Chapter 2134: Chapter 2037: Struck It Rich
Seeing Tongtong’s cautious appearance, Huo Sining felt a little tense inside. She had originally planned to return and arrange the hotel first before coming back, but now she wasn’t in a hurry. Looking at the little girl in front of her, her heart was filled with a whirlwind of emotions.
It wasn’t entirely surprising that Huo Sining’s emotions were overflowing at this moment. After all, the little girl in front of her was about the same age as when she was fostered in Huo Yong’s house. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of closeness and sympathy for this child.
Huo Sining had a hypothesis in her mind, but before conducting an investigation, she didn’t dare jump to conclusions.
Although Tongtong was only five years old, she was somewhat precocious and very alert. Even after Huo Sining bought that snakeskin bag of garbage, the little girl didn’t drop her guard. Huo Sining kept trying to talk with the girl to get closer but to no avail.
Seeing this situation, Huo Sining had no choice but to give up for now, signaling to Su Qingqing and Yingzi, and the three left together.
After arriving at the hotel, Huo Sining told Su Qingqing and Yingzi that she was tired and wanted to take a nap. Su Qingqing, though somewhat suspicious, didn’t ask much. She nodded in agreement, saying she could explore the Antique Street in Jinling by herself.
Seeing this, Huo Sining sent Yingzi to accompany Su Qingqing.
Yingzi was internally resistant. Her duty was to ensure Huo Sining’s safety; whether Su Qingqing was in danger was not part of her responsibilities.
However, since Huo Sining was her superior now and insisted on her going, Yingzi couldn’t disobey her orders. Moreover, Yingzi figured that Huo Sining would be safe sleeping in the room, so after some consideration, she agreed.
As soon as Su Qingqing and Yingzi left, Huo Sining also quickly left the hotel, hailed a cab, and returned to Fuzi Street.
After weaving through the streets, Huo Sining found a secluded alley without surveillance to conceal her presence, then stealthily approached number 316.
Just as she reached the doorway, she heard a sharp voice from inside:
"You can’t even do this right. What’s the use of raising you? I knew you had no good intentions, making such hot water. Are you trying to scald your brother to death?!"
Upon hearing this voice, Huo Sining instinctively furrowed her brow, reaching out to feel the wall of the house, as everything before her gradually became clear.
Tongtong, who she had seen in the alley earlier, was now sitting on the floor. A woman in her thirties, holding a few-month-old baby, was glaring angrily at the little girl on the ground. Still not satisfied with her scolding, she turned her head and noticed a porcelain jar nearby, grabbing it and throwing it at the little girl.
The porcelain jar still had water in it and it struck the girl’s forehead, dousing her completely. It created a large bump on her forehead, which quickly turned swollen and bruised.
The little girl, pained, curled up and trembled, her eyes filling with red due to the pain, yet she dared not make a sound. Even when tears streamed down her face, she dared not wipe them away.
The woman, still not satisfied, picked up a clothes hanger from the bed and began hitting the little girl:
"How dare you cry, you have the nerve to cry. If it weren’t for you, this useless burden, I wouldn’t have to work so hard! I dare you to cry, I dare you!"
The woman kept cursing, when a man walked in from the other side. Seeing the situation, he frowned:
"Haven’t you had enough? Tongtong is so young, what scheme could she possibly have? Is it necessary for you to scold her like this? You’ve been causing a racket every day, and the neighbors are complaining. Haven’t you heard the neighbors talking about us?"
"Talking about us, what’s there to talk about? Those gossipy women have nothing better to do than stick their noses into others’ business. Are they Pacific Ocean police?"
The man, looking annoyed, glanced at the still-sitting Tongtong. Suddenly, he spoke: "Tongtong, go clean the yard, and wash the vegetables. We don’t need you here."
Following the man’s instructions, Tongtong nodded, got up, and walked outside. Her movement pulling at the freshly made welts from the hanger, the pain turning her face pale.
After coming out of the room, the little girl indeed went to the yard, took a broom, and began sweeping the floor. Once done, she obediently began preparing the vegetables, filling a basin with the cold water from the tap to wash them skillfully.
Previously, Huo Sining had wondered how the child’s frostbite came to be. Now seeing this, she instantly understood.
Huo Sining’s eyes were practically ablaze, and her entire being seemed ready to explode. This couple was simply too detestable!
When she had seen Tongtong earlier, she suspected there was an issue with the foster parents Elisa had found for her child. Now this suspicion was confirmed. Elisa’s daughter was indeed being abused by this couple, treated as a little maid. It was disgraceful!
Thinking of this, Huo Sining couldn’t resist wanting to take action, to teach this couple a lesson!
Noticing the yard’s gate wasn’t latched from the inside, Huo Sining pushed the door open and walked in.
The creaking of the gate as it was pushed open sounded loudly in the yard. The little girl was washing vegetables, and upon hearing the sound, she immediately looked up, but she saw no one.
The man inside also heard the gate, glanced into the yard, and called out: "Tongtong, has someone come?"
Tongtong looked at the door with confusion and replied: "No one, it was the wind blowing it open!"
The man inside didn’t think much of it, turned back around, and continued fixing formula for the baby. He glanced out the window at Tongtong diligently washing vegetables, and suddenly lowered his voice, speaking to his wife:
"I went to the bank today, guess what happened?"
Hearing her husband, the woman looked up and saw an excited and blissful expression on her husband’s face, causing her to wonder: "What’s happened to make you so happy?"
The man glanced at Tongtong again to ensure she wouldn’t hear, then moved closer to his wife and said:
"We’ve struck it rich. That woman, for some reason, put a million in that card!"
The woman suddenly looked up, incredulously staring at her husband, as if she couldn’t believe her ears: "What did you say? How much?"