Chapter 9

Tong Jiaxin had on him a schoolbag that was put together from multiple pieces of fabric. He scooted over closer to his brother and said, in surprise, ”Second Brother, isn’t she that, you know who?”

Their parents had brought back a photo before the accident. The person in the photo looked a lot like the one standing in front of them right now. That wasn’t the problem. The problem was: what was she doing here?Tong Jiaming stared at Tong Xuelu and didn’t say a word. As much as the two of them would grow into big bosses, they were just two children in front of Tong Xuelu right now. Naturally, she would not feel intimidated by them. She walked over to the water tank and scooped out a bucket of water. She said to them as she washed up. “Ah, you two are home. Go wash your hands and get ready for dinner.”Tong Jiaxin nudged his brother. “Second Brother, why do you think she is here? What do we do now?”He wasn’t so young and so naïve. He was fully aware of what was going on!Their so-called real sister had refused to come home back then. Both she and Tong Zhenzhen were white-eyed wolves who fought to stay over on the other side. They learned that everybody in the other family were government officials. To put it bluntly, they both thought that their family was too poor. And if she had resented it so back then, what was the point of her returning now?Besides, if it wasn’t for her and Tong Zhenzhen, their parents would still be alive!The more Tong Jiaxin thought about it, the angrier he became. His fist became hard uncontrollably. Tong Jiaming looked at Tong Xuelu and said nothing. Seeing that neither one of them engaged with her, she decided to stop trying as well. Turning around, she walked back inside the house, light the light, and got ready for dinner. These two future bosses were not three-year-old children like Tong Mianmian. She wouldn’t be able to win them over with just a piece of candy. Tong Jiaming, in particular, was an angel on the outside but a devil inside. Being able to come up with plans like he did at this day and age would definitely make him a difficult one to win over. She wasn’t worried though. Every person has their weaknesses. All she needed to do was to find out what that was and she would be set. Besides, if she couldn’t even handle two children, then she had waste all the years being a green tea. Tong Mianmian, sitting in bed inside the house, found a pair of scissors from somewhere and was trying to cut her own toenails. Sticking out one of her little feet, she reached over one of her toes with the pair of scissors. Her toes, as though sensing the danger, avoiding the pair of scissors like it had a mind of its own. Her hand followed quickly but her foot avoided it again. That repeated a few times and her hand was still unable to get close to her foot. Finally, she seemed to have worn herself out. She pointed at her own little foot and lectured it in her milky voice like a little adult. “You are bad. You are not as docile as Mianmian is!”Tong Xuelu couldn't help but busted out laughing. She was started when she saw Tong Mianmian with the pair of scissors in her hand. She didn’t that her little foot was able to save itself. Hearing her chuckle, Tong Mianmian looked up. She immediately stretched out her chubby little arms at her. “Big Sister, Mianmian wants hug.”Tong Xuelu walked over, picked her up, and took the pair of scissors from her. “No more playing with scissors on your own. It’s very dangerous, okay?”Leaning over her shoulder, Tong Mianmian wrapped her little arms around Tong Xuelu’s neck and said, “Okay, Big Sister. Mianmian won’t do that again.”The little bun’s milky voice was sweet and soft. She couldn’t be more docile. Tong Xuelu’s heart was melted by her all over again. She kissed her on her dimple and Tong Mianmian started giggling. At this moment, Tong Jiaxin ran inside, snatched Tong Mianmian from her and scolded her, “Tong Mianmian you little idiot. Didn’t Big Brother tell you to not talk to strangers?”Tong Mianmian, startled, pouted and said with her voice breaking, “Big Sister is not a stranger.”Big Sister had braided her hair for her, gave her candies, and kissed her on her cheek. She liked this big sister.Tong Zhenzhen, her sister from before, would only call her stupid. And she would even pinch her when nobody was around. That hurt a lot. She even told her that she was not allow to tell that to their parents. She didn’t like that big sister. Seeing that his little sister was defending Tong Xuelu, he was so angry that he pinched her on her cheek. “You are such an idiot! Who are you calling Big Sister? Why are you so affectionate toward her? She just might turn around and sell you!”Feeling wronged, Tong Mianmian’s eyes reddened. “Mianmian is not an idiot! Big Sister will not sell Mianmian!”Tong Xuelu, seeing that Mianmian’s cheek was red from the pinching, frowned and said coldly. “Mianmian is just a three-year-old child. What does she know? If you have anything to say, just say it to me!”Hrm. Fine! He would say it to her! What did he need to worry about?Tong Jiaxin was just about to unleash when he was stopped by Tong Jiaming. “Shut up, Jiaxin.”Having said that, he walked over, took Tong Mianmian from him, and patted her gently on her back. Tong Mianmian, curled up in Tong Jiaming’s arms, couldn’t have sounded more wronged. “Second Brother, Big Brother is not a bad person. She gave me candies.”Her little hand fished around inside of her pocket, pulled out a milk candy, and tried as she might to shove it into her brother’s mouth. This was a piece of candy that her sister had given her. She only had one. She saved the other two for her two brothers. But as her third brother had just yelled at her and her big sister, she didn’t want to share with him anymore. Tong Jiaming avoided her, “Second Brother doesn’t want it. You save it for yourself.”Tong Mianmian was anxious. “Try it, Second Brother.”If Second Brother had a piece of Big Sister’s candy, then he wouldn’t say that she’s a stranger anymore. Tong Jiaming couldn’t convince her otherwise so he finally accepted the piece of candy. “Second Brother will have it in a little bit.”Tong Mianmian was convinced but she didn’t forget to remind him in her milky voice. “Don’t forget to eat it later then, Second Brother.”Tong Jiaming nodded and carried her out to wash her hands. Noticing that his little sister did not offer him a piece of candy, Tong Jiaxin was so angry that his nostrils flared. Even so, he was still looking at Tong Xuelu as if she was a thief. He finally run after his Second Brother and little sister after they had left.