Chapter 418 - 364: Go Together
Chapter 418: Chapter 364: Go Together
Xiao Man packed her bags, then went to the Gu Mansion to check on things and feed the house-guarding turtle an Elixir Pill. She also re-inspected the defensive formation and Spirit Gathering Array in the Tang family yard. In the kitchen, she replaced the grain, eggs, various dried goods, and the oil, salt, and sauces with a new batch from her storage space. The vegetable seeds in the backyard garden were also from her space; they would grow lush and vibrant with just a little tap water. Her grandpa and grandma were happily tending to the flowers and their two small vegetable plots, so they wouldn’t get too bored while Xiao Man and Hao Hao were away in the South for the holidays.
Before leaving, Tang Haocheng went to visit Wu Xiaowen, going directly to her workplace. Ever since he learned that besides Tang Yaxuan, Wu Xiaorui also lived in that three-bedroom apartment and that many other women held gatherings there, he had been unwilling to go over. As for the Wu Mansion, he wanted to go there even less.
Unlike Xiao Man, Tang Haocheng had received at least some of Wu Xiaowen’s motherly love. As the sole grandson of the Tang family, he was treasured, and Wu Xiaowen had once treated him as the apple of her eye. After she returned to Beijing, Wu Xiaowen was unable to care for her son for various reasons. Tang Haocheng and his mother held different views, and their relationship had grown distant. But a mother was still a mother. The blood tie was undeniable, and Tang Haocheng still cared for her. Regarding Wu Xiaowen’s request over the phone, he had to brace himself and give it a try, despite finding it excessive and absurd. He would do his best, but as he’d told her beforehand, he couldn’t make any promises.
Xiao Man wasn’t an ordinary teenage girl; she could understand Hao Hao’s actions and feelings. Hao Hao was only relaying Wu Xiaowen’s words and hadn’t helped her plead her case, not even with a single word.
If Grandma Tang found out, she would have flatly refused on her granddaughter’s behalf. She wouldn’t spare the Wu Family even a shred of courtesy.
Xiao Man explained to Hao Hao, "Everyone loves the delicious local specialties from the countryside. In the past, whenever Grandma had free time, she would send some to us every so often. But now that Mo Jiabao is back, Grandma is busy cooking for a large family. Where would she find the time to look for these things? If you don’t believe me, just look around our house—we don’t have many things from the countryside, either. We’ll have to wait until we get back to Gongdao Village. I’ll go out and hunt for some things, and I’ll make my own sauces and pickled vegetables. I can bring a lot back then and give them some."
Hao Hao let out a breath of relief and relayed this explanation to Wu Xiaowen over the phone.
Meanwhile, when Wu Yu Xuan and Lin Aizhen learned that the siblings, Manman and Hao Hao, were going to the South to visit their grandpa and grandma, it didn’t sit right with them. ’Their own maternal grandparents are close by, yet they don’t even come for a visit. Instead, they’re all concerned about some people who are a world away and practically strangers.’
But resentment was just resentment; what could they do about it? ’The children are grown now. They have their own two feet, and no one can stop them. All we can do is wait. Manman is too hard-hearted, but Hao Hao is a dutiful son. The two siblings have a good relationship. Based on that point alone, there’s still hope.’
On the car ride home from the Wu Mansion, Wu Xiaowen mulled things over and finally made a decision. The moment she walked in the door, she hurriedly told Tang Yaxuan to pack her bags immediately so she could fly to G Province with Manman and Hao Hao first thing in the morning!
Tang Yaxuan was startled when she heard Wu Xiaowen’s plan. In the past, when she went to the military base to find Brother Shaojun, he had shown her a military plane. She would, of course, be happy to fly in a plane for fun, but if the plane was headed for G Province—to Gongdao Village—she would rather not go at all!
She didn’t know why Wu Xiaowen suddenly had this idea. ’Does she not want me anymore?’
A sorrowful expression appeared on Tang Yaxuan’s face. With tears in her eyes, she said, "Mom, I’ll be even more obedient and dutiful to you from now on. Please, don’t abandon me! If I go back to that horrible village, I won’t survive!"
Wu Xiaowen was rummaging through a low cabinet in the living room for a travel bag. She paused at these words and said, "What nonsense are you thinking? I’m just having you go with Manman and Hao Hao back to G Province to visit your father. See how he’s doing over there. See what friends he has looking out for him. Summer break is long, and I’m too busy at work to get time off right now. You can just stay there and keep your father company for a while. Come back when school starts!"
Tang Yaxuan breathed a sigh of relief and quickly nodded with a smile. "I understand, Mom!"
"Good. Quickly pack a few sets of clothes. The flight is only about three hours, so you don’t need to bring any food. Get along well with those two on the way. The Gu family arranged the trip, so someone will definitely be there to receive you when you arrive. You can then make your request, and they will naturally arrange a private car to take you to your father’s side!"
"Okay! Don’t worry, Mom!"
Tang Yaxuan’s spirits soared. ’Mom is personally sending me to keep Hao Hao company, so he can’t refuse now, can he? As for Xiao Man’s reaction, that’s irrelevant. As long as I can maintain my sibling-like relationship with Hao Hao, that’s enough. I’m not greedy!’
Wu Xiaorui walked out of her bedroom, poured a glass of hot water, and sat on the sofa, sipping it slowly. Hearing the mother-daughter conversation, she sneered, "What a strange world we live in. Since when did it become a thing for daughters to disown their own parents? Tang Manman is one thing—her own mother abandoned her and wanted her dead, so she has no choice. But you, you little fake, are copying her theatrics. Have you no shame? Your own parents haven’t disowned you. You’re traveling all that way just to keep your fake father company, so why can’t you go see your real parents? So, what, the fake father is a treasure and your real parents are trash?"
Tang Yaxuan turned, saw Wu Xiaorui, and her face went pale. She lowered her head and said nothing.
Wu Xiaorui’s gaze darkened as she sized up Tang Yaxuan. ’I can see it clearly. This girl hides her true self well. She lacks neither cunning nor courage, so how could she possibly be afraid of me? She’s just playing weak right now to get Wu Xiaowen to stand up for her.’
Sure enough, Wu Xiaowen immediately pulled Tang Yaxuan into her arms and glared at Wu Xiaorui. "What are you doing? I’ve already given you the money you were owed. That time I hit you is in the past. You are not to cause trouble for Xuanxuan!"
Wu Xiaorui leaned back lazily on the sofa, a mocking smile on her face. "Oho, protecting your little calf, are we? Wu Xiaowen, oh, Wu Xiaowen. Ditching your real daughter to cuddle up with a fake. You’re really one of a kind. Who the hell used to tell me how smart and amazing you were? It made me always want to compete with you, to see who was better, who was more charming... What a pity. Tang Qingyun was too drunk that one time. If he’d had a couple fewer drinks, we definitely would have sealed the deal! That man has a nice body, huh? Comparable to Bai Lihua? If I had succeeded back then, I would have had a Tang family child too, and I’m absolutely certain I could have replaced you as the Second Young Madam Tang. You know why? Because even back then, I was sure that little bitch wasn’t your biological daughter! Alas, timing is everything. It’s a long, sad story! If Tang Qingyun had ended up with me, I would have helped him find his real daughter and won over the two Tang elders. He wouldn’t have ended up buried in the mountains today! You could say that Tang Qingyun was ruined by you, Wu Xiaowen! Don’t you think so, Wu Xiaowen? You don’t just fail to bring your husband good luck, you’re a jinx! Just you wait. In the future, you’ll regret it and you’ll cry, and I’m afraid no one will even be around to watch you!"
Wu Xiaowen trembled all over, gritting her teeth as she glared at Wu Xiaorui. Her face flushed red in waves, and tears streamed down as she shrieked with all her might, "Wu Xiaorui! Get out! Get out!"