"From the beginning to the end, I have never treated Xingxing as a hostage. Everyone in the Tang family treats her as a relative."
"Relatives?" Li Qiming sneered, "These are all owed to her by your Tang family! Tang Yu, you know best that Xingxing can become a relative with anyone, but with you—it will never be possible!"
Li Qiming's last few words were spoken with great emphasis and determination, like a bayonet stabbing Tang Yu's chest.
He had nothing to refute. He knew that Li Qiming was telling the truth.
"In short, there is no room for negotiation on this matter." Even so, he would not let go.
"We don't need to discuss this with you. Xingxing is from our Li family. We are her real relatives. She must go with us this time!" It's a belated compensation.
"Real family?" Tang Yu grasped these words and glanced at Li Qiming. "If you really treated her as a family member, really cherished her, and really loved her, how could she have been exiled to the Tang family for more than 10 years since she was so young, without a father or a mother? How could she be used as a hostage in exchange for the interests of our Tang family to save your Li's enterprise? I thought that from that time on, Xingxing no longer had any real family."
Tang Yu's repeated questions stumped Li Qiming. He took a deep breath and couldn't say a word. Li Hanyan's face also changed, with all kinds of emotions entangled and surging.
At this moment, there was a knock on the door of the ward.
Tang Yu's facial lines tightened a little, and he only heard Uncle Mo's voice outside, "Second Master, dinner is here."
Tang Yu responded in a deep voice, "Come in."
Uncle Mo pushed the door open and walked in, carrying a very delicate lunch box. Tang Yu looked at the door and saw Song Zhixing standing behind Uncle Mo. Her expression was still the same as before, and there was nothing unusual. Tang Yu relaxed a little. He glanced at Li Qiming and then at Li Hanyan. The two were obviously still immersed in what he had just said. He said, "You guys eat first. Xingxing is going to take an exam soon. I'll take her back to the hospital first."
This time, Li Hanyan and Li Qiming did not say anything to stop them.
Tang Yu walked out of the ward and saw Song Zhixing standing against the wall with her schoolbag on her back. She kept her head down, staring at her toes, her profile full of sorrow. Tang Yu felt distressed.
If this little girl one day clearly understood that this world has never been kind to her, not even the people of the Tang family, and not even her relatives, the people of the Li family, her simple world would probably collapse completely.
"Uncle." Song Zhixing looked up as if she had sensed his deep gaze. The deep pity in Tang Yu's eyes temporarily disappeared, and only turned into calmness, "I'll take you out of the hospital. Let's go."
Song Zhixing glanced into the ward again and said, "I have to go in and say hello to grandpa and aunt."
Tang Yu nodded, "Go ahead, I'll wait for you here."
Song Zhixing went in with his schoolbag on his back. Tang Yu took a cigarette and held it between his fingers, but did not light it. His chest felt heavy.
After a while, Song Zhixing came out and threw the cigarette into the trash can.
The two of them walked downstairs. After getting in the car, Tang Yu leaned over and buckled her seat belt. After starting the car, he glanced at her. She was still a little dazed. Tang Yu held her hand in his palm, tightly. Her palm was still cold. It was obvious that she was scared by Li Hanyan's incident this time.
Song Zhixing was distracted the whole way. When the car stopped, she realized that it didn't go to school at all, but stopped outside the gate of the Tang family villa.
"Aren't you going back to school?" Song Zhixing asked.
Tang Yu leaned over slightly and unbuckled her seat belt. "I'm worried if you go back like this. Have a good rest at home tonight. I'll take you back to school tomorrow morning."
Song Zhixing glanced at Tang Yu and had no objection. Tonight, if he was by her side, she would at least not feel so scared.
"I've asked Sister Li to cook your favorite dish. Come in." Tang Yu's voice was gentle. "If you want to be picky about food tonight, I'll allow it."
Song Zhixing pursed her lips and managed to force a smile. Tang Yu opened the car door and got out of the car with her schoolbag.
In the villa, the servants had not rested yet, and it was very lively, which made Song Zhixing feel better. However, when eating, no matter how many delicious dishes there were, she just couldn't taste them.
Tang Yu knew that she was worried, so he didn't force her. After dinner, she went upstairs to take a shower, and Tang Yu returned to his room.
Half an hour later...
There was a knock on the door of his room.
Tang Yu was sitting on the bed wiping his wet hair when he heard a knock on the door. He answered and asked someone to come in. A head poked in from the crack of the door. It was Song Zhixing.
"What's wrong?" Tang Yu asked.
She pushed the door open, walked in wearing white pajamas, and closed the door behind her. She looked at him with clear eyes, "Second Uncle..."
"Yeah." He agreed doubtfully. She had just finished a shower, her hair was half dry and draped over her shoulders, her face was delicate and pretty, and she looked more and more like a child who had not grown up. The uneasy look on her little face was really heartbreaking.
After a while, she looked at him pleadingly, "Can I sleep with you tonight?"
The voice was soft and a little embarrassed. Her hands were clasped tightly behind her back.
Tang Yu's eyes darkened slightly, his chest was beating, and he nodded after a long while. Song Zhixing walked over, stood between his open legs, and hugged his neck with both hands in a loving and dependent manner. She buried her face deeply in his neck, and breathed his breath greedily.
Tang Yu had imagined this many times - based on his understanding of her, he originally thought that she would retreat after being frightened today. At least, she would stay away from him for a while, because of guilt and guilty conscience, and dare not get close to him. However, her current behavior surprised him.
He tightened his arms and hugged her slender waist, "What's wrong?"
Song Zhixing's voice was a little nasal. "When I just left the hospital, grandpa told me to go back with him."
Her tone was full of nostalgia and had a strong nasal tone.
Tang Yu understood immediately, and he held her waist with his big hand, pushed her away a little, frowned, and looked at her, "You agree?"
Song Zhixing nodded, then shook her head. Tang Yu didn't understand what she meant, "Xingxing, explain it to me clearly."
"Uncle, I will miss you..." Song Zhixing's voice was hoarse when he said this. His fingers tightly grasped the sleeve of his pajamas.
That undisguised "reluctance" was like a stone falling into Tang Yu's heart with a "thump". He stared at her, very emotional, and put his arms around her waist and laid her on the bed. Song Zhixing did not struggle, but just looked at him from bottom to top.