8

Pedaling her bike hard, Tong Xuelu shouted, “Mianmian! Sis is back—did you hear me? Say something!”

“Mianmian, come out! Come with me, we’re going home!”

She was furious with herself—she never should’ve left Tong Mianmian alone.

No matter how reliable others might seem, no one was as dependable as herself.

If anything happened to Mianmian, she would never forgive herself for the rest of her life.

Just then, as she passed by a narrow alley, she heard the faint sound of a child crying. The voice… it sounded just like Mianmian.

Without thinking, Tong Xuelu ditched her bike and sprinted toward the sound.

Inside the alley, Tong Zhenzhen had her hand clamped on Tong Mianmian’s ear, screaming, “You useless little brat! Did you memorize what I told you? Go home and tell your two brothers that Tong Xuelu hit you, and get them to kick her out!”

Tong Mianmian’s face was blotchy red, her tiny voice hoarse from crying. “No! No! Mianmian doesn’t want sister to leave!”

“You stupid kid! Do you have pig brains or what—?!”

Before she could finish, her hair was yanked back hard by someone from behind.

Tong Zhenzhen let go of Mianmian’s ear with a pig-like scream. “Aaaaah! Who the hell are you?!”

“Your auntie, that’s who.”

Tong Xuelu’s eyes were ice-cold. “There are two kinds of people I hate most in this world—scumbag men who beat women, and trash who abuse helpless children. Who else should I deal with if not you?”

Tong Zhenzhen nearly exploded with rage. “You bitch, let go of me or I swear I’ll make you pay!”

“Oh, so you don’t want to end things? Fine. Let’s drag this out forever, then.”

With that, she spun Tong Zhenzhen around to face the wall and delivered a brutal kick to her rear.

Tong Zhenzhen hit the wall like a pancake, face-first. Her nose almost flattened on impact.

She shrieked, tears flying, “Tong Xuelu, I’m going to kill you!!!”

Taking full advantage of the chaos, Tong Xuelu did three things in rapid succession: She squatted down and smeared some dust and dirt on her own face, then pulled off her hair tie, letting her hair fall wild and messy before she scooped Tong Mianmian into her arms and bolted out of the alley, yelling as she ran, “Help! Somebody help! She’s trying to kill me!”

“You bitch! If you’ve got guts, stop running! I swear I’ll kill you today!” Tong Zhenzhen roared as she chased after her.

Tong Xuelu burst out of the alley and screamed at the top of her lungs, “Help! Someone help! There’s a murder happening!”

Mother Tong, who was approaching with two neighborhood workers, froze when she heard the shouting.

Her face went pale. Hands trembling, she turned to one of the women. “Xiaohui, go to the police station. Now!”

“Yes, ma’am!” Xiaohui answered, then took off running like her life depended on it.

Just then, from another direction, two more people came sprinting toward Tong Xuelu.

And they weren’t strangers.

One was her ex-fiancé, Fang Wenyuan. The other—the one she’d bumped into before—was the genuine tall, rich, and handsome Wen Rugui.

Tong Xuelu’s eyes flickered. Without hesitation, she darted straight toward Wen Rugui.

Fang Wenyuan had come running the moment he heard someone shouting for help.

But when he saw clearly that it was Tong Xuelu, his brows immediately furrowed.

Didn’t she leave the Tong family already? Why was she back so soon?

Then again… this was more like her.

When he heard last night that she’d taken the initiative to leave, he hadn’t really believed it.

And now, sure enough, his instincts were spot on. She hadn’t even been gone a full day before showing up again—like it was all some kind of joke.

Was this whole dramatic scene just another one of her stunts?

With that thought, his pace unconsciously slowed.

In no time, he was left trailing far behind Wen Rugui.

Tong Xuelu didn’t notice Fang Wenyuan slowing down behind her.

Panting heavily, she rushed up to Wen Rugui. “Comrade Wen, please—you have to help me and my sister. Someone’s trying to kill us!”

As if to confirm her words, before she even finished speaking, Tong Zhenzhen came charging over like a madwoman, her hair a wild mess. “Tong Xuelu, stop right there! I’m going to kill you!”

Without a word, Wen Rugui stepped forward and spread his arms, shielding the two sisters behind him.

He didn’t say anything—but tall and lean as he was, even looking a bit thin from behind, his presence gave off an inexplicable sense of safety.

Tong Zhenzhen lunged forward, but before she could spew another insult, Wen Rugui had already twisted her arms behind her back with practiced precision—she couldn’t even touch a strand of Tong Xuelu’s hair.

His movements were sharp and fluid—completely at odds with the impression of a bookish researcher. With that stern profile and decisive action, he looked more like a trained soldier.

Tong Xuelu was briefly stunned by the sight.

“Where the hell did you crawl out from?!” Tong Zhenzhen shrieked, arms locked behind her, fuming with rage. “Let me go!”

Instead of letting go, Wen Rugui gave her arms a slight twist and swiftly forced her down to the ground.

Fang Wenyuan and Mother Tong had just arrived in time to see the scene and both froze in shock.

Fang Wenyuan hadn’t expected Tong Xuelu to be telling the truth. Mother Tong, on the other hand, was horrified to realize the one chasing her daughter with murderous intent… was her other daughter.

Between the two, it was Mother Tong who panicked more.

She had just asked one of the neighborhood workers to report to the police—if the officers showed up now, Tong Zhenzhen would be finished.

At that thought, she sprang into action, rushing forward to try and help Zhenzhen.

But Tong Xuelu wasn’t about to let that happen.

Seeing her coming, she let her body go limp and collapsed dramatically into her mother’s arms. “Mom, help me! Tong Zhenzhen tried to kill me!”

“Xuelu, what on earth is going on?” Mother Tong caught her, flustered. Seeing her hair in disarray and her face smeared with dirt, her heart grew even more conflicted.

“Mom,” Tong Xuelu sobbed into her shoulder, gasping between cries, “She said I stole her identity. She’s trying to take revenge… she’s been abusing Mianmian, and now she wants to kill me. Wuwuwu…”

Tong Mianmian, seeing her sister cry, immediately burst into loud tears herself. “Bad person! Hit the bad person!”

The sound of the little dumpling’s sobs snapped Tong Xuelu out of her act.

She quickly lifted her head and hugged Mianmian tight. “It’s all my fault. I never should’ve left you alone. Don’t cry, sweetheart.”

Mianmian hiccupped through her sobs, her little face red and blotchy—so pitiful it could break anyone’s heart.

Tong Xuelu gently checked her over, and when she saw the swelling and redness on her little sister’s left ear, a wave of fury surged through her—she could’ve killed Tong Zhenzhen right then and there.

“Xuelu…” Mother Tong began hesitantly, “I’ll apologize on Zhenzhen’s behalf. When the police get here… could you maybe let this go, just this once?”

The noise, the sobbing, the mess—it was enough to make Mother Tong feel like her head might explode.

When she saw the state of Mianmian’s ear, even she wanted to beat Tong Zhenzhen half to death.

But Zhenzhen had grown up away from the family, and her twisted personality was a result of that. How could she bring herself to truly blame her?

She knew it was unfair to Tong Xuelu—but what could she do? They were both her daughters. Flesh of her flesh.

Tong Xuelu stared wide-eyed at her mother, looking utterly betrayed. Just then, she caught sight of the police officers running toward them.

Her eyes rolled back—and she collapsed.

She had fainted from anger.

…Well, fake fainted.

She could understand Mother Tong’s dilemma. She could even live with the fact that Mother Tong favored her biological daughter.

But asking her to forgive Tong Zhenzhen?

Impossible.

Not in this lifetime.

Huh?

Mother Tong froze, stunned. What just happened?

She had only said a few words—how did that end with Tong Xuelu fainting?

Before she could make sense of it, Xiaohui came rushing over with a couple of police officers in tow.

They had expected Tong Mianmian to break into loud sobs when her sister passed out. And she did cry—but while sniffling, she also charged at Tong Zhenzhen with her tiny legs, all the while tearfully tattling to the police.

With Wen Rugui and the others testifying—and the evidence being crystal clear—Tong Zhenzhen was promptly taken into custody at the local station for temporary detainment.

As for Tong Xuelu, she was sent to a nearby clinic.

At the clinic.

Under the doctor’s “treatment”, Tong Xuelu slowly “regained consciousness.”

As she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Wen Rugui carefully helping Tong Mianmian drink some water—though his movements were a little stiff and awkward.

Tong Mianmian sniffled, her voice still thick with tears. “Uncle, when will my sister wake up?”

Uncle?

Tong Xuelu raised a brow. “Mianmian, you should call him ‘big brother,’ not ‘uncle.’”

If Mianmian was calling him uncle, then what would that make her? She wasn’t ready to be that senior.

Hearing her sister’s voice, Tong Mianmian’s eyes lit up. She climbed down from the chair and ran to the bedside on her chubby legs. “Sister, you’re awake!”

Seeing the dried tears still clinging to her lashes, Tong Xuelu’s heart ached. She reached out to ruffle her hair. “Mm, I’m awake. Does your ear still hurt?”

While she was “unconscious,” Wen Rugui hadn’t just asked the doctor to check on her—he’d also made sure Mianmian’s ear got treated.

Mianmian stood on tiptoe, gently touched her now-less-swollen ear, and shook her head. “It doesn’t hurt anymore. It was un—big brother who asked the doctor to put medicine on it.”

Tong Xuelu looked up at Wen Rugui, her voice warm with sincerity. “Thank you, Comrade Wen.”

Sunlight poured in through the window, lighting up her clear, shining eyes. Against her pale skin, it was almost dazzling.

Wen Rugui lowered his gaze. “No need to thank me. It was nothing.”

Tong Xuelu reached into her pocket and pulled out a red booklet, handing it to him. “Comrade Wen, here’s your entry permit. I was planning to return it after settling things, but since you’re here, I might as well give it back now.”

Wen Rugui accepted it. “Thank you. By the way, does your head still hurt? Should I ask the doctor to check again?”

Tong Xuelu quickly shook her head. “No, no, I’m fine now. It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Seeing her insistence, Wen Rugui had no choice but to let it go.

Soon after, the police arrived to take Tong Xuelu’s statement.

She remained calm and composed throughout, telling the entire story through a mix of tears and righteous indignation:

“…What happened back then wasn’t my fault. If you want to blame someone, blame the human traffickers. And even so, the Tong family raised her for fifteen years—no matter how angry she is, she shouldn’t be taking it out on her adoptive parents’ child!”

“My poor little sister is only three. She just lost our parents not long ago, and now she’s being abused like this. Even servants in the old society weren’t treated so cruelly. But this is the new era, Comrade Officers—please, you must stand up for me and my sister! Wuwuwu…”

Initially, due to Mother Tong’s earlier request—and given the Tong family’s social standing—the officers had considered encouraging a private settlement.

But after hearing Tong Xuelu’s statement, even they were furious.

They’d seen callous people before, but never someone so utterly heartless.

This was the new society. And yet this woman was out in the street, screaming about killing someone? People like that needed to be reformed—urgently.

After the officers left, Wen Rugui also stood to go.

Tong Xuelu once again offered him her sincere thanks. “Comrade Wen, I truly can’t thank you enough for today.”

“No need,” he replied, expression as calm and unreadable as ever.

But just as he reached the door, he paused and turned back. “If things get difficult, Comrade Tong, you can call me. You have my number.”

Tong Xuelu blinked, surprised. She hadn’t expected him to offer help so directly—especially after learning about the Tong family’s background. Which could only mean… his own background was probably far from simple.

Still, since he was offering, of course she wouldn’t turn him down.

She gave a sweet, dimpled smile. “Comrade Wen, you truly are the perfect gentleman—handsome, kind, and always ready to help. If I need anything, I won’t hesitate to call.”

“…Mm.”

Wen Rugui gave a low reply, then turned and left the room in swift strides. His face remained composed, but the tips of his ears had quietly turned red.

….

News of Tong Zhenzhen’s detainment quickly reached the Tong family, leaving them all speechless with shock.

Attacking someone in public—screaming about murder, no less.

Just how far could she go?

Mother Tong, afraid that Zhenzhen might actually be sent to a labor farm, didn’t dare approach Tong Xuelu herself. Instead, she sent her sons and daughters-in-law to try and talk her down.

After all, if word got out that a Tong daughter had been sent to a reform farm, it would damage their family’s reputation. So regardless of what they actually felt, one by one, the family members made their way to the hospital to try to convince Tong Xuelu.

The moment Tong Xuelu saw her eldest brother walk into the hospital, she knew exactly why he was there—his awkward expression gave it all away.

Since they dared to come…

Fine.

Time to show them what a true green tea* act looks like.

(*Note: “绿茶” or “green tea” refers to someone who pretends to be innocent and sweet while being manipulative underneath.)

Before he could get a word in, she clung to him and burst into tears, sobbing about how Tong Zhenzhen beat Mianmian, how she chased her down the street like a madwoman, how scared she was—how she’d almost died. Sob sob sob.

Her brother’s head was spinning by the time he left, utterly overwhelmed—he didn’t even get the chance to start persuading her.

The next few visitors all got the same treatment. Every single one returned home in defeat.

With no options left, the Tong family finally turned to Fang Wenyuan.

After all, Tong Xuelu had always listened to him the most growing up.

If he spoke up, surely she’d agree to withdraw the report.

=^_^=

Author has something to say: Fang Wenyuan: Time for my grand entrance.