Chapter 594 - 512: A Loving Mother and a Filial Daughter
Chapter 594: Chapter 512: A Loving Mother and a Filial Daughter
At these words, Xiao Man suddenly burst out laughing. She thought of Zheng Shaolian and couldn’t help but find it hilarious, imagining him in his forties having a sudden relapse of his "young master syndrome."
Seeing Xiao Man’s bright, lovely smile, Tang Qingyun’s mood inexplicably brightened. ’Living at the school is fine. My daughter boards at her school anyway, so I can just pick her up on the weekends and we can go home together. That’s not a bad idea at all!’
In the end, Wu Xiaowen was not taken away by the guards. When Tang Qingyun went to the gate, he was shocked to find that she couldn’t speak—she had become mute. Thinking the guards were responsible, he repeatedly asked what had happened. Crying, Wu Xiaowen threw herself at Tang Qingyun and pointed a finger at Xiao Man in the courtyard, her tear-filled eyes radiating intense hatred. Tang Qingyun understood at once.
He said nothing more. He gave Wu Xiaowen the money she wanted and escorted her back to the entrance of her work unit’s housing complex. He told her that he wouldn’t be living at the Tang Mansion anymore, so she shouldn’t come looking for him—she wouldn’t be able to find him even if she tried.
Wu Xiaowen clutched Tang Qingyun’s arm tightly with both hands, silently crying her eyes out. Tang Qingyun sighed, gently pulled away, and strode to the roadside to hail a taxi, leaving without a backward glance.
’I promised my son I’d look after his mother, helping her out if she ever faced financial hardship. But Wu Xiaowen has gone too far. Asking me for money has become second nature to her, and this can’t continue. Her monthly salary is over three hundred yuan, which is more than enough for her and her daughter to live comfortably. Besides, the Tang family gave her a lump sum of fifty thousand yuan upon our divorce, and I later gave her another thirty thousand. That’s not even counting the various thousands and hundreds I’ve given her at other times. Has she really spent all that money? It’s highly unlikely!’
’If she were just hoarding the money, unwilling to spend it, I wouldn’t care. But if she’s taking money from me only to turn around and give it to another man...’ Tang Qingyun’s expression darkened at the thought.
’My mother and brother were right. I’ve handled this poorly—I haven’t been decisive, and I’ve had no real plan. Wu Xiaowen and the Wu Family behind her have caused serious problems for my own family. So, this is it. We won’t meet again unless it’s a matter of life and death. Until my son returns, I’ll give her a lump-sum payment once a year, at the beginning or end. That should be enough to fulfill my promise to him.’
It was unclear if it was due to the infuriating rage of being made mute by Xiao Man again or if she was truly hurt by Tang Qingyun’s heartlessness, but when Wu Xiaowen got home, she didn’t bother to cook. She locked herself in her bedroom and cried on the bed for a long time. The next day, she called in sick to work and took a bus out of Beijing to Xin City, two hundred kilometers away, to find Bai Lihua.
In her foul mood, Wu Xiaowen had completely forgotten that there was a sick person at home. She left without a word and didn’t leave any money behind. Luckily, there were some noodles and rice in the kitchen. Wu Qin had to struggle out of bed and survive on that food for three days; otherwise, she could have starved to death and no one would have known.
Wu Qin had been severely injured by Yang Liu’er, who had stomped on and kicked her: a moderate concussion, a chipped front tooth, two broken ribs, a sprained leg, and multiple soft tissue contusions. It was clear Yang Liu’er had put her full, vicious strength into the attack; her brutality was worthy of a bandit.
The mother and daughter had originally intended to call the police, but to this day, Wu Qin despised Wu Xiaowen’s indecisiveness. Her mother had to report every single detail, big or small, to her own mother, Lin Aizhen. ’It’s obvious Grandma Lin doesn’t even want to acknowledge Mom as her daughter anymore, yet Mom still fawns all over her. What good could possibly come of that?’
Sure enough, not only Lin Aizhen but also Wu Yu Xuan firmly forbade them from calling the police. Wu Yu Xuan had only one thing to say: "If you call the police, don’t you ever claim to have any connection to the Wu Family again!"
Lin Aizhen, for her part, laid it out for Wu Xiaowen: "Do you think Tang Renqian would ever let his granddaughter’s reputation be tarnished? Stop dreaming! The very idea is laughable!"
Wu Xiaowen always did what her mother said, so despite her immense frustration, she never brought up calling the police again.
Wu Qin seethed with rage. ’What terrible luck! How did I get stuck with such a stupid mother? She has the means to be independent and make her own decisions, to do as she pleases. But no, she willingly gives up all her power and lets Lin Aizhen have her completely under her thumb! She’s utterly useless! Useless!’
’Why is it that Tang Manman and Yang Liu’er can commit a crime and get away with it, while I’m left to suffer? Is it just because I have no power, no influence, and no connections? I wish I could become a demon and flay those bitches, Tang Manman and Yang Liu’er, pull out their tendons, and slice them into a thousand pieces!’
’And all those other bastards who use their power to bully others—I don’t care if it’s the Gu family or the Tang family—I’ll kill every last one of them!’
The injured Wu Qin, alone at home, carefully rationed what little food there was while desperately trying to keep up with her studies. She didn’t dare slack off for a moment. ’I have to fight for a bright future. When I achieve great success and stand high above everyone else, it will all be because of me, and no one else!’
’Well, I can share it with Brother Junfan. Because I’m going to marry him!’
Wu Xiaowen stayed with Bai Lihua for a few days, and he had his ways of putting her in a good mood. She returned with a rosy complexion, beaming with delight. When she saw Wu Qin leaning against the wall for support as she entered the kitchen to cook porridge, a flicker of unease crossed her face. She had money on hand now—Tang Qingyun had given her three thousand yuan just days before. To prove she was still a competent and loving mother, she immediately found a referral and hired a nanny to look after Wu Qin’s daily needs, which would allow the girl to recover while concentrating on her studies.
Wu Qin naturally welcomed this development. With words as sweet as honey, she praised her "good mommy" and "dear mommy," carefully choosing topics Wu Xiaowen loved and bringing them up again and again. This brought constant laughter from Wu Xiaowen and made her dote on her daughter even more. For a time, it seemed the mother and daughter had returned to their idyllic days of maternal love and filial piety.
「In mid-May」
The package from the countryside that the Bai family and Wu Qin had been eagerly awaiting finally arrived in Beijing. When Bai Qingyue came to get it, she also brought many nice gifts for Wu Qin: new clothes, a backpack, nutritional supplements, and candy. Wu Qin stared at the pile of things on the table, her heart filled with anxiety. ’Why can’t they just give me cash? It would be so much easier and better if they just stuffed money in my hands! I’ll be lucky if I get to keep two or three of these items. Wu Xiaowen will pack up the rest and send it all to the Wu Mansion!’
A letter from Liu Fengying arrived soon after. In it, she explained that Grandpa Mo’s herb garden was now under extremely tight security. The boss buying the herbs had sent his own security team to guard it. They had searchlights and electric batons and were patrolling around the clock. They were even keeping an eye on the other herb gardens in the village, making it impossible to get close enough to sneak in and steal anything. Therefore, the herbs she sent this time weren’t from Grandpa Mo’s garden, or even from Gongdao Village at all. They had been procured from the garden of Liu Fengying’s brother, who lived a few miles away.
The Bai Family soon discovered that the herbs weren’t right. They questioned Wu Qin, and after hearing the explanation, Bai Qingyue stared at her with deep disappointment. She told Wu Qin to contact her biological mother immediately. No matter what it took, no matter the cost, she had to get the herbs from Grandpa Mo’s garden.
"Otherwise, Grandpa Bai will be displeased," Bai Qingyue continued. "And Brother Junfan is expected back in Beijing any day now. Brother Junfan has always been very devoted to his family; he’ll be miserable if Grandpa is unhappy!"
Hearing that Brother Junfan was coming back filled Wu Qin’s heart with joy. She quickly assured Bai Qingyue, "I managed to get the right herbs last time. Liu Fengying probably just used the wrong method. I’ll write a registered letter and send it immediately. That should solve the problem!"