Reborn as the Villain's Wife, I Shine in 80s
Chapter 74 - 073 Fact

Chapter 74: 073 Fact

"You little brat, what nonsense are you spouting!" Chen Guilan’s face flushed with anger as she grabbed Daniu and smacked his bottom a few times. "What nonsense, what nonsense are you spouting! How did I give birth to a child like you! I’ll teach you a lesson—let’s see if you dare to spout nonsense again!"

Daniu wailed loudly, crying, "I didn’t spew nonsense! That little bastard really is at the deserted house!"

What a pig-headed teammate...

Li Xiaoqin retorted with dissatisfaction, "Guilan, what’s going on? Is it really like your Daniu said—at the deserted house? Did you guys really take Yanyan and leave him at that place? That’s an abandoned house—it’s haunted!"

"So it’s the deserted house," Tian Sangsang said coldly, staring at the group. "Third Aunt, Tian Tian, Grandma—so you kidnapped my son and left him in the deserted house all because you want me to marry Biao? You’d better pray nothing happens to my son because otherwise, I won’t let you go."

"Mrs. Dazhu, you all are truly heartless. Grown-up matters should be settled between adults. Why do you always have to drag innocent children into it?" Aunt Zhong shot a sharp remark and then followed Tian Sangsang as she left.

The crowd began to stir, everyone deciding to go check the deserted house to find out the truth. Grandma Tian frantically attempted to slip away, but her movements were spotted by sharp eyes. "Mrs. Dazhu, better come along—why are you trying to sneak off?"

A few people surrounded her, stopping her from escaping.

Outside the gathering, Chen Ying and Chen Ming watched everything unfold. Chen Ying’s expression was filled with disdain, while Chen Ming stood in disbelief. How could this happen? Impossible! His beloved couldn’t have done something so despicable! Chen Ying initially felt this would finally make her brother stop being infatuated, but seeing Chen Ming’s reaction made her sigh in frustration again.

"Fine, let’s go! A child’s random joke doesn’t prove anything. The person wasn’t tied up by anyone from my family," Grandma Tian shamelessly lied in denial.

"Grandma, maybe Daniu just saw Yanyan in the deserted house—that’s why he said it." Tian Tian’s delicate face showed a trace of grievance.

In the past, people might still have chosen to believe Tian Tian. But now, their expressions and the shaking of their heads told a different story.

On the way to the deserted house, the group encountered the village chief and Zhou Zheng among others, who decided to join them.

Standing before the crumbling deserted house, Tian Sangsang opened the creaky door. As she stepped inside, she called out urgently, "Yanyan, are you in here? It’s Mommy—Mommy’s here! If you hear my voice, call back to me, okay?"

The crowd held their breaths, listening intently. But all they heard was eerie silence.

Chen Ming’s firm side profile showed hesitation. "No one—not here?"

"Exactly. It’s haunted here—who’d dare come to such a place?" Zhou Zheng shook his head uneasily and waved his hand before his face. "Disturbing ghosts is no trivial matter."

Tian Sangsang let out a cold laugh. "Mr. Zhou, even as a people’s teacher, you believe there are ghosts? Isn’t our Party the one most opposed to superstitions? There are no real ghosts—only the ones inside people’s hearts."

Zhou Zheng stared at Tian Sangsang with surprise. Huh, the fat lady had some sharp insight!

Aunt Zhong stepped forward and suggested, "Maybe Yanyan’s been locked somewhere and couldn’t hear us calling out. If he could speak up, we’d have found him by now."

"Let’s split up and search," Chen Ming directed. "Check every nook and cranny." He turned to glance at Tian Tian, whose pitiful expression seemed to plead innocence. Chen Ming wanted to believe Tian Tian’s family wasn’t involved. As long as they couldn’t find the boy, it would clear her name. Yes—surely they wouldn’t find him.

Everyone dispersed, combing through the area. Soon enough, a voice rang out from the main hall—Chen Ying’s voice, filled with excitement: "Found him! Yanyan’s here!"

The small child was curled up into a ball under a table, looking pitiful beyond words. Overcome with maternal instinct, Chen Ying reached out to stroke his messy, curled strands of hair—but before she could, another figure darted forward.

"Yanyan!" Tian Sangsang dashed over, removing the bindings on the boy and pulling him tightly into her embrace.

People started gathering outside, surrounding Grandma Tian’s group. "So, Mrs. Dazhu—now that we’ve found the child, what do you have to say for yourselves?"

"Is this even something decent people would do?"

"How utterly cruel."

Their fingers pointed accusingly. Even the village chief frowned in disapproval, muttering about how heartless it was to tie up a child—such a little one at that. And to think they were all relatives, too.

By now, Meng Shuyan was sobbing uncontrollably in Tian Sangsang’s arms, his tiny shoulders shaking with each cry. Finally, after crying his fill, everyone noticed his face—ghastly pale, swollen almond-shaped eyes, and bruises and grime that smeared across his features. The heartache was palpable among onlookers, who wanted nothing more than to hold the boy close and console him.

"Mommy, I was so scared. I thought I’d never see you again..."

Tian Sangsang comforted him gently, "It’s okay. Don’t cry—don’t cry anymore..."

Squatting down beside him, Chen Ying softly pulled Meng Shuyan’s little hand into hers, coaxing him further: "Yanyan, don’t cry now—you’re a little man, right?"

True to her words, Meng Shuyan stopped crying. His tearful peach-blossom eyes glistened as onlookers couldn’t help but think—this truly was someone else’s child. Their own kids wouldn’t have stopped—likely bawling their hearts out by now.

"Tell Auntie Yingzi—who tied you up and brought you here?"

Meng Shuyan’s gaze swept nervously across the crowd before shrinking closer into Chen Ying’s arms. Slowly, he pointed: "It was Auntie Tian Tian."

"I didn’t—it wasn’t me," Tian Tian shook her head weakly, her frail figure swaying as if about to collapse.

Chen Ming felt his mind explode, his hopes shattered as his gaze fell disheartened upon Tian Tian.

Chen Guilan roared, "Tian Sangsang, you shameless woman—did you coach your son into accusing our Tian Tian? Last time you ruined her reputation, and now you’re framing her again!"

The crowd wasn’t foolish—how could someone coach a child immediately after finding them? Chen Guilan’s outburst was simply absurd.

The village chief raised his hand to silence Chen Guilan: "That’s enough. We trust the child."

Tian Tian bit her lip. "You can’t just take his word for it—kids sometimes mistake people. He might have seen wrong."

"Yanyan, don’t be scared. You said it was Auntie Tian Tian—tell us exactly what happened," Chen Ying encouraged warmly.

Tian Sangsang shot Chen Ying a vexed look. This woman was clearly taking the opportunity to ingratiate herself with the boy.

Everyone’s eyes were focused on Meng Shuyan now. Despite being only a little over three years old, the boy spoke with remarkable clarity and precision: "Yesterday morning, Auntie Tian Tian came to my house and asked me to go to hers. I didn’t want to go, so Auntie Tian Tian covered my mouth. I tried to run away but passed out. When I woke up, I was tied up under the table."

Grandma Tian lashed out in a fury, "What nonsense from a child! It wasn’t Tian Tian who tied him up, and you shouldn’t slander my dear granddaughter!" She then tried to pull Tian Tian away.

"Yesterday, I bit Auntie Tian Tian’s left hand really, really, really, really hard," Meng Shuyan suddenly added, his tone firm and unyielding.

"Really, really, really, really hard..." Chen Ying chuckled softly. "Then there’ll definitely be a bite mark left. Grandma Tian, don’t go just yet. If Tian Tian didn’t do it, then she can show everyone her left hand."

Tian Tian clenched her left hand tightly.

"Let’s see, shall we?" Chen Ying stood upright, forcefully grabbing Tian Tian’s left hand and flipping it over. Sure enough, where her palm met her thumb, there was an unmistakable child-sized bite mark.