The Abandoned Daughter's Second Chance

Chapter 186: Chapter 174: Sugar-coated Cannonball

"Tell me this: Last summer vacation, you and Xuanxuan went to Wancheng Hospital to visit Shaolian. The little girl you got into a fight with—how much did she look like you? Was she able to hit you?"

"Dad, I’m embarrassed to even talk about it. She really did hit me. Her hands were so fast, I couldn’t defend myself at all! Her face, her eyes... they looked so much like me, and like you too! Really!"

"She’s older than you?"

"Yeah, she’s as tall as Sister Xuanxuan, so she should be the same age."

Tang Qingyun’s expression was complicated, his features tense with agitation. He remembered asking Zheng Shaolian, who had been reluctant to talk at the time. However, Shaolian had mentioned one thing: his adopted sister was an orphan from Ping County. Tang Qingyun had brought her things from Gu Shaojun more than once. Each time, besides sealed packages of clothes, it was just a mesh bag full of candy, cookies, malted milk powder, and regular milk powder. He’d assumed she was just a little kid, only a few years old!

But now Hao Hao had confirmed that Shaolian’s adopted sister was the same age as Xuanxuan and looked very much like him and his son. Meanwhile, the Mo Xiaoman that Wu Xiaofeng had brought back didn’t resemble their family at all... ’So, is it possible? Could the child have been swapped *again* while in the hands of that foolish woman, Liu Fengying?’

"Why didn’t you tell me when you came back from the hospital? If Shaolian hadn’t come to me, I still wouldn’t know about this! You two got into a fight, threatened to call the police, scared the person away, and then tried to get out of paying compensation! What kind of behavior is that?"

Tang Haocheng explained defensively, "I was going to pay! I went to borrow money! It was probably Sister Xuanxuan who told her she was going to call the police, and then she ran off! We didn’t tell you at the time because Xuanxuan was worried you’d be too angry. Besides, getting beaten up isn’t something to be proud of, so... we just didn’t say anything."

Tang Qingyun fell silent. After finishing a cigarette, he said to Tang Haocheng, "Let’s go back to Wancheng and find this Zheng Shaolian. And for the Lantern Festival, do you want to go back to the provincial city?"

Tang Haocheng looked at him. "Are you going back? I don’t want to go to the provincial city right now!"

"Why not?"

"Dad, I don’t know how to say it... Xuanxuan isn’t my real sister, and then there’s this... ugly Mo Xiaoman. I feel really confused and need to think things through. Mom doesn’t want Mo Xiaoman, but she dotes on Xuanxuan. I just don’t get it."

Tang Qingyun sighed. "How many times have I told you? Your mother and I don’t *not* want Mo Xiaoman. We’ll bring her back when the time is right!"

"Dad, is Xuanxuan going to go live with her birth parents?"

"We’ve raised Xuanxuan for thirteen years. She’s used to our family. She’s not going anywhere," Tang Qingyun answered with certainty.

"When Mo Xiaoman comes back, Xuanxuan will look down on her. Mo Xiaoman will become Cinderella!"

"How could that happen? Impossible! Stop letting your imagination run wild. I’ve decided: the Lantern Festival falls on a Saturday, so you’ll have a half-day off. The next day is Sunday. We’re not going back to the provincial city. I’m taking you somewhere!"

"Where?"

"The place where Mo Xiaoman grew up. This time, we’ll find a few more people and ask them carefully to get a clear picture of what happened back then. Also, we’ll get his adopted sister’s home address from Zheng Shaolian and pay her a visit. ’Maybe... maybe something went wrong somewhere along the way? Hmm, let’s just go and see first.’"

"Okay, I’ll go!"

Tang Haocheng guessed what his father was thinking. The two exchanged a look of tacit understanding. After all, they had both been disappointed after visiting "Mo Xiaoman." This time, until the very last moment, without absolute certainty, they wouldn’t dare say anything rashly.

But plans rarely survive contact with reality. Upon returning to Wancheng, they were met with several emergencies. In Hongfu Team of Liangliang County, about forty li from Wancheng, a family had thrown a large wedding banquet that somehow resulted in mass food poisoning. Meanwhile, in a mountainous area of Fengling County, a "snow cap" of accumulated ice and snow had suddenly collapsed, devastating a small village at the foot of the mountain. Buildings were destroyed and livestock were crushed, though no human casualties had been reported so far.

Tang Qingyun was instantly swamped with work. He was so busy they barely saw a shadow of him each day. He had no time for his son, let alone to think about anything else.

So, Tang Haocheng asked the secretary who came to take him to the government office’s cafeteria every day for help, asking him to take him to the military base to find Zheng Shaolian.

Zheng Shaolian was doing quite well in the army now. After "selflessly" saving a comrade, he had earned a great deal of respect from his fellow soldiers, and his superiors also saw him in a new light. When the new recruits arrived this year, he had even managed to land the position of squad leader.

Zheng Shaolian was a bit surprised to see Tang Haocheng. He laughed and said, "You little rascal, what are you doing here instead of staying in the provincial city?"

"I’m going to be studying here from now on," Tang Haocheng said.

"Oh-ho, for real? Can a young master like you handle the hardships of the countryside?"

"*You’re* the young master!" Tang Haocheng dodged Zheng Shaolian’s hand. "Where’s your sister? Have you seen her recently?"

"What for? Want to get revenge on my sister? You’ll have to get through me first!"

Tang Haocheng was speechless. He took a fancy box of candy from his schoolbag. "This is for her!"

"Trying to butter her up? My sister won’t fall for that!" Zheng Shaolian laughed heartily. "But why are you trying to sweet-talk her, you little rascal?"

"No reason. I’m here in Wancheng to be with my dad, and I don’t have anywhere to hang out. Next time you go to the countryside to see her, take me with you!"

"Sure thing. The day after tomorrow is the Lantern Festival. I’m heading over there tomorrow to pick up some fresh vegetables. Come on, I’ll take you to my sister’s place to hang out!"

"Thanks, Brother Shaolian!" Tang Haocheng’s face didn’t show it, but inside, he was a little excited. He was really looking forward to seeing Brother Shaolian’s sister again.

By the next morning, Tang Qingyun still hadn’t returned. Tang Haocheng had no choice but to leave him a note and go with Zheng Shaolian.

Zheng Shaolian and two PLA soldiers drove over in a truck. The people at their military camp loved the vegetables from Xiao Man’s family. Although supply couldn’t meet demand, they were thrilled to be able to eat them two or three times a month. After all, they had to buy vegetables from somewhere, right? What’s more, Grandpa Mo’s sauces and pickled vegetables were out of this world. Grandpa Mo was a staunch supporter of the army and cared for the soldiers. With his adopted grandson Zheng Shaolian in the camp, he refused to take any money. It was only after a leader personally came to persuade him that he agreed to a half-buy, half-gift arrangement, which was an incredible deal.

A few days ago, when Xiao Man returned from Beijing, Zheng Shaolian had picked her up and driven her back to Gongdao Village. Grandpa said a crop of vegetables in the garden was ready for harvest, so the kitchen staff decided to use vegetables from Grandpa Mo’s place in Gongdao Village for the Lantern Festival feast. Naturally, the task of fetching them fell to Zheng Shaolian again.

The empty truck sped along. Tang Haocheng and Zheng Shaolian sat in the back, watching the scenery fly by in a cloud of dust. The bumpy ride wasn’t boring at all. The mountains in the south weren’t dull like the ones in the North. Even in the dead of winter, the peaks were a lush, deep green, dotted with brilliant reds and yellows as bright as flowers. Of course, they weren’t flowers, but frost-kissed leaves, layered upon each other in a display of almost unnatural beauty.

During their conversation, Tang Haocheng asked, "Brother Shaolian, what’s your sister’s name?"

Zheng Shaolian showily took out the fountain pen Xiao Man had brought him from Beijing a few days ago. He wrote two words on Tang Haocheng’s palm. Tang Haocheng stared at them for a long moment before exclaiming, "Mo Xiaoman?!"

"Yeah, her name is Mo Xiaoman. What’s wrong? Is there a problem?"

Tang Haocheng’s eyes went wide as he stared at him. ’Of course there’s a problem—a huge one! If this Mo Xiaoman is *that* Mo Xiaoman, then you’re going to have to find yourself a new sister!’