Chapter 579 - 498: A Visit
Chapter 579: Chapter 498: A Visit
Tian Xueqin nodded through her tears. What could she do now? Her disappointment had turned to despair, and she was suppressing a burning resentment. ’For so many years, I’ve poured my heart and soul into helping my family prosper, helping my brothers and nephews get ahead in life. I just wanted my family to become a force to be reckoned with, so I could hold my head high and no longer feel so timid and insecure in front of the Gu family. It would have been good for both my family and me. But what have they done to me? For a bit of paltry profit, they’ve not only made me lose face completely, but they’ve also gotten my daughter sick and hospitalized!’
The batch of dried fish was clearly high-quality and fresh. She had inspected it herself and even personally brought it to Beijing. Because of the old master’s ban, she didn’t dare return to the old residence, so she first unloaded all the dried fish at a house she had bought. That night, she was preoccupied with talking to her mother, leaving her sisters-in-law and her older sister to divide the fish into several portions, one for each family. The next day, she had someone deliver the largest portion to the Gu family... Who could have imagined they would be so shortsighted as to hoard all the good, fresh dried fish for themselves and send the stale, spoiled leftovers they couldn’t finish to the Gu family instead!
This was the only explanation that made sense after she returned home, questioned the person who handled the delivery, and mulled it over. She called her mother, who then asked her sisters-in-law and sister. Her mother then relayed their excuse in a tone that suggested it was no big deal. "They were just thinking that the Gu family is wealthy. They have so much fresh food they can’t finish it all, so they probably wouldn’t eat this dried fish anyway. If it sat around for too long, it would just get old. They’d probably give it to the servants. What a waste to give such good stuff to the servants, right? So they thought it would be better to swap it..."
At that moment, Tian Xueqin didn’t even know how to react. But Gu Qiyuan, who was right beside her, had heard everything loud and clear. One can only imagine his fury!
The sound of Gu Qiyuan shutting the study door came from upstairs. Tian Xueqin let out a long breath and silently wiped the tears from her face. ’What married couple doesn’t fight? Gu Qiyuan and I have our little squabbles all the time, but never like today. It was more terrifying than a Category 12 typhoon. In the past, after an argument, as long as we still slept in the same bed, we’d make up by the next day. I have plenty of ways to handle my husband. But now...’ Tian Xueqin sniffled, feeling both hurt and chilled to the bone. ’Even a one-night stand creates a bond that lasts a hundred days. Gu Qiyuan is being too heartless. How could he move into a separate room?’
’It looks like making up this time is going to take a lot more effort.’
’And then there’s my son... Ugh, why is it so hard to be a woman, to be a mother? The worrying never ends!’
Her thoughts turned to her own family, and Tian Xueqin’s face darkened. ’So, after all these years of painstakingly raising a pack of ungrateful wolves, all they know is how to take. It would be one thing if they just never gave anything back, but they actively sabotage me! I sent that girl who was pestering Shaofeng to the Northeast for them to take care of the problem for me, but they couldn’t even be bothered. And now this dried fish incident has nearly caused my husband and me to divorce... Those heartless creatures, I won’t let them get away with this! Just you wait. When I get back to Beijing, I’m kicking every last one of them out of my house! They can either crawl back to their old home in the Northeast or find their own place to live. And as for Tian Sisi, who’s been with me since she was a child... She’s supposed to take her college entrance exams this year, and I had already promised that no matter how she did, I’d help her get into the military medical college and personally mentor her in the future. But after this infuriating mess, I’m done with her too. Like mother, like daughter. Who knows if she’ll just turn out to be another little ungrateful wolf!’
That "little ungrateful wolf," Tian Sisi, had already heard the news and was rushing to the hospital to see Gu Shaoling. She was worried Gu Shaoling would chew her out, her face scrunched up with anxiety like a bitter melon. She was also terrified that her aunt would be angry and refuse to help her with her college applications. With her terrible grades, if her aunt didn’t pull some strings, she wouldn’t even get into a vocational school, let alone a university.
Normally, with her academic level, she should just go to some other school and get a diploma for the sake of it. But she was dead set on a career in medicine. What could be done? One truly had to fear for any future patients who sought her treatment—would there be a malpractice incident? But she had her aunt’s powerful backing. If she ever treated someone to death, the victim would just have to die in vain.
As luck would have it, on the way she ran into her classmate Tang Yaxuan—oh, no, it was Wu Qin. Tian Sisi grabbed Wu Qin and told her Gu Shaoling was in the hospital. Without a word, Wu Qin agreed to go with her to visit. Tian Sisi breathed a silent sigh of relief. With someone else along, even if Shaoling threw a fit, she probably wouldn’t be completely unrestrained.
Tian Sisi and Wu Qin were both taking the college entrance exams this year. They used to be in the same class before the classes were split. Tian Sisi asked Wu Qin which university and major she was aiming for. Wu Qin just smiled. "Any university is fine. I’m choosing foreign languages."
To study foreign languages and one day become a diplomat, beautiful and elegant, admired by all, wearing a dazzling halo of prestige—this was a dream that had taken root in Wu Qin when she was nine years old.
She had spent her ninth birthday in Beijing. At the banquet held especially for her, Wu Xiaowen had excitedly told her that the guests attending her party were all rich or noble, every one of them a person of status! A diplomat in a suit, elegant and distinguished, with an extraordinary air, had been there. He was a friend of Tang Qingshan. Smiling, he wished her a happy birthday in six different languages, gave her an exquisite foreign gift, and encouraged her to follow in his footsteps as a diplomat, promising to guide her path in the future.
Back then, Wu Xiaowen and Tang Qingyun had been standing right there, grinning from ear to ear. The couple had held her as if she were a priceless treasure. Tang Qingshan knew about it too. But now, all these years later, who would still remember?
As Wu Qin recalled the splendor and affection of her past, her nose tingled with the urge to cry, but a cold smirk touched her lips. ’So the Tang family won’t protect me. Does that mean I can’t become a diplomat? Not necessarily! I have Brother Junfan now, and the Bai Family. I have power in my hands too!’
The two of them arrived at Gu Shaoling’s hospital room. Gu Shaoling was already awake and had learned from the nanny that the spoiled dried fish from the Tian family was what had caused her vomiting and diarrhea. She was furious. Sure enough, the moment she saw Tian Sisi, she pointed a finger at her and began to curse her out, accusing the Tian family of being possessed by greed and even trying to harm her.
Tian Sisi frantically tried to explain, desperate to absolve her grandmother and mother of any responsibility, sweating profusely with anxiety.
Fortunately, she had brought the right person along. Wu Qin stood to the side, gently and cheerfully helping to smooth things over, and finally managed to calm Gu Shaoling down. Gu Shaoling then followed Wu Qin’s lead, her attention quickly diverted elsewhere.
The nanny wasn’t in the room at the moment. Gu Shaoling still knew to save some face for her mother’s family, so she wouldn’t yell at Tian Sisi in front of the nanny.
Wu Qin told Gu Shaoling that the Bai Family treated its grandsons and granddaughters equally, even letting the granddaughters also cultivate Ancient Martial Arts. She added that within Ancient Martial Arts, there was a secret manual created especially for women. After learning it, not only would one’s body become stronger and less susceptible to illness, but it could also extend one’s life, purge toxins from the body, make one’s skin whiter than snow, and allow one to grow ever more beautiful and stay forever young... And now, Tang Manman had learned this very Ancient Martial Secret Manual from the Gu family!
She spoke in a secretive, mysterious tone, but in reality, this was just a story Bai Junfan had made up on the spot on the plane to amuse her. Bai Junfan had even promised to teach her a little when he had the time.
"No wonder!" Tian Sisi exclaimed. "Shaoling, do you remember? When Tang Manman first came to Beijing, she looked nothing like this! She was like a skinny bean sprout. Now her skin is pink, fair, and even more delicate than a baby’s. She’s tall and stylish, too. Look at her, so full of herself! Shaoling, she’s left you in the dust! But why? The Gu family was willing to let her learn, so why wouldn’t they teach you, their own granddaughter? Could it be... the techniques are passed to the daughters-in-law but not the daughters? We’re in a new era now, how is that still a thing?"
Gu Shaoling’s face fell. She pressed her lips together tightly, saying nothing.