Tang Tang tilted her head in confusion as she saw Su Ding's expression.
"Auntie?" she called out timidly.
Su Ding felt her heart ache. If her own Xiao Rui had been subjected to such abuse, she would have gone all out to seek justice, no matter the cost.
She forced back her discomfort, her voice even gentler. "Tang Tang, who hurt you?"
Tang Tang pouted her little lips, mist gathering in her clear, big eyes.
"They all hit Tang Tang, with stones, with sticks, calling Tang Tang stupid..."
"Who are 'they'?" Su Ding asked softly.
Tang Tang bit her lip, thinking. "Brother, sister, the servants, younger brother, younger sister, and the children from the street..."
Su Ding gasped, no wonder she didn't want to go home.
She felt a chill, imagining what would have happened if she hadn't brought Tang Tang back; the girl would have continued her life on the streets.
Tang Yiyi's family was truly too vicious!
"Tang Tang, be good. No one will bully you anymore. Auntie will protect you."
Su Ding gently stroked Tang Tang's hair. "Would you like to eat and sleep at Auntie's house from now on?"
"Will Xiao Xi brother be here too?" Tang Tang looked at her with innocent anticipation.
"Yes, he will keep you company."
Su Ding nodded affirmatively, giving her a firm reply.
Tang Tang's eyes instantly sparkled with happiness. "Okay, okay! Tang Tang wants to stay here!"
Su Ding finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Did I hurt you when I was taking off your clothes earlier?"
She looked at the bruises all over the girl, not daring to touch her.
"It doesn't hurt," Tang Tang giggled foolishly.
Su Ding felt even more distressed. This girl should have been enjoying the utmost care, but instead...
She decided against a bath and instead picked up a hot towel, carefully avoiding the wounds that were slightly oozing blood, and gently wiped her.
Tang Tang gazed blankly at the beautiful auntie in front of her, her small mouth slightly ajar. "An angel."
"You are the little angel," Su Ding said softly as she wiped her.
Tang Tang quickly shook her head. "I'm Tang Sha, not an angel..."
Su Ding smiled. "From today onwards, you are."
After wiping her body, she stood up. "Wait here for Auntie. Auntie will get some ointment."
Su Ding returned with the ointment.
She carefully applied it to Tang Tang's wounds. "It might hurt a little."
As the cotton swab dipped in ointment touched a bleeding wound, the girl remained still, showing no reaction.
After applying the medicine, Su Ding breathed a sigh of relief. "Sweetie, you're amazing!"
Tang Tang shrunk her neck and giggled. "Hehe, it tickles a little."
"Tickles?" Su Ding asked, surprised.
"Mhm," Tang Tang's clear eyes were filled with innocence. "Tang Tang doesn't feel pain."
When Su Ding applied the medicine, she had already found the child unusually resilient. Seeing her like this now, she was even more puzzled.
"It never hurts?"
"Mhm!"
Su Ding's mouth fell open in astonishment. "These wounds don't hurt when touched?"
Tang Tang tilted her head and thought. "It hurt a tiny bit when I was hit and bleeding, but it doesn't hurt now."
Su Ding pointed to a severe-looking purple bruise on her shoulder. "What about here?"
"It doesn't hurt," Tang Tang said, even lifting her small hand to poke it.
Su Ding felt pain just looking at it, yet the girl's innocent expression didn't seem fake.
How could this be?
The bruise was clearly still healing.
She quickly stopped Tang Tang. "Don't touch it. Be good, Auntie bought you a new pajama. Try it on."
Tang Tang's eyes lit up as she looked at the new nightgown.
Su Ding carefully helped her put it on. It was a short-sleeved little duck dress made of soft fabric, designed to be incredibly cute and cuddly.
After her bath, Tang Tang's skin was so fair and tender it seemed like water could be squeezed out.
And those big eyes like black grapes, her small pink lips – she didn't look like a child who had been living on the streets at all.
She was simply a pure little princess!
"So pretty~" Tang Tang excitedly walked to the mirror, a smile blooming on her face.
Su Ding felt a pang of emotion, thinking how happy this girl would be if she were born into another family.
Meanwhile, Tang Tang had already pushed open the bathroom door and run out.
Jin Xiao Xi was watching television. Hearing the movement, he quickly turned around and saw a beautiful girl running towards him, smiling.
He gaped in surprise. Before he could step forward, Tang Tang had already thrown her arms around him!
"Xiao Xi brother!"
Tang Tang's sweet, soft voice rang out.
Jin Xiao Xi only then realized how beautiful Tang Tang was!
And she smelled nice, and felt soft...
"Tang Tang, I can't breathe." Jin Xiao Xi was hugged so tightly that he soon felt suffocated.
Tang Tang quickly let go of him, her small eyes looking at him anxiously.
Jin Xiao Xi quickly said, "It's okay."
Tang Tang then smiled, took Xiao Xi's hand, her cheeks flushed, and shyly asked, "Does the dress look good~"
"It looks good!" Jin Xiao Xi nodded quickly, his face also turning red.
Su Ding let the two children play while she put the clothes in the washing machine and hung them up to dry.
When it was time for bed that night, Jin Xiao Xi proactively came over. "Mom, Sister is going to sleep with me."
Su Ding raised an eyebrow. "You're not sleeping with Mom tonight?"
In the past, Xiao Xi would cling to her every night, and she'd have to coax him for a long time before he'd go back to his room.
He had certainly changed his tune.
Jin Xiao Xi nodded. "Sister is visiting for the first time. I need to protect her."
At this moment, he didn't know that his future life, and Tang Ran's, would be so closely intertwined.
Su Ding found it reasonable. "Alright, then you need to take good care of your sister."
"No problem!" Jin Xiao Xi said, then ran off.
Su Ding smiled and shook her head, thinking that children were happier with playmates.
When she lay down on her bed, she called Xiao Rui as usual.
"Mom, good evening~" Su Xiao Rui asked sweetly.
"Good girl, did you win the game today?"
Su Ding knew that Xiao Rui played games with Wang Si Wei every day, and the little one always talked about it on their calls.
Su Xiao Rui exclaimed excitedly, "Yes! Wang Si Wei gave me all his cards, hehe."
"Wow, then you're a little rich woman now~" Su Ding said with a doting smile.
"That's right," Su Xiao Rui said happily on the video call, then looked outwards. "Wang Si Wei, hurry up and come here, my mom is on the phone!"
Su Ding heard hesitant footsteps in the background.
Su Xiao Rui held the phone up to Wang Si Wei. "Mom, this is Wang Si Wei!"
Wang Si Wei's nervous appearance was inadvertently revealed on the video. He nervously raised his hand. "H, hello, Auntie."
Su Ding couldn't help but want to laugh; the little boy was truly afraid of her.
She nodded. "Mhm, Si Wei, how have you been staying at your Auntie's place recently?"
"Quite well," Wang Si Wei replied timidly.
Su Ding smiled. "If you want to go home, you can have your mom come pick you up. It's okay."
After all, she wasn't heartless. Wang Si Wei was an innocent child.
Since Jin Ye knew Xiao Rui was alive but hadn't disturbed her life, it meant he was helping her conceal her supposed death.
Shao Lin probably wouldn't target Xiao Rui for the time being.
Wang Si Wei shook his head and said seriously, "I'll leave when Auntie comes to pick up Xiao Rui."
Su Ding paused, then said helplessly, "Alright then."
"Auntie, I will take good care of Xiao Rui," Wang Si Wei said to Su Ding, his expression very serious.
"Then Auntie thanks you."
Su Ding gave him a gentle smile.
Wang Si Wei looked a bit awkward and ran off. Xiao Rui's face reappeared on the screen.
"Mom, I'm going to take a bath and go to sleep. You should sleep early too, so you'll be beautiful~"
Su Ding smiled. "Okay, goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Su Ding hung up the phone, breathed a sigh of relief, and lay down to sleep.
...
The next day, Jin Ye walked downstairs and saw his grandfather reading the newspaper.
"Xiao Ye, what was going on with Miao Miao yesterday?" Grandpa Jin asked in a deep voice.
"What?" Jin Ye asked, confused.
Grandpa Jin frowned. "Miao Miao's injury."
Jin Ye hadn't seen Jin Miao Miao when he came back for dinner yesterday and hadn't asked about it.
"What injury?" Jin Ye was even more perplexed.
"Her tailbone is broken. She's still lying in her room."
Grandpa Jin, displeased by his indifference towards his sister, said sternly, "You'll take Miao Miao for a follow-up examination today."
Jin Ye's dark eyebrows furrowed, clearly unwilling.
Grandpa Jin's old face grew sterner. "As her brother, what are you arguing with her about? She told me everything yesterday; it was your Su Ding who pushed her."
"Miao Miao's words were too harsh," Jin Ye said, equally displeased.
"Regardless, you shouldn't have laid a hand on your sister. Did she show any respect for your family?"
Grandpa Jin's expression turned serious, his weathered eyes filled with a cold sternness.