Chapter 463 - 403: A New Year
Chapter 463: Chapter 403: A New Year
In the blink of an eye, New Year’s Day had passed, and a new year had begun. At the end of January, school let out for winter break.
Xiao Man politely declined Gongsun Ruxue’s invitation yet again. Seeing the lonely smile on Ruxue’s face as she waved goodbye, Xiao Man couldn’t help but feel a pang of apology. ’How many times has she invited me out? I’ve lost count.’ This time, it was to admire the wintersweet, which was in full bloom. Apparently, her family grew a rare and precious variety seldom seen in Beijing. If she weren’t busy, she would have loved to go, but she really did have other plans. Just yesterday, she had promised Yang Liu’er over the phone that she would visit the Lu Family for Weiwei’s birthday.
As for inviting classmates over, Xiao Man had never considered it. The peers who came to the Tang Mansion to see her were almost all from families with long-standing ties to the Tang family, or from the neighborhood. Everyone was familiar with each other’s situations. The Tang Mansion was where her grandparents lived, and her grandfather’s status was special; there was no need for all her classmates and friends to know. Aside from Sun Yiming and the Sun family, Xiao Man rarely invited anyone to her home. She felt it was better to wait until she had her own house, then she could invite guests as she pleased.
Xiao Man dropped her things off at home. In the living room, Grandma Tang was knitting while Tang Qingyun leaned against the sofa, reading a book. When they saw Xiao Man enter covered in snowflakes, carrying net bags in both hands with a guard behind her helping to carry another large bundle, Grandma Tang gasped and dropped her knitting needles to stand up.
"Oh my heavens, it’s snowing so heavily! Why didn’t you call for the driver to pick you up?"
"I didn’t need a ride. I made it home safe and sound, didn’t I?"
Xiao Man put her things down, hugged Grandma Tang with a smile, and pressed her own cold cheeks against her grandmother’s warm face. "Winter break is here! Winter break is here! Now I can play as much as I want!"
Grandma Tang was both exasperated and amused. "You mischievous girl. Take off your coat before you get melted snow everywhere."
"I have to go out again. Bye for now!" Xiao Man turned and dashed back outside. Grandma Tang hurried after her, calling out, "Where are you off to now? It’s a world of ice and snow out there. Don’t freeze!"
Xiao Man called back, "A kid’s having a birthday party, and I was invited. I have to go celebrate with him."
Grandma Tang chuckled. "Look at you. You’ll be turning sixteen this July, a proper young lady, yet you still hang out with anyone, young or old. Which family’s child is it? Did you even get them a gift before heading over?"
Xiao Man patted her backpack. "I’ve got a gift, I already bought it. I’m off, Grandma!"
"You’ll be home for dinner, at least?"
"I don’t know. If I’m late, just eat without me. No need to wait."
Tang Qingyun followed her to the door. "The snow is coming down so hard. Where are you headed? I can drive you. We can set a time for me to pick you up later."
Xiao Man pointed outside. "I took a taxi home. It’s waiting for me at the gate."
With a wave, she dashed out.
Grandma Tang watched her granddaughter go. Dressed in a loose, bright red cashmere coat, her departing figure was slender and graceful. She let out a soft sigh, her heart filled with the satisfaction of seeing her little girl finally growing up.
Tang Qingyun clenched his fists and sighed inwardly. ’These days, when I’m not at my studies, I’m just at home. I see how Mom and Dad cherish Manman like a precious jewel. Her personality has changed from cold and aloof to warm, cheerful, and full of life. She and Hao Hao bicker and even get into playful scraps, but as soon as it’s over, the two of them are inseparable again. So this is the magic of blood ties. Hao Hao and Xuanxuan were never like this with each other!’
’And to think, if Manman had fallen into Liu Fengying’s clutches back then, if she hadn’t been able to leave the Mo Family Courtyard with Grandpa and Grandma... then all this happiness would belong only to Tang Yaxuan. The life Manman would have faced is too horrible to imagine!’
Remembering the Mo Family Courtyard, the vicious cruelty and utter shamelessness of Mo Guoqiang and Liu Fengying, Tang Qingyun felt his skin crawl and he shuddered. A fresh wave of regret washed over him, and his eyes grew so red they looked like they might shoot fire. ’How could I have been so mindless, so stupid back then? To listen to Wu Xiaowen’s lies and not immediately go back for my own flesh and blood, instead letting those people trample all over and abuse her!’
’I was a bastard, yes, but that woman, Wu Xiaowen, was even more damnable. She will never be forgiven!’
’Thank God we’re divorced. There’s no connection anymore. I’ll never let her hurt my precious girl again!’
Tang Qingyun sniffled and wrapped an arm around his mother’s shoulders. "Mom, let’s go inside. The wind is too strong; you’ll get chilled."
As Grandma Tang walked back into the house with Tang Qingyun, she turned to look at her younger son and asked, "How are the arrangements for Hao Hao’s trip abroad coming along? Has he mentioned anything to you?"
"He mentioned it. Everything is going smoothly; he doesn’t have to worry about a thing. He’ll probably leave around the Spring Festival."
Grandma Tang sighed. "Ah, my dear grandson... going abroad at such a young age, so far from home. I really can’t bear to see him go."
"It’s for his education. He’ll be back in three to five years. Besides, you still have Manman here to keep you company, don’t you?"
"Mm, that’s true. Thank goodness my granddaughter is majoring in traditional Chinese medicine. If she decided to run off to some foreign country for a few years, I wouldn’t stand for it. I’d just pack my bags and go with them!"
"Mom, listen to yourself. Only caring about your grandchildren, and not your sons anymore?"
"Why should I worry about you boys? You all have wives... Oh, that’s right! Qingyun, you’re divorced. You don’t have a wife anymore! Fine! Starting tomorrow, Mom will keep an eye out for you. We’ll find you a good wife! One like your brother’s would be perfect. The whole family is pleased with her!"
Tang Qingyun gave a wry smile. "Mom, I’ve been married once. Can’t I just not get married again?"
"Absolutely not!" Grandma Tang refused flatly. "That first marriage doesn’t count. There was no matchmaker, no proper ceremony—it was like you eloped. That’s why it didn’t end well. This time, we’ll do it formally. Don’t worry, your mother is very democratic. I won’t force you if you don’t agree. As long as you listen to me, I guarantee I’ll find someone perfect for you!"
Tang Qingyun pleaded, "Mom..."
The mother and son had just reached the living room when they heard a car horn from the courtyard. They quickly helped each other back to the door. It was Tang Qingshan and Ai Wenli, but to their surprise, Tang Haocheng got out of the car with them.
Tang Qingshan clapped his nephew on the shoulder and said to his mother and brother on the porch, "We picked this one up. We were passing his school and saw him just standing there waiting for a ride!"
Ai Wenli added, "Then we made a detour past the Medical College, hoping to pick up another one, but we came back disappointed."
The family burst out laughing. Grandma Tang said, "Manman got back a while ago. It’s like you all planned it, coming home without calling first. Manman always claims she’s surprising me, but I think the little rascal just forgets and comes up with an excuse. Now you’re all picking up her bad habits."
"Grandma, my sister’s back? Where is she?" Tang Haocheng asked, running into the house with his hands full.
"Slow down, careful, it’s slippery," Grandma Tang said with a smile. "If your sister were home, don’t you think she would’ve come out the moment she heard you? She went out again. Said she was invited to a kid’s birthday party."
"I already told her I was coming home for break today! She went out without waiting to take me with her!"
Grandma Tang gave him a light smack. "How old are you? You’re a whole head taller than your sister, and you still need her to take you places! Hurry up and take those things by the stairs up to the second floor. They’re your sister’s."
"Alright, I know!"
Tang Qingyun went down the steps to help unload and found that the car’s interior and trunk were packed to the brim. He asked with a laugh, "What is all this stuff?"
Tang Qingshan said, "New Year’s goods and local specialties. This isn’t even that much. We’ll leave some here and take the rest to Gongdao Village."
Tang Qingyun was surprised. "You’re going to G Province? Is Manman going too?"
"Manman’s not going. I managed to get a few days off to take my new wife to see Mom and Dad. I promised them when we got married."