CHAPTER 431: CHAPTER 431: I’LL GIVE IT BACK TO YOU

"Refund, I’ll refund it to you," the hotel owner panicked. As a small business owner in City Z, she naturally knew the names of some leaders in City Z. Even though her hotel was small, she had also stuffed quite a bit of money to the higher-ups during its opening. Director Qian and Director Liao, the heads of the Industrial and Commercial Bureau and the Police Station, had received quite a sizeable red packet from her at the time. And now, this woman in front of her could easily mention them, which meant she must know them. Although the owner couldn’t be sure if she was just trying to intimidate her, it’s always better to avoid trouble. Offending someone over a mere US $100, who shouldn’t be offended, would indeed be a loss not worth the gain!

So the hotel owner quickly, in her panic, continued the conversation.

Chen Biao, stern-faced and unwilling to compromise, had never swallowed such humiliation, but the owner of Anxin Inn stopped him, desperately winking at him: "Son, stay calm, calm down!" Knowing that Chen Biao was furious but still reluctantly taking out US $100 from his pocket and handing it over, "Here, take the money and leave quickly!" The hotel owner was truly beside herself with urgency.

"Yuanying, take the money and leave," Xu Xiuxiu nodded, signaling Song Yuanming next to her to take the money, then turned and led the way out first.

After coming out of Anxin Inn, Song Tianxin had been too scared to speak, obediently following the group towards the hospital where Song Yuan Yao was staying. Despite her young age, she could guess that the hospital visit was certainly due to her Aunt Song Yuan Yao’s incident, and she didn’t know if she would get scolded later. Thinking about this, Song Tianxin felt somewhat guilty.

In the hospital room, Mrs. Song chatted with Song Yuan Yao about the basic situation. The mother and daughter had a heartfelt conversation, but still, seeing Song Tianxin walking in with her head hung low, she couldn’t help but worryingly ask about her condition, "Niuniu, you’re not hurt, are you? You really, how could you just run off on your own when you’re unhappy? Why are you so willful? City Z is so big, what if you got lost or something happened? We would be very worried about you!" Mrs. Song said while gripping Song Tianxin’s arm, pretending to hit her in annoyance, but the force wasn’t actually strong.

"Grandma, I’m okay," Song Tianxin’s voice was filled with sobs as she shook her head, her gaze hesitantly turning towards Song Yuan Yao lying on the hospital bed. At this moment, the person she probably least wanted to face was Song Yuan Yao.

Actually, ever since Xu Xiuxiu and the others entered the hospital room, Song Yuan Yao had been keeping an eye on Song Tianxin, seeing her seemingly unharmed, she let go of the worry twisting in her heart, and then silently looked down.

"What are you standing there for, still not going to apologize to your aunt?" Song Yuantao felt an endless debt to his sister Song Yuan Yao, seeing Song Tianxin standing still and not stepping forward, he became anxious and pushed her gently on the back.

Song Tianxin stumbled forward, then approached with a face full of remorse, "Auntie..." she called Song Yuan Yao, with eyes that held the probing typical of her age.

"..." Song Yuan Yao, seeing this, turned her head away with displeasure, not responding to her call.

All her feelings for Song Tianxin had been utterly erased by this incident. If it weren’t for the knowledge that she was still a child who didn’t know any better and her fear that Tianxin might get into an accident outside, making it hard for her to explain to the Song Family, she might have acted as if Song Tianxin didn’t exist at all. Now that Tianxin had been found safe and sound, it was natural for Song Yuan Yao’s attitude to slowly turn cold.

"Mom, elder brother." After a long while, Song Yuan Yao finally looked up at Mrs. Song and Song Yuantao, her face a mix of conflict and bitterness, "You should take Tianxin back to our hometown! I’m not capable of taking care of her right now, the child in my belly isn’t doing too well, and I might not even be able to go to school for the time being. Niuniu is just playing here, it would be better for her to go back home." It was clear that Song Yuan Yao had made up her mind to send Song Tianxin back to the countryside.

Seeing her daughter’s resigned demeanor, Mrs. Song knew that Song Yuan Yao must have had grievances in her heart, and as a mother herself, she could understand her daughter’s sorrow. The child in her womb was like a piece of her own flesh. In fact, even if Song Yuan Yao hadn’t suggested it, Mrs. Song would have taken Tianxin home, so now that Yuan Yao had brought it up, she naturally wouldn’t say anything more, just nodded in agreement.

"Little sister, don’t worry! I won’t let Niuniu trouble you anymore. I’ll take her back to the countryside tomorrow, you just focus on taking care of yourself," Song Yuantao said, assured in his heart as he made this promise.

"Dad, I don’t want to go back," Song Tianxin suddenly spoke up, expressing her own thoughts.

After spending a few days in the city and experiencing the world of difference between the city and the rural countryside, Song Tianxin was utterly convinced that she couldn’t persuade herself to go back to the countryside. Besides, her father was about to get married, and once there was a stepmother, Tianxin’s place in his heart might very well be pushed back. Only a fool would agree to return to that impoverished ravine.

"Dad, I’ll be good and listen to Auntie, so please don’t make me go back to the countryside, okay?" Song Tianxin looked hopefully at Song Yuantao, her eyes filled with pleading.

"Song Tianxin, I’m telling you, you have to go back whether you like it or not," Song Yuantao raised his voice in anger and scolded Tianxin, pointing at her nose while lecturing, "If you dare to be willful and cause trouble again, I’ll skin you alive." Song Yuantao loved his daughter, but this love was not without principle.

Because of his daughter’s willfulness, Yan Yao had almost lost her child, and he, as her brother, had troubled her enough; he was already feeling very guilty. Therefore, he would no longer indulge Song Tianxin’s capricious and unruly behavior.

"I won’t go back, I just won’t. What can I do if I go back? The teachers there don’t even pronounce words properly, I refuse to go back to that wretched place and suffer," Song Tianxin’s temper flared up as she stubbornly and arrogantly mocked Song Yuantao. At the height of her rebellious phase, Tianxin was completely unaware of how repulsive her words sounded.

"Ingrate! To suffer, you think being sent to study is suffering? Then tell me, since you came to Z city, your aunt arranged a school for you, why didn’t you go to class and instead caused so much trouble? Do you know that the child in your aunt’s belly was almost harmed because of you, and you still have the nerve to linger here, shamelessly not leaving? How can you still show your face? It’s true what they say, ’Like father, like son; like mother, like daughter.’ Your mother is a shameless and thick-skinned woman, and you’re just like your mother, without any shame. If I had known you’d turn out like this, I’d have let you go with her from the start; after all, keeping you is just a disaster." Song Yuantao was truly at his wits’ end with Song Tianxin, and the apology he felt towards Yuan Yao filled his heart, which was why he spoke these harsh words without filtering them.