I ran over to them like I'd found a lifeline. "Mr. Brown, please call emergency services! A child's been hit. He's still alive!"
David's gaze landed on the child lying on the ground. His expression changed slightly.
"Calm down. Let me take a look."
David turned around and said something to a male teacher behind him.
The teacher nodded and quickly left.
I asked anxiously, "David, did you call emergency services?"
He ignored my question and looked at Esther instead.
"Are you the child's mother?"
Esther shook her head and pointed at me. "She is. I'm her best friend. I-I was the one who hit him."
David nodded before turning to look at me.
"Don't panic. I've already asked our school doctor to come over. Let him check on the child first."
I froze. "The school doctor? Aren't you calling for an ambulance?"
"Even if we do make that call, it'll take time. We might as well let the doctor take a look first. Don't worry. Our doctor is very experienced."
Something felt off, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.
Within a few minutes, a middle-aged man in a white coat hurried over with a medical kit.
"David, what happened?"
David pointed at the child. "Car accident. Check if he can still be saved."
'Check if he can still be saved? Why did that sound so wrong?'
The doctor crouched down, lifted the child's eyelids, and felt for his carotid pulse.
The entire process took less than thirty seconds.
He then stood up and dusted off his hands.
"He can't be saved. His pupils are already dilated. Find somewhere to bury him."
I heard a buzz in my head.
"What did you just say?"
I lunged forward and grabbed his collar. "You barely checked him, but you already came to a conclusion? Did you even examine him properly?"
The doctor staggered back. He clearly looked irritated.
"Are you the doctor here, or am I? If I say he's gone, he's gone. What's there left to check in this condition?"
"That's nonsense!" My eyes turned bloodshot. "He was still alive! I heard him say it hurt just moments ago!"
"That was a nerve reflex. It's involuntary." The doctor shook off my hand and straightened his coat. "If you don't believe me, check for yourself. See if he's still moving now."
I dropped to the child's side. My hands trembled as I touched his face.
It was cold. He really wasn't moving anymore.
My tears overflowed immediately.
Although this wasn't my son, he was still a living, breathing child just moments ago.
I stood up and stared angrily at David.
"I'm calling the police. This is a matter of life and death!"
David's expression darkened instantly.
"Are you crazy? If this gets out, our kindergarten's reputation will be ruined! Who would ever send their kids here again?"
I stared at him in disbelief. "We're talking about someone's life here!"
"He's already dead!" David raised his voice too. "What's the point of calling the police now? Will that bring him back?"
Esther stepped closer and grabbed my arm.
"Eve, Mr. Brown is right. Don't act rashly. Your son is already dead anyway. Making this a big deal won't help anyone."
I shook her hand off.
"Shut up!"
She stumbled back but didn't get angry. Instead, her voice softened.
"Eve, I know you're upset. But you have to think about the bigger picture. We'll take care of the funeral. We'll pay for everything and make sure nothing's left out."
David nodded. His tone softened a little too.
"How about this? The kindergarten will pay 10 grand, and your friend will pay another 10 grand. 20 grand in total. You take it, and we'll put this matter behind us."
'20 grand?'
I looked at them like they were monsters.
"That's a human life. Do you think you can settle it with 14 grand?"
Esther sighed somewhat impatiently.
"Eve, can you stop being so stubborn? I've apologized, and I'm willing to pay. What more do you want? Will you not let it rest until I'm in prison?"
David nodded. "Exactly. The dead can't come back to life. You need to move on. 20 grand is a lot. A life isn't even worth that much in rural areas."
