25. Daddy protects you
Tang Sizhuo returned home soaking wet and shaking with cold, developing a high fever that evening. Xiao Tong, too anxious to blame the driver or the aunt, rushed her daughter to the hospital. The emergency doctor, after reviewing the blood test results, said the problem wasn't serious and prescribed a three-day IV. After the first injection, Tang Sizhuo broke out in a sweat, and her temperature quickly dropped back to 37°C. Reluctantly, Xiao Tong took the child home, planning to have a good meal at home before returning to the hospital for another injection that afternoon. However, as soon as the drug wore off, Tang Sizhuo's temperature quickly shot back up.
The doctor ordered him to finish the three-day course of medication, but Tang Sizhuo's fever kept coming back and forth, his clothes soaked with sweat even after changing several times a day, and he wasn't conscious. Xiao Tong felt she had pushed Sun Changming too hard recently, and now that he had officially initiated the divorce process, she felt she needed to tread carefully. She had recently been presenting a virtuous and considerate image, but Tang Sizhuo hadn't recovered after a week and even developed symptoms of pneumonia. She had no choice but to contact Sun Changming.
Sun Changming wasn't a native of Jiangming City, but he earned his first fortune there early on. His network of contacts has expanded over time, and he now acquaints himself with prominent figures in various fields. Xiao Tong was distraught and crying on the phone, but Sun Changming remained calm as usual. He listened to her and responded briefly, "Don't worry, I'll find someone to take care of it."
The next day, before rounds began, Xiao Tong was contacted. They claimed they were from one of the best respiratory intensive care units in the country. They asked her to take photos of Tang Sizhuo's medical records and test results and send them over, so someone could come check on him later. Not long after, the doctor who was making rounds arrived. He was replaced by the deputy director of the respiratory department. After thorough questioning, he adjusted the prescription. Sure enough, his temperature dropped that day and never rose above 38.5°C again.
Tang Sizhuo barely exercised, ate poorly, and was in very poor health. She was barely discharged after more than half a month. In June, the temperature remained high, and everyone was wearing short-sleeved shirts and shorts, but she still felt the cold. Even wrapped tightly in her coat, she couldn't sweat a drop. Sun Changming, returning from a trip, saw Tang Sizhuo's emaciated appearance and first scolded the driver, then criticized Xiao Tong for not paying attention. The weather in late spring and early summer is unpredictable, and a young girl is more susceptible to illness. Why did she let someone get caught in the rain?
Tang Sizhuo curled up in his arms. She was in a state of distress, everything seemed to be shrouded in glass, unable to distinguish between dreams and reality. The events of those three days seemed to have been erased from her memory. Even when she occasionally recalled fragments, they were like plots from a story. No matter how vivid the sounds and images were, her heart was as still as a pool of stagnant water.
It's normal for a young child to experience depression due to prolonged discomfort. The doctor had explained this beforehand, so Xiao Tong didn't ask any further questions and granted her leave until the end of June. She only needed to return for final exams before summer vacation to avoid affecting her pre-admission status. Previously, Xiao Tong had been reluctant to let Tang Sizhuo go out, fearing she'd get a tan or bruises. But after her serious illness, even her mother's attempts to dissuade her hadn't given her the allure of going out, and she'd become even less talkative.
After a dazed final exam, Tang Sizhuo walked to the school gate and suddenly remembered Zeng Xiasheng. He had been her only friend, and they had been the happiest times of her life for over a decade. But along with that memory, he had become a character in a story, long forgotten.
Sun Changming personally drove to pick them up. His Mercedes-Benz, its paint polished to a gleaming shine, was parked proudly at the school gate. He paid no attention to the whispers of the surrounding parents. He spotted a few acquaintances in the crowd and struck up a conversation.
Tang Sizhuo walked over and saw him talking to someone, so she stood by without saying a word. Sun Changming caught sight of her and pulled her into his arms, ruffling her hair. He sighed helplessly, "Our eldest daughter has just recovered from a serious illness, so I'm going to take her home first. Excuse me. It's okay, I just happened to be planning to come back for some business, and there will be plenty of opportunities for us to get together."
In the car were cream puffs and strawberry cakes bought by Sun Changming, things he loved to use to please the little girl, things that Xiao Tong strictly controlled. Tang Sizhuo sat in the passenger seat, holding the cake in his hands and symbolically taking two bites. He heard him ask where he wanted to go for summer vacation.
"There's an indoor tennis stadium just built on the outskirts of town. The conditions are pretty good. Are you interested? I'll take you there and teach you."
After that, without waiting for Tang Sizhuo's answer, he patted her shoulder and advised, "Go and try it. If you don't like it, then don't go. Running and jumping, sweating a little will make you feel better."
If he weren't there, Xiao Tong would never have agreed to Tang Sizhuo's sports training. She always bought her daughter's clothes in the smallest size, always saying that it was because she walked mountain roads and did farm work as a child that her thighs were strong and her fingers were rough, and they didn't look good in skirts or rings.
Tang Sizhuo remained silent. Her mind was futile, and she didn't want to think about it. She simply accepted whatever others said. Even if Xiao Tong wasn't happy with Sun Changming's idea, she could only keep it to herself.
After the holiday, before she even started, Sun Changming took her to buy a bunch of equipment, including a professional-grade tennis racket and several pure white tennis skirts. Tang Sizhuo's breasts were still developing, and she was still unfamiliar with her body curves. The light-colored, tight-fitting tennis skirts made her feel uncomfortable. However, the store clerk praised her highly, and Sun Changming even said that tennis was originally a royal sport, and that wearing white made her look noble and princess-like. Tang Sizhu blushed to the roots of her neck, and she couldn't find a reason to refuse. She changed into the clothes and went to the tennis court with him the next day.
Unlike the open-air tennis courts in the school park, this one was a membership-based one, primarily offering high-end private instruction, either one-on-one or two-on-one. Tang Sizhuo, led inside by Sun Changming, noticed many children her age, most of them dressed in pure white. Sun Changming was a skilled tennis player, albeit a wild one. After helping her learn to swing for a while, he jokingly said, "I'm here to distract the coach, but I'm afraid he'll lead you astray. Take your time learning, and I'll go see if there's any drinks or desserts you'd like."
Tang Sizhuo's stamina couldn't keep up, and her arms soon ached, becoming so heavy she could barely lift them. Yet the pain seemed more than just pain; it felt like a wave surging from deeper within, like magma being animated, scorching and burning, flowing through the deep, narrow cracks of the earth's crust. She kept running and jumping, gritting her teeth to fling her nearly numb forearms, and surprisingly, she felt a light, floating joy in the illusion of exhaustion.
It turns out that pain has a bottom, and if it is transferred to the body, it will not continue to torment the heart.
The coach knew she was a beginner and told her not to push herself and to rest if she couldn't hold on any longer. But Tang Sizhuo remained silent. Only when her lips turned pale and her legs trembled did the coach notice and force her to stop.
Tang Sizhuo was sitting on a bench at the edge of the field when she heard Sun Changming's laughter coming from the next room. As it got closer, she saw a neat, capable woman with a high ponytail talking to Sun Changming. Next to them was a sweaty boy, probably a little older than her, who had probably just finished a private lesson.
Sun Changming waved at Tang Sizhuo, then turned to complain to the woman, "Our child is very strict with her mother. She's shy and can't do anything by herself. She's shy and can't ask others to accompany her. Several projects here are just starting to take off, and I have to run around everywhere. It's hard to find time, and it's a real headache."
The woman glanced sideways at Tang Sizhuo, her expression gradually shifting from scrutiny to admiration. She was very pleased with her well-behaved and quiet demeanor, and smiled, "No problem. Bowen just transferred here to study, so it's closer to home. I'll ask him to play with my sister from now on. What's Xiaotong been doing lately? I haven't seen her in a while, so why not ask her to come along? We can go have some tea and chat after playing ball."
The boy was not happy and made a tut sound. The woman slapped him lightly and said angrily, "Look how obedient the girl is, and you are like a naughty monkey. You don't know what's good for you at your age. Later, other boys will line up to play with the girl, and you won't be able to get her even if you ask you to."
Tang Sizhuo was so exhausted she couldn't process their words, nor did she bother to think deeply about them. She simply followed their instructions. Her vacant gaze finally settled on the boy's forearm, adorned with a sweat-absorbing wrist guard. He'd clearly trained hard; the muscles were clearly visible when he flexed his arm.
Zeng Xiasheng's arms were also very strong. It was unknown where he'd trained them, but he probably hadn't practiced them intentionally. After all, he used them to wash clothes, transport goods, disassemble parts, and help carry her schoolbag when she had too much practice with the new school books. He didn't wear a wrist guard, but the skin on his left wrist was remarkably white. Tang Sizhu had initially found it odd, but he explained that he used to wrap a towel around his wrist to wipe away sweat while working.
It was clearly just an unconscious association in his brain, and he didn't feel sad at all. However, when he felt a chill on the back of his hand, Tang Sizhuo lowered his head and realized that he was crying.
Just a single drop, yet it became the precursor to a magma eruption. The pain that had been transferred back instantly surged back, overwhelming her. She could no longer sit up straight, and hunched over.
Seeing that she could barely sit still, Sun Changming assumed she was exhausted and ended the class early to take her home. He was in a good mood, first praising Tang Sizhuo for her courage to try, then encouraging her to make more friends. He didn't even bother with her sweaty clothes, and asked her to rest on his lap in the back seat.
Tang Sizhuo couldn't recall ever having such closeness with his father. Even when he wasn't arguing with Xiao Tong, Tang Jiahua's conversations with her were routine: a greeting twice a day, a weekly reminder to take care of her health, and a monthly inquiry about her academic performance. At the time, Xiao Tong said her father wasn't happy because she wasn't a boy, so she had to study hard and become better than boys.
Sun Changming also always says that she is not a boy, but his tone is very different. The next sentence will be, "She must be raised to be pampered."
Unlike Tang Jiahua, he doesn't have a stern face when speaking. Instead, he is generous and gentle, and likes to let his daughter lean on his arms.
Tang Sizhu felt a little sleepy under his caress and called him softly, "Dad."
"Yeah. What's wrong?"
"I want to transfer schools." she said suddenly.
Sun Changming was stunned, then lowered his head to look at her.
Tang Sizhuo regretted his words the moment they came out. He simply had to go to school and repeat his elementary school days, which was better than being hounded by his parents. Unexpectedly, Sun Changming didn't ask anything, but immediately replied, "Okay," before saying, "Are you being bullied at school because of jealousy?"
It was a question, but he never needed an answer. He continued to himself, "My daughter is so beautiful, good at everything, and not too ostentatious, so she's likely to be ostracized by her classmates. Don't worry, Daddy will protect you."
Tang Sizhuo was stunned for a moment, tears suddenly welling up in her eyes. Sun Changming gently wiped them away and scratched her nose.
"Dad will not leave this time when he comes back. No one will be able to bully you in the future."
He kept his word and really did not leave Jiang Ming during the entire holiday. Although he still ran around outside during the day, he would always come back in the evening to have dinner with the mother and daughter, and often squeezed out time to accompany Tang Sizhuo to tennis lessons.
After days of calm, his brain finally slowly processed the overload of emotions, and Tang Sizhuo began to think of Zeng Xiasheng more and more frequently.
Zhang Bowen felt that she was holding him back and was not willing to play with her at all. During practice, he would deliberately hit the ball to the sides of the court, forcing her to go down to rest breathlessly within less than 10 to 20 minutes of the start of the game. She could only sit on the sidelines and watch him play with his new partner.
If Zeng Xiasheng had accompanied her in practicing, this would definitely not have happened.
When he taught her to play marbles in the grove before, she clearly couldn't hit any of them, but he would find all kinds of excuses, saying that this time didn't count, that time didn't count, and asked her to try again.
Tang Sizhuo sat by the window at night, buried his head in the teddy bear, and smelled the familiar furry scent, feeling more and more lost and depressed.
It was her failure to explain clearly when the teacher asked, her cowardice and hesitation that led to the consequences. He had done nothing wrong, yet she unilaterally ignored him, even vaguely embroiled in rumors of premature love, becoming known as her lover who was involved in gang activities outside of school.
I want to find him, but I don't dare to see him.
She was afraid that Zeng Xiasheng would be extremely disappointed and regret having her as a friend.
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