Chapter 119: Huang Mingzhu
Too busy to eat, Tang Tian, who was thunderstruck by the news, rushed straight out of the factory gate and ran desperately toward home.
She couldn’t believe this was real; it certainly wasn’t real!
How could such a formidable uncle like him possibly meet with misfortune?
If something happened to him, what would she do?
From now on, who would still fear her and give her face? How could she rely on the Yan family to marry into a wealthy household that would ensure she never worried about food or clothing?
She forcefully pushed open the half-closed door. Before even entering, she heard faint sobbing sounds from inside the room, which made her steps falter.
She still harbored a sliver of hope, but the moment she saw her aunt weeping bitterly in her grandmother’s arms, she completely lost her composure.
“Aunt!”
“Tian Tian… you’re back?”
Huang Mingzhu heard the voice and, upon discovering it was her most beloved niece, quickly slipped out of her mother’s embrace, wiped her tears, and forced a smile. “Have you eaten…”
“Aunt, how could you be here? Why are you here!”
“What kind of talk is that from you, child! This is also your aunt’s home; how could she not be here?”
Before his daughter could say anything, the protective Huang Daneng blew his beard and glared, firing off his words, though aimed at his son, who kept his head down with an indiscernible expression and hadn’t spoken.
“Huang Zongbao, is that what you think too? You can’t tolerate my Pearl either? Let me tell you, if it’s really your family, all of you get out! We old folks aren’t dead yet; this home is still under my control!”
“Dad, what are you saying? How could I not tolerate Pearl? She’s my only blood sister!”
“You’d better be. Even if not, as long as I’m alive one more day, I’ll stake my life to absolutely not allow anyone to bully her again!”
He bellowed the last word with a voice that cracked, showing just how excited Huang Daneng was.
His daughter, whom he had cherished like the apple of his eye since childhood, had her life ruined by those two father and son, forcing her to divorce and remarry that scoundrel, nearly destroying her lifetime of happiness.
These past few years, just thinking about it made him feel heartbroken, a stabbing pain in his chest.
Fortunately, heaven has eyes; that dog Yan Bin, who took advantage of her vulnerability, finally got locked up, and not a single one of his underlings escaped!
Retribution comes swiftly—good, very good!
With this, his daughter could finally return home. If his eldest son and daughter-in-law truly dared to resent Pearl, he would absolutely say it and do it!
“Dad, I know you’re upset and heartbroken for Pearl. As her big brother, am I not upset or heartbroken? But don’t say that again. I’m overjoyed that Pearl can return home…”
“Return home?!”
A piercing shriek interrupted the father and son’s conversation. Tang Tian grabbed Huang Mingzhu’s hand like a madwoman, her long nails digging deep into her flesh without a care.
She shoved again and again at this person who had loved and spoiled her since childhood, never skimping on food, clothing, or anything.
“Aunt, how can you return home? Won’t people laugh us to death? Uncle treated you so well; how can you do this? Come on, go back! Hurry back to the Yan family!”
“Tian Tian, let go first; you’re hurting me. Let aunt explain slowly…”
“I won’t listen! I only know that since you married uncle, in life you’re his person, in death you’re the Yan family’s ghost. Who kicks someone away before the outcome is even certain… Ah!”
“Smack~”
“Dad, you actually hit me!”
“I’m hitting you, you little beast!”
Huang Zongbao listened to his daughter’s words, each one like a sharp knife precisely stabbing at his sister’s heart. Seeing her pale little face, her eyes that had just regained their sparkle instantly dim, his heart ached to the point of suffocation.
He grabbed her shoving hand and couldn’t hold back from slapping her backhanded, his glaring tiger eyes fully bloodshot.
“You may follow your mom’s surname Tang, but that doesn’t mean you’re not one of us Huang family! How can you say such shameless, disrespectful words!”
“Where did I go wrong? What kind of good women are those who return home divorced? Aunt, if not for yourself, can’t you think of me? I haven’t married yet; if others…”
“Shut your mouth!”
Huang Zongbao looked at her with full disappointment. In their Huang family, boys and girls were loved equally, even more so for her being a girl.
After years of loving and spoiling, out came such a little beast?
Back then, he really shouldn’t have softened and followed the Tang family’s wish; a child not surnamed Huang has none of the roots of a true Huang family member!
“Get out!”
If he weren’t old and slow, the slap on that little face would have come from Huang Daneng himself. He could love his own daughter, but not even his own son would escape if he bullied her, let alone a granddaughter one generation removed.
The grandfather, terrifying when his temper flared, made the frenzied Tang Tian tremble involuntarily. Coming to her senses, she slowly clenched her fist.
She knew it; she had known it since childhood!
Don’t think that normally Dad, brother, grandpa, and granny all doted on her, but whenever it came to aunt’s matters, even she had to step aside—never an exception.
Yet, their old Huang family still had the face to say they loved her the most?
Sure enough, Grandpa and Granny were right; deep down, they never truly saw her as Huang family. Who made her surname Tang instead of Huang!
“What’s with that look? Lesson not enough?”
Shocked by his daughter’s hateful, resentful gaze, yet also heartbroken, Huang Zongbao stepped forward and grabbed her wrist. “Apologize to your grandpa and aunt now!”
“Why should I apologize? Where did I go wrong!”
She tried to wrench free from her father’s large hand, but his strength was so great it brought tears to her eyes, yet she couldn’t shake it off. Tang Tian turned her head, glaring at Huang Mingzhu with eyes full of enmity.
“Aunt, didn’t you say you loved and cherished me the most? You won’t even consider me a little? I hate you!”
“You…”
“Big brother!”
Huang Mingzhu clutched her chest, feeling a needle-like pain in her heart. But after all, she truly loved this niece and, seeing the large purple bruise on her wrist, couldn’t help but plead, “Let go of Tian Tian first.”
“Pearl, you’re still speaking up for this little beast.”
Though his words were harsh, Huang Zongbao slowly released her hand. Was he really going to break his own daughter’s arm?
After all, once a father’s anger subsided, seeing the injury he caused would inevitably bring self-reproach and heartache.
Freed, Tang Tian immediately retreated several steps, viciously wiping the tears from her face and scanning everyone in the hall one by one.
Her grandfather glaring at her, wishing he could hit her more; her grandmother, eyes full of heartbreak and sorrow toward her, now all blame; and her father, face complex with disappointment.
She turned and rushed out the door. This home didn’t welcome or like her, and she didn’t care for it either!
“Tian Tian…”
“Let her go!”
Besides going to the Tang family, where else could she go? Perfect, let the only two troublemakers in the family keep each other company!
Huang Daneng irritably roared, but the moment he turned, his anger turned to heartache. “Pearl, don’t take her words to heart. Little girls are ignorant, ah!”
“Dad, I know.”
Huang Mingzhu forced a smile. Truth be told, she wasn’t without concerns about Tang Tian’s words.
With marriage law, marriage became free, but that didn’t mean unfortunate women had the courage and confidence.
Gossip, those spittle flecks could drive a good person mad or drown them.
This time, with Yan Bin locked up, she came home to hear her parents’ and big brother’s opinions.
Aside from the marriage matter, Yan Bin hadn’t wronged her and had always treated her well. She had quietly saved quite a bit herself.
If it burdened her parents, she could live alone. Anyway, this lifetime was like this; no plans to remarry. Living anywhere was living.
“Pearl, don’t overthink. Do you want to make your parents die of heartache?”
A mother knows her daughter best. Huang’s mother could tell what she was thinking from her expression and gripped her hand tightly. “Just come home. We don’t fear it. We can’t control the gossip behind our backs, and it won’t cost us any flesh!”
“Right, listen to your mom!”
Huang Daneng nodded vigorously, agreeing with his old woman’s words. “While that Yan Bin hasn’t spawned yet, hurry and get the procedures done. You still waiting to wear mourning for him? Ridiculous…”
Under his old woman’s glare, he swallowed the crude words. As if afraid his daughter might not turn the corner, he changed tack with a heavy blow.
“That fine young man Xu Chang has been waiting for you all these years…”
“Old man!” “Dad!”
“Dad, what did you say?”
Didn’t Xu Chang get married and leave with his wife?
