Chapter 26: It’s You

Li Cuilan refused to leave, continuing to cry. Tang Xiangdong and Tang Rufang stood there, stunned, unable to believe what they’d heard.

How could their father not be Grandma Tang’s son but Widow Xia’s?

Seeing her children’s shock, Li Cuilan glared at them. “What are you doing?  Go and appease your grandmother.”

“What grandmother? I’m not their grandmother. Widow Xia is.”

Grandma Tang was even angrier. Her grandson was Widow Xia’s, and her granddaughter, Tang Xiaorou, had left with Qin Xueqiong. She had nothing left.

The Tang family’s drama continued. Villagers came to watch.  Wang Yougen arrived, and the crowd dispersed. Grandma Tang was scolded by Grandpa Tang.

“Don’t you want to make things worse? Don’t you want our family to be ridiculed?”

Grandma Tang sneered. “It’s all your fault! If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t be ridiculed.”

“Shut up!”

Grandpa Tang slammed a bowl to the ground.

Tang Xiaorou, unaware of the chaos, traveled with Grandma Yao and Yao Bingcheng to town.

“My mother is at the guesthouse ahead. We’re almost there.”

But they found Qin Xueqiong and the children gone. “Strange. Where did they go?”

Tang Xiaorou was worried. She asked the guesthouse staff, who said Qin Xueqiong and the children left that morning; their destination was unknown.

“Xiaorou, don’t worry. Your mother is cautious. Maybe she took the children shopping.”

Tang Xiaorou doubted it.  She told her mother to stay home and go to the state-run restaurant if they needed to eat. But they hadn’t returned since morning.  Something was wrong.

“Grandma Yao, you and Bingcheng rest. I’ll look for them at the state-run restaurant.”

“Okay, go ahead.”

Before Tang Xiaorou left, Qin Xueqiong and the children returned, along with a familiar person the gloomy man who was late for their arranged meeting.

Tang Xiaorou was too worried to care.  She looked at Qin Xueqiong anxiously. “Mom, what happened? Why do you and Little Liang have cuts? Who beat you?”

Qin Xueqiong was relieved to see her daughter.

“Xiaorou, you’re back! I was going to find you.”

“Mom, I came back after finishing my business. But what happened? Why are you hurt?”

Qin Xueqiong sighed. “I took the children out for lunch this morning.  I planned to go back to Qingshan Village to find you, but we bumped into someone. They demanded money, and when we refused, they scratched my face. Little Liang protected me and was also scratched.”

She pointed to the gloomy man. “Luckily, Xiao Song was there. He helped us and got justice for us.”

Xiao Song helped them, and Qin Xueqiong, fearing he’d be hurt, helped too. In the chaos, she accidentally slapped the person.

Revenge is best served immediately. After slapping the person, she felt refreshed.

Tang Xiaorou thanked the gloomy man. “Thank you for your help.”

The gloomy man glanced at Tang Xiaorou. “Auntie Qin is your mother. What a coincidence.”

Qin Xueqiong looked at them in surprise. “You know each other?”

“Mom, he’s the man you arranged for me to meet. He was late, so I ended up marrying Shen Huaixu.”

Qin Xueqiong was surprised. “What? You… you married Fang De’s son?”

“Yes, my father is Song Fangde. I’m Song Xuejun.”

Qin Xueqiong was amazed. “Xiao Song, let’s have dinner later. Thank you for saving us.”

“You’re welcome. It was my duty.” Song Xuejun refused. “I have something to do. I’ll go.” He left.

“Oh… Xiao Song…”

Qin Xueqiong wanted to thank him properly, but he left quickly.  She looked at Grandma Yao and Yao Bingcheng. “Xiaorou, are Grandma Yao and her grandson here by chance?”

“Mom, let’s go inside. I’ll tell you.”

“Okay.”

Inside, Tang Xiaorou explained what happened in the village and that Grandma Yao and Yao Bingcheng would go to Jiangsu Province with them.

Qin Xueqiong was surprised but happy. “That’s great! We’ll have company on the journey.”

Grandma Yao smiled. “Yes, we can travel together.  Have you set a departure date?”

“Not yet.”

Qin Xueqiong shook her head.  Because of today’s incident, she wanted Tang Xiaorou to thank the Song family.

“Xiaorou, go to the Song family tomorrow. Song Fangde was your uncle’s friend. That’s why I arranged for you to meet Xiao Song. And he helped us today.”

“Okay, Mom.”

Tang Xiaorou got a room for Grandma Yao. “Grandma Yao, you and Bingcheng must be tired. Rest.”

“Okay.”

Grandma Yao was tired. “I’ll rest for a while.”

After they rested, Qin Xueqiong pulled Tang Xiaorou aside. “Xiaorou, tell me more about the Tang family.”

Tang Xiaorou recounted everything, explaining that Grandma Yao had nowhere to go and feared retaliation and that Yao Bingcheng would be alone after her death.

Seeing Little Liang and Little Yan playing, she whispered about the box to her mother.

“This… isn’t this too valuable?”

“That’s why I need to take care of Grandma Yao and her grandson.”

Grandma Yao was determined to give her the box, hoping she’d care for Yao Bingcheng. 

Because of her help, Grandpa Tang and Widow Xia’s affair was exposed, so she should share the responsibility.

“Okay, let’s leave together.”