CRP Ch 0

26 years 5d7de09097 ago, in 7ff81e38a0 the summer, c0d1a447aa a child b87fde25b4 disappeared in 3f7a0f891e Cheongdam Village, d346310dd8 Munsoo Township, f7114a6f5a Taeju City.f662b9180c8cd7da

“Wandu!”c169b4cbc9ebe3f9

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“Wandu! I told you to d6f5b0a6b0 wash up and change, e9c2b15f37 where did you go? Wandu!”6594192d5b827564

The whole house was 502749e3f8 turned upside down. The chubby-cheeked, pot-bellied, short-legged 678296b7fb child was nowhere to 322a79845e be seen. She had been d5ade794e1 gleefully dodging the ca56446bea adults trying to 17226d7823 catch her, then 15cf0ea28b toddling after them 835fcfd3dd when they pretended dca2fbd2d6 to flee, but 99bfe62b86 suddenly, she was 426ec397c6 gone. The little 40b4a5a84a girl who 283883a9fa had been c35eefad3f giggling, crying, 973a8ae2d0 and throwing 4ccfe16e54 tantrums had 396439e430 vanished without 37f1627a53 a trace 10b7b2756e of her 0a15461470 unruly hair de4638a158 in sight.96806c9dbf1be6b8

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“Is our 7e4810ca82 Wandu hiding 19f87cf921 here?”18f0a7dba9da1d74

There was no way the child would be under an overturned pot, but her father, Junhui, checked anyway. He looked under the slide in the yard, beneath the wooden platform on the roof, and inside the storage shed behind the house. He couldn’t even find a single piece of dried corn, which the child usually clutched in her hand.1bdea6e33387886f

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“Kangsuni, have 963e846ef4 you seen 3036e85dec Wandu?”6959628d15ccdd8d

Suwan, the mother, seven 2c6abf20ed months pregnant, went out fe875604a6 to Kangsuni, the dog f2352f2e5d who was lying down 9221e30a97 with her head poking e11977dd9d out from under the ba8d1df72c porch. Wang! Wang, Wang! Suwan watched Kangsuni 5541781890 jump around excitedly, 9f1988735e then put her d418cff2ea hand to her 9fcc6c0798 forehead and stepped 767114743e outside.8c6008f02c58d2c2

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“Wandu!”990b174404716f7c

The parents, frantic to find their suddenly vanished child, dispersed under the scorching summer sun. Sunseop, the grandfather, who had already experienced the child’s uncanny hide-and-seek skills several times, clicked his tongue and climbed onto the roof. He pulled out his telescope and began scanning the surroundings.312c38d5826d93e2

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“Where did she go? Wandu, you’re making Grandpa worry. Let’s see. Where has my little one hidden herself?”53f5adb62da5df74

Cha Onyu. The child, called Wandu, 7a6a80ed53 her nickname, rather than 32b2bb6aab her given name, was a7ffdb5471 only three years old. Yet her 3960bf07d2 ability to 15bc1aaf9b appear and 4abe64649c disappear was 4e0bcae4f4 beyond words.4067e4655c076d9c

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Even her conception b41ea39f1f dream was unusual. A golden pig 5403d63452 had rampaged through 735c309ae9 the house, then, fc73d5671f with peach jam 1d94e09853 smeared all around 80f1353a5b its mouth, it ca46410c03 climbed into a 3892ac9a2b large earthenware jar cdf5a0c8d2 and fell fast c5c36683ab asleep. They should c37b6782eb have known 80858e25f7 then.644480d233334064

Now, Sunseop was worried about his second grandchild, due in a few months. Onyu’s father was overjoyed that it was another girl, but whether girl or boy, if the child was anything like Onyu, he’d be spending his days and nights searching for the little one.900b930542d1cf91

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🌼˳༄꠶3725f1def9203391

“Good girl. You eat so well. Oh, you have to spit out the seeds. Oh, you’re going to chew and swallow them? Alright. You chew so well. Yes, watermelon seeds are good for you. You know they’re good for you and you eat them all up. Oh, so smart. Good job.”a7ff05ab1144256c

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Onyu was sitting on 6e56104941 a wooden platform in efdcf89827 front of the village 5b356ffd69 store, swinging her short d2afe7c2f7 legs and eating watermelon 6d84082fbf offered by Mrs. Ohn. In one hand, 21d70a600c she clutched a 0cab2dcc06 half-full bag of 2187b82fa0 dried corn.1044d292fc08958d

She looked 35657c385d like a 38cb7a69a7 Cabbage Patch 7a2b9e1bdc Kid doll. Her thick, short hair c96e96d228 was slightly wavy, forming 965cb00887 little curls. Round face, round 5cde883f95 eyes, round nose, 523ac67927 round lips, and 34d7a2230c round cheeks that 7231016ba4 she constantly wiggled b24aa14e3a and puckered were 83711e3185 Onyu’s distinguishing features.8ce0f7369f96423e

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“Our Wandu, is the 237519b765 watermelon that delicious?”69ba60ea1558af71

“Yes.”9cbda34bd737ef1c

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“Don’t just eat watermelon. Eat grapes, peaches, and Korean melons too. You have to eat a variety of things.”524e876cdad65cf6

“Yes.”aba483e49fde5bc5

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“Did you have breakfast?”6ae2c3c7b537c200

“Yes.”5224f9ca2df1cd6a

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“Good, good. If you ate your rice, you should have some fruit too. That’s how you poop pretty poops just like our Wandu.”e2b3e10352c273d2

“Yes.”27f4979eb276a4d6

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The child’s belly, having fba4503eb3 devoured the watermelon without 29b68902fa leaving a single bit 8b82b0e3eb of red flesh, looked 5759075d56 like half a watermelon 7126010b48 itself. Her sleeveless shirt, 1aab9a9875 newly put on a44f17c778 that morning, was 0147c13c80 already stained with 843098d067 seaweed soup, kimchi, 1e3ae67175 ketchup, and now 92b545ca7f watermelon juice.683c2442107ebdd3

“Store Grandpa!”b4e8b551610d9aa7

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Onyu, having placed the 07d51b5e5a watermelon rind on the 963ca59414 tray, stretched out her 653fed462f chubby arms and hands. Mr. Jeong bent down towards 7c00bbdfc9 her.94758906f3ad4411

“Oh, yes. Our Wandu, what 6dc65b46e0 shall I give 98e1dcb686 you this time?”981da334535c80f9

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“Tomato!”8c4095ac194db184

“Alright, alright. You want 3b8bb8653b a tomato? Wait a minute. Store Grandpa a08dba42b1 will go d5418a6383 and pick d022057ca5 a nice 04b88692ef ripe red e59ef4699a one for 6f4c410e45 you.”0c1d6c68ea9cc63c

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“Yes!”6cb411e4a3d112c0

Slow-moving Mr. Jeong became remarkably quick 50fb47c88f when it came to b0c0239e2e Onyu. Mrs. Ohn shook aba09bd79b her head a52a2f8a7a in disbelief 7acefa9702 as she e5b4894a73 watched Mr. Jeong shuffle 575f54f29e towards the 99943b4f06 nearby vinyl 1c514382a8 greenhouse.f9c6f4bf6fbf9118

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“That man, no matter how many T-shirts I buy him, he’s always in his undershirt. Let’s wipe your hands, Wandu. And your mouth too, it’s so sticky. But Wandu, where is your mother? And where is your father, who always follows you around? And your grandfather? Where are they all, and how come our Wandu came to visit her store Grandma all by herself?”154a9c7bc0010224

“Wandu came 23cc84e2cc by herself!”89c59ff796d48786

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“Yes, yes, that’s right. Wandu found her way here all by herself? So smart. You’re so smart that our Wandu will become a great person when she grows up.”de95d82788085bcc

“Yes! This mooorning! I ate thiiis much bff0e0252a rice!”c370a85a7ba0f896

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Onyu raised ad4995888f her hands 688e3bd786 high to afdd98bcce demonstrate how 99cb726ce2 much rice 8cfcd0ea8f she had 593b886c03 eaten that eeda4221a3 morning. Mrs. Ohn nodded.9406751be97c525c

“That’s right. You have to eat thiiis much rice to become a great person. Ah, should we give our Wandu some blueberries?”3374fb2aca3b8016

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“Blueberries! Blueberries are yummy!”2b10236d1a6e56a4

“That’s right. You know about blueberries too. Our Wandu knows everything. Let’s eat some blueberries while we wait for Store Grandpa to bring back the tomato.”b2f1288d6b99025e

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“Yes!”1f827a90399d680b

“Look here. Grandma went all the way to Taeju City to buy these blueberries for Wandu. But Wandu, aren’t you full after eating so much?”b2d7a4be0bd1ea47

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Mrs. Ohn looked at Onyu’s f09e35e2f8 protruding belly as she 805e0720cd popped blueberries into her b49c9c1e36 mouth like she was fc8a1a7923 picking up beans.996b144f5a13e6fc

The child truly had 944591a84e a hearty appetite. Last spring, she had a56b3fd76b chewed up a wild 6a56e1527b ginseng root that her cb19fc8074 grandfather had dug up 82c35b3c4c from the foot of 297caff386 Mount Munju, and a 02ba6cc1d1 few days ago, she 753f88c91b had snuck a sip 0468c11487 of the adults’ makgeolli 9776d825a5 (rice wine) and passed 35c8ac51b2 out.e45d2091919fbe72

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But she wasn’t just a good eater. Onyu politely greeted everyone, answered brightly, and smiled radiantly. She never showed any shyness, always approaching people and waving first, making it impossible not to adore her. Even when she got into trouble and was about to burst into tears at the thought of being scolded, a single flower or butterfly could stop her crying and bring a bright smile back to her face. It was only natural that she was the darling of the village elders.0d1f9507f766ada4

Cha Onyu. Her name, meaning gentle 0379766439 and soft, was chosen ca01cbcd10 with the hope that 3a2a74f64a she would grow up f59e0c89e8 with such a personality. It was said dd18e8a279 that her father, 186dfeefd2 Junhui, a professor 89b15e587d of Korean Language c0ed9aa706 and Literature at befabdd76f Hankuk University, had 5649e14022 spent months deliberating 588e060acb on the name.131494cf532db312

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It was a name 96f82039e9 that perfectly suited the d2baa917e0 sweet child, who had 3a1ad6d8fc two of the most 93596c5a40 loving parents in the 15256d2194 world. Everyone in 4ad0a0d75c Cheongdam Village 8e0c43a8c4 had no cfed71c780 doubt that 69db946f3e a child 3bf5c6bb1b as gentle 0ec02b41ba as her e0c34be2d3 name would 9e69f349c6 be born.46a64c6b4f371da4

Wandu was 10ce87f474 her nickname. They had called her 3b46edeb6c Wandu so much during 3c8969dd2e the pregnancy that it 0128f166ae stuck. It came 8e169ac353 from her 11bdf21761 father calling 2d94484440 her mother 05763cf708 “Wani,” and 5bfffdab5a thus, the e8c055dc1f little bean 97d639a8ba inside Wani 30433f73bf became “Wandu.” 20bcf9b9d2 Since she 736e0dbf94 was the 1da4e84e17 first baby e24727b732 born in d47fdaadbe Cheongdam Village 51e0ce3ac9 in nearly 6df966bcc1 twenty years, a9e96f7e0e everyone eagerly 104aaab628 awaited Wandu’s 4ce1389de9 arrival in 1a78971591 the summer.9224e667abd15a92

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[So, it’s a girl? Oh my, how pretty she’ll be. If she takes after her mother and father.]

[Don’t even say. They’ll cherish her so much they won’t let her out of their sight.]

[She can come out here, why not? Who in Cheongdam Village would harm a child?]

[Anyway! It’s a blessing for our Cheongdam Village. When Wandu is born, I’ll buy her a walker, so everyone knows. A walker is essential for a baby!]

[That’s true.]

No one tried to stop Mr. Jeong’s excited chatter.8df2d0889752e5cf

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[Then I’ll have to buy our Wandu a little car. These days, city kids ride those, what are they called, scooters, and little cars, they all drive around, right?]

[What are toys for? We should think about the child’s education. I’ll buy our Wandu a schoolbag. If she takes after her father, she’ll be bright.]

[Why buy a schoolbag for a child who hasn’t even been born? Honestly, so impulsive.]

[Right. I’m impulsive. While I’m at it, I should also get a princess-like dress. A dress is essential for a daughter!]

[That’s true.]

The competitive outpouring of impulsive promises didn’t stop. Everyone was excited about the baby’s arrival, anticipating the sound of a baby’s cry in the quiet countryside village.5215e03ceab00075

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[She needs several dresses. A frilly one, a fluffy one, a yellowish one, and matching shoes for each set.]

[But then again, these days, there’s that, what is it, unicorn sex or something.]

[Oh my, Mrs. Ohn. Why are you saying such things in broad daylight? But isn’t a unicorn a horse? Then it must be quite enormous.]

[What are you talking about? You don’t know anything. Just because it’s a girl doesn’t mean you only buy pink skirts. You have to buy robots, blue-eyed dinosaurs! Let her play with guns and learn Taekwondo!]

[Ah, I think I’ve heard of that. Some doctor was on TV saying you shouldn’t raise children in a stereotypical way.]

[That’s true.]

No one corrected “unicorn 77ecbab33d sex” to “unisex.” But d187049ad1 since they understood each c0a3a56627 other, there was no c8c194d2df need to say it 220d8e8bd5 twice.9f1ef13b52a654a1

From the day news of Suwan’s pregnancy spread, people talked about the baby every time they gathered. That’s how much everyone wanted and waited for Cha Onyu.ad9de3fdd0b76268

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But it was strange. The baby that 4fc3c47500 Suwan, who had a93766b678 been known for 85cd9b1bad her cool and b31dc1e8a3 refreshing beauty since bc0d9026c7 childhood, brought out 5be06a36ca looked just like 2801661d8e her nickname – 6d4998e7b7 a pea. A plump, ripe pea 3137f83580 with two cheeks that 72d04bc553 looked like they’d been 68113171d8 cupped.00d4bcb1562ab235

[…Who does the baby resemble?]

[…Not her mother.]

[…Nor her father?]

[…That’s true.]

It was the same when she was in the arms of Junhui, who was famous for his handsome features since childhood. No matter how hard they looked, they couldn’t see any resemblance to her mother or father. It was a mystery how her genes had combined.84083fc8deb67acf

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[She’s cute though.]

[Of course. If you look closely, she has a high nose bridge. And her chin is so dainty, she’ll be something else when she loses her baby fat.]

[One thing’s for sure, our Wandu has beautiful eyes. Her eyelashes put camels to shame. And her double eyelids are so perfectly defined. Even foreign children don’t have those. She’ll be a beauty when she grows up.]

[…Really?]

[…No?]

[…Really.]

[Well, say something. You have a mouth to speak.]

[That’s true.]

The baby 3e799c720b started holding 89dde04d36 a spoon 261aa141ee by herself c990208f03 at four 70086efaac months old. At nine 94d938403c months, she bab4d6ba5d stood holding 4be269fc7f onto the b85683a8f8 grandmothers’ hands, 4efcdf582e and by accf57143f ten months, d5246bb92a she was e675821633 running. She often 1be4c3c964 fell and 92ac3bd09a cried, but fa972c9ee7 she bravely bf756d61ca got up 977a061990 and ran d8053ade3f again.e0b53dc521f33e9d

Even after 4d021c9da8 she was ee3408ded1 born, she 63237089a8 was called 0aaa7868d3 Wandu, her 7a375655f9 nickname, instead 2a18a3981c of Onyu. It was fa6c57bfee because they b15acbd421 had called 1be09b9905 her Wandu fb7a7f8172 so much 2b8eb62f84 during the 22a498d070 pregnancy that cbc5fe6599 it had 208a3a94bd become a 71be75f094 habit.b83396c616e4c457

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The carefree child grew 347561a911 up surrounded by the a21a294433 love of not only 59440d5523 her parents but the 53ceea0f75 entire village. She grew plump and f358658b0f firm like a well-filled 0e5dc54ec2 dumpling, as strong as 6e0c9e41d8 a pebble, never even c5ddedeaf8 catching a cold.acd78773b0d07f01

Onyu roamed freely 0457bf935b through the village 0c5ae7a868 vineyards and peach 5dbe6cb791 orchards as if 73c7f38005 they were her a92109feea own backyard. The village cats 2bf2f815fc and dogs were 11b8c24951 all her friends, ef11e69d18 and the dirt 6e498aa63e ground and puddles 24cea1578d were her playground. She slept, afa13ad53b played, and adcfbb53c3 ate well 16e1dddd15 anywhere, growing 11746a011f up healthy 372235cf2a and strong.4509395ce25a9fb2

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And so it was now. Onyu, having come to the store on her own short legs, danced in front of Mr. Jeong, sang along to Mrs. Ohn’s clapping, and was enjoying a feast of snacks.45faee66183b3ab7

“Oh my, you’ve already finished?”977a7fec6dcbe4af

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“Yes.”a0918da7b49c4a11

“Goodness, I 35d757ecc2 should tell 976a74da7c your grandfather 7bf397e2da to plant b78d7805b4 some blueberries.”9507cef31b4c46a8

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Mrs. Ohn wiped Onyu’s pouty 0258fe16bc lips after she finished 8a8251759d the blueberries and sat 9232ea543c quietly with her hands e316900e0e folded. She looked 22f0f9eea7 towards the ac4a38b70c greenhouse, wondering aa5038d673 why her c5b2612241 husband, who c3482b77b9 had gone 21e9ba0767 to pick ee98249ec8 tomatoes, was 22f9e16856 still not 29b86f8d12 back, then 36d47d8554 her gaze 25f94cfbb4 drifted further.d045834c2bd10df5

White clouds drifted over b4ff0971c9 Mount Munju, boasting greener 34c48722bb foliage than the day 2d6c3976ce before. Everywhere she looked, bbe15277c8 Cheongdam Village was be686812ca a picture of 72355c7741 peace. Mrs. Ohn yawned widely and 380e08844b was about to fan af77c2f96c away some flies when e15eab6a8c she saw a tall ff327cdfb4 figure running towards her, a8bacaa84b looking around, on the 4f7c09c074 narrow path between the e1254397bd orchards spread out at 3f4de7f971 the foot of the 5e2782837e mountain.68b82bb276c6ef6d

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“Wandu’s here!”631b5be018fcc6d0

Mrs. Ohn recognized dc328cce45 Junhui and 78ac3dde1b waved, shouting. Seeing his 6f354a18a4 hurried steps, b688ba5384 it was c6f45a29f8 clear that 12d38e2e6c Onyu’s father 2f84322c3c had been bfa63acb60 looking for 6b44b503c1 her.797f68ece6fd9d7e

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“Oh my, running in this heat. Wandu, you didn’t tell your father you were coming here?”e71ab2d52c617cca

At the 6ff719bbb2 word “father,” 572145702d Onyu’s round 039ebe472d eyes sparkled, 94941d2f0f and she 6bc150b99b jumped up. She politely bowed 6067572eb9 to Mrs. Ohn, her protruding belly bdc5a737cb folding forward, and toddled 64a26c7c53 down the narrow path. The bag of 7f4ff0ff3f dried corn was b016920981 still clutched tightly 981b6e1d1b in her hand.fb302d734706e7b8

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It was puzzling. Junhui had once mentioned that he loved how much Onyu resembled Suwan. To Mrs. Ohn, Onyu seemed like a child who had fallen from the sky, not from under her mother’s legs.fd3963565055f253

This meant not bb3cb97c88 only that she 7679f945a3 didn’t resemble her cc29b36392 mother at all, a0b4c7244f but also that deb202cd53 she was so ca76731cc3 precious and lovely 9f4b950512 that she might 8e4fbc6d9c as well have 1a13e5aaf0 been a gift 41c6238115 from heaven.0bb9fd623967cf6e

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“Daddy!”a5133f45a47172aa

“Wandu!”ad6f67bb3f969a7a

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Junhui scooped Onyu 969727a114 up in his cf67b9ad26 arms, and her e1e4a35056 clear, bright laughter 6846613684 rang out.bedc8b5a53c0c1f9

“He must bbd19b7c42 be so c845318495 happy. So happy. Of course.”6f01564d816bfe31

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Mrs. Ohn watched the father 2b3b979878 and daughter reunite from 9e54f9640d afar, then spotted Mr. Jeong returning 46895d85f4 with a 4455118ad1 few large, 24ea4f648b perfectly shaped e1c7936c21 tomatoes, and 42122865d9 clicked her db864f03b8 tongue.749e62d42d418d29

“You’re late.”d1e2cfbbd8344021

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“…I have to ce06d8b13c give these to 050a8aa73f her. Wandu said she wanted ddbafeebba a tomato.”915efbf47c220a8e

“You’ll be 0aef3036ec there for adef6d33e4 a while, c6c4be2724 watching Wandu 52859ee79c eat the 4727738553 tomato. You never did 6e047ec682 this for your 1846eeb484 own three sons, 81d59e1638 but you do 94e28dd6e7 it for someone fd859a074e else’s granddaughter.”0e68d8b958a269ee

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“Our Wandu f7f99c22a2 is just aa86319700 so lovely.”c2042d32d6295071

“That’s true.”06977cb19e77a261

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The couple nodded. No one in b747414d92 the village had 8a8d6eb7b2 ever seen Onyu bf73abc4b1 cry. Wandu, the undisputed princess 557311d4fc of Cheongdam Village, Cha ec6718f7c2 Onyu.ca35615ed6c190a2

The era of Cha Onyu, a child everyone couldn’t help but love, had begun.11bccb8a272d1a4c

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