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In the late afternoon, Aunt Li headed to the nursery to pick up Xiao Zhuo. She looked at Tang Tang, who was still watching TV. She thought for a moment before walking closer to Tang Tang and said, “Madam, I’m going to pick Xiao Zhuo up now.”
Tang Tang looked away from the drama and quickly stood up, “Aunt Li, are you going to pick Bao Bao up? Can I come with you?”
“Ah?” Aunt Li was surprised but she quickly rejected the idea, “It’s better if you don’t go. Your leg is injured and it won’t be convenient for you as you’ll need to move with crutches. It’ll be quicker if I go alone.”
Tang Tang pursed her lips. She really wanted to go and pick up the little one as children would definitely want their mother fetch them. They would surely be feeling dejected if they didn’t see their mother. The little girl on TV was like that. She constantly waited for her mother to fetch her, and when she didn’t, the little girl looked like she was about to cry. Xiao Zhuo must also want his mother to fetch him, right?
“Aunt Li, I really want to go and pick Bao Bao up. I’m sure he also wants to see me too. So please take me with you. My leg is alright, I can walk quite fast.”
Previously, even when Tang Tang made a ruckus and caused a scene, Aunt Li would ruthlessly confront her. But now, Tang Tang was gently pleading with her, and it was for Xiao Zhuo’s sake. She couldn’t find it in her to refuse.
Even though Xiao Zhuo acted like he hated his mother, but in reality, which child doesn’t desire a mother’s love. In his heart, Xiao Zhuo actually hoped his mother would treat him well, but after getting disappointed over and over again, Xiao Zhuo learned to mask his feelings.
If Tang Tang really went to pick Xiao Zhuo up, Aunt Li was sure that the little boy would be very happy.
Thinking up to this point, Aunt Li nodded, “Alright then, you can come with. Let’s go and pick Xiao Zhuo up together.”
Tang Tang immediately grinned and she hurried towards the door with her crutches. She slowly crouched down to put on her shoes, but due to her injuries, her leg was not very flexible. Moving was very difficult. Aunt Li grew impatient and she crouched down to help Tang Tang put on her shoes.
“Thank you, Aunt Li. You’re so nice.” Tang Tang smiled sweetly at Aunt Li. Even though she never had a nice expression on when facing Tang Tang, Aunt Li was still a good person.
Aunt Li was not used to Tang Tang being polite so she uncomfortably waved her hand, “We should leave now. We need to go and pick up your child.”
Tang Tang smiled and quickly followed Aunt Li from behind while trying not to put stress on her injured leg. When Aunt Li saw that she had to use so much effort to walk and there was sweat forming on her forehead, Aunt Li’s heart softened. She gave up on walking the whole journey, and instead, got a taxi to take them to the entrance of the nursery.
When they arrived at the nursery, the children hadn’t even come out yet, but there were already a lot of parents waiting outside. Tang Tang stretched her neck to look past the fence. Soon after, she saw a teacher leading many children out from the classroom. The children swiftly started to jump and bounce about while waving at their parents.
But there was one child who was an exception, and that child was Xiao Zhuo. His head was lowered and he was looking at the ground in low spirits. Unlike the rest of the children, he did not look happy that school had ended. Since he was acting so differently from the other lively children, Tang Tang was able to spot him at a glance.
Tang Tang didn’t know why, but seeing the little one like that made her heart hurt. She didn’t want to see him so unhappy so she shouted as loud as she could, “Bao Bao, darling Xiao Zhuo ~”
Tang Tang’s voice was loud so there were quite a few kids who turned to look in her direction. Naturally, this caught Xiao Zhuo’s attention. When he saw Tang Tang standing outside the fence, Xiao Zhuo’s eyes widened in surprise.
Tang Tang waved her hand, “Xiao Zhuo, darling, mummy’s here to pick you up!”
The little boy standing in front of Xiao Zhuo widened his eyes. Then he poked at Xiao Zhuo’s arm, “Is that your mother, Ji Xiao Zhuo? I thought you didn’t have one?”
Ji Xiao Zhuo kept his lips closed and did not reply, but his gaze was fixed on Tang Tang.
Another girl, who was Ji Xiao Zhuo’s classmate, stared at Tang Tang for a long time before she confidently said, “She’s definitely not Ji Xiao Zhuo’s mother because she’s really ugly and she has a problem walking. She doesn’t look like Ji Xiao Zhuo too! Ji Xiao Zhuo also doesn’t limp when he’s walking so she is definitely not his mother.”
The little boy observed Tang Tang’s appearance and agreed with the little girl so he nodded and said, “You’re right. She can’t be Ji Xiao Zhuo’s mother. She’s too ugly!”
Ji Xiao Zhuo, who was originally staring across the fence, glared at the two children who were talking badly about his mother. His expression darkened, “That is my mother. And my mother’s not ugly. Yours are the ugly ones!”
Both the little boy and girl were not happy when they heard him, especially the little girl. She immediately retorted loudly, “My mother isn’t ugly. She is the prettiest. Your mother is the ugly one. If you don’t believe me then let’s compare and see whose is the ugly one.”
Ji Xiao Zhuo was angry. He breathed roughly and lifted his chubby fist in front of the little girl and intimidated her, “There’s no need to compare. My mother is not ugly. Don’t you dare say my mother is ugly, otherwise I won’t be nice!”
The little girl was frightened by Ji Xiao Zhuo’s fist and his angry voice. “Wahh…,” the little girl started crying, “Mummy… mummy.”
The little boy and the little girl were friends so when he saw his friend getting bullied, he immediately got angry and pushed Ji Xiao Zhuo. Xiao Zhuo staggered, and when he gained his footing again, he fiercely pushed back. The other boy was rather thin so he fell to the ground from Xiao Zhuo’s push. His bottom hurt, and he soon cried loudly with the little girl.
The loud scene caught the teacher’s attention. When the teacher saw the two children crying so miserably, the teacher instantly started to coax them, “Tian Tian, Nan Nan, what’s wrong? Why are you crying? Okay, don’t cry now. Tell teacher, what’s wrong?”
The little girl cried so much she couldn’t reply. The little boy cried and wailed, “Ji Xiao Zhuo hit me! I want my mummy!”
The teacher looked at Ji Xiao Zhuo anxiously, “Xiao Zhuo, did you bully them?”
Ji Xiao Zhuo stubbornly kept his mouth shut.
For a moment, the teacher did not know what to do. Even though Ji Xiao Zhuo did not speak much, he didn’t like bullying or provoking others. So why was he bullying others now?
The scene had also caught the parents’ attention. Tian Tian’s mother and Nan Nan’s mother were worried when they heard their children cry. Both of them promptly rushed over and hugged their child, “Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Tell mummy what happened.”
Tang Tang had also rushed over as quickly as she could since she was afraid Xiao Zhuo was being bullied. She crouched down and hugged his little body while patting his back, “Bao Bao, don’t be afraid. Tell mummy, what’s wrong?”
Ji Xiao Zhuo was not willing to speak and neither was he willing to be hugged by Tang Tang so he struggled against her hold.
Tang Tang tightened her hold and stroked his head, “Be good Bao Bao. Let mummy hug you, okay? Mummy wants to hold you, so be good.”
Xiao Zhuo gradually stopped resisting. Instead, he rested his head on Tang Tang’s shoulder. He was still not willing to look at her.
Tian Tian and Nan Nan’s parents asked the teacher, “What happened? Why are the children suddenly crying?”
The teacher quickly tried to explain, “They seemed to have a quarrel among themselves. Then Tian Tian and Nan Nan started crying. The children didn’t tell me what exactly happened. Nan Nan, tell teacher what happened, okay?”
The little boy, who had stopped wailing earlier, sobbed, “It was Ji Xiao Zhuo who bullied Tian Tian and made her cry. Then Ji Xiao Zhuo pushed me.”
The parents of the two children immediately glared angrily at Ji Xiao Zhuo. Tian Tian’s grandma criticized Tang Tang, “You are his mother, right? How are you teaching your child. If he can bully his classmates now, what will he be like when he grows up!”
Tang Tang gentle expression disappeared and she spoke seriously to Tian Tian’s grandma, “Don’t talk so soon yet. The matter hasn’t been clarified. I believe my child wouldn’t bully his classmates. There must be a reason. We should understand the full story first.”
Tang Tang’s attitude was calm and her words were reasonable. Tian Tian’s mother coaxed the grandma, “Mum, let’s understand the situation first.”
Tian Tian’s grandma grunted but she did not continue being aggressive anymore. Tang Tang lowered her head and asked Ji Xiao Zhuo, who was in her arms, “Bao Bao, tell mummy what happened, okay? I believe Bao Bao won’t bully others, right?”
Ji Xiao Zhuo, who was originally biting his lips, gradually relaxed under Tang Tang’s tone. He stared at Tang Tang for a moment before he lowered his head and quietly muttered, “They said my mummy is ugly and can’t walk properly.”
Now that the situation was explained, both Tian Tian and Nan Nan’s parents looked at Tang Tang’s appearance and then at the crutches in her hands. The atmosphere quickly became awkward. Tian Tian and Nan Nan’s parents who originally wanted to demand a punishment were unable to speak. After all, it was natural for children to be unhappy when they hear someone speaking badly of their mother.
At this moment, the teacher broke the silence and ended the matter, “Alright, alright, it seems to be a conflict between children. Luckily, all the children are alright so let’s end the matter. Next time, Tian Tian and Nan Nan, you shouldn’t say such things, and Xiao Zhuo, you shouldn’t push others either. Everyone’s a good kid.”
Both Tian Tian and Nan Nan’s parents nodded. They didn’t want to drag out the matter.
Tang Tang stroked the little guy’s head before reaching out to hold his hand, “Let’s go Bao Bao. Let’s go home together ~”
Ji Xiao Zhuo pouted. He shook Tang Tang’s hand off and walked off with his backpack.
Tang Tang looked at her empty hand and sighed. He let her hug him not too long ago, so why was he ignoring her again?
Little kid’s hearts were just like a needle in the bottom of an ocean.
Aunt Li watched Tang Tang’s performance from the beginning and she was a little moved. She couldn’t help but say, “A child would feel wronged with how you treated him in the past. If you continue treating him well, Xiao Zhuo will forgive and accept you one day.”
Tang Tang nodded, “I understand Aunt Li. I won’t give up.”
When they got home, it was not early anymore so Aunt Li went into the kitchen to make dinner. Ji Xiao Zhuo did not even put down his school bag before he ran to the sofa with his short legs. He grabbed the tablet on the sofa and lied down. He was already poking at the tablet screen.
Tang Tang was curious about what he was doing so she sat not too far away to watch him. She saw him touch a green box then touch the screen again before he started to speak to the tablet.
“Have you returned from your mission, daddy? Remember to give me a video call when you get back.”
“Daddy, come back quickly, there’s something I want to talk to you about.”
