Chapter 32: The Bridge of Hearts

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

I immediately answered the call, and a gentle voice came from the other end. “Qiqi’s daddy, I’m Teacher Qin. Have you found Qiqi?”

I was so disappointed I felt like crying. “Not yet.”

Teacher Qin said anxiously, “I might have some clues. I’m at school now. I initially wanted to help contact a few students who are in the same class as him to see if I could get any clues. However, I suddenly remembered something. During the break between classes in the morning, he mentioned a place to me. It’s possible that he is there.”

I was shocked. “Where?”

Unexpectedly, she didn’t return home. Instead, she was helping me to find my son!

Teacher Qin was indeed a nice person.

If it were any other teacher, they would probably be afraid of being targeted by these troublesome matters. Why would they do something that took so much effort and might not be something that would benefit them?

After all, they were only extracurricular teachers. They had no obligation or responsibility to help.

Teacher Qin didn’t say it immediately. Instead, he asked, “Qiqi’s daddy, may I ask if you and your wife have had any conflicts recently?”

I froze.

Why would she suddenly ask such a personal question?

Most importantly, how did she know that my wife and I had conflicts?

Before today, I didn’t even know her!

On the other end, she hurriedly added, “Don’t misunderstand, I just want to confirm it. You know, Qiqi is a very sensitive little child. In the past few classes, when he’s resting, he always looked gloomy. I thought that he was in trouble, so I counseled him. He told me that Mom and Dad seem to be fighting all the time now.”

My head buzzed, and I was tongue-tied!

All this time, I had been thinking about myself and my wife.

But I had never thought that although my son was still young, he would already have his own feelings!

Although my wife and I would still try our best to maintain a normal interaction in front of him, he was very smart indeed. He still noticed the abnormality in his parents’ relationship.

However, Qiqi hardly mentioned this to my wife and me!

His young heart had chosen to shoulder the burden alone!

Heavens!

I was an adult who was used to storms and waves. I couldn’t even withstand such pressure. How can a mere child like him do it?!

An intense wave of guilt surged within me. I sighed. “There are indeed some small conflicts. But what has this got to do with where he went? Wait, Teacher Qin, don’t tell me that he couldn’t stand us anymore and ran away?”

However, Teacher Qin said, “Of course not! Qiqi is very sensible. I believe that he would never do a thing that would hurt everyone. But he told me about a place called the Bridge of Hearts. Do you know that place?”

I was stunned. “The Bridge of Hearts?” I repeated.

I knew that place!

It was a small scenic spot in the western suburbs of the city. There was a ten-meter-long arch decorated with barbed wire.

Those who went there could spend twenty yuan on two specially-made universal locks. They could write the names of the people they hoped to be in love with, and intertwine the locks together before hanging them on the wire arch.

That way, the person whose name was written would be happy forever.

It was said that it was an imitation of a place overseas. Many people followed its trend.

Recently, that place has been very popular. When I was working at the property management office, many of my colleagues were there. Every day, I would see them posting about the universal locks.

There was even a period of time when I had thought of bringing my wife there.

However, she didn’t care about that. She said that it was only a scam and that she wouldn’t go there with me.

At that time, I was a little embarrassed.

We were all highly educated, yet I still believed in such a childish thing. I was really embarrassed.

Thinking about it now, did my wife really refuse to go with me because that thing was childish?

Or could it be that she had intended to divorce me for some time now and didn’t want the possibility of being together with me even though it was just a superstition?

On the other end, Teacher Qin continued, “Yes. I didn’t really process it at the time as I thought that Qiqi was just curious. I even helped him check the address. In hindsight, Qiqi might have his own idea.”

“I’ll go check it out right now!”

The bridge was outside the city.

Although it wasn’t far, Qiqi was still a child!

Putting aside the fact if he went there or not, even if he really wanted to go, he was still so young. What if he encountered danger along the way?

When I arrived at the bridge, there were many couples.

There were some stalls on both ends of the bridge.

I searched the bridge as quickly as I could, and my heart turned cold!

Qiqi was nowhere in sight!

Panicking, I asked the vendors if they had seen Qiqi.

Almost everyone answered unanimously. “There are so many people, and we really didn’t notice if there were children around.”

With reddened eyes, I asked everyone from one end of the bridge to the other. I didn’t spare anyone on the bridge.

Everyone looked at me oddly as if I was a lunatic.

I ignored them and asked everyone I saw on the bridge.

No one gave me the answer I wanted!

I couldn’t blame them.

With so many people, it was indeed difficult to notice a child.

Furthermore, even if Qiqi had been here before, the people on the bridge were probably simply passing by. Those who had seen him earlier might have left by now.

Moreover, it was also possible that Qiqi was never here in the first place!

On the bridge, thousands of universal locks were locked there. There was no way to search every lock to confirm if Qiqi had been here!

I sat down on the bridge and my tears almost flowed out!

I couldn’t cry in front of so many people!

It was too embarrassing!

However, that despair made it impossible for me to hold back my tears!

My son, my last pillar of support at home, and the only person who cared about me!

I couldn’t imagine losing him!

“Daddy!”