Free Web NovelChapter 202: Chapter 202: Nightmare
Aunt Chang had heard from Su Li about what had happened before. She understood the relationship between Su Li and Mrs. Tang, and she was also well aware that Su Li and Tang Yuanxiao were divorced.
So, after receiving Mrs. Tang’s telegram, neither the supervisor nor Aunt Chang ever considered asking Su Li to pick her up.
They had arranged for a very reliable young man to go, but Mrs. Tang was far too guarded and didn’t trust anyone, insisting that only Tang Yuanxiao or Su Li could pick her up.
Mrs. Tang had arrived around four or five in the afternoon. Normally, she would have been picked up and brought home by now, but she was still stuck at the train station.
The poor young man couldn’t think of any other way, so he had no choice but to call for help.
But Aunt Chang wasn’t a miracle worker, and with no other options, she could only turn to Su Li for help.
"So I just have to go to the train station and get her to leave with the person who came to pick her up?"
Su Li asked after a moment of silence.
"Yes, that’s all it should take." Aunt Chang sighed. "I’m so sorry, Su Li, for making you..."
Aunt Chang paused, then asked, "By the way, you haven’t told Tang Yuanxiao’s mother about the divorce, have you?"
Su Li recalled the previous phone call from Li Hongqin and replied, "I don’t think so."
"This is just..." Aunt Chang shook her head. "It’s a good thing you’re in school... But let’s not talk about that. Su Li, I’ll have to trouble you to make the trip."
Su Li hung up the phone and let out a long sigh.
Su Li didn’t live close to the train station; it took her nearly an hour to get there.
Mrs. Tang was waiting in the train station’s duty office, with the young man who had come to pick her up standing helplessly to the side.
Mrs. Tang, her face haggard and tense, radiating suspicion, brightened up the moment she saw Su Li and immediately stood up.
"Su Li." She clutched the bundle in her arms and rushed over to grab Su Li’s hand. "What took you so long? I was scared to death."
Su Li avoided her hand. "I just got the message."
"But I had the village chief send you a telegram! How could you only find out now?" Mrs. Tang didn’t notice Su Li’s evasion, and when she failed to grab her hand, she seized her arm instead.
Once she had a firm grip and felt secure, she looked behind Su Li. "Where’s Tangyuan? What’s he off doing?"
As she spoke, she shot a suspicious glance at the young man standing to the side.
"He’s... on a business trip, so he couldn’t come get you." Su Li turned to the young man. "Hello, sorry to have troubled you."
"I’m just glad you could make it, Ma’am." The young man let out a huge sigh of relief.
"You know him?" Mrs. Tang asked Su Li.
"We’ve met before." Su Li nodded. "He’s here to pick you up on behalf of Tang Yuanxiao. You can go with him."
Mrs. Tang nodded, finally relaxing. "So you’re not a swindler. Young man, I’m sorry. It’s just that before I left, everyone told me not to trust strangers."
After saying this, she gave Su Li a suspicious look. "Aren’t you coming back with me?"
Her expression instantly became guarded. "If you’re not coming back, where are you going?"
The corner of Su Li’s mouth twitched. "I’m going back to school."
"I know you’re in school, Tangyuan told me. But don’t you go home after school?" Mrs. Tang’s brow was still furrowed.
"I can’t. I live in a dorm." Su Li didn’t want to get into an endless back-and-forth. "Let’s get going. It’s already so late."
"Ma’am, let me help you with your bundle?" the young man asked, stepping forward eagerly.
"No need, I’ll carry it myself." Mrs. Tang immediately hugged the bundle tied to her chest even tighter, making the situation very awkward.
Su Li gave him an apologetic smile.
When Mrs. Tang saw her smiling at the man, her grip immediately tightened. "Let’s go, let’s go! Didn’t you say we should get going?"
She dragged Su Li outside, looking all around as they walked. Her originally gentle face was now somewhat distorted, a mixture of curiosity and fear making her cloudy eyes seem much larger. freёwebnovel.com
"This Imperial City is so big. I didn’t dare close my eyes the whole way here, terrified that if I did, someone would steal from me or rob me."
Mrs. Tang had really been through a lot on the journey. "I couldn’t sleep, I had to be careful when drinking water or eating, and even using the restroom was a problem. I’m completely worn out. And then I get here and have to wait for you all, and it took you so long to finally show up."
Grumbling, Mrs. Tang took two steps and then froze, looking around timidly.
"The exit is this way." Su Li pointed. "You’re hurting my hand."
Hearing this, Mrs. Tang frowned and loosened her grip slightly. She looked Su Li up and down, a flash of displeasure in her eyes as she took in her clothes and shoes.
She restrained herself for a moment before asking, "Where’s Momo? Is he okay? Is he being a good boy? I’ve missed him to death."
Su Li hummed in acknowledgment. "He’s fine. You’ll see Little Mo soon enough if you just go back with him."
She gestured toward the young man leading the way in front of them.
Mrs. Tang’s brows knitted. "Why are you telling me to go with him again? You have to come back with me."
Before Su Li could object, she stated flatly, "It’s Saturday today. There are no classes at school."
"I have things to do," Su Li said.
"Whatever you have to do, you don’t have to do it at night. You must come back with me tonight. I’m only going with you." Mrs. Tang’s grip on Su Li’s hand tightened again.
The young man’s pleading gaze, combined with Mrs. Tang’s death grip on her hand, left Su Li with no choice but to get in the car with them.
By the time they reached the family courtyard, it was already eleven at night.
Aunt Chang was waiting for them at the entrance with Little Tang Mo. As soon as the car stopped, Little Tang Mo ran over in delight.
"Grandma! Mommy!"
"Oh, my precious darling!" Mrs. Tang’s eyes immediately reddened at the sight of Little Tang Mo. She squatted down and hugged him, refusing to let go.
Aunt Chang was a warm and considerate person. She had prepared the noodles early, just waiting to cook them.
As Mrs. Tang was doting on Little Tang Mo, Aunt Chang slipped away to her home to cook the noodles.
Mrs. Tang had just stepped inside and was looking around Tang Yuanxiao’s home when Aunt Chang arrived with the noodles.
The noodle soup was full of egg and meat. Though it was just called "noodles," it was a very hearty meal.
"Aunt Chang, thank you so much," Su Li said hurriedly.
Mrs. Tang thanked her as well, overcome with gratitude. When she heard from Su Li that this was the supervisor’s wife, Mrs. Tang was even more moved, her smile taking on a fawning quality.
Once Mrs. Tang started eating her noodles, Aunt Chang took her leave.
Seeing Su Li again, and now his grandmother too, made Little Tang Mo ecstatic. He sat between them, holding one of each of their hands, looking from one to the other with pure contentment.
Between seeing her precious grandson, Little Tang Mo, and the long train journey, Mrs. Tang fell asleep after dinner while holding him.
The two of them slept in Little Tang Mo’s room, and under Mrs. Tang’s watchful eye, Su Li went into the master bedroom.
’The few days I stayed here before, I always slept in Little Tang Mo’s bed. Tang Yuanxiao’s bed, on the other hand... is just...’
’But if I don’t sleep here, I have nowhere else to sleep. I can only be thankful that... Tang Yuanxiao isn’t here.’
Su Li looked at the neatly folded, block-like quilt on the bed and sighed. "I wonder if there are any spare quilts..."
With this thought, she hesitated for a moment before opening Tang Yuanxiao’s wardrobe.
’A spare quilt... there is one, all ready to go. It’s just... it’s that garish red one I saw before.’
Su Li looked at the garish red quilt, then at the neatly folded green sweater next to it.
In the end, she just took out a greatcoat and listlessly closed the wardrobe.
She placed the coat on the bed, then sat down at the desk and saw a letter lying there.
To: Tang Yuanxiao. From: Mrs. Tang.
The return address was Xinghua Village.
Su Li looked at the postmark. It was dated not long after she had refused to let Mrs. Tang into the factory.
