Chapter 200 - 188: She’s Not That Bored
Chapter 200: Chapter 188: She’s Not That Bored
"We... we just didn’t understand the situation, did we? If she had come to us sooner, would things have ended up like this? You tell me, what exactly does she want? When the villagers were questioned just now, they all said that two years ago, the entire village knew she wasn’t Mo Guoqiang and Liu Fengying’s biological daughter. It all started because she overheard the couple talking, threw a huge fit, and then moved out with those two old folks. She’s also been to Wancheng and even met Zheng Shaolian. According to Xuanxuan, she’s his god-sister. When Zheng Shaolian came looking for you last year, it was actually because she was making an unreasonable scene—she hit Hao Hao and then demanded compensation! Zheng Shaolian must have been the one who sent her to Beijing this time! Why would she do that? Instead of coming to us, she just had to run off to Beijing to file a complaint. Isn’t she doing this on purpose? Treating her own parents like her mortal enemies, as if she has to take us down! What kind of girl is so heartless and cruel? She keeps saying she’s been hurt, disfigured, that she’s ugly, but where is she disfigured? Isn’t she perfectly fine? If you ask me, she looks even better than Xuanxuan, healthier and with a rosier complexion. She just can’t stand the sight of us and is looking for trouble! That child... not only is she distant from us, not on our side, but she’s also utterly ill-mannered!"
The more Wu Xiaowen spoke, the more agitated she became. Her voice rose steadily until, snatching the fire tongs from Tang Qingyun’s hand, she threw them onto the ground with a loud CLANG.
In the ensuing silence, Tang Haocheng walked over, picked up the fire tongs, and put them away. "Mom, you can’t act like this. Have you forgotten what Sister said? This is someone else’s house! Throwing other people’s things is also ill-mannered."
"Hao Hao!" Wu Xiaowen glared at her son, displeased.
Tang Haocheng said, "Sister has every right to be angry. Why should she be the one to come find you? You knew a long time ago that the babies were switched at birth, but you didn’t switch them back. Instead, you believed what Xuanxuan’s biological parents said—that you didn’t want her because she was ugly. How could she not be angry? I don’t get it either! If I became ugly and you abandoned me, I’d be sad and even angrier! What’s more, Liu Fengying is Sister’s enemy, yet you dote on Liu Fengying’s daughter. Who could stand that? Does Sister have to be truly disfigured for it to count as being hurt? You might not be able to imagine how much the Mo family hates my sister, but I’ve experienced it. Just yesterday, I was there. A whole gang of thugs, hired by Mo Xiaosu. More than ten of them, armed with knives, trying to kidnap Sister in broad daylight! Do you know how I felt then? I was terrified..."
Tang Haocheng wiped his eyes, and only then did Tang Qingyun and Wu Xiaowen realize the boy’s face was covered in tears. Wu Xiaowen rushed to pull open his jacket. "My goodness! Let Mommy see, are you hurt somewhere?"
Tang Haocheng dodged her hand and said to Tang Qingyun through his tears, "Dad, I was so scared that even if I died, I wouldn’t be able to stop them from taking Sister away. I couldn’t protect her..."
Tang Qingyun’s eyes also welled with tears. He pulled his son into an embrace, comforting him and wiping his tears away. "Dad knows. Hao Hao was very brave. For your sister... you did your best, and that’s enough! Those people who want to harm your sister will be punished. We won’t let a single one of them get away!"
Wu Xiaowen frowned and said, "Hao Hao, where on earth did your sister take you? Why did you run into a gang of thugs? The countryside isn’t safe, and she’s just taking you and running around recklessly!"
Tang Haocheng, who had just calmed down, became agitated again. "You dote on Xuanxuan so much, why can’t you like Sister even a little bit? She’s your biological daughter! Sister and I didn’t go anywhere unsafe. We were walking on the public road with lots of other people when the thugs showed up. They specifically wanted to take Sister. It was deliberate! They were hired by the Mo family, the Mo family, the Mo family! Do you understand? The Mo family has a grudge against Sister, and now they have one against me too. I hate the Mo family!"
Tang Qingyun patted his son. "Keep your voice down. Grandpa is also from the Mo family."
Tang Haocheng fell silent.
"Grandpa and Grandma don’t count! They’re good people!"
"Hao Hao, how could you talk to your mother like that..." Rebuked by her son, Wu Xiaowen found it hard to accept and covered her mouth, sobbing.
Tang Haocheng was quiet for a moment before speaking. "I’m sorry, Mom. I shouldn’t have spoken like that. But you can’t always misunderstand Sister and assume she’s a bad person! As for that incident last year, I was the one who was wrong first. It wasn’t Sister making an unreasonable scene! When Sister went to Beijing for the Spring Festival this year, she was picked up and dropped off by a military helicopter. She was going to the Gu family’s home. Do you really think Brother Shaolian has the power to call in a military helicopter? Before she left, Sister had no idea that her grandparents were in Beijing! So, Mom, what you said about Sister going to Beijing to complain and deliberately targeting you and Dad... that’s completely impossible! My sister’s personality... anyway, she’s not that petty!"
After speaking, Tang Haocheng pulled away from Tang Qingyun’s embrace, walked out of the main hall, and ran to the well to draw water and wash his face.
Wu Xiaowen stared at Tang Qingyun, her almond-shaped eyes wide with disbelief. "A military helicopter took Manman to Beijing? To the Gu family? Why? What has that child gotten herself into?"
"I don’t really know the details. You can ask Manman."
Tang Qingyun massaged his forehead. ’I clearly mentioned it earlier, that Manman is studying traditional Chinese medicine. Xiao Wen didn’t hear a word of it!’
’It seems her mindset still hasn’t shifted. She’s only concerned with Xuanxuan and hasn’t put any thought into Manman. Two daughters, one biological and one adopted... outsiders might think switching their roles is simple, but only when you go through it do you realize how difficult it truly is. The old man’s insistence on an immediate correction, without any delay or hesitation, seemed unreasonable at first. But on closer inspection, it’s not hard to see his reasoning.’
As for Manman studying medicine, Tang Qingyun didn’t plan to tell Wu Xiaowen too much. He was afraid she had a loose tongue and would spread it everywhere. Firstly, he had promised Grandpa. Secondly, he had to think of his daughter’s interests. After all, she hadn’t completed her training yet, so it was best to keep a low profile.
Last night, after Secretary Mo and the others left, Tang Qingyun and Grandpa continued their conversation by the fire pit. Grandpa told him that Xiao Man was the last disciple Imperial Doctor Sun took before he passed away. The Imperial Physician had a discerning eye and saw that Xiao Man was exceptionally gifted, so he gave her his family’s secret medical texts. Xiao Man studied diligently for two years and used Sun’s Secret Recipe to cure Grandma’s eyes. Her trip to Beijing this time was a small test of her skills. She performed acupuncture on Mr. Gu, who was in a coma after a stroke. It was a success. After Mr. Gu woke up, he recommended her to the Tang family, where she took Grandma Tang’s pulse and prescribed some medicine. That was how the two elders of the Tang family came to know of the girl named Mo Xiaoman.
A bitter feeling rose in Tang Qingyun’s heart. ’How could I ever forget how my mother doted on and spoiled me my whole life? I was always obedient, but on the matter of Wu Xiaowen, I was stubborn. For the sake of my own flesh and blood, for the woman I loved, I thought that if I just stood against my mother for a while, everything would eventually be fine. I never expected to have touched her reverse scale... For so many years, I’ve tried my best to earn my mother’s forgiveness. Knowing her days are numbered, I am heartbroken. That’s why, in Xiao Man’s case, I went along with Wu Xiaowen. In truth, I was even more worried than Wu Xiaowen that my mother would find out the details, afraid that in a fit of anger, her condition would become even harder to control.’
’My father said he would find a spot for me to pursue further studies in the second half of the year, which would allow me to stay by my mother’s side. But then Manman appeared... I wonder how Mother is doing. I just hope she doesn’t get too agitated. It would be terrible if it affected her treatment.’