The onlookers surged forward!
Someone even closed the main door of the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, ready to corner the rat!
Fueled by public anger, Qiao Hongye was quickly overpowered and pinned to the ground.
“Disgusting!”
“Beast!”
Not only did people spit on him, but someone also stomped hard on his head!
A creature like him deserved to die!
“Damn it!”
The pain made Qiao Hongye’s vision go black, and the stench of someone’s spit on his face made him nauseous.
He never imagined he would suffer such a humiliating defeat in his hometown!
And it was all because of Xia Mingyu!
“You bitch, tell them to let me go now!”
“I’m your husband! The kids are just visiting relatives—I’ve told you this countless times! If you want to make a scene, fine, but dragging everyone into your lies? You’re inhuman!”
Qiao Hongye knew that if he didn’t prove his identity quickly, he would face even greater humiliation. He had no choice but to reveal who he was.
“I’m Qiao Hongye from the Xitang Production Team—Battalion Commander Qiao! I serve in the military. This is my wife, Xia Mingyu. We have twin sons. Surely you’ve heard of us?”
It wasn’t easy for a remote place like this to produce a battalion commander, so Qiao Hongye was convinced he was a local celebrity. How could no one recognize him?
He spoke with such conviction that the crowd seemed to recall hearing about him. Hesitation set in, and all eyes turned to Xia Mingyu.
Xia Mingyu shook her head firmly.
“I don’t know him. I only have one son.”
“He really sold my son—he was just on the phone with the buyer. I confirmed it before I rushed in.”
“Please, help me. Help me take him to the Public Security Bureau. If I can get my son back, my child and I will be forever grateful!”
“I’ll bring him to kowtow to all of you!”
As she spoke, tears streamed down her face, and her body trembled uncontrollably.
She was terrified the crowd would believe Qiao Hongye.
If no one stepped in to help, she might never see her eldest son, Tuantuan, again.
The longer this dragged on, the worse it would get.
Had Tuantuan suffered on the journey? Was the family treating him well? Would he ever be able to return?
The more Xia Mingyu thought about it, the more her heart ached. Suddenly, she dropped to her knees and began kowtowing to the crowd.
She kowtowed with such force that her forehead immediately turned bruised and purple. Against her pale face and frail frame, she looked like a wronged ghost seeking justice.
“Please, help me… wuuu wuuu…”
“Little sister, don’t do this. It’s heartbreaking to watch. We’ll definitely help you!”
“Yes, yes! We’ll help you take him to the Public Security Bureau. The truth will come out there!”
Everyone agreed, unable to bear watching Xia Mingyu kowtow any longer.
So they tied Qiao Hongye up and prepared to drag him to the Public Security Bureau.
This was the first time Qiao Hongye had heard Xia Mingyu speak—and she had spun such a web of lies.
He knew there was no point in saying anything more.
After all, he had connections at the Public Security Bureau. At most, he would lose face, but nothing serious would happen.
Once he got Xia Mingyu back home, he would make her pay!
Qiao Hongye shot Xia Mingyu a dark glare before ceasing his struggles and resignedly heading toward the Public Security Bureau.
Surrounded by the crowd, Xia Mingyu had no chance to speak with her young son Yuanyuan. Moreover, since she had denied her identity, if Yuanyuan were to appear now, it would only confirm Qiao Hongye’s accusations. Hesitating briefly, Xia Mingyu decided against letting Yuanyuan follow.
She glanced toward the straw basket tucked in the corner—Yuanyuan was still obediently crouched inside, and the basket hadn’t been moved. Secretly, she shot him a meaningful look, hoping he would notice.
Yuanyuan was a well-behaved child; without her permission, he wouldn’t run off or go with anyone. Once she reached the Public Security Bureau, she would have to tell the truth, and Yuanyuan’s presence would no longer be a secret. She could then ask the officers to bring him over. That seemed the only way forward.
Gritting her teeth, Xia Mingyu followed the crowd. As she stepped out of the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, she kept looking back, not stopping until she was so far that the entrance was out of sight. Only when she saw no sign of Yuanyuan emerging did she finally walk away with some relief.
Yuanyuan truly was obedient. When his legs grew numb from crouching, he simply sat on the ground, hugging his short little legs tightly and burying his head between them, staying perfectly still. To him, the straw basket was a protective shell—he wouldn’t remove it unless Xia Mingyu did so first.
Although the corner was cluttered with miscellaneous items, making the basket relatively inconspicuous, it wasn’t long after Xia Mingyu left that a salesclerk happened to come by to fetch something.
“How did this basket end up here?” she wondered aloud, lifting the lid. Startled, she exclaimed, “Oh! There’s a child in here!”
Discovered! Yuanyuan’s eyes widened. Pressing his lips together in a fluster, he stayed silent, picked up the basket, and covered himself again—like a little mushroom hiding quietly in the corner, utterly adorable.
“Are you playing hide-and-seek with friends?” the salesclerk asked, puzzled. She glanced around and called out loudly, “Whose child is this? Why are you hiding here? Where are your parents? Come claim your child now—no causing trouble here!”
She lifted the basket off Yuanyuan’s head again, leaving him with nowhere to hide.
“My mom told me to wait for her here, Auntie. Can I have my basket back, please?” Yuanyuan spoke up softly. Though shy and quiet, he wasn’t timid, stretching out his small hand politely.
A child like him was impossible not to adore! The salesclerk, whom others called Big Sister, felt her heart soften.
Most of the customers from the Supply and Marketing Cooperative had followed the commotion to the Public Security Bureau, leaving only a few behind. These remaining onlookers gathered around Yuanyuan.
Lu Ning, having just finished a mission, had stopped by the nearby Supply and Marketing Cooperative to pick up some snacks before boarding the train back to Jing Shi, hoping to stave off hunger. Noticing the crowd in the corner, he squeezed through to see what was happening.
He had intended to satisfy his curiosity, but the moment he laid eyes on the fair, delicate child sitting on the ground—with his exquisite features and large, round, dark eyes—Lu Ning gasped in shock.
This… this child looked exactly like his boss did as a little boy!!!
Having grown up sharing everything with his boss, Lu Ning was more familiar with the man’s childhood appearance than his own. Could there really be someone in the world who resembled him this much?!
Meanwhile, Yuanyuan continued to answer everyone’s questions with quiet obedience.
He said his mother had left for a while and would come back for him later, asking everyone not to chase him away.
After speaking, he calmly closed his mouth again, remaining unresponsive even when everyone stared at him.
But he reacted when Lu Ning approached.
This person was clearly different from the others—wearing a special uniform, good-looking, and appearing particularly reliable.
He must be someone impressive.
Unable to resist, he looked up, his eyes dark and gleaming.
A man, young, seemingly a little older than his mother.
Grandma always said they didn’t look like their father’s sons.
And anyone who would sell his older brother to others definitely wasn’t their father—they were a bad person!
Yuanyuan propped his chin on his hand, tilting his head as he watched Lu Ning.
The shock on this person’s face was obvious.
He knew him.
Yuanyuan cleverly reached this conclusion.
Suddenly, an idea occurred to him, and he tentatively called out:
“Dad?”
Lu Ning’s expression looked as if it were about to crack, and he hurriedly waved his hands.
“Kid! You can’t call me that!!!!”