Don’t talk nonsense!” Her temper snapped like a twig. “Alright, alright! When you grow up, you can marry Big Sis, okay? Now eat.” Little Loli yielded with a sigh, facing a child like a cat facing a bath.

“Okay! Big Sis agreed! Time to eat!” His joy burst like firecrackers.

“Sorry to trouble you. City kids are really something,” the mother said, embarrassed, a shy smile like a thin crescent moon. In her heart, a wish glowed like a coal: what if he could marry such a beauty one day?

“I’m just teasing a kid. Don’t mind it.” Little Loli smiled, care drifting off like dandelion fluff.

They sat at the table. Two dishes, three bowls of rice—the colors bright as autumn leaves, appetizing as a fresh breeze.

“Mom’s cooking is super tasty!” Xiao Tao declared, then started shoveling like a hungry squirrel.

“Tao, really—let your big sister go first.” The mother frowned, a small cloud over sun.

“Mhm! This is really good!” Little Loli dove in too, chopsticks flashing like sparrows.

“These kids.” The mother smiled helplessly, watching the two duel over food like minnows chasing crumbs.

After the meal, Little Loli pulled a book from her bag, pages like quiet wings. On the run she avoided electronics; a book was her best companion. Xiao Tao ran to the front yard, a kite without string, and his mother washed dishes, water clinking like rain on stones.

“Sure you saw a blonde girl?” Not far from Xiao Tao’s place, a small group gathered at the corner, shadows pooling like puddles.

“Yeah. I saw a blonde go into that woman’s house. Looked a lot like the girl on the news.” His voice quivered like a thin reed.

“Doesn’t matter if it’s her or not. It’s time to collect the debt. We’ll take a look.” Their decision fell like a hammer on wood.