This child’s name was Chen Xiaobao, and he was the darling of the Chen family.
Most of the villagers in the seventies were not well-read, so names were very simple. Many households named their sons in sequence – like Dabao (First Precious), Erbao (Second Precious), and Sanbao (Third Precious), or Dazhu (First Pillar), Erzhu (Second Pillar), and Sanzhu (Third Pillar), or Dagui (First Treasure), Ergui (Second Treasure), and Sangui (Third Treasure).
There were many similar names in the brigade.
Chen Xiaobao was a fat, roly-poly child. In these times, it was no mean feat to raise a child of this physique.
He had been the family’s darling since he was young and had never experienced hardship, or been beaten. Now that Chen Goudan pinched him, he immediately screamed in pain.
“Ah Ah…”
Chen Dagui was shocked when Chen Xiaobao started to cry. Wang Qiuhua, who had been watching the show from behind, was also startled. She screamed in response and rushed forward.
“Xiaobao!”
He was the apple of their eye. His crying was a calamity!
“Baby! Baby, what happened to you? Baby, don’t scare your mother! My son… wu wu wu…”
“It hurts… Ah ah ah… Wu wu wu…”
Chen Xiaobao was five, and knew how to scream in pain.
Chen Dagui and his wife were enraged when they saw their darling son crying so hard. Now it was not just Chen Dagui who was beating them. Wang Qiuhua also rushed forward to join in.
When Chen Goudan saw this, he knew that his chance had come!
“Ah… save me! I won’t do it again. I won’t give food to others. I didn’t give food to anyone. I can’t possibly go empty-handed to someone’s house for dinner. Wu wu wu…”
Chen Goudan carried his little sister and ran out of the courtyard. The road was lined with houses and as he ran, he saw more and more people.
He continued to shout about food.
Chen Dagui and Wang Qiuhua did not notice that anything was amiss, but continued to pursue him. Actually, as long as Chen Goudan ran like crazy, the two of them could never catch him. After all, he worked outdoors all day and was very agile.
But for the sake of making an effect, Chen Goudan did not run too fast, and allowed the couple to catch up with him.
He was beaten many times along the way. His shrill cries attracted a crowd, which gathered to watch.
He stopped running when he reached the brigade leader’s house. He circled the area and started dodging.
The crowd could not stand it any longer.
“Stop! Stop! The child is almost breathless from screaming!”
“If you carry on beating him, you’ll kill him! Dagui, have you gone mad?”
“Do you need to go so far over some food? He’s your nephew!”
“That’s right! Don’t go overboard. It’s not your own child, no wonder you don’t cherish him.”
“You’ve already taken his parents’ house and furniture. How much can the child eat? Stop it!”
…
Chen Goudan was an orphan and part of an underprivileged group. Everyone pitied the vulnerable, even more so because they were children.
They were crying and screaming pitifully. Also, everyone knew that the two children suffered in the Chen household and were often beaten. So everyone was naturally inclined to blame Chen Dagui for going too far.
Chen Dagui was infuriated when he saw that everyone blamed him. “This beast hit my Xiaobao. Xiaobao is crying in pain. He…”
“I didn’t! I didn’t! I wouldn’t dare. Wu wu wu. Eldest Uncle, I really didn’t. I would never dare to hit Xiaobao…”
Before Chen Dagui could complete his sentence, Chen Goudan interrupted him with a series of terrible shrieks.
Chen Xiaocao was sobbing and breathlessly pleaded, “Eldest Uncle, Xiaocao wouldn’t dare. Xiaocao didn’t hit her younger cousin. I didn’t. I will never eat Eldest Uncle’s food again. I will save it all for my younger cousin. I won’t eat anymore. Wu wu wu…”
Chen Dagui: “…”
Why did he smell a rat?