Chapter 218 Two in One
Ding Guo was shocked by the news and was stunned for a moment before he asked, "What's going on?"
She doesn't quite understand!
If Dingxiang was sent back to her hometown because of a frame-up by Zheng Wenfang and her two sons, it also shows Zheng Wenfang's attitude. She didn't want to have a stepdaughter who was an eyesore at home, even if this stepdaughter took care of most of the housework.
Now Dingxiang has returned to the city to take the college entrance examination. If she passes, she will leave that home. Isn't that what Zheng Wenfang wants?
Why do you have to ruin Dingxiang's future!
Ding Guo admired Ding Xiang's transformation, but that was all. She didn't want to get involved too much in Ding Xiang's affairs, as that was the responsibility of Ding Zhigang and Yue Hongmei.
But it was hard for her not to be shocked by such a situation. She wondered, "Ding Xiang has suffered at the hands of Zheng Wenfang and his men before. Isn't she on guard at such a critical moment?"
Ding Dayong: "I don't know. Sister Taozi and I are also curious. After she came back to register and got the admission ticket, she kept it with Sister Taozi, fearing that something might go wrong. The day before the exam, she went to Sister Taozi to get the admission ticket. Sister Taozi also told her to take good care of it and hide her stationery. She also said that she would take her to the street office to get a letter of introduction and find a guesthouse near the examination center to stay to avoid any accidents. Ding Xiang did not agree, but only said that she would be careful. I didn't expect that this kind of thing would still happen!"
Ding Guo held the microphone. Maybe it was because of her sixth sense, but she always felt something was strange.
"And then?"
Ding Dayong sighed, "Because she couldn't find her admission ticket, Ding Xiang started making a scene at home, and even alerted the leaders of the cotton mill. In the end, the admission ticket was found in Jia Anping's schoolbag, and Ding Xiang ran out to report to the police. She also went to find Aunt Yue, who went to the dormitory of the cotton mill and smashed the old man's house, and asked Auntie for compensation. As a result, Jia Anping didn't take the next exam, and Ding Xiang herself didn't take it either!"
Ding Guo felt more and more strange, and continued to ask, "What are the results of the police investigation?"
Ding Dayong: "My cousin said Jia Anping didn't admit it and said Ding Xiang framed him. But how could Ding Xiang risk her own future to frame Jia Anping? She only criticized and educated them, and told them to deal with the next exam first. But then Aunt Yue went there, and didn't let Jia Anping pass the exam, so the matter probably ended up unresolved."
Ding Jiandang and Ding Tao were taking exams in the same school, but they had never met each other. At the end, Ding Jiandang rushed out in a hurry and met Ding Tao at the school gate. Ding Tao stopped him and asked which exam room Ding Xiang was in. Only then did she know that Ding Xiang had an accident.
After Ding Tao went back and told them about it, the two of them went to the cotton mill dormitory to find out what was going on.
But Ding Xiang was not in the cotton mill dormitory. They only saw Ding Zhigang and Ding Jianguo. Although the house had been tidied, it still looked a bit messy.
The father and son were very grateful for their concern for Dingxiang. They told her the general situation and finally said that it was already like this and there was no way to save the situation. They asked the two to go back and rest, and Ding Jianguo would go over to see Dingxiang.
Neither of them wanted to see Yue Hongmei, so they didn't go over to ask Dingxiang.
"I think Dingxiang will go to see Sister Taozi today or tomorrow. I'll ask her then."
After hanging up the phone, Ding Guo returned to the store. Li Shumei asked with a smile, "You must have paid a lot for the phone bill today, right?"
Even though it's a call from work, you can't just answer it casually, and you still have to pay the phone bill.
Ding Guo smiled and said, "We just finished the exam, so we all want to talk to each other and ask some questions."
Li Shumei still didn't understand. She thought it would be enough to just write a letter to report to each other, but why bother spending money to make a phone call.
Ding Guo was a little absent-minded and still felt something was wrong.
At about 1:30 p.m., Ding Guo and Li Shumei were sorting out the books that had just arrived that day when the director called her from behind: "Ding Guo, phone call!"
Li Shumei hurriedly said: "Go quickly!"
"Then I'll trouble Sister Shumei."
Ding Guo hurried to the office and the phone was answered by Ding Tao.
Ding Tao's voice was filled with anxiety: "Sister, Ding Xiang is missing. Did she look for you?"
Ding Guo's scalp couldn't help but feel numb: "Gone? She didn't come to find me!"
Ding Tao: "Uncle came to me just now and asked me if Dingxiang had been to my place. I said no. Then uncle told me that after the former aunt made a scene at home that day, Dingxiang sent her out and never went back. He thought Dingxiang had gone with her mother. This afternoon, brother Jianguo went to comfort Dingxiang, and then he found out that Dingxiang had not gone with the former aunt, nor had she returned to the dormitory of the cotton mill. I just sent a telegram to my third aunt, asking if Dingxiang had returned to her hometown. But the people on the street here said that Dingxiang did not go to get a letter of introduction. It's freezing cold, where can she go without a letter of introduction?"
Ding Guo took a deep breath and said, "Do you know the exact time Ding Xiang went missing? Go to the police station and report the time and see if the police can help find her. I'll go to the station here later. If there's anything, call home."
Ding Tao: "Okay sister, I'll go right away!"
After hanging up the phone, before she could speak, Director Liu asked, "Who is missing?"
Ding Guo: "My younger sister at home."
"Then go quickly. If you need to take a leave, give me a call and come back to make up the leave note."
Ding Guo did not delay any longer: "Thank you, Director."
After saying that, he went back to the store, said something to Li Shumei in a hurry, picked up his things and left.
She went home first. Aunt Qiao wondered, "Hey, you got off work early today?"
Ding Guo shook his head: "No, is there anyone coming to our house today? It's the little girl who came with my third aunt when my brother got married."
Aunt Qiao: "No, no one is coming over today, what's wrong?"
Ding Guo: "It's okay. If someone comes, tell her to wait for me at home."
After saying that, he rode away.
The trains from Wuxin to this side are Capital Station and Xizhimen Station. Ding Guo usually buys tickets to Xizhimen Station, but Ding Xiang may not be familiar with it. If she really comes to Capital Station, she is not sure which station she will go to.
According to her habit, Ding Guo went to Xizhimen Station first, looked for a place to put her bicycle away, walked around the exit but found nothing, so she looked around in other places and took a bus to Capital Station.
She thought that Ding Xiang would most likely not come to the capital, but Ding Guo still looked for her carefully, but didn't find her until dark.
As for the question of whether or not there is a letter of introduction, there is still a way to avoid inspection as long as you want to.
But she felt that Dingxiang might not be that smart.
So there is a high probability that people are still in Fengning.
When she got home, the old man came over and saw her coming in, saying, "Guoguo, Dayong called just now and said that the little girl named Dingxiang is in Fengning, but she ran away again."
Ding Guo also guessed that there was a high chance that the person was in Fengning, so he was not too surprised. But why did he run away again?
Old Master Pei: "Dayong said that Ding Jiandang found Ding Xiang in a room near the scrap collection station, but he didn't tell anyone else. Ding Tao reported it to the police, and the police went to your family to investigate the situation. Ding Jiandang then said that he had seen Ding Xiang. When the police went to look for her, she was no longer there."
Ding Guo roughly understood that Ding Xiang didn't want to go back to Ding Zhigang, nor did she want to go back with Yue Hongmei, so she found a place to hide.
Mr. Pei: "I heard from Dayong that it was because of the college entrance examination?"
Ding Guo nodded and told his grandfather roughly what Dayong had said.
It’s because of the college entrance examination. It’s possible that today’s conflict is the result of the accumulation of multiple conflicts.
After all, it's all the fault of the scumbag parents.
A biased adopted daughter mocks her biological children who stand by and watch; a stepfather puts his own children at a disadvantage for the sake of face and money, wanting to be a good stepfather praised by everyone.
So the original owner in the book was not favored, not entirely because he was not raised by his parents since childhood, but because this scumbag parents had a despicable nature of loving outsiders in their bones.
Let’s go back to the afternoon!
The news of Ding Xiang's disappearance briefly awakened some of Ding Zhigang and Yue Hongmei's parental nature, but not much.
After the two met, they did not exchange information about the child's disappearance, but instead blamed each other.
Ding Zhigang put the blame on Yue Hongmei, saying that Ding Xiang disappeared because he sent her out of the dormitory area. He also blamed Yue Hongmei for this and accused her of being unfit to be a mother.
Yue Hongmei scolded Ding Zhigang for not wanting his children because he had a vixen, not raising his son and sending his daughter back to his hometown, saying he was not worthy of being a father.
The two irresponsible parents accused each other of being unfit to be a father/mother, and Ding Jianguo blushed as he listened to them.
Even though he didn't want to criticize his parents, he still felt it was ironic at the moment.
"Ding Zhigang, I was blind to fall for a wimp like you. You were blind when your two step-sons bullied Xiangxiang and Jiandang. You were knocked unconscious by the fart of that vixen. You trust outsiders more than your own children. I am just waiting to see you grow old and helpless!"
Ding Zhigang couldn't scold Yue Hongmei and his face turned red with anger. If Ding Jianguo hadn't stopped him, he would have rushed up and slapped Yue Hongmei in the face.
Yue Hongmei jumped up and down: "Hit me if you dare. If you dare to touch me today, I will report you for being a hooligan. You are such a shameless old hooligan. You are over 40 and you still gave birth to a little bastard..."
Finally, Ding Jianguo shouted and stopped the two people from cursing: "Can you please talk properly and find Xiangxiang first?"
Ding Zhigang said angrily: "Why are you yelling at me? Blame your mother for this!"
"I blame you, old bastard. If you had the behavior of a father and could support your child, would you have abandoned Xiangxiang? And what about the college entrance examination..."
The two started a new round of quarrel.
Ding Jiandang was listening woodenly at the side, watching his parents' farce. Suddenly he thought of something and paused for a moment. Then he turned around and ran away while they were arguing fiercely.
After searching in several places, I finally found Lilac in a dilapidated house near the purchasing station.
This was one of the places the two had found while scavenging.
There used to be several migrant workers living here... They couldn't be called migrant workers, because they all didn't want to go to the countryside, but were afraid of being arrested on the streets, so they didn't dare go home to hide from the people in the street office.
Later, the people hiding in those places left one after another. Some of them finally found ways to find jobs back home, some chose to get married, and some went to the countryside.
These places became Dingxiang and her companion's resting places while they were picking up scraps.
"You are here indeed!"
Someone came in. Ding Xiang jumped like a startled bird and stood up from a pile of torn blankets whose colors could not be seen. Seeing that it was Ding Jiandang, she breathed a sigh of relief, sat back down, wrapped herself in the blankets that gave off a pungent smell, and said, "What do you want from me?"
Ding Jiandang said unhappily, "What are you doing? Why don't you go home?"
Ding Xiang was stunned for a moment, then asked, "Home? Where is home?"
The small house in the steel plant’s staff compound could barely be considered her home, and she could live there with a clear conscience.
But what is going on with the dormitory at Zheng Wenfang’s workplace now?
She was a complete outsider there.
Clearly some of the furniture in the room had been there as long as she could remember, but they just felt out of place.
Not to mention Yue Hongmei, the house belongs to Ding Nianjun.
Is that her home?
Ding Jiandang scratched his head: "But you can't, you can't live outside. You can even go to Sister Ding Tao's place."
Ding Xiang lowered her eyelids: "Sister Ding Tao has helped me enough, I don't want to cause trouble for Sister Ding Tao."
She was more worried that if she lived with Ding Tao, her irresponsible parents would take the opportunity to get close to Ding Tao.
"Forget it, let's not talk about this. Mom and Dad are worried sick when they know you're missing. Come back with me."
Ding Xiang looked at Ding Jiandang as if he were a fool. "Worried? Are you talking about Yue Hongmei and Ding Zhigang? How could they be worried because I didn't come home? They must be happy, right? If I don't bother them, they will wake up laughing in their dreams. How could they be worried because they can't find me? It's really a dog-eat-dog situation!"
Ding Jiandang: …
Even though the words sound unpleasant, they seem to be...quite true.
Ding Jiandang squatted down nearby. He was still worried about Ding Xiang living here, and said, "You can't say that. Didn't mom go to dad to make a fuss on your behalf about the college entrance examination? She even asked for compensation for you!"
Ding Xiang sneered. She had a few chilblains on her face and her earlobes were red and swollen, but her eyes were even colder than the cold weather outside. "Fifth brother, do you know why mom would go to ask for so-called justice for me?"
Ding Jiandang looked at her in confusion: "Do you need a reason for this? The college entrance examination is such a big deal. Even if mom blames you normally, she should seek justice for you after something like this happens."
Ding Xiang took a deep breath and suppressed the bitterness rising in her nose. "It's because of the compensation. I told her that as long as she makes a scene and makes Jia Anping fail the exam, she can get any compensation she wants."
She went to find Yue Hongmei at that time, but Yue Hongmei didn't want to go at all. She was even sarcastic to her, asking her if it was like farming in the countryside, and if she regretted choosing her father, and so on.
Dingxiang was not surprised by Yue Hongmei's attitude. She no longer cared, but she needed Yue Hongmei to make a fuss as her mother.
So, Ding Xiang put forward some conditions and said that she was in the right in this matter and that this was the best opportunity for Yue Hongmei to get money from Ding Zhigang's current wife.
Seeing that Yue Hongmei was hesitating, Ding Xiang threatened her, saying that if Yue Hongmei didn't go, she would call her grandmother's village and ask her aunt to come for help. If her aunt succeeded, the compensation would belong to her.
Sun Bocai is a thunder in Yue Hongmei's heart that cannot be touched. Yue Hongmei was so angry that her face turned blue. But now her little daughter is not under her control. If she doesn't take the initiative, Ding Xiang will really call Sun Bocai over, and then she will be laughed at too.
Although he went there, he also cursed Dingxiang along the way.
In the end, the incident was a great success. Jia Anping was unable to take part in this year's college entrance examination, and he also got fifty yuan from Zheng Wenfang.
Thinking of Jia Anping's anger at that time, Dingxiang showed a faint smile on her lips.
Ding Jiandang thought about how his mother had deducted his hard work fee for taking care of Pan Dingfeng, and asked in a low voice: "Mom didn't give you a penny?"
Ding Xiang: “What do you think?”
Ding Jiandang remained silent.
After a long while, Ding Jiandang fished out a handful of money from the pocket of his cotton trousers. “This is the eleven dollars I secretly kept on me, but I didn’t bring any food coupons. Take this to the black market to buy some food. I’ll find time to come and see you tomorrow!”
He turned around and was about to leave, but Ding Xiang stopped him, "Fifth Brother, will you keep this a secret for me?"
Ding Jiandang: "Of course, I'm your fifth brother!"
Ding Guo smiled at him, a little blood seeping out of his cracked lips, and said, "Thank you, Fifth Brother. If I were found by them, I would be beaten to death or scolded and humiliated to death. I am fine here. Fifth Brother, I have been living here since I came back from my hometown. Third Aunt brought me food and gave me money."
Ding Jiandang widened his eyes in shock: "You haven't lived with Dad?"
He thought Dingxiang had been living with her father since she came back from her hometown until before the exam.
Ding Xiang smiled: "I went to his new home to take a look and then left. I have been living here, so you don't have to worry about me. It's really good here, I don't want to go anywhere!"
Ding Jiandang's eyes were slightly red, and when he turned around to leave, he felt as if his legs weighed a thousand pounds.
When he returned to the place he had left, he found that his parents were still arguing there.
But this time there were a few more people, Sister Ding Tao, Brother Dayong and two police officers.
The police only asked two questions, and Yue Hongmei and Ding Zhigang would quarrel again because of each other's accusations.
Seeing him coming, Ding Tao ran over anxiously: "Jiandang, have you found Xiangxiang?"
Ding Jiandang was stunned for a moment, shook his head, and then asked, "Sister Tao, why are the police here?"
Ding Tao: "We asked the police to help find Xiangxiang. We just brought the police to find your parents and wanted to ask about their situation..."
Ding Dayong also came over: "Jiandang, when was the last time you saw Ding Xiang? Forget it, just tell the police directly."
Ding Jiandang was dragged over by Ding Dayong to cooperate with the police's questioning.
Ding Jiandang could still handle other people, but when facing the police, this half-grown kid couldn't stand it anymore and stammered out where Ding Xiang lived now.
As soon as he finished speaking, he was slapped hard on the shoulder. He turned around and met Ding Zhigang's murderous gaze: "Why didn't you tell me earlier if you knew where Ding Xiang was? It's fun to watch your mother and I quarrel in the street, right? You don't mind being embarrassed, right?"
Accuse him without asking any questions!
Ding Jiandang gave him a cold look, then suddenly bent over and rushed over to knock Ding Zhigang upside down.
"Dad..." Ding Jianguo was shocked and rushed over to help him. The police also grabbed Ding Jiandang and frowned, saying, "How can you, as a son, fight with your father?"
"He is not my father, he is a beast. If it weren't for him, my sister wouldn't be hiding outside and dare not go home." Ding Jiandang yelled, his eyes swept over Yue Hongmei, he opened his mouth, and the angry roar stopped abruptly, and in the end he said nothing.
If he yelled at his mother, he would have no place to stay at night and might even get beaten by his second brother.
At this moment he understood Ding Xiang.
He also wanted to move in with Xiangxiang.
Ding Zhigang was naturally furious. He wanted to get even more angry, but the hand his eldest son put on his shoulder was so heavy: "Dad, go find Xiangxiang first."
Ding Zhigang's anger weakened a little: "I, I always thought she left with your mother."
So the police asked Ding Jiandang to take them to find the person.
But when they arrived, the abandoned house was empty.
The next day, Ding Guo received a call from Dayong and listened to his progress.
Ding Dayong: "Fortunately, the person took the initiative to hide, but she is a little girl, and I am afraid something might happen if she stays there for a long time."
Ding Guo: "Have you told your family back home?"
Ding Dayong: "Yes, I sent a telegram to my family. Zhaodi called me and said that my parents and Dazhu got on the train yesterday. I told you that I was going to Wuxin to pick them up."
Ding Guo was not surprised.
After all, Third Aunt had raised Dingxiang for some time, and considering Peng Guihua’s kindness, it was impossible for her to just wait around at home.
Ding Guo sighed and said, "I'll go back and take a look too."
Ding Dayong: "Sister, you don't have to come back. We are here. We can confirm that Ding Xiang is in Fengning. She just wants to hide from Uncle and Aunt Yue. The police are also helping to find her."
Ding Guo still took a leave and bought a ticket back to Fengning.
There was still some time before the train departed, so she went back to Zizhu Bridge, comforted Dabao and Xiaobao, said goodbye to Aunt Qiao, packed a few cotton clothes, and went to the station.
Fengning, Peng Guihua saw Yue Hongmei and went up to her and slapped her face several times, then spat on her face and cursed, "You are worse than pigs and dogs. God must be blind to let beasts like you be parents. What have you done to a good child? You threw Guoguo to the countryside for a foster daughter and ignored her for more than ten years. Now you even lost a half-grown child. Are those two holes on your face for ventilation and peeing?"
Yue Hongmei wanted to rush over and hit Peng Guihua, but Ding Dayong, Ding Dazhu and Ding Tao stepped forward. Yue Hongmei became scared and slapped her thigh and cried to the sky.
Fortunately, she was not the only one who was beaten. Ding Zhicheng beat up Ding Zhigang.
Yue Hongmei then felt that it was a bit fair, and pointed at Ding Zhigang and said, "If it weren't for the two bastards that he found that caused Xiangxiang to fail the college entrance examination, would Xiangxiang have been able to escape?"
Ding Zhigang: "You didn't harm Xiangxiang? If you didn't harm her, why did you kick her out the day before the college entrance examination?"
Yue Hongmei was stunned: "Ding Zhigang, what are you talking about? When did I chase her away? Didn't she stay at your place after she came back from her hometown?"
Ding Zhigang was shocked: "Didn't Xiangxiang stay at your place when she came back from her hometown? She only came back home the day before the college entrance examination."
The former couple were both stunned. Peng Guihua and her group were collectively shocked and looked at Ding Dayong and Ding Tao.
The two shook their heads. Ding Tao said, "Xiangxiang didn't come to find us. She left her admission ticket with me before, and went to get it the afternoon before the college entrance examination. She told me that she was staying at the old man's house..."
Ding Jiandang had been silent in the back. He looked up at his parents and opened his mouth, but still said nothing.
Peng Guihua: "What a sin! What a sin! Look at the two of you. You have treated this good child to such an extent."
Zheng Wenfang rushed back upon hearing the news, and with him came Jia Anping, who had a gloomy face.
As soon as he came in, Jia Anping's gloomy gaze fell on Yue Hongmei.
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