Looking at Pei Le’an’s wary gaze, Zhong Qing felt her heart tighten as if it had been yanked.
Ye Guxue was startled by the sudden commotion too, but she reacted quickly, stepping in front of Zhong Qing and the two children:
“What are you doing? Trying to snatch someone in broad daylight? This mom was just out shopping with her kids, and I happened to lend a hand. How does that turn into selling a child in your mouths? If you’re going to make up stories, at least make sense!”
Before the police officers could react, Xiao An shouted angrily:
“She’s not our mom!”
The officers’ brows furrowed even deeper, scanning the group carefully.
Ye Guxue looked at Xiao An in shock: “Oh, you child…”
Leading Mrs. Zhao clicked her tongue: “See? Even the child refuses to acknowledge her. How badly must she have treated them normally!”
Pei Yanshen’s face turned grim as he stepped forward, placing Pei Leyu and Xiao An safely behind him.
His eyes on Zhong Qing were full of disappointment and disgust.
“You can’t even accept Xiao Yu!”
Pei’s father had finally squeezed his way through, sweating heavily, quickly explaining to the police:
“He was just speaking in anger! Officer, this is the children’s mother—how could she sell them? There must be some misunderstanding!”
But Pei Yanshen interrupted firmly: “No need to explain for her. What else wouldn’t she be capable of?”
With that, he focused on comforting Pei Leyu, who was frantically gesturing in fear, and didn’t spare Zhong Qing another glance.
“Xiao Yu doesn’t need to be afraid. Daddy is here—she’s safe now.”
Mrs. Zhao chimed in, eager to fan the flames: “Who in the compound doesn’t know what kind of person Zhong Qing is? She always beats or scolds Xiao Yu and Xiao An. If the neighbors weren’t helping, who knows how much the children would have suffered! And yet Captain Pei has been patient all this time—and now she even dares to sell her children!”
The surrounding murmurs grew louder. The skeptical looks turned to scorn and contempt.
Indeed, time reveals the heart. Zhong Qing selling her child? Not surprising at all.
Zhong Qing took a deep breath, both angry and amused.
Her gaze swept across Mrs. Zhao and the others waiting for drama, finally resting on Pei Yanshen.
“Pei Yanshen, do you really think I’m so cruel that I would sell my own children?”
Before he could answer, she turned to the police:
“Officers, in broad daylight near the supply cooperative, would anyone in their right mind sell their child with brand-new clothes in hand? Would I do it because no one was watching, or because I ran too fast?”
With that, she tossed down the large bundles she had been carrying.
Seeing this, Mrs. Zhao snapped: “Don’t talk like that! You were alone with the children, and there was a stranger here. We all saw this person trying to lure Xiao Yu away. If I hadn’t heard your son say you were going to take Xiao Yu out to abandon her, we wouldn’t have rushed to help—how would anyone know if you were buying things or selling a child?”
All eyes immediately turned to Ye Guxue.
Zhong Qing frowned. No matter how big the commotion got, it was her business. She didn’t want Ye Guxue dragged into it.
Ye Guxue’s face flushed with anger, ready to retort, but Zhong Qing stepped in front of her:
“Mrs. Zhao, aren’t you the one who knows best that I just used the supply cooperative as an excuse?”
Meeting Zhong Qing’s gaze, Mrs. Zhao faltered.
The others exchanged confused looks, unable to connect Zhong Qing and Mrs. Zhao.
Zhong Qing’s expression turned helpless and aggrieved:
“Mrs. Zhao, I know you’re upset that your niece was suspended for poor work performance, but that doesn’t give you the right to slander me like this!”
The crowd gasped.
Mrs. Zhao had often bragged about her niece working as a clerk at the supply cooperative—now she had been suspended?
Everyone remembered the detail.
The claim of “selling the child” had indeed originated from Mrs. Zhao—it fit exactly with what Zhong Qing said.
All eyes shifted sharply to Mrs. Zhao.
Flushed and flustered, Mrs. Zhao stammered: “What does this have to do with you selling children? I came to help because my niece was suspended—how is that my fault?!”
Zhong Qing turned to the police, calm and unwavering:
“I never intended to sell my child, so I have nothing to hide. You can go to the supply cooperative and ask any of the clerks—they can all vouch for me.”
She looked down at the scattered bundles, self-deprecating: “If I wanted to sell my child, why would I waste so much time, energy, and money?”
Pei Leyu finally freed herself from Pei Yanshen’s arms.
She anxiously tugged him and Xiao An toward the bundles, pointing at the clothes, shaking her head.
The bags, once tightly packed, now lay open on the ground, revealing brand-new clothes scattered everywhere.
Pei Yanshen’s gaze instinctively followed. When he saw the sizes and styles, his body stiffened slightly.
Zhong Qing often bought clothes and jewelry for herself. Seeing her carry a pile of things, he hadn’t thought much before.
But looking closely now, these weren’t Zhong Qing’s style at all.
Pei Leyu pointed at the clothes, then at herself, her brother, Pei Yanshen, and Pei’s father.
Pei Yanshen finally understood: these items weren’t for Zhong Qing—they were for the children.
“Mrs. Zhao, this isn’t how you help.”
A calm yet authoritative female voice approached from a distance.
Someone immediately recognized her: “Isn’t this Director Ye?!”
Ye Fang was the women’s director in charge of the whole compound. Whenever there were disputes or difficulties, she handled them. Every woman in the compound knew her.
The crowd parted automatically as Ye Fang walked briskly toward them:
“I didn’t know my sister was a human trafficker?”
Seeing Ye Guxue, it clicked:
“Oh, so this is Director Ye’s sister! No wonder she looks familiar!”
“Since she’s Director Ye’s sister, she can’t possibly be a trafficker!”
Ye Fang stood beside Ye Guxue, patting her trembling shoulder, and coldly looked at Mrs. Zhao:
“My sister just came to visit today. It’s normal that people don’t recognize her. But to slander someone without evidence, to accuse them of trafficking—this is unacceptable, and it’s illegal!”