Chapter 79

The next morning, Tang Qingqing was chased down the mountain by Old Liu before she could even have breakfast.

"Don't freeload here. Go back and eat with your parents."

Tang Qingqing was at a loss for words. Just as she was about to leave, Old Liu pulled her back into the house.

He fished out a handkerchief from his pocket and shoved it into Tang Qingqing's hands. "Keep it. Remember, you're not clinging on desperately. There's no need to compromise yourself just to please others."

Tang Qingqing unfolded the handkerchief and found a thick wad of cash inside, which looked to be several hundred yuan.

"Master, what are you doing!"

Tang Qingqing hastily pushed the money back.

"Stop pushing it around; it looks terrible. I still have my burial money saved up. This amount is nothing. Money gives you confidence."

"Master, I have money. I invested in Wang Heizi and Brother Yi's business, and the Public Security Bureau occasionally sends me some funds. I'm not short on cash!"

Although Tang Qingqing spent a lot on nutrition and had withdrawn from the business, she still had over five hundred yuan saved up.

"That's your money. This is Master's money to boost your courage! Take it when I tell you to take it!"

Tang Qingqing refused to accept it. Old Liu usually earned money by weaving baskets, and saving wasn't easy for him.

Old Liu took out a small cloth bag from the cabinet by the bed, opened it, and revealed a passbook.

"I'm not short on money. Look at what it says."

Tang Qingqing leaned over and saw that the passbook balance was 557.34 yuan.

"See? I didn't lie to you. I still have money."

Tang Qingqing was surprised. The two sums added up to nearly a thousand yuan.

Where did Old Liu get so much money?

Although he had made good money weaving baskets in recent years because he was both fast and skilled, it still seemed too much!

Seeing her confusion, Old Liu explained, "Back then, your uncle saved most of his earnings. After he passed away, there was compensation from the state and the criminals. That's enough to support me for the rest of my life."

"The money I'm giving you is a token of my affection. You're going to an unfamiliar place, and you don't know how people will treat you. Having some money will give you peace of mind. Not just you, but me too."

Tang Qingqing felt a lump in her throat. "Master, I can take care of myself."

"Since you call me Master, listen to me. This is your graduation gift. You've learned so much from me and your uncle. Now your skills are on par with ours. I hope you can carry on this craft and bring honor to me."

"If you don't have to ask others for money, you won't be constrained. Live comfortably, study hard, and get into university. Then I'll benefit from your success."

Tang Qingqing knew that Old Liu didn't really care about that. He just wanted her to feel reassured.

In the end, she accepted the money, knowing that if she didn't, Old Liu would worry about her being disadvantaged in her new environment.

When Tang Qingqing returned to the Tang family home, she awkwardly finished her breakfast. At the table, it was difficult to connect with her biological parents, and she didn't know what to say.

Especially with Grandma Wu, Tang Jianjun, and Zhao Dahua—the ones who had changed her fate—present, the atmosphere was strange.

Although the matter was suppressed, Tang Jianguo and Su Rong were not passive individuals. They harbored resentment, making it impossible for the families to reconcile.

Tang Jianguo was particularly dissatisfied with his own mother, who knew the truth but remained silent, endorsing such behavior.

Her reasoning was that since he had taken Tang Jianjun's life, now his daughter should repay the debt.

What a ridiculous notion.

Years of separation brushed aside with a single sentence.

Yet, due to familial ties, they couldn't hold grudges and had to let it go.

After breakfast, Tang Jianguo and Su Rong led Tang Qingqing to an empty room to talk.

Su Rong looked at her grown-up daughter, beautiful yet bearing traces of hardship. Her eyes welled up with tears.

"Qingqing, you've suffered these years. Mom knows you must feel very wronged right now. Don't worry, you won't have to suffer anymore. Your parents and brothers will take good care of you."

Tang Jianguo also spoke up, "We'll take you back tomorrow. Don't worry about school; we'll handle everything. Our factory's middle and high schools are much better than here."

As the factory director, Tang Jianguo had many responsibilities. Due to the sudden turn of events, he couldn't delay long and needed to leave after a few nights.

Tang Qingqing pondered for a moment and said, "Going with you tomorrow might not be appropriate."

Su Rong: "What do you mean? Why wouldn't it be appropriate? That's your home!"

"Did you mention this to everyone when you came back?"

Tang Jianguo and Su Rong fell silent. They hadn't verified anything, so they couldn't tell others.

"I think it's better to explain everything clearly first before I return."

Tang Jianguo: "You're our biological daughter. Why make things complicated?"

Tang Qingqing smiled without saying anything.

Su Rong and Tang Jianguo didn't know how to approach their daughter whom they hadn't interacted with much.

"Qingqing, don't overthink it. Your father and I will handle everything. You don't need to worry."

Tang Qingqing looked up at them: "Where will I live when I go back?"

According to the book, their family should have already moved into the newly built cadre building.

The cadre building is a small two-story house with a total of four rooms, one downstairs and three upstairs.

Based on the book, it can be inferred that the room downstairs belongs to Su Rong and Tang Jianguo, while the three rooms upstairs belong to Tang Jidong, Tang Jixue, and Tang Zhenzhen.

Elder brother Tang Jiquan has already started working and lives in the dormitory of the factory.

Just as Su Rong was about to say something, Tang Qingqing said, "I won't live with Tang Zhenzhen. Don't try to lecture me; at most, we'll keep our distance. It's impossible for us to get along like sisters."

Su Rong and Tang Jianguo's faces turned unpleasant, completely unprepared for Tang Qingqing to target Tang Zhenzhen.

Su Rong sternly said, "Qingqing, Zhenzhen is also a victim. She was young then; you can't blame a child for the mistakes of adults."

Tang Jianguo added, "Both you and Zhenzhen are good children. We hope you can get along peacefully. Isn't having another sister a good thing?"

Tang Qingqing looked at Tang Jianguo: "If someone had deliberately switched your college admission opportunity, making you lose it so that your own child could attend instead, and the beneficiary was unaware of their parents' actions, would you now be willing to share your power with them?"

Tang Qingqing then looked at Su Rong, "Now imagine a woman who was promised to your husband since childhood appears and wants to share him with you. Would you agree?"

Tang Jianguo and Su Rong turned green with anger.

"You child, how can you talk nonsense like this!"

"Don't twist the facts; these are completely different matters."

Tang Qingqing remained calm, "But that's exactly how I feel. If you can't accept it, there's no need to force me to come back. I told you yesterday that I'm doing fine now and don't necessarily need to change anything."

Tang Qingqing knew that her words would provoke her father's displeasure.

Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't be so aggressive; she would wait until everyone was more familiar before gradually expressing her thoughts, allowing everyone to adjust.

Being so confrontational now, full of thorns, easily creates a negative first impression, which could affect their relationship.

If Tang Qingqing hadn't read the book, she might have initially held back and acted like a well-behaved daughter.

Even if she didn't like Tang Zhenzhen, she wouldn't show it.

But there is no "if," so she doesn't want to compromise. It's better to make things clear from the start.

By setting a low initial expectation, becoming an 'evil girl,' any future actions will improve her image, as it can't get worse than rock bottom.

If she started by accommodating, she would later have to maintain the image of a good daughter to please her parents, which would restrict her freedom and be emotionally binding.

She doesn't have to recognize them as family, so why endure this?

Tang Jianguo and Su Rong are leaders used to giving orders, and they easily bring this attitude to their children.

Hearing this, Tang Jianguo became angry but seeing Tang Qingqing's dark eyes, he suppressed his temper.

After all, she wasn't raised by them and endured much hardship. Tang Jianjun and Zhao Dahua were unreliable, so it's understandable that she would be difficult now. They can teach her better over time.

Tang Jianguo and Su Rong exchanged glances, suppressing their emotions.

The most crucial task now is to take the child away from this environment.

They can't shout and alienate her after being separated for so long. The priority is to build a good relationship.

Su Rong softened her tone, "Alright, we'll set up a new room for you. You need a study space and independence."

"This isn't hard to arrange. We can do it immediately upon returning."

However, Tang Qingqing still refused to leave right away, "Please sort out the situation there first. I also have some matters to handle here. I'll come over after the mid-term exams."

Such a significant event would cause chaos.

Especially appearing suddenly like a bombshell, who knows what turmoil it might cause.

Tang Qingqing prefers to avoid the chaos and only appear once everything is settled.

She added, "If you still want to bring me back then."

Hearing this, Tang Jianguo and Su Rong's dissatisfaction vanished, replaced by sorrow.

They instantly understood Tang Qingqing's anxiety and unease. After all, she's just a teenager, unable to process this quickly.

Even they, as parents, struggled to cope with the betrayal.

This situation is too absurd.

In the end, Tang Jianguo and Su Rong agreed to her request.

Tang Jianguo clearly told Grandma Wu, Tang Jianjun, and Zhao Dahua not to interfere with Tang Qingqing. If anything happened to her, they would not hesitate to report it to the police.

Tang Jianguo also spoke to the team leader, reaffirming his right to hold them accountable.

Before leaving, they left Tang Qingqing fifty yuan and some food coupons.

Su Rong looked at Tang Qingqing, feeling reluctant. No matter what, the child in front of her was her own flesh and blood, hard to ignore.

"Take care of yourself. Don't neglect yourself. Buy good food and nourish your body."

After hesitating, Tang Qingqing finally accepted the money.

"Um, be careful on your way."

Su Rong's eyes welled up with tears: "Okay, okay."

As the car started moving, Su Rong looked bitter: "She didn't even call us Mom and Dad."

Tang Jianguo sighed lightly: "Take it one step at a time. Didn't we also need time to get used to suddenly having a daughter?"

After seeing off the two of them, Tang Qingqing went to find Wang Heizi.

Seeing Tang Qingqing, Wang Heizi felt a mix of emotions.

"You're all leaving, but I'm staying here."

Although Tang Qingqing wasn't leaving immediately, it was only a matter of time.

Wang Heizi had long expected this, thinking that her home was here and she would return after going away for studies.

But he hadn't anticipated that Tang Qingqing's roots weren't here, and if she left, they might never meet again in this lifetime.

Their iron triangle would be completely separated, each in different corners of the world. Thinking about this, Wang Heizi felt an emptiness in his heart.

"If you want, we can still meet up later."

Wang Heizi gave a bitter smile; he wasn't the naive boy from a few years ago, easily fooled.

"After you go, take care of yourself. Don't bring shame to our iron triangle. Be strong when you need to be. If things don't work out, just come back."

"Don't worry, I won't let myself suffer any losses."

"That's right, who are you! You're our goddess detective! But over there, watch out for your safety. What if no one protects you? Will you get beaten up?"

Thinking about this, Wang Heizi started worrying again.

In the future, there would be no one to protect Tang Qingqing, and he had promised Zhai Hongyi to ensure her safety.

Tang Qingqing laughed: "I'm not that easy to hate."

"After the reforms, criminals have become more rampant. This is too dangerous!"

"I'm going there to study. Even if I wanted to solve cases, who would pay attention to me? Only in our countryside do they give me opportunities to show my skills."

In big cities, there are plenty of talents, and it's unlikely she'd have a chance to get involved in any cases.

Hearing this, Wang Heizi was displeased: "Comrade Tang Qingqing, you're underestimating yourself. What's so special about big cities? I don't believe there are many people with your abilities. Forget about Yang City, even in the capital, your skills would make you stand out."

Tang Qingqing couldn't help but laugh: "I didn't know you thought so highly of me."

"Isn't that obvious? I rely on you to brag about my achievements."

Wang Heizi's business was doing well, but he believed his greatest asset was knowing two extraordinary people.

"With you around, I don't fear my goods being stolen. I've told everyone that anyone who dares steal from me will be found even if they turn to ashes."

Tang Qingqing laughed again, then reminded him: "After I leave, you must stick to your principles and not do anything illegal. Although I'll be temporarily gone, my connections are still here. I'll ask the police to keep an eye on you. If you dare do anything illegal, I'll be the first to have them arrest you!"

"Don't worry, I wouldn't dare do anything rash while using your name."

Wang Heizi meant it sincerely. Several times, he almost made mistakes but remembered Tang Qingqing's reputation and held back.

Moreover, he often hung out with Tang Qingqing, making him familiar to the police and local police stations. Whenever he appeared in less harmonious places, he was easily questioned.

Some people tried to involve him in illegal activities but stopped when they saw how easily he attracted police attention.

"There's something I want to entrust to you."

"What is it? Just tell me."

"I want to build a brick house for my master, sturdy and suitable for an elderly person. It can be built where my master used to live; the foundation is already there. With my exams coming up, I won't have time to oversee it. Can you find reliable people and get bricks and tiles for me?"

Currently, building materials are hard to come by and need to be ordered in advance.

Wang Heizi patted his chest: "That's nothing! Leave it to me!"

"Can we keep it within eight hundred yuan? It can be smaller."

Tang Qingqing didn't want to spend all her money and needed some for herself.

Bricks and tiles are expensive now, and Tang Qingqing wasn't sure if eight hundred yuan would be enough, but it should cover a common mud-brick house.

"Don't worry about the money; I'll handle it."

"No need for you to pay..."

Wang Heizi made a stop gesture: "Don't argue with me. The old man has been good to me, and Yi Ge would definitely contribute if he knew. Money won't be a problem. Besides, eight hundred yuan isn't little."

Tang Qingqing hesitated but handed over the eight hundred yuan, letting Wang Heizi arrange everything.

"Oh, remember to write a letter to Yi Ge. I can't bring this up with him without your permission, but such a big thing, you should let him know."

Tang Qingqing agreed and wrote a lengthy letter to Zhai Hongyi that night, explaining everything.

She also included her speculations and true thoughts:

"Many might find it absurd, but I still believe this is closely related to Tang Zhenzhen, and I firmly think she is not an ordinary child."

"I don't know what the future holds or whether I can get along with my birth parents and their attitude towards me. For now, I can only take it one step at a time."

"I don't hold much hope because I have no good feelings toward Tang Zhenzhen, and these feelings have grown stronger with age. Perhaps I might even blame those who like her."

"They are the ones who have lived together for over a decade as a family. I am an outsider, and blood relations cannot change this fact."

"Am I becoming more narrow-minded? But I can't change my thoughts, nor do I want to. I hope such a me hasn't disappointed you."

Zhai Hongyi quickly replied, and upon reading his words, Tang Qingqing breathed a sigh of relief.

In his letter, Zhai Hongyi clearly wrote: "I support your view. We are not gods; we have our own emotions and preferences. There's no need to force ourselves to change just to meet others' expectations. You should be yourself, not a saint."

Although they had not seen each other for a long time, they had been corresponding regularly and had not grown distant.

In fact, the distance between them allowed them to share things they could not easily say to others.

On the other side, Tang Jianguo and Su Rong returned home and called back their busy son, Tang Jiquan, for a family meeting.

When they recounted the entire situation, it caused an uproar.

Tang Jixue, who had been in a cold war with his parents over not being allowed to go south, now put that aside.

"How is this possible!"

Such an extraordinary event happening in their family was truly hard to accept.

Everyone's gaze turned to Tang Zhenzhen, whose face was pale and filled with disbelief.

"How, how is this possible? Dad, Mom, are you sure you haven't made a mistake?"

Tang Zhenzhen's tears fell like beads, filled with a sense of shatteredness.

Tang Jidong, who had always doted on his younger sister, said, "Zhenzhen, don't be sad. You will always be our sister, nothing will change that."

The others echoed in agreement.

Though unbelievable, Tang Jianguo and Su Rong solemnly confirmed that it was true.

Tang Jianguo: "Your uncle and aunt have already admitted it and signed a document. We've also seen the child, and she does bear a resemblance to your mother."

Tang Jixue: "Is this really not some conspiracy?! This is absurd!"

Tang Zhenzhen rushed upstairs, locking herself in her room for several days, refusing to open the door to anyone.

The family worried she might harm herself and took turns watching over her, listening for any sounds from inside.

Just as they were about to break down the door out of concern for her hunger, Tang Zhenzhen emerged, her eyes red and swollen, looking very haggard.

As soon as she came out, she stated that she wanted to switch places with the real Tang Zhenzhen, unwilling to take someone else's place.

"Thank you for all the love you've shown me over the years. I feel fortunate and happy. I don't want to leave you, but this doesn't belong to me. I must return to where I belong."

The family quickly stopped her.

Tang Jianguo: "What nonsense! This is your home, and you're not going anywhere!"

Su Rong hugged her and cried, "Zhenzhen, you are our daughter, and no one can change that!"

"But if it weren't for me, she wouldn't have suffered so much. It's all my fault. Mother, I feel so bad for enjoying your love for so many years..."

Tang Jixue interrupted her, "This has nothing to do with you! You are also a victim! Don't blame yourself!"

"But the person who did all this is the one who gave birth to me." Tang Zhenzhen felt both ashamed and guilty.

Tang Jiquan: "That still has nothing to do with you! Zhenzhen, don't take others' mistakes onto yourself."

Tang Jidong blocked the doorway, saying, "Zhenzhen, this is your home, and we will never let you leave!"

Tang Zhenzhen cried even harder and eventually fainted.

Days without food and extreme sadness had led to her fainting.

After waking up, Tang Zhenzhen repeatedly assured the family that she would not leave, and only then did they stop watching her closely.

However, they sent someone every day to pick her up and drop her off at work, hoping to prevent her from being affected by these events and to show their support.

Meanwhile, Tang Qingqing was unaware of all this, as she was preparing for her high school entrance exams.

Every weekend, she still tried to find time to help at the Public Security Bureau, recording her insights and experiences, hoping to be of assistance.

Qin Sa, knowing her background, sighed deeply, thinking that there are all kinds of people in the world.

"You should get along well with your biological parents; they will definitely treat you better than your current parents. You are always welcome here, and remember to write or send telegrams if anything happens."

Others at the bureau also expressed their blessings, and the chief, while wishing her well, felt a sense of regret.

"I thought you'd stay for at least another two years, but I didn't expect you to leave so soon. I have an old classmate at the Public Security Bureau in Yang City. If you need anything, you can go to him. I'll write down his address for you."

"Chief, thank you."

Chief Xu waved his hand. "No, thank you. At such a young age, you've been making contributions to our bureau, saving us a lot of trouble. The crime rate in our county has dropped significantly because of your reputation!"

Chief Xu continued earnestly, "You mustn't give up on this path. Otherwise, it would be a waste of your talent, and our team needs people like you."

This was Chief Xu's greatest concern, as this line of work is extremely demanding, involving constant exposure to harsh conditions.

During the arson case, the young officer who went out on fieldwork with Tang Qingqing fell ill after catching the criminal.

It was too cold, even for the men, let alone a young girl.

Previously, Tang Qingqing's circumstances left her with no choice but to enter this field.

Never would I have thought that she was the daughter of the factory director in the city, with a privileged background that made such hardship unnecessary.

Yet Tang Qingqing was exceptionally talented. In recent years, she had spent considerable time tutoring the young officers at the bureau, but none could match her level of skill; they were far behind.

Director Xu cherished talent and was reluctant to see such an individual switch careers.

Tang Qingqing smiled and said, "Director, rest assured. I won't change my mind. I love this line of work, especially the sense of accomplishment when catching criminals. I don't find it hard or tiring; instead, I find it fascinating."

Hearing this, Director Xu felt somewhat relieved. "Our Public Security Bureau will always be your home! Remember to visit us whenever you can."

After Tang Jianguo and Su Rong left, Tang Qingqing received packages and money from them, showing their genuine care.

The package also contained gifts from her three brothers, and Tang Zhenzhen wrote her a heartfelt apology letter.

In the letter, she apologized for the actions of her birth parents and asked for forgiveness for taking away Tang Qingqing's life. She promised a warm welcome upon her return and vowed to make up for the years lost.

Upon reading Tang Zhenzhen's letter, Tang Qingqing remained calm, without much emotional fluctuation.

Perhaps it was because she had seen too many different types of people during her investigations, gaining experiences beyond her age, which had strengthened her inner resilience, allowing her to handle anything calmly.

Tang Qingqing replied to all of them, thanking them for the gifts. The letters were brief and mostly formal.

Time flew by, and when Old Liu's house was completed, Tang Qingqing also faced the high school entrance exam.

She found it no different from regular exams, though the difficulty was slightly higher. Still, it was within her grasp, and getting into the commune high school was not a problem.

Immediately after the exam, Tang Qingqing rushed back to the village to prepare for the housewarming celebration.

Before leaving, she needed to ensure her master was settled, otherwise, she couldn't leave with peace of mind.

Old Liu scolded Wang Heizi harshly when he learned that Tang Qingqing had used the money to build a house.

However, when Tang Qingqing returned, he merely tapped her head, calling her a fool, and didn't say anything more.

Tang Qingqing hadn't been back to the village while preparing for the exam, so this was her first time seeing the finished house.

The layout was similar to other houses in the village, but the brick-and-tile structure looked grander.

What surprised Tang Qingqing most was the additional east wing built specifically for her.

Wang Heizi explained, "This was the old man's request. He said a girl needs her own space to avoid future hardships. He even went to my great-grandfather to get approval."

Unspoken was the fact that if anything happened to the old man, everything would be left to Tang Qingqing.

He dared not mention this, fearing it might upset her further and make her uneasy about leaving.

Old Liu also entrusted his savings book to Wang Heizi, worried there wouldn't be enough money for the construction.

Wang Heizi didn't refuse at the time, knowing the old man's temper.

After the construction was complete, he returned the savings book, saying the project didn't require that much money.

Hearing this, Tang Qingqing bit her lower lip, fighting back tears.

When moving Old Liu, she also moved her belongings from her uncle's house directly into the new home.

Looking at the brand-new room, Tang Qingqing couldn't help but smile, feeling she finally had a true home of her own.

On the day of the housewarming, there wasn't a grand feast.

Old Liu still disliked socializing, so he only invited close acquaintances.

Her uncle's family came as well, having helped a lot with the move. They often visited during the construction to oversee the work.

Wang Heizi had arranged reliable people, but since he wasn't always around and Old Liu lived far away, decisions often fell to her uncle.

Even before Tang Qingqing returned, her aunt had come to help clean the house, and the feast was prepared together with her aunt and Tang Qiaoqiao.

At the banquet, her uncle solemnly said, "Old man, if you need anything in the future, just let us know. You are Qingqing's master and our elder."

Tang Qingqing understood that her uncle said this to reassure her, and she felt deeply grateful.

This time, Old Liu didn't refuse, saying, "Good, good. I'll trouble you then."

On the third day in their new home, Su Rong arrived at the Rongshan Brigade with Tang Jixue.

They had come to take Tang Qingqing back home.