章 17: Slap
編集者: Atlas Studios
The reason why the man's family had been able to make a name for themselves was because they had managed to curry favor with someone. However, the person they had sucked up to had a son who was a fool.
The fool would go crazy from time to time, and no one was willing to play with him. The family was worried that if they were gone in the future, no one would care about the fool, so they wanted to find a girl for their son.
When she was young, she would be his playmate. When she grew up, she would be his wife.
Just like raising a child bride, as long as she was taught well from a young age, everything would be fine.
This family happened to have a daughter, so they had asked if they'd be willing to send their daughter to them.
Of course, they were unwilling to do so. What future would their daughter have if she got together with that fool? Because they couldn't bear to part with their own daughter, they had come up with the idea of adopting a new daughter. This way, they could gain benefits and not have to let their own daughter suffer the grievance of such an arrangement.
Little Bei had been born beautiful, and her age and qualities were suitable. They just hadn't expected her to be so smart and disobedient.
It would be bad if such a disobedient Little Bei was sent to the fool's place and ended up provoking the fool.
They had thus decided to train Little Bei to behave properly. They had even used the dog cage that they'd previously used for their dog.
Afraid that the commotion would be too big, they had even planned to go to the countryside to train her.
If Mu Jingzhe had come any later, it would have been even harder to find Little Bei. Little Bei would definitely have had to suffer.
Upon hearing their plans, Mu Jingzhe felt so angry that she almost froze.
Since they wanted face, Mu Jingzhe wouldn't give them any.
She carried Little Bei and went out to call the neighbors. She publicized what this family had done and told everyone to pay attention to their own children lest they did such an evil deed again.
This family would certainly have to endure criticism in the future. Also, how was the man going to get out of the cage?
Mu Jingzhe hugged Little Bei and left with Shao Qiyang, who had rushed over to meet them.
While Mu Jingzhe wasn't paying attention, Tang Moling, who was among the crowd, pursed his lips and then left with his head lowered.
He had chased her all the way here and almost lost Mu Jingzhe. When he had rushed over, he had happened to see Mu Jingzhe confronting the man.
Tang Moling had originally thought that since Shao Qiyang wasn't around, Mu Jingzhe wouldn't continue acting as a good stepmother.
Unexpectedly, what had happened next had completely shattered his self-righteousness.
Mu Jingzhe wasn't acting. She had really gone there to find her stepdaughter.
He had stood at the entrance and had almost run in to help when he had seen the man attacking Mu Jingzhe with a crowbar.
However, Mu Jingzhe had taken care of everything herself.
He had seen and heard Mu Jingzhe's actions, witnessed Little Bei's misery, heard her wailing, and heard her call her mommy.
Tang Moling's countenance was ugly.
Why was Mu Jingzhe completely different from what he had heard about her?
Why was this stepmother different from other stepmothers?
Why… hadn't he met such a stepmother before?
Tang Moling also had a stepmother.
He hated Mu Jingzhe. Other than hating her because of Mu Xue, he also hated her because he was prejudiced against stepmothers.
He didn't want to recall the past. Anyway, if he hadn't been brought home by his maternal grandfather later on, he might have been tortured to death or killed that woman and become a murderer.
He knew that Mu Jingzhe had become a stepmother and treated the five children badly.
On the other hand, Mu Xue felt that the children were innocent under the circumstances. Seeing how pitiful they were, she would even give them food.
If Mu Xue had done this today, he wouldn't have found it strange. However, he hadn't expected Mu Jingzhe to do all this.
Tang Moling felt like he had been slapped in the face.
*****
When Little Bei saw Mu Jingzhe driving, she widened her eyes in surprise and kept praising her.
Unlike during the trip there, Mu Jingzhe was in a good mood this time. Now that she managed to relax, she even teased Little Bei.
Although she was talking, it didn't affect her driving at all. Her posture was much more relaxed than that of other drivers.
Shao Qiyang had seen some drivers drive, but most of them hadn't been like Mu Jingzhe.
He couldn't help but look at her.
He couldn't quite put his finger on it. He just felt that the way she held the steering wheel was strangely suave, which made him want to look at her again and again.
Previously, when he had seen his second brother, Shao Qihai, drive, he had felt that his brother was extremely impressive.
Now that he looked at Mu Jingzhe, Shao Qiyang felt that she was more impressive and… better-looking.
He didn't know that, according to a saying in the pugilistic world, men had nothing on a woman who looked suave while driving.
Frightened and tired, Little Bei fell asleep in no time and the car was plunged into silence.
Mu Jingzhe sensed that Shao Qiyang kept looking at her and thought that something had happened.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Shao Qiyang immediately replied before looking out of the window.
His heart was racing.
Soon, they returned to the county.
Mu Jingzhe had formed a plan on the road. When she passed by the gas station, she filled the car with oil. When she reached the county, she washed the car.
She did all that before returning the car to Tang Moling.
"Thank you for lending us your car. You really helped us this time. If you need anything in the future, just let me know. I'll do what I can."
Tang Moling took the car and looked at Mu Jingzhe's serious expression, nodding without saying a word.
If he hadn't followed her today, he would have mocked Mu Jingzhe for thinking too highly of herself.
Tang Moling didn't say a word, but he looked grumpy. Mu Jingzhe didn't dare say anything else and just left after returning the car.
Actually, Tang Moling was just feeling awkward. It was impossible for him to apologize, but he was still curious to know why Mu Jingzhe knew how to drive. He had a few other questions too.
In the end… she had just run away like that?
When he saw Mu Jingzhe leave without looking back, Tang Moling's countenance turned even uglier.
"You call that thanking someone? Just saying a few words? Do you think I lend my car so easily?"
After saying that, he noticed that the car had been washed. Even the interior had been cleaned, and the tank had been filled with oil.
Tang Moling felt a tad embarrassed and uncomfortable.
Meanwhile, Shao Qiyang and Mu Jingzhe returned to town.
Shao Qiyang had been supposed to only have a day off yesterday. He was supposed to go to work today, but he'd forcibly applied for leave. The moment they got back, he rushed off to work.
"I'll try my best to come back tomorrow."
"Okay."
It was inevitable that Shao Qiyang would be reprimanded. He listened absent-mindedly, wondering if Mu Jingzhe would get into a fight with Zhao Lan again when she got back.
He then wondered why Mu Jingzhe knew how to drive.
As his thoughts ran wild, his colleague came and told him that someone was looking for him.
When Shao Qiyang came out, he saw Mu Jingzhe.
Mu Jingzhe handed three buns to Shao Qiyang.
"If you're going to work late, you can eat these when you get hungry."
She had been about to leave, but when she'd passed by the bun shop, she had realized that she was starving.
After running for an entire day and night, it would be strange if she wasn't hungry.
Little Bei's stomach was growling too. Naturally, she'd had to buy the buns. On top of that, she had also bought three for Shao Qiyang.
There was a high chance that Shao Qiyang didn't have any money on him.
He had yet to receive his salary and had already spent all the money he had earned previously.
Mu Jingzhe sighed. Today, she had spent almost all the money she had earned.
She had to work hard to earn money. She was too poor.
Shao Qiyang looked at the piping hot steamed buns and touched his stomach, which had shriveled from hunger. He then whispered, "Thank you."
It felt good to know that someone cared about him.
He didn't know if it was because the steamed buns were too hot, but his eyes were also feeling a little warm.
"You're welcome. I'm leaving."
As Shao Qiyang watched her leave, his colleague nudged him.
"Is this girl your girlfriend? She even brought you food?"
He was hungry too, but no one had brought him any food.
Shao Qiyang shook his head. "No."
Although he said that she wasn't his girlfriend, for some reason, he didn't want to say that Mu Jingzhe was his second sister-in-law.
"Not yet, but she will be soon. I get it."
His colleague winked at him. Shao Qiyang took a big bite out of the huge bun and left without explaining anything.
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