Chapter 86: Kidnapper

At the end of the year, Kang He called Yihuan to the city to learn how to cut meat at the shop for a while.

In the winter month, he left Yihuan at the shop and sent Chen Sanfang to watch over the city shop instead.

He and Fan Jing went out to slaughter pigs—partly for the shop’s needs, and partly for special orders to kill the New Year pigs, earning some money for their efforts.

“I want to go to the city with mother to watch the shop. I can do the calculations now.”

At the beginning of the winter month, work was light, and with Erxi helping out, she mostly had time to relax.

When she heard her mother was going to the city, she wanted to go too.

Zhen’er knew her little sister couldn’t stay idle and spoke up for her.

This little girl was learning characters at Fan Xin’s private school but wasn’t very interested in reading and writing like Zhen’er was.

However, she loved arithmetic.

Among all the children in the school, big and small, none were better at math than her.

Even Fan Xin said that with this skill, she could become an accountant in the future.

Chen Sanfang took Qiao’er, this little girl, to the city as well, leaving only Zhen’er to watch over Da Fu at home.

Kang He and Fan Jing had been busy recently, so they hadn’t tended to the city shop, but they returned earlier when they came back from slaughtering pigs.

At the end of winter month, they broke Da Fu’s habit of nursing at night, and he was able to sit and play by himself.

With a soft cushion under him on the bed, he could happily play with his little bow and ball for quite a while without crying or fussing—easy to look after.

As the twelfth month came, the weather grew noticeably colder, and every few days, snow would fall.

One day, Kang He came in from outside, covered in snow, and immediately headed into the room where Da Fu was playing, feeling the warmth instantly.

There were three charcoal braziers inside, so it was naturally warm.

Zhen’er saw Kang He and Fan Jing had returned, so she left the room to the kitchen to boil some hot water for them.

Kang He took off his snow-covered coat and then lifted the chubby baby sitting on the bed.

“My son, what have you been playing with today?”

He held the pale, plump child and kissed him.

Fan Jing came in from the back, the door creaking open.

The wind carrying snow blew inside, making Da Fu squint his eyes and burrow closer into Kang He’s arms.

Seeing this, Fan Jing quickly shut the door.

With people coming and going, the warm room suddenly felt a few degrees cooler.

He thought about taking out two pounds of cotton to sew a door curtain, which would save the trouble of the wind rushing in every time the door opened.

After some searching, he found an old indigo cloth and two pounds of cotton, and sat on the bed to sew them together.

Da Fu saw the white cotton and thought it was food, reaching out with his little chubby hands to grab it.

Kang He held the little one tightly and said, “This little guy is really strong. Ever since we stopped the night nursing and started feeding him more, he’s grown taller and stronger.”

Fan Jing didn’t let Da Fu play with the cotton for fear he’d put it in his mouth.

Now that his baby teeth were growing, he liked to grab things and put them in his mouth, drooling constantly. The bib tied around his neck often got soaked.

Whenever he came home, Zhen’er could be seen hanging a row of drool bibs and diapers in the yard.

Seeing that his father wasn’t giving him the cotton and even moved away a bit, Da Fu made a muffled sound, “Want, want.”

Hearing his son’s voice, Kang He bent down and looked, “You can speak now?”

Fan Jing recognized Da Fu’s words too. This was the first time the boy clearly spoke.

Before, he could babble, but no one could understand him well, only guessing at bits and pieces of meaning.

Kang He found it rare and said to Fan Jing, “I heard that kids can say simple words around eight months old. Let’s try teaching him to call ‘Daddy’ and see.”

Fan Jing touched Da Fu’s chin and said, “Call ‘Daddy’.”

Da Fu thought Fan Jing was going to feed him and opened his mouth to suck on his finger, drooling again. Fan Jing wiped his mouth with a handkerchief.

“Say ‘Daddy’.”

“Xiao die…”

“Oh, our Da Fu is so clever.”

Kang He laughed happily at the somewhat slurred words, “Come on, say ‘Daddy’ again.”

Seeing Kang He smile, Da Fu giggled too, “Xiao die…”

Fan Jing couldn’t help but smile as well. He picked Da Fu up and held him in his arms, tossing the cotton and cloth to Kang He.

Kang He held the cotton, “How could I do this?”

Fan Jing said, “Stuff the cotton into the cloth, lay it flat, and sew along the edge, what’s so hard about that? You sewed clothes in the mountains before, didn’t you?”

Kang He chuckled, licked the thread end, threaded the needle, and started sewing on his own.

Outside, the snow grew heavier and heavier, swirling past the window in a dazzling white.

Without the oil lamp, the room was already bright.

The two of them sewed inside while playing with Da Fu—a rare moment of calm.

Zhen’er could hear Kang He and Fan Jing teasing Da Fu from the kitchen and couldn’t help but smile gently.

She had taken care of Da Fu a lot; if she married next year—

Snow was falling heavily today and it was cold. Mother and Qiao’er would surely be chilled when they came back.

The pig’s heart and lungs, brought back clean, were set aside to stew with radish for a warm soup.

She had peeled two fist-sized radishes but it wasn’t enough, so she went out to call Erxi to pull some fresh radishes from the field and reminded her—

“Little girl.”

Erxi had just slung her basket on her back and was leaving when Zhen’er, about to return indoors, heard someone call her.

The woman, with a square kerchief tied over her head, had some strands of gray hair showing.

She stood hunched in the swirling wind, looking pitiful.

“Granny, what’s the matter?”

Zhen’er called from the yard doorway.

“I want to borrow a bowl of hot water to drink. It’s freezing cold today. If I don’t have something warm in my stomach, I might freeze to death.”

Seeing the woman braving such strong wind and snow without an umbrella, Zhen’er nodded. “Alright, I’ll boil some hot water right now and pour you a bowl.”

She was about to open the yard gate and invite her into the kitchen for some warm broth but saw the woman’s unfamiliar face and stopped.

“Granny, where are you from? I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”

“At the end of the year, I came to your village to visit relatives. Xu Qiao from the village hollow is my kin,” the old woman said.

“I’m from Xiangshui Township, far away. It’s been two or three years since I last came. The relatives don’t visit often, so we’ve drifted apart. When the snow falls, no one lets me stay.”

She sighed. “I’m ashamed to impose, so I’ll leave soon and not come back.”

Zhen’er knew Xu Qiao from the hollow. His family was notorious for being tyrannical, and since Xu Yang became the village chief, they were even worse.

Hearing the old woman’s complaint, Zhen’er thought Xu Qiao truly lacked humanity.

Thinking her brother and brother-in-law were nearby, she wasn’t worried—a lone old woman couldn’t do much harm.

Zhen’er opened the gate and called inside, “Big brother, brother-in-law, there’s an old granny in the hollow asking for water.”

She smiled and led the old woman into the kitchen, pouring her some hot soup.

The old woman looked around and noticed a few diapers still dripping under the eaves.

She said nothing but followed Zhen’er with her cane.

Inside the kitchen, she looked around approvingly and praised the clean and well-kept house.

“Kind-hearted little girl, you’ll surely be blessed.”

The old woman blew on the hot soup and spoke to Zhen’er.

“In this snowy weather, who in the village wouldn’t give a bowl of hot soup? Don’t worry, Granny, have some. After you leave, I’ll fill a thermos for you to take on the road.”

The old woman thanked her repeatedly and said the warm soup made her feel much better.

“How many people live here?”

“We have a big family.”

The old woman said, “Just now I saw a boy leave your place—is that your brother?”

Zhen’er only smiled without saying yes or no.

The old woman was about to speak again when Kang He, having heard Zhen’er’s voice, put down his sewing and came out.

Seeing the old woman sitting by the stove, he nodded politely.

Upon hearing she was related to Xu Qiao in the hollow, Kang He frowned. “That Xu family, even if they were relatives, wouldn’t treat people well.”

“When I see the village chief, I’ll tell him about this.”

The old woman thanked Kang He, but though she said it, her face showed no gratitude—only discomfort.

She lowered her head and continued eating her soup.

After a sip, she heard the baby’s coos, looked up, and saw a man with a stern face holding a chubby baby entering the kitchen.

She was struck. That child was well cared for, with big round eyes and plump cheeks, his whole face round and pale.

The old woman stared in amazement and put down her soup.

“What a well-behaved child! May I hold him?”

Fan Jing held Da Fu and shot the woman a glance, recognizing she wasn’t from around here.

He refused to hand over the child lightly, not fearing offense, and pulled Da Fu closer to himself.

“The child doesn’t like strangers holding him. He’ll cry,” he said as he took the bowl of hot soup and went back inside.

Kang He saw this and frowned slightly. He tried to smooth things over. “My husband has a bit of a temper, don’t mind him. The child is still small and shy—rarely does anyone hold him.”

The old woman waved her hand, saying it was fine. She said the child reminded her of her own grandson and looked fondly at him.

After chatting a while, Erxi returned, and the old woman said she was leaving.

Kang He and Zhen’er prepared a thermos of warm water for her journey.

They saw her off and watched her walk away along the village road.

Kang He said, “Leaving so late, Xiangshui Village is so far. It’ll be dark halfway there—how can she make it back in time?”

Zhen’er replied, “Granny said she was heading to the city but wanted to visit relatives along the way. When she got to our village, Xu Qiao wasn’t welcoming. She’ll wait at the highway to catch a bullock cart to the city.”

Kang He thought that made sense. “It’s cold outside, let’s go back inside.”

He spoke to Zhen’er, then turned to see Fan Jing standing by the eaves, watching the old woman’s departing figure with furrowed brows.

“What’s wrong?”

Fan Jing said coldly, “How can that old woman walk so briskly with a cane?”

Kang He looked again. The woman really had walked quite far, almost out of sight.

“You mean there’s something odd about her?”

Fan Jing didn’t answer directly but warned Zhen’er, “From now on, don’t let strangers into the village, even if they ask for water or anything. Keep them outside.”

Seeing Fan Jing’s stern expression, Zhen’er nodded quickly.

“I thought she looked pitiful and with brother and brother-in-law in the village, it was alright to let her in.”

Fan Jing said, “She’s probably not harmless. Most likely she’s a kidnapper, sending weak old women to sneak into villages and scope out households.”

Zhen’er’s heart skipped. “W-What do we do then?”

Kang He also felt uneasy. That old woman’s words were convincing and lulled them into letting their guard down.

If Fan Jing hadn’t refused to let her hold Da Fu and looked displeased, he might not have noticed her suspicious talk.

“Just be careful and watch Da Fu closely. We can’t be without a man’s watchful eye in the village.”

Zhen’er quickly said, “Understood.”

Kang He felt unsettled and went to Xu Yang’s place in the hollow to tell him about the old woman who had come to his relatives but was driven away.

Xu Yang listened. He thought it was ridiculous to let someone walk on slippery snowy roads and no one helped.

If it were anyone else, it might be overlooked, but as village chief, he had to say something.

They went together to Xu Qiao in the hollow, and Xu Yang scolded his relative.

“We’re innocent! We went to the city early this morning to buy New Year goods. Zhen’er just got back a little while ago. Where would some stranger from Xiangshui come from?”

“She probably left when no one was home. How can you blame us for driving her off?”

To prove his point, Xu Qiao showed the snow-covered New Year goods he had just brought back.

His children had also been to the city and bought firecrackers, which they were setting off noisily in the yard.

Kang He and Xu Yang exchanged a glance.

“This is bad. They really have kidnappers sneaking into the village to spy!”

This person was cunning, having prepared a detailed story in advance—even Xu Qiao knew it.

The villagers all disliked Xu Qiao’s family for being tyrannical, so their word would be believed.

“At year’s end, many outsiders come through each village. These thieves have come back to cause trouble.”

Xu Qiao’s wife turned pale at their words and hurried to bring their children inside.

Kang He said to Xu Yang, “This isn’t a matter of just one or two families. Many homes have children, so everyone must stay alert.”

Xu Yang agreed. His son Yuange was about to become a father and would never allow kidnappers into the village.

Losing grain or rice can be replanted, but a child is flesh and blood from the parents—how could they lose one?

Later that day, Xu Yang gathered the villagers and spoke about the kidnappers.

“Awhile ago, an old woman came to our village asking for a sturdy cane and to rest inside. I was kind and let her in to eat soup and even gave her two fruits. Turns out, she was scouting us!”

Four households said they had seen the old woman, each saying she tried to enter for different reasons.

She was crafty and chose homes far apart, always going into those with children.

At this meeting, they were certain she was a kidnapper. The villagers with children were all terrified.

Everyone was busy preparing for the New Year, slaughtering pigs and stocking up goods, but after this, no one was at ease.

Xu Yang warned the village men to be on high alert and check any strangers entering. Offending someone is minor, but losing a child is grave.

The boys were told not to talk to strangers or take food and toys from them.

They were also dismissed early from school, only allowed to go home with familiar people.

“After lying low for two years, kidnappers are active again! I heard from customers in the city about their activity but thought it was just idle talk. I didn’t expect these reckless scoundrels would come to our village!”

Chen Sanfang was terrified after hearing the kidnappers had entered the village today.

Holding Da Fu, she was extremely fearful.

She scolded Zhen’er after the old woman left, who then realized the woman had been a kidnapper and felt deeply guilty.

Kang He said a few comforting words. Not all strangers were evil.

That woman was a stranger who, because of her unclear speech, was surrounded by the villagers and had a hard time speaking for herself.

Chen Sanfang knew Zhen’er had a kind heart and didn’t blame her for letting the old woman in.

It wasn’t just their family; other households also had been fooled by the kidnapper.

Though the villagers were rough, many were pure-hearted. The fault lay with the kidnappers exploiting that kindness for evil deeds.

She couldn’t help but kick Fan Dad and scold him, “You go out drinking and playing, but what if someone steals our Da Fu? Where do you think you’d find him?”

Fan Dad took the scolding in stride.

Everyone in the village said their Da Fu was well-behaved. Losing him would break their hearts.

“I don’t go out drinking anymore. I stay here at home. If I want a drink, I’ll have it here. We’re all men—we’ll see those kidnappers off!”

“Pah! After two taels of horse urine, you can’t tell east from west. If a kidnapper came, you’d be calling your brothers to help!”

Fan Dad waved his hand, “Alright, alright, none of them are allowed into the village.”

The village was tense, but hearing the two argue like this lightened the mood.

At night, Fan Jing took Da Fu into the house to sleep with the couple, feeling more at ease.

The three of them shared a quilt and it was quite warm.

Da Fu rarely slept with Kang He and Fan Jing, but tonight he was excited, crawling from one end of Kang He’s legs to the other and back again, giggling and showing a few baby teeth.

After some time, he tired and nestled into Fan Jing’s arms to sleep.

Kang He smoothed the baby’s soft downy hair and said to Fan Jing, “Good thing you didn’t let that old woman hold Da Fu today, or I’d be feeling uneasy just thinking about it.”

Fan Jing replied, “Didn’t giving her the thermos already make you uneasy?”

Kang He said, “That was unlucky too. But if she was just an ordinary old woman, not giving her water would have left her to freeze to death outside. That would have been a regret too.”

Fan Jing said nothing, but he agreed.

Years ago, when Sun Dasheng fell into a trap pit, he even lowered a stick for him to climb out—same principle.

He cared about Da Fu, not just saying empty words.

Kang He said, “I finished sewing the curtain and hung it on the door. How does it look?”

Fan Jing glanced at it—tightly sewn and fixed on a wooden board so the wind wouldn’t blow it off.

Kang He asked, “Don’t you like it?”

“Looks terrible.”

Kang He pinched Fan Jing’s waist. “Good or bad, what does ‘terrible’ mean?”

Fan Jing smiled faintly, said nothing more, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.

Kang He leaned over, kissed his lips, cuddled the soft little Da Fu, and fell asleep too.