Chapter Fifty-Three: Seeking a Marriage Partner

T County bordered C City, but it belonged to a neighboring province. The journey from C City wasn’t far, yet crossing the provincial line meant entering a completely different jurisdiction. Before setting out, An Changpu had already informed the local police in advance.

“We might not make it back the same day. It’s quite possible we’ll need to stay a night or two. Should I give you a lift home so you can pack some toiletries and clothes?” As An Changpu prepared to drive off, experience told him this was likely. He didn’t mind—he was used to business trips and always kept a toiletry bag in the car. Men were simple that way. But Qin Ruonan was a woman, and that was a different matter.

“No need,” Qin Ruonan glanced out the window. Not far away was a daily goods store. “Just pull over here for a moment.”

An Changpu did as she asked. Qin Ruonan quickly hopped out and rushed into the shop. Two or three minutes later, she returned with a simple toiletry kit—brand-new toothbrush, towel, and soap still in their packaging.

“That’s all?” An Changpu looked at the handful of items with disbelief.

“What else should I bring?” Qin Ruonan asked, puzzled.

An Changpu chuckled awkwardly as he started the car. “Nothing, just surprised at how... concise you are!”

Qin Ruonan said nothing, staring out the window. After a while, she glanced at the small bag in her hand and sighed softly, a touch of melancholy in her expression.

“Those face powders, blushes, lipsticks... I don’t really know how to use any of them. Do you think a woman like me is a bit of a freak?” After a moment of silence, she suddenly turned to ask An Changpu.

Only then did An Changpu realize that her earlier indifference had masked some sensitivity to his teasing about her conciseness. Realizing this, he felt like laughing, but was afraid it would hurt her pride. So he put on a serious face and replied, “Not at all. I think it’s great, really.”

His unconvincing tone earned him an eye roll from Qin Ruonan.

It took over two hours to drive to T County. They arrived just before noon. After briefing the local police at the T County Public Security Bureau, lunch time was upon them. Unable to refuse the enthusiastic welcome, An Changpu and Qin Ruonan stayed for a “welcome meal” in the police canteen.

During the meal, Qin Ruonan kept a low profile. The term “low profile” seemed apt because, surprisingly, she was already somewhat known at the T County station. The city where she used to work, B City, was also adjacent to T County, just like C City. Her reputation as a tireless workhorse, “Desperate Third Sister,” had reached T County. Several detectives at the bureau admired her abilities. In contrast, An Changpu—recently commended at C City’s bureau for peacekeeping—remained largely unknown, his exploits too distant for local fame.

Qin Ruonan responded to their praise with polite humility, saying little else and barely touching her food, appetite lacking.

After lunch, accompanied by a local officer, they drove to T County’s bus station.

Liu Yuxiang had only vaguely recalled that Lu Min often snuck off to T County, leaving in the morning and returning by nightfall. He didn’t know why or where exactly Lu Min went. With little else to go on, they decided to start at the bus station, the obvious point of entry and exit.

On the way, An Changpu showed Lu Min’s studio portrait to the local officer, which he’d managed to obtain from Ding Mulan during their home visit. The officer, surnamed Wei, was a young man in his twenties. He took the photo and couldn’t help but exclaim.

“If you hadn’t told me, I’d never guess this was a man! I thought she was just a mature lady with a lingering charm. Do people outside know this is actually a man?” After marveling, he asked.

Qin Ruonan shook her head. “He always presented as a woman. Other than people from his hometown, as far as we know, no one else he met was aware of his true gender.”

“That’ll make this tough!” Officer Wei rubbed his chin. “If people knew she was a cross-dresser, she’d stand out in their memory. But if they took her for an ordinary woman—well, she’s not especially beautiful or particularly ugly—so there’s nothing memorable about her.”

“Still, it’s worth trying. Otherwise, we have nowhere to begin,” said An Changpu.

T County’s bus station was a modest two-story building on the outskirts of the small county town. It was lunchtime, a low point for passengers; the area was quiet, with only a few vendors selling tea eggs and cold drinks by the entrance. Along the curb, a row of taxis waited idly.

The bus station was some distance from the county center. To get anywhere else, one had to take a taxi or walk several hundred meters to the nearest bus stop. Across the street, a dilapidated three-story building had been hastily converted—its ground floor and upper windows plastered with large “Hotel” signs.

“Let’s first ask the taxi drivers around here,” said An Changpu, handing out extra copies of the photo to Qin Ruonan and Officer Wei.

The three split up to question the taxi drivers, but soon all returned empty-handed.

“Either they see too many faces each day to remember, or this person was too thrifty to ever take a cab,” Officer Wei offered.

An Changpu and Qin Ruonan exchanged glances, neither commenting on his theories. It was true taxi drivers saw many people, but given the low passenger flow and bleak business here, and the plain dress of most residents, if Lu Min had ever taken a ride, someone should remember. As for thriftiness—well, nothing so far suggested Lu Min was careful with money.

Having drawn a blank with the taxi drivers, their attention turned unanimously to the small hotels across the street.

Again, they split up to search room by room, hope dwindling as they canvassed floor after floor. At last, luck smiled on them.

“I know this woman!” declared the owner of a small, inconspicuous hotel on the second floor, speaking confidently after seeing Lu Min’s photo. “She came here to look for a marriage match!”