Wang Hao didn't say anything, but Liu Chunlan was the first to express her indignation:
"What nonsense are you spouting, Wang Xiu'e? Wang Keke is my granddaughter, Wang Hao's daughter.
"She has the surname Wang and the blood of the Wang family flowing through her veins. Why can't my son bring her back?
"Ah, let me ask you, what law says a father can't bring his daughter home?"
Wang Xiu'e was temporarily unable to refute her.
Wang Hao was the father; he indeed had the right.
Lin Wanyi rushed into the courtyard and shouted at the top of her lungs:
"Keke, where are you? Mommy is back.
"Keke, Keke, Mommy, Grandma, and your uncle are all here. Don't be afraid.
"Answer me, where are you?"
She screamed until her throat was hoarse, but she didn't hear Wang Keke's voice.
Lin Jiajun interrogated Wang Hao:
"Wang Hao, where is the child? Where is Keke?
"Where have you hidden her? I'm telling you, you are breaking the law.
"We've already called the police. Can't you see the officer?"
Wang Hao was just as calm as Liu Chunlan:
"You're ridiculous. I am the child's father, and you are merely her uncle.
"What right do you have to dictate where I take my child?
"And calling the police, what's the use? Didn't you call them when we got on the bus?
"And the result? Who can control me, her father?"
He was too arrogant, simply because his status as a father gave him a protective shield.
Lin Wanyi was furious. She grabbed Wang Hao by the collar:
"Give her back to me, Wang Hao. Give my Keke back to me.
"You don't even like her. Your whole family dislikes her, so why are you hiding her?
"Just to force me to come back?
"Wang Hao, I'm back. I came back just as you wished.
"Give my Keke back to me."
Lin Wanyi acted like a madwoman, abandoning all care for her image. Her heart was filled only with her daughter, only with Keke.
But the more she acted like this, the happier Wang Hao felt inside.
It gave him even more confidence that he could force Lin Wanyi to stay.
Liu Chunlan tried to pull Lin Wanyi away:
"Lin Wanyi, stop acting crazy. As long as you promise to come back and live a stable life, as long as you obediently serve me and the whole family like before.
"As long as you go to the court and withdraw the divorce, I will immediately bring Wang Keke to you."
"Impossible!"
This time, it was Li Suhua who spoke:
"This divorce is definitely happening.
"Wang Hao, the divorce agreement you two made clearly stated that Keke would be raised by Wanyi, and you would pay monthly child support.
"You are an adult. You need to keep your word. You can't go back on it."
Wang Hao acted as if he had heard a joke:
"Mom, I'm not even getting a divorce anymore, so what use is that agreement?
"I've already told Wanyi, I won't divorce her. I will never divorce her.
"It's just like my mom said, as long as Wanyi promises to stay, I'll let you see Keke right away."
"Wang Hao, you are shameless!"
Li Suhua clutched her chest and looked at Wang Yuan:
"Comrade Police Officer, Wang Hao is kidnapping. This is kidnapping.
"Please, you must help us find the child."
Wang Yuan let out a fake cough:
"Wang Hao, what you're doing is indeed quite immoral. Lin Wanyi is the child's mother; she has the right to know where the child is."
Wang Hao wasn't afraid at all. "I am also the child's father. As long as I don't break the law, I can take my child wherever I want.
"Brother Yuan, I haven't broken the law, right?"
He had broken the law, but Wang Yuan still showed favoritism toward him.
So he continued to advise:
"Wang Hao, you're a married couple, a family. If there's an issue, talk it over properly. There's no need to make things so tense."
The villagers were also criticizing Wang Hao.
"That's right, Wang Hao, you're a man. Be straightforward and magnanimous.
"Why bully a girl from out of town?"
"Yeah, Wang Hao, your mom calls Keke a money-losing burden every day. You guys don't even like the child, so why hold onto her?"
"None of your damn business!"
Liu Chunlan continued to point at Lin Wanyi:
"In front of all these people, you promise me that you won't get a divorce, and you must give birth to a big grandson for my Wang family.
"As long as you can do these things, I'll let Keke come see you right away."
After she finished speaking, she turned her head and called out to Wang Hao:
"Son, take out the agreement you prepared."
Wang Hao immediately handed Lin Wanyi a piece of A4 paper, densely packed with conditions.
He read aloud:
"First, Lin Wanyi promises never to mention the word divorce for the rest of her life.
"Second, Lin Wanyi must give birth to a male infant for the Wang family within two years. If she cannot produce one in two years, she will continue trying until she does.
"Third, Lin Wanyi must unconditionally obey all of her husband's arrangements without any objections.
"Fourth, from now on, Lin Wanyi must completely cut ties with her maternal family and wholeheartedly..."
"Go to hell!"
Before Wang Hao could finish reading five, six, seven, and eight, Lin Jiajun snatched the paper from him and tore it to shreds.
"Wang Hao, what gives you the right to restrict my sister's personal freedom?
"It's a society governed by law, and the police are right here. You are way too arrogant.
"Hurry up and hand Keke over."
Wang Hao didn't care. He threw his hands up in the air:
"Tear it, tear it all you want. I have several more copies.
"Lin Wanyi, don't you keep going on and on about how much you love your daughter?
"Aren't you willing to give up your life for her?
"How come you can't accept these little conditions?
"Lin Wanyi, it seems to me you don't love your daughter that much after all."
Lin Wanyi gritted her teeth tightly and suddenly slapped Wang Hao hard across the face:
"Wang Hao, get out of my way! I'll go find her myself!"
She pushed Wang Hao aside, and Lin Jiajun and Li Suhua immediately entered the house.
They opened every room to search:
"Keke, where are you? Keke, come out quickly.
"Keke, Grandma and Uncle are here. Hurry up and come out."
While they were searching and shouting everywhere, Wang Keke was being pushed into a bathroom by Wang Meijuan, who was pulling her by the hair:
"Get in there quickly. The customer will be here soon, so don't delay my business.
"Let me tell you, stay put and be good. You are not allowed to make a single sound, understand?
"If you scare my customer away, I won't let you off easy."
Wang Keke's lips were dry and cracked. She begged Wang Meijuan:
"Auntie, I really don't feel well. I'm so hot and dizzy.
"I want to find my mommy."
Wang Meijuan could feel that Wang Keke's body was very hot, but she remembered Wang Hao's words.
Thinking again of the old man who was about to arrive, she ultimately just gave Wang Keke a little cold water:
"If you're uncomfortable, bear with it. It's just a cold; you'll be fine in a few days."
Wang Keke was thus locked in the bathroom by her.
She squatted on the floor, her mind hazy and muddled.
From yesterday until now, she hadn't eaten anything except for a few sips of water.
She wanted to call for her mother, but Wang Meijuan had said she couldn't make a sound.
She could only endure it. When she was hungry, she drank a sip of water from the basin.
She didn't know how long had passed, but the noises outside finally stopped.
Wang Meijuan pushed the door open, pulled her out, and handed her a steamed bun:
"Eat up. You money-losing burden, don't blame me. Your father hasn't given me a single cent.
"It's out of my own kindness that you even have a bun to eat. Hurry up and eat.
"If your mother truly cares for you, she will come pick you up very soon."
Wang Keke held the steamed bun and took big bites.
She was truly starving.
But after eating only half the bun, her vision suddenly went black, and she collapsed headfirst onto the ground...
