Chapter 16 – Returning to the Tang Family! A Slap!

Finally, the school day ended.

Tang Xiao packed his schoolbag and was about to leave when Xin Ling called out to him again.

“Tang Xiao, wait for me, let’s go together.”

“Teacher Xin, I really have something to do today. Let’s do the massage tomorrow.”

“Who said anything about a massage? I’m going to visit your house! Tell your grandma to prepare more dishes.”

“?!”

“What are you spacing out for? Let’s go!”

Xin Ling grabbed Tang Xiao and led him to her car.

As the homeroom teacher, Xin Ling insisted on visiting, and Tang Xiao had no reason to refuse.

They drove to the Coal Machinery Factory neighborhood.

Opening the trunk, Xin Ling revealed several gifts she had bought.

A massage device, bird’s nest, donkey-hide gelatin, and more.

Tang Xiao immediately rejected them. “Teacher, you’re just coming for a meal, why bother with these?”

“These aren’t for you, they’re for your grandma. Why are you in such a hurry?” Xin Ling replied, defending herself.

Xin Ling was aware that Tang Xiao’s family wasn’t well-off.

He and his grandmother depended on each other, and for Tang Xiao to be so sensible was already rare.

Xin Ling really wanted to help him, even thought about giving him a large sum of money.

But she knew Tang Xiao’s character.

He was honest, steady, and didn’t like to take advantage of others, so he would never accept her kindness.

Thus, she used the excuse of a home visit to come see the grandmother, hoping to take care of Tang Xiao in a subtle way.

When Grandma Deng Yinglan saw Xin Ling, she was very grateful. “Teacher Xin, being the homeroom teacher must be hard. Please help Tang Xiao improve his grades.”

Xin Ling froze, her smile stiffening.

Tang Xiao’s grades were nearly perfect.

She couldn’t even score that high herself, so how could she possibly help?

Still, Xin Ling smiled and promised, “Don’t worry, Grandma. From now on, Tang Xiao is my little brother, and you’re my grandma.”

“Heh, alright, alright…”

Xin Ling shot Tang Xiao a smug glance.

You may not recognize me as your sister, but I recognize your grandma—what can you do about that?

Although Xin Ling was raised in a wealthy family, she didn’t carry any airs and managed to make the elderly woman very happy.

Tang Xiao had no words: she was taking advantage of his grandmother’s poor hearing.

Though Tang Xiao was helpless, he understood Xin Ling’s good intentions.

After the meal, Tang Xiao headed out.

Xin Ling followed him. “Where are you going? I’ll give you a ride.”

Tang Xiao shook his head. “No need, I’ll go by myself. You should go back.”

He wanted to pay back the money he owed to the Tang family.

“It’s fine, it’s no trouble. I’ll get there faster by car,” Xin Ling insisted.

“Really, it’s fine.”

“Are you going to the Tang family?”

“How did you know?” Tang Xiao was surprised that Xin Ling knew.

“You really are connected to the Tang family,” Xin Ling said with a knowing expression.

Earlier that day, Tang Jie had caused a scene at school, and Wei Changhe had kicked her out of the school.

Tang Jie had been targeting Tang Xiao, so Wei Changhe told Xin Ling about it.

As someone from a wealthy family, Xin Ling naturally knew the Tang family, though she wasn’t very familiar with them.

Normally, no one would have guessed that Tang Xiao was related to the Tang family.

She had come to find out more about him.

This incident had only made Xin Ling admire Tang Xiao even more.

Even though Tang Xiao was from the Tang family, no one at school knew about it.

He continued to study hard and live earnestly.

Xin Ling dropped Tang Xiao off near the Tang family’s villa.

She asked, “Are you sure you don’t need me to accompany you? With me here, the Tang family shouldn’t dare to bully you.”

“No need, I’ll just return the money and leave,” Tang Xiao said, holding an envelope in his hand.

He had never been accustomed to relying on others; this was something personal between him and the Tang family.

“Alright, I’ll wait for you in the car,” Xin Ling nodded.

Tang Xiao got out of the car.

Looking up at the grand and luxurious Tang family villa, Tang Xiao felt something different.

The first time he saw this villa, he thought it was beautiful.

Now, looking at it again, all he felt was coldness from the large house.

In his previous life, it was the people in this villa who treated him like trash and caused his death.

Tang Xiao pressed the doorbell, and the door was opened by Aunt Li, the maid.

When Aunt Li saw Tang Xiao, her face lit up. “Young Master Xiao! You’re back!”

“Hello, Aunt Li. Long time no see.” Tang Xiao smiled, feeling a sense of familiarity.

He had always gotten along well with the servants of the Tang family, and they liked the humble and kind young master.

“Young Master Xiao, please come in!” Aunt Li urged.

“Forget it, I’ll just leave now. Aunt Li, please give this to the Tang family. This money is…” Tang Xiao briefly explained the purpose of the money. “I’m leaving now.”

He handed the envelope to Aunt Li. He truly didn’t want to be entangled with the Tang family any longer.

Aunt Li had been with the Tang family for many years and was a trustworthy person.

“This…” Aunt Li was a bit embarrassed. She knew what had happened with the Tang family, but she was just a servant.

As Tang Xiao was about to leave, a tired female voice called out, “Aunt Li, who’s ringing the bell? Tang Xiao, is that you?”

It was none other than the third sister, Tang Xin.

Tang Xin, wearing loose pajamas, looked very tired. Her hair was messy, and her skin pale. It was clear that she hadn’t been having a good few days.

When Tang Xin saw Tang Xiao, she was overjoyed.

“Tang Xiao, it’s you! You’re back! That’s great!”

Tang Xin ran over to him, shoes flying off her feet, trying to pull Tang Xiao into the house.

Tang Xiao resisted. “No, I’m leaving.”

“Ah, brother, you’re back!” Tang Zijiang also came out of a room.

He looked “happy” to see Tang Xiao.

Damn it! Why did you come back? I thought you’d never come back.

The past few days without you, I’ve been so happy! What do you even come back for?

All of Tang family’s things are mine now! What are you coming back to fight for?

Tang Zijiang’s eyes were filled with tears, but his thoughts were as venomous as ever.

Tang Zijiang and Tang Xin tried to drag Tang Xiao into the house.

At this moment, Tang Xiao had gained over ten pounds since his departure. He looked taller, more mature, and more handsome, but his demeanor had also become more cold and distant.

Tang Xiao tried to shake off the two of them.

But then, a sharp voice rang out.

“Tang Xiao! How dare you come back!” From inside the room, Tang Jie stormed out, seeing her enemy, Tang Xiao.

Tang Jie didn’t look well either, her anger making her lose her appetite.

She had been busy all day trying to use her resources to get videos deleted from the internet.

“Tang Xiao, you bastard! You colluded with outsiders to bully me! You white-eyed wolf! How dare you show your face here!” Tang Jie yelled at him.

Tang Xiao furrowed his brow, staring at Tang Jie.

This was absurd!

Tang Jie had been battling with thin air and making a mess of things, and yet somehow, she blamed him for it?

Tang Xiao, growing impatient, said, “Fine, I’ll leave. Let go of me.”

Tang Xin pleaded desperately, “Tang Xiao, don’t go! This must be a misunderstanding, we can clear it up. Second sister, please stop, it’s all a misunderstanding…”

Tang Xin hadn’t gone to work these past few days and had spent her time in Tang Xiao’s room, staring at the family portrait, like she had lost her soul.

Tang Zijiang, on the other hand, had been in good spirits these days, eating well and sleeping soundly, but now his eyes were still filled with tears.

“Brother, don’t leave. This family can’t do without you…” he whimpered.

“Little Xin, Zijiang, stop pulling him! Let him get out of the Tang family! This ungrateful bastard!”

Tang Xiao’s cold attitude only made Tang Jie angrier.

She stormed over to pull Tang Xin and Tang Zijiang away, but her annoyance grew with their pleading.

In a fit of rage, she slapped Tang Xiao across the face.

Tang Jie had been holding back a storm of anger, both new and old grievances combining into a single furious slap that she threw with all her might!

This slap was the culmination of everything she had learned in the entertainment industry!