My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]-Chapter 167

Grab the crutch!

Zhao Guihua shouted loudly, and in an instant, she gathered quite a crowd.

Everyone rushed out, automatically dividing into two factions. Some stayed in the courtyard, while others followed Zhao Guihua out. As soon as they rushed out, they saw that the situation had already been firmly controlled by Ming Mei, and Song Shu's donkey cart was also surrounded by several people, making it impossible for him to flee.

On this New Year's Eve, under the clear sky, someone dared to kidnap a child? Did they think the villagers were just going to stand by and do nothing?

Everyone surged forward. Ming Mei had one foot on the ground, stepping on something resembling a lynx, which she had already beaten to the point of being unable to move. On the other side, the two little thieves, Da Mao and Er Mao, were surrounded by a group of children. The children were not at all afraid at this moment; each one stood with hands on their hips, declaring, "Bad guys can't run away."

"That's right, bad guys can't run away. This is not the place for you to cause trouble."

Although Da Mao and Er Mao were not little kids, they were still chased around by the other children, unable to fight back effectively.

Song Shu and his gang had truly not expected that this time, they would suffer such a great setback. They had thought this plan was foolproof, after all, they had been doing this for quite a while and had become more and more daring.

Otherwise, who would dare to kidnap children in large numbers? They had never seen such a thing before.

But who could have foreseen that it would end in this humiliating defeat?

He shouted, "Don't come near me! Let us go, let us go, or I'll kill these two kids!"

He pulled out a knife and pressed it against Tonglai's throat, who had already been thrown onto the donkey cart. Tonglai trembled with fear, despite having seen some things in his young life; being held hostage was a first for him.

"Let me go, you all get out of the way!"

He didn't care about his accomplices at all, as long as he could escape. As for the others? If they got caught, it was their fate. He wouldn't hold any responsibility for their misfortune. He waved the knife wildly and shouted, "Step back, all of you, step back!"

"Tonglai!" Wang Xiangxiu stumbled over, looking at the man holding the knife and feeling her heart rip apart. That was her son!

Her eldest son had been sent to juvenile detention, her second son was in poor health, and now she only had Tonglai to rely on.

She fell to her knees and begged, "Please, let my son go, please let him go! I'll do whatever you want, just let him go. If you want to leave, go, I won't stop you. Please, give my son back to me..."

Seeing this situation, Song Shu felt a bit more at ease. He had been afraid that others wouldn't let him go, but if they were willing to sacrifice their child, he could use that to his advantage. He shouted, "Get everyone to step back!"

Wang Xiangxiu cried, "Step back, everyone, step back. Please..."

"Alright, we'll step back, all of us will step back. Just don't hurt the child, move the knife away from him, please don't hurt him. We'll step back, okay?"

"Be careful, be very careful."

Ming Mei stood to the side, unable to act rashly.

The main group arrived, and no one paid much attention to her, just a frail young woman.

Song Shu scanned the crowd, seeing that no one dared to move. He felt more confident and said, "I'm glad you're reasonable. If you dare to make a move, I swear I'll kill both children. I'm willing to trade one for two. You should know better than to mess with me. Just let me leave, and I'll return the kids to you once I'm safe. But right now, I can't let them go; they're my bargaining chips."

In truth, he had no intention of releasing the children. Even if he said so now, if he did let them go, he would lose everything. That just wasn't an option for him. He needed the children as leverage and also wanted to make some money from the situation.

They had suffered heavy losses this time and needed to make up for it!

"All of you, step back."

While everyone was distracted, Ming Mei quietly picked up a large rock. Song Shu was still shouting, "Step back, all of you, get to the side... Ah!"

Suddenly, a rock came flying toward him. He couldn't dodge in time, and the rock struck him directly in the face, sending him crashing under the cart. In that critical moment, Ming Mei quickly rushed forward, kicked him off the cart, and rescued the two children.

By the time anyone else reacted, Ming Mei had already completed her swift and decisive action.

Zhao Guihua immediately stepped forward to protect Ming Mei, shouting, "Everyone, catch the kidnapper!"

Everyone, who had previously been hesitant because the man had held the children hostage, now surged forward with red eyes, eager to teach this scoundrel a lesson.

How dare he pull such an evil act on New Year's Eve? He deserved to be beaten until he couldn't stand.

People hated the trafficker more than anything, and many would have gladly beaten him to death.

With the hostages freed, in a matter of moments, Song Shu was surrounded by an angry crowd. He could feel his internal organs about to burst. But at this point, he couldn't count on his accomplices, his own family was like this—once trouble came, everyone ran for their own lives.

"You bastard, you dare to take my son? I'll scratch you to death!"

Wang Xiangxiu, who had just been kneeling and begging, now attacked viciously, clawing at the man's face, drawing blood. It was a ghastly sight, like something out of a nightmare.

But Wang Xiangxiu had no intention of letting this man go. She pummeled him with both hands and feet, her fury making her more powerful than several men combined. She gripped Song Shu's neck tightly, and even though he was a big man, he couldn't break free.

"I'll teach you a lesson for bullying my son, for picking on us, a widow and her child!"

Her feet lashed out wildly, as Song Shu screamed in agony, "Help! I'm begging you, spare me!"

However, his pleas fell on deaf ears. "Let you go? I begged you before, and did you show any mercy? No! I won't let you off, not a chance!" Wang Xiangxiu pushed the onlookers aside and continued her onslaught, making it abundantly clear that women could be just as strong as men.

In the hands of Wang Xiangxiu, a tall and burly man like Song Shu had no chance of fighting back.

Wang Xiangxiu wasn't naturally this fierce, but as a mother protecting her child, she was driven to the extreme. When Tonglai saw his mother fighting the bad guy, he stood tall, proud of her bravery.

"That's my mom! My mom is so strong!"

At this moment, Tonglai was no longer afraid, nor did he cry like before. Instead, he stood tall, proudly proclaiming his mother's heroism.

In a time when catching traffickers was common, beating them up was considered normal. Since this man was not only a trafficker but also tried to threaten people, it was only right for him to receive a beating. Wang Xiangxiu continued her furious attack.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Da Mao and Er Mao had already been tied up securely. The children of the alley each held a small wooden stick, standing by them. If either of the brothers made even the slightest move, the wooden sticks would come down hard on them. No mercy was shown.

Lan Sihai suddenly said, "Wait, there's one more in their group, they're still missing someone."

"What? How do you know that?"

Lan Sihai replied confidently, "Because I have brains! We need to find her fast, she's a young woman."

Lan Sihai wasn't just chatting idly; he had picked up a lot of information without anyone noticing. Although Aunt Shuihua's words were sometimes unreliable, Lan Sihai wasn't someone to be easily deceived. He could make his own judgements!

As a result, he quickly noticed the missing person.

"If this is a gang, then they must be hiding nearby. Hurry and search!"

Everyone immediately sprang into action. Sure enough, they soon found a young, timid woman, trembling with fear. In addition to her, Aunt Shuihua and her eldest daughter-in-law were also brought over and tied up securely, leaving the entire family bound.

Aunt Shuihua wailed, "It's all a misunderstanding, a huge misunderstanding!"

Everyone heard the commotion and quickly scattered to the sides. Aunt Zhou, holding a chamber pot, directly threw its contents at Aunt Shuihua, shouting as she did so, "You dare to steal my grandson? Don't think I'm just an old woman to be trifled with! Today, you'll feel the 'blessings' of my grandson's waste!"

The crowd silently stepped back, feeling a bit disgusted by the scene.

Aunt Shuihua, drenched in the foul liquid, cried out, "It's a misunderstanding! This whole thing is a misunderstanding! We're not kidnappers, I swear I'm not that kind of person!"

Despite the clear evidence against her, she continued to deny it, hoping someone would take her side and create chaos, allowing her to escape. She wasn't just making this up; she had actually managed to get away with something similar before.

However, this time, it was clear that no one was buying her story. Although she kept shouting her innocence, no one was paying attention to her. Aunt Zhou's act of throwing her grandson's waste had set a precedent, and others followed suit, grabbing whatever they had left at home, regardless of whether it was the New Year, and started throwing it at her.

Kidnappers were universally hated, and everyone was eager to punish them!

Aunt Shuihua couldn't believe how merciless these people were. She had come here many times to sell goods, always maintaining a friendly relationship with everyone. Yet now, they treated her with such coldness, completely disregarding any past goodwill. It was a waste of the money she had spent to maintain those relationships.

Still, she tried to persist, putting on her most innocent expression and saying, "Everyone, you've really misunderstood me. I was just trying to play a joke with you, I never expected things to escalate like this. Think about it, if I were a kidnapper, wouldn't I have just stolen the child and disappeared? Why would I keep coming back here?"

Zhao Guihua sneered, "You were just here to case the place, weren't you?"

She angrily said, "We actually trusted you, thought you were just a trader, and didn't report you for illegal trading. But you were just here to scout the area. You're truly evil!"

The people of Courtyard Number 44 looked at Zhao Guihua with slightly twitching lips.

Aunt Zhao, you clearly always suspected her from the start. Now you're acting like you were duped?

Zhao Guihua continued, "Don't think you can just deny it. We've all seen what you've done."

"Exactly, don't just brush it off with empty words. We should report this to the police station, now!"

"Alright, I'll go!"

"I'll come with you!"

Two young boys quickly ran towards the police station, not wasting a moment. They were quite familiar with the route, as they had been to the police station more times than anyone else in the neighborhood, even though there hadn't been much trouble recently.

Seeing that these people weren't going to give her any leeway, Aunt Shuihua's face couldn't help but show her frustration. She had done this many times before, but this was the first time she had met such resistance. These people were completely disregarding her presence.

She started coughing, quietly observing the crowd, looking for an opportunity to escape.

Although this person looked kind and honest, everyone knew she was a thief. Now, looking at her again, they couldn't help but feel disgusted, seeing her as a cunning old woman.

"What are you looking at? Don't think we're easy to deal with in this neighborhood."

Aunt Shuihua didn't dare to respond. She knew that if she provoked these people now, she might end up getting beaten up again, which wasn't worth it.

Her old bones just couldn't take it.

She hung her head low, moaning softly, not daring to say anything too bold.

"Stop pretending to be weak, thinking we're easy to fool. You've been coming here so often with ill intentions. Luckily, we were vigilant. Otherwise, you would have succeeded in harming the children."

When this was brought up, Shan Mao, unable to hold back any longer, yelled, "You dare to talk about that? How many times have you bought cheap things from us? Now you're acting cold and heartless. You're all ungrateful bastards! Those good deals should never have been offered to you!"

Aunt Zhou wasn't willing to back down, "What do you mean 'cheap'? You were selling them at the same prices as the supply store. That's not cheap!"

"Exactly, even if they were cheaper, it was your own choice to sell them. Did we beg you to sell them? You were just here to scout the area, and now you're pretending to be good people, calling us ungrateful. How dare you use that word!"

Zhao Guihua chimed in.

Aunt Wang added, "That's right. Every child is precious to their family. But you? You tried to kidnap them and even used the children as shields to threaten us. You people deserve nothing but death!"

"They deserve to die," He Lan agreed, feeling a chill at the thought of these kidnappers. She couldn't imagine what would happen if Little Qingqing were kidnapped. As a mother, she might go mad.

Any parent watching these kidnappers would feel an intense hatred.

Shan Mao, furious, his eyes red, cursed, "I should have sold your children, you all deserve to die!"

Then, he glared at He Lan and said menacingly, "You little bitch, I should have taken care of you and sold you to some backwater village. You... Aaah!"

He launched into a tirade aimed at He Lan, who was terrified. She immediately grabbed Bai Fendou, who couldn't tolerate anyone threatening his wife right in front of him. Bai Fendou, known as "Man Killer," wasn't someone to be trifled with. He charged at Shan Mao and started kicking him relentlessly, aiming at the most vulnerable parts of a man.

This kind of scum deserved nothing less than being beaten to death!

"You damn bastard, you dare to threaten my wife? Think you're so great? Go ask around and see if anyone thinks Bai Fendou is someone you can mess with!"

His deadly series of kicks landed heavily, and Shan Mao screamed in agony, "Aaah... Aaah!"

The male onlookers unconsciously covered their own vulnerable areas and took a step back, not daring to utter a word. Bai Fendou, even though married, still had that legendary strength! He was still the same formidable man-killer he had been in the past.

Watching Shan Mao get beaten, everyone felt it was deserved, but also couldn't help but wince at the brutal blows.

At this rate, Shan Mao was as good as ruined. Being a man again? Impossible!

Dear God, any man who falls into Bai Fendou's hands is doomed.

He Lan was a bit worried that things might get out of hand and Bai Fendou could get in trouble, hesitating whether to stop him. But Ming Mei held He Lan back, saying, "Don't stop him. People like this deserve to be beaten to death. Just look at how bold and arrogant they are; they definitely aren't first-time offenders. They've probably harmed many people. Teaching them a lesson is doing the public a favor. Don't worry, if anyone tries to blame Bai Fendou, we'll vouch for him."

Ming Mei clenched her fists, cracking her knuckles as she continued, "I'd do it myself, but I find them too disgusting to touch."

Hearing Ming Mei's words, everyone nodded in agreement. "Little Zhuang's wife is right. People like this deserve to be beaten to death. Don't worry, we'll all testify. Everyone saw what happened."

"Exactly! Caught red-handed and still daring to be so arrogant."

"Yeah, don't they know they're already at our mercy? Do they really think we're easy to bully? Bai Fendou isn't a man if he doesn't beat him up."

"Damn, the more I think about it, the angrier I get. She even tried to take my child!"

Seeing Bai Fendou already in action, Zhou Qun felt left out and decided he had to do something for his family too. Once the criminals were taken away by the police, there would be no chance to beat them up again. So, without hesitation, he charged at Song Shu's wife, who had tried to take the child.

As disgusting as they were, someone had to teach them a lesson. If they didn't do it, it felt like they were giving in.

Zhou Qun: "Damn, you even dare to steal children from anyone? Don't you know who I am?"

Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou rushed forward without fear of filth, while others stayed far away. Not that they didn't want to join in, but the situation was just too disgusting. Aunt Zhou, however, was undeterred and charged straight in, grabbing Aunt Shuihua and slapping her furiously.

"You old hag, pretending to be a good person, yet you instruct your daughter-in-law to steal my grandson!"

"You vile old witch, making us miserable during New Year's, now you'll see how tough I am!"

"You...!"

Aunt Zhou was ferocious in her beating. Wang Zizhen, the pregnant woman, had somehow squeezed her way through. Her husband, Da Qiang, protected her, holding her close to prevent anyone from jostling her. She cheered loudly from the sidelines, shouting, "Mom, hit her! Left hook, don't hold back! Beat her to death!"

To steal Little Qijin was just too much. Even an uncle could bear it, but not an aunt.

Wang Zizhen was livid. After all, Little Qijin was like her nephew, and since she spent most of her time at Courtyard No. 44, she was deeply attached to all the kids. She couldn't stand to see any of them suffer. Being pregnant herself, she could relate to the emotions involved.

Jiang Lu, who was at home taking care of the children, didn't make it to the scene, but as an aunt, she was furious: "Beat them to death!"

Da Qiang: "Be careful, dear. Don't jump around too much."

Wang Zizhen: "I'm fine!"

Wang Xiangxiu locked her gaze on the man named Song Shu—it was this scoundrel who had threatened her son. She rolled up her sleeves and charged forward, but before she could reach him, a massive figure burst out from the crowd.

He grabbed Song Shu and spun him around a few times, then rained punches down on him like a storm, shouting at the same time, "You didn't bother to ask about me, Old Song from the meat processing plant, before trying to steal my kid? Take this!"

He lived far away and had just heard about the incident, rushing over with his wife in a frenzy.

This was Old Song the Fat, the father of the chubby boy caught with Tonglai. He worked at the meat processing plant, slaughtering pigs.

This guy wasn't your average Joe. He was huge, standing at 1.9 meters tall and weighing well over 100 kilos. In a time when obesity was rare, his physique made even Da Qiang, a laborer, feel inferior.

Let alone someone like Zhuang Zhixi, who was lean and lanky—Old Song could easily outmatch two of him.

Old Song's fists landed on Song Shu, sending him sprawling with blood gushing and vomiting.

Wang Xiangxiu: "Hit him harder!"

Just as she was about to charge again, she saw a heavy-set woman also rush forward. The couple, both weighing a ton, dragged Song Shu between them and took turns pummeling him with their fists. The scene became a chaotic brawl, making it impossible for even someone as determined as Wang Xiangxiu to get close.

Zhao Guihua: "..."

Even she, Zhao Guihua, found herself without a role to play.

Looking at the chaotic battlefield, even someone like Wang Xiangxiu couldn't break through.

The few people involved in the melee were like a full-on martial arts show. When the police arrived in a hurry, the culprits were already half-dead. But did anyone pity them? Not at all. Such people deserved to die.

They had ruined countless families.

Aunt Shuihua was beaten to a pulp, wailing uncontrollably. When she saw the police officers, she cried out in relief, trembling, "Officers, you've finally come! Please save us!"

Song Shu, on the other hand, was too beaten to speak, while Shan Mao was curled up on the ground, clutching his groin and groaning in pain. The two half-grown boys and the younger daughter-in-law, who hadn't been severely beaten, were already paralyzed with fear.

At this moment, the younger daughter-in-law suddenly screamed, "Officers, I confess! I confess! They're a gang, specialized in trafficking women and children. I was trafficked too! Because I'm good-looking, their second son fancied me, so they kept me as a wife. I'm innocent...!"

"You... you slut!" Shan Mao managed to spit out through gritted teeth, "Clearly, it was you who seduced me..."

"If you didn't traffic me, why would I seduce you? I didn't want to end up in some remote mountain village, so I had to find a way to stay by your side. I'm innocent...! And I also confess that this old woman has a daughter she trafficked too..."

The police officers looked at this group with disgust. As for their beaten state, the officers didn't think it was too harsh, even thinking it was too lenient.

They weren't new to catching traffickers, but every time they caught one, it was the same story—everyone hated these people.

"Save your words for the police station! Take them all away!"

Since it was New Year's Eve, there weren't many officers on duty, only three of them. At this moment, Zhao Guihua said, "Old man, Old Song, you young men, come along and help the police officers take them away."

"I'll help too!"

"Me too!"

"These scumbags should be beaten to death!"

Everyone rushed forward, kicking and shouting, "Move! Do you expect us to carry you?"

"Go quickly!"

The police officer said, "It's New Year's Eve, and we don't want to delay everyone's celebrations. Let's make it... let's make it the second day of the new year, the morning of the second day. Will that work for everyone?"

"Yes!"

"No problem!"

"I can go now."

"Me too."

Despite the New Year's celebration, no one felt it was inappropriate to do this. They considered it a good deed, something worth being proud of. They didn't think it was unlucky to visit the police station during the festive season. On the contrary, they felt honored; they had done something great!

They deserved a certificate of merit, even if it was a bit late this year. But next year's outstanding courtyard award was guaranteed!

Generally, ordinary people, unfamiliar with the police, might not like to get involved with authorities, but these folks weren't afraid. They had long been accustomed to it, having friendly interactions with the police station.

They were well-versed in the ways of the police station!

Over the years, they had been there many times. To say nothing of the recent incident where they caught Aunt Yu making voodoo dolls to curse her neighbors. So, they had a friendly relationship with the officers, firmly established as enthusiastic members of the community.

"I'm good to go in the afternoon."

Seeing the enthusiasm of these people, the police officer nodded and said, "Alright, come whenever you can."

It was New Year's Eve, and while a big case was emerging, the collective honor was also assured. The police officers were busy but happy. In Beijing, everyone knew that if you wanted to make merit, you just had to come to this police station. Merit came easy here, practically falling into your lap. You never knew why there were so many incidents, but the bad guys just seemed to come flying in, like moths to a flame. Look at this case—not only did it help the community, but it also added to the police station's merit.

The police officers didn't feel sympathy for these half-dead criminals. If you did bad things, you had to be prepared for the consequences. Who wouldn't beat up a trafficker when caught? Not doing so would be strange.

"Thank you, everyone, seniors, brothers, and sisters. We'll notify the neighborhood about this later."

"Alright, we're just doing our duty, no need for accolades."

The police officer smiled. "Once again, thank you all. We also wish you all a happy New Year and a better year ahead."

"Same to you, same to you."

The incident with the traffickers was significant, but it added a lot of excitement and chatter to the New Year's festivities. Everyone was in high spirits as they walked back together. Zhao Guihua boasted, "You see, I said this guy was suspicious. I didn't make a wrong guess; they really were traffickers."

"We weren't wrong either. Look how hard I beat them. I didn't hold back at all," Aunt Zhou also boasted proudly, as she had been the most ferocious in beating the traffickers.

Aunt Wang: "Everyone was great, everyone did well."

Lan Sihai gave a slight smile and said, "I also probed into their background."

"Uncle Lan, you're impressive too."

The older folks praised themselves, and the younger ones weren't to be outdone. Bai Fendou said, "I'll make him pay. I won't keep the name Bai if I don't. How dare he threaten my wife in front of me? Does he think I'm a pushover?"

Zhou Qun: "And I... blah blah blah..."

Blowing one's own horn is something that never gets old.

Everyone was in high spirits, and even the kids were bragging. Tonglai was jumping around, not showing any fear at all, and loudly proclaimed, "My mom is so strong! She can really scratch him hard, and I'm very brave too."

"Me too, I didn't even cry. I…" the chubby kid followed the other children as they walked towards the courtyard, prompting his parents to quickly grab him and say, "Why are you following others? Come on, let's go home and have a nice reunion dinner."

"Mom, I want to play with my friends."

"Don't be impatient, we'll bring you back in the afternoon. Come on, our family is having braised pork for lunch today."

"Ah, I want to go home."

"See you in the afternoon."

"See you in the afternoon."

Hutou and Xiaoyan were also muttering, "We weren't scared at all, we even fought the bad guys."

Xiaoyan earnestly added, "My aunt is the strongest."

She mimed a punch and said, "Super, strong."

"Auntie is the strongest."

The other kids echoed in agreement, and everyone returned lively to the courtyard. They also discussed, "Let's go to the police station in the afternoon."

"I think that's a good idea."

The successful capture of the thieves was a great achievement, but each household also warned the children that they shouldn't trust strangers. After all, bad people don't wear labels on their faces. The kids nodded knowingly.

Today's lunch was especially lively for each family. The host quickly gathered the whole family around the dining table. Zhao Guihua bought Beibingyang (a local soda), pouring a glass for each person. The children were excitedly wagging their tails (a metaphor for their excitement) and their eyes were almost glued to the glasses.

Zhao Guihua: "Come, everyone raise your glasses. Our family has once again had a year of reunion, and in the new year, we want to live even better."

"Even better!"

Zhuang Zhixi, who had stayed home to take care of the children and missed the crucial moment of capturing the thieves, was quite regretful and said, "Next time, I have to participate. Everyone else joined in, and I feel left behind."

Zhao Guihua: "There are children at home, taking care of them is also very important. Besides, your role isn't as big as your wife's."

Zhuang Zhixi: "……"

However, he chuckled and said, "It seems somewhat reasonable."

"That's not just somewhat reasonable, it's very reasonable."

"Exactly."

Zhuang Zhixi: "Mom, let me toast you. The meals at home are so good because of you."

Zhao Guihua smiled slightly, modestly hiding all her greatness.

She ate a piece of fish and said, "This fish is from Aunt Shuihua's stall. It's really good. Although their family is bad, the things they sell are really good."

"That's right."

"It's really fresh."

Zhao Guihua proudly said, "I even managed to take advantage of the traffickers. I'm really a formidable woman."

Although such opportunities might not come again, they weren't greedy. To have benefited from it was already very satisfying. The house owner felt this way, and other families felt the same.

Today in the Zhou family, they also cooked fish. Aunt Zhou: "This fish is from Aunt Shuihua's stall, and the fatty pork for the braised pork is also from her. They could have just stuck to their good business of illegal trade and making small profits. Their business was quite decent, with many people buying from them whenever they came. Instead of making money properly, they had to engage in those merciless, soul-damning, inhumane crimes. It's really crazy."

Jiang Lu: "……"

Are you sure they wouldn't have gone bankrupt if they had focused on trading?

Everyone knows that Aunt Shuihua's business was good only because the goods they sold were very cost-effective. If not, no one would buy from them.

Jiang Lu: "Fortunately, they got caught."

She added, "Today, it was all thanks to Bai Fendou for rescuing the child. In the afternoon, we should send them some gifts to show our gratitude."

Aunt Zhou nodded upon hearing this. Though she was known to be stingy, she was clear-headed when it came to her grandson. She agreed, "You're right."

She thought for a moment and said, "What do you think we should buy? I have no idea."

Jiang Lu: "Let's prepare four things, I'll take care of it."

She gently shook the chubby baby in her arms, Xiao Qijin, who had experienced a small incident but was not afraid at all. Of course, such a young baby knows nothing about it. The child babbled, staring at the food on the table and smacking his lips.

Jiang Lu: "These scoundrels deserve to eat peanuts! (shot to death)"

Ordinary folks deeply abhor such people.

This is different from petty theft; it's a crime that can lead to family annihilation.

Jiang Lu: "If you all go to the police station in the afternoon, I'll join you. I can't help but want to beat them up."

"I think that's a good idea."

"Come, let's eat."

"Okay."

Every household was lively, and the Bai family was no exception. The Bai family of three drank wine together, and Bai Fendou even sang some traditional opera, making Little Qingqing giggle. Bai Fendou: "Look, I'm quite capable. I helped rescue Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu's child."

He boasted, "Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu should thank me."

He Lan’s eyes were filled with smiles, she said, "We don't do this for thanks. Such bad people should be caught. Otherwise, they might harm many more people. I still feel frightened when I think about it."

Bai Fendou also nodded. However, he said, "Don't worry, I'm here. I'll watch over you, and nothing will happen to you."

He Lan happily responded with an "En."

She said, "Our family must stay together and be well."

Bai Fendou: "Of course, our days are getting better and better."

Last year at New Year's, he was still living alone in a cold and desolate house. Who would have thought he could live so happily this year? He was extremely grateful to Jiang Lu. If it weren't for her asking him to help buy eggs from Yang Lixin's hometown, he wouldn't have met He Lan. If he hadn't felt indignant about their mistreatment of women and had decided to help out, he wouldn't have had such a good life now. He said, "Hey, isn't there a certain destiny in all this? It was Jiang Lu who asked me for help that led me to Yang's village, and it was because of that I met you. And now I also saved her child."

He Lan chuckled and said, "Is that so? I don't understand it, but I feel very fortunate to have met you."

Bai Fendou: "Ah, I'm not as good as you say."

He Lan smiled and said, "You can't be too modest. You are as good as I say. If it weren't for you, I don't know what kind of life I'd be living now. Let alone the good life we have now and Little Qingqing, look at how strong she is now."

Little Qingqing, hearing someone mention her name, looked up at her mom and smiled, her little hand reaching out for the braised pork on the plate. During New Year's, families with better conditions usually cook braised pork, and their family was no exception.

Little Qingqing reached out to grab the meat, and He Lan quickly stopped her, "Oh my dear, don't grab it."

Bai Fendou laughed out loud and said, "My daughter is just like me, free-spirited!"

He Lan also smiled…

At this time, in Wang Xiangxiu's home, she prepared six dishes, some with meat and some vegetarian. The two children ate with rice grains on their faces, extremely happy. It was too cold outside, and Yinlai didn't go out much. The large temperature difference when he went out made him cough badly, so he couldn't handle it.

Regarding the capture of the thieves, he didn't see the live version, but hearing that his brother was almost kidnapped by the bad guys made him extremely angry. Hearing that they had beaten the bad guys fiercely also made him very excited and spirited.

"Bad people should be caught."

"Yes. Bad people should be caught."

Wang Xiangxiu gently said, "Even though I'm just a woman, I can still protect you."

The two children nodded heavily, and Yinlai said, "Mom, eat some meat."

"Okay, Mom will eat, and you too…"

Today, every household was lively, and the topic of human traffickers was on everyone's lips. These families were discussing it, the Lan family was, the Li family, the Cook's family was too, and so were other families, with or without children. Everyone deeply hated those who trafficked children and felt excited about having participated in catching them. They were that capable.

Today's arrest wasn't just limited to their courtyard; several surrounding courtyards also joined in. Families with children, hearing the commotion, rushed out, creating a massive crowd. Such gossip spreads quickly, and an event like this was even more so.

By the early afternoon, it seemed that the entire city of Beijing knew about the capture of a child trafficking gang in Xing Hua Li who had taken advantage of the New Year celebrations to abduct children. In broad daylight, their audacity was unprecedented. No one has ever liked traffickers, and this incident only accelerated the spread of news. Many families began to caution their children, even during the New Year festivities, to be wary of unfamiliar people. Even with other children, they had to be sure they knew where they came from before playing together.

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Evil doesn't wear a sign, it doesn't discriminate by gender or age.

The children all nodded in agreement. Word spread like wildfire, and the residents of Xing Hua Li didn't wait until the second day of the New Year. On New Year's Eve afternoon, they rushed to the police station, each recounting the situation to the police officers in great detail.

Due to the unexpected incident, many police officers had to work overtime, even on New Year's Eve, but that didn't dampen their enthusiasm. Everyone was taking notes, and the police officers couldn't help but admire the vigilance of these elderly women.

Although it was now clear that these people were bad, it was hard to see anything suspicious at the time. The fact that people were already wary of them back then showed just how alert they were. It was truly commendable.

Zhao Guihua and the others arrived, with her asking, "Police officers, were these people planning to abduct my child?"

Although she felt this was the case, she still wanted to confirm it.

The police officers nodded, "Yes, they were planning to take your son, and also the son of the Zhou family in your courtyard."

Aunt Zhou: "Mine!"

She clenched her teeth, "We didn't beat them hard enough."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of several police officers became slightly awkward. Aunt Zhou didn't notice, but Ming Mei, who was with Zhao Guihua, did. She asked, "What happened to those people?"

They had been beaten and dragged away, so no one knew their condition.

The police officers: "..."

An older officer spoke up, "Well... three of them are heavily injured, and one... well, he's shattered."

Shattered?

What shattered?

Everyone looked puzzled at the police officers.

The police officers: "!!!"

You don't know what's shattered? You were so experienced, why are you looking so clueless now? Is this appropriate?

The police officers: "It's that..."

"Which one?"

Finally, someone reacted, pulling the person next to them and saying, "That one."

Everyone turned to look at Bai Fendou. Bai Fendou: "Why are you looking at me?"

The crowd chuckled, trying to appease him, "Brother Fendou, if anything happens in the future, just let us know. Don't act rashly."

Men are fragile, and they shouldn't be easily provoked.

Bai Fendou: "..."

He twitched his mouth, then seeing that the police officers didn't seem to hold it against him, he became smug, "When it comes to dealing with such people, I don't hesitate. I always step up to do good deeds."

"Exactly, exactly."

"Those people had it coming."

Ming Mei: "..."

Although she was the first to act and had subdued the criminals, her presence didn't compare to Bai Fendou's. It seems that having a special skill really leaves a more lasting impression.

"Did they confess?"

The police officers nodded, "Yes, they admitted that they were a roaming child trafficking gang."

Although Aunt Shuihua was tough and good at lying, even after being caught, she continued to lie and defend herself. Fortunately, they had a weaker link. Her daughter-in-law, who was initially a victim, had become a perpetrator. Although she was also an accomplice, she confessed faster than anyone else.

Apart from her, the others were very stubborn. Even the two young boys resisted and didn't talk.

It was clear how despicable this family was.

The police officers: "They've been in this business for a long time. This time, they were caught thanks to everyone's attentiveness; otherwise, it would have been difficult."

Zhao Guihua quickly asked, "How did they roam around?"

It was difficult to travel without an introduction letter.

"They made fake introduction letters, pretending to come to Beijing for medical treatment from their hometown."

The police officers had seen traffickers before, but they were less common than this gang. He said, "They were extremely bold. In fact, they had done their homework before. But evil is evil, and they cannot escape the law's punishment."

Everyone nodded in agreement. The police officers also found out that this family targeted Xing Hua Li because Da Mao had met Su Jinlai in the juvenile detention center and learned a lot about their alley from him. This is why they set their sights on this area.

However, the police officers did not reveal this. They didn't deliberately hide it for Su Jinlai, but Su Jinlai was indeed innocent. He had been tricked into talking without knowing these people's intentions. He didn't even know they wanted to abduct his brother because he was completely unaware. The police officers didn't mention this to avoid placing a greater burden on the Su family.

One thing at a time.

"This group didn't start with such big operations. With each success, their boldness grew. They became more and more excessive. This time, they planned to infiltrate the community to abduct children. They even had a second step planned. If the first step of abducting children didn't raise suspicions, they planned to come back later to abduct women. They had already set their sights on some young wives in your alley."

"What!"

"These evil people..."

"Luckily, we caught them; we didn't beat them enough."

"Exactly..."

Everyone was already angry, and now they were even angrier.

Ming Mei suddenly remembered something, saying, "Police officers, I recall something. A while ago, two of our colleagues encountered bad people on the street and were beaten, almost getting into serious trouble. I want to ask if it was them."

She continued, "I don't think it's a coincidence. Although Guan Guiling at our unit denied it, Jiang Baohong said she saw them. You can ask Jiang Baohong to come and identify them."

She didn't mention her own suspicions.

The police officers immediately took it seriously: "Okay, we will ask Jiang Baohong to come and identify them."

Ming Mei nodded emphatically.

Zhao Guihua: "What will happen to them?"

She was very straightforward: "We caught the bad guys, but we're worried they'll come back for revenge."

Hearing this, everyone nodded.

The police officers: "They committed extremely heinous and serious crimes. The main culprit will likely face the death penalty, and the accomplices will also be dealt with accordingly. Generally, people like them won't serve their sentences locally. They'll be sent to very remote and harsh places. Like Gou Lanxiang from your courtyard, she was sent to the Northwest to serve her sentence."

They weren't completely sure, but they still explained based on the usual procedures: "Even the accomplices won't get light sentences."

Hearing this, everyone nodded in understanding.

As people were gathered around asking questions, Officer Wang came over. He had been transferred to the city bureau and was in charge of these cases. He hadn't even eaten lunch and had been interrogating the suspects for most of the afternoon. Seeing Ming Mei, he couldn't help but smile, saying, "Ming Mei, have you ever considered changing jobs?"

His words were very sincere. He had always had a good opinion of Ming Mei since his days at the police station, and that opinion had only grown. Looking at Ming Mei, he felt that her abilities were being wasted at the bus station.

He said, "If you come to our unit, I'll help you negotiate good conditions. Our city bureau welcomes you anytime."

Ming Mei waved her hand, "I won't, I'm not good at anything."

Officer Wang said with a smile, "You're quite capable. Besides, I've noticed that you're really sharp. You always seem to spot bad guys. Look, with your sharpness and skills, if you don't join our city bureau, it would be a loss for both of us."

Ming Mei giggled and replied, "I don't buy that. This time, it was my mother-in-law and the others who were clever. I was just there to act as muscle."

Officer Wang: "Well, you didn't even have to try hard, and bad guys still came flocking. Isn't that destiny? Doesn't that show you're perfect for the police force?"

Ming Mei: "Hah!"

Officer Wang will say anything to recruit her!

She waved her hands, "No, no, I'm not skilled enough."

This wasn't because Ming Mei didn't want to do it, but she truly felt her skills might not be up to par. Some positions required a high level of professional competence, so Ming Mei was quite firm: "I really don't think I'm cut out for it. If I ever encounter a bad guy, I'll of course take action. But I honestly don't think I could do a good job as a police officer. It's a very important position."

Ming Mei was very determined, and Officer Wang finally stopped pressuring her.

Bai Fendou, who had been watching from the side, stepped forward and asked, "What about me? I'm pretty decent, right?"

Officer ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‍Wang: "...

All you can do is incapacitate men.

You're good for nothing else!

He forced a smile, "You're... quite good."

And then he quickly walked away. After all, he was also a man, and he was afraid of men like Bai Fendou.

He couldn't handle it, not at all.

Officer Wang made a hasty retreat, and everyone couldn't help but laugh.

Bai Fendou: "???"

Since the human trafficking gang wasn't exactly united, they were quickly cracked down on and forced to reveal many details. The family involved was selfish and only cared about themselves. They all tried to blame each other and revealed quite a lot of information. Jiang Baohong, upon recognizing some of the culprits, was filled with dread.

She couldn't believe that the man who had attacked her that day was really a trafficker.

She now feared that if she hadn't escaped quickly that day, she might have been sold off by now. The incident had scared her so much that she became very well-behaved.

The story of the residents of Xinghualin's united effort to catch the kidnapper gang spread far and wide, creating quite a stir. It was not only popular throughout the entire Sijiu City; it even made the newspapers. Of course, reporters didn't come asking about it randomly; this was arranged by the machinery factory. Since Xinghualin was the location of the machinery factory's staff residence, catching the kidnapper gang was a matter of pride for them. Such a good deed deserved to be publicized.

This also demonstrated the high caliber of the machinery factory staff, which was top-notch.

Participants of the event, like Zhao Guihua, Aunt Zhou, Aunt Wang, and Bai Fendou, all made it to the newspapers.

Everyone was thrilled, even Zhao Guihua, who collected the newspaper to show off to her children when they grew up. The others who made it to the paper were no different, all planning to do the same.

Bai Fendou was even more overjoyed, keeping one copy of the newspaper as a collectible and carrying another with him every day to show off.

In the midst of everyone's pride, Zhuang Zhixi sighed with a long face.

Why didn't he get to participate?

Why did he have to stay home and take care of the kids?

It's so depressing!

He wanted to be in the newspapers too!

At the same time, Chen Yuan, who was working at the food factory, read the newspaper with a deep sense of relief. Fortunately, he had quickly moved out and changed houses. Otherwise, sharing a courtyard with Bai Fendou might have eventually meant his own demise.

Just thinking about it sent shivers down his spine.

Similarly, Hu Huihui, who hadn't been heard from in a long time, held up the newspaper for her husband to see and said, "Look, look! Thank goodness we stayed far away. That courtyard is just so eerie!"

This isn't superstition, really, it's not!

It's just eerie!