Tears at the ready

Tang Beichen took a deep breath. "Bro, if I told you things weren't what you thought, would you believe me?"

Tang Xifeng asked, "Then why does Xia Jing want to divorce you?"

Tang Beichen said, "..."

How could he tell him about everything Su Xiajing had suffered?

Besides, what he had done was so despicable that he really couldn't bring himself to say it...

"Is it because of what the old man did?"

Seeing the pain on his face, Tang Xifeng ventured a guess.

He knew how infatuated his younger brother was with Su Xiajing. After finally getting his wish and marrying her, there was no way he would hurt her at such a delicate time.

Tang Beichen nodded vaguely. "That's part of it."

"That's strange. Then why was Mom so angry with you?"

"..."

"Besides, haven't you already hired bodyguards to protect Tangtang and Xia Jing? Now that it's all out in the open, the old man shouldn't dare try anything else..."

Tang Beichen said, "..."

At first, he had also thought that as long as he made his stance clear, took precautions, and gave the old man no openings, he would definitely be able to protect mother and daughter. That was why he had firmly refused to divorce.

Only after Tangtang's reminder had he truly realized that no amount of protective measures on his part could resolve the problem completely.

He was the one who had truly hurt Xia Jing.

Xia Jing had died because of him.

He was the real culprit behind Xia Jing's death.

Only by severing their relationship completely could he truly protect Xia Jing.

He couldn't hurt the person he loved in the name of love.

"You..."

Tang Xifeng gave his shoulder two heavy pats. "What the old man did was way out of line. Whatever you decide to do from now on, I'm on your side. But as for Xia Jing... if you've done something wrong, you need to apologize properly and accept the consequences."

Tang Beichen said, "..."

So you actually still believed Mom?

This wasn't something he could clear up by laying out the evidence from his investigation for everyone, one by one. Tang Beichen didn't want to waste time on them and couldn't be bothered to explain further.

"Mom told me about you two."

After soothing the two little terrors, An Jie glanced around and lowered her voice. "Have you settled the divorce?"

Su Xiajing said, "..."

Apparently, word of their divorce had already spread through the Tang Family...

"Not yet."

Su Xiajing chose her words carefully. "Tang Beichen said he needs time to think."

"He still needs to think?"

An Jie was shocked. She found it utterly unreasonable. "He's the one in the wrong. What does he still need to think about?"

Tang Tang gave her fourth aunt a thumbs-up.

"If I hadn't gone through it myself, I'd be fooled by how devoted he seems now, too. The best way to protect yourself from getting hurt is to get away before it happens."

Su Xiajing said, "..."

"Is there something you're worried about?" An Jie ventured. "If you need anything, just tell me. Xifeng and I both support you. If there's anything we can do, we'll help."

"Thank you."

Su Xiajing glanced at the expressionless Tang Tang and added with a smile, "But we should have an answer soon."

"That's good."

An Jie was genuinely happy for her. "You're such a wonderful person. You deserve a better future. If Beichen doesn't appreciate you, it's his loss."

"Exactly, exactly!"

"Fourth Aunt really gets it!"

Su Xiajing said, "..."

Tang Beichen and Tang Xifeng returned with their queue numbers, and Su Xiajing and An Jie tacitly dropped the conversation.

Of the three children, Tang Youzhen was the first to get his vaccination.

An Jie asked the nanny to look after Tang Youhao outside, then went with Tang Xifeng to take Tang Youzhen for his shot.

The little boy seemed to realize what was about to happen. He was already wriggling his chubby body in his father's arms in protest, his tears at the ready, poised to burst their banks and flood the hospital at any moment.

"No, no shots! Waaaah, I don't want one..."

Tang Tang settled in to enjoy the show.

"Oho, the crybaby's unleashing his power."

"You're both just as chubby, but the scaredy-cat isn't even scared yet, and you're already afraid of a shot."

"You're the oldest of the three of us, but you cry the most. Shame on you~"

Tang Youzhen cried even harder.

Tang Xifeng said, "..."

What was the deal with this little niece of mine?

Su Xiajing said, "..."

Tang Beichen said, "..."

Don't get too smug. Your turn is coming.

Tang Youhao gave his older brother a curious look and silently tightened his arms around the nanny's neck.

So many kids were crying in there. It was scary.

I want to go home.

In the end, Tang Youzhen was carried inside by his father, then held still by his parents while he received his shot.

Sure enough, his thunderous cries stunned the entire hospital. The other crying children were so startled that they forgot all about their tears and runny noses, staring wide-eyed as they searched for the child whose cries outdid their own.

"So noisy."

Tang Tang frowned at the racket.

Su Xiajing immediately covered her ears.

Tang Tang said, "Pretty Mommy is the best."

Once Tang Youzhen was done, it was Tang Youhao's turn.

Tang Xifeng took him in for his shot alone, while An Jie stayed outside with the nanny to soothe Tang Youzhen.

Tang Youhao soon came back out after his shot.

His eyes were red, and he lay against his father's shoulder, sniffling pitifully.

He was much quieter than Tang Youzhen, who had started crying before anything happened and still hadn't stopped after more than ten minutes.

Watching Tang Youzhen continue to howl at the top of his lungs, Tang Tang felt exhausted.

"With a voice like that, you might as well become a singer."

"Everyone's watching you cry, and you can still keep going. You're really something."

"That spirit of yours-'laugh all you want, I won't budge'-is truly admirable."

Tang Youzhen hiccupped through his tears and blinked at Tang Tang.

Is my little sister praising me?

"All right, it's our turn."

Su Xiajing stood up with Tang Tang in her arms, and Tang Beichen hurried after her.

Tang Tang was still tiny, so even if she fussed, there was only so much she could do. Besides, she was a full-grown adult on the inside. She soon finished her shot and came back out.

"Tang Tang didn't even cry when she got her shot?"

Looking at Tang Tang, who had come out exactly as she'd gone in without even a flicker of emotion on her face, then at Tang Youzhen, who was still crying and fussing in her arms, An Jie could have wept with envy. "Tangtang is such a good girl!"

Su Xiajing said, "...Yes, I didn't expect her to be so good, either."

They hadn't even made any special effort to distract her. She had simply sat quietly through the shot.

"Little Youzhen, you need to learn from your sister!"

An Jie couldn't resist comparing her son unfavorably. "Look, your sister wasn't even afraid of her shot. You're her big brother. You need to be brave, too."

Tang Youzhen couldn't believe there was a child in this world who didn't cry during a shot. He stared fixedly at Tang Tang to see for himself.

Tang Youhao looked over curiously, too.

Tang Tang lay comfortably in Pretty Mommy's arms, enjoying everyone's attention.

"What good does crying do?"

"The crybaby screamed so loudly, but he still had to get his shot."

Tang Xifeng said, "..."

This little niece of mine was really something.

Tang Youhao thought, My little sister is amazing.

Tang Youzhen pressed his lips together.

My little sister seems to be talking about me again.