Chapter 58: Life Must Go On
He didn’t expect to see this group of people standing at his door when he pulled back the latch.
His expression instantly darkened.
Without a second thought, he raised his hand to slam the door shut.
Xiao Zhou threw his shoulder against the door, forcing it to stay open just as it was about to close.
"Mr. Cao, don’t close it! We really have something important to discuss!"
Xiao Zhou said earnestly, catching his breath.
"What could be so important? You loafers have nothing better to do all day than come to my house and stir up trouble! Get lost! You’re not welcome here!"
Cao Daqiang’s voice was hoarse, his face etched with impatience.
As he spoke, he used all his strength to pull the door shut from the inside.
But he was no match for the strong and sturdy Xiao Zhou.
The door didn’t budge an inch, no matter how hard he pulled.
Ling Anxun stood silently at the back of the group, watching the scene with cold eyes.
He really didn’t want to deal with someone with such a vile attitude.
But Zhang Yunhua couldn’t bear the thought of a child coming to harm.
She took a step forward, her voice softening slightly.
"Your kid went up the mountain, picked a basket of poison mushrooms, and was running all over the place without a single adult in sight. She isn’t home yet, so you’d better go look for her. Don’t wait until something really happens. By then, it’ll be too late for tears."
As soon as she finished speaking, Cao Daqiang’s expression grew even uglier than before.
"What nonsense are you spouting? My daughter is smart! She’s been sensible since she was little, and she’s timid. Why would she touch something like that? Stop your baseless accusations and slandering my child!"
he retorted angrily, his eyes full of suspicion.
Hearing this, Shanshan glanced at him, the corner of her mouth twisting into a disdainful smirk.
Zhang Yunhua wanted to try and persuade him further.
But Cao Daqiang suddenly waved his hand dismissively and roared with impatience.
"Go, go, go! Get out of my sight! My family’s business is none of yours!"
"This man..."
Zhang Yunhua muttered under her breath as she walked away.
"He doesn’t even care about his own daughter? Is Cao Daqiang really that heartless, or is he just playing dumb? How can he just ignore something so serious?"
On the way home, her heart felt heavy with frustration, and her steps grew sluggish.
Shanshan sensed her mood and gently tugged on the corner of her shirt.
"Auntie, how about we go get some sugar-roasted chestnuts tomorrow? They’re so fragrant and warm. Smell, I even secretly saved one in my pocket~"
As she spoke, she stuck her little hand in her pocket, shook it, and revealed a little piece of a chestnut shell.
Zhang Yunhua looked down at her and saw the little girl’s rosy-cheeked face.
The frustration coiling in her chest suddenly dissipated.
Yang Dapeng, who was walking ahead, heard their conversation. He glanced back, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.
She had a fiery temper and spoke rashly and quickly.
But if any family was in trouble, she was often the first to rush in and help.
If Shanshan hadn’t been there, it probably would have taken until nightfall to calm her down after today’s incident.
Cao Daqiang, for his part, hadn’t taken the matter seriously at all.
Liu Yingzi wasn’t home, and he was all alone in the house.
A thought quietly surfaced in his mind.
’If Jiajia were really gone, wouldn’t Liu Yingzi’s heart finally settle down?’
’She wouldn’t be nagging about that girl all day, and she wouldn’t fight with him over every little thing.’
’When Liu Yingzi comes back from her parents’ house and finds out something happened to the child...’
’She’d cry, she’d throw a fit, but life would have to go on.’
’Then, he could be a little gentler. The two of them could start over, have another child—a boy this time...’
’Wouldn’t everything be right again?’
He even began to fantasize about the future.
A plump, fair-skinned son sitting on his lap, calling him "Daddy."
And Liu Yingzi would be standing nearby, her face full of blissful satisfaction.
The door creaked open. Liu Yingzi walked in carrying a cloth bag, a look of delight on her face.
Cao Daqiang’s heart skipped a beat with a THUMP, and he subconsciously took half a step back.
Liu Yingzi didn’t notice a thing.
She tossed the cloth bag on the table and rushed over to him, grabbing his arm as she started talking.
"Daqiang! It’s done!"
"My brother pulled some strings! Director Yang from the HR department gave the approval. We just have to wait for the transfer order next month, and then we can move to the city’s machinery factory! The benefits are good, and they even have a housing allocation!"
Cao Daqiang grabbed Liu Yingzi’s hands, his eyes wide.
"Is that true? Director Yang approved it himself? Does that mean we can leave soon?"
"Yes!"
Liu Yingzi nodded emphatically, her eyes shining.
"It’s not just about transferring, Daqiang. This is our chance! Our time to finally make it has come!"
The two of them huddled together, talking for a long time.
The more Cao Daqiang heard, the more excited he became. He gritted his teeth, his voice dropping to a low whisper.
"This is great! As long as we transfer out of here, out of the Ling family’s sight, with my abilities, I’m bound to get ahead sooner or later!"
"I’ll make sure you guys live a good life! We’ll live in a multi-story building and eat fine grains—I’ll make it all happen!"
"I know. I believe in you."
Liu Yingzi’s eyes turned red.
She then threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his chest.
Only then did she remember to ask.
"Oh, right. Where’s Jiajia?"
Cao Daqiang’s heart trembled. He turned his head away, pretending to tidy the wardrobe, and his tone became icy.
"That girl? She’s always running wild and never at home. Don’t worry about her. She’ll come back when she’s hungry."
"Sigh, that child... I’ve really spoiled her rotten."
Liu Yingzi sighed.
She remembered how Jiajia had looked at her with pleading eyes before she left, asking, "When is Mommy coming back?" A pang of sorrow shot through her heart.
"It’s still early. I’ll go look for her and make dinner when I get back."
Before the words were even out of her mouth, she had already rushed out the door.
Liu Yingzi jogged through the family residential area, her gaze sweeping past every window.
She called out "Jiajia," her voice going from urgent to hoarse.
But the only responses were the barking of a few dogs and the distant echo of children playing.
’Did the other kids take her up the mountain to play?’
At this thought, she was filled with fury and went door to door, knocking and demanding answers.
"Has my Jiajia been here?"
"Have you seen her?"
"Did you all go out to play together today?"
One after another, doors opened to reveal faces filled with astonishment.
"Don’t you play together every day? Where is she?"
Liu Yingzi’s voice had become shrill.
"I... We really weren’t with her."
A few of the children were so scared they started trembling.
But the more panicked they looked, the more Liu Yingzi was convinced they had a guilty conscience.
Her words sharpened.
"Did you bully her? Did you push her somewhere?"
The parents didn’t like hearing that and stepped forward to shield their children.
"Lady, what are you doing? My kid hasn’t left the house all day!"
"You can’t scare the children like this! If you have something to say, say it properly!"
"Jiajia hasn’t been to our house! None of us have seen her!"
The atmosphere instantly grew tense.
Just as the argument was escalating, a little boy finally spoke up timidly.
"Auntie, every time Jiajia plays with us, if she so much as falls or gets a bump, you scold us. So... we don’t dare ask her to play anymore."
Liu Yingzi froze on the spot, her face turning deathly pale in an instant.
"We went up the mountain to pick mushrooms today, but we didn’t ask her to come. I really don’t know where she went..."
The children huddled together, all talking at once in a noisy clamor.
Some said they saw Jiajia heading toward the village entrance; others thought they glimpsed her shadow on a path on the back mountain.
But no one could say for sure.
The adults stood a short distance away, arms crossed, their cold gazes sweeping over Liu Yingzi’s pale face.