Ten Thousand Soul Banner: Deceased, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?
Chapter 302: The Origin of Tang Tang

Chapter 302: Chapter 302: The Origin of Tang Tang

"Actually, I came here because there’s something I wanted to discuss with Uncle Xu."

Shen Siyuan approached Xu Liangyou, and did not beat around the bush.

"What is it?" Xu Liangyou was curious.

Then he handed him a stool and asked him to sit down and talk slowly.

"I have found some information about Tang Tang’s mother."

Xu Liangyou was startled at first and then became happy, saying, "That’s good news."

"Ah, not necessarily good news."

Shen Siyuan sighed, and began to share Tang Tang’s backstory with Xu Liangyou.

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Tang Tang was born to an ordinary rural family in Jiangyou Linchuan County. Her father, Tian Changqing, was a farmer who often worked away from home as a hydropower engineer. There were six siblings in total, and he was the fourth. The family’s financial situation was very poor.

He got married at the age of thirty-five to a woman, that is Tang Tang’s mother Mao Sanmei, who was only twenty-two at the time. Tian Changqing was thirteen years her senior. The reason Mao Sanmei married poor and older Tian Changqing was surely not for love but because she herself had defects.

She was born deaf and mute, and her family considered her a burden. After Tian Changqing paid a generous bride price, they hastily married her off to him.

Being older, he knew how to cherish people, and Tian Changqing was relatively caring towards his deaf and mute wife, so their life together was not too bad after marriage.

But Tian Changqing’s kindness alone was not enough as the saying goes, "A small temple is full of fierce ghosts." Due to poverty and other issues, Mao Sanmei’s life with her in-laws was difficult, especially with her mother-in-law, who disdained and picked faults at her constantly. Since she was mute, she could truly say she suffered silently. Furthermore, with Tian Changqing often away for work, no one was there to support her, and her life was indeed very tough.

However, Mao Sanmei could only endure. For a rural woman like her, who was also deaf and mute, where could she go if she left her family?

A few years passed, and they finally had a child, Tang Tang.

This was a very joyful event, and even Tian Changqing reduced his time away from home to take care of Mao Sanmei. The mother-in-law even became much more pleasant.

But once Tang Tang was born and turned out to be a girl, things soured. Not only did the mother-in-law revert to her old ways, even Tian Changqing’s attitude turned much colder.

Still, Mao Sanmei cherished her daughter. Having just given birth, she could only drag her exhausted body to take care of her daughter alone.

After a few months passed, Mao Sanmei gradually realized her child had issues.

Like her, her child was born deaf, showing no reaction to sounds.

Mao Sanmei was heartbroken, never imagining her daughter would face the same plight, but she accepted her fate as it was her own child.

However, her mother-in-law, upon discovering this, plotted, believing the disabled granddaughter would become a burden to her son. So, while Mao Sanmei was out working in the fields, she sold Tang Tang to a woman in the neighboring village.

The woman from the neighboring village then sold Tang Tang to a family. But when that family discovered Tang Tang was deaf, they did not want her and quickly sold her off to someone else.

Thus, after several transfers, Tang Tang eventually ended up in an orphanage.

During this time, there were families with kind intentions who wanted to adopt Tang Tang permanently, but after much hesitation, they ultimately decided to give up.

Nowadays, raising a child is very challenging, let alone a child with disabilities.

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After hearing this story, Xu Liangyou just sighed deeply, yet he wasn’t particularly moved.

This was because he had seen many such cases; any child that ended up with him or in an orphanage had a tragic backstory.

"What are you thinking?" Xu Liangyou seemed to guess what Shen Siyuan was hesitant about.

If we send Tang Tang back to her parents, her life might be worse than now. Tang Tang will be miserable, and life will be tough. It’s better to pretend not knowing about this.

"Perhaps let Tang Tang meet her mother, she’s also a pitiful woman," Shen Siyuan sighed.

"But... managing that family is tough," Xu Liangyou said.

Tian Changqing’s family is like a huge quagmire, whoever steps into it will be unlucky.

"It’s okay, since her daughter went missing, Mao Sanmei left home to look for her daughter, and she has been working out there for years, never returning home. As for Tian Changqing, after Mao Sanmei left, he found another woman to live with..."

As for why it’s said ’live together’ and not ’marriage’, it’s because they didn’t even get a marriage certificate, they’re truly just cohabiting.

And with Mao Sanmei, it wasn’t considered marriage either because they just had a few banquet tables, just had a meal, and similarly, didn’t get a certificate.

That woman lost her husband and was left with two children, which is why she chose to follow Tian Changqing.

That Tian Changqing is an irresponsible man, not caring for his wife and children, but takes good care of those two children.

"Mao Sanmei has been working outside these years while looking for her daughter..."

"But she is deaf and mute, let alone finding her daughter, even finding a job is very challenging..."

"Her life is hard enough as it is, Tang Tang’s life will probably be tough if she follows her," Shen Siyuan sighed again.

"With your financial resources, Mr. Shen, supporting them a bit, wouldn’t life be manageable?" Xu Liangyou said.

In Xu Liangyou’s eyes, Shen Siyuan is very wealthy, and must come from an excellent family background; otherwise, President Jiang wouldn’t treat him so well, one would think they were mother and son.

"Financially, there definitely won’t be a problem, but you see, Tang Tang is a very special child, I really worry that being with her might gradually bury her talents," Shen Siyuan said.

Hearing this, Xu Liangyou was a bit puzzled. Tang Tang is indeed a bit clever, but to say she has extraordinary talents seems a bit exaggerated, he didn’t notice that at all.

Xu Liangyou thought Shen Siyuan was being overly protective, because he liked Tang Tang, he felt she was the most special child.

So he thought for a moment and said, "If you’re worried, you can still leave Tang Tang with me. Her mother doesn’t have a job, right? I can arrange a position for her at Rainbow House, that way it would be the best of both worlds."

"Wouldn’t that increase your expenses?" Shen Siyuan said.

"It’s okay, it’s all funded by President Jiang anyway," Xu Liangyou straightforwardly said.

Shen Siyuan burst into laughter upon hearing this, and Xu Liangyou’s solution relieved his worries.

Ruan Hongzhuang heard the laughter and walked over curiously. As for Tang Tang, she had already gotten familiar with Dou Dou, who was teaching her how to ride a tricycle. Tang Tang was a quick learner, her little legs pedaling swiftly.

"What are you talking about, laughing so happily?" Ruan Hongzhuang asked.

"Talking about Tang Tang’s situation."

Shen Siyuan briefly explained the situation to Ruan Hongzhuang.

Ruan Hongzhuang thought for a moment and then asked, "What kind of jobs does Tang Tang’s mother do now?"

"What else can she do? Working as a miscellaneous helper in restaurant kitchens, sorting parcels at courier points, or working as a caregiver for the elderly..."

"If that’s the case, she could come to our house as a live-in maid, that way she could conveniently take care of Tang Tang..."

"Huh? Live-in maid?" Shen Siyuan looked puzzled.

It was the first time he heard this term.

PS: To be continued~