Chapter 80

Chapter 80

When Tang Jixue and Su Rong arrived, Tang Qingqing had just been called away to track down a missing child in the neighboring village.

Grandma Wu hadn't seen Tang Jixue for a long time and was very fond of her eldest grandson, constantly talking to him and sharing all the treats she had hidden away.

Although Tang Jixue wasn't interested in Grandma Wu's snacks, he accepted them all, which made her particularly happy.

"You've grown so tall. I remember the last time I saw you, you were about the same size as Xingqiang. Back then, you were quite mischievous and didn't want to leave."

Grandma Wu held Tang Jixue's hand, reminiscing about the past and recounting stories from his childhood.

While Tang Jixue still remembered those times, they weren't as vivid or significant to him as they were to Grandma Wu. At first, he was touched, but after hearing the same few lines repeatedly, he started feeling restless.

Although Grandma Wu wanted to keep talking to him, she was also worried that he might find it boring here, so she asked Tang Xingqiang to show him around.

Tang Jixue walked around the courtyard and asked, "Where does your sister live?"

"She now lives with her master. Before that, she stayed at Uncle's house next door."

Hearing this, Tang Jixue felt a bit unhappy. "Doesn't she have a room here?"

The countryside houses were spacious, even if there weren't many rooms, there was plenty of space to accommodate everyone. If it was inconvenient, partitions could be easily added.

Although Uncle was family, since they had separated households, it was different. It wasn't appropriate for her to live there.

Now, she doesn't even consider this place home anymore, running off elsewhere. This made him uncomfortable.

Even though he thought no one in this family was good, not wanting to stay was one thing, being pushed out was another.

Tang Xingqiang honestly replied, "No, that's why she rarely comes back."

During their earlier conversation, Grandma Wu and Zhao Dahua had hinted that Tang Qingqing liked to wander around and was somewhat restless.

Tang Xingqiang, feeling uneasy, tried to clarify, not wanting his sister to be misunderstood.

Tang Jixue frowned slightly; he barely remembered his younger sister.

His previous visit was over a decade ago when he was young and always running around, climbing mountains and swimming in rivers, never staying at home. He only remembered boys his own age and paid little attention to the younger children.

He had glanced at her once when someone mentioned she looked like Tang Zhenzhen, thinking it was nonsense and ignored it.

When he learned that his real sister was this girl, he couldn't recall what she looked like, remembering her as somewhat dull and messy?

Tang Jixue couldn't remember clearly.

From what he had heard, this sister seemed to have a temper and was quite independent.

"Your sister..."

Tang Xingqiang became upset. "My sister is your sister! If you don't care about her, don't take her away!"

"Oh, oh, my younger sister..."

"Not your younger sister, who's your younger sister! My sister is your only little sister!"

Tang Jixue stepped back, startled. "You little brat, why are you so aggressive?"

"Because you're an idiot!"

"Hey! My temper!"

Tang Jixue reached out to grab him, but Tang Xingqiang dodged and slipped away.

"I warn you, if you dare treat my sister badly, watch out!"

Tang Jixue laughed. "She's my real sister, how could we treat her badly? You little brat, you're not old enough to threaten people. I wonder how you plan to deal with us."

"Hmph, I'll grow up too! When I grow up, I'll be better than you."

Tang Jixue sized up Tang Xingqiang. "You?"

Tang Xingqiang stood firm, head held high, small but determined.

"Don't underestimate the poor youth!"

Tang Qingqing entered at that moment and laughed upon hearing this.

"Who would dare bully you?"

"Sis!"

Tang Jixue watched as a fierce fighter turned into a clingy little monkey, calling her "Sis" with a wavy tone, making him shiver.

He looked up at Tang Qingqing and felt a slight shock.

Tang Qingqing's skin wasn't exceptionally fair but was smooth and radiant, giving her a vibrant appearance.

With a simple high ponytail and ordinary clothes, she stood out despite her plain attire.

She exuded the simplicity and innocence of a country girl, yet her eyes revealed determination and stubbornness.

Most importantly, Tang Qingqing gave him a sense of familiarity.

Tang Jixue wanted to greet her but didn't know how, scratching his head.

Tang Qingqing was not unfamiliar with Tang Jixue. He was just as she remembered, only taller and more mature.

She greeted him warmly, "Hello."

"You, you hello. I, I am your Third Brother."

Tang Qingqing smiled at him. "Third Brother."

Tang Jixue wasn't called Third Brother for the first time. Not only did Tang Zhenzhen call him that, but others outside also liked to call him Third Brother.

But seeing the girl in front of him with her beautiful face, radiant smile, and generous demeanor calling him Third Brother was still very different.

They were both sisters, but she and Tang Zhenzhen had completely different personalities.

Tang Zhenzhen was a pampered little princess, while Tang Qingqing was a girl who had experienced storms and scorching heat, capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with others.

Tang Qingqing was different from what he had imagined. He had thought she would be a serious, quiet, and slightly rustic girl, but he didn't expect her to be so sunny and full of vitality, carrying a sense of strength.

Although she was a girl, Tang Jixue felt she could be someone he could hang out with.

"Third Brother, go inside and sit down first; I'll wash my face."

Only then did Tang Jixue notice that Tang Qingqing looked travel-worn. Although she wore a straw hat, her face was still sunburned.

She also looked disheveled, covered in grass stains, and there were cuts on her hands from wild grass.

"Why are you working so hard in this heat? Isn't there public security? Why should a girl like you be running around?"

Tang Xingsheng had already brought water over. Tang Qingqing thanked him and washed her face while saying:

"I find them faster than they do."

Tang Xingqiang said proudly, "My sister's skills aren't something everyone has."

Tang Jixue felt pity, "But it's too hard on you. Look how sunburned you are. But don't worry; once you go back, you won't have to suffer like this anymore. You can be like other girls, thinking about dressing up, going shopping, watching movies. A new department store just opened downtown, and it's bustling. When you return, I'll take you there."

Tang Qingqing ignored him and used water to soothe her skin.

She had been exposed to the sun all day, and her skin was burning hot. Now she needed to cool it down with water.

After doing this, she raised her head and said, "I don't think this is suffering; this is what I like to do. Every girl is different, and every person is different."

Tang Jixue was surprised, "You don't like shopping or watching movies?"

"It's not that I don't like them, but they can only be occasional activities, not daily routines. They shouldn't take up too much of my time. If you treat me as a sister, I hope you won't interfere with my choices. Similarly, I will respect your choices and not interfere with your life."

"What if I want to go south to do business? Would you think it's embarrassing?"

"What's embarrassing about that? As long as you can bear the consequences of your choice, I respect your decision. However, based on my opinion, I would suggest completing your education first and cherish the opportunity to attend university."

Tang Jixue was taken aback, "I didn't get into university. Where did you hear that I went to university?"

Tang Qingqing was incredulous. According to the book, Tang Jixue got into Capital University, where he built connections, laying the foundation for his future career.

How could he not even get into university? That shouldn't be the case!

Even if there were discrepancies, they shouldn't be that significant.

"Why didn't you try to get in?" Tang Qingqing asked curiously.

University is not just a place for learning. It is very difficult to enter now, and those who do are talented individuals, most likely to become pillars of society, especially if it's a prestigious school.

From any perspective, getting into university has many benefits.

Not only do you learn more knowledge, broaden your horizons, enrich your life experiences, and raise your future baseline, but you also build connections, laying the groundwork for future development.

Tang Jixue's personality was somewhat impulsive. Though smart, he was prone to making mistakes due to his cleverness, needing some restraint.

Tang Jixue and Tang Xingqiang shared similarities in some ways, both being very intelligent and active but having obvious flaws.

They were like control groups, corresponding perfectly.

Tang Jixue's mind easily wandered, but if he were pinned down, he could easily focus on learning.

He wasn't against learning; he just got distracted easily and followed any temptation.

Seeing Tang Qingqing trust him so much, believing he was capable, Tang Jixue felt both proud and ashamed.

"I didn't fail to try; I just didn't pass."

"That's not right. You must not have studied well enough. Otherwise, getting in wouldn't be difficult."

Tang Jixue scratched his head, "Why are you so sure I could get in, just like Zhenzhen?"

Tang Qingqing frowned slightly.

Seeing she wasn't pleased, Tang Jixue quickly changed the subject.

"Did you find the child?"

"We found the child."

"Then why do you look so upset? Is the child okay?"

"The child was found, but the kidnapper escaped. We couldn't catch him."

The kidnapper had already taken the child, but the parents reacted quickly, noticing their child was missing and immediately organizing a search party.

The kidnapper, fearing exposure, threw the child into a ravine surrounded by grass and trees, making it hard to find.

If Tang Qingqing hadn't followed the footprints, they might have missed the child. The child couldn't climb out, and something bad might have happened.

The trafficker wasn't caught, meaning other children would still be in danger.

"Anyway, it's good that the child was found."

Tang Qingqing nodded; this was the only consolation.

But leaving with such an issue unresolved made her feel very uneasy.

Su Rong and Tang Jixue stayed only one night at Rongshan Brigade and left the next day with Tang Qingqing.

Tang Xingqiang, Tang Xingsheng, and Tang Qiaoqiao cried their eyes out, clinging to Tang Qingqing until she stepped out the door.

If the adults hadn't held them back, they would have followed her all the way.

Old Liu didn't come to see Tang Qingqing off. At breakfast, he said he disliked farewells, and when Tang Qingqing left, he didn't even get up from his bench.

But Tang Qingqing knew that this old man would never miss sending her off.

Sure enough, not far past the village entrance, Tang Qingqing spotted Old Liu on a hilltop.

Tang Qingqing waved at Old Liu and shouted, "Master, I'll come back to visit often!"

Her voice echoed through the mountains as Old Liu waved back and shouted:

"Hurry along, don't miss your bus, take care of yourself."

Tang Qingqing waved vigorously, reluctantly leaving, looking back every now and then until she could no longer see him.

Tang Qingqing walked with her head down, holding back tears. After a while, Tang Jixue nudged her with his elbow.

"There seems to be someone on that hilltop. Is that your Master?"

Tang Qingqing turned to look and saw that Old Liu had moved to another spot, craning his neck to watch.

Tang Qingqing couldn't hold back her tears any longer, and they fell.