Zhao Jun felt an intense irritation in his heart. If it weren’t for the fact that job assignments couldn’t be changed at will, he wouldn’t even want to keep working in the Security Department anymore.
What was Wang Ying trying to do? Deliberately humiliate him, wasn’t she?
It was just a pregnancy. Was it really necessary for her husband to escort her back and forth every single day?
Zhao Jun let out a heavy breath. Ever since his rebirth, the marital affection he had accumulated over many years for Wang Ying had nearly been worn away.
Time and again, Wang Ying had embarrassed him. And now she was pricking at his eyes every single day.
Zhao Jun felt both uncomfortable and irritated. Women really were narrow-minded. Hadn’t he treated her well? He never deprived her of food or clothing. Did she really need to go this far just to disgust him?
He truly believed Wang Ying was doing it on purpose—deliberately having Xu Shuang put on a show to trample his pride.
If Wang Ying knew that was what Zhao Jun was thinking, she would definitely say:
This man’s ego is enormous!
Did he really think the earth revolved around him alone?
After eating at the restaurant with Xu Shuang, Wang Ying strolled home leisurely by herself.
The moment she entered the courtyard, a figure rushed toward her and nearly knocked her over. She dodged aside, instinctively protecting her stomach. Fortunately, the other person also realized she wasn’t the one they were waiting for and braked just in time.
Wang Ying was full of anger. Looking carefully, she saw it was Ma Dalian’s second daughter-in-law. If she remembered correctly, her name was Ding Zhaodi.
Ding Zhaodi looked distraught, her hair disheveled. Even though she had nearly run into Wang Ying, she didn’t say a word and just rushed outward single-mindedly.
Wang Ying was completely baffled, but she didn’t step forward to stop her. Instead, she carefully moved aside—because after Ding Zhaodi ran out, people from the courtyard followed behind her, also heading out.
“It’s pitch dark—hurry and send a few more people after her. Don’t let it be that the child isn’t found and then the adult goes missing too!”
“Where do you think that kid from the Ma family could’ve run off to? His older brothers and sisters all came back—he’s the only one missing.”
“Don’t take it lightly. My family back home said that around this time last year, four kids in the city disappeared in a row. Might’ve been child traffickers.”
“Stop saying that. Didn’t you see Ma Dalian’s about to cry from fright…”
…
Wang Ying quickly grabbed Liu Dama, who was also heading out to search. “Auntie, did something happen?”
Liu Dama patted Wang Ying’s hand. “One of the Ma family’s kids is missing. Something doesn’t feel right. Both our courtyard and the one next door are mobilizing—everyone’s going out to look. You’re pregnant, don’t move around. Stay home and rest.”
After a pause, Liu Dama remembered that a few days ago Xu Shuang had deliberately brought over a strip of meat and asked her to keep an eye on Wang Ying. After all, Xu Shuang had to work and couldn’t stay by her side all the time. And with Old Madam Xu still in the countryside, they could only rely on nearby neighbors to look out for her.
“It’s not safe for you to stay alone either. Go to my house. Your Sister-in-law Ge is at home.”
Wang Ying had come back alone, so Xu Shuang was likely still busy at the restaurant. After settling Wang Ying at her house, Liu Dama hurried off. Wang Ying also noticed unfamiliar faces among the searchers—probably residents from the neighboring courtyard.
All the men from the Liu family and their eldest daughter-in-law Tang Min had gone out. The only ones left were the second daughter-in-law, Ge Yue, and the two children from the eldest branch.
As Ge Yue tended the fire, she explained to Wang Ying, “The kids in our courtyard are all about the same age. The Ma family has six kids between the two sons’ families—nicely staggered in age. The oldest is only eleven, the youngest just one. The one missing this time is the second son’s eldest, nicknamed Lüdan, only seven this year. Earlier they said he went out to play with his older cousins from the eldest branch and with Xu family’s Dabao. They came back in bits and pieces—but he didn’t.”
“At first they thought the kid was just playing too hard. But after waiting and waiting with no sign of him, they went looking and still couldn’t find him. That’s when they panicked and came back to get my mother-in-law.”
It was true that public security had improved somewhat compared to earlier years. But child traffickers hadn’t disappeared entirely.
There were always those heartless human traffickers willing to risk execution for this. Especially a child like Lüdan—just seven, and because the Ma family had modest means and many mouths to feed, he was small and thin. At a glance he looked five. Exactly the age traffickers preferred.
Younger children were harder to abduct because adults kept a closer watch. Older ones remembered too much and were harder to “raise” once taken.
Ge Yue sighed. “Luckily Yangyang didn’t go today. These traffickers are despicable. A mother carries a child for ten months, and with one move they tear mother and child apart. They’re not human—should all be shot!”
“You’re right,” Wang Ying said.
Though she hadn’t been pregnant long, she already cherished the little life inside her. Just imagining her baby being taken filled her with fury.
Liu Yang, eight years old this year, was old enough to understand things. Among the courtyard kids, he was closest in age to the missing Lüdan. Seeing his usual playmate disappear frightened him deeply.
He’d heard adults say that bad people trick children, and once taken, they never come back.
He could only hope Lüdan would return soon.
Through the Liu family’s window, Wang Ying looked outside. The Ma family had all gone out searching, leaving only a few younger children and Ma Dalian at home. Ma Dalian paced anxiously around the house.
Suddenly the courtyard gate creaked open, and Ma Dalian rushed out.
“Lüdan? Lüdan, is that you? You wretched child, why did you just—”
But the one pushing the door open wasn’t the Lüdan she had been waiting for. It was Xu Lei from the Xu family.
“Oh Auntie, what are you doing? Why are you waiting at the gate?”
He shouldn’t have said anything. The moment he did, Ma Dalian’s pent-up anxiety and anger found an outlet.
“You’ve got the nerve to ask! It’s all you! All because of your family’s child!”
“My two older ones said it clearly—once they left the house, our Lüdan was running along with your Dabao the whole way. They were playing together. Why did your Dabao come back fine while my Lüdan disappeared? I don’t care—give me back my Lüdan!”
Ma Dalian grabbed Xu Lei’s sleeve and wouldn’t let go. She had six children—not each one precious beyond measure, but she’d raised them all well. Especially the older ones—born during those hard years after the disaster. They had survived such bitter times. How could one be lost now?
She cried and shouted, demanding an explanation from Xu Lei.
Though Xu Lei was a grown man, he didn’t do much labor and in recent years had grown weak. Tugged by Ma Dalian, he couldn’t even pry her hands off.
“Auntie Ma! Auntie Ma! Listen to me—cough, cough—”
“I won’t listen! Call your Dabao out here! Why is my child missing while yours is fine?”
Wang Ying quietly asked Ge Yue, “What should we do? Should we go out and try to calm them?”
“Not yet,” Ge Yue said.
She pursed her lips. “The Xu family doesn’t handle things properly. Their kid went out with Lüdan. The kids split into two groups. Lüdan’s older siblings didn’t know whether he’d come back, but Xu Dabao did. And guess what? That kid came home and didn’t say a word. If the Ma family hadn’t searched everywhere and then asked him directly, he probably wouldn’t have told the adults at all.”
“And look—none of the Xu family went out to help search. Their old man and old lady are hiding inside, clutching their precious grandson, planning to smooth this over.”
“What kind of people are they?” Wang Ying muttered.
“Exactly. Just wait and see. Whether they find the child or not, the Ma and Xu families are going to have a big reckoning.”
If the child were found, they would definitely settle accounts with Xu Dabao. If he wasn’t found, judging by the look on Lüdan’s mother Ding Zhaodi’s face, the Xu family would certainly be made to pay.
Wang Ying thought for a moment and asked with some confusion, “Then why don’t we report it to the police station? A child is missing—if we only rely on neighbors to search, it might not be as fast as having the police help.”
Ge Yue hesitated. “…Would the police station even handle this?”
This was the difference in mindset brought about by the times. In later years, people would call the police first for anything. But right now, when something happened, people first sought help from neighbors; if that didn’t work, they turned to the factory; only as a last resort would they consider the police station.
But Wang Ying felt that a missing child was different. Neighbors’ efforts were limited. It would be better to file a report at the police station. After all, it was easier for a public authority to organize a search.
When Wang Ying put it that way, Ge Yue also felt it made sense.
Exactly. If it really were traffickers who had bundled the child up and taken him away, no matter how widely they searched, it would be useless.
Ge Yue was decisive. She immediately stood up. “Then I’ll make a trip to the police station. Will you be okay here with the two little ones?”
Wang Ying nodded. “Go quickly. We won’t leave the courtyard. We’ll be fine.”
Ge Yue put on her thick coat and went out. Outside, Ma Dalian and Xu Lei were still pulling at each other. Xu Dama finally stopped pretending to be invisible inside and came out to pry Ma Dalian’s hand away.
“Ma Dalian, what are you saying? Our Dabao is just a child! What would he know? I know you’re heartbroken that your child is missing, but you can’t splash dirty water on my grandson like this. What you’re saying is killing him with words. My Dabao is only ten—if you pin such a crime on him, are you trying to drive our whole family to death?”
Wang Ying clicked her tongue. Compared to Ma Dalian, Xu Dama was on an entirely different level. Just listen to how she spoke—clearing her own family while throwing mud back at the other side.
Fortunately, Ge Yue came out at that moment and shouted,
“Aunties, is this really the time to argue? I know everyone is anxious with a child missing, but don’t add to the chaos. Finding the child is what matters. Auntie Ma, I’ll go with you to the police station. Let’s report that the child is missing and ask the officers to help search.”
Ma Dalian’s eyes lit up. “You’re right! Xiao Ge, Auntie will go with you!”
As long as her grandson could be found, let alone the police station—even if she had to storm the Revolutionary Committee right now, she would!
Ge Yue added, “Auntie Xu, go back and ask your Dabao again—see if he left out any details. We’re going to find the police. They might come to question him soon.”
Xu Dama forced a smile. “Xiao Ge, why go that far? Maybe Lüdan just got lost and will come back soon. Is it really necessary to alarm the police comrades…”
Ge Yue replied, “And what if he didn’t just get lost? The sooner we find him, the sooner everyone can be at ease.”
She was about to leave with Ma Dalian when someone stopped them.
Xu Lei looked ashamed. “It’s my family’s child at fault. How about this—Auntie Ma, you don’t need to go. I’ll go out and report it to the police for you.”
