Chapter 23 - "She walked right passed you like you are a pile of s**t." (4)
Tong Xuelu could not have looked more solemn. “They would feel that the Tong family was abusing their power! Mom and Dad will be retiring soon so that would affect you much. But what about my brothers and their wives? They are still young. Do you think they will still get promoted at work with that kind of a label?”
The Tong family seemed to get what she was getting at now.
All of the Tong family members were government workers but they were very high up. In particular, Father Tong was about to retire but neither of the two Tong brothers were outstanding at work.
With a label like that, they would never be promoted for the rest of their careers.
They might even be demoted.
Cai Chunlan changed her tone immediately and said emotionally, “Oh my gosh. Don’t go retracting your report then, Little Sister!”
As much as she disliked Tong Xuelu more so than Tong Zhenzhen but, when her husband and her own gains were in harm’s way, naturally she chose to sacrifice Tong Zhenzhen.
Second Brother Tong and Chen Yueling felt the same way; they just didn’t say that out loud.
Father and Mother Tong exchanged a look and their hearts sank more and their feelings more complicated.
The living room was so quiet that it was somewhat awkward.
Tong Xuelu ignored Cai Chunlan but also didn’t keep on talking.
She had said what she needed to. There were not need to more.
She could understand that Tong Zhenzhen’s hate toward the original owner. Had she had gone after her, at most she would just have taught her a lesson.
Tong Zhenzhen’s mistake was that she went after Tong Mianmian.
Child abuse happens either 0 times or many times.
She couldn’t risk having someone so dangerous around. Tong Zhenzhen just might go after the Tong’s siblings again someday.
She must have Tong Zhenzhen sent to the farms.
After having lunch at the Tong’s, Tong Xuelu headed back to County Yanqing with Tong Mianmian, bringing with them a lot of compensation that the Tong family had given to Tong Mianmian.
Two persons walked toward them on their way out of the courtyard.
When it rains, it pours.
They were Fang Wenyuan and Fang Jingyuan siblings.
Fang Wenyuan frowned a little reflexively when he saw Tong Xuelu.
Thinking about his awful experience from the morning, he only wished that he would never run into this woman again for the rest of his life!
Except that his mother told him a million times that he must thank Tong Xuelu in person.
Having thought of that, he took a deep breath and said, “Tong––“
Before he was even done talking, Tong Xuelu walked straight passed him.
It was as though she hadn’t seen hi at all.
Fang Wenyuan, “……”
Fang Jingyuan, “See, Big Brother, I wasn’t kidding. Tong Xuelu didn’t even bother looking at you. She walked right passed you, like…… you are nothing but a pile of dog poop.”
“…………”
It was quite a bit of distance from the bus stop to their living quarters. Tong Xuelu, carrying all the stuff in her hands, was exhausted like a dog.
She missed modern transportation and the convenience of going places a lot.
It looked like she would need to work hard on making money. Even if she couldn’t buy a car anytime soon, she could at least get herself a bicycle.
“Oh, you are aback, Xuelu?” said Aunty Cai to Tong Xuelu loudly when she spotted Tong Xuelu walking into the compound.
Tong Xuelu smiled and nodded. “Yeah, Aunty Cai. I spent a night over at my adoptive parent’s place. They didn’t want me to leave so soon but I worry about Jiaming and Jiaxin.”
Aunty Cai had a look of relief. “They are so lucky to have a sister like you! But I am glad you came back. If you don’t come back soon, who knows what kind of rumors others will be spreading about you!”
Tong Xuelu left after just being back for one day so many had all kinds of speculations after founding out that she was gone.
Some said that Tong Xuelu had taken off because she couldn’t handle the hardship; others said that she was only back to take away Tong Mianmian. Tong Mianmian had always been a pretty one, and there were plenty of market for a girl like her.
Aunty Cai got into fights with these people after she had heard that.
As such, how could she not sing out loud when Tong Xuelu had returned?
___