Free Web NovelChapter 211: Chapter 211: Festering
Mrs. Tang wasn’t at the train station.
Su Li searched all over the train station but couldn’t find her.
She asked the ticket agent if anyone matching Mrs. Tang’s description had bought a ticket.
Unfortunately, with so many people buying tickets every day, the agent couldn’t remember anyone specific.
Su Li asked everyone she could, but no one remembered seeing her.
Just like that, Mrs. Tang had vanished without a word.
If this had happened back in Xinghua Village, Tang Yuanxiao wouldn’t have been so frantic. If Mrs. Tang got it in her head to do something rash, she might have gone back to her family’s home or sought out someone she knew.
At least there, she had places to go. She wouldn’t starve or freeze.
But in a completely unfamiliar place, how could Tang Yuanxiao possibly rest easy?
Tang Yuanxiao was worried sick. He searched day and night for two days, combing the surrounding area, the county seat, and even the Imperial City.
He searched and searched without finding a trace, until he could only wonder if she had gone back to their hometown.
Tang Yuanxiao bought a ticket to go home and look for her. Before he left, he planned to take Little Tang Mo to Grandma Cui’s house and ask her to watch him. Just as he had everything ready, a telegram arrived. It said Mrs. Tang had returned home safely.
Tang Yuanxiao stared at the telegram that Yu Le Fei had run over to deliver. His strength gave out, and he collapsed onto the steps of his front door, unable to stand for a long time.
’As long as she’s back... as long as she’s okay...’
Only then could Tang Yuanxiao, his face haggard, his eyes bloodshot, and his chin covered in stubble he hadn’t had time to shave, finally let his guard down.
He’d never imagined Mrs. Tang would be so headstrong as to just run off back home.
Tang Yuanxiao felt a weariness he had never known before.
He pulled Little Tang Mo, who was standing beside him and had also grown thinner, into a hug.
"Momo, Grandma’s home. You don’t have to worry anymore. I’m sorry... Momo, Daddy hasn’t taken good care of you."
Stroking Little Tang Mo’s small, thinner face, Tang Yuanxiao’s heart ached with guilt.
Little Tang Mo had been terrified the night Mrs. Tang tried to hang herself.
But he hadn’t been able to tend to Little Tang Mo then. Aunt Chang told him that the boy had been waking up from nightmares for the rest of the night.
Tang Yuanxiao’s heart ached to hear it. He had wanted to sit down and properly comfort Little Tang Mo, but who could have expected Mrs. Tang to disappear right after?
For the past two days, he had been searching for Mrs. Tang nonstop, with no time at all for Little Tang Mo. Aunt Chang had been the one looking after him.
In just two days, Little Tang Mo’s small face had become sallow, and dark circles were already visible under his young eyes.
Little Tang Mo was a bright child. After skipping a grade, his teacher always praised him, calling him a sensible little genius. But because he was so bright and sensible, he understood what was happening far better than other children his age.
And because he understood, he thought too much. At such a young age, his brow was often furrowed, his mind full of worries, and he had become unusually quiet.
His good behavior was heart-wrenching. He went to class obediently, listened to what he was told, and never made a fuss. Aunt Chang found herself both praising him and feeling her heart ache for him.
When he heard he was being sent to Grandma Cui’s house, he didn’t cry or throw a tantrum, just quietly packed his things.
Children from poor families mature early.
’A child who acts so mature at an age when they shouldn’t have to... it’s because their parents haven’t done a good enough job.’
Tang Yuanxiao held Little Tang Mo, and when he saw the boy patting his shoulder to comfort him, his heart ached so much he couldn’t stand it.
"Momo, don’t be scared. Grandma’s okay now... I’m sorry."
"Mhm." Little Tang Mo nodded forcefully, holding back his tears. He clutched Tang Yuanxiao’s shirt and said earnestly.
"Daddy, I’m a big boy now. I can take care of myself. You don’t have to worry about me anymore. I can get my own food from the cafeteria, go to school by myself, and wash my face and go to bed by myself. I can even wash my own summer clothes."
He took a deep breath. "Really, I can take good care of myself. I don’t need Mom to come home and cook for me every day. Daddy, when you write to Grandma, I can write to her and tell her all this, so she won’t have to worry."
Little Tang Mo had known for a long time that Mrs. Tang didn’t like Su Li. Back in Xinghua Village, he had his own ways of trying to balance the situation. But whenever Mrs. Tang truly caused a scene, Tang Yuanxiao was powerless, and Little Tang Mo was even more so.
’All I can do is make myself less of a burden.’
Little Tang Mo didn’t know the specifics of Su Li’s condition—no one had told him—but he knew it must be bad.
’If Grandma and Mom are destined to hurt each other like this just by being together, I’d rather they were apart. I’d rather Grandma stayed in our hometown, and I could visit her during school breaks.’
Tang Yuanxiao couldn’t bring himself to look Little Tang Mo in the eye. He couldn’t bear it.
He just held Little Tang Mo tighter.
After sitting for a moment, the lingering fear subsided and some of his strength returned. Tang Yuanxiao pulled himself together.
"Momo, Daddy’s going to contact your mom and let her know that Grandma is home safe."
"Mhm..." Little Tang Mo hesitated, but ultimately didn’t ask if he could speak to Su Li too.
"You go ahead, Daddy. I’ll put my things away."
He obediently picked up his bag with both hands, carried it back to his room, and, just as Su Li had taught him, began putting everything back in its proper place, one item at a time.
Once everything was put away, he dusted off his little hands and muttered to himself.
’I can take care of myself.’
He glanced toward the door for a moment. Hearing nothing, he flopped listlessly onto his bed.
Curled up on the bed, Little Tang Mo stared at his small hands. He had only one wish in his heart: to grow up faster.
’If I grow up faster, I won’t need anyone to look after me. I can take care of myself.’
’I can wash my own clothes and cook my own food. I can do everything by myself.’
’When I’m a grown man, I won’t feel like crying over every little thing. I won’t lose control and burst into tears.’
In the quiet of the house, the small, suppressed sound of sobbing slowly began to fill the air.
’Mommy... Grandma...’
******
When Su Li got the call from Tang Yuanxiao and heard that a telegram had confirmed Mrs. Tang’s safe arrival back in their hometown, she let out a long sigh of relief.
"It’s good she’s home."
Even over the phone, Su Li could hear the exhaustion in Tang Yuanxiao’s voice.
’How could he not be exhausted? She was exhausted herself.’
"You should get some rest. Goodbye."
With nothing more to say, Su Li was the first to end the call.
"Okay, goodbye. Su Li... thank you. And I’m sorry," Tang Yuanxiao said after a brief pause.
’Thank you for her help, and sorry for everything his mother had done.’
After a moment of silence, Su Li replied, "Don’t be. I need to rest."
When Mrs. Tang had disappeared, Su Li had spent hours searching the train station, not getting home until late at night.
After that, she’d continued to help search in various places, and had even gone to the hospital to visit the injured construction worker.
She was running around like this when her own body hadn’t even recovered yet.
She was tired, too. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
Exhausted, body and soul.
Tang Yuanxiao could clearly hear the weariness in Su Li’s voice.
Tang Yuanxiao’s heart felt as if it were being squeezed in a fist, the pain unbearable.
His Adam’s apple bobbed. "Su Li, I’ll come see you tomorrow."
The image of Su Li’s miserable state from that day flashed before his eyes, and they filled with anguish.
’Su Li should have been resting. He should have been there taking care of her.’
’But what happened instead? Not only had he failed to care for her, he’d even troubled her to run around for him.’
"Do the cuts on your face and hands still hurt? Don’t you need to get your bandages changed tomorrow? I’ll go with you..."
Su Li cut him off softly, "There’s no need."
"Tang Yuanxiao, there’s no need. You don’t have to come see me."
Her voice was quiet, yet firm.
"I’m supposed to get my bandages changed today. I’ll go by myself. I’ll head over after I tidy up a bit."
’I can go to the hospital and get them changed myself. I have to go today.’
’Even though I haven’t unwrapped the gauze to look, I know the wound on my hand is probably infected.’
’If I wait until tomorrow, it’ll probably be full of pus.’
’I can’t put it off...’
