After Zhang Heng got the number, he carefully observed the crowd in the waiting area. This time, the situation was much more complicated. Not only were there students and couples, but there were also couples, fathers and daughters, and colleagues. Zhang Heng even saw two boys who seemed to be gay. One of them was slightly fatter, with a pink Hello-Kitty hairclip on his left ear.
It was hard to tell who was peeping on him just now. Although a few high school students were still looking in his direction, they were basically peeking at Hayase Asuka. Hayase Asuka was standing on the other side of the queue, waiting for him. So, the person who peeked at him wasn't these high school students.
Besides, the mall was an open area, and passers-by would pass by from time to time. Theoretically, it was possible that the person who peeked at him wasn't in the waiting area.
Zhang Heng frowned. It didn't feel good to know that something was going to happen, but he didn't know what was going to happen.
Just then, someone patted him on the shoulder.
After that, Zhang Heng heard Hayase Asuka let out a cry of surprise. He turned around and saw a Kumamon Bear.
Many large shopping malls would hire people to dress in similar costumes to act cute. It was also a way for shopping malls and stores to attract customers. It was especially popular with girls and children.
Sure enough, Hayase Asuka was pleasantly surprised when she saw the Kumamon Bear. "Ah, it's so cute! Can I see Kumamon in China?" As she spoke, she took out her Polaroid from her bag and said in an expectant tone, "Can the three of us take a picture together?"
Zhang Heng nodded. After being interrupted, he couldn't look for the peeker anymore. So, he found a couple that was close to them and asked the boy to take a picture of the two of them.
After that, the Kumamon Bear did not leave. Instead, it stood there and reached out to Hayase Asuka, asking for a hug.
The latter laughed and generously gave the Kumamon Bear a bear hug.
When the two parted ways, Kumamon Kumamon had another rose in his hand. He pointed at Zhang Heng and then at Hayase Asuka. Hayase Asuka's face turned red, but she did not say a word. Perhaps it was because she was shy or because she could not speak Mandarin, she took the rose without saying a word.
After that, the Kumamon Bear made a heart gesture before waving his hand and leaving to look for the next couple. Hayase Asuka, on the other hand, seemed a little absent-minded after the incident. A minute later, the Polaroid photos came out. She did not even have time to look at them before she hurriedly opened her bag and tried to stuff the photos into it. But the next moment, she froze.
"What's wrong?" Heng asked.
"Eh? Wallet, where did the wallet go? I remember the wallet was still inside when I took the photo. " Hayase Asuka muttered as she rummaged through her bag, but she still could not find her wallet.
After that, she searched her pockets carefully, but there was still no sign of her wallet. It was then that Hayase Asuka began to panic.
Not only was there cash in the bag, but there were also her bank cards and school cards from China and Japan. Worse came later, when she realized that her passport was gone as well. It was almost time for her to return home for Chinese New Year, and her plane ticket had been booked. Without her passport, she would not be able to board the plane.
If Hayase Asuka was not mistaken, her purse was still lying quietly in the small bag on her shoulder before she picked up the Polaroid. After that, the only other thing that had physical contact with her was the Kumamon bear.
Less than three minutes after the Kumamon Bear left, Heng said to Hayase Asuka, who was on the verge of tears, "Wait for me here. Don't wander around. I'll be back soon."
After that, Heng chased after the Kumamon Bear. However, even after running all the way to the end of the corridor, he still could not find the Kumamon Bear. Logically speaking, the Kumamon Bear shouldn't have gone any further than that. Zhang Heng stopped a few passersby and asked them if they had seen the Kumamon Bear.
He even asked people who came from different directions, but all of them answered that they had not seen the Kumamon Bear.
It was as if the Kumamon Bear had evaporated into thin air.
After a while, Heng saw a service desk not far away and ran over.
"I'm sorry, sir. I have no right to disclose the personal information of our part-time staff to you," the guide said nervously, feeling that Heng was acting like a criminal.
"So, do you think that when the police and the media come here, the first thing that people will do when you organize similar events in the future will be to look after their wallets first? Or do you think that you should arrest the culprit now and retrieve his wallet? We can choose not to call the police, or we can choose not to contact the media after we call the police?" Zhang Heng asked rhetorically. "Don't say I didn't remind you. He just left a few minutes ago. There's a high chance that he hasn't left the mall yet."
Probably intimidated by Zhang Heng's imposing manner, the guide gulped and said, "Please wait a moment. I will ask my superior again."
Half a minute later, she put down the phone. "Sir, I just asked my colleague in charge. He said that we didn't hire anyone to dress up as a Kumamon Bear to attract customers today."
"What about the shops in your mall? Did they hire anyone? "
"I don't know about that." The guide hesitated for a moment before adding, "But usually, if there is such an event, the merchants will report it to us …"
However, before she could finish her sentence, she saw Zhang Heng rushing to the escalator on the other side.
While the guide was speaking, Zhang Heng saw the Kumamon Bear on the second floor. Not only did it not show any signs of running away, but it was also calmly squatting at the door of the Kumamon Store.
There was a six- or seven-year-old girl playing with her outside the store.
The Kumamon Bear used the same trick to hug the little girl, gave her a lollipop, and patted her head.
At this time, Zhang Heng had already jumped down from the half-filled escalator amidst the exclamations of the crowd.
It only took him ten seconds to descend from the fifth floor to the second floor. When he landed on the ground, he was stunned by the sight of two girls drinking milk tea not far from him. The girls seemed to have thought of something, and they excitedly took out their phones, wanting to record this stunt. However, Zhang Heng had already given up on jumping off the escalator. Instead, he ran towards the Kumamon Store.
The distance between the two wasn't too far, but there was a hollow patio between them. Zhang Heng had to walk half a circle along the corridor to reach the Kumamon Store.
The Kumamon had obviously noticed him, but it didn't show any signs of panic. It stood in front of the shop with its hands on its waist, staring at Zhang Heng with its mouth wide open and two smears of red on its cheeks, making it look like it was asking for a beating.
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