Chapter 154: 156: She Doesn’t Know Anything
Chapter 154: Chapter 156: She Doesn’t Know Anything
At night, Tang Yuxin slept in a small corner where she could hardly toss and turn. Despite the broken cotton padding beneath her, the chill from the ground below seeped into her body. In her previous life, she had slept in such a spot for almost eight years. It was here that her health was ruined, developing a severe cold constitution that not only stunted her growth but also rendered her unable to bear children.
Her entire life was ruined by her biological mother.
Wei Jiani and she cried on the day she first arrived here in her past life. From that point forward, whenever Tang Yuxin dared to cry, Sang Zhilan would beat her. By the time she was five or six years old, Wei Jiani disliked her for being ugly and refused to sleep with her, so she was driven to the corner room.
This tiny place, which initially served as a dog kennel and then as a storage room, had now become her residence.
Unable to sleep, cold air crept into her body, and she knew very well from her medical background that prolonged lying here would be detrimental to her health. But presently, all she could do was endure.
She did not know how long she had slept before waking up with no desire to sleep further. Carefully, she pushed aside the room’s cluttered door and planned to use the bathroom. The bathrooms in the Tube Building were outside, but she did not fear the dark. After all, she had already experienced death, so what was there to fear about darkness?
However, as she prepared to open the door, she realized it had been bolted from the outside. She couldn’t unfasten it. There seemed to be a chamber pot in the room. She found it, took care of her biological needs, and was about to return when she heard faint voices coming from the room. The voices, distant and close, alternately seemed to be those of Wei Tian and Sang Zhilan.
Initially, she had no interest in their conversation, but she caught the sound of her name.
She made her way over and crouched by the door. The houses back then were not well insulated, so any slightly elevated voices could be heard inside and outside alike.
Reminded of a popular TV show called ‘Nest’, about a couple who lived in a building like the Tube Building, she noted how sounds could be clearly heard from outside.
Two voices inside continued talking, possibly unconscious of the possibility of being overheard.
“See, I was right, wasn’t I?” Sang Zhilan’s voice held a sense of triumph, “Kids from the countryside are mature early. Even though she’s only nine, she’s as useful as an adult. Leaving other things aside, at least now there is someone to look after our Nini all the time, and there’s ready-made meals thrice a day.”
“She is capable indeed.” Wei Tian responded, though it was unclear whether his remark was sincere or feigned. “But would Tang Zhinian give you his child?” He asked. This wasn’t just any object, it was a child, his own daughter. He would never let Nini be taken away, not even by death.
“He will,” Sang Zhilan was confident in her answer, “as long as Yuxin is willing to follow me, Tang Zhinian will surely agree, and he will also give Yuxin a monthly living allowance. This way, we can save some expenses at home.”
“You manage as you see fit,” Wei Tian replied before rolling over in bed and falling silent apart from occasional snoring. Even the dog outside had fallen asleep. What more could be said about humans?
Tang Yuxin returned to her little kennel and pulled the blanket over herself.
It was becoming even colder, and the irony stung. She clung to her blanket. Any hope she might have once had was now thoroughly buried.
So it wasn’t motherly love. So it wasn’t missing her daughter.
What she wanted was a free nanny for the house, and shamelessly, her father’s child support.
It made her wonder just how hypocritical Wei Tian could be, how shameless, planning to use the support her father provided to sustain his own family.
“You’re really ugly”, Wei Jiani scrunched her nose, “You’re very dark, don’t ever call me your sister again in the future, I don’t want a sister like you.”
Even at such a young age, Wei Jiani was already disgusted with Tang Yuxin.
She did not like this ugly, mute, dark-skinned sister.
Tang Yuxin ignored her, just using a rag to wipe the table.
After a little while, Wei Jiani couldn’t sit still anymore.
“Hey…” She got up, hands on her hips, “Do you know how to play the piano?”
Tang Yuxin barely lifted her eyelids in response, “No, I don’t”, she was past the age of wanting to learn the piano. If she had the time, she would rather use a needle to harm people than play music. She had no aptitude for music anyway.
“You’re really useless,” Wei Jiani huffed, sticking her chin up, “My mom is sending me to learn the piano. Also, remember this, she is my mom, not yours.”
Tang Yuxin put down the rag and stared at Wei Jiani. A child of around seven didn’t know much. Surely, these words couldn’t have come out of her mouth; she had never called Sang Zhilan ‘mother’ after all.
So, could she guess who might have taught Wei Jiani these things?
Was it Wei Tian?
She always knew that Wei Tian was the most hypocritical one in the Wei family.
“What are you looking at?” Wei Jiani was still a child and hadn’t fully developed her future cunning, ambitious nature. Despite being scared, she maintained her pretense.
“If you keep looking at me, I’ll have my dad gouge your eyes out.”
She huffed and stepped on Tang Yuxin’s foot with her little one. A seven-year-old did not have much strength, but Tang Yuxin still felt the pain.
She made herself remember this pain, relive this pain.
And learn what she could do, what she could not do, who to trust and who she could never trust till her death.
Picking up the rag again, she carried the bucket and knelt on the floor. As in her previous life, she dutifully cleaned the floor meticulously, leaving it spotless, reflecting her father’s conscientious character.
Life at the Wei family had improved. Sang Zhilan needed not worry about Wei Jiani being alone at home. Every time she returned, meals were cooked, the house was cleaned, and even the laundry was done.
Tang Yuxin indeed proved very competent, even shockingly so for a child.