A Grain of Rice

"Hand her over?" Shi Lihe let out a shrill laugh. "Who do you think you are to demand she be handed over? My family affairs are none of an outsider's business--"

"Shut up, attacking a child and you still have so much to say?" Hesta shifted her weight to her other leg. "There are surveillance cameras everywhere here. Everything you did today, eyewitnesses, physical evidence—not a single piece is missing."

"Let... let go of me!"

Hesta raised her head and spoke to the two nurses who had rushed over.

"Could you please call the police? Thank you."

That night, when the police officers arrived at the Maternal and Child Health Center once again, the sky outside was already dark.

This was the twelfth emergency call from the Maternal and Child Health Center today. When they rushed over in the morning, the legendary troublemaker had already left. Never did they expect this person to run back again at night.

Not only Ding Yuqing and Hesta, but several medical staff members also recounted what they had seen to the police officers. The police took detailed notes and then took Shi Lihe away.

During the night, Ding Xueyang and Xu Ruyi both recovered a little of their energy.

Everyone went together to the NICU to see the newborn baby girl. The upper half of the little one's face was entirely covered with tubes and gauze. Hesta was astonished by the ugliness of the newborn. Even though her face could not be seen, the infant's reddish skin still carried a somewhat unearthly, uncanny quality. With every breath, her heaving chest and belly looked like a fish thrown up on the shore. Yet Xu Ruyi and Ding Yuqing kept chiming in with "so cute," "so delicate," and "she really looks just like her mother,"