Chapter 38: Chapter 38: The Death of Mai Sui

Lu Xiao’s explanation left a sour taste in Su Tang’s mouth.

But no matter how you looked at it, this was another family’s business, and it wasn’t her place to interfere.

As a result, Su Tang had felt stifled for the past few days. The image of Sister-in-law Zhang Cui wiping her tears with her head down while Wang stormed off kept replaying in her mind.

The more she thought about it, the more unfair it seemed to Sister-in-law Zhang Cui. ’How could such a good person end up with a man like that?’

But the matter was like a thorn stuck in her throat—she couldn’t spit it out, nor could she swallow it down.

Su Tang felt even more miserable than Zhang Cui did.

She had run into Sister-in-law Zhang Cui in the courtyard a few times, and seeing her force a smile to greet her only made Su Tang feel worse.

She couldn’t bring herself to say a single one of the comforting words she had prepared, only managing to offer a strained smile in return.

Even Lu Xiao could sense her mood.

Because of what happened with Sister-in-law Zhang Cui and Wang, Su Tang had been giving him the cold shoulder.

Lu Xiao, who was dragged into this for no reason, felt utterly wronged.

That afternoon, things were slow at the hospital, so Su Tang got off work a little early.

Just as she reached the entrance of the family housing compound, she heard a cry of alarm and a child’s incessant, choking coughs.

“Mai Sui! Mai Sui, what’s wrong?”

It was Lin Qian’s panicked voice, tinged with tears.

Su Tang’s heart sank, and she broke into a run, heading for the source of the sound.

Rounding the corner, she saw Lin Qian by a stone bench in the corner of the courtyard, helplessly holding Mai Sui.

Mai Sui’s small body was twisting and struggling violently in her arms. Her little face was turning purple, and her eyes were wide with panic.

Her mouth was open, but she couldn’t make a complete sound, only the suffocating sounds of “URK… URK…” and choked coughs.

Her small hands were frantically clawing at her own neck and chest; something was clearly stuck in her throat.

Su Tang glanced down and saw a few freshly picked green plums scattered on the ground.

They were obviously from the plum tree in the courtyard—not yet ripe, and still sour and tart.

But the children in the compound were always looking for snacks and would occasionally pick them to eat.

“Mai Sui!”

Su Tang’s heart leaped into her throat. Forgetting everything else, she shot forward like a gust of wind.

When Lin Qian saw Su Tang, it was as if she’d both grasped a lifeline and seen a terrifying monster. Her face was ashen, and she became incoherent.

“S-Sister Su Tang! Mai Sui… Mai Sui was eating a plum… the pit… it’s stuck! I… I gave her water… but she can’t swallow it… What do I do?”

As she spoke, she was still trying to bring the cup of water to Mai Sui’s lips.

“Stop giving her water!” Su Tang shouted, her voice sharp and urgent. Lin Qian was so startled her hand trembled, nearly dropping the cup.

Su Tang didn’t have time to look at her, nor could she be bothered with past grudges; she only had eyes for the suffocating Mai Sui.

The child was too small; the plum pit was a massive object in her tiny throat. It would have been a miracle if it *hadn’t* gotten stuck.

She snatched Mai Sui from Lin Qian’s arms.

Mai Sui’s body was already starting to go limp from the lack of oxygen, her struggles growing weaker.

Su Tang’s heart felt as if it were being squeezed by a giant hand, a tight, aching pain.

She forced herself to calm down, her mind rapidly cycling through her first-aid knowledge.

’Heimlich! Yes, the Heimlich maneuver!’

She immediately knelt, placed Mai Sui face down along her forearm, and positioned the child’s head lower than her chest.

Su Tang’s movements were fast and steady. She used her fingers to support Mai Sui’s jaw and secure her head.

Without hesitation, she used the heel of her other hand to deliver firm blows to the middle of Mai Sui’s back, between the shoulder blades.

She struck five times in succession, her blows precise and powerful, but Mai Sui only let out a series of more violent coughs. The object didn’t come out.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Su Tang flipped Mai Sui over so she was face up, lying on her lap with her knees together, her head still lower than her body.

She extended two fingers, quickly and accurately finding the spot on the lower half of Mai Sui’s breastbone.

Taking a deep breath, she placed the heel of her other hand over her fingers and delivered quick, forceful upward thrusts.

Fine beads of sweat broke out on Su Tang’s forehead as she stared intently at Mai Sui’s small face.

On Su Tang’s fourth thrust, Mai Sui suddenly coughed up a large mouthful of saliva-laced fluid.

Immediately after, a wet plum pit shot out of her mouth, landed on the ground, and rolled a few times.

Air, held back for so long, finally rushed into her lungs. Mai Sui let out a great, harrowing wail, her face turning from purple to red as tears and snot streamed down her face.

“It’s out! It’s out!”

Su Tang let out a long sigh of relief, feeling as if all her strength had been drained away. Her legs gave out, and she sank to the ground, still holding Mai Sui, her back drenched in a cold sweat.

She hugged Mai Sui tightly, who was sobbing breathlessly in her arms, and gently patted her back.

“Shh, shh, it’s okay, Mai Sui. Don’t be scared. It’s over now, it’s over… It’s all out, you’re okay…”

It was terrifying to think what would have happened. If Su Tang hadn’t come, Mai Sui might have suffocated to death on that pit.

Lin Qian, standing nearby, was scared stiff. She stared blankly at the pit on the ground, then at the wailing Mai Sui and the seated Su Tang. Her lips trembled, but she couldn’t utter a single word.

Just then, Sister-in-law Zhang Cui, who must have heard Mai Sui’s heart-wrenching cries, came running over like a madwoman.

“Mai Sui! My Mai Sui! What happened?”

Her eyes immediately fell on Su Tang, who was on the ground holding the sobbing Mai Sui. Her daughter’s face was red from crying, and Su Tang wore a look of lingering fear.

Then she saw the wet plum pit on the ground, the dazed-looking Lin Qian next to them, and the green plums scattered all over…

Zhang Cui understood everything in an instant.

Rage and terror shot straight to her head. Mai Sui was her everything; if something happened to Mai Sui, she wouldn’t want to live anymore.

“Lin! Qian!”

Like an enraged lioness, Zhang Cui lunged forward and grabbed Lin Qian’s arm, her nails digging so deep they nearly broke the skin.

“Is this how you watch a child?! What did you feed her?! Those plums aren’t ripe, and the pits are huge! She’s just a little girl! Were you trying to kill her?!”

Lin Qian was stunned by Zhang Cui’s sudden outburst, her arm throbbing with pain where it was being gripped.

Staring into Zhang Cui’s practically fire-breathing eyes, she trembled all over and stammered out an explanation.

“I didn’t mean to, Sister-in-law… Mai Sui wanted one… so I… I just gave her one… Who knew… who knew she’d swallow the pit… I gave her water, I…”

“Water?! What damn good is water?!”

Zhang Cui was trembling with rage. “If it weren’t for Su Tang, if Su Tang hadn’t been here! My Mai Sui… my Mai Sui would be gone! Gone! Do you understand me?!”

By the end, Zhang Cui was practically howling, her voice filled with despair and lingering terror.

She raised her hand and, with all her might, swung it hard across Lin Qian’s face!

CRACK!

The sharp, resounding slap echoed through the courtyard.

Lin Qian staggered from the blow, half of her face immediately beginning to swell with a fiery, stinging pain.

She clutched her face, looking in disbelief at the normally gentle and good-natured Zhang Cui.

Overwhelming humiliation and fear made her mind go blank, and tears instantly welled up in her eyes.

“You… you dare hit me?!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep