Chapter 220: Who Will Adopt Xiaosi
"Yes, Xiaosi is not my biological child, I got him from Niu Pazi in exchange for mine who didn’t make it. I didn’t want my in-laws to know, so I made the switch. Unexpectedly, the child I got in exchange turned out to be foolish. It’s indeed karmic retribution." Wang sobbed as she spoke.
Thus, the truth came to light. Officer Li released Niu Pazi on the spot, but demanded her to return the two taels of silver to Bai Ruozhu and pay a fine of one tael of silver. He also mentioned that if she broke the law again, the punishment would be doubled.
Wang’s bloody buttocks scared Niu Pazi so much that she promised vehemently that she would never do anything wrong again.
At this point, Bai Zepei, bowing ceremonially to Officer Li, said, "Your honor, I request that a verdict be made regarding the custody of Bai Zeqing."
Mr Xie laughed after listening and said: "I’ve heard that the old Bai mansion does not take kindly to this child, and just now Wang cursed the child for being foolish in public, since the child is not their kin, should we let someone else take care of him?"
Officer Li nodded and said, "In this matter, the most innocent is this child. I will certainly arrange for him to be placed in a good home."
"Your honor, my family is willing to adopt Bai Zeqing. My parents are willing to treat him as their own, and my siblings also consider him their blood brother." Bai Zepei bowled once again, expressing his gratitude to Officer Li.
Officer Li naturally wanted to appease Bai Zepei, but Bai Yibo shouted, "Who said we don’t acknowledge this child? Even though he’s not my blood, there are years of attachment. To snatch him away like this, isn’t it against family values and affection?"
Bai Ruozhu was furious when she heard this. Bai Yibo never cared for Xiaosi’s life and death and never carried out any fatherly duties. Now, seeing her family wanting to adopt Xiaosi, he deliberately intended to sabotage their efforts. He blatantly regarded Xiaosi as a burden, a dishonor to the Bai Family, and an extra mouth to feed. He certainly hoped not to raise Xiaosi anymore, yet in order to quarrel with her family, he dared to say such things -- it was truly disgusting.
"Uncle, you’re a scholar. Do you truly feel rightful after uttering such shameless words despite having read so many sage books for decades?" Bai Ruozhu asked coldly, "You say you’ve raised Xiaosi for six years, yet what have you given him? A warm home? The love of parents? Even a bite of food is too much for you to give, and you’re always so quick to hit and scold him. A perfectly fine child was maltreated to this state by you. How shameless of you to say that he’s the foolish one. God knows what would become of him if he were to be taken back."
Bai Yibo glared at Bai Ruozhu and said in an unhappy tone, "When did it turn your turn to make Ah Q’s words? And do you have the audacity to speak to your elders like that?"
Bai Ruozhu let out a cold snort, "The respect for elders also depends on whether they deserve it or not."
Wang lay on the ground sobbing and wailing. Her hair was a mess, and her face was covered in dust. Her lips were bloody with dust stained on her face, adding to her pitiful demeanor which caused a sense of pity among other people.
She understood what Bai Yibo meant, resisting the grief, she lifted her head and said, "Your honor, I know it was wrong of me to switch the children, but Xiaosi is the child I have raised for six years. I nurtured him with my own hands. Even though he’s not my own child, I’ve raised him as if he was. Should he just be snatched away like this?"
Upon listening to her, even Officer Li started hesitating, after all, they had been raising him for six years, there must certainly be some attachment, is it right to snatch him away?
Suddenly, Officer Li gave thought to the principal party concerned – the six-year-old child. He thought that he should ask the child about his wishes as well.
"Bai Zeqing, who do you want to live with?’ It’s alright, you can tell me your thoughts." Officer Li asked Xiaosi as gently as possible. He had already noticed that Xiaosi, the boy below the stage, was a bit different from other children.
Although Xiaosi seemed indifferent, in reality, he was extremely anxious inside, no, rather terrified. He initially thought that he could live with his third sister’s family from now on, but the words uttered by his parents just now made his body shake with fear -- he was really scared to be taken back by them.
People called Xiaosi foolish, but in reality, he was more sensitive and observant than most children. As soon as Wang finished speaking, he noticed the change in Officer Li’s eyes. He didn’t know what to do then, but he remembered the situation at Doctor Fu’s house the previous day.
Yes, no matter what, as long as he could live with his third sister’s family, he was willing to do everything!
"I want to go with my third sister. My parents beat me." His voice wasn’t as lively as that of other children and was rather stiff to hear. But while everyone was looking at him, he slowly removed his top to reveal his skinny body to everyone.
He pointed at a bruise behind his neck and said, "This is from when my father hit me with a stool the day before yesterday." Then he pointed at a bruise on his waist and said, "This is from when my mother pinched me the day before that."
"This is the result of my third brother hitting me, and this was when he burned me with incense, but since his leg is broken now, he hasn’t been able to hit me lately."
"..."
The courtroom fell silent, the atmosphere was eerie. Everyone had looks of shock and anger in their eyes. Even Jiang Yichun, who knew about the situation beforehand, didn’t expect that such a young child would have so many scars on his body. Were Bai Yibo and his wife raising a child or torturing him to death?
"I want to live with my third sister. She’s good to me, treats my wounds, feeds me." Xiaosi said in a very certain tone and then reached out to grab Bai Ruozhu’s hand.
Bai Ruozhu’s tears had wet her entire face. Even though she knew of Xiaosi’s wounds, seeing them again stirred her heart. She really wanted to kill Bai Yibo and Wang. Crying, her hand trembled as she picked up the clothes that Xiaosi had dropped to the ground, and said softly, "Sister will help you put on your clothes, don’t catch a cold."
Everyone ignored the child’s nonsensical talk. A bit of good food teaching him to speak as he was taught. The child was very skin-prone, always climbing high and low, and he was always injured. My heart was torn. We were also distressed. Our heartbeat could not be controlled. Bai Yibo made his excuses.
Bai Ruozhu was furious. She suddenly stood up, pointed at Bai Yibo and exclaimed, "Do you not fear retribution with divine wrath looming over your head less than three feet away? I swear I never taught him these things. If I’m lying, may I be struck by a thunderbolt from above! Dare you to threaten Heaven and swear that the injuries on Xiaosi’s body were not inflicted by you? If you lie, may you be struck by thunder!"
Bai Yibo was stunned by Bai Ruozhu’s fierce gaze. He involuntarily stepped back and muttered, "I am your uncle. You are simply unfilial to talk to your elders in such a manner."
Officer Li sternly knocked the courtroom wooden block and asked, "Bai Yibo, Bai Ruozhu has made a solemn oath. Dare you swear to the heaven?"
Bai Yibo shrunk his neck, looking somewhat lacking in confidence, and said, "How do I know someone at home hit him? Yes, I did hit him a few times when he was naughty, but which father doesn’t discipline his son?"