Chapter 385 - 335: There Are Always Scoundrels Causing Trouble
Chapter 385: Chapter 335: There Are Always Scoundrels Causing Trouble
"Exactly. Who would dare get involved with a girl like that? If it were me, I wouldn’t want her either!" Mrs. Zeng said.
Huang Wei just chuckled in agreement and didn’t say much.
Jun Ran affectionately took Tian Xueqin’s arm and said, "My dear Second Aunt, please don’t be angry. With Granny Gu here, I’m sure she’ll protect Shaoling and won’t let her be truly mistreated."
Zeng Rong added, "That’s right, Aunt Tian. Don’t worry too much."
Tian Xueqin patted Jun Ran’s hand, but her eyes were on Zeng Rong. "I just love hearing you two talk. Your voices are as sweet as sugar."
She paused, then said to Zeng Rong, "Rongrong, once we hear from Shaofeng, I’ll be sure to get his address for you. You two can start by writing letters to get to know each other. That will make things much smoother when you meet in person later."
Mrs. Zeng smiled knowingly, while Zeng Rong lowered her head in embarrassment. "Thank you, Aunt Tian!"
Jun Ran asked, "Second Aunt, Shaojun and Shaofeng have been gone for a year. Have they really not written home at all?"
Tian Xueqin replied, "It’s true. Would I lie to you? Your second uncle told me it’s not just that those international military academies are incredibly strict. The main reason is their special status—they can’t casually reveal what’s really going on, so they have to be extremely careful."
Jun Ran murmured, "Oh," and nodded thoughtfully.
The Jun family’s home wasn’t far from the Gu family’s, so the mother and daughter had walked over. Since they didn’t need a ride, they said their goodbyes and left first.
Tian Xueqin escorted Mrs. Zeng and her daughter to their car. After they got in, she leaned on the door and said to Mrs. Zeng, "I am so sorry. You came all this way for nothing last time, and now the family is in such a mess. I insist on taking you out to a restaurant another day to formally apologize!"
Mrs. Zeng waved her hand dismissively. "There’s no need for that between us! We worked together at the Navy Hospital back then. Shaofeng was with you for about two years, wasn’t he? Rongrong and Shaofeng got along so well. For years, this girl of mine has been indifferent to every boy, but the moment Shaofeng is mentioned, she lights up like a different person! She was too excited to sleep last time, thinking she was going to see him. Who knew it would be for nothing? She was so listless when she got back, she nearly got sick!"
Tian Xueqin said, "This must be fate, my dear friend! Don’t worry. Last time, Shaojun had an emergency and asked Shaofeng to handle it for him. Shaofeng didn’t break the appointment on purpose. If he had known the person waiting for him was the little Rongrong from his childhood, he would’ve died of regret, don’t you think?"
The two women laughed across the open car door, while Zeng Rong, sitting on the other side, blushed furiously.
After seeing her guests off, Tian Xueqin remembered the mess waiting for her inside. She rushed through the main door toward the inner courtyard. When she got to the living room, however, it was empty. On her way back to the entrance, she bumped into Zhou Hui Lan and grabbed her arm. "Eldest Sister-in-law, where is everyone? Where are Shaoling and Sisi?"
Zhou Hui Lan gave her a cool look. "Everyone is in the dining room eating. Shaoling and Sisi have already admitted their mistake and apologized to Manman. However, according to family rules, they are to go hungry for a while. They’re in confinement in your courtyard. They’ll get food when they’ve finished writing their self-criticism and letters of repentance!"
"What?" Tian Xueqin’s eyes went wide. "Eldest Sister-in-law, you can’t be serious! It was such a trivial matter! They’re delicate young ladies; how can you starve them? And lock them up? You just stood by and watched it happen?"
Zhou Hui Lan sneered. "Do I look like I’m joking? Your daughter and niece are delicate, but my Manman isn’t? Tian Xueqin, I’ve heard the whole story. I also heard most of what you said later, and let me tell you, I am furious! Shaoling is your daughter, and it’s lucky for her she was raised by Granny Gu. Otherwise, for daring to treat my future daughter-in-law that way, I’d have dealt with her myself! If you scare her away, that’s a price you can’t afford to pay! And this won’t be over between you, her mother, and me!"
Tian Xueqin stared in disbelief. ’Is this the same kind, gentle Eldest Sister-in-law I know? How did she suddenly become so terrifying?’
Zhou Hui Lan walked a few steps, then turned back. "I’m here to deliver a message from Granny Gu. You are to wait. After everyone has eaten, you will apologize to Manman!"
"Why should I? I didn’t do anything to wrong her!" Tian Xueqin snapped back, her anger flaring. ’Someone of her status apologizing to a little girl? What a joke!’
Zhou Hui Lan said, "Think about everything you said to Manman from start to finish. Think it over and ask yourself if you should apologize to that child. Furthermore, Aunt Tang demands an apology. You are to apologize to both her and Uncle Tang! Our family’s Grandpa Gu and Granny Gu have already agreed. They expect you to comply!"
"And why is that?" Tian Xueqin was so angry she felt dizzy. ’This is absurd! Is the whole world ganging up on me?’
"Why do you think? Have you forgotten your own words and deeds so quickly? Even if you’re new to the Gu family and don’t know Aunt Tang’s temper, you should at least be aware of the Tang family’s status. Your Shaoling isn’t the only one who’s precious; the young lady of the Tang family is not someone to be trifled with! Her grandmother wasn’t blind or deaf. She was standing right there, watching you indulge your daughter’s nonsense! If you refuse to understand, I can call Gu Qiyuan for you. He overheard that conversation too. You and your husband can discuss whether you’re going to apologize or not!"
"..." Tian Xueqin watched helplessly as Zhou Hui Lan walked away, biting her lip so hard it nearly bled.
In the dining room, two tables of people ate in silence. Xiao Man poked at the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks, the food tasteless in her mouth.
’She couldn’t refuse to stay for the meal. As much as she wanted to follow her resolute grandmother home, leaving now would create a real rift between the two families—one that would be difficult to mend.’
’While studying in Beijing, she didn’t visit the Gu family often, usually only when invited. Weekends weren’t a full two days back then; students only had a day and a half. The Gu family was considerate of her studies and typically only invited her over every other week. To think she could still attract this much trouble... she was at a loss. She didn’t know whether to lament being a natural-born trouble magnet or resent the petty people who seemed intent on making her miserable.’
Gu Shaoling and Tian Sisi had apologized with tears streaming down their faces, looking as if they might faint at any moment. Xiao Man had simply watched them coldly. ’She knew they weren’t truly sorry. They were only apologizing because they couldn’t withstand Grandpa Gu’s Suppression.’
According to their confession, the rumor—that the Tang family’s recently found biological granddaughter was a destructive jinx who stole good fortune—did in fact exist. Under an old locust tree in West Head Alley, a group of neighborhood aunties had been gossiping. Gu Shaoling and Tian Sisi happened to overhear them while passing by and couldn’t resist using it against Manman during their argument.
Those women lived nearby. It would only take a few minutes to go ask around and find them, and Grandpa Gu had already sent people to do so.
Xiao Man knew West Head Alley. Zheng Shaolian had taken her through it before, telling her that if you went straight down the alley and made a turn, it would connect to Hua’er Alley, where the Jun Family lived. When they were children, Jun Ran used to run from there to the Gu family’s house several times a day to play with them.
Xiao Man didn’t mind what others thought of her, especially complete strangers. But when it came to malicious slander, she would absolutely not tolerate it.
Xiao Man thought to herself, ’Could Jun Ran be behind this?’