Chapter Ninety-One: Mommy & Auntie II
The next day, after school, Tang Wanru passed by the loquat tree again and for some reason thought of the child she had met the day before.
When Tang Renliang returned that evening, she asked about the matter and learned that the neighborhood committee had sent someone to visit her. She was relieved.
A month passed, during which Tang Wanru did not encounter Ran Aijie again, but she heard Seventh Sister-in-law mention her a few times.
One day, Seventh Sister-in-law went to the street to buy meat. There were many people at the stall, and several people were buying things together.
The butcher got confused and insisted that Seventh Sister hadn't paid. He grabbed her and wouldn't let her leave. Just as the two were struggling, a child who had appeared out of nowhere spoke up.
She described in detail when the child arrived at Seventh Sister's stall, how many people were at the stall, what each person bought, how much money they paid and how much change they received, and who gave which bill in the money box.
The butcher then thought back and realized that it wasn't Seventh Sister who hadn't paid, but another person who had bought almost the same amount of meat.
Afterwards, Seventh Sister-in-law gave the child two steamed buns she had bought, but the child refused to accept them, saying that she hadn't thanked her for helping her apply medicine last time.
When Seventh Sister-in-law returned, she told Tang Wanru about it. She praised the child, saying that he was obviously smart and grateful, while also lamenting the child's unfortunate fate.
Later, Seventh Sister-in-law would often secretly bring food to the child.
It was another day after school, and the car suddenly slowed down, stopping and starting, bouncing around, making the ride uncomfortable.
Tang Wanru glanced out the window and realized that she had arrived at the bridge next to her home.
The road beside the bridge was already narrow, and now that there were so many people around, it was even more difficult to walk.
"What's going on? Why are there so many people gathered here?" The driver rolled down the car window.
"Li Shufen, have some conscience!"
The driver didn't see the person, but he immediately recognized the voice. He craned his neck to look out and muttered to himself, "Why does that voice sound so much like Seventh Sister-in-law?"
In the crowd, a dark-skinned, thin middle-aged woman pointed at Seventh Sister and shouted, "Conscience! How am I heartless? If I had no conscience, would I have taken care of her!"
"I can't hit her or scold her, and I can't even do some chores?! Do you expect me to treat her like royalty, worshipping her every day?!"
Seventh Sister-in-law pointed to a wooden basin of dirty clothes on the ground, "Is that doing some chores?! In the dead of winter, you call it doing some chores to make a six-year-old wash your whole family's clothes?! You're just abusing a child!"
As she left the market, she passed by the river and saw Ran Aijie washing clothes there.
That winter was particularly cold. Frost formed on the windows at night, and washing clothes by the river was so cold that even getting a little water on your hands would make you shiver.
Seventh Sister-in-law knew about the child's situation and had just walked over to ask when she saw Li Shufen carrying a large basin of clothes over for the child to wash.
Seventh Sister-in-law couldn't stand it and said a few words, and Li Shufen immediately started arguing with her.
The market is right under the bridge, and it's the time when everyone is buying groceries and cooking dinner, so a lot of people have gathered around.
The seventh sister-in-law was furious and turned to the neighbors, saying, "Everyone, be the judge! In this cold weather, what is this if not child abuse? Why don't you just ask your own daughter to do the laundry!"
Li Shufen was known for her fierce and infamous nature. Even though onlookers felt she was wrong, they only whispered among themselves and dared not confront her directly.
“You said it yourself, that’s my daughter. My daughter is my own child.” Li Shufen put her hands on her hips without any restraint and pointed at Ran Aijie. “She’s not my daughter. She’s a freeloader. What’s wrong with me making her do laundry to pay off a debt!”
She twirled her finger and started berating Seventh Sister-in-law, "Seventh Sister-in-law, stop meddling in other people's business! If you feel sorry for her, then take her home and raise her yourself! It's easy for you to talk, all you do is spout nonsense. You're all talk and no action. If you're so capable, then take her home yourself!"
These words really left Seventh Sister speechless.
Seventh Sister's husband injured his leg while working years ago and could no longer do heavy work, so he farmed a few acres of land at home. His mother-in-law was in poor health and often needed to get medicine and see a doctor. Their two children were not yet adults.
If it weren't for the Tang family taking pity on her and paying her high wages, her family wouldn't even be able to support themselves, let alone have the spare money to raise another child.
Seeing her get the short end of the stick, Li Shufen got even more excited and yelled at the crowd, "You guys too, whoever can't stand it, whoever takes this person home, if not, then shut up here and stop pointing fingers!"
These days, no one has it easy, and feeding an extra mouth is no easy task, especially since they are not relatives or friends, so no one will step forward.
Seeing everyone's reaction, Li Shufen sneered, deliberately glanced at Seventh Sister-in-law, and said to Ran Aijie in an annoyed tone, "Hurry up and wash the clothes. You'll get to eat when you're done!"
"you!"
Seventh Sister-in-law was so angry she was speechless; she had never seen such a shameless person before.
Ran Aijie gave her seventh sister-in-law a slight smile.
She was grateful to her seventh sister-in-law for standing up for her, but she had already anticipated this outcome.
She bent down to pick up the wooden basin full of dirty clothes, but before her hand even touched the basin, it was grasped by a warm hand.
Ran Aijie has an excellent memory. Ever since she could remember, as long as she puts her mind to it, she can remember everything she has seen or heard in one go.
Just like the fragrance she smelled right now, she still remembers it clearly.
My gaze followed the hand that was holding hers, and unsurprisingly, I saw that familiar face.
This person descended from the sky like a fairy.
The child's hand was as cold as an ice cube. Tang Wanru took a deep breath when she first grasped it, but she didn't let go.
"Xiaoru?"
Tang Wanru always took a car to and from school, and Seventh Sister-in-law never expected to run into her here.
Bang!
While Seventh Sister-in-law was speaking, Tang Wanru had already kicked over the wooden basin.
The wooden tub spun around for a distance before crashing into a tree by the roadside and coming to a stop, spilling dirty clothes all over the ground, with a few pieces even falling into the river.
"What are you doing?!" Li Shufen shouted loudly upon seeing this.
"I'll take this child, I'll raise her from now on!" Tang Wanru looked at her with her chin raised. "You can keep these tattered clothes and wash them yourself!"
After she finished speaking, she pulled Ran Aijie and walked out.
Hey! Don't go!
Li Shufen paused for a moment, then reached out to pull Tang Wanru.
She recognized Tang Wanru, knew that their two families were related, and also knew that her family was wealthy.
She was just bluffing when she said she'd give the child away for free. This child can do everything from starting a fire to washing clothes. If she just gives the child away like that, she'll lose a lot of money.
Besides, it was Tang Wanru who wanted it, so they had to get something in return.
Seventh Sister-in-law reached out to stop her, not letting her get close to Tang Wanru. "Didn't you say that whoever couldn't stand it would take her back? Now that someone has taken her, why are you still trying to deny it!"
"That's our child, you can't just take him away!" Li Shufen tried to push her seventh sister-in-law, but she wasn't strong enough to move her.
"Pah! You have the nerve to do that! When you were abusing her, why didn't you remember that she was your own child?" Seventh Sister-in-law said indignantly.
"Someone's trying to kidnap my child! Someone's trying to kidnap my child!"
Unable to get rid of her seventh sister-in-law, Li Shufen sat on the ground and began to throw a tantrum.
The people gathered around were all neighbors. They had all watched for a while and already knew the whole story. No matter how loudly she wailed, it wouldn't have made any difference.
"This is outrageous! Kidnapping a child in the street..."
"Shufang, your clothes have floated away."
Li Shufen was howling loudly when someone in the crowd shouted. She immediately stopped, scrambled to her feet, and ran to the river to retrieve her clothes.
Tang Renliang didn't say anything about bringing Ran Aijie back. He always doted on his daughter and would satisfy her every wish. Besides, for their family, feeding another mouth wasn't a big deal.
Li Shufen came over and made a scene twice, but didn't gain anything. Later, Tang Renliang directly arranged for the adoption to be completed, and she stopped coming.
And so, Tang Wanru gained a younger sister.
Perhaps it was the natural affinity stemming from their similar bloodlines that made Tang Wanru so fond of this younger sister.
Tang Wanru has a strong personality, while Ran Aijie is introverted, doesn't talk much, is very sensible, and listens to Tang Wanru.
Spring has passed and autumn has come; eight years have gone by in the blink of an eye.
The iron gate to the courtyard slowly opened, and a black car drove in.
Hearing the noise in the yard, the short-haired girl who was sitting by the window doing her homework immediately looked up.
Her light gaze softened slightly when she saw the beautiful figure stepping out of the car, but her brows furrowed the next second.
Qi Rui followed Tang Wanru out of the car and clung to her like a koala. "Oh dear, I'm exhausted after dancing all afternoon!"
Tang Wanru slapped her hand away, making her stand up straight, and said gloatingly, "Isn't it your own choice?"
Today is their university's graduation ball. Qi Rui is good-looking and popular, and she's extremely busy at the ball.
"It's because I'm too popular." Qi Rui tossed her long hair, quite proudly.
The two chatted and laughed as they entered the house.
"Sister." Ran Aijie walked over, her voice gentle, but when she looked at Qi Rui, her tone became much softer, "Sister Qi."
Qi Rui was already used to this kind of contrast in her personality.
Having known her for so many years, she had never seen Ran Aijie smile at anyone other than the Tang family.
Of course, this doesn't stop Qi Rui from enjoying teasing her.
"Oh my, it's been a while! Xiao Jie has grown even more beautiful." Qi Rui's eyes lit up when she saw her.
The girl has striking features, deep-set eyes, and a neat short haircut. Coupled with her innate aloofness, she looks like a melancholic beauty straight out of a manga.
As Qi Rui spoke, she came over and hugged Ran Aijie.
Ran Aijie had anticipated her move, and with a slight tilt of her body, Qi Rui missed her target.
But she was also experienced, and pinched Ran Aijie's cheek with her other hand, "Ouch, it feels so good!"
*Smack*
Ran Aijie slapped her hand away expressionlessly.
"Ouch, you little ice block, you don't know how to be gentle with a woman at all." Qi Rui rubbed her hands dramatically, turned around and shoved them in front of Tang Wanru, "Xiaoru, look at this, you heartless sister of yours, you've slapped me until my hands are red."
A pink mark on her fair wrist showed that Ran Aijie hadn't held back at all when she hit her.
Tang Wanru shrugged, indicating that she was powerless to help.
Ran Aijie disliked Qi Rui touching her head and pinching her cheeks the most, but Qi Rui did it knowingly, and she couldn't control it.
"It's your own fault for not being able to control your hands."
Qi Rui pretended to wipe away tears: "Waaah!"
"Your crying looks so fake." Tang Wanru waved her hand, telling her to start over.
Qi Rui, a graduate of the acting program, was spurred on by this, her competitive spirit ignited, and she vowed to prove her strength at all costs.
Clinging to Tang Wanru's arm, she instantly transformed into a pitiful, resentful woman: "You rascal, you don't love me anymore now that you have a new love."
"Fine, fine, I give up." Tang Wanru felt a chill and quickly interrupted her, "Didn't you say you wanted to eat red bean paste? I specially asked Seventh Sister-in-law to prepare it for you before we left."
"Oh, Xiaoruru still loves me the most." Qi Rui leaned on Tang Wanru's shoulder.
She happily followed Tang Wanru inside, not forgetting to turn back and playfully stick out her tongue at Ran Aijie. She was even happier when she saw Ran Aijie's icy face tighten even more.
It's so much fun teasing this little thing.
"Rui Rui is here." Seventh Sister-in-law came out of the kitchen wiping her hands as she heard the voice.
"Seventh Sister-in-law, you look even younger than before!" Qi Rui exclaimed.
"You're so sweet-talking. I've made the red bean paste for you, I'll go get it now." Seventh Sister smiled and turned to go back into the kitchen.
In the living room.
As soon as Qi Rui's legs touched the edge of the sofa, she collapsed onto it, sprawling out in a half-lying position, showing none of the elegant lady-like demeanor she had displayed an hour earlier at the graduation banquet, wearing high heels and moving gracefully.
Seventh Sister-in-law came over carrying three bowls of red bean paste.
Ran Aijie went up to her and took the tea tray from her hands.
Seventh Sister-in-law smiled with satisfaction.
Even though she was adopted by the Tang family, Ran Aijie did not become spoiled because of her affluent life. The child was very sensible and would always help her with things.
Qi Rui was lounging on the three-seater sofa, with one and a half of her body leaning against Tang Wanru.
"Turn your legs in."
Ran Aijie walked to the sofa, rudely kicked Qi Rui's legs together, and placed the red bean paste on the coffee table.
"We added milk to today's red bean paste. Let's see if it tastes even better," said Sister-in-law Qi with a smile.
"Then you should definitely try it." Qi Rui sat up abruptly.
She took two bites of red bean paste and glanced at a pastry box on the coffee table.
"Huh? The butterfly cookies from Jiangcheng Restaurant?"
A while ago, a very popular movie came out. In the movie, the female lead loved to eat butterfly cookies from a time-honored brand in Jiangcheng. Since then, there has been a long queue at that store every day. If you want to buy a pair of butterfly cookies, you have to go early in the morning before it opens to queue up.
Qi Rui hasn't eaten in a long time.
“Xiao Jie will go to the library on Saturday, which is not far from Jiangcheng Hotel, and will buy one there,” Tang Wanru explained.
She unwrapped the paper package, Qi Rui took a piece and ate it, sighing, "I wish I had a younger sister like Xiao Jie."
She's smart, sensible, and incredibly kind to her older sister; Qi Rui is extremely envious.
"You'll have to make a wish to your uncle and aunt," Tang Wanru joked.
"I'm afraid it's too late." Qi Rui finished her red bean paste in a few bites and then asked, "By the way, what did Liu Xiang say to you this afternoon?"
"It's nothing," Tang Wanru said casually.
"Did she confess her feelings to you?" Qi Rui asked with a gossipy look.
"You're leaning against the wall?" Tang Wanru glanced at her sideways.
"I didn't even need to eavesdrop, I already guessed it." Qi Rui waved her hand. "She liked you back in high school."
Tang Wanru raised her eyebrows and thought for a moment, but she didn't remember such a thing.
"Back in her senior year of high school, she fell off her bike and almost missed the Olympiad, so you had the driver take her," Qi Rui reminded her. "Later, she won first prize and insisted on giving the medal to you, didn't you remember?"
Tang Wanru suddenly remembered this, but at the time she only thought that it was a way for the other person to thank her, a pure friendship between classmates, and she didn't accept the medal.
"I knew you were oblivious to your feelings. Someone had a crush on you for five years and you didn't even realize it," Qi Rui teased her.
"If you're not slow-witted, why haven't you ever been in a relationship?" Tang Wanru asked her slowly while eating red bean paste.
Qi Rui choked, realizing that when it came to matters of the heart, she and Tang Wanru were equally inept.
Both of them were good-looking and had many suitors, but neither of them had ever been in a relationship.
Tang Wanru was completely clueless; she didn't fancy anyone.
"It's not that I think no one is good enough for my beauty!" Qi Rui tossed her hair to save face, then looked at Tang Wanru with a gossipy expression. "Don't try to change the subject, did you agree?"
"Promise what?" Tang Wanru couldn't keep up with her jumping thoughts.
"He's dating Liu Xiang."
Not only was Qi Rui very interested, but even Ran Aijie, who had been quietly eating red bean paste, stopped what she was doing and looked at her.
Tang Wanru shook her head. "No."
He only said he wanted to pursue her, but he didn't say he wanted to date her directly.
However, she didn't want to talk about this in front of the child, so Tang Wanru didn't explain further.
For a while afterward, Liu Xiang pursued Tang Wanru quite actively, frequently asking her out to play.
A few months later, Ran Aijie's teachers came to visit her home. Not only the homeroom teacher, but also the dean of studies and the principal came.
The reason is that Ran Aijie participated in the National Mathematical Olympiad and won first prize.
When Qi Rui heard about it, she came over and praised her.
Ran Aijie said in a nonchalant tone, "It's just the Olympiad, nothing special."
Qi Rui wanted to call her arrogant, but remembering that this little brat was a genius elementary school student who skipped three grades and entered high school at the age of thirteen, she kept quiet.
Many years later, Tang Wanru finally understood what Ran Aijie really meant when she said that winning the first prize in the International Mathematical Olympiad was nothing special.
Author's note: The remaining side stories will all be released tomorrow morning.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
