A Bad-Hearted Doctor is Unbearably Beautiful - Chapter 43

Lu Xiao lifted his hand to check the time. There were only one hour and fifty minutes remaining until the kidnapper’s next move.

Although he still didn’t know what the culprit planned to do next, he needed to race against the clock to gather more information. Currently, there were three urgent tasks:

Locate the signal source of the kidnapper’s live stream.

Compare the identification details of the boy in the video to confirm where the victim was last seen, allowing them to track the site of the abduction.

Decipher the metaphorical meaning of “Number Thirteen” behind the case.

The first two tasks had already been handed off to the technical and criminal investigation teams. The third task, however, could only be handled by himself and Shen Zhao.

Lu Xiao lowered his voice, speaking in a gentle tone. “Shen Zhao, I need to organize the case information now. The details regarding the Angel Orphanage are vital to us. Can you cooperate with me?”

Using Shen Zhao’s childhood memories as a breakthrough to identify potential perpetrators seemed to be the fastest route for a precision strike.

Shen Zhao nodded. “I will do my best.”

Lu Xiao wrote the words “Angel Orphanage” on the whiteboard and began constructing a timeline. He placed his hand lightly over Shen Zhao’s, giving it a firm, reassuring squeeze. “Shen Zhao, when exactly did you enter this orphanage?”

Shen Zhao gazed into the distance, his thoughts drifting back through the years.

“I was ten years old that year. My parents had just passed away…”

Eighteen Years Ago: Angel Orphanage

“That child is about ten years old. Look, he’s standing right there behind that tree. He has such delicate features; it’s a pity for him to be wandering the streets. we saw how pitiful he was, but we can’t afford to raise him ourselves. I wonder if the Director could take him in?”

Several adults stood together talking, their eyes drifting toward the boy from time to time.

The boy wore a black cotton jacket riddled with small holes, covered in patches and dried mud. He stood far off behind a tree, his eyes watching the adults with wary vigilance. Behind the well-dressed adults, the sounds of children playing and laughing echoed from the building.

“Where did the child come from?” asked a well-dressed woman in her thirties.

“You know about that earthquake a while back, right?” the villager replied.

The woman nodded.

“Their village was at the foot of the mountain. The landslide was terrible. When the rocks came down, the roofs couldn’t hold. Everything collapsed!” The villager sighed, gesturing to describe the tragedy of that day.

“Are both parents dead?” the woman asked. She looked at the boy again, her tone becoming more patient.

“Exactly! The landslides on that road were severe. By the time the rescue team arrived, only that child was still breathing.”

The woman nodded. “He is indeed pitiful. Do no relatives want to adopt him?”

The villager smiled awkwardly. “Everyone is struggling to take care of their own. Who has the money to raise someone else’s child? I heard this is a charitable institution, so I thought I’d ask. Consider it a good deed.”

“Yes. He’s still young, and he’s lucky to be alive. He has a long life ahead of him.” The woman offered a smile.

…

Lu Xiao frowned. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize your parents…”

Shen Zhao shook his head. “It was a long time ago. So long that I’ve almost forgotten what they looked like.”

“You said they conducted many experiments at the orphanage,” Lu Xiao continued. “Didn’t anyone report them for doing such things?”

Shen Zhao smiled, his expression clouded with a sense of helplessness. Before he could speak, Lu Xiao handed him a cup of warm water. “Did you take your fever medicine? Dammit, I should have let you stay in the hospital. I feel like bringing you here played right into the kidnapper’s hands!”

Shen Zhao took a slow sip of water and paused. “No one knew the founder’s true purpose. For the first two years I was there, I was actually quite happy.”

Shen Zhao remembered that when he first met Nine, he looked like a stray dog that nobody wanted.

It was his first day at the orphanage. It had been raining for a week straight in Dongxi Town. The air was damp and cold; Shen Zhao felt as if his entire body was soaking in a freezing mist.

The Director was a very gentle woman. Wearing a long gray dress, she led Shen Zhao by the hand into a room filled with low beds. “From today on, this is your home.”

The woman beamed, her voice as sweet as syrup. She pointed to a bed labeled with a number: 13.

“That is your student number.”

Shen Zhao nodded, keeping his head down and remaining silent.

The orphanage was full of children. It was noisy every day, and everyone seemed happy. No one spoke to him, and he didn’t bother looking up.

“Hey, newcomer!”

Shen Zhao heard someone calling from outside the window, but he ignored them.

The boy in front of him didn’t seem to mind being ignored at all. Instead, he grew more energetic, running into the room and circling Shen Zhao twice with a grin.

“Why are you built like a little bamboo pole?” the boy joked. “A very good-looking bamboo pole, though.”

Only then did Shen Zhao look up to study the boy. He had sparkling amber eyes that looked vivid and dazzling when he smiled—as if they could chase away the bitter winter.

The boy looked Shen Zhao over and noticed the number on the bed. “You’re Number Thirteen!”

He tilted his head and reached out, his palm open. A piece of toffee lay in his hand. “Newcomer, want some candy? The Director gave it to me!”

Shen Zhao didn’t reach for it.

The boy crinkled his eyes and forced the candy into Shen Zhao’s hand. His voice was playful, tinged with a hint of a spoiled, coaxing tone. “Don’t be so polite! It’s great here. You’re definitely going to love it!”

He had a smile on his lips, and his eyelashes were long and curled. He looked as exquisite as a porcelain doll.

It was the first time Shen Zhao had seen such a beautiful boy. He couldn’t help but stare. “Are you… a foreigner?”

Nine laughed. He grabbed Shen Zhao’s backpack from his shoulders, tossed it onto the floor, and pulled him toward the door. “I don’t know, maybe! I’m Number Nine. You can call me by my English name, Nine! It sounds cool, right?”

Daytime at the orphanage was always warm. Aside from the daily Chinese and Math lessons, it was mostly a happy time.

Nine had a personality that everyone loved. He was sweet-talking and lively, often making the Director laugh until she doubled over. The Director favored him, giving him extra snacks which he would secretly hide and share with Shen Zhao at night.

Before bed, the teachers would gather the children to tell stories and sing. When the weather was good, they would sit on the grass outside the building and watch the stars.

The Director told them they could only play within the fenced area and must never go out. She said there were scary animals and human traffickers outside; only this place was safe.

“How old are you?” Nine asked, lying on the grass.

“Ten. Almost eleven,” Shen Zhao replied. For the first time, he felt that his current life wasn’t so bad.

“Wow! I’m only ten. You’re actually older than me!!” Nine jokingly snatched back the piece of chocolate he had given Shen Zhao. “Then you’re my Gege (big brother). You have to take better care of me~”

When Nine acted cute, almost no one could resist him. His gaze was as bright as fire, like the most vibrant flowers blooming in spring.

Shen Zhao nodded, and a piece of unwrapped chocolate was promptly stuffed into his mouth.