"The teachers have all noticed the school's atmosphere has been very strange these past few days. Nearly all the students are whispering about it, even the graduating classes have been drawn in. It's seriously affecting teaching order, and we've had multiple parents calling the school to ask questions. This kind of matter..." Director Zhang carefully chose his words, "I believe you can understand it concerns the school's reputation, so we have to be cautious. That's why we've invited the parents to understand the situation. Just now, Liu Guanchao's mother told us what she knows."
Wang Yujiao quickly said: "Some people are actually saying the child Xiao An had belongs to Xiao Chao. I can only tell the truth—I don't want my son to be wrongly accused. Teacher Yu, please don't blame me."
Yu Jia took a deep breath, steadying her turbulent emotions, and spoke calmly: "Since we're telling the truth, I have nothing to blame you for." She turned to Director Zhang: "This incident happened in another city. My daughter was only 14 at the time and was completely a victim. She's now trying to live a normal life. I believe the school won't hold any prejudice against her because of this, right?"
"After hearing this, we all sympathize with your daughter's experience. But the trouble with this matter is that the rumors appeared very suddenly. We have no idea how they started spreading through the school. We've questioned several students separately, and they all said they heard it from others. Moreover, I believe you can understand that this kind of matter simply can't be publicly refuted—that would only cause greater distress for your daughter and the school."
"What does the school intend to do?"
"I need to report to the principal and discuss it further. For now, we can only ask parents to take their children home and help them calm down."
Wang Yujiao hurriedly said: "Final exams are coming up soon. My son has always had excellent grades—he can't miss classes. He hasn't done anything wrong at all. This must be made clear to the principal."
Director Zhang nodded: "Don't worry, we understand. Liu Guanchao can return to class as usual, but he must never get into fights again."
Yu Jia took Zuo Si'an home by taxi. They remained silent throughout the journey. After entering the house, Yu Jia asked her: "This has been going on for several days. Why didn't you tell me?"
"Telling you wouldn't have made any difference."
Yu Jia said angrily: "I'm your mother. I need to know many things that 'make no difference.' What exactly have they been saying?"
"Basically that I had an early romance in eighth grade, tasted the Illicit Fruit, and had a child. The administration office called me in to ask, and I could only say I didn't know who made up this story. But Xiao Chao's mother came later—I think she must have explained everything to them."
Yu Jia was deeply pained by her daughter's excessively calm tone and the content of her words. She was momentarily stunned and bewildered: "This is too absurd. Why would this rumor suddenly appear?"
"I don't know, and I don't care."
Zuo Si'an picked up her backpack to return to her room, but Yu Jia stopped her: "Let's discuss what to do next?"
"Let's make dinner—it's getting late. I'll go do my homework and continue school tomorrow. I haven't broken any school rules—the school won't expel me, right? As for the gossip, let them talk all they want. They'll eventually get tired of it."Yu Jia was stunned. Zuo Si'an appeared very calm, but she couldn't take it so lightly: "Your classmates might stop discussing it, but they won't forget. If you stay at this school, you'll be isolated. This matter will follow you until you graduate."
"Even if no one discusses it, even if no one knows, this matter will still follow me. I can't escape it."
"Xiao An."
"It's fine, Mom. I don't care."
Yu Jia didn't know what to say for a moment, only feeling as if her head was splitting with pain. She sat on the sofa and pressed her temples. Zuo Si'an said, "I'll go cook. You rest for a while."
"With all this commotion, your father has even more reason not to come back."
Zuo Si'an, who was heading to the kitchen, stopped in her tracks. Yu Jia realized she had spoken carelessly in her distress, but she was too flustered to remain as composed as usual: "Xiao An, I'll call your father right away and ask him to arrange his work and come back as soon as possible. How to handle this matter, I need to discuss it with him before making a decision. But you need to be mentally prepared—the adult world is more complicated than school. If your father doesn't come back, don't blame me for it."
"There's no need to tell him about this."
Yu Jia said angrily, "Xiao An, you're his daughter. He should be here to protect you. Whether it's good or bad, he needs to know. He can't evade his responsibility as a father by hiding far away."
Zuo Si'an fell silent. With a chill in her heart, she realized that arguing her father wasn't evading his duties would be nothing but self-deception.
Yu Jia pressed the speakerphone button and dialed Zuo Xuejun's number. The call went through smoothly. She recounted the incident at the school as calmly as possible. There was no response from the other end of the line for a long time.
"Say something! Xiao An, she..."
"Tell Xiao An not to go to school."
"The final exams are coming up soon. How can she not go to school?"
"Do you want her to endure her classmates' gossip all the time? We can deal with the exams later. Ask for leave for her and let her study at home for a while."
Yu Jia sneered, "Is this the solution you're proposing?"
"I've said it before—it would be better if you transferred jobs and took Xiao An to a new environment. The facts prove my consideration was correct."
"You make it sound so easy. Is transferring jobs as simple as you say? What about my job, my career?"
"How can you let Xiao An endure the rumors? She's our daughter. You can't prioritize your career over her. We have to make sacrifices for her."
Yu Jia could no longer contain her anger: "Zuo Xuejun, you're addicted to preaching, aren't you? For the past two years, I've been the one spending all my time outside of work taking care of our daughter. Tell me, what have you sacrificed for her by running away?"
"That's not what I meant, I just..."
At that moment, Zuo Si'an walked over and said into the phone, "Dad, you feel ashamed and embarrassed that my situation has become known to others, don't you?"
Both Zuo Xuejun and Yu Jia fell silent on the phone. Zuo Si'an continued, "It's been like this since we were in Qinggang. Now it's even more so. So Mom wasn't wrong—you really don't want to come back."
"No, Xiao An," Zuo Xuejun quickly said, "that's not it. I just think maybe changing environments would be better for you."Zuo Si'an said calmly, "But that incident has already happened to me. Who can guarantee that moving somewhere else will stop people from gossiping about me? What will you do then, Dad? Stop coming home again?"
"No, no, Xiao An, listen to me..."
"You should listen to me instead, Dad. If I'm just an obligation you have to fulfill, you don't actually need to stay away so far." Zuo Si'an pressed the speakerphone button and ended the call. Yu Jia was stunned. She looked up at Yu Jia: "Mom, I need to go out for something. I'll be back within two hours."
"Where are you going?"
Zuo Si'an said expressionlessly, "Don't worry, I'm just going to ask Xiao Chao about something. It's not running away from home, I promise."
3
Bao Bao was celebrating his second birthday. Chen Liguo and Gao Ming went to the provincial capital together again to celebrate with him. Chen Zihui prepared a lavish dinner, and everyone was very happy.
With so many people visiting and all bringing gifts, Bao Bao was especially thrilled. His physical development was slower than children his age. Although he had undergone one surgery, his heart condition was far from fundamentally resolved. He couldn't go to crowded places, engage in vigorous activities, and would squat down panting after just a few steps. His diet had many restrictions, and even a common cold or minor illness could become dangerous, having led to numerous emergency room visits. However, the child was articulate and very clever, and his attachment to Gao Xiang surpassed anyone else's.
When it was time for him to go to bed, he dodged Wang Yujiao, crying, "No, no, I want Daddy to bathe me."
Gao Xiang had no choice but to laugh and say, "Alright, alright, I'll bathe you then."
He carried Bao Bao on his shoulder into the bathroom and ran the water. He was already very familiar with the routine and could quickly undress the child, place him in the bathtub, wash the squirming, splashing little one clean, and swiftly carry him out wrapped in a thick bath towel to prevent him from catching a cold.
He carried Bao Bao out and called to Wang Yujiao, "Sister Wang, please bring Bao Bao's clothes."
The doorbell rang. Chen Zihui said, "I'll get them. Yujiao, go answer the door."
Wang Yujiao went to open the door and stood blocking the entrance in shock: "Xiao An, what are you doing here? Everything I said at school was the truth. I really didn't say anything about you."
Zuo Si'an didn't respond, bypassed her, and walked straight in. Chen Liguo and Gao Ming exchanged glances, while Gao Xiang asked in surprise, "Xiao An, why are you here?"
Zuo Si'an didn't answer him. Her gaze shifted from him to the child in his arms, and she froze, seemingly completely unprepared to see this child. Her face instantly turned deathly pale.
The room fell into a dead silence. Just then, Chen Zihui came out with Bao Bao's clothes, also startled, and immediately flared up: "What are you doing coming to my house?"
Zuo Si'an seemed frozen by a spell, neither moving nor responding. Bao Bao, already frightened by the unusually tense atmosphere in the house, buried his head in Gao Xiang's chest. Gao Xiang had a vague sense of foreboding. He gently patted Bao Bao's back and said softly to Zuo Si'an, "Xiao An, if you have something to say, let's talk outside."
"No need." Zuo Si'an suddenly regained her composure, turned her gaze to Chen Zihui, and said coldly, "You came to my house twice to cause trouble. Why can't I come here?"Gao Xiang handed Bao Bao to Wang Yujiao. "Take him upstairs, dress him properly, and don't come down until I call for you."
Wang Yujiao agreed and was about to leave when Bao Bao unexpectedly burst into loud, heart-wrenching sobs, crying out desperately, "No, I don't want to go up! I want Daddy!"
Gao Xiang had no choice but to harden his heart and ignore the cries. After Wang Yujiao carried the wailing Bao Bao upstairs, he approached Zuo Si'an and said softly, "Xiao An, what's happened? Let me take you outside to talk."
"I'm not here for you," Zuo Si'an replied without looking at him, her gaze fixed firmly on Chen Zi Hui. "Have you ever wondered how my father knew where you and your brother were meeting, so he could bring the police to arrest him?"
Everyone was stunned as Zuo Si'an continued, word by word, "It was your husband, Gao Ming, who told my father."
Chen Zi Hui's hand froze mid-air, unsure how to complete the furious gesture she had begun. After a moment, as if pricked by a needle, she snapped sharply, "You're lying! He would never do that."
Gao Xiang, equally shocked, shouted, "Xiao An, stop it! Don't talk nonsense!"
Zuo Si'an still refused to look at him. Standing straight and unwavering, her eyes unusually bright, she spoke clearly and deliberately, "That night, your husband Gao Ming and County Party Secretary Hu came to my house. They talked with my father in the living room, and I heard every word clearly from the bedroom. He told my father himself: that afternoon, you first went to the bank to withdraw 200,000 yuan, then went to the company to request another 300,000 in cash, claiming it was for your father's surgery in the provincial capital. He grew suspicious and eavesdropped on your phone call with your brother. You agreed to meet the next day at the Xingrong Hotel in Changnan County, at the border of the two provinces. Half an hour later, he called you again, saying it might not be safe to meet at the hotel and suggesting you meet by the roadside outside the city instead..."
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