Chapter 307 - 276: Solve It Myself
Chapter 307: Chapter 276: Solve It Myself
Tang Qingyun attended a New Year’s banquet for family and friends. He happened to run into a childhood friend he got along well with, and in his excitement, he drank more than he should have. The host had him sent back to the Tang Mansion, where Grandma Tang made him drink a bowl of hangover-curing tea prepared by Xiao Man. The discomfort from the alcohol completely vanished, and he slept soundly and comfortably until after eight the next morning.
Tang Qingyun glanced at the calendar. It was the third day of the Lunar New Year. He remembered Wu Xiaowen had mentioned going to the Wu Family’s Residence, so he brought it up with Grandpa Tang. Grandpa Tang told the couple they should go check on the situation first before deciding what to do. Without even eating breakfast, Tang Qingyun rushed back to the Kyoto Restaurant, only to find their room completely silent. The mother and daughter were nowhere to be seen.
’Where could they have gone so early in the morning?’ He checked the desk, but there was no note. Tang Qingyun then went downstairs to the restaurant to look for them and asked the front desk. A clerk said she had seen the mother and daughter leaving the hotel entrance with small backpacks around eight o’clock, speculating they had probably gone out for a walk.
So, Tang Qingyun drove to the Wu Family’s Residence by himself. He circled the courtyard twice, which made a few of the resident families think a thief had shown up. When Wu Xiaowen still hadn’t appeared, he had no choice but to drive off, planning to return later. Unexpectedly, he ran into a middle school classmate on the street. They were both thrilled, not having seen each other for many years, and agreed to find a place to sit and chat for a bit. Instead, Tang Qingyun was whisked away to his classmate’s home, where several other old friends were also invited. The classmate’s family—his parents, wife, and child—enthusiastically prepared a meal. Their hospitality was impossible to refuse, so Tang Qingyun could only sit down with his old friends to drink and reminisce.
By the time he said his goodbyes and left, it was already three in the afternoon. Still feeling the effects of the alcohol, Tang Qingyun drove to the Wu Family’s Residence to check again, but Wu Xiaowen was still not there. Back in their room at the Kyoto Restaurant, the mother and daughter were still gone. A wave of post-drinking drowsiness washed over Tang Qingyun, and he simply collapsed onto the bed, pulling the covers over his head and falling fast asleep. He couldn’t be bothered with anything, nor could he have done anything even if he wanted to.
Meanwhile, Wu Xiaowen had spent a rather pleasant day. Bai Lihua had driven her and Tang Yaxuan to West Mountain, a famous scenic and historical site on the outskirts of Beijing. When they got tired, they rested at the West Mountain Restaurant. The dishes and pastries there were renowned throughout Beijing. Despite its rural, suburban location, business was booming. In addition to tourists, many discerning city families pre-ordered meals and pastries, sending their own cars to pick them up.
Being the third day of the New Year, the area was crowded with tourists. Bai Lihua treated Wu Xiaowen and her daughter to a meal at the West Mountain Restaurant in a private, elegant room. Wu Xiaowen knew this must have been booked well in advance.
’She couldn’t help but marvel inwardly again. When it came to being considerate and meticulous, Tang Qingyun was no match for Bai Lihua. He was even less worldly, engaging, or appreciative of the finer things in life. If Tang Qingyun had been the one to bring them here, he never would have thought to book a table two or three days in advance; he would have just let them crowd in with all the other tourists. That was Tang Qingyun in a nutshell. They had been a couple in the countryside for over ten years, and if she hadn’t been there to constantly give him pointers, she couldn’t imagine what kind of life he would be living!’
At first, Tang Yaxuan was merely curious about this kind Uncle Bai. She studied him for a moment and found his appearance and temperament to be quite similar to Tang Qingyun’s. ’Mom’s taste is pretty consistent,’ she thought. ’She really goes for the gentle, scholarly type.’ When she learned that Uncle Bai was the paternal uncle of the "Brother Bai" who had once visited her at school, her fondness for him grew. The three of them enjoyed their outing, talking and laughing together. They looked for all the world like a blissful little family.
Free from worries and stress, Wu Xiaowen truly enjoyed the day trip. Bai Lihua even gave her his assurance: "In one week, all those tenants squatting in the Wu Family’s Residence will be cleared out!"
’The problem was being solved without her even having to lift a finger. What more could she ask for?’
So when Wu Xiaowen returned to the Kyoto Restaurant and saw Tang Qingyun dead to the world on the bed, she couldn’t even bring herself to be angry. She was in a fine mood, after all; there was no sense in ruining it.
The light in the room woke Tang Qingyun. He glanced at his watch—it was already past seven in the evening. Seeing Wu Xiaowen sitting to one side and folding clothes, he asked, "When did you get back? Why didn’t you wake me? Where did you and our daughter go this morning?"
Wu Xiaowen replied coolly, "You were sleeping so soundly. How could I possibly disturb your sweet dreams? The Wu Family has fallen. We never had any power or influence, and now we have nothing. Even if we have relatives here in Beijing, they’re completely indifferent to us. So where else could we possibly go? We just wandered the streets. It’s nothing like being the great Second Young Master Tang, is it? Welcomed with open arms wherever you go. You must have had a wonderful time, judging by the reek of alcohol on you. Do you even remember who we are? Do you give a damn about where we go or what we do?"
Tang Qingyun sat up, rubbing his temples. He got out of bed, poured himself a glass of water, and drank it before apologizing to Wu Xiaowen. "I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I ran into some old classmates, and we all got carried away and lost track of time... I went by the residence and had a look around. Give me the papers. We’ll go to the subdistrict office tomorrow, and I’ll..."
"Don’t bother," Wu Xiaowen said, standing up to put the folded clothes away in the wardrobe. "I’ll handle the Wu Family’s business myself."
Tang Qingyun’s eyes followed her. Seeing that she wouldn’t even spare him a glance, he sighed. "Xiaowen, can we please stop being angry? Let’s sit down and discuss this. We have to return to G Province the day after tomorrow. Let’s get the main issue settled tomorrow, and for anything that comes after, I can ask my dad to..."
"I told you, I wouldn’t dare trouble your esteemed Tang family with my family’s affairs!" Wu Xiaowen leaned against the wardrobe door, leveling a sidelong glare at Tang Qingyun, a faint, mocking smile on her face. "Everyone knows the Tangs are a rich and powerful family with special privileges. But are those privileges something I can afford to accept? I’d rather not have that mother of yours—the one who acts like Empress Dowager Cixi—come scold me again for ’taking advantage of the Tang family’! I refuse to believe that I, Wu Xiaowen, can’t survive without you all!"
Tang Qingyun frowned. "What nonsense are you talking about? My mother is much better than Empress Dowager Cixi!"
"Oh, please! I know you want to be a good, filial son, Tang Qingyun. So go on, defend your parents. It’s perfectly fine for your wife to be the one to suffer and be abused, right?!"
"Xiaowen, you know in your heart that no one abused you. Mom and Dad were only angry because... because we were in the wrong to begin with."
"’We’? Don’t you dare include me in that! I’ve said it before: I did nothing wrong! They can like Xiao Man all they want, spoil her to their hearts’ content, but insisting I abandon the child I raised myself? That’s completely absurd! I’m not cold-hearted like the rest of you Tangs. I could never do it! Besides, that was just an excuse your mother came up with. She’s an old hag who can’t stand the sight of me and is always looking for a way to make my life miserable!"
"Don’t talk about my mother like that! She’s your mother-in-law and our children’s grandmother!"
"And why shouldn’t I? I am still the Tang family’s only daughter-in-law and the mother of our children! You saw it yourself—how she kicked me out, how she publicly humiliated me! I, Wu Xiaowen, wasn’t born into some poor, unknown family. I have my dignity, my self-respect! On what grounds should I have to endure her humiliation? I’m telling you, Tang Qingyun, this is war between your mother and me. I will never bow down to her, and I will not be bullied by her ever again! I refuse to believe I won’t outlive her. The day she dies is the day I’ll step foot in the Tang Mansion again. Let’s see what she can do about me then!"
"Wu Xiaowen, you’ve gone too far!" Tang Qingyun was genuinely furious now, his face turning pale with rage.