She had never been like this before, perhaps this time it was because Tang Xu had been accidentally injured by her.
Perhaps in Zhang Meiyu's eyes, Tang Xu was not accidentally injured, but deliberately hit by her.
It was already late when Tang Xiaomin sent Zhang Meiyu back to the villa.
Seeing that Tang Xiaomin was not getting out of the car, Zhang Meiyu thought she was going to stay with her adoptive parents tonight.
She said nothing, although she really wished Tang Xiaomin could stay with her all the time, instead of running back and forth like this.
She got out of the car silently and walked back alone.
Tang Xiaomin watched Zhang Meiyu's retreating figure and suddenly called out to her.
"Tomorrow is the weekend, I'll go to the market with you to buy fresh pig trotters and stew some nourishing soup for Tang Xu."
Zhang Meiyu froze in place, then suddenly turned around to look at Tang Xiaomin, her eyes brighter than ever.
"Xiaomin, you... what did you just say?"
She clearly couldn't believe that Tang Xiaomin would say something like going to buy groceries to stew soup for Tang Xu.
How was that possible? She hated Tang Xu so much?
"I'll pick you up at six tomorrow morning. We'll go early to get the best."
After speaking, Tang Xiaomin turned the car around and headed back towards her adoptive parents' house.
Zhang Meiyu stood in place, watching the car drive away, tears welling up in her eyes.
She hadn't been this happy in a long time; these were tears of joy.
Everything was finally in the past.
...
When Tang Xiaomin returned home, she didn't get out of the car. She sat in the car, pondering everything between her and the Tang family in the darkness.
She regretted suddenly saying those words to Zhang Meiyu.
The more she thought about it, the more depressed she became. Without thinking of any solution, she simply went home.
Li Changchun immediately noticed Tang Xiaomin's troubled expression.
"Xiaomin, what's wrong? You look so glum?"
"Where's Mom?"
"Your mom's gone square dancing. She won't be back before ten. All of a sudden, she's gotten hooked on square dancing. At her age, isn't that ridiculous?"
Li Changchun complained verbally, but his face was beaming with happiness.
He worked as a doorman at Xianfu Group, spending his days on his phone, watching TV, and enjoying the air conditioning in the security room.
With such a job, he earned fifteen thousand yuan a month. He was just an ordinary person, content and satisfied with this, living happily every day.
With nothing else to do at home, Zhou Xiaolan would go sing and dance in the park square of the villa area after finishing her chores, carefree.
In her previous life, Tang Xiaomin hadn't been able to properly care for them.
Now, seeing them healthy and living happily, Tang Xiaomin felt comforted.
"Xiaomin, why aren't you talking? What's wrong with you?" Li Changchun asked again.
He had watched Tang Xiaomin grow up, and she couldn't hide anything from him.
"Dad, I'll get you a bottle of good wine."
Tang Xiaomin fetched a bottle of wine from the wine cabinet and two cups, then poured them.
"Dad, try it."
Li Changchun picked up his cup and took a sip.
"Xiaomin, are you troubled by something?"
Tang Xiaomin also took a sip.
Without a drink, some words were difficult for her to say.
"Dad, tell me, should I forgive them?"
Li Changchun knew about Tang Xiaomin's situation and had witnessed the bloody scene of her anger when she had dealt with Tang Yu with six holes in his body.
After careful consideration, he answered Tang Xiaomin seriously.
"What does your ideal life look like? Or, who or what have you ever envied?"
Envy.
Once upon a time, Tang Xiaomin envied Tang Yiyi, envied her being doted on by the whole family.
It was also because of envy, jealousy, and hatred that she had destroyed everything of Tang Yiyi's.
"Your father isn't very educated, and I can't tell you any great principles. Your brother and mother are treating you very well now. Why don't you let go of your past grievances and enjoy their kindness?"
"Consider it as them repaying the karmic debt they owe you. It's better than getting nothing and being left with only hatred."
Reality was often cruel, and what had happened could not be changed.
The only thing that could be done was to make amends.
Tang Xiaomin was swayed by Li Changchun's words. She silently drank her wine, trying to accept the amends the Tang family was offering her.
By the time Zhou Xiaolan returned from square dancing, Tang Xiaomin's cheeks were flushed red, and she had collapsed on the sofa.
"What's wrong? Why does it smell so strongly of alcohol?"
Zhou Xiaolan looked at the empty wine bottle and two empty cups on the table.
"What happened to Xiaomin? Why is she drinking alone at home?"
"Don't ask any more questions. Hurry and help her back to her room to rest. She'll be fine when she wakes up tomorrow."
"Hey, you guys have been acting strange lately. Are you hiding something from me?"
"No, just lend a hand and help her to her room."
...
The next morning, Tang Xiaomin was awakened by a knock on the door.
"Xiaomin, wake up. Your mother is here."
Tang Xiaomin glanced at the time. Good heavens, it was already eleven o'clock.
She vaguely remembered telling Zhang Meiyu they were going to the market, and now the sun was already high in the sky.
She got up, washed up, and went downstairs in under ten minutes.
"This morning, Aunt Zhou said you were sleeping, so I went to the market myself to pick out ingredients. The soup is ready. Come over and eat some. After you've had your fill, we'll take it to Tang Xu." Zhang Meiyu said.
"Oh."
Tang Xiaomin didn't hesitate and followed Zhang Meiyu back to villa 8 to eat.
Zhang Meiyu's cooking had gotten better and better, and coupled with Tang Xiaomin being hungry all morning, she ate heartily.
A large bowl filled with soup and meat, along with a bowl of rice, and Tang Xiaomin still felt it wasn't enough.
When she added a second bowl of rice, the soup was already nearly gone.
Zhang Meiyu said gently, "There's still some in the pot, I'll get more."
Soon, she brought out more, which Tang Xiaomin also finished.
It was almost noon now, and they set off for the hospital with a thermos.
In the ward, Tang Xu still lay on the bed like a mummy, his eyes vacant.
Only when he saw Tang Xiaomin and the others did his eyes brighten again.
Zhang Meiyu opened the thermos and was about to feed Tang Xu when her phone rang, and she went out to take the call.
The thermos was placed a bit close to the edge, and fearing it might fall, Tang Xiaomin stepped forward to steady it and opened it.
The food inside the thermos stunned Tang Xiaomin on the spot.
There was a layer of rice at the bottom, and beneath it, in the part meant for soup, there was not pig trotter soup but boiled vegetables.
Zhang Meiyu would never mistreat her son, especially since Tang Xu was so badly injured. It was even more impossible for her to prepare such a simple meal of only boiled vegetables for Tang Xu.
Recalling the pig trotter soup she had just devoured, Tang Xiaomin realized a possibility.
Zhang Meiyu had indeed stewed pig trotter soup and had already packed a portion for Tang Xu.
But later, she had eaten all of hers, and it wasn't enough. So, Zhang Meiyu had poured Tang Xu's portion back into her bowl to eat.
No wonder she had heard Zhang Meiyu turning on the gas. She must have been hastily making boiled vegetables for Tang Xu at the last minute.