Jiang Bai recalled that day's events. In fact, Zhao Yi had left many clues. If she hadn't been delirious with fever at that time, and Wang Xiufen hadn't caused trouble just as she was recovering, the truth would never have been revealed until today.
Jiang Bai nodded, glancing at Zhao Yi and Zhao Ping'an out of the corner of his eye, and said irritably, "But it seems your brother has seen your father more than once."
Zhao Xile pursed her lips, feeling unhappy as well.
Her brother secretly met with their father without telling her, and she even betrayed their mother by desperately keeping it a secret.
At this moment, the mother and daughter were in complete agreement: if men are reliable, pigs can fly.
Seeing the two about to leave at the school gate, Jiang Bai immediately said to Granny Xu, "You and Xiao Le stay here, I'll go check on them."
The wet nurse, Xu, was unaware of Jiang Bai's family situation and had always assumed Jiang Bai was a widow. Now that Zhao Xile had suddenly acquired a father, and the mother and daughter's expressions didn't seem happy, she nodded decisively, not daring to interrupt.
Jiang Bai walked over quickly.
It was school dismissal time, and many students were coming out one after another, making the gate crowded. Jiang Bai was thin and small, and moved very quietly, so neither the father nor son noticed her.
Jiang Bai heard Zhao Yi ask, "Your mother doesn't know you're out to dinner with me, does she?"
Zhao Ping'an patted his chest and assured his father, "Don't worry, Dad. My mother's medicinal cuisine restaurant is so busy that she has no idea when I take a break. She doesn't even remember me."
Jiang Bai rolled her eyes: Sorry, my cheap son, I'm sorry to disappoint you. Your mother not only remembered your day off, but also came to pick you up in person.
Zhao Yi said, "Your mother cares about you a lot."
Zhao Ping'an was filled with excitement about having dinner with his father soon. Hearing this, he nodded and gave a perfunctory reply: "If she asks later, I'll just say I went to a classmate's house to study."
Zhao Yi nodded and said, "Don't tell her I'm here."
Zhao Ping'an didn't understand Zhao Yi's thoughts.
His classmates' parents all lived together, but Zhao Yi didn't even dare to meet Jiang Bai, let alone live with him.
Thinking of this, Zhao Ping'an asked, "Why can't I tell you?"
"I also want to know, why can't you tell me?" Jiang Bai interjected coolly from behind them.
When Zhao Yi heard Jiang Bai's voice, his heart sank.
This man, who was always decisive and ruthless, and who was not afraid to do business with generals, dared not turn around for the first time.
Zhao Ping'an shuddered, but was more courageous than Zhao Yi in facing the situation. He turned around and greeted her awkwardly, "Mother, what brings you here?"
"Good boy," Jiang Bai ruffled Zhao Ping'an's hair hard, gritting his teeth as he said, "I've come to take you home!"
Hearing Jiang Bai's angry voice, Zhao Yi dared not turn around. He looked helplessly at his subordinate Tan Ji, who was standing two or three meters away, and gave him a meaningful look.
Tan Ji pretended not to see it, first looked up at the sky, and then saw his youngest son walking out with his schoolbag on his back. He quickly went forward and picked him up: "Son, come on, let's go home."
After saying that, he was about to flee the scene of the accident as quickly as possible.
After the little thing on his neck greeted him, he turned his head and happened to see Jiang Bai. His eyes lit up instantly, and he waved to her: "Auntie, do you still remember me?"
Jiang Bai remembered him. Back then, when Diao Yi broke into her house in the middle of the night, intending to burn the medicinal herbs, it was he who spoke up for her and exposed the other party's conspiracy.
So she smiled and asked, "Of course I remember you. Did you study here too?"
"Yes, my name is Tan Yongyan," the second child introduced himself, then looked behind her. Not seeing the lively little figure, his disappointment was undisguised, and he couldn't help but ask, "Didn't Lele come?"
It turned out that he was the one who had argued with Zhao Xile, causing the child to complain about him even after going home. Jiang Bai couldn't help but marvel at how small this county town was, as both of Zhao Xile's new friends were already acquaintances.
Seeing Jiang Bai's uncertain expression, Tan Yongyan quickly said, "Auntie, I didn't mean it. Can you apologize to her for me?"
“Okay, I’ll pass it on for you.” Jiang Bai had no prejudice against him.
She had heard of this man's reputation; reading ten lines at a glance and having a photographic memory were his basic skills. When he encountered a delicate and slightly clumsy girl like Zhao Xile, it was possible that he would say the wrong thing.
Upon hearing this, Tan Yongyan smiled, revealing his teeth: "Okay, I'll bring her some candied hawthorns later."
Tanji broke out in a cold sweat as he listened to their conversation.
How come he didn't know when his little brother had offended Zhao Xile, that sweet child? It sounds like he even made her angry.
Seeing that Jiang Bai's attention had shifted from his son to himself, Tan Ji nodded stiffly and greeted her, "Boss lady."
Oh, so he's in cahoots with Zhao Yi...
Jiang Bai immediately glared at Zhao Yi.
Zhao Yi turned to look at her, and when their eyes met, the man nervously swallowed.
Jiang Bai ignored him, smiled and waved goodbye to Tan Yongyan, then immediately stopped smiling and asked Zhao Ping'an, "Are you going home?"
If you don't go home, then never come back.
Zhao Ping'an's expression was exactly the same as Zhao Yi's, and he hurriedly nodded: "Go back, go back."
After saying that, he didn't even dare to look at Zhao Yi, and followed behind Jiang Bai.
Zhao Yi watched the mother and son walk to the entrance of the teahouse, stopped, and waited for Xu, the wet nurse, to lead Zhao Xile out. The family of four (?) walked away happily into the distance.
Zhao Yi stared silently at Jiang Bai's back, remaining silent for a long time.
Tan Yongyan grabbed his father's hair and said, "I saw Lele, do you want to go say hello?" It's not too late to run over now.
Tanji quickly caught his son as he slumped down, thinking: Your father still wants to live to see you grow up!
Zhao Yi turned his head and asked with a puzzled look, "Is Jiang Bai angry?"
Tan Ji: That's more than just being angry, I think you won't live much longer, boss.
-
As Jiang Bai walked, his anger subsided considerably.
She was, after all, a stepmother. Zhao Yi had married her to take care of Zhao Ping'an and Zhao Xile, the two siblings. Although she was called Madam Zhao, she was really more like a nanny.
It's not necessarily wrong for a child to be close to their father.
Thinking this, she slowed her pace, looked at Zhao Ping'an's uneasy face, and took a deep breath.
“You can meet with your father in the future, I won’t stop you, but you have to tell me in advance,” Jiang Bai said. “Xiao Le always remembers your days off and counts them on his fingers to come pick you up early. If you leave without saying a word, we will worry that something might happen to you.”
Zhao Ping'an had been in a state of panic about being lied to, but only then did he glance at his younger sister and see the little girl rubbing her eyes pitifully in Xu's arms.
He wanted to slap himself twice, so he immediately hugged Zhao Xile in his arms and said earnestly to Jiang Bai, "Mother, I know I was wrong."
“It’s alright,” Jiang Bai waved his hand. “You’re still young and don’t understand anything. All the mistakes are your father’s fault.”
"But I won't stop you and Xiao Le from seeing him."
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