Chapter 187: “even The Surname Was Stolen”
After freeloading breakfast at the Song Family, Lin Zhao took her cousin and the twins back to the village.
Before leaving the county, the group went to the property in the city.
The yard was worlds apart from before.
The broken tiles had been removed and replaced with new ones. The collapsed low walls were rebuilt, and the new walls were very high, over two meters tall. All the weeds in the yard had been pulled out. Though it hadn’t been paved with broken bricks and pebbles yet, it had been cleaned spotless. The moldy old windows had been replaced with new ones, which were spacious and bright.
At that moment, workers were installing the door.
“So fast!” Lin Zhao said in surprise.
“These are the most reliable workers who get things done quickest, of course it’s fast,” Yun Jin said with a smile. “My dad comes to check every day, and the foreman even finds him annoying.”
The foreman was an acquaintance of Uncle Song, so he wouldn’t truly be annoyed; he just found the man in the way.
Lin Zhao was touched. “You’ve troubled Uncle.”
“Uncle Song is thrilled!” Yun Jin knew his biological father well. “Sis, when you asked him for help, he did it willingly without feeling tired at all. Dad even said winter is coming soon, so he wanted to hurry and renovate the yard for you so you could move in early.”
It rained a lot here. Fengshou Brigade was not close to the county, and commuting in the rain was inconvenient.
“Uncle is so kind,” Lin Zhao said, her heart warming immensely.
Yun Jin nodded. Of course, his dad was especially good to his sister, paying extra close attention.
The more she “bossed him around,” the happier he was.
After viewing the house, Lin Zhao and the others returned to the village.
They had woken up early that morning without seeing father or mother, so the dragon-phoenix twins were fussing: the older brother sulking, the younger sister crying.
Xuanxuan and Zheng Zheng, the two sisters, tried to coax them, but it didn’t work.
Qian Bao pouted his little buttocks and curled into a ball, giving them a puffed-up back. Yao Bao hugged her cloth doll, tilting her head back to cry, big teardrops rolling down her cheeks. She cried while calling for daddy and mommy, her little milky voice full of grievance and pity.
Lin Zhao heard the sobbing as soon as she reached the front gate.
She hurried into the yard.
Yao Bao’s crying stopped abruptly. She stared blankly at mommy, then scratched her face and toddled toward her unsteadily, reaching out for a hug.
Lin Zhao picked up the girl, wiped the tears from her face, didn’t ask why she was crying, and praised, “Who braided your little pigtails? They’re so pretty.”
The little clever one knew this was praise, got distracted, grinned showing her tiny milk teeth, and pointed at Xuanxuan.
Lin Zhao said, “Xuanxuan sister did it? Xuanxuan sister is pretty and so handy, right?”
Xuanxuan blushed shyly.
Song Yunjin set down the luggage, took two White Rabbit Toffees from his pocket, and gave them to the Lin Family sisters. “Xuanxuan, Zheng Zheng, have some candy.”
“Thank you, Uncle,” the two little girls took them generously and thanked him.
Yun Jin raised an eyebrow.
These two girls seemed different.
He didn’t dwell on it, stepped forward, and picked up Qian Bao.
Qian Bao also saw mommy was back, sneaked a glance at Lin Zhao, didn’t make a sound, and kept his back turned. His silhouette was round and plump, cheeks puffed like a little angry frog.
Now being picked up by his uncle, the anger in the child’s chest deflated like a punctured leather ball.
“Uncle.” His little milky voice called.
The voice was soft and drawn out.
In an instant, it awakened all of Song Yunjin’s affection. His refined and handsome face broke into smiles.
“Hey, Qian Bao still remembers me!” The youth’s voice was full of joy.
Qian Bao replied solemnly, “I remember.”
“Good boy.” Yun Jin rubbed his face.
Lin Zhao washed Yao Bao’s face and applied fragrant powder. The little dumpling refused to walk, her lotus-root-like white arms draped around mommy’s neck, little head nuzzling.
“Clingy bundle.” Lin Zhao touched her daughter’s little cheek.
Yao Bao shook her head refusing to be touched, bared her teeth to bite her face. The teething child was very naughty.
Lin Zhao dodged, lightly pinched the child’s cheek. “No biting. Bite again and I’ll spank your buttocks.”
Yu Bao laughed. “Mommy, Yao Bao doesn’t bite people, she gnaws them, leaving a face full of saliva.”
“Yao Bao is so good,” Lin Zhao said.
Heng Bao’s inner thought: Not good at all!
His sister had bitten him and his brother before. His brother had disciplined her for a long time before she broke the bad habit. He was about to get mad, but brother said sister was teething and bit everything, and as big brothers, they had to patiently teach her.
Yao Bao grinned, eyes bright as evening stars. “Bao good.”
She looked around and then said, “Daddy?”
Yu Bao recalled the train gradually receding into the distance, a fog clouding his bright eyes.
Afraid Lin Zhao would notice, he quickly lowered his head, fetched a cloth doll to make his sister laugh, diverting Yao Bao’s attention.
“Yao Bao, brother will play with you.” Yu Bao coaxed softly. “Come down, don’t make mommy hold you all the time, mommy will get tired.”
He was the eldest brother and had to help mommy take care of his younger siblings.
Yao Bao released her arms. After her little legs touched the ground, she raised her little fist and pounded Lin Zhao’s waist.
“Yao Bao is pounding mommy’s back,” Lin Zhao said in surprise.
“Mm, not tired.” The tiny cutie was utterly serious.
Lin Zhao’s heart nearly melted. “Good, mommy isn’t tired.”
Qian Bao sulked a little, but soon forgave mommy and came over to hold her hand.
The child’s hand was tiny and soft, incredibly healing. Lin Zhao held it in her palm. “Qian Bao isn’t mad at mommy anymore?”
Qian Bao shook his head and snuggled against mommy.
Lin Zhao rubbed his little face, her gaze tender.
She had never seen a child as good as her family’s Qian Bao—so obedient and undemanding, never crying.
“Sis, which room am I sleeping in?” Song Yunjin asked casually.
“I know, I’ll take Uncle there,” Zheng Zheng said, beckoning the uncle toward the empty room.
They had gotten up too early that morning. Lin Zhao and the twins were sleepy. The mother and children went back to the room for a nap. Yu Bao and Heng Bao didn’t return to their own room but followed Lin Zhao.
Lin Zhao paused, looking puzzled.
“Mommy, it’s been so long since we slept together, hehe,” the two identical children said with goofy grins.
Fine, half the bed would be taken again.
“Alright, sleep obediently, no nonstop talking,” Lin Zhao stipulated.
The two boys stood straight, looking well-behaved, nodding twice.
With Yun Jin and the Lin Family sisters there, Lin Zhao didn’t need to tend to the dragon-phoenix twins. This nap was very comfortable.
In the county.
Two public security officers who had been watching a certain yard for days finally noticed something off.
“A little hand appeared in the bamboo basket just now, right?” the young public security said incredulously and stiffly.
The older one nodded. “Didn’t you see it with your own eyes? What’s to doubt?”
“But…” The young public security stammered, “But that household is supposed to be a loner, a mute at that. She has no children, and we found no relatives. Where did that child come from?!”
He was new to public security, as innocent as a fresh graduate, never assuming malice in others.
The older public security glanced at him. Still too young.
Sensing this was no small case, he said, “Watch carefully. Handle this case well, and becoming permanent won’t be an issue for you.”
The young public security’s eyes lit up.
“I will!”
At the end of the street.
The woman with a mole between her brows felt her heart pounding. The closer she got to the destination, the more restless she became.
She suddenly stopped, changed course abruptly, and turned back.
Having been in this line of work for years, her body’s sixth sense had kept her safe until now. Sister Xia trusted that faint instinct; if it felt off, she adjusted plans immediately.
She calmly left the area and didn’t show up again for the next few days, sticking to her own business obediently.
Two days later at dusk, several public security officers burst into that flat and found two children in the cellar under the yard.
At the same time, another team of public security arrived at Fengshou Brigade and charged straight into the Diao Family home.
The villagers were shocked.
They rushed over with rice bowls in hand to watch the excitement.
“What’s going on? What’s happening?”
“Why did public security come to the Diao Family? Who in their family broke the law??!!”
“Don’t know. As soon as the public security went in, they tied up the Diao Family members. Still don’t know what’s up…”
The villagers crowded at the Diao Family gate chattered with the latest news.
The Gu Family twins were there too. With them around, Yuan Bao, Mao Dan’er, and other little friends were definitely there too, all excitedly watching with curious eyes.
“Wow, real public security uncles!”
The little friends focused on the public security, gazing at them with admiration.
“Yu Bao, Heng Bao, those people are wearing the same clothes as your dad, so cool!” Tie Niu’s tone rose.
Yu Bao glanced twice and shook his head. “Not the same.”
He explained, “My daddy is a soldier, defending the home and country. Those uncles are public security, maintaining social order.”
Tie Niu didn’t fully get it but thought Yu Bao knew a lot, so he asked, “Yu Bao, what’s society?”
“Society…” The unschooled Yu Bao was stumped.
He might sound authoritative, but it was all from overhearing others. He just had a good memory and remembered it.
Yu Bao pulled at the excited Song Yunjin who was watching the spectacle. “Uncle, what’s society?”
Society?
The out-of-the-blue question stunned classmate Song.
“Society is the group, all of us—elderly, children, male comrades, female comrades—together, that’s society.”
That explanation should be fine, right?
Yu Bao got it.
He said to Tie Niu, “Hear that? My uncle said it.”
Tie Niu half-understood but didn’t want to look dumb in front of his little pal, so he puffed out his chest. “Mm-hmm, heard it.”
The Gu Family members watched the excitement without ignoring the kids, and hearing their chatter made them chuckle inwardly.
In the Diao Family yard.
Diao Tuozi’s honest face was full of fear. “Public security comrade, what are you doing? Our family is honest and upright; we’ve done no bad deeds.”
His wife had died early, and he’d raised several sons alone. The sons had all married daughters-in-law, and there were several grandsons.
Now, seeing public security at the door, the Diao Family daughters-in-law felt like disaster had struck from the heavens, their hearts uneasy.
The yard was chaotic.
A public security officer in his forties emerged from the kitchen.
His cold gaze swept over the Diao Family, landing on Diao Tuozi like a knife.
“The evidence is in the kitchen, the hidden cellar under the water jar.”
As he spoke, two public security officers hauled out valuables: big chunks of cured meat, a bag of white flour, fabric, malt extract, canned food…
These were treasures to villagers, making onlookers envious.
“How does the Diao Family have so many good things?”
“Hiss!”
“That’s canned food? Malt extract? Such big cured meat? And Fuqiang Flour?! Who said the Diao Family couldn’t even afford rice? If that’s ‘can’t afford,’ what about my family?!”
The onlookers were shocked and defensive, plunged into massive confusion.
“?
Just as everyone was dumbfounded, the lead public security said coldly, “Take them back to the police station.”
Looking at the stuff in the yard, Diao Tuozi’s face went ashen.
“My sons know nothing about this,” he said.
The public security was expressionless. “You don’t get to decide.”
Faced with evidence, Diao Tuozi couldn’t argue, head down as he was escorted out.
Outside, seeing the village children, his eyes lingered on the Gu Family dragon-phoenix twins before continuing forward.
Lin Zhao frowned, finding the man very strange.
Bold as she was, she didn’t hesitate to ask the public security, “Public security comrade, what’s going on with the Diao Family?”
The public security didn’t hide it. “We found Diao Tuozi’s identity is unclear, and he’s suspected of child trafficking…”
The words caused an uproar.
“What?” Gu Mu raised her voice, several decibels louder than usual. “Diao Tuozi is a human trafficker?! Impossible?! They’ve been in our brigade for years, very honest and upright. How could they be human traffickers?”
Gu Mu’s old friend Old Woman Qian tugged her arm. “You’re getting senile. If the Diao Family wasn’t up to something, how could they have so many good things? You don’t even have that much at home, do you?”
“No, who could? Maybe only Third Son’s Wife,” Gu Mu thought uncertainly.
Old Woman Qian continued, “See? The Diao Family definitely did dirty deeds!”
Gu Mu knew her old friend had a point and looked at the Diao Family complicatedly. “Trafficking kids is heartless, a ticket to hell after death. Diao Tuozi, did you really do it?”
Diao Tuozi didn’t speak, just kept walking.
Hell if it was hell—who cared about after death?
His face unchanged, unaffected, he didn’t mind the scorn.
Lin Zhao thought of something and suddenly asked, “Did you tell Zhang Man Yue to target Qian Bao?”
Diao Tuozi paused, turned to look at her, and smiled faintly. “I didn’t say it directly.”
Thinking of that weak woman who only knew how to cry, his wrinkled old face filled with contempt.
“I only said twins are valuable.”
“Using your son to swap for a son—that woman came up with it herself.”
The old guy looked at her. “I never touch kids from my own village. That’s my habit.”
Lin Zhao sneered.
Proud of it?
Arrogant old geezer deserving a beating.
Just as she was about to speak…
“What? Zhang Man Yue stealing my Qian Bao was because of you?” Gu Mu reacted, lunged to hit Diao Tuozi, but was stopped by public security.
“Comrade, the law will punish him.”
Gu Mu pulled back, spat at Diao Tuozi. “Vicious thing without virtue. I see no good coming to your old Diao Family.”
The young public security couldn’t help saying, “Auntie, when this family first settled in your brigade years ago, the identity materials they brought were stolen from others. They don’t even have the surname Diao.”
“What? Even the surname is stolen?!” Gu Mu was shocked. “What’s real about them? Diao Tuozi, you’re not even a real man, are you?”
He couldn’t take that. Diao Tuozi lost his composure instantly, face red and neck thick. “If I’m not a man, where did my sons come from?”
Gu Mu was infuriating. “Who knows? Ask yourself.”
Diao Tuozi’s face turned green with rage.
About to retort, Diao Family’s Second Son looked at his dad incredulously. “Dad, you really… you really trafficked kids?”
Diao Tuozi was ruthless to others’ children but good to his own sons.
He averted his eyes. “This has nothing to do with you.”
Hearing their biological father admit it, Diao Tuozi’s sons hung their heads lower.
His grandsons were old enough to understand, knowing grandpa sold kids to buy them nice things. They stood there dazed and confused.
Grandpa, didn’t grandpa say he saved a thick family fortune in his youth?
Diao Family’s Second Son’s eyes reddened. He knelt powerlessly, hands over his face, shouting in despair and breakdown, “Dad, how could you do such a foolish thing? My big brother was abducted by human traffickers!”
“Mom was so upset by human traffickers she died with her eyes open. How could you do this? When did you start?”
Recalling the child abductions from a couple years ago, his face full of despair. “Dad, was it you who stole the kid from Dongfeng Brigade the year before last?”
Diao Tuozi was silent.
Seeing this, the village erupted.
Wang Chunhua said, “After that family’s child went missing, the daughter-in-law went mad, the man went looking and never came back—heard he died outside. The child’s grandma died that winter, calling the grandson’s name till the end… Never thought the human trafficker was in our village.”
Saying this, she felt chills of fear.
Everyone got goosebumps, looking at Diao Tuozi with horror and wariness.
The public security didn’t delay, escorting the Diao Family away.
The news spread instantly throughout the entire commune.
