Chapter 64: Chapter 64: The Missing Child

    Boom!

    Outside the window, a sudden peal of thunder coincided with the sound of the door being kicked open.

    Ma Zhuzi’s pipe fell to the ground with a crash.

    “Who is it!”

    At the door, Lin Chunju stumbled in.

    “Xiaofang, Xiaofang, where are you?”

    ...

    Yue Jiandong, holding Yue Qingqing, hurriedly followed, with Ma Shulin standing behind him and many of the village women who loved a spectacle.

    These women were all speaking at once.

    “What just happened? How did it suddenly start thundering when it was clear just a moment ago?”

    “It’s as if the heaven is angry.”

    “Eh, what a strong smell of blood, did Ma Jinbao’s family just slaughter a chicken?”

    The leader of the women immediately realized something, “It’s not a chicken, it’s that this woman has just given birth.”

    While they chattered outside, Lin Chunju searched from one room to another and finally found the room where Yue Xiaofang was.

    Ma Cuicui sat on the ground, with Li Zhaodi standing beside her, frozen like a statue.

    A pillow was thrown on the floor, and the daughter, whose life or death was uncertain, lay on the bed.

    Watching the Yue family leave, Ma Shulin glared menacingly at Li Zhaodi.

    “You better explain yourselves clearly; she is in this state, why didn’t you send her to the clinic?”

    Li Zhaodi, who had been shivering ever since the Yue family entered, found her courage again now that they were gone.

    “Mayor Ma, which childbirth isn’t perilous? It’s just a little sickness and pain.”

    This heart-wrenching statement was too much even for the bystanders.

    All that blood on the bed—could a mother-in-law really just stand by and watch indifferently? Is she even human?

    The leading woman said sarcastically, “Your daughter-in-law was almost dying from childbirth the day before yesterday, and you let her suffer at home for two days? How is this different from murder?”

    Feeling guilty, Li Zhaodi hid the pillow behind her back.

    “You gossiping wretch, stop spreading lies; how did I commit murder?”

    Seeing her reaction, onlookers immediately began to speculate.

    Why is she trembling? Maybe there’s truth to the accusation? If Yue Xiaofang’s family hadn’t arrived, she probably would have died in Ma Jinbao’s house.

    Ma Shulin suddenly realized something was amiss, “You just gave birth the day before yesterday, where’s the baby?”

    This shocked everyone, and they only then realized—for a woman who just gave birth lying on the bed, why was there no sign of a baby?

    After such a big commotion upon their arrival, not even a cry was heard.

    Just then, a metallic clanging sound came from the entrance.

    The crowd looked up and saw Ma Jinbao, who hadn’t appeared until now, coming home.

    In his hand, he held an iron shovel, and upon closer inspection, fresh mud was still clinging to it.