A loud sound slap was heard in the face of Jim, who was knocked sideways.
They were both surprised.
Nicole came back to her senses and stroked her brother's face with her trembling finger. "I'm sorry, Jim.
I'm sorry. I'm too anxious. I didn't mean it."
Turning his head aside, a drop of tear fell down from the corner of his eye.
"I'm sorry, Jim. I shouldn't have slapped you. Jim..." Nicole watched the scene, heartbroken. It was
more painful than being slapped on her face.
"Sis, I'm not going to school,"
In such a case, Jim still insisted on his own idea.
Nicole had never seen her brother this stubborn. She couldn't force his brother, so she was too angry
to say a word.
"As long as I stay at the classroom, thinking that you have borrowed so much money for me and you
and mom tried your best to save money while I can't do nothing, I can't calm down to study. I won't
listen to you this time, sis. "
Jim held his schoolbag and rushed downstairs.
It took Nicole two seconds to react and she chased after him immediately.
Unfortunately, she was not as fast as Jim. With slippers on, she ran out and couldn't see her brother.
Nicole stamped her feet and went upstairs to change her shoes.
"Nicole, where is Jim?"
Nicole changed her shoes and clothes and was about to go out when Judy opened the bedroom door
and came out.
"Mom, you are awake."
"Where's Jim? Is he still asleep?" Then Judy turned around and walked towards Jim's room.
Nicole sighed.
As Judy saw there was no one in Jim's room, she became anxious. "Where is Jim? Where had he
been in such an early morning? Or he didn't come back last night? "
"Mother, don't be angry." Nicole hurried to comfort her mother. "Jim came back last night. I taught him a
lesson just now, and he ran out in anger."
"What? Where did she go? It's so dangerous outside. Is he alright? "
Nicole stopped her mother who was about to go out, "he's an adult. Nothing will happen to him. He's
just too angry with me. Mother, don't worry. I'm going to find him now."
"Okay, go ahead." Hearing that Jim had escaped, his mother didn't even care about his escaping
school.
With her bag on her arm, Nicole went downstairs and made a call.
"Oh, Auntie Wang, I am sorry to wake you up so early in the morning. I have to go out to deal with
something. My mom doesn't feel well. Could you please take care of her? Well, thank you, auntie, "
After this call, Nicole was a little relieved.
When she walked out of the community and looked at the first ray of sunshine in the early morning, she
felt very depressed.
How could she find her brother in such a big place!
Nicole looked around the neighborhood and went into the convenient store and Internet cafe, but she
didn't find Jim.
He was a young boy. Where could he go?
After thinking for a while, Nicole had a plan in her mind as she thought of the dirty shoes and the dirty
clothes.
She inferred that the cement seal and the limestone were brought by him on the construction site!
When Nicole thought of this possibility, she immediately left. She inquired about the construction site
nearby and went there.
However, she still hadn't found Jim until noon.
She asked people in the place which was under construction and they all said that there were no minor
workers. It seemed that they thought of Nicole as the investigator.
Nicole felt thirsty and hungry.
She randomly walked into a shabby restaurant, ordered a bowl of noodles and ate it up.
When she paid, she saw the owner of the restaurant who had experienced many vicissitudes of life and
had some experience. She could not help but tell the owner her puzzles.
Hearing this, the owner frowned and asked, "have you been to the construction site in the north
suburb?"
"The north suburb? Not yet. "
"You can go there to have a look. It's not so strict as you think. The urban system is very strict. He can't
be here."
Nicole suddenly figured it out after a while.
"Thank you!"
She didn't take the change but rushed out.
She took a taxi outside and went straight to the construction spot in the north suburb. Since it was
remote and backward in the economic development, a project was started there recently in the city,
which aimed to build cheap houses for people who couldn't afford houses.
It was not far from Jim's school!
Forty minutes later, Nicole got out of the taxi.
She rarely came to the northern suburbs. When she got off the car, she saw the almost collapsed
building over there. She had a feeling of passing time.
Even though her home was shabby, it was much better than here.
Nicole sighed and began to look for Jim.
Now she had learned to be smart. She didn't ask them directly but told them that something had
happened to her family and she needed to go back with her brother.
Most workers on the construction site were simple and unadorned. Hearing Nicole's words, they let
their guard down and also helped her inquire about a young boy.
Not long after, Nicole knew where her brother worked.
Behind a vacant house, Jim, in his dirty clothes and his broken sneakers, was wielding his shovels to
whirl a pile of cement.
In the blazing sun, Jim's face was covered with sweat and his clothes were wet. He stirred hard as he
wiped his face with the towel hanging around his neck.
Nicole stared at him blankly with tears in her eyes.
Her beloved younger brother was still so young, with tender skin and flesh, but he did such heavy
manual work here.
"J..."
Nicole just said one word, before she could step forward, her mouth was suddenly covered.
She stunned for a moment and then realized that she was just being dragged backward.
"Hmm... HMM... " Nicole struggled to push his hand away and kicked him away.
Unfortunately, due to the great disparity in strength, the person behind her was not affected at all.
Nicole didn't know what happened until she was thrown to the ground.
"Shh, don't scream."
Nicole looked up and saw two men with bare arms and a swarthy face staring at her.
"Beautiful."
The shorter man praised and raised his dirty hand to touch Nicole's face.
"Help! Help! "
She instinctively retreated and cried out.
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