Chapter 3: Where’s My Mom?

Shen Huaixu thought Tang Xiaorou’s arrangement was quite good. “Then I’ll contact someone right away to have the two children sent over. After I get you settled, I have to leave for my mission immediately.  I’ll come back to pick you up and go to the army together after I’m done.”

“Okay.”

The two quickly made arrangements. Shen Huaixu left the address of the guesthouse where they were staying for the past two days, as well as the contact information for his unit.  “At the fastest, the two children will arrive tomorrow, so come find me tomorrow morning, and we’ll find a house in town.”

“Okay.”

Tang Xiaorou naturally nodded in response, then prepared to go home.

“Should I see you back?”

Thinking of the faces of those people in her family, Tang Xiaorou thought that bringing Shen Huaixu back would be a good choice, so she nodded and said, “Okay, let’s go back together.”

For his first visit to her home, Shen Huaixu certainly couldn’t go empty-handed. However, before he could buy more gifts, he was stopped by Tang Xiaorou. “No need to buy so much, just a token of our visit is fine.”

Although Tang Xiaorou kept discouraging him, Shen Huaixu still bought a can of malted milk powder, a bolt of fine cotton cloth, two bottles of sorghum liquor, two cans of fruit, two pounds of brown sugar, and two pounds of sponge cake.

Seeing so many things, Tang Xiaorou couldn’t help but say, “You really didn’t need to buy so much.  Besides my mother, there isn’t a single good person in the Tang family.”

On the way back, Tang Xiaorou gave a detailed account of her family’s situation, finally saying, “I plan to have my mother divorce Tang Jian she. So when we go to the army, I’ll take my mother with me.”

Shen Huaixu hadn’t expected Tang Xiaorou’s family to be in such a situation, and was surprised by her courage in wanting her parents to divorce. He couldn’t help but look at her again and said, “Okay, of course, no problem.”

Seeing Shen Huaixu’s immediate agreement, Tang Xiaorou’s impression of him improved, and a smile appeared on her face.

However, when she got home, the smile disappeared completely.

“Where’s my mom?”

Tang Xiaorou searched the house but couldn’t find Qin Xueqiong.  Her face was frosty as she looked at Tang Jianshe.

Tang Jianshe didn’t answer, but pointed at Shen Huaixu and asked, “Who is he?”

“I said, where’s my mother?”

Thinking of all Qin Xueqiong had done for her daughter, Tang Xiaorou was afraid something had happened to her.  Her gaze towards Tang Jianshe was devoid of warmth.

Seeing his daughter ignoring his question and looking at him with such eyes, Tang Jianshe couldn’t help but roll up his sleeves and try to hit her.

Shen Huaixu stepped in front of Tang Xiaorou, his expression stern and commanding. “What are you doing?”

“What’s it to you if I hit my own daughter? Get out of my way!” Tang Jianshe, seeing the tall man in front of him, didn’t dare to charge forward, but could only yell in a blustering manner, “This is our family business, it’s none of your business as an outsider.”

“I’m Tang Xiaorou’s newly married husband, not an outsider, so it is my business.”

“What?!”

Tang Jianshe looked at Shen Huaixu, then at Tang Xiaorou, and sharply asked, “You’re married? When did this happen?” When he discovered that the household register was missing, he knew things were going to be bad. Now, as he expected, Tang Xiaorou, that stinky girl, had casually married someone.

Tang Xiaorou didn’t have the patience to answer Tang Jianshe’s question.  Since she couldn’t find Qin Xueqiong at home, she decided to go to the main house and the big room where her grandparents lived.

Seeing Tang Xiaorou about to leave, Tang Jianshe immediately shouted, “Where do you think you’re going?”

Tang Xiaorou ignored Tang Jianshe and went straight to her grandparents’ main house.

After Shen Huaixu put down his things, he quickly followed.

“Mom, where are you, Mom…”

Tang Xiaorou rushed into the room, but before she could search each room, she was stopped by Grandma Tang.  “What’s all the shouting? Your mother isn’t here.”

However, she soon saw Shen Huaixu, who had followed into the room.  After examining him from head to toe, she asked, “Who are you?”

Tang Jianshe, who had run to catch up, quickly explained, “Mother, he’s the man that Tang Xiaorou, that shameless girl, just got her marriage certificate with. 

The household registration book was indeed stolen by Qin Xueqiong and Tang Xiaorou, mother and daughter, just so Tang Xiaorou could get her marriage certificate.”

Hearing this, Grandma Tang’s face immediately fell, and she stared at Tang Xiaorou and asked, “You really got your marriage certificate?”

Seeing Grandma Tang’s murderous gaze, Tang Xiaorou sneered, “Yes, I’ve already gotten my marriage certificate, so give up on that idea. I’m not going to marry Yang Erzhu.”

Seeing Tang Xiaorou admit it, Grandma Tang couldn’t help herself and took off her shoe to hit her.

“You shameless girl, you actually dared to secretly get your marriage certificate! I’ll beat you to death!”

Shen Huaixu couldn’t hit an elderly woman, so he could only stand in front of Tang Xiaorou to block Grandma Tang.

Tang Xiaorou quickly searched the main house, but still couldn’t find Qin Xueqiong.

Shen Huaixu twitched his ears, looked at Tang Xiaorou, and reminded her, “Go check the courtyard. I heard some noise from over there.”

Tang Xiaorou immediately went to check. There was a utility room in the courtyard. When she opened the door, she saw Qin Xueqiong, her face bruised and her body covered in wounds, tied up hand and foot, with a cloth stuffed in her mouth.

“Mom…”

Seeing Qin Xueqiong like this, Tang Xiaorou’s eyes turned red, followed by a surge of furious anger. She quickly went to untie Qin Xueqiong and removed the cloth from her mouth.

As soon as Qin Xueqiong was free, she pushed Tang Xiaorou outwards.

“Xiaorou, you have to run! I heard your grandmother and your father say that Yang Erzhu will be here today. They plan to send you over early.” 

Seeing her daughter alone, she knew today’s plan hadn’t worked. Ignoring her own injuries, she struggled to push her daughter to run.

Tang Xiaorou quickly grabbed Qin Xueqiong and comforted her, “Mom, don’t worry, I’m already married. They can’t do anything to me.”

“You’re married?”

Qin Xueqiong looked at her in disbelief.

At this moment, Shen Huaixu came over. Tang Xiaorou pulled him over and smilingly introduced him to Qin Xueqiong, “Mom, this is my new husband, Shen Huaixu.”

“He…”

Qin Xueqiong stared blankly at Shen Huaixu, full of confusion. She clearly remembered that the blind date arranged for her daughter was surnamed Song, how did it become Shen?

Before Qin Xueqiong could think further, Grandma Tang and Tang Jianshe had already caught up, followed by the whole family from the eldest branch.

Tang Jianhua and Li Cuilan, the eldest branch’s couple, walked in front, followed by their cousin Tang Xiangdong and cousin Tang Rufang. They curiously looked at Shen Huaixu for a moment, then turned to Tang Xiaorou and asked, “Did you really get your marriage certificate with this man?”

Shen Huaixu frowned at the Tang family, standing in front of Tang Xiaorou and Qin Xueqiong. “Yes, Comrade Tang Xiaorou and I have obtained our marriage certificate and are legally married.”

He then showed them his brand-new marriage certificate, allowing the Tang family to examine it carefully.