Baby Serendipity: The Whole World Fell In Love With Me-Chapter 675 - 674: That Heart-Stealing Fox Demon

The village had lost a child, and following tradition, funeral arrangements were made.

Mianmian’s parents stayed by her side, not daring to leave her for even a step.

"Wife, I heard from Liu Zhuzi that Ermao’s mother has gone mad. Whenever she sees children, she beats and scolds them, blaming them for not saving her Ermao. Let’s try to keep Mianmian indoors as much as possible," he said.

"That’s right, that’s right, husband, I feel that our Mianmian... might really have..."

Looking at Little Bun quietly eating a pastry, the couple sighed in unison.

They knew their daughter well; she was usually chatty, always wearing a sweet smile on her face. Not even four years old, at home she was like a little grown-up, helping move stools and sweep the floor, lively and adorable.

But ever since that day when she went out to play with the other children and had her heart taken out by Ermao, she stopped talking, sometimes spacing out, as though she had lost her soul.

The parents were no fools; after a bit of thought, they knew what had happened!

On the day Ermao was killed, it was very possible that their daughter was hiding nearby and witnessed the event. Skilled at climbing trees, she might have been waiting in a tree for Ermao and inadvertently witnessed the fox demon committing the act.

That the fox demon didn’t find and kill their daughter as well was a stroke of great luck, and the parents were immensely relieved. Naturally, they refrained from asking her any questions.

With both parents by her side, Mianmian gradually recovered from the shock of that day.

On the day of Ermao’s funeral, several Daoist priests from the Daoist Temple, both old and young, had come.

The village chief insisted that everyone, including the children, should be present.

Mianmian walked out of the house, holding Daddy on the left and Mother on the right.

As soon as Daddy picked her up and she got a clear view of the Daoist priests standing next to the village chief, she clutched tightly at her father Su Senqi’s collar and shrank into his arms, too scared to speak.

Su Senqi frowned and exchanged a glance with his wife.

Throughout these days, they had accompanied their daughter at home, and to cheer her up, they had strolled around the village with her. But now, with the Daoist priests from the Daoist Temple in the village, her mood had become uneasy once again!

What this signified, Su Senqi dared not contemplate.

He could only cover his daughter’s face with his large palm, trying to shield her from the view of the Daoist priests to avoid attracting their attention. free𝑤ebnovel.com

"People of Xinghua Village, a few days ago a wounded fox demon caused chaos, harming our village’s children. These Daoist priests have come to offer their apologies. They have also captured the fox demon. Look, this is the one," the village chief said.

As he spoke, two young Daoist priests carried in a large iron cage.

A black cloth covered the cage, and when it was lifted, a large fox was revealed inside.

In terms of size, a fox comparable to a village dog was already considered large. However, this red fox was unusually big, and its fur was an unnaturally bright red. Its animal pupils swept over the villagers in panic before settling on the Daoist priests with a hateful glare.

"What a huge fox, this must be the heart-stealing fox demon, right?" someone exclaimed.

"Ermao’s mother, the Daoist priests have avenged your son," another villager reassured.

"Indeed, indeed, Ermao’s family should thank the Daoist priests," yet another chimed in.

With the fox demon removed, the village could return to normalcy. The villagers thanked the Daoist priests from the Daoist Temple profusely, bowing and paying their respects.

Hearing someone mention the big fox, Mianmian carefully raised her head from her father’s chest and instantly made eye contact with the fox.

Sharp of sight and hearing since childhood, she immediately noticed the torn flesh on the fox’s body. The dark red was not solely the color of the fox’s fur but also the color of coagulated blood, much like the blood that had flowed when Ermao’s heart was gouged out.

Little Bun grew increasingly scared and buried her head back into her father’s chest, seeking comfort.

Amidst the villagers’ praises, the Daoist priests covered the cage again.

The one standing in the middle, waving his horsetail whisk, smiled and said, "The Daoist Temple has always worked for the nation and the people. It is our duty to eliminate harm on behalf of the people; no need for excessive gratitude. However, in these troubled times, capturing one demon might lead to another. I, Wu Chenzi, worry that if another demon appears, the village might suffer another great loss."

After these words, the villagers, who had been happy to see the fox demon captured, suddenly became unhappy again.

Indeed, where there’s one demon, there could be another. If another demon comes in the future, they couldn’t tell whose family might be afflicted next. This time it was Ermao’s family who lost Ermao, but what about next time? It could be their own children.

"Daoist Priest, please save us," they pleaded.

"Yes, Daoist Priest, think of a way to protect our village, we donate to your temple annual offerings," another villager suggested.

"The Daoist Priests from the Temple have a Bodhisattva heart; surely, they won’t ignore us, right?" another implored.

Listening to the villagers’ pleas for help, Wu Chenzi stroked his beard and offered a suggestion: "Our Daoist Temple has always welcomed new disciples. Only children fated with Daoist teachings are fortunate enough to join. Seeing that Xinghua Village is blessed with remarkable talents, perhaps there are children here destined to be connected with our teachings. If you are willing to part with them, let us take the children as disciples. Then, it is only right that the Daoist Temple provides protection to Xinghua Village."

Upon hearing this, the villagers’ excitement began to surge again.

Wu Chenzi meant he was looking for disciples, so did their children have a chance to become Daoist priests? How wonderful it would be to be a Daoist priest! The Daoist Temple was thriving, and the priests were all exceptional figures; surely they wouldn’t mistreat their children in terms of food, right?

Someone voiced this concern: "Daoist Priest, if someone is fortunate enough to become your disciple, they won’t lack for food in the future, will they?"

The Daoist priests looked at each other, and Wu Chenzi smiled benevolently, "Of course not, but..."

"What else is there, Daoist Priest?" the villagers asked.

Wu Chenzi said, "Once they become disciples of our Daoist Temple, they must sever worldly ties and will no longer have any connection with their birth parents."

This meant breaking familial ties.

Some who dearly loved their children couldn’t help but clutch them more tightly.

Having raised their children to this age, if the children were sent off and no longer recognized their own parents, what was the use of becoming a Daoist priest? They were counting on their children for support in their old age!

But the family with the most children in the village couldn’t wait to agree: "That’s fine, that’s fine. Daoist Priest, do you want boys or girls? Since they are severing ties with us, is it like selling the children to you? You will give us money for them, right?"

Wu Chenzi flicked his whisk, saying, "In the name of the boundless heavenly powers, children entering the Daoist path will receive a severance fee from the Daoist Temple, how could that be considered selling children?"

A severance fee!

Those who were short of money asked, "May I ask Daoist Priest, how much is the severance fee?"

Wu Chenzi smiled, "One tael of silver."

One tael of silver. For the villagers who rarely saw silver coins, one tael could last a year if they lived frugally.