Cong Yingzi’s indifference left her mother deeply dissatisfied. She actually sent her two sons to climb over the wall into the Xia family’s house while no one was home and steal all the money they had saved.
After learning what had happened, Cong Yingzi reported them to the police. Once her two brothers were taken away, Cong’s mother went to the Xia family’s home and made a scene. No matter what anyone said, she refused to hand over the money, insisting that if Cong Yingzi did not withdraw the charges, she would hang herself at the Xia family’s doorstep.
That was nine hundred yuan—money Xia Mingyuan had risked his life to earn. Grandma Xia wanted to pursue the matter to the end, but Cong Yingzi wavered. In the end, Grandma Xia said they could keep the money and consider it repayment for the sins of the Xia family. However, the marriage between Cong Yingzi and Xia Mingyuan would end there.
“Hey, after all, they’ve loved each other for so many years. How could they just let go? Brother Xia couldn’t bear to part with Sister Yingzi, so he secretly kept in touch with her. Grandma Xia found out and said that a thousand yuan was nothing, but she couldn’t let Brother Xia be dragged down by their family for the rest of his life. So she threatened to hang herself. She said that if Brother Xia dared to marry Sister Yingzi, she would go and hang herself. Now Brother Mingyuan is caught in the middle.”
Hu Liu explained the entire feud between the Cong and Xia families in one breath. After listening, Xiao Mandong had a general understanding of who was right and wrong. She felt sorry for Cong Yingzi, but she also understood Grandma Xia’s point of view. A mother like that would truly be a burden in the future.
“Hey, don’t go asking Brother Xia about this. He hates people gossiping about his family.”
The moment Hu Liu finished speaking, he regretted his loose tongue. Why had he started talking again? If Brother Xia found out he had been discussing his family affairs behind his back, he would definitely kick him.
“Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.”
After parting ways with Hu Liu, Xiao Mandong glanced at her watch. It was almost time to meet Gu Jianghan, so she hurried back.
“Someone help! My children are missing! My Big Girl and Second Girl—please, someone help me find them! My children are gone… Please, I’m begging you, help me find them!”
The moment Xiao Mandong entered the residential compound, she heard a woman crying out in anguish. She headed toward the crowd gathered nearby. Just then, a woman hurrying over nearly collided with her. After giving Xiao Mandong a glance, the woman took the initiative to greet her.
“Oh, you must be Doctor Xiao! You really are beautiful. No wonder so many of the wives here want to introduce you to someone. My surname is Ma, and my husband works in radiology. You can just call me Auntie Ma. I’m the building representative for this block. If you ever need anything, come to me.”
Auntie Ma had just returned from her parents’ home. As soon as she entered the residential compound, she heard that the newly arrived Doctor Xiao was exceptionally beautiful. They said her little face was as fair as a peeled egg. It seemed the rumors had actually understated her looks.
She really was beautiful, but what a pity—she had been divorced. She had also heard that Xiao Mandong had a bad temper and was always clashing with people at the hospital. Tsk, tsk… No wonder a woman that beautiful had been divorced. She probably wasn’t easy to get along with.
Still, she was so young, yet had already been assigned her own apartment and made a permanent employee. She clearly had some ability. Auntie Ma just didn’t know whether there was some other reason behind the divorce—perhaps she couldn’t have children, or had been involved with some man. If there was nothing wrong with her health or her conduct, introducing her to her own younger brother-in-law might not be a bad idea.
“Hello, Auntie Ma. My name is Xiao Mandong. I just moved into the residential compound, so I’ll be counting on your help in the future. What’s going on over there? I heard that some children are missing.”
Auntie Ma’s scrutinizing gaze made Xiao Mandong uncomfortable. Knowing that the woman was responsible for handling disputes in the building, Xiao Mandong could only change the subject and draw her attention elsewhere.
“Oh!” Auntie Ma slapped her thigh. Only then did she remember that she was the building representative and had come to mediate a dispute. She had been so busy chatting with Doctor Xiao that she had nearly forgotten the reason she came.
Xiao Mandong followed Auntie Ma as she squeezed into the crowd, and immediately spotted Qi Yuqing.
She walked over to Qi Yuqing. “Sister Yuqing, what happened?”
When Qi Yuqing saw Xiao Mandong, she immediately began talking.
“It’s truly tragic. The woman sitting in the snow is Ma Juan—the one whose mother-in-law beat her badly enough to send her to the hospital a few days ago.”
“Wasn’t she still in the hospital? Why has she been discharged? How is she? Did she save the baby?” Xiao Mandong had been so busy these past two days that she hadn’t had time to find out what had happened to Ma Juan.
“She lost it. She miscarried right then and there. I heard it was a boy. Qin Dongping nearly cried himself to death. He only started grieving after the baby died—where was he when his mother was beating his wife? He stood right there without saying a word. But once he found out it was a son, he completely broke down.
“Ma Juan should normally have stayed in the hospital for three days, but she was worried that no one was looking after her two daughters at home, so she was discharged early. When she got home yesterday, she discovered that both girls were missing. Qin Dongping wasn’t there. He said he had gone back to his rural hometown to bury the unborn child on the mountain there. Ma Juan was completely stunned. Despite having just miscarried, she went out into the snow and wind to search the compound for a long time. Everyone joined in, and eventually the police were called.
“But no one expected the police to call Qin Dongping’s hometown and find out that he had taken the children back with him because he was afraid Ma Juan wouldn’t have time to look after them. Ma Juan nearly fainted from anger. Both children had high fevers.
“All of us who helped search for them couldn’t understand Qin Dongping. How could he take the children back to the village without telling their mother? He didn’t tell anyone anything, and he simply took them away while they were running high fevers. What kind of normal person would do something like that? I heard there isn’t even a clinic in Qin Dongping’s village. How could their mother not be frantic? Just look at her—it’s truly pitiful.
“The police said Qin Dongping took an overnight bus back and should arrive home today.”
Qi Yuqing sighed and whispered, “But Ma Juan seems to have suffered some kind of shock. She went out several times yesterday to search for the girls, and the gatekeepers had to bring her back each time. This morning is already the fourth time. Honestly! She just lost her baby, and her body hasn’t recovered yet. Isn’t she risking her life?”
After hearing Qi Yuqing’s account, Xiao Mandong could only sigh silently. People talked endlessly about equality between men and women, but in reality, even twenty years from now, those deeply rooted old-fashioned ideas would not change much.
“Why do you enjoy watching the commotion so much? Aren’t you afraid of freezing?”
Gu Jianghan had come to pick her up. When he reached her door, he saw Xiao Mandong standing in the crowd, chatting with another woman, her expression unusually animated.
“You… you’re here?” Xiao Mandong said, finally noticing him. “I was listening to what happened here and forgot to check the time.”
Qi Yuqing couldn’t help smiling when she saw the steamed buns and millet porridge in Gu Jianghan’s hands.
“Sister Yuqing, this is Gu Jianghan, my friend. This is Qi Yuqing, my best friend.” Xiao Mandong hurriedly introduced them.
Gu Jianghan nodded at Qi Yuqing in greeting.
Since he had already brought breakfast all the way to her door, Xiao Mandong couldn’t very well refuse to let him inside. To ease the awkwardness, she turned to Qi Yuqing.
“Um… Sister Yuqing, why don’t you come to my place and have breakfast with us?”
