Chapter 33
It was Cheng Xiangqian who suggested that his cousin come to the city as well.
Cheng Xiangqian's two younger brothers, after getting married, each started their own business and thrived, needing no help from Tao Zhi and the others. Of his three younger sisters, Cheng Xiangmei, needless to say, enjoyed a life of ease and prosperity. Cheng Xianghong was a quiet, reserved scholar, never leaving the house, preferring to stay home and live a peaceful life. Cheng Xiangyan married far away, on a large farm. It was said that the farm was rich in resources, but a trip there was difficult, and no matter how far she went, she was out of reach.
The only family still close to him was his second uncle's. His cousin and his wife worked as farmers, earning little. Since the kindergarten was being built, there were jobs available, and since Cheng Dachuan had already arrived, Cheng Xiangqian thought of his cousin, Cheng Xiangning.
Tao Zhi had a feeling that this wouldn't be easy to accomplish, but she wouldn't pour cold water on others.
The next morning, Cheng Dachuan started dialing. He had made it clear with the store yesterday that his parents would be waiting there.
As soon as the phone was connected: "Mom and Dad, uncle wants to ask you if you want to come to the city to work?"
Cheng Xiangning's first question was: "What about your grandparents?"
Cheng Dachuan was stunned. He had never thought about this question.
He thought quickly, "It's hard to explain over the phone. Why don't you come over and talk to Uncle and the others in person?"
"Ask your grandparents first. Once they agree, come and ask me."
With a click, the phone was hung up. Cheng Xiangning even scolded Cheng Dashan: "You've grown so big for nothing, and you're just wasting phone bills.
The old couple had already returned to their room. Cheng Dachuan put down the phone and then realized that he was only concerned with his own happiness and completely ignored the feelings of his grandparents.
Cheng Dachuan looked at his uncle, and the old man looked at Tao Zhi. Tao Zhi surrendered and said, "I'm really impressed by you. Go ask my second uncle and second aunt."
The two men then knocked on the guest room door and pushed it open without waiting for the two elders to respond.
The door was not closed yet, and Cheng Dachuan's loud voice could be heard faintly: "Grandma, why are you crying?"
Tao Zhi shook his head, opened the door and walked out, not wanting to listen to the lawsuit between the grandfather and grandson.
Coincidentally, she had just sat down in the garden and brewed her first cup of tea when Wen Xu came to her.
After he sat down, he gulped down two cups of tea, wiped his mouth and said, "Auntie, I'm glad I did my job well."
Tao Zhi looked at his expression and waited quietly for him to speak.
"There are four people in total, all girls, one is the leader, two are supporting, and one is forced."
"The leading one is Guo Ying, the supporting ones are Wang Yu and Li Hui, and the one who was forced is Zhang Qianqian."
"Let's start with Zhang Qianqian. She was admitted to the No. 3 Middle School in the county. She'd always maintained good grades, despite her poor family background. She even received a scholarship from the school. She'd bumped into Guo Ying, noticed she was wearing tattered clothes and kept her head down all day, and bullied her because she felt a sense of accomplishment. Her submissiveness fueled Guo Ying's arrogance. But when he realized she didn't fight back, Guo Ying got bored and started using her for odd jobs like running errands and running errands. Zhang Qianqian didn't dare not participate, but she didn't dare bully anyone either."
"Next, let's talk about Wang Yu. Her father was a factory worker, tall and violent, and her mother is nowhere to be found. She had no one to take care of her since she was little. Whenever her father was unhappy, he would either beat or scold her, never showing her any kindness. She had to help with housework since she was young, so she developed a very strong physique. Influenced by her father, she believed in letting her fists do the talking."
"Li Hui's family is in business and has some assets. She's close to Guo Ying's father. She and Guo Ying are together, probably because of her family's instructions."
"Guo Ying, the ringleader, has a father who is a department-level official and a mother who works at the district education bureau. Both were busy with work, so Guo Ying was raised by a nanny, and she's been bossy since she was a child. A similar incident actually happened to her when she was in junior high. The victim's parents refused to give in, and there was quite a commotion at the time, but the Guo family ultimately suppressed the situation. They didn't even offer an apology, let alone compensation, and the matter ultimately went unresolved. The student later transferred to another school, and her family was significantly affected."
Tao Zhi asked directly, "Are you trying to persuade me to keep quiet?"
Wen Xu wiped his sweat: "Auntie, let's save our strength first. It's not wise to confront them head-on now."
"Xiao Wen, why are they targeting Cheng Man?"
"According to the information from the investigation, the boy Guo Ying likes is secretly in love with Cheng Man."
"Just based on this vague speculation, she killed my daughter?"
Wen Xu didn't know how to comfort Tao Zhi.
Tao Zhi then asked, "How did that kid react?"
"From the beginning to the end, he acted as if it had nothing to do with him. He never stood up or spoke up for Cheng Man."
Tao Zhi was so angry that she laughed: "He is so cowardly and he is worthy of saying he likes me?"
"Little boys, if they haven't experienced anything, they won't take responsibility."
There is no practical point in talking about this now, so Tao Zhi plans to go to the police station.
"Xiao Wen, I'm going to go out for a while. We'll talk later when I come back."
Wen Xu guessed where Tao Zhi was going, and he also wanted to verify it. "Auntie, I'll go with you."
Tao Zhi thought for a moment and said, "Alright, let's go."
Tao Zhi pushed open the door and asked the police officer on duty, "Hello, comrade. I reported a case a few days ago about a student bullying someone. I'd like to ask if there's any result yet."
The police officer opened the thick record book and flipped through it again and again. "Oh, I don't see the case you mentioned."
Tao Zhi and Wen Xu looked at each other.
"Excuse me, is Officer Yuan Heng here?"
The police officer shook his head: "We don't have anyone named Yuan Heng."
"What about Comrade Lin Quan?"
"Oh, Lin Quan went to the countryside to investigate a theft case."
For the first time, Tao Zhi felt the power of authority.
She smiled and thanked the police officer: "Maybe I remembered it wrong."
Tao Zhi turned around and went home quickly.
She took Cheng Man's medical records and various examination reports, rushed directly to the school, found the dean of studies, and said that she wanted to arrange for Cheng Man to be expelled due to injury.
"Oh, Cheng Man's mother, this is not necessary. The college entrance examination is only three months away."
"Teacher, Cheng Man can't go out now. If she gets hurt again one day, her injuries will get worse and she might die. Tell me, which is more important, the college entrance examination or her life?"
The Dean of Studies didn't dare to stop him. "How about taking a leave of absence? When Cheng Man gets better, she can come back and continue attending school."
Tao Zhi's tears came suddenly. She kept wiping the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief and said with a sob, "But Cheng Man doesn't dare to come to school." After that, she clutched her collar tightly and sobbed in a low voice.
The headmaster saw this and felt sorry for her. The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he held them back and swallowed them back.
"Mother Cheng Man, when you go back, tell her that even if she drops out now, if she's willing to come back, the school door is always open to her."
"Teacher, Cheng Man still has a punishment."
"The school was revoked a long time ago. There is no such thing now."
"It's not in the file?"
The dean assured him, "No. Look at the teacher's comments, they are all good." Then he signed the application for withdrawal without looking at it in detail.
After all the formalities were completed, Tao Zhi staggered out of the school gate with red and swollen eyes.
The dean of studies stood upstairs, saw her thin back, and sighed: "They are all poor people." He seemed to have forgotten the day when Tao Zhi disguised herself as a nouveau riche and came to see him in a swaggering manner.
Tao Zhi turned a corner, looked around and saw that there was no one around, so he quickly got into the parked car. Wen Xu was sitting in the driver's seat.
She put the handkerchief back into her bosom, wiped her face vigorously with a wet towel, and asked in a muffled voice: "What the hell is this? It's too spicy and stimulating."
Wen Xu replied: "A kind of extracted menthol."
"I'm really grateful to you for today."
"Auntie, don't say that. I got the money."
Tao Zhi patted him and said, "Let's leave here first."
Wen Xu started the car and drove away decisively. He said as he drove, "Auntie Tao, what should we do next?"
"I was very impressed with Officer Yuan. I guess he must have found something."
"But the police officer said there is no such person."
"A man that old, just saying he doesn't have it, do you believe it?"
Wen Xu was startled: "You don't think so..."
Tao Zhi said firmly: "Impossible."
"Why?"
"This isn't a matter of life and death, so it's not worth making such a big fuss."
"You're right. The most likely possibility is..."
"He was transferred." The two of them said this at the same time.
"Xiao Wen, I'll have to leave this matter to you."
Wen Xu rubbed his hands together, and said righteously, "Aunt Tao, I will dig the person out even if I dig three feet deep."
Tao Zhi couldn't help but feel a little worried: "But, you went to the police station with me today."
Wen Xu chuckled: "I didn't do this alone."
"In general, it's better to proceed slowly and be safe."
After she finished speaking, Tao Zhi strongly requested to get off the car, so Wen Xu had to drop her off halfway.
Tao Zhi went to the mall and bought a set of clothes for each of the guests in her home.
Mainly because of the bad weather, the clothes they brought were not dry and they were about to run out of clothes to change into. Tao Zhi was used to taking care of the household affairs and could always observe these small things.
She also gave her uncle and aunt some nutritional supplements. She had a hunch that Cheng Dashan wouldn't be able to convince his grandparents, so after some thought, she went back to buy a few more sets of clothes, as well as some underwear and socks. Shoes sold at the counter were no match for the cloth shoes she knitted herself.
She dragged a pile of loot home, receiving both surprised and resentful looks.
Tao Zhi quietly asked the old man, "How are your persuading efforts?"
Cheng Xiangqian replied in a low voice: "We almost got kicked out."
Tao Zhi snorted, "Serves you right."
The old man looked at her sideways: "Why didn't you remind me?"
"What if?"
The old man sighed, "Uncle and Auntie refused to let me go, saying that old people should return to their roots."
"Can my cousin still come?"
"They definitely won't come. They stay at home to take care of the elderly."
Tao Zhi really admired him: "The Cheng family is known for producing filial sons."
Cheng Xiangqian is quite proud: "It's all thanks to the older generation."
Tao Zhi glanced at Second Auntie out of the corner of her eye. Just then, the phone rang. She deliberately raised her voice and said, "Oh, it must be me again."
She greased her feet and went upstairs.
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