Chapter One The little girl was only about fifteen years old, but she pretended to be brave and sophisticated.Ke Baisha was trying to refuse her and coax her to leave. I stood at the door with my hand on the doorknob and said, "I'm sorry, Betha, I didn't know you were busy." It doesn't matter, Baisha said, she's leaving. The little girl blinked to keep the tears from falling.It looked like she didn't want to leave, but she also refused to ask.She stood up proudly and said: Thank you for meeting me, Mrs. Ke. She walked to the office door. I stood at the door without moving.

Ke Baisha explained: This is my partner Lai Tangnuo; this lady is Deng Shandi.Tang Nuo, I have something important to discuss with you. The little girl's big blue eyes were filled with tears, but she forced a smile.Hello, Mr. Lai.She said politely. She was walking towards the door, but she had to stop because I was still standing in the doorway. Sandy, you're having a little trouble, aren't you?I asked. She nodded and suddenly wanted to push me away and run out. Baisha said: It's none of our business.No money or a dime. I put my arms around her shoulders.Wait a minute, Sandy, I said, what's your problem?

Baisha glared at me: she's already told me, and I told you, we can't help her. Sandy, what do you want us to do?I asked. The warmth from my arms around her shoulders, and the human compassion expressed in my questioning, was too heavy for a girl of her age, and she leaned against my upper body and began to cry.Shrugged and cried softly. Baisha said: Damn it!I hate putting on airs the most.Get her out! let's go.I said. I have something to see you!cried Baisha. Then talk now.I'll have a chat with Sandy in a moment.Sandy, sit down.I said.Send Sandy back to the chair.The little girl looked at Baisha hesitantly, then timidly sat on the edge of the chair.

What's the matter?I asked. Bai Sha said angrily: It's nothing at all.We can't help her.She wants to find her Uncle Yamo.If Uncle Yamo is alive, it seems that he will get some money.If he's happy, he'll give Sandy's mother some money.The mother can pay the medical bills, and the family can be reunited.It seemed her mother was too ill to work.Even if you find her uncle, he may not be willing to pay her mother, let alone pay the private detective.God, you leave the business contacts to me and let the kid go. I held Sandy's hand and walked out of Betha's office, past the reception room, and took her to my private office.

Bu Aiqian, my personal secretary, looked into her eyes with sympathy. I said: Elsie, come in and jot down the key points for me. She placed Sandy on the couch, sat beside her, put her arms around her shoulders, and asked: What's going on? Sandy wiped away her tears, put a smile on her face like a lady, sat herself upright, and looked at Elsie and me.Elsie withdrew her hands from behind her shoulders, like a good secretary, sitting there quietly listening to the master and the client discuss business. I asked: How did you break into our place? She said, I watch TV shows.I know that a good private eye can do anything.There is an administrator in the library who is my good friend.She told me about the Curry's Private Detective Agency.So I often say to myself, if I have anything to do, the first thing I do is to come to you.I came here to find you.Others say you are very smart.But you are not here, Mrs. Ke said that she will meet me.

What's the matter?I asked. She said: Uncle Yamo. what is his name? The surname is Gai, Uncle Gaiamo. Uncle Yamo, how are you? Uncle Yamo is a weirdo. I nod. Uncle Yamo would run away from home regularly. Mom and I couldn't control his habit because we didn't know much about alcoholism.Mom said he was seriously ill.When the wine bug came out, he couldn't resist, like I was about to get the measles. He's gone now?I asked. He went out to drink again, but didn't come back this time.He wrote to his mother that he was coming back, broke and hitchhiking all the way home.But he hasn't come home now either.

Where is the house?I asked. He has his own place, but not far from our house. Uncle Yamo likes me, and likes my mom. Yamo has nothing to do with you.I asked. My mother married his brother.After his elder brother, my father, died, my mother married Deng Jiman again.But Mom and Dengjiman have divorced. Do you still see Uncle Yamo? Oh yes, he's a nice guy and he likes us.Uncle Yamo has a trust fund for his expenses.He gave his mother thirty yuan a month.This month I don't think he got any money himself and we didn't see him. No news from him either? She shook her head: it was just a postcard.Said he was on his way home and would come to see us as soon as he got back.But he just didn't come back.

What happened to his trust fund?I asked. It was an inheritance from his uncle. Do you know his uncle's name? Gai Haibo. Do you know how much money is left?I asked. She shook her head and said: I know it's a lot of money, but Uncle Yamo only gets monthly expenses.He will get a lot in the future. Does your mother know that too? Of course, he gave his mother thirty yuan a month.He told his mother that once he got all the money, he would give her more.He had to be thirty-five to get all the money in the trust fund.He told my mother that he had made a will that in case of his death everything he had would go to my mother.I think my mom and I are the only people he has a relationship with.We all like him.

I looked at my watch and said: I must go to see Ke Baisha.We have an important matter to discuss.She is still waiting for me.You are here, chatting with this Miss Buaiqian.Tell her your mother's name, your home address, and your phone number if you have one.Then you go back. Are you going to take the bus back? She almost gave me a glare and said: Of course, I'm almost fifteen. All right.I told her, you go back first, and we will tell you what we find. But Mrs. Ke said that you don’t accept this kind of case, and she said that if you take this kind of business, you will go bankrupt. She said that her eyes blinked quickly.

I said: Baisha's appearance is made of reinforced concrete.But don't be fooled by her.Her heart is a shining diamond. I nodded to Elsie.Said: Ask carefully for important information.I'm going to the lion cage now.