Chapter 27: Taking the Child Away
Tang Zhinian held his daughter tightly, his lips thin and taut, the chapped corner of his mouth splitting open with a cut that bled, like the state of his heart at that moment.
“I can’t give you my daughter,” Tang Zhinian held Tang Yuxin even tighter. Yuxin was his flesh and blood, growing up under his care. How could he bear to hand her over to others, never to see her again, never to hear her call him “daddy” again.
“You won’t give her to us?” Mother Sang’s voice rose, “She is my daughter’s child. How dare you not hand her over!”
“Yes, she was birthed by your daughter,” Tang Zhijun stepped forward to shield his older brother, speaking vehemently, “But my brother is the one who raised her alone.”
“Tang Zhinian, we are not fools,” Sang Zhilan finally stepped forward from the crowd, “You divorced me, give our daughter to me. Now give her to me,” She extended her hand towards Tang Zhinian, had he not held his daughter so tightly, she might have dashed forward to snatch the child from him.
“But didn’t you say…,” Tang Zhinian’s sturdy hands were clammy with sweat, “You said we’d let the child decide. She’s three years old now, old enough to understand.”
“Alright,” Sang Zhilan didn’t seem to worry. No matter what, Yuxin would eventually have to leave with her. Yuxin was her daughter; naturally she would have to take her away.
“Yuxin, I am your mommy,” Sang Zhilan cooed at Yuxin, “Agreed, right? You, Mommy, will leave together? We will go to the city, live in a big house, eat delicious food, wear pretty clothes, see all kinds of cars, sound good?”
Last time when she spoke this way to Yuxin, she agreed immediately. Children are easy to appease, after all.
Yuxin remained held by her father. The young lady in front of her was none other than her mother from her previous life. That laughing face, as it had been in her past life, still seemed hypocritical and somewhat disgusting.
Yes, in her previous life, Sang Zhilan had just managed to deceive her into the Wei’s home and left her father. She even planned to trick her into giving away her compensation money. This woman lacks principle and moral integrity.
If she did have any, she wouldn’t have had an affair with Wei Tian during her marriage and given birth to Wei Jiani, falsely claiming that she was Wei Tian’s daughter from his previous marriage when, in fact, she was her own child.
This life was just like the last one. Sang Zhilan brought many people with her, trying to coax her with sweet words.
Yuxin never planned to leave with Sang Zhilan. She had completely forgotten about this matter. It was not this day that she was taken away by Sang Zhilan and Tang Zhinian, fearing for his daughter’s hardships, scraped together his life savings of five hundred yuan and handed it over to Sang Zhilan. That sum of money at that time was equal to fifty-thousand yuan in today’s terms.
As for whose pockets this money ultimately ended up in, Yuxin didn’t know. All she knew for sure was it certainly wasn’t hers.
Sang Zhilan continued to extend her arms, waiting for Yuxin to allow her to hold her. She eagerly awaited to leave this impoverished place, and of course, she would take the money from home.
Otherwise, how could she, a single woman, raise a daughter?
“Yuxin, what’s the matter?” She kept smiling, but her face started to twitch. What’s wrong with this child? Has she gone stupid? Why isn’t she obedient today? Normally, she would eagerly seek out her mother.