Chapter 103 p1
Cheng Feiying waking them up in the middle of the night, Cheng Rongrong guessed it must be related to the note Bai Lei sent yesterday.
Cheng Tingyan, along with that stinky fatty and Wang Zhizhi, had made her lose face quite a few times these past few days, Cheng Rongrong also wanted to stay and watch how Cheng Feiying would scold her.
But as Cheng Rongrong dawdled, reluctant to leave, before she could even enjoy watching someone else get scolded, she was reprimanded by Cheng Feiying first.
“Cheng Rongrong, what are you doing? Walk properly, walk faster!” Cheng Feiying frowned, looking at his younger daughter who was taking three steps forward and two steps back. “You’re so eager to run to other people’s houses, but when I ask you to go somewhere, you dawdle!”
Who’s always running to other people’s houses!
Cheng Rongrong turned around, wanting to correct Cheng Feiying and shift the blame to Cheng Tingyan, but she heard Cheng Feiying scoff.
“What? Am I wrong? Weren’t you the one sent back by that Wang Qingbei tonight? You ran to someone else’s house, and even bothered them to send you back. If you’re so afraid of walking at night, don’t run around! Besides, without that Wang Qingbei, are the cameraman and staff following you just decorations?” Cheng Feiying recalled the scene tonight, Wang Qingbei sending Cheng Rongrong back, Cheng Rongrong being reluctant to part with her, even walking her out, practically bidding her farewell for miles, it annoyed him.
These daughters, both of them, were troublesome, so annoying.
Cheng Feiying, growing increasingly irritable from single-handedly raising his children, while scolding Cheng Rongrong, couldn’t help but glare at Cheng Tingyan.
But Cheng Tingyan was quiet, she wasn’t even looking at him. Cheng Feiying wasted his glare, so his tone became even worse when shooing Cheng Rongrong away.
Cheng Rongrong also had her dignity! That was Jiang Heye, not some Wang Qingbei! What use was a father with no discernment!
Cheng Rongrong, infuriated by Cheng Feiying, ran into the bathroom.
But after closing the door, she regretted it.
She should have left a crack, she still wanted to hear what Cheng Feiying would say to Cheng Tingyan.
After standing there for a few seconds, Cheng Rongrong pressed her ear against the door.
One gone, one to go.
Cheng Feiying looked at Cheng Tingyan. “Do you know what I want to talk to you about?”
Cheng Tingyan shook her head silently.
“Heh.” Cheng Feiying scoffed. “Before coming here, what did your Auntie Bai tell you? Didn’t she tell you to behave yourself, not to talk about family matters to outsiders? What have you been doing since we arrived? Have you grown wings and become disobedient?”
The six-year-old girl in her nightgown, her head lowered, remained silent, but she leaned against the edge of the bed, as if to make herself stand taller.
Cheng Tingyan was always like this at home, usually quiet and inconspicuous, if he wanted to lecture her, she would just silently listen.
Cheng Feiying, annoyed, glanced at his mute elder daughter again. “What, now that I’m letting you speak, you’re not saying anything? Weren’t you quite talkative in front of outsiders? If you didn’t have enough allowance, why didn’t you just tell me directly? Do we lack that little bit of allowance at home? We have two cabinets full of snacks, yet you said you wanted to eat expired snacks, eat compressed biscuits, who were you trying to tell that to? And talking about savings, is your thirty-something yuan considered savings? That’s just your leftover allowance, why are you calling it savings? What savings can a six-year-old child have? So obsessed with money at such a young age. And that Wei Maomao, how old are you, how old is she? You, a six-year-old, actually want to be supported by a three-year-old? Use your brain, do you even remember what you were thinking about when you were three? She’s still wetting the bed, what money can she earn? She said she would support you, and you actually believed her? What, a three-year-old kid tricked you with a few words, and you’re ready to change your surname to Wei?”
“Maomao…” Cheng Tingyan looked up, her eyes firm. “Maomao didn’t lie to me.”
“… “ Cheng Feiying sneered. “I said so much, and you only heard the last sentence?”
“I told you before.” Cheng Tingyan’s eyes dimmed again. “I told you there’s sometimes no breakfast at home, I asked if you could give me money for breakfast. The snacks at home, they’re not mine. Why isn’t the money I saved considered savings? Maomao… didn’t lie to me.”
“What nonsense.” Cheng Feiying frowned. “When did you ask me for breakfast money?”
“When I transferred to the new kindergarten.” Cheng Tingyan answered without hesitation.
Cheng Feiying thought about it, he had no memory of it, he just said instinctively, “There was no breakfast at home? The kindergarten doesn’t provide breakfast?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Cheng Feiying saw Cheng Tingyan… smile?
“Why are you smiling? I’m talking to you seriously, why are you smiling?” Cheng Feiying slapped the bedside table next to him. “Be serious.”
“You said the same thing that time.” Cheng Tingyan said flatly.
“That means I wasn’t wrong.” Cheng Feiying said coldly.
“There was no breakfast at home, and I missed the breakfast time at the kindergarten.” Cheng Tingyan looked at Cheng Feiying calmly. “I told you that too.”
“Then why didn’t you speak up? Couldn’t you ask Aunt Wang to make you some? If you were late for kindergarten, couldn’t you leave earlier?” Cheng Feiying said impatiently.
This time, Cheng Tingyan just looked at Cheng Feiying silently. Aunt Wang wouldn’t cook after mealtime, he insisted on sending her to kindergarten every day but always made her late, she had told Cheng Feiying all these things. But he didn’t help her change anything, only endless scolding, asking her to find the reason within herself. So she stopped talking. But when she stopped talking, he wanted her to speak. It was truly confusing.
“What, what are you looking at me like that for? What, you want to say it’s your Auntie Bai who didn’t arrange things properly, right?” Cheng Feiying, avoiding Cheng Tingyan’s gaze, said angrily, “Your Auntie Bai might not be able to arrange everything for you immediately. But there’s nothing she can do, she’s just your aunt after all. She’s trying her best. When you transferred to the new kindergarten, didn’t she immediately go and greet everyone there for you? She’s not your real mom, you can’t ask her for more, right?”
Cheng Tingyan lowered her eyes.
Yes, Auntie Bai did greet the whole class on the first day she sent her to kindergarten. She said she hoped the other children would take good care of her, but her tone was fierce and strange, she even said that if they bullied her and made her cry, she would release the big bad wolf from the zoo to find them at night…
That day, half of the class was scared to tears by Auntie Bai.
No one… played with her.
Every day.
But Cheng Tingyan didn’t want to tell Cheng Feiying anymore. He wouldn’t help her, just like every time before.
“Why are you silent again? Do you know you were wrong?” Cheng Feiying rubbed his temples, his tone softening. “If you need allowance, I can give you more when we get back, monthly or weekly, how much, we can discuss it. The snack cabinet at home, everyone can eat from it, you just didn’t take any, no one will say anything if you eat from it in the future. The key is, you have to learn to differentiate between insiders and outsiders. Me, Auntie Bai, Rongrong, and you, we’re family. Family matters should be resolved within the family, it’s wrong to talk about them to outsiders. I know you’re close to that Wei Maomao. But what kind of memory do children have? After the show ends, in a few days, who will remember who? We’re still the ones who will continue living together as a family, right? Don’t be so trusting when a three-year-old kid tells you something, they’re just tricking you. Don’t be with Wei…”
“Maomao didn’t trick me.” Cheng Tingyan interrupted Cheng Feiying, she paused, then made a decision. “Maomao said, she came to this show, the money the program team gives her, she’ll use it to support me.”
Cheng Feiying laughed in exasperation. “She dares to say it, and you actually believe it? A three-year-old kid who’s still wetting the bed can have her own money, can support you?”
“Plus the money I get from participating in this show.” Cheng Tingyan clenched her hand. “Dad, Uncle Wei will give Maomao her appearance fee. Will you give me mine?”
“Your money…” Cheng Feiying narrowed his eyes. “How much can you possibly have? The program only invited our family because of me, you’re just an add-on. Don’t you know? Your measly amount of money isn’t even enough for your mom’s medical expenses. What? You don’t want to stay at home anymore? You don’t care about your mom anymore? If you don’t care, then don’t care, I don’t mind, anyway, she and I are no longer related.”
“Dad, how much are Mom’s medical expenses?” Cheng Tingyan remembered her agreement with Wei Maomao, not to be hasty, but now that they were talking about it, it was a good opportunity to ask, she wanted to try.
“A lot, and it’ll be even more in the future.” Cheng Feiying looked Cheng Tingyan up and down. “So you better behave. I’m only lending her money for treatment because you’re being good. Otherwise… Heh.”
Cheng Tingyan: “… “ Asking only got her a “a lot,” it was like she hadn’t asked at all.
Cheng Feiying, looking at his silent elder daughter again, sneered and added, “What, you don’t believe me? Go and ask your mom if you don’t believe me.”
Cheng Tingyan’s heart sank. It seemed it was truly a lot.
“You’re still young, money, it’s not a game for children like you to talk about. Not just Wei Maomao, even that Shen Zilin, the money their families have belongs to their families. Who are you? A child they just met a few days ago, would they give you tens of thousands, millions, for you? “ Cheng Feiying scoffed. “You haven’t experienced the harsh realities of society. Forget about tens of thousands, millions, for some families, even a few thousand yuan is enough for parents and children, siblings, to turn against each other. A little girl like you, even if you were sold, you would only be worth a few thousand yuan, do you think you’re worth them giving you tens of thousands, millions? You guys are just playing pretend, talking nonsense.”
Cheng Tingyan bit her lip. “Maomao, she’s not…”
To suppress her spirit, he had to do it in one go.
Cheng Feiying interrupted Cheng Tingyan. “Even if those children are sincere, they still have parents. Which parents would be willing to spend money to raise another child? Oh, and with a disabled mother whose medical expenses are a bottomless pit. If you weren’t my biological daughter, I wouldn’t even care. I can only say, I’m unlucky. It’s only because it’s me, otherwise, who would care about you two? Still in kindergarten, still needing medical expenses, you two might as well go beg on the streets.”
Cheng Tingyan: “… “
“So, do good deeds, don’t do unnecessary things. Talking about family matters to outsiders, it’s not good for you, nor for me. If people think badly of our family, we won’t be able to earn money. If we can’t earn money, where will your mom get the money for her treatment?” Cheng Feiying stepped closer, patted Cheng Tingyan’s shoulder, and before she could dodge, patted her again, harder this time. “You have to remember, I have to be well for you to be well. Our family has to be well for your mom to be well. Those people outside, the things they’re prompting you to say, it’s all to mock our family, to hurt our family…”
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