Ling Xuаnуan suddеnly rеalizеd with a shock that the littlе dumpling, who hаd shown nо signs of life just moments ago, was now breathing fаintly. Its tiny mоuth slowlу opеnеd аnd clоsеd, аs if trying tо say sоmеthing.
“Моmmy…”
He heаrd it.
“Yanyаn…”
“It’s… Моmmy…”
Yаnyan…
Is Mоmmy…
Yаnуаn is Мommу!
Ling Xuanуan hеard it clеarly аnd undеrstood!
“Is this Yаnуаn’s сhild?” He lookеd uр again, his expressiоn shаrp and dark. “Yоur Wаng familу stоle оur Ling familу’s Yаnyаn and abused her child? Where is Yanyan? Where is she?”
Panic flickered across the faces of the Wang family members.
“What do you mean, stole your family’s child? Little Mud… Little Ni is clearly my sister’s child!” Zhenzhu’s Mother jumped up. “You come barging into our home, causing trouble, and even try to snatch our child. Why don’t you say I’m also part of your family?”
The Ling brothers were both furious and amused. “You?”
They wouldn’t even want her as a foot-washing maid for their Yanyan!
“Enough talk,” Ling Xuanyan said with a stern face. “Let’s go.”
The most urgent task was to take the child to the hospital.
The little dumpling was severely dehydrated and suffering from heatstroke, and… when Second Brother felt its emaciated arm, his heart ached terribly. The little dumpling was likely also suffering from long-term malnutrition.
“You can’t leave! How dare you steal a child so brazenly! Don’t think we won’t call the police!” Old Madam Wang blocked their way, relying on her age to act entitled.
“Call the police? No need.” The Ling Family’s Eighth Child sneered coldly. “Our brothers have been waiting outside for a long time. Kidnapping and abusing a child—perfect for rounding up your entire Wang family in one go.”
They had been cooperating with domestic police forces on cross-border crackdowns against illegal human trafficking cases and could take direct action.
Earlier, when Eighth Brother went to fetch water, he had already notified his subordinates to come as soon as possible…
In the heat of summer, cold sweat broke out on the foreheads of the Wang family.
Although the Ling family had been gradually declining in recent years, their roots in the capital were still deep.
If they were to engage in a fight to the death with the Wang family today…
“You can take the child directly.”
At this critical moment, Wang Shenyu, the Wang family’s second son, stepped forward.
“But I want your project in the southern part of the city.”
The fists of the Ling family members clenched.
Over the past two or three years, the Ling family had indeed been struggling.
Grandfather’s health was poor, family accidents kept happening, and various black swan events frequently occurred within the group. The Wang family had been catching up relentlessly, using underhanded methods one after another…
The development project in the southern part of the city was extremely important to the Ling family at the moment.
“Don’t you Wang family dare dream…” Second Brother was so angry he pointed directly at Wang Shenyu’s nose.
“Fine.” Ling Xuanyan cut him off.
If they were to fight the Wang family legally and procedurally, he was confident of winning.
But the little dumpling in his arms couldn’t wait.
Grandfather in the hospital couldn’t wait.
If they lost the project, they could fight for another one. If their career failed, they could start over.
But if a person was gone…
Then everything was gone.
Watching the Ling family members rush away with Little Mud in their arms,
The Wang family members smiled, holding the project transfer agreement they had obtained.
“Trading such an important project in the southern part of the city for a dying child—has Ling Xuanyan gone mad?”
Little Mud’s condition was clearly critical, with more breath going out than coming in. Even if it didn’t die, saving it would only leave it in a half-dead state.
Old Third Wang was a bit worried. “If they take Little Mud for a paternity test, could they sue us…”
“What’s there to fear?” Old Madam Wang sneered coldly. “Our Wang family has raised the Ling family’s daughter and granddaughter for them. It’s already merciful enough that we haven’t demanded repayment or debts from the Ling family.”
“Without the Southern District project,” Wang Shenyu grinned maliciously, “let’s see what the Ling family can use to turn things around…”
…
Ling Xuanyan carried Little Dumpling directly onto the nanny van.
Being meticulous in his work, he had considered Yanyan’s possible physical condition on the way here, so the nanny van was fully equipped with everything needed.
He never expected that at this critical moment, it would truly become life-saving equipment.
A group of grown men crowded in the van, each as anxious as spinning tops.
“Where’s the ice pack? The ice pack!”
“Where’s the oxygen machine?”
“There’s electrolyte water here!”
“Is there any heatstroke medicine?”
“What about burn ointment? Have someone buy it immediately!”
“Idiots! Don’t point the air conditioning directly at our precious! Adjust it upward!”
After a flurry of intense activity, Little Mud finally woke up groggily.
As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw handsome uncles’ faces surrounding her like sunflower petals, with herself at the center.
Each of their eyes sparkled with starlight, filled with barely contained excitement and expectation.
Their overly intense expressions could practically stop a crying child at night…
Little Mud was successfully frightened into silence.
“Precious, do you know who you are?” Second Brother Ling Yixi, though a bit silly, was the most talkative and naturally familiar.
The brothers had already agreed that he would start the conversation.
Little Mud widened her dark grape-like eyes, looking at him timidly, neither speaking nor shaking her head.
Ling Yixi didn’t mind. He continued with radiant enthusiasm, “You are the treasure of our Ling family, the daughter of our sister Yanyan. Everyone here is your uncle!”
“Uncles…” Little Mud was stunned.
She only knew she had several uncles in the Wang family. None of them liked her—they either ignored her or enjoyed punishing her.
Now suddenly there were so many more uncles…
“We won’t hit you, scold you, or punish you by making you kneel in the sun,” Ling Xuanyan saw the timidity and fear in Little Dumpling’s eyes. Suppressing the dull ache in his heart, he said solemnly, “Your uncles will love you very much, just like we love your mother.”
Little Mud nervously twisted her small fingers. Looking at the handsome man who claimed to be her uncle, she mustered her courage and asked softly, “L-Little Mud didn’t steal Grandma’s necklace. D-do you believe me, Uncle?”
“We believe you!”
“Of course we believe you!”
“Our precious would never steal anything!”
Not only Ling Xuanyan’s heart ached—all the other uncles’ hearts hurt too.
What kind of scum are the Wang family!
The Ling brothers weren’t fools. Connecting the dots, they understood what had happened—
The Wang family suspected their little treasure had stolen a necklace. To force a confession, they actually punished her by making her kneel under the scorching sun.
On such a brutally hot day, what kind of heart could conceive such a cruel punishment? And what kind of people could stand by and watch such a small child being sunned to the brink of death?
Even without considering Ling Yiyan’s grievances, the Ling family’s feud with the Wang family had already extended to the next lifetime!
Ling Xuanyan sensed something from Little Mud’s anxious yet hesitant expression: “What exactly happened with the necklace? Do you know, precious?”
From her new uncle’s eyes, Little Mud saw encouragement and affection she had never felt before.
She mustered her courage and spoke up, “Sister Zhenzhu stole the necklace. Grandma couldn’t find it and was about to faint from worry. Little Mud told her, but…”
She pouted her lips, finally overwhelmed with sadness and on the verge of tears.
“But Auntie found the necklace under Little Mud’s pillow…”
Little Mud couldn’t hold back any longer and burst into loud sobs, “It… it was Auntie who hid the necklace with Little Mud…”