Chapter 209 - 197: Not Short on Money
Chapter 209: Chapter 197: Not Short on Money
The school year had only started a month ago, but Xiao Man had already been bothered by Tang Qingyun and Wu Xiaowen three or four times. The disruptions were getting on her last nerve.
Tang Qingyun didn’t reveal his true identity, but the couple’s refined appearance and clothing, along with the sedan they arrived in, created a presence that was anything but common. They told the gatekeeper, as well as the teachers and students on campus, that they were Mo Xiaoman’s parents. As a result, Xiao Man, who usually kept a low profile and focused on her studies, was suddenly thrust into the spotlight. People began speculating about her identity and family status. Many started deliberately trying to get close to her, showing her an unparalleled level of enthusiasm and friendliness.
Mo Xiaoman was baffled by this sudden popularity and the countless new admirers. She hated it. ’I don’t have what it takes to be a star,’ she thought. ’What am I supposed to do with all this popularity?’
The first two times Tang Qingyun and Wu Xiaowen came, Xiao Man used her studies as an excuse. She refused to leave school with them, and she didn’t accept their money or grain coupons, leaving after just a few words. In reality, she wanted to lash out, to tell them they were disrupting her life and her studies and to demand they stop coming. But with the principal and teachers there, she had to maintain her image as a good student, if nothing else.
The third time, Tang Qingyun came alone. When the principal dragged her out to meet her "parent" again, Xiao Man finally reached her breaking point. She silently got into Tang Qingyun’s car, planning to go somewhere else to have a proper talk and settle things once and for all.
As the car drove out of the school gates, Tang Qingyun said gently, "Our Manman is so remarkable, always maintaining such good grades. But you need to rest, too. Especially your eyes. Hao Hao wasn’t careful enough, and now he has to wear glasses to read, which is very inconvenient. Manman, you’re studying too hard, and the school food must be tough. Dad will take you to a restaurant to eat something nice!"
Xiao Man said coldly, "That’s not necessary. I’ve seen much harder days than this; it’s not enough to break me, and I won’t starve. Just drive to the outskirts of the city. There’s a pavilion there. I have something I need to say."
"What is it you want to say to Dad? Let’s go to the restaurant, order some food, and then we can talk."
"I’m not going to a restaurant! I already told you, I’m not eating!"
When Xiao Man saw that Tang Qingyun was completely ignoring her and driving toward the main street as he pleased, she flew into a rage. She stomped her foot, her voice soaring, and even yanked at his steering wheel.
Tang Qingyun had lived a long time and experienced a great deal, but this business with the switched children was the only thing that had ever truly stumped him. He’d had a happy family and a stable life, with a gentle, elegant wife and smart, well-behaved children. His colleagues were all mild-mannered and polite, cultured and well-bred. He had rarely, if ever, witnessed such a violent outburst. Tang Qingyun was startled. He steadied the steering wheel and couldn’t help his anger from flaring. "Manman! You are being completely outrageous!"
"You and Wu Xiaowen are the outrageous ones! I don’t care what you do, but every time you come to this school, you ask for Mo Xiaoman. Have you ever once respected my wishes? You just show up whenever you feel like it, putting on such high-and-mighty airs. Who is that for? Do you have any idea how much you’re disrupting my life and my studies? Stop the car! I don’t even want to talk to you anymore. Let me out!"
Tang Qingyun pulled the car over and grabbed Xiao Man as she opened the door to get out. "Manman, listen to Dad—"
"Don’t you dare use the word ’Dad’ with me! You and Wu Xiaowen don’t deserve to be my parents! I’ve told you that before!"
Xiao Man thought for a moment, then sat back down. "My time is very precious, but I put aside my studies to come out with you for one reason: to give you a solemn warning. Do not come here again! It’s having a huge impact on me and is detrimental to my education! If you come back, then I... I won’t hesitate to make a call to Beijing and ask Grandpa Tang and Grandma Tang to intervene! Their son and daughter-in-law are being far too unreasonable, so I’ll ask them to teach you some manners!"
"Manman, do not be disrespectful!" Tang Qingyun’s face darkened. "No matter what you say, we are your biological parents! That is a fact, and it cannot be changed!"
"That’s beside the point. I just want a straight answer from you: stay out of my sight from now on!"
Tang Qingyun gazed at Xiao Man. "If you don’t want us to visit you, then we won’t. But we are your parents; it’s impossible for us to just disappear from your life. From now on, Dad will mail your living expenses directly to you. And on holidays, Dad will come pick you up and take you home!"
Xiao Man was speechless for a long moment, screaming internally. Finally, she lowered her head, pulled a thick wad of cash out of her satchel—all crisp, new ten-yuan bills—and held it up for Tang Qingyun to see clearly.
"See this? I have money. I don’t need you to give me living expenses!"
Tang Qingyun’s handsome brows furrowed. It only took him a moment to figure out where the money came from. He reached for the wad of cash. "Is this the New Year’s money Grandpa, Grandma, and your uncle gave you? This is too much for you to carry around. It’s not safe. Let Dad hold onto it for you."
As if she would let him take it. Xiao Man snatched the money back and stuffed it into her satchel. "I was just showing you that I’m not short on cash! To be honest, I couldn’t care less about the ten or twenty yuan you’d send! So please, stop causing trouble for me. And. Do. Not. Send. Money!"
Tang Qingyun was frustrated but felt helpless. After a pause, he said, "Manman, your mother went to visit your maternal grandparents. Your grandpa wasn’t in good health to begin with, and your eldest maternal uncle called the day before yesterday to say he was suddenly hospitalized. The reason? The delay in their trip to Beijing. Manman, have you... made any calls to Beijing recently?"
Xiao Man was baffled. "Who’s in the hospital? What does that have to do with me? And what business is it of yours whether I call Beijing or not?"
Tang Qingyun’s lips moved, but in the end, he didn’t press the issue. He only said, "Manman, can we please try to be a bit gentler, a little more polite? He’s your maternal grandfather!"
"I don’t care whose grandfather he is. Let me make this clear one last time: Don’t come back, don’t send money, and if I’m going ’home,’ it’s to Gongdao Village and nowhere else! I’ve said what I needed to say. I’m going back to school now."
"Manman! You’re really not going to eat? Then Dad will just buy you some—"
"I already told you, I don’t need it! I’m not short on cash! My pockets are stuffed with money, way more than you have!"
Tang Qingyun’s expression turned ugly. "Manman! How... how can you be so materialistic? Money isn’t everything, you know!"
"Money isn’t everything, but you can’t do anything without it! Go on, give it a try. If you couldn’t provide any money, Wu Xiaowen would despise you for being incompetent, and I bet even Tang Yaxuan wouldn’t call you her father anymore!"
With that, Xiao Man pushed the door open and got out of the car. Tang Qingyun sat there, stunned by her parting shot: "...you can’t do anything without it!" By the time he snapped out of it, she was already long gone.