The man's cry of alarm drew quite a crowd.
Looking at the child on the ground, everyone could already guess what had happened.
The child cried his heart out, his little face flushed bright red. It was painful to watch.
Someone wanted to pick the child up, but their companion stopped them, saying:
"We don't know what's going on with this child yet. If we pick the child up without knowing anything, the parents might be hiding nearby, watching.
If the child already has something wrong, they might pin it on you and extort you."
"Surely not?"
"You're too naive. Just listen to me, and you won't go wrong!"
"All right!"
Others nearby were saying:
"I reckon this child either has some defect or is a girl!"
"I think so too. Who would bear to throw away a healthy, chubby little boy?"
"The child's crying so hard. Could something be hurting?
Will something happen if the crying keeps up like this?"
"If we have no other choice, let's report it to the authorities."
"If we report it and no one claims the child, we'll have to send the child to the Charity Nursery in the city."
"I heard the children there often don't get enough to eat either!"
"Ah, there's nothing to be done about that."
A pregnant woman looked at the child and said:
"What a sin!
What damned wretch did this? Aren't girls human too?
Without women bearing and raising children, where would all these men come from?
And now they turn up their noses at girls.
Pah!
What a bunch of ungrateful creatures!"
"Dear, don't get upset. I'll love our child no matter what you have. I won't turn up my nose."
"If you dare be ungrateful, just see how I deal with you!"
"Yes, yes, yes.