Chapter Five: The Young Stepmother

In the corridor, Qian Yuling and Fang Da were embroiled in a heated argument, their voices growing louder and sharper as each tried to outdo the other. Both were so consumed by anger that they didn't even notice An Changpu and Qin Ruonan emerging from the classroom.

"Just you wait! If nothing happens to my son, we'll talk then. But if anything should go wrong, I swear neither you nor that little vixen will know a day of peace!" Qian Yuling's eyes were bloodshot, her gaze so intense it seemed her eye sockets might split open.

Fang Da, meanwhile, wore a mocking sneer. Despite his outward composure, the rapid rise and fall of his chest betrayed his inner turmoil. "Fine! I’d like to see what new tricks you've picked up since we've been apart. And don't act like you're some saintly martyr! You're no better than anyone else!"

"Who are you calling no better than anyone else? Who?!" The final provocation pushed Qian Yuling past her limit. Realizing that words alone would not resolve this, she lunged at Fang Da.

The altercation was on the verge of turning physical when Qin Ruonan and the others, who had rushed out from the classroom, intervened, forcibly pulling the two apart.

"Can the two of you act like adults for once? Is brawling in public supposed to be dignified? If fighting will help you find your child, then by all means, keep at it—I’ll be your referee!" Qin Ruonan stood between them, restraining the nearly hysterical Qian Yuling to prevent further escalation.

Panting, tears welling in her eyes, Qian Yuling’s energy seemed to drain away at Qin Ruonan’s words. She crouched down, covered her face with her hands, and began to sob. Fang Da, caught off guard, now bore two long red scratches across his cheek, his hair disheveled, making him look utterly bedraggled.

"See? This is what she’s like! Tell me, could you live with a woman like that? She’s impossible. Our divorce was because of her insufferable temper, but now she claims my remarriage was an affair before our divorce, calls my wife a homewrecker! Isn’t that absurd?" Fang Da grumbled to An Changpu, who stood beside him.

An Changpu glanced at Qian Yuling, who was being gently comforted by Qin Ruonan and was too distraught to hear Fang Da’s complaints—a small mercy. He patted Fang Da on the shoulder. "Whatever the reasons for your divorce, whether you remain friends or enemies is your business. But right now, your son Fang Wan is missing. That is what matters. If you care at all about him, control yourself. Arguing now helps no one."

"I understand, I do. I'm sorry for making a scene," Fang Da replied hastily.

Qin Ruonan spent a while consoling Qian Yuling, then helped her downstairs. Instead of returning to the car, she led her to the covered bleachers by the small sports field, a quiet spot not far from where they'd parked. Throughout, Qian Yuling continued to sob, her earlier aggression entirely gone, now seeming fragile and pitiable.

Qin Ruonan seated her on a concrete bench under the stands, sat beside her, and waited patiently for her tears to subside before speaking.

It took Qian Yuling several minutes to compose herself. Dusk was falling, the sky streaked with orange from the setting sun. Her face, damp from tears and chilled by the breeze—or perhaps colored by the waning light—was flushed and red.

"I'm sorry. I lost control just now..."

She had barely begun when Qin Ruonan cut her off, not allowing further apologies or explanations. "I understand how you feel. Anyone would struggle to stay calm in your situation. Let's not dwell on that. Tell me about your son. Fang Wan only stays with you every other weekend, is that right? How do you two get along?"

"According to the divorce agreement, I pick him up every other weekend, but it’s not always that regular," Qian Yuling sighed despondently. "I’m a nurse at the hospital, and my shifts change constantly. If I have a night shift on the weekend, I might not be able to take him. At first, Fang Da and I tried to reschedule, but later, my son wasn’t so keen on coming to my place. Sometimes we’d see each other twice a month, sometimes just once—or even just have a meal together before I took him back."

"And why doesn’t he want to stay with you? Is there a problem between you two?"

"No, not really. He’s my only child, and since the divorce I haven’t remarried, so there’s no one else. Of course I love him. I’ve always thought divorce is hard on a child, so I try to give him whatever he asks for. But my means are limited. I changed jobs and earn less now; living alone, there’s always bills to pay. I simply can’t match what his father can provide. He complains that the food and fun at my place can’t compare, and I can’t give him as much pocket money, so he ignores me," Qian Yuling finished with a note of profound disappointment.

Qin Ruonan was surprised. "Your son Fang Wan is only ten and already so pragmatic?"

"Children these days are all like that! When he was three or four he already knew his paternal grandparents were wealthier than my parents, so he’s always been closer to them, and barely greets my mom and dad."

"So how much do you two talk? Does he tell you about his studies, friends, or his life with his father and stepmother?"

"If I ask, he’ll say a few words, but as he’s grown, he has less and less to say to me." Qian Yuling managed a bitter smile. "He once said his stepmother doesn’t pay him much attention, but then added that she’s beautiful and admired by his classmates, while I don’t bother to dress up. He called me a 'yellowed old woman,' and said he’s embarrassed for anyone to know what I look like."

"Is that why you’re so resentful of Fang Da and his new wife?" Qin Ruonan now understood why Qian Yuling’s anger seemed boundless.

Qian Yuling didn’t deny it. "Yes, I can’t get over it. I lost my marriage and nearly lost my job. My son didn’t stay with me. They use money, nice food, and fun things to win him over so he barely cares about me. I’ve put up with all that. But now, they haven’t even managed to look after him properly—he’s been missing for hours and they didn’t notice. If it were you, wouldn’t you be furious? The precious child I couldn’t have, they possess but don’t cherish, and now he’s gone!"

With that, Qian Yuling broke down in tears again. Qin Ruonan, moved by her words, couldn’t bring herself to probe further. She simply sat with her in silence until Qian Yuling’s sobs subsided, then helped her back to the car.

An Changpu and Fang Da were already inside. This time, An Changpu had Fang Da sit in the front passenger seat, clearly to prevent another quarrel in the back.

No one objected to this arrangement. An Changpu drove them back to the city, first dropping Qian Yuling off at home, then taking Fang Da to his place.

"Aren’t we going to talk to his current wife at home?" Qin Ruonan asked in surprise after Fang Da got out.

An Changpu shook his head and kept driving. "She went back to her family today. I had Fang Da contact her before you two came back. Her parents’ home is in the county—she left this morning. Fang Da finally persuaded her to return tomorrow. We’ll talk to her then; I already have all her details. She won’t run away."

He handed his notebook to Qin Ruonan, who leafed through it quickly, her eyes widening in astonishment.

"Fang Wan’s stepmother is only twenty-four? That young? She’s more than a decade younger than Fang Da!" She glanced at An Changpu. "No wonder the homeroom teacher, Ms. Chen, had so many compliments for her. Turns out she’s just a young woman."

"Everyone appreciates beauty, especially among people their own age. It’s only natural," An Changpu replied, suddenly grinning as he glanced at Qin Ruonan, who was frowning in concentration over the notes. "By the way, did you notice that the teacher, Ms. Chen, couldn’t take her eyes off you at first? Trust me, if you hadn’t kept such a stern face, that bookish teacher would definitely have shown interest! So, you see, a woman is more attractive when she's gentle, with long flowing hair."

"It doesn’t matter. I’m not interested in him," Qin Ruonan said, unconsciously touching her short hair. "Do all men really prefer women with long hair?"

"Longer is better than shorter, and short is better than none. If a woman shaves her head, no matter how nicely shaped it is, I just couldn't handle it!" An Changpu joked.

Qin Ruonan fell silent, lost in thought. After a while, she let her hand drop from her hair and asked, "So, where are we headed now?"

"We’re going to trace Fang Wan’s last known movements. First stop: his tutoring center," An Changpu answered. "Second: the gym where he had PE class."

[Special thanks to Master Zhuo’er (belatedly), Mei Mu Pan Xi yxq, and Ai 5555 Tongzi for your pink votes! You’re wonderful! Mwah!]