Chapter 281 - 257: No Place to Hide
Chapter 281: Chapter 257: No Place to Hide
Being kicked out felt awful. At first, Tang Qingyun couldn’t bear it. What man doesn’t want to protect his wife from being wronged? Even if they were both at fault, he had hoped to minimize the harm and embarrassment, to leave his wife with some dignity and grace. But he couldn’t stand listening to Wu Xiaowen’s resentful accusations against his parents, so he retorted with a few words. Wu Xiaowen immediately lost control, crying and screaming as she cursed the Tang Family for being heartless and disloyal. She recounted how Grandma Tang had oppressed her for over a decade, and now things had gotten even worse—they had thrown their own son and daughter-in-law out of the house in the middle of the night. Such vicious, cruel, and inhumane people, she shrieked, would definitely face retribution!
Tang Qingyun finally flew into a rage out of shame and anger. The couple erupted into their umpteenth argument since getting married. In their fury, they both got rough—not by fighting, of course, but by each smashing several of the hotel’s white porcelain cups.
"Wu Xiaowen, don’t go too far!"
"You’re the one who’s a coward! You’re both sons of the Tang family, so why does Tang Qingshan get everything while you get nothing? Tang Qingyun, with an attitude like yours, no wonder that old man and old woman look down on you. You’ll never amount to anything in your life!"
"Show some respect. They aren’t some ’old man and old woman,’ they’re my parents—and your father- and mother-in-law!"
"Father- and mother-in-law? Ha! How did your mother curse at me? How did your father undermine me? They kick people out of their house late at night—do they even deserve to be my in-laws? Now I finally understand why Tang Qingshan isn’t married. With parents like that, who would be willing to marry in? If I could do it all over again, I never would have chosen your Tang family!"
"Is that so? Then which family would you choose to marry into? Who would be worthy of being your in-laws? Perhaps it’s not too late for you to choose again," Tang Qingyun said, his voice low but clear, his tone icy and indifferent.
Wu Xiaowen froze. She lowered the handkerchief from her eyes to look at Tang Qingyun. He was flicking open a lighter to light a cigarette, his brows furrowed. His expression and movements were calm and steady. It was obvious those words had not been spoken carelessly.
Wu Xiaowen bit her lip, her heart filled with a dark sense of resentment. ’Tang Qingyun is usually so good at managing my emotions. Whenever we argue, he never says such hurtful things. But today he did, and so calmly and indifferently, too!’
Tang Yaxuan, who had been hiding in her room and peeking at their argument through the crack in the door, suddenly ran out when she heard this. She threw herself into Wu Xiaowen’s arms, crying and shouting:
"Mommy, Daddy, don’t fight! Please don’t fight! Xuanxuan is scared! I don’t want anything, I just want to be with Mommy and Daddy!"
Wu Xiaowen quickly hugged Xuanxuan, and the mother and daughter clung to each other, their sobbing and wailing bursting forth like a broken dam.
Tang Qingyun: ...
He felt his temples throb. ’One crying woman is annoying enough,’ he thought. ’With two of them, all I can do is surrender.’
「At the Tang Mansion」
Grandma Tang was showing Grandpa and Grandma to their rooms upstairs. Tang Qingshan and Xiao Man went to the kitchen to prepare some late-night snacks, while Hao Hao sat with his grandfather in the living room. Grandpa Tang said to Hao Hao, "Your father is indecisive, and your mother is emotional and irrational. That’s why we have no choice but to place your sister under your uncle’s name. First, she must be officially recognized and returned to the family lineage. Second, this is to protect her from being hurt by her parents again. Although they claim they would never harm their own child, Xuanxuan’s very existence is harmful to Manman! Just as you suspected, because of the conflicting interests, Xuanxuan is a potential threat to Manman! This kind of thing absolutely cannot be allowed to happen. As long as there is even a sliver of suspicion, we must take precautions! Therefore, as long as your parents refuse to let go of Xuanxuan, they are a dangerous variable and cannot live in this house. Do you understand?"
Hao Hao nodded. "Grandpa, I understand. If it were up to me, I would have made the same decision. Mom and Dad raised Xuanxuan for over ten years, so I can understand their attachment, but I can’t condone it. I also mistakenly treated Xuanxuan as my sister, but after meeting my real sister... I realized that feeling is something I never had with Xuanxuan!"
"That’s the bond of true blood. It’s something you can feel."
Grandpa Tang sighed and stroked his grandson’s head. "Qingyun and his wife are less sensible than my own grandson! Since your mother can’t bear to part with Xuanxuan and insists on keeping her close, then there’s no need to hide the baby-swap incident anymore. Let the rumors fly! After I have your mother transferred back to Beijing, I will no longer interfere in your parents’ careers. What becomes of their future will depend entirely on their own actions. You will inevitably have to see Xuanxuan. She is calculating, and your sister is no pushover, but your sister is kind-hearted by nature—ultimately, a bit too generous. I’m afraid that because of your parents, she will suffer in ways that aren’t obvious. You must do more to protect her. Ignore everything else."