Chapter 28 - 28 Walking with Mom
“Yuxin, come over to mommy. Mommy will take you to see the tall building with many floors, and lots of yummy food. Sang Zhilan extended her hands forward. Mommy will buy you a beautiful dress, how about that?”
Tang Yuxin remained still. Just when Sang Zhilan couldn’t help wanting to snatch Tang Yuxin away, Tang Zhijun stood in front of his eldest brother.
“Enough, Sang Zhilan,” he called out Sang Zhilan’s full name. “What’s the point of deceiving a child like this?”
“What deception?” As soon as Sang Zhilan heard this, her face turned stern, “I’m talking to my daughter. It’s none of your business. Get out of my way!”
Tang Zhijun clenched his teeth and stood stiffly, blocking his eldest brother and niece from Sang Zhilan. As long as he was there, he wouldn’t let the Sangs bully his honest, naive older brother or take Little Xinxin away.
“Sang Zhilan, what’s the meaning of all this? Weren’t you going to let the child choose? Just let her choose.”
“What would she know?” Sang Zhilan rudely interrupted Tang Zhijun. “She’s just three years old. If you guys confuse her, wouldn’t your words be the final say? Today, I must take my daughter away.”
“Zhiping, go help your sister take the child over,” Sang’s mother said arrogantly. She was sitting like some empress dowager. Why waste time here? Just get the kid, grab our things and leave this poor place. Staying a minute longer made her uncomfortable.
The two Sang brothers advanced forward, and the villagers Tang Zhijun brought followed suit. Both sides seemed ready for a fight.
Just then, a childish voice rang out– very clear, very crisp. Like droplets of cold water, it seemed to freeze everyone’s heart with its chilling, piercing tone.
“Daddy can not get a stepmother. Can you, mommy, be content with only one child?”
Tang Yuxin lifted up her face and stared at Sang Zhilan, “Mommy, can you do it? Can you be content with just me?”
“How is that possible?” Sang’s mother harshly replied before Sang Zhilan could. “Your mother will eventually remarry. How could she only care for you? In the future, she will need someone to support her in her old age.”
“But my daddy only needs me,” Tang Yuxin said, clinging to Tang Zhinian’s neck. Her father, who was honest to the core, did not marry in his previous life for fear of wronging his daughter. She believed he would do the same in this life.
“Yes, I can,” Tang Zhinian replied, hugging his daughter tight. “I, Tang Zhinian, can live my life without taking another wife, without needing a son.”
His Zhijun was still here. Plus, having a daughter brought him tremendous satisfaction. He didn’t want a son who would end up competing for affection with his beloved Yuxin. His Yuxin was such a good and beautiful girl. He would never ever let her be bullied by anyone, not even his own son.
At this, Sang Zhilan’s face froze, as did the face of Sang’s mother.
“Xinxin, come with mommy. You can’t live without a mother, can you?” Sang Zhilan suddenly teared up. Was she playing the card of family bonds? But how many of these tears were real and how many were feigned? Tang Yuxin didn’t want to guess. Maybe Sang Zhilan’s tears were real, maybe she was genuinely concerned, maybe she was genuinely heartfelt.
However, in a few years, in a few decades, could she still maintain this? Or would she become that selfish mother, who did whatever it took to hurt her ex-husband and the daughter he bore, all for the sake of her own daughter?