Chapter 15: Wang Bao'er

Lin Huiniang and Su Hehua were both extremely envious, especially Lin Huiniang, who seemed to wish the child were her own.

Though fond of the little one, it was not truly theirs. After the family finished breakfast, Mrs. Zhou sent Gu Qingsong and Gu Qingbai outside to inquire about whose child had been lost, hoping the mother would come to retrieve her soon—otherwise, they would be terribly worried.

Meanwhile, in Willow Village at the Wu household, Wu Cuihua, upon discovering her precious child missing, forced herself to search despite her illness. She searched from one end of the village to the other but found no trace. Collapsing to the ground, she broke down in sobs.

Suddenly, as if struck by an idea, she lifted her eyes and spotted her husband and mother-in-law among the crowd.

Seeing their guilty expressions, Wu Cuihua sprang up and rushed over, pounding fiercely on her husband Wang Gang’s chest.

“Wang Gang! Where is my baby?”

“You despicable man! Did you steal and sell my child?”

“Answer me! Where did you sell my baby? Speak up!”

The whole village had heard the news and gathered to help find the child, lingering at the scene. Everyone whispered about whether the child had been abducted. Hearing Wu Cuihua’s furious outburst, all turned to stare at Wang Gang in shock, his face flushing with shame.

They say even the fiercest tiger does not eat its own cubs. Though a daughter, she was still flesh and blood. In these hard times, some families, driven to desperation, might sell their daughters to wealthy households as maids.

But the Wang family was a prosperous one in the village, owning nearly a hundred acres of land. When Wu Cuihua married Wang Gang, many village women envied her.

Later, Wang Gang went into business with friends and reportedly earned well. The family leased out their farmlands to other farmers and moved to town, gradually losing contact with the villagers. Wu Cuihua only returned home for festivals. No one expected that the Wang family could stoop to selling their own daughter.

Caught off guard, Wang Gang’s right cheek was scratched by Wu Cuihua’s nails, leaving five long bleeding marks.

Wang Gang’s mother, Cui, seeing her beloved son’s face torn, immediately flew into a rage and struck Wu Cuihua.

“You shameless woman, how dare you lay hands on my son? I’ll beat you to death!”

Cui was strong and sturdy, and Wu Cuihua was no match for her. In no time, she was knocked to the ground.

The Wu family, seeing Wu Cuihua beaten so badly under their watch, rushed forward and began to fiercely assault Wang Gang and his mother.

With numbers on their side, two fists could not withstand four hands. Wang Gang and Cui were bound by the Wu family and taken to the village head’s house.

They pleaded with the village head to send them to the magistrate. Since the new emperor's ascension, a decree had forbidden the trafficking of young children in the Da Qi territory. Wang Bao’er was only two years old; if caught selling her secretly, they would face imprisonment.

Fearing arrest, Wang Gang and Cui confessed everything.

It turned out they had come the day before, learned that Wu Cuihua was ill and that the rest of the family would be away before dinner, and planned to steal Wang Bao’er to sell her to a buyer they had already found.

But they never saw Wang Bao’er and assumed Wu Cuihua had hidden the child.

When the Wu family returned home, since Wu Cuihua was ill and did not join the family for dinner, everyone thought the child was in her room.

Meanwhile, Wu Cuihua, fearing she might infect the child with her illness, had left the child in her mother’s care.

This misunderstanding only led to the entire family discovering that Wang Bao’er was missing that very morning.

Chaos ensued. Wu Cuihua felt as if her heart had died.

Having been married into the Wang family for over three years, she was utterly disappointed in Wang Gang. Were it not for her child, she would never have wished to stay with him. Now he had the heartlessness to plan selling their child!

When she fled with the child, she left behind a divorce letter. She never imagined they would chase after her to sell her daughter!

Her hatred burned fiercely, wishing she could kill them and then herself. But she could not. Her child was still missing. If Bao’er fell into kidnappers’ hands, what fate awaited her?

With this thought, she summoned her strength and asked the village head for help, drafting a new divorce agreement declaring that Wang Bao’er would henceforth have no ties to the Wang family.

Two copies were made. With this document in hand, even if Bao’er was found later, Wang Gang would have no right to sell his daughter again.

Wang Gang initially refused to sign, prompting the Wu family to beat him again until he reluctantly pressed his seal.

Among the crowd, Gu Qingbai and Gu Qingsong exchanged glances.

Only after Wang Gang and Cui limped away from the village did they follow Wu Cuihua’s family, explaining the sudden appearance of the little girl at their home that morning.

The Wu family stared at them, disbelief evident.

Gu Qingsong hurriedly described the child's appearance. Wu Cuihua’s sorrow turned to joy, and she was about to leave with them to retrieve the child.

Wu An, the eldest son, held her back, urging patience.

“If our baby is with you, why didn’t you say so before? Why wait until my second sister divorced before speaking?” He feared a trick.

Gu Qingsong was momentarily stunned, looking at Gu Qingbai. He himself was unsure. After breakfast, they went to inquire in the village about who had lost a child.

To their surprise, they learned that neighboring Willow Village had found a missing little girl that morning. After confirming her appearance, they hurried across the vast fields to their home.

Arriving just in time, they witnessed Wu Cuihua striking Wang Gang.

They squeezed into the crowd, intending to explain, but heard Wu Cuihua accusing Wang Gang of selling their daughter.

Gu Qingbai pulled Gu Qingsong back, telling him to wait and see.

Though puzzled, Gu Qingsong trusted his younger brother’s sharp instincts and stayed by his side, watching.

When they reached the village head and heard that the culprits would be sent to the authorities, Gu Qingsong grew anxious, fearing trouble for their family. Yet Gu Qingbai urged calm.

Then Wang Gang confessed, confirming his plan to sell the child. Gu Qingsong seethed with rage, wishing he could strike him again—such a wretch, selling his own daughter!

When Wu Cuihua proposed divorce, Gu Qingsong thought it wise.

Now he understood: his younger brother intended to help this Wu family woman. Had they revealed the child’s presence at their home too soon, the divorce might have been difficult. Even if Bao’er returned, she might always face the danger of being sold.

By a strange twist of fate, Bao’er somehow ended up at their house, escaping a great peril.

He signaled Gu Qingbai to explain further.