Chapter 274 (First and Second Updates) The man wanted to eat the childless...

The day before Grandpa Shen was to arrive in Shenzhen, Tang Mingli and her family were discussing which hotel to book for him when she received a call from Tang Jianguo.

"Mingli, are you free right now?"

The tone sounded off, so Tang Mingli quickly said she was free.

"Could you come to the clothing store when you have time? I'm worried something might have happened to your sister."

What happened to my cousin?

Tang Mingli wanted to ask more questions, but she knew that asking now would only waste time, so she said to the uncle on the other end of the phone, "Okay, I'll be right there."

After hanging up the phone, Tang Mingli said to her mother-in-law and grandmother, "My sister has something to take care of, so I have to go over there."

Upon hearing that Tang Mingmei was in trouble, both Madam Fu and Old Madam Fu were very concerned.

As Mrs. Fu stood up, she asked, "Did you say what it was about?"

"No, but you sounded quite anxious, so I'll go over there."

"Yes, I'll feel more at ease if I go and take a look. But don't rush, drive carefully on the road."

Although Fu's mother cared about Tang Mingmei, she cared even more about her daughter-in-law.

Tang Mingli nodded and smiled, "Don't worry, I'm an old hand at this."

Fu's mother wanted to say that accidents often happen to experienced drivers, but she didn't want to say such unlucky things, so she could only remind her daughter-in-law to drive carefully again.

After changing her shoes, Tang Mingli stopped joking around and, not wanting her family to worry, seriously replied, "Okay, don't worry, I'll drive carefully."

Once outside, Tang Mingli could no longer hide her anxiety, and she pressed the elevator button a few more times.

Upon arriving on the first floor, as soon as the elevator doors opened, I happened to run into He Xiaojuan, who was downstairs, preparing to go upstairs.

Since her setback with Tang Mingli, He Xiaojuan rarely went to the Fu family, but she would still greet them warmly if they bumped into each other occasionally.

This time, she only managed to ask, "Going out?"

Tang Mingli nodded and hummed in agreement, then walked away like a gust of wind.

He Xiaojuan's smile froze on her face. She couldn't believe that Tang Mingli hated her to this extent, and her eyes suddenly reddened.

She must really be very annoying, which is why her husband, family, friends, and even neighbors all dislike her.

Tang Mingli, who was in a hurry to get to her cousin's place, was unaware that He Xiaojuan had already imagined such a dramatic scene.

But even if she knew, she wouldn't care.

As people reach middle age, they become less likely to be enthusiastic towards everyone.

Besides, she wasn't exactly a warm-hearted person to begin with.

Driving to the commercial district where her cousin lived, Tang Mingli realized it had been far too long since she had shopped there. In just two years, the area had become so bustling that it was difficult to find a parking spot.

After circling around several times, she finally managed to find a so-called parking space.

The reason I say "so-called" is because there are no parking spaces marked, but everyone assumes that cars can park there.

After parking her car, Tang Mingli checked the time and realized that an hour had passed since her uncle called her.

Too much time was wasted on parking.

On her way to her cousin's clothing store, Tang Mingli saw several fruit stalls and stopped to buy a bag of fruit.

Upon arriving at the clothing store, I only saw two sales clerks attending to customers.

One of the shop assistants recognized her. When he saw her coming, he greeted her with a smile and told her, "The boss's wife is in the warehouse."

The clothing store's warehouse is actually on the second floor.

Tang Mingli placed the fruit she had bought on the cashier's counter and said to the two of them, "Have some fruit when you're done. I'll go upstairs to find your boss."

The shop assistant who had just spoken to Tang Mingli said, "How could I possibly accept this?"

"I bought this for everyone to eat, so please don't be shy."

After saying that, she smiled, turned around, pushed open a small door, and went upstairs.

The two shop assistants turned their attention back to the customers, but these customers ultimately didn't find anything they liked and left quickly.

The two were not discouraged by not making a sale; instead, they excitedly ran to the cashier and opened the bag containing the fruit.

The shop assistant who had met Tang Mingli told another shop assistant, "Every time the boss's cousin comes over, she brings some fruit and snacks. She really loves buying things, and the fruit and snacks she brings are always delicious."

Another shop assistant looked at the bag of fruit and said, "These fruits aren't cheap, are they?"

She wouldn't even buy cherries like these to eat.

"This one bag alone might cost over a hundred yuan."

Expensive food can't be bad, right?

Hearing this, another person sighed with envy, "Buying such expensive things without batting an eye, our boss's cousin must be very rich."

“Although I arrived more than a year earlier than you, the landlady rarely talks to us about her family. But I reckon that the landlady’s cousin is richer than our landlady.”

"Yes, if we didn't have money, how could we bear to buy such expensive things every time we come?"

"Just this reason?"

"Otherwise what?"

"Didn't you notice her outfit?"

The new employee, who was being questioned, tried hard to recall what the boss's cousin was wearing. Although he couldn't tell what brand it was, the quality was indeed very good.

She nodded: "You're dressed very well."

However, the sales clerks who had been there longer asked, "Is it just because you're dressed nicely?"

"what else?"

Upon hearing this, the other person couldn't help but shake their head: "Those of us in this line of work should be good at observing. Didn't you notice? The jade pendant that the boss's cousin is wearing is so lustrous and translucent; it's obviously not cheap."

The shop assistant who was being criticized chuckled and defended himself, saying, "I don't know anything about jade."

"Those of us in this line of work need to understand these things. As the saying goes, 'Buddha is adorned with gold, and people are made by their clothes,' these things can help us judge a customer's spending power."

"You make a good point." The man was convinced, but ordinary people don't have access to jade, so how can they learn about it?

"Isn't that simple? There are several gold shops on this street. Go and browse around when you have time. The more you see, the more you'll naturally learn about them."

Upon hearing this, the man had a look of sudden realization. "You really have a way with things. No wonder you're valued by the boss's wife."

The man snorted and honestly said, "Actually, this method was taught to me by the boss's cousin."

The new employee exclaimed in surprise, "The boss's cousin is quite clever!"

The veteran employee was amused by this remark, saying, "After getting to know her a few more times, you'll realize that the boss's cousin is more than just smart."

The two paused their conversation, took some fruit from the bag, wiped it with tissues, and started eating.

Expensive things really do taste good.

-

Meanwhile, Tang Mingli went up to the second-floor warehouse.

Upon arriving, I saw Tang Mingmei sitting blankly on a pile of clothes, not even noticing that I had come up there.

Judging from this appearance, something is definitely not right.

"sister."

Tang Mingli slowed her pace and called out, "Sister."

Upon hearing the sound, Tang Mingmei abruptly raised her head.

Why did you come here?

Tang Mingli certainly wasn't tipped off by her uncle; she simply smiled and said, "Can't I come and see for myself?"

"Of course, it's just too much of a coincidence."

"Coincidence what?"

Tang Mingmei's smile froze as she realized she had dug a hole for herself.

Can she say it?

Her father had just arrived and, seeing her disheveled state, turned around to find her cousin, who had been too busy to go shopping in a long time, standing there.

All of this was too much of a coincidence, so much so that she couldn't help but wonder if her father had told her about her crying.

While struggling with her inner conflict, Tang Mingli also put away her playful tone and told her seriously, "Actually, I received a call from my uncle."

really.

Tang Mingmei smiled bitterly, "He told you everything? Actually, I'm fine, really fine, I'll be fine after a good cry."

When Tang Mingli heard her cry, she immediately realized that things might indeed be a bit serious.

She didn't mention that her uncle hadn't said much on the phone, but instead went along with it, saying, "Sister, what happened? Can you tell me?"

Tang Mingmei originally didn't plan to tell anyone about this, but now that her cousin was asking her with such concern, she began to waver.

Perhaps it was too tiring to bear it all alone, so Tang Mingmei finally spoke up.

"I broke up with Xiao Xu."

Xiao Xu is her boyfriend, who is several years younger than her.

Tang Mingli was quite surprised, as her cousin and her boyfriend had been together for quite some time and their relationship had always been very good.

Although there were no plans to get married, there was really no indication that they intended to break up.

Tang Mingli subconsciously guessed: "Did he suggest it?"

No, I suggested it.

My cousin broke up with me, but I'm still so heartbroken. Could it be...?

"He cheated on me?"

Tang Mingmei shook her head: "No."

Tang Mingli really couldn't guess. Feelings are too unpredictable, and she didn't have much experience with them.

"Sis, I really can't guess why you broke up, but I think something must have happened for you to be so heartbroken."

Tang Mingmei sighed and told her cousin some news that would definitely shock her.

"Xiao Xu used to have a son."

"What?"

Tang Mingli was indeed very shocked.

My cousin's boyfriend isn't married, is he?

Is he a scumbag who has a wife in the countryside but found another one in the city?

Tang Mingmei couldn't answer her cousin's question.

"I don't know if he has a wife in the countryside. He said he's not married and the child was an accident."

"Heh, he says it was an accident? Does a child just spring out of a rock? They already have a child, and he's still saying it wasn't cheating."

At this point, Tang Mingli still believed that the scumbag's child was conceived with another woman after he was with her cousin.

It wasn't until Tang Mingmei told her, "The child is already six years old," that she understood.

"Six years old?"

Tang Mingli was dumbfounded. Although she didn't know how long her cousin had been with him, she was sure it hadn't been six years.

Could it be that my cousin was cheated on?

This also angered Tang Mingli.

"It's good to break up with a man like that; don't be sad for him."

"I'm not sad for him, I'm sad for myself." As she spoke, Tang Mingmei was about to cry again. "Why am I so unlucky? I just can't seem to meet a good man. First there was Li Dazhu, then Xiao Xu. Why am I so unlucky?"

Tang Mingli didn't have any tissues with her, so she couldn't wipe away Tang Mingli's tears.

Fortunately, after looking around, I found some in the warehouse, so I quickly took the half-used tissue from my bag and handed it to my cousin, comforting her.

"Sister, it's not that you're unlucky, it's that most women in the world are unlucky. Nine out of ten men are jerks, encountering a jerk is the norm, and meeting a good man is a stroke of luck with a probability even smaller than winning the lottery."

Tang Mingmei felt like crying and laughing at the same time, and retorted, "But aren't my dad, Fu Ci, and your father-in-law all good men too?"

“Fu Ci is a good man, and as his wife, I feel I have the right to judge. I admit I was incredibly lucky to marry such a good man. But as for whether my uncle and father-in-law are good men, only their wives have the right to judge. What we outsiders see may not be the whole story.”

These words reminded Tang Mingmei of something.

When she was little, her mother often cried in front of her, saying that her father was no good in this way or that way.

Yes, the good man she thought he was had actually made his wife shed many tears.

Tang Mingli continued to comfort her: "Sister, it's not that you're unlucky, it's just that there are too few good men in this world, so few that if you go out with a man, there's a high probability that you'll encounter a scumbag. So try to be more open-minded and don't blame yourself or waste your energy. Breaking up with him after finding out he has such a big son was a very decisive and excellent decision."

Tang Mingmei, who was praised, smiled through her tears: "Actually, there's another reason."

Speaking of this reason, Tang Mingmei gritted her teeth.

Discovering that the other party had a son was also an accident. When they went to his rented house to find him, they unexpectedly found that the door was not closed and overheard the conversation between the two people inside.

“Son, you must be good. Once your father and this auntie get married, all her assets will go to her.”

"Why is it mine?"

“She only had one daughter, and she made it clear that she would never have any more. Her daughter will eventually marry and belong to another family. Once I marry her, you will be her son, one of our own. Why would we give the family property to our daughter, an outsider?”

Tang Mingmei was furious when she heard this.

Oh, so they were already plotting to seize her family fortune.

Enraged, Tang Mingmei kicked the door open.

The other person turned pale upon seeing her and stammered, "W-when did you arrive?"

Tang Mingmei gritted her teeth: "Not too early, not too late, I just happened to overhear your conversation."

The scumbag tried to argue, "It's not what you think."

"What did I think?" Tang Mingmei sneered. "How come I never knew you were so prone to wild fantasies? You actually said that my daughter, who is related to me by blood, is an outsider, while your son, who has absolutely no relation to me, is family? Where does your confidence come from?"

Tang Mingmei grew angrier as she spoke, and grabbed something from the table and threw it at the scumbag.

Although the scumbag's face turned pale, it didn't stop him from nimbly dodging.

Unfortunately, Tang Mingmei grabbed a cup, which ended up smashing against the wall and breaking.

The shards were scattered everywhere, almost cutting his precious son.

Even the usually good-tempered scumbag got angry and said to Tang Mingmei, "Be angry, but don't hurt the child."

A huge hat was put on it.

Enraged, Tang Mingmei smashed the items again.

The child may have never seen such a scene before, and was so frightened that he cried loudly.

The crying brought Tang Mingmei back to her senses, and she finally stopped doing chores.

At this moment, what she most wants to confirm with the scumbag is whether she unknowingly destroyed someone else's family.

Upon hearing this, the scumbag assumed she still had feelings for him and quickly said, "No, no, I wasn't married. The child was an accident."

What a surprise!

Tang Mingmei felt she had been blind; how could she not have realized before that this man was also a heartless and ungrateful scoundrel?

So he broke up with her on the spot.

Even though I was the one who initiated the breakup, how could I not care after something like this happened?

She was walking down the street when she burst into tears.

Unfortunately, on her way back to the shop crying, she was bumped into by her father who came to bring her food, which may have shown her her most disheveled state.

After hearing her cousin's account of what happened, Tang Mingli was also furious.

"You can know a person's face but not their heart. How can there be such a person? Seeing that someone only has one daughter, he can't help but take advantage of her."

"Eating offspring with no descendants?"

Upon hearing this, Tang Mingmei was stunned for a long time.

She hadn't heard the word in a very, very long time, but even after a long time, she would still remember when she last heard it when she heard it again.

At that time, she hadn't even started elementary school yet. She overheard several aunties from the same compound chatting about a local landlord who had only a daughter and had no sons. Later, his entire fortune was swallowed up by his son-in-law.

It was during that time that she first heard the term "eating off one's own children" from several of her aunts.

I had only heard about it from other people before, but I never thought it would happen to me.

Tang Mingmei was so angry she gritted her teeth.

Fortunately, she was determined not to get married again. Even if things went worse, it would just be a breakup and a period of heartbreak.

If you get married, you might suffer a lot.

After what happened with Xiao Xu, Tang Mingmei became even more determined not to get married.

At the same time, she also began to think that when her daughter grows up, she must teach her to choose a partner wisely.

Even if you don't look for them, don't look for someone with bad intentions who wants to devour them, mother and daughter.

-

Tang Mingli stayed at the shop for several hours, chatting with Tang Mingmei until her mood improved before leaving.

Back in the neighborhood, she didn't go home immediately, but went to her uncle's house to tell him that everything was alright.

Tang Jianguo knew his niece would never lie to him, and his anxiety finally subsided.

His wife left him, leaving him only with his daughter and granddaughter.

His granddaughter is still young, and he is getting old. What will they do if something really happens to his girlfriend?

Now that he was relieved, he still couldn't help but ask his niece, "Why was your sister crying like that? Did Xiao Xu bully her?"

Tang Mingli thought for a moment and said, "I can't say too much in detail. I can only tell you that they broke up. My sister cried because she was heartbroken, but she's fine now. She's not actually reluctant to let go of Xiao Xu; she just needs some time to process it."

After saying that, she comforted her uncle, "Don't worry, my sister is strong."

Tang Jianguo smiled, but felt incredibly bitter inside.

He knew, of course, that his daughter was strong, but it was precisely because she was so strong that he was even more worried.

But it's good that you're alright, it's good that you're alright.

If his daughter comes back and wants to talk, she can; if she doesn't, he'll pretend he doesn't know. As long as his daughter is alright, that's all that matters.

His daughter probably didn't want to tell her father many things, so he could only ask his niece to take good care of her during this time.

Tang Mingli smiled and replied, "Don't worry, I will."

This was not a perfunctory remark.

Putting aside my cousin's matter for now, I need to think carefully about what Grandpa Chen will do when he comes to receive us tomorrow.

Tang Mingli returned home.

My mother-in-law and father-in-law have already gone to pick up the child, but Fu Ci, who should have been at the company, has returned.

She asked with a smile, "Why are you back so early today?"

Fu Ci stepped forward, took his wife's bag and put it away before replying, "Grandpa Chen is coming tomorrow, so of course I have to get off work early."

Tang Mingli apologized to him: "I'm sorry, something happened with my cousin, and I couldn't get the hotel booking done properly, which was supposed to be my responsibility."

Fu Ci laughed and said, "Silly girl, what's there to apologize for? There's still plenty of time." Then she asked, "How's your cousin doing?"

"It's alright, it's nothing serious."

Even in Tang Mingli's view, seeing the true colors of the scumbag was a good thing, even though she would be sad and upset for a while.

"That's good."

Since he had nothing else to do, he discussed important matters with his wife and told her about the hotel he was interested in.

Tang Mingli was very relieved that Fu Ci was handling the matter.

Moreover, having worked in the business world, he must frequently entertain guests and is certainly more knowledgeable about hotels, restaurants, and even entertainment venues than she is.

Fu Ci smiled to himself, thinking to himself that it was good that he was of good character, otherwise he would have felt guilty to death if he heard the words "entertainment venue".

"And about meals..."

He then mentioned a few more places.

Tang Mingli simply decided to relinquish her responsibilities and said, "I'll do whatever you say."

He then joked with his grandmother, "Look, with a reliable man, you don't have to worry about anything."

Madam Fu was amused and laughed heartily, agreeing wholeheartedly, "Indeed, Aci is too reliable."

Once the only thing to worry about was settled, Old Madam Fu actually started to get nervous.

That's true. It's normal to feel nervous when old friends who haven't seen each other for decades meet again at an age when they're both gray-haired.

I haven't been sleeping well these past two nights because I've been excited, and I don't know if that's why I look unwell.

The more Madam Fu thought about it, the more worried she became. She asked Tang Mingli, "Mingli, do I look a little unwell?"

Tang Mingli looked her over carefully and thought that her grandmother was in high spirits and looked to be in very good condition. So she said, "No, Grandma's complexion is rosy and she looks very energetic."

"Really?" Old Madam Fu seemed a little unsure. "I barely slept last night and the night before. I even dreamt about telling your grandfather this good news."

These words left Fu Ci and Tang Mingli speechless, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

That won't do.

Tang Mingli told her grandmother, "You must get a good night's sleep tonight, otherwise you definitely won't be energetic tomorrow."

Madam Fu was also worried about this, but the more excited she was, the less she could sleep.

However, not wanting her two children to worry, she nodded anyway.

"I understand, I should definitely get a good night's sleep tonight."

But in the end, this was all just talk. That night, Madam Fu slept even worse than the previous two nights.

Fortunately, even the most difficult times will eventually pass.

Finally, dawn broke amidst anxious anticipation.

For Madam Fu, the dawn of this day held a different meaning.

She didn't know how to describe the feeling of watching the sky gradually brighten today; it was as if a sun was rising in her heart as well.

Madam Fu, who got up the earliest, not only got herself ready early, but also tidied up the living room.

Just as she was about to make breakfast, her mother got up.

Seeing her mother-in-law reaching for the pots and pans, she quickly stepped forward and whispered, "Mom, are you hungry? I'll cook breakfast."

As he spoke, he snatched the pot from her hand.

Madam Fu had no choice but to let go, and said with a smile, "I'm not hungry, I just wanted to cook you breakfast."

"Oh my god, Owen, how old are you? Leave this to me, the young one."

"Alright, alright, I'll leave it to you."

Madam Fu had no choice but to give up the kitchen, but after sitting in the living room for a while, she couldn't sit still and simply stood up again.

Seeing this, Fu's mother hurriedly asked, "Mom, what are you planning to do now?"

Madam Fu was both amused and exasperated.

"I need to use the restroom."

Now it was Mrs. Fu's turn to be both amused and exasperated.

-----------------------

Author's Note: I think updating too close to midnight last night caused a common problem on Jinjiang (a Chinese online literature platform). This story was supposed to be 6150 words, but the stutter resulted in a 100-word loss. It also caused several dozen words to be repeated. Sorry! [Laughing and crying with facepalm]