Eww, now I'm tainted

Silence fell over Cambridge today.

The noisy living room suddenly went quiet. The eldest and fourth aunts, along with Second Grandma and Third Grandma, who couldn't hear the inner thoughts, found it very strange and glanced at the people beside them.

"What's wrong?"

Those who had heard the thoughts gradually came back to their senses.

"N-nothing. We're waiting for you to go on."

Tang Shengying smiled awkwardly.

This little sweetie hadn't been born long, but she had a sharp eye. Her analysis was pretty accurate, too.

Tang Nanzhou: Getting the younger cousins together to play is a nice idea, but these kids really can cause a ruckus. They might actually tear the swimming center apart.

Tang Xifeng: We were only talking about it anyway. There's no need to get so nervous.

Tang Lin: The little sweetie is right. I need to find a chance to turn this down.

Tang Jian: I definitely won't turn out the way my little sister said!

Tang Xiancheng: I'm not going to hide inside! I'll behave really well so my little sister never calls me Bowl Cut again!

Tang Yiyi: Playing with my brothers is nice, but it really is too noisy. I'll ask Mom to turn it down for me when we get home.

Tang Xingya: The younger boys really are annoying when they get noisy. Looking after them will definitely be hard, but that's okay. Our eldest brother will be there.

Tang Xianqi involuntarily tightened his grip on the Peace Talisman around his neck: My little sister summed it up nicely. I just don't know if I'll live to see that day.

"A lively gathering is a good thing."

A beat behind everyone else, the old lady clapped her hands. "Brothers and sisters should love one another. It's good to be lively."

"You should all play together more and grow closer."

Those who had heard Tang Tang's thoughts: "..."

"Exactly. Then it's settled."

"Before school starts, let's find a time for everyone to have some fun at the swimming center."

Second Grandma and Third Grandma were very much in favor, too, and just like that, the decision was made.

Tang Lin's face fell at once: Seriously? We're actually doing this?

The elders bypassed him entirely and began discussing arrangements for the children's swimming lessons.

The living room grew lively again.

The endless chatter was awfully noisy, too.

Seeing the miserable faces of the younger generation made Tang Tang's milk taste even better.

Out of the corner of her eye, she happened to glimpse Tang Zhilin sitting ramrod straight as always, posing as the family patriarch while everyone actually ignored and neglected him. Her mood improved even further.

That's what you get for putting on airs with that sour face all day. See? Nobody's even talking to you.

Serves you right for being so nasty. You deserve to be ignored by everyone.

Tang Zhilin: "..."

He looked toward the voice, only to discover that Tang Tang hadn't spared him so much as another glance. Her attention was already back on the lively gathering.

Taking a closer look, he realized it wasn't just everyone else ignoring him. Even Xie Yazhi, sitting right beside him, had her back turned to him and was completely absorbed in chatting with the others.

Tang Zhilin couldn't help remembering when Tang Tang had just been born. Xie Yazhi had gone to Su Xiajing's apartment to see the baby, then come home and had a huge fight with him. She had praised Tang Tang's bright, lively eyes, saying the child would surely be remarkable someday and that he would eventually regret his decision and feel ashamed.

He remembered dismissing it at the time. What was there about an ill-omened child that could possibly make him feel regret or shame?

So this child really was special.

It was just that her particular kind of special seemed somewhat different from what he had expected...

The milk in the bottle ran out, and Tang Tang reluctantly released the nipple.

Seeing this, Su Xiajing put the bottle away, ready to take it off to wash.

Just as she was about to stand, a hand reached over, and Tang Beichen took the bottle.

"I'll wash it."

Over the past month or so, his work had prevented him from doing as much as Su Xiajing, but he had still been learning childcare from Sister Wang. He could handle all the necessary tasks well.

Not bad. You're taking a lot more initiative now. Tang Tang was generous with her praise.

Watching his son deftly take the bottle, Tang Zhilin unconsciously frowned.

As he drew his gaze back, his eyes happened to meet Tang Tang's.

Tang Tang tilted her little head and decisively looked away.

Eww, I made eye contact with that nasty piece of work. Now I'm tainted.

Everything from her actions to her tone brimmed with disgust.

Tang Zhilin: "..."

At the old lady's prompting, the conversation in the living room returned to the children learning to swim together. With the elders driving it along, the discussion had already progressed to their weekly extracurricular class schedules for next term.

They discussed it in earnest. The sisters, Tang Nanzhou and Tang Shengying, even took out pen and paper to start making plans for the children.

Tang Tang watched a little longer, found it boring, and yawned as she drifted off to dreamland.

Pretty Mommy is going to take me with her and divorce Scumbag Daddy soon anyway. Once we leave the Tang family, none of this will have anything to do with me. I'm not the one those brats will be running ragged.

Nothing in the whole wide world matters more than sleep. Keep making noise. I'm going to bed.

From the very first day of her rebirth, Tang Tang had resolved to be a slacker and coast through this life doing nothing.

Pretty Mommy would soon be far away from the source of danger, so there was essentially nothing left here that needed her attention.

As for anything else, it all came down to: what did it have to do with her?

Was it serious?

Serious?

Then she would lie back and do nothing.

She was only a little baby. What could she possibly do?

Even if the sky fell, it wouldn't be her job to hold it up.

Not serious?

Then it was even less her concern.

Why should she waste her energy worrying over something so trivial?

Tang Tang slept soundly and without a care.

By the time she woke again, it was already afternoon.

Distant relatives of the Tang family, old family friends from Kyoto's wealthy circles, business partners and clients with close ties to the company, and others arrived one after another to wish the old lady a happy birthday.

Although the rooms in the old residence were well soundproofed, Tang Tang could still faintly hear voices from her room.

Apart from Su Xiajing and the children, everyone in the Tang family was downstairs entertaining the guests.

The moment Tang Tang made a sound, Su Xiajing came over.

"You're awake, sweetheart?"

Su Xiajing picked her up, checked her diaper, changed her into a fresh one, then fed her.

Holding her bottle, Tang Tang pricked up her ears to listen to the sounds downstairs.

I thought Great-Grandma was keeping this milestone birthday low-key. So many people still came.

Well, it's a rare opportunity. Of course they wouldn't miss it.

Why isn't Pretty Mommy going downstairs? Didn't Sister Wang come along? She can look after me.

Mommy's going to make a comeback after the divorce. What a waste to miss such a good networking opportunity.

Su Xiajing: "..."

This child worries about my career more than I do.

"Your daddy is in charge of the company now, so he's downstairs receiving the guests."

Su Xiajing deliberately ignored Tangtang's inner thoughts and explained casually, "If you miss Daddy, Mommy can take you downstairs once you finish your milk, okay?"

Tang Tang: "..."

She didn't want her milk anymore.

Excuse me, which eye of yours saw me missing Scumbag Daddy?

"But Mommy can't stay downstairs with you for too long, because I don't like that kind of socializing."

"Besides, I'll be divorcing your daddy soon. It wouldn't be appropriate to go downstairs and meet the guests as the Tang family's daughter-in-law now."

"I don't like that identity, either."

"All anyone needs to know is that I'm Su Xiajing, the actress."

Tang Tang paused.

She no longer had any attachment to this world. She was content to let things take their course and wanted only to live comfortably, so whenever she considered anything, she instinctively sought the option that would make life easier for her.

She had focused only on herself and overlooked the wishes of the person involved.

Taking the opportunity to expand her connections and smooth the way for her future career was Tang Tang's idea, not Pretty Mommy's.