Chapter 54 - 53: Tongtong Cries Bubbles

Yang Yixue’s chest heaved violently.

A torrent of discomfort, regret, and resentment flooded her.

The resentment stemmed from her belief that Jiang Liu must have been hiding his skills. ’They were married, and he still played these games with her. What was the point?’

If they hadn’t divorced, she could have opened a shop with her money and had Jiang Liu make buns for her. Wouldn’t she have gotten rich??

Besides, Jiang Liu had a great physique, was handsome, and had an upstanding character.

And she had just thrown away a man like that!

Yang Yixue stared blankly at Jiang Liu’s shop.

Tongtong rubbed her belly. "I’m hungry. I want to go back."

Yang Yixue frowned. "Visitation is for the whole day. I’m supposed to take you to the amusement park this afternoon. I’ve already booked the tickets."

Tongtong shrank away to the side, saying fearfully, "Please, can I not go? I want to help Dad clean. Don’t you have work? You can go get busy."

"Can I?"

This wasn’t about being dependent on Jiang Liu; she just couldn’t stand being next to Yang Yixue for a moment longer.

Yang Yixue’s expression suddenly darkened as she stared at Jiang Tongtong.

"Tongtong, I’m your mother. Do you really hate me this much??"

Tongtong shook her head frantically in fear.

Suddenly, the pressure vanished.

Yang Yixue’s expression softened again.

She straightened Tongtong’s messy hair and smoothed the wrinkles on her clothes.

"It’s okay, Tongtong. If you don’t want to go today, we won’t. Next time, Mommy will take you somewhere even better."

"Is there anything you want to eat? Mommy will mail it to you."

"If you need anything at all, you have my number, don’t you? Call me, and Mommy will buy it for you right away."

Seeing that Jiang Liu was making big money, Yang Yixue had a change of heart.

Her attitude toward Tongtong had also changed dramatically.

"Mm."

Tongtong breathed a sigh of relief. Clutching her water cup, she glanced at the rearview mirror, then opened the car door and jumped out.

Yang Yixue quickly followed her out of the car.

She planned to see Jiang Liu.

If Jiang Liu agreed to hand over the shop’s operations to her, she might be able to accept living with him again.

"Come on, Tongtong. There are cars. Hold Mommy’s hand."

Tongtong pretended not to hear, clutching her cup and pushing forward.

"Didn’t you hear me talking to you?!"

Yang Yixue caught up to Tongtong in three strides and grabbed her by the clothes.

She glared fiercely at Tongtong, her threat unspoken but clear.

Just then, Huang Yunfeng and five or six of his workmates walked over.

"Tongtong, what are you doing here by yourself? Who’s this next to you?"

"Hey, what’s wrong? Why are you crying? Don’t cry, don’t cry. Uncle will stand up for you!"

The six men, including Huang Yunfeng, surrounded Yang Yixue, cracking their knuckles.

"Were you the one just bullying Tongtong?"

They sized up Yang Yixue with hostile eyes.

’If Boss Jiang’s daughter gets bullied, and Boss Jiang gets mad and closes up shop, what then??’

’What would we eat!’

Yang Yixue was intimidated, but she didn’t let her attitude falter. She shoved Huang Yunfeng aside. "Get out of my way! I’m Tongtong’s mother!"

"You?"

"You’re Tongtong’s mother? Haha! Look at you. Do you think you’re fit to be Tongtong’s mother?"

"Besides, if you’re her mother, why did you scare her into tears?"

"I’m warning you, get lost!"

"You!..." Yang Yixue, flustered and exasperated, pointed at Huang Yunfeng’s nose.

Just then, a group of uncles and aunties who had sniffed out some drama walked over.

As soon as they arrived, they saw the weeping Tongtong, her eyes swollen with grievances.

The little girl clutched her water cup, sobbing uncontrollably.

The uncles’ and aunties’ hearts ached for her, and they quickly rushed to her side protectively.

"What’s going on? Why is Tongtong crying?"

"This little girl is usually so cheerful. She must have been bullied, right?"

Aunt Mengmeng squinted, scanning the surroundings.

Huang Yunfeng pointed at Yang Yixue.

"There! See this woman? She’s the one who scared Tongtong. She claims to be her mother, but I think she might be a child trafficker."

"What?! Trying to kidnap Tongtong?"

"A child trafficker?!"

"My second son works for the criminal investigation department! Just wait till I call him to deal with her!"

"Don’t let her run! Let me get a kick in later."

Yang Yixue was like a pitiful chick surrounded by a pack of hungry wolves.

Hearing them call her a child trafficker, her face flushed with anger. "What are you talking about! I’m Tongtong’s mother! Everyone, move!"

"If you don’t move, I’m calling the police!"

"Go ahead and call. My husband is a high-ranking official. You just try it. Trying to play the victim after you started it?"

"My daughter also works for the government. If she dares call the police, I’ll have my daughter make things difficult for her immediately!"

The crowd chimed in one after another.

They berated Yang Yixue until she was speechless and trembling.

Tongtong spoke up, "You should go back. The uncles and aunties can walk me home."

As she spoke, Tongtong whimpered and sniffled, clearly not over the injustice.

The crowd was taken aback. ’Is this woman really Tongtong’s mother?’

’What’s with that awful attitude of hers?’

Yang Yixue shot a disgusted look at the uncles and aunties blocking her path.

She said to Tongtong, "Then Mommy will go first. I’ll take you out to play on the next visitation day."

With that, she scurried away in disgrace.

Huang Yunfeng took Tongtong and escorted her back to the shop.

The shop’s buns and juice were already sold out.

Jiang Liu and Jun Qingmeng were cleaning up.

"Boss Jiang, your daughter’s back!"

"My daughter’s back?"

"Tongtong’s back?"

Jun Qingmeng was the first to come out from the back kitchen.

She immediately saw Tongtong with her little mouth jutting out in a deep pout.

Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, like a ripe peach.

"Tongtong, what happened to you?!"

Jun Qingmeng was frantic with worry, her heart aching for the girl.

"Let me tell you, I was on my way back after buying buns, right at that corner, when I saw Tongtong being bullied by this ferocious woman who claimed to be her mother, so I stepped right up..."

Huang Yunfeng went on and on, explaining the whole story.

Jun Qingmeng ran over and lovingly scooped Tongtong into her arms.

She wiped the moist corners of Tongtong’s eyes.

Tongtong couldn’t hold back her tears any longer. She buried her face in Jun Qingmeng’s embrace and burst out crying.

"WAAAAAH..."

"Oh~ Don’t cry, don’t cry. Tongtong, don’t cry."

"Waaah... Teacher Qingmeng, Tongtong was scared... I thought I’d never see you again."

"Teacher is here now. Don’t be afraid!"

Jun Qingmeng was furious.

’What on earth happened to make her so upset? I’ve never seen Tongtong cry like this before.’

Jiang Liu walked over with a frown.

"Daddy, hold me."

Tongtong stretched out her arms.

"Alright. Tongtong, don’t be sad. Daddy’s here."

Jiang Liu took Tongtong from Jun Qingmeng’s arms, inadvertently brushing against something soft.

He didn’t think much of it.

Jun Qingmeng’s body stiffened for a moment.

"Tongtong, tell Daddy how she bullied you! Daddy will go beat her up!"

Jiang Liu deliberately put on a fierce act to cheer Tongtong up.

Tongtong wrapped her arms around Jiang Liu’s neck.

She sniffled hard, about to launch into a pitiful complaint, when suddenly two huge snot bubbles puffed out of her nose.

"Hahaha..."

The few of them burst out laughing, with Huang Yunfeng’s laugh being the loudest.

Tongtong’s crying grew even louder. "I hate you all! You don’t care about Tongtong at all! Waaaaah..."