PWE – Chapter 105 Staking out her in town

Zhu Jianbin said, “I suspect that when the baby was carried out back then, we picked up the wrong child.”

Mao Wanxiu: “……” She sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes full of disbelief. “That’s impossible, right? How… how could something like that happen?”

“Why would it be impossible? Throughout history, cases of babies being switched by mistake have hardly been rare,” Zhu Jianbin said slowly, his tone extremely serious. “Actually, I looked into this matter before. But the hospital where you gave birth back then—most of the records were destroyed in a major fire. Many of the doctors and nurses also died in that fire. So if we want to investigate now, it’s quite troublesome. However…”

He paused, then continued, “The doctor who delivered Zhu Qiaoyu back then is still alive. After delivering Qiaoyu, she resigned and moved abroad. I heard she now lives in the UK. It’s just that the UK is quite far from here, so finding her will take some effort. But as long as we find her, we’ll be able to clarify whether Zhu Qiaoyu is really our daughter.”

He truly didn’t quite believe that Zhu Qiaoyu was his daughter.

When she was little, he hadn’t thought this way. But as she grew older, and as more and more people around them said she didn’t look like either him or his wife, this thought gradually took root.

And as the troubles Zhu Qiaoyu caused became more frequent and more serious, this suspicion only grew stronger.

He had to get to the bottom of this. If Zhu Qiaoyu wasn’t his daughter, then he…

“I… I still don’t quite believe it. I really don’t,” Mao Wanxiu said, her voice somewhat unsteady.

Though she said she didn’t believe it, her heart had already begun to waver.

In fact, people had mentioned before that Zhu Qiaoyu didn’t seem like her daughter. But each time, she had laughed it off and never taken it seriously.

Now, hearing her husband bring it up like this, she felt as though a string in her heart had suddenly snapped.

And with that string breaking, doubts about Zhu Qiaoyu arose within her as well.

Could it be that the child really had been switched back then? Could it be that Zhu Qiaoyu… truly wasn’t her daughter?

But if Zhu Qiaoyu wasn’t her daughter, then where was her biological daughter…?

……

After helping the Public Security Bureau recover the children, Xiao Wange returned to the village the very next day.

Originally, the bureau director had invited her to stay in the county and enjoy herself for a while.

But thinking of that powerful figure lurking in the shadows, she simply wasn’t in the mood. So after breakfast the next morning, she took the child and went back to the village.

After returning, she spent most of her time at home with the child, only going out to the fields to pick vegetables or gather firewood.

Three or four days passed, and Xiao Wange realized there was no meat left at home, so she took the child to the town to buy some.

However…

She unexpectedly ran into the original owner’s father, Xiao Yongyi, in town.

Xiao Yongyi was dressed in rags, looking as if he’d just crawled out of a beggars’ den.

There was a basket strapped to his back, but it was completely empty, with only a few stalks of straw stuck to the bottom.

Xiao Wange didn’t want to bother with Xiao Yongyi.

But when Xiao Yongyi saw her, his eyes lit up.

He immediately rushed toward her and shouted, “Xiao Wange!”

His shout startled the people around them, who all turned to look.

Seeing the looks from the crowd, a sinister glint flashed through his eyes. He then raised his voice again and shouted at Xiao Wange, “Xiao Wange, you unfilial daughter! I don’t have enough to eat or wear every day, living such a hard life. And you—you’re living it up at your husband’s home, eating well and drinking well, living like an immortal every day! Xiao Wange, your life is so good—don’t you spare a thought for your father? Don’t you think of bringing your father even a bite to eat?!”

These words caused a huge stir among the crowd.

Many people looked Xiao Wange up and down repeatedly, especially eyeing the meat in her basket.

Was this young woman really that old man’s daughter? If she was, then her behavior did seem rather hard to justify.

As a child, how could she only care about her own comfort and enjoyment, without even looking after her own biological father?

Xiao Wange tugged at the corner of her mouth, her eyes filled with mockery as she looked at Xiao Yongyi. She said slowly, word by word, “Comrade Xiao, if I remember correctly, we already severed our father–daughter relationship. When that happened, everyone in the village was present—the village head and the village secretary were there too. What, are you trying to go back on it now? Trying to keep skinning me for benefits?”

The phrase “skinning me” was extremely cutting.

Hearing this, Xiao Yongyi felt both furious and ashamed.

He ground his teeth fiercely, then gathered his words and said, “A father–daughter relationship isn’t something you can just cut off! We’re blood relatives—my blood flows in your veins! If you really want to sever ties, then give my blood back to me first!”

The surrounding crowd clicked their tongues. Give back the blood flowing in one’s body? How could that be done? If you really gave it back, wouldn’t that mean death?

This elderly father was speaking rather harshly. Still, they could understand him—he probably just didn’t want to sever ties and hoped to reconcile with his daughter.

An elderly woman in the crowd couldn’t help but try to persuade Xiao Wange. “Young lady, he’s your father. There’s no overnight hatred between father and child. No matter what happened before, he’s old now. Forgive him. From now on, just be filial to him and let him live out the rest of his life properly.”

“Yes, young lady, people should be broad-minded, especially since he’s your father. Maybe he wronged you before, but he’s so old now. How can you bear to abandon him, to watch him live such a miserable life?”

“Comrade, our country has always emphasized filial piety. Being unfilial like this will get you condemned by others. I say you should reconcile with your father. You say he’s ‘skinning’ you—how much can he really take? He’s already so old; even if he wanted to, he couldn’t take much.”

“Your father just wants support in his old age. Providing for one’s parents is a child’s duty. You shouldn’t abandon your father.”

After the old woman spoke, others in the crowd chimed in one after another, offering their advice.

Listening to these words, Xiao Yongyi secretly smiled.

These townsfolk were really helpful—everything they said hit right at his heart.

Unlike the villagers, who only ever sided with Xiao Wange and joined her in bullying him!

He knew waiting for Xiao Wange in town had been the right move.

If she still wanted to show her face here and continue living a decent life in town, then today she would have to acknowledge him and properly support him as her father.

Otherwise, her reputation in town would be utterly ruined!

Xiao Yongyi was extremely pleased. He lifted his chin ever so slightly, his eyes carrying a triumphant look as he stared at Xiao Wange.

Xiao Wange, meanwhile, let out a cold laugh inwardly.

Did Xiao Yongyi really think that relying on these townsfolk would make her give in? That he could squeeze something out of her this way?

What wishful thinking! Trying to get anything from her—pigs would fly before that ever happened!

Her lips curled into a cold smile as Xiao Wange looked at the few people in the crowd who were speaking up for Xiao Yongyi. “Do you know the abuse I suffered growing up? Do you know that I was nearly beaten to death by this so-called father? You know nothing, yet you stand there telling me to be magnanimous. What right do you have to advise me like that?!”

The people who had been echoing support: “……” They were stunned, all staring blankly at Xiao Wange.

Xiao Wange continued, “If you had a stepmother too—if every day you were bullied by that stepmother, and abused by your father, nearly beaten to death several times—and even after you got married, this father kept going to your in-laws’ home every few days to demand money, hundreds at a time—tell me, if you were the ones who went through all that, could you still be as magnanimous as you claim? Could you really be filial and provide for him in his old age?!”

Those people: “……”

They frowned, unsure how to respond.

They hadn’t expected this woman’s father to be so excessive, nor that she had suffered so terribly.

But not everyone can truly empathize. After all, if the fire hasn’t burned your own feet, you won’t feel the pain.

One person spoke up, “I would! I would be filial to him. I would support him and let him live out his remaining years properly! He’s already old—I can’t bear to see an elderly person live such a miserable life. My conscience wouldn’t allow it!”

In other words, he was implying that Xiao Wange had no conscience.

Xiao Wange glanced at him and smiled faintly. “Is that so? You’re really that conscientious? Then why did you drive your elderly mother to live at your elder sister’s house? And after your mother passed away, why were you unwilling to even pay for her coffin? If you truly had a conscience, shouldn’t you have been filial to your own mother and handled her funeral properly?”

The man: “……”

He stared at her in shock, never expecting Xiao Wange to know about his affairs.

Seeing the people around him turn their gazes toward him, his breathing grew tight. His voice trembled as he said, “Nonsense! I never… I never did such things! You little girl are talking rubbish, you really—”

“Rubbish? Your mother’s ghost is standing right beside you right now. All of that was told to me by your mother herself. Comrade, your mother said you even beat her and pushed her to the ground. Someone so unfilial dares to stand here and lecture me about filial piety—where do you get the face to say such things?”

Xiao Wange spoke each word clearly, her voice icy cold.

The man was clearly frightened. He glanced to his side, fear unconsciously surfacing in his eyes.

Still, he stiffened his neck and argued, “Nonsense! You’re just spouting nonsense! My mother—”

“Your elder sister’s home is just one street away, isn’t it? Since you refuse to admit it, why don’t we call your elder sister over and confront you right here in public? Let’s see what she has to say about you!”