Chapter 155: Chapter 145: Don’t You Want Me Anymore?

Mo Shuixia pouted. "You didn’t answer my question."

"Young lady, first, can you tell me where Mo Xiaoman is?"

"First you tell me. Who are you? And why are you looking for Mo Xiaoman?"

"Young lady, how about you take me to her, and we can talk when we meet, okay?" Tang Qingyun glanced at the sky. ’I can’t stay out too late,’ he thought. ’My eyesight isn’t great, so I should avoid driving at night as much as possible.’

Mo Shuixia had initially thought this man had a dignified air and even looked a bit like Mo Xiaoman, which was why she’d followed him to ask. But seeing him beat around the bush and refuse to answer her questions felt disrespectful. Annoyed, she gave him a random answer. "You don’t have to look anymore. Mo Xiaoman doesn’t go to this middle school."

Tang Qingyun was taken aback. "How do you know?"

"Of course I know! We’re from the same village. We grew up together and were classmates in elementary school!"

"Ah, that’s wonderful! Wait, young lady... what’s your name?"

Mo Shuixia had already turned and run off. When she heard him asking for her name too, she got annoyed and decided to mess with him. She stopped and said, "My name is ’Good Person.’ No need to thank me."

Tang Qingyun: ...

"Mo Xiaoman is a top student. Why would she be studying at this school? Her brother took her away to attend the best middle school in the provincial city!"

Tang Qingyun froze. "The provincial city? Mo Xiaoman... since when does she have a brother?"

"What do you mean, ’since when’? She has several, and each one is more formidable than the last! So don’t you get any funny ideas about her, or you’ll be sorry!"

"Hey, young lady..."

Tang Qingyun watched helplessly as Mo Shuixia ran off into the distance. He turned back and insisted on asking all three of the new student homeroom teachers. Only after confirming that Mo Xiaoman was truly not at this school did he begin to believe what Mo Shuixia had said.

The heavy rain fell without a break. Tang Qingyun drove slowly, not arriving back in Wancheng until nine o’clock that night.

He showered, changed, and had a bite to eat. It was already past ten, but he couldn’t rest. He placed a call to the provincial city.

Wu Xiaowen answered the phone, her voice immediately filled with complaint. "Qingyun? Where have you been? You left in the middle of the night and didn’t even get to Wancheng after a whole day? I called you so many times and no one answered. Someone at your office finally picked up, and I had them look everywhere, but they said they couldn’t find you... Do you have any idea how worried we were?"

"Alright, alright, I’m back now, aren’t I? I’m fine, don’t worry!"

"Where did you go?"

"I went to Ping County to find Mo Xiaoman!" Tang Qingyun said directly.

"What? You... Qingyun, you’re not the kind of person to be so rash and reckless!"

"Reckless? Xiao Wen, if you’d seen it with your own eyes, you wouldn’t be saying that." Tang Qingyun angrily slapped the arm of the sofa. "That Liu Fengying tricked you, and I can’t believe I fell for it too. I... I regret it so much, you know? I never should have waited this long to go look for her!"

The woman’s voice on the other end of the line was choked with sobs. "Qingyun, what is it? What happened? Are you blaming me? You’re blaming me!"

Tang Qingyun closed his eyes. "I’m trying to discuss this with you. Let’s talk this through properly! You listen, and I’ll talk!"

"Qingyun, first tell me, what did you see when you went to the countryside? The child... that child, what does she look like?"

"Who cares what she looks like! Once I confirm she’s really my daughter, there is no way she’s staying with Liu Fengying. I’m bringing her back!"

"Qingyun, calm down..." Wu Xiaowen sobbed softly.

"I can’t calm down! Xuanxuan grew up showered in our love. We did everything in our power to give her a happy and wonderful life. Even now, I still love her as if she were my own flesh and blood. But what about that couple? How are they treating our child? Xiao Wen, just try to imagine this. I saw it with my own eyes. Liu Fengying is raising six children. Ours was ruined by her over just a few sores. Her own son blew off both his hands while dynamiting for fish—his head and legs are wrapped in bandages, and he hasn’t even been hospitalized! One girl is blind! The other two girls are unbelievably filthy! Do you think a woman like that is capable of truly loving a child? She can’t even take care of her own biological children properly, so how could she possibly treat ours well? In short, I cannot leave our child in an environment like that, to be further tormented and abused by Liu Fengying!"

After a long silence, Wu Xiaowen’s voice came through the receiver, as faint as a mosquito’s buzz. "Is... is it really like that?"

Tang Qingyun nodded firmly. "Xiao Wen, you don’t have to believe me. Come here, and I’ll take you there myself! I didn’t see the child today, but I’m going back!"

"Qingyun..." Wu Xiaowen stopped trying to dissuade him and said softly, "You’re so busy with work. How about this? You don’t have to go in person. We can send someone to investigate, and if necessary, bring the child back."

"’If necessary’? It *is* necessary!" Tang Qingyun rubbed his forehead. He had made this call hoping Xiao Wen could solve a problem for him in the provincial city, but it was only making him more agitated.

"Forget it, let’s not talk about it. You don’t need to worry about this. Tomorrow, I’ll find someone else to help me search the middle schools in the provincial city."

"The middle schools in the provincial city? What are you looking for?"

"I met a girl today who said she’s from the same village as Mo Xiaoman. They grew up together and were classmates in elementary school. According to her, Mo Xiaoman is an excellent student and went to the best school in the provincial city. I’d rather believe it’s true than leave that child in Liu Fengying’s house!"

"So, you’re going to look for Mo Xiaoman in the provincial city? Qingyun, that doesn’t sound very reliable, does it? How is that possible? No matter how good her grades are, a child from the countryside could at most attend a county-level middle school. How could she go straight to the provincial city? Besides... besides, with her face like that, what school in the provincial city would accept her?"

Tang Qingyun fell silent. After a moment, he let out a long sigh. "I told you, you don’t need to worry about it, okay? Let’s leave it at that. I’m exhausted. I’m going to get some rest."

"Qingyun, wait... Tell me. How do we search? I’ll go myself!"

Tang Qingyun paused, his tone softening. "Alright. First, make a list of all the middle schools in the provincial city and check them one by one. Focus on the new students. Her classmate said Mo Xiaoman is a top student. Think about it—Hao Hao has that kind of intellect, skipping grades continuously. Maybe Xiao Man can too? So if you can’t find her among the new students, check the second-years. It has to be quick. I’ll wait for your news, and then I’ll head back to the countryside."

「In the provincial city.」 Tang Qingyun had already hung up, but back in their home, Wu Xiaowen was still clutching the receiver, a dazed look on her face as she leaned against the headboard in the same position she’d been in while taking the call.

Tang Yaxuan, dressed in a white nightgown, crept silently into the room. She climbed onto the bed, snuggled up close to Wu Xiaowen, and clung to her like an octopus.

Wu Xiaowen started, quickly putting down the phone. She turned her head and saw Tang Yaxuan’s tear-streaked face, and her heart ached. "Xuanxuan? Why aren’t you asleep yet?"

Tang Yaxuan burst into tears. "Mom! I heard the phone ring and knew it was Dad, so I ran to the living room to pick it up... I heard everything! Mom, are you and Dad going to abandon me?"

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