MAC’60s Chapter 95.1

The Ma family’s child had been found, and both courtyards finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The New Year was approaching. If a trafficker had really taken a child, it would have caused widespread panic. The year before last, after several children went missing, the entire county had gone quiet for a long time. Every household kept a tight watch on their kids. If it happened again, how could anyone celebrate the New Year?

The neighbors from the adjacent courtyard dispersed. Only the head of the courtyard committee and the retired Master Ma remained, following the crying and laughing Ding Zhaodi into the house.

“Mom! Lüdan’s been found!”

Ma family’s eldest daughter-in-law, Zhao Yulian, shouted at the top of her lungs. But instead of Ma Dalian coming out, only the younger children who had stayed behind ran out.

Wang Ying also came out instead of staying indoors.

“Auntie Ma went to the police station. She hasn’t come back yet.”

“What? Mom went to the police station?”

No wonder Zhao Yulian was shocked. Her mother-in-law was fierce in the courtyard but timid outside. Though she loved to take advantage and throw tantrums among neighbors, once outside she was as meek as could be. To have her go to the police station alone—she was probably too scared to even step through the door.

“Ge-sister-in-law went with her,” Wang Ying added.

Zhao Yulian immediately understood. Her mother-in-law must have been too anxious waiting, and Ge-sister-in-law probably suggested going to the police station.

Zhao Yulian and Ding Zhaodi each held their children close. The Ma family men stood awkwardly nearby.

The scene gave Master Ma a headache.

Your mother went to the police station to look for the child. Now the child has been found, and none of you think to go fetch her back?

Especially the courtyard head. When he heard Ma Dalian had gone to the police station, he felt somewhat uneasy. Reporting it upward made it seem as if he hadn’t done his job well managing the courtyard. But hadn’t he done enough?

He had mobilized dozens of people from the neighboring courtyard. They’d searched outside for two hours, freezing stiff.

Seeing the family remain clueless, Master Ma had no choice but to speak up.

“You there—Yongjun, Jianguo, Kangmei—one of you go bring your mother back. Tell her the child’s been found so she doesn’t trouble the police comrades anymore.”

Ma Yongjun was unwilling. The missing child wasn’t his son. He’d already stood outside in the cold for quite a while—he’d done his part. Besides, he now had strong grievances toward this so-called master, who was also a distant uncle. Over the years, the old man hadn’t done much to help pave the way for him. Now that the old man was retired, he had no interest in currying favor.

Ma Jianguo, by rights, should have gone. But he couldn’t. Lüdan had been found, yes, but the boy had slept too long in the haystack and now felt warm to the touch. He needed to stay and watch him; if things worsened, he’d have to take him to the hospital.

With the two older brothers refusing, the unmarried Ma Kangmei couldn’t escape the task.

He scratched his head. “Which police station?”

Master Ma said, “Don’t worry about which one. Go to the nearest first. If she’s not there, ask where the next closest is. If you can’t find her after checking two, then come back.”

Ma Kangmei nodded and ran off.

Not long after, he came running back. “Mom’s back! And she brought two police officers with her!”

That instantly snapped everyone in the courtyard to attention. They were all ordinary people living quiet lives. Over the years, they’d barely had dealings with the police. Hearing that officers had come made them uneasy.

The courtyard head asked, “Didn’t you tell them your nephew’s already back?”

“I did,” Ma Kangmei replied. “But the officers said since they were already here, they’d come ask a few questions.”

“Ask what? The child’s back—shouldn’t that be the end of it?”

Before the words finished, the group of officers had already entered the courtyard.

Ma Dalian walked at the back like a quail, her heart pounding nervously.

Ma Dalian walked at the very back, like a frightened quail, her heart pounding. She was afraid the police would scold her for making a fuss. At the same time, she was muttering inwardly about Lüdan being such a disobedient brat. He had been told to come home for dinner on time, yet insisted on running around outside. See? He’d run himself into trouble now.

As soon as Ge Yue entered the courtyard, she instinctively stepped back. The Ma family filled the yard, along with Master Ma, the courtyard head, and her own mother-in-law. There was no place for her in this scene. She quietly withdrew from the center and went to stand beside Wang Ying.

Wang Ying folded her arms, watching the commotion with keen interest.

The two police officers who had come were mild and polite. The courtyard head hurried forward to explain the situation.

The police waved a hand. “That’s fine. We just want to ask the child a few questions. Is it convenient right now?”

Lüdan had been half-asleep when they found him. His mother had slapped him awake, and now he was sniffling and clinging to Ding Zhaodi’s neck. Hearing that the police uncle wanted to speak with him frightened him terribly.

“Don’t arrest me! Don’t arrest me!”

Ding Zhaodi felt awkward. It was her own fault—she often threatened, “If you don’t behave, the police will come take you away.”

The older of the two officers, his hair streaked with gray, smiled and took out a piece of candy from his pocket. “Little friend, we’re not here to arrest you. We’re here to ask for your help with an investigation.”

Lüdan was a boy, but in a family with so many children, he didn’t stand out much. This was the first time an adult had spoken to him so seriously. He fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. “Help… with an investigation? Me?”

The officer nodded. “Yes. Would you be willing?”

Lüdan shyly nodded.

The officer took out a notebook and pen. “Alright then, little friend. We’d like to ask how you got lost.”

Since being found, Lüdan had already been slapped once by his mother and smacked twice on the forehead by his father. He was frightened and wronged, barely daring to speak. Now, finally, someone was asking him why he’d gone missing. He glanced timidly at his mother.

“I… I was just playing, and suddenly I felt very, very sleepy… so I found a haystack and lay down… but I didn’t go inside the haystack…”

He felt terribly wronged. They had been playing tag—two people “it,” the others running. Today, unfortunately, the ones chasing were his older siblings. So he hid with his closest friend, Xu Dabao. As they hid, they ended up farther and farther away. He was also sleepy. But if he went back too soon, he’d get caught. So he thought he’d stay hidden a little longer, then return—surely he’d win that way.

As for going inside the haystack—he wouldn’t dare. Adults had once told a story about a child who hid in a haystack and fell asleep, and then some naughty kids set it on fire. The child didn’t know and was burned to death inside.

Whether the story was true or not didn’t matter. It had frightened Lüdan deeply. He would never hide inside a haystack, especially not one packed tightly where no one could see him.

The officers’ expressions didn’t change, but their tone grew more serious.

“Then, little friend, did you see any strange people while you were out playing today?”

Lüdan thought hard. “No. I didn’t see any adults today.”

The two officers exchanged a glance, their hearts sinking.

Ding Zhaodi didn’t understand what was going on, but seeing the officers’ expressions, she assumed Lüdan was lying. She slapped him on the head again.

“You little brat! If you didn’t go inside, how did you end up in there? Did someone stuff you in?”

Lüdan burst into tears. “I’m telling the truth! I really didn’t see anyone today!”

“Tell the whole truth! Don’t lie!”

“I’m not lying…”

“If you’re not lying, why doesn’t it make sense? You must’ve forgotten something!”

…

Just as Ding Zhaodi raised her hand again, the older officer quickly stopped her.

“Comrade, please don’t hit him. It doesn’t necessarily mean the child is lying. There could be another reason.”

Liu Dama understood that Ding Zhaodi was overwhelmed by the emotional roller coaster—terrified that her child might say something improper in front of outsiders. She hurried to intervene. “Zhaodi, what are you doing? The child just came back. Don’t hit him. If he keeps crying now, he’ll wake up screaming in the middle of the night.”

Master Ma also frowned. “Why hit him? The police comrades haven’t finished asking.”

The adults were tense—but so was the child. They couldn’t just grind him down for the sake of face.

Ma Dalian stood timidly at the back, not daring to speak, though inwardly she leaned toward Ding Zhaodi’s side.

This Lüdan too—why couldn’t he just remember properly? Embarrassing brat, just like his father!

With the respected elders speaking up, Ding Zhaodi could only restrain herself and force a smile. “Alright, alright. I won’t hit him. I’m just anxious.”

The older officer continued gently, “Little friend, let me ask again. Where did you go to play today?”

Lüdan sniffled. “The same place I always go. An empty lot near Huaihua Alley. Zhuangzhuang and the others live there.”

“Who is Zhuangzhuang?”

“My classmate. And his neighbor, his friend, and his younger brother.”

“How long did you play?”

“The same as usual. We went after school, and when Zhuangzhuang’s mom called for dinner, we went home.”

…

The two officers asked questions and took notes. By the end, both sighed quietly.

There was not a single useful clue.

Yet Wang Ying felt something wasn’t quite right.

“Alright then. Thank you for cooperating. We’ll take our leave.”

The two officers said their goodbyes.

At the gate, they ran into Xu Shuang and Chen Dong returning from work. Seeing police caps in the courtyard, Xu Shuang’s heart tightened. Without even stepping aside for them, he hurried in.

The older officer paused. “…And this is?”

Chen Dong cursed his apprentice inwardly. The moment he saw the police, he rushed forward—was he trying to make himself look suspicious? Wasn’t that just splashing mud on himself?

“We live in this courtyard,” Chen Dong explained. “His wife is pregnant, so he’s a bit nervous.”

The police nodded and didn’t say anything further.

Once the police left, the real dispute in the courtyard began.

“Xu family! Are you all dead inside? Get out here!”

“Ma Dalian, watch your tone. The child’s back, isn’t that enough?”

“He’s back, yes—but your Xu Dabao, that useless coward, saw someone hadn’t come home and didn’t bother to say a word?”

“How would our Dabao know your Lüdan hadn’t come back?”

“What nonsense are you spouting! I shouted in the courtyard so many times asking if anyone had seen my Lüdan. Were your ears stuffed with donkey hair?”

“Ma Dama, today it was our Dabao’s fault. I apologize to you.”

“Son, what are you apologizing for! They’re bullying us because our family is small. Oh heavens above, I know you all look down on us—we’re poor, three generations with only one precious Dabao. You’re trying to drive me to my death…”

…

The two matriarchs of the Ma and Xu families stood with hands on hips, cursing at each other. Xu Lei had returned at some point, and unusually, he wasn’t hiding inside. He stood in front, looking humble.

Seeing her son bow his head to their longtime rivals, Xu Dama was furious. She stopped pretending to play the victim and lunged forward to claw at Ma Dalian.

How could Ding Zhaodi let her mother-in-law suffer alone? She set Lüdan down and jumped into the fray.

With one daughter-in-law stepping in, Zhang Yun—who had just returned home and hadn’t even parked her bicycle properly—also charged forward.

“How dare you bully my mother-in-law!”

She might be a schoolteacher, but she had a temper too!

Chen Dong stood at the courtyard gate without going in. He patted his pockets—no sunflower seeds, no peanuts. He sighed at how strictly Wang Ying and Xu Shuang had been rationing his food lately. Then he happily watched the two families tear into each other.

He usually lived in the back courtyard and rarely got to witness the front courtyard’s disputes. He had never seen such a grand spectacle.

Look at old Madam Ma—she’d had a chunk of hair yanked out.

Tsk tsk, Zhang Yun’s eye was already bruised. Who knew if she could go to work tomorrow.

Oh! Old Madam Xu had fallen!

Hmm, Xu Lei was down too. Useless man—he couldn’t even match his wife’s fighting power.

…

The clash ended in a decisive victory for the Ma family.

They simply had more people. In a fight like this, numbers mattered.

Ma Dalian, with a small bald patch on her head, spat. “Tell your Dabao to stay away from our kids in the future! You can see a man’s future at three years old—he’s no good!”

That sentence hit Zhang Yun’s sore spot. Her eyes turned red, and she looked ready to fight to the death.

The courtyard head’s face was dark with anger. He was beyond frustrated. When the two families had been fighting just now, he’d shouted himself hoarse trying to stop them, but they ignored him and brawled right in front of him as if the world were ending. They clearly didn’t take him seriously at all!

He had worked so hard to mobilize people to search for their child. Now not even a word of thanks—and he had to watch them fight?

“From now on, don’t come to me about matters in your courtyard! Tomorrow I’ll go to the subdistrict office and have you separated! Dou Hongying, you’ll be the new courtyard head!”

Liu Dama was speechless. She hadn’t exactly been eager to take on the position.

She looked at the two families, still panting after the fight, and felt even more exhausted.

Master Ma, being related to the Ma family, coughed awkwardly. He lived in the neighboring courtyard. Though retired, he still saw the courtyard head frequently.

“Old brother, don’t be angry. Why argue with the younger generation? Come on, I’ve got some pig head meat at my place. You worked hard helping search for the child today. Let’s slice some and have a drink.”

Whatever the Ma family lacked, he had to make up for. After all, even if relations were strained, blood ties still connected them.

Master Ma pulled the courtyard head toward the exit. Halfway there, a large shadow suddenly appeared.

“Whoa—Chen Dong! What are you doing?”

It startled him half to death. Anyone might think some criminal was lurking by the gate.

Chen Dong grinned shamelessly. “Old Ma, we haven’t seen each other in so long! How’s retirement treating you? Are your kids filial? Your son’s learning cooking at the restaurant now, right? How’s he doing?”

Master Ma blinked in confusion. “Chen Dong, are you ill? We went fishing together just a few days ago.”

What did he mean “haven’t seen each other in so long”? They just weren’t facing each other daily at the restaurant anymore.

Chen Dong waved dismissively. “That’s not important… Come on, Brother Ji, you too. Long time no see. Let’s have a good chat.”

Master Ma: “Who’s ‘long time no see’ with you…”

Chen Dong: “Come on, come on…”

His stomach was growling like mad. Pig head meat! He hadn’t eaten any in five or six days. While his apprentice was distracted, he’d better eat first and return later!

He guessed correctly—Xu Shuang was indeed preoccupied.

Xu Shuang rushed into the courtyard. Seeing Wang Ying standing off to the side, he still didn’t relax. He immediately escorted her back home.

Wang Ying laughed helplessly. “It’s really fine. I was just watching the excitement.”

“You’re carrying a child now,” Xu Shuang said. “It’s better not to join this kind of excitement.”

Reasonable people might know their limits. But if fools got heated and started fighting wildly, who could tell where she was standing?

Wang Ying asked eagerly, “Are they going to fight again?”

“…Not yet,” Xu Shuang replied.

“I won’t go outside. Open the window—I’ll just sit behind it and watch.”

Xu Shuang: …

Wang Ying coaxed him sweetly. “I won’t go out. It’s freezing outside anyway. I’ll just stand by the window and watch.”