Chapter 109: Actually I am
The person in the driver’s seat was the little beauty TangTang whom he hadn’t bade farewell to earlier. The TangTang of this moment wasn’t as bright and courageous as usual, she was a little timid and guilty as she said, “Uncle, please get on, there aren’t any taxis here, I’ll send you back.”
Yang Chen didn’t decline, he opened the door and got onto the passenger seat, then asked, “Can I smoke? I’ll open the window.”
TangTang immediately nodded with force, as if she was strongly wished for Yang Chen to smoke.
“Thank you.” After dully saying those words, Yang Chen pressed down on the button for the window, and took out a cigarette from the two dollar shoddy quality pack he had. Then he took out a brandless lighter, and lit it up.
While slowly driving the car, TangTang softly asked, “Uncle, you should smoke something of better quality, this kind of cigarette is too damaging to the body. Also, that lighter of yours isn’t safe, I’ll buy you a high quality Zippo lighter in the future, I guarantee that it’ll make you look cool.”
“The higher quality cigarettes aren’t smoky enough, if the lighter is broken I’ll buy a new one, it’s just a dollar for one, and a hundred of them is still cheaper than one Zippo. I also don’t need to worry about feeling hurt if I drop it either.” Yang Chen gazed out to look at the sea view, and spoke neither fast nor slow.
TangTang asked in grief, “Uncle, you are still angry at me arent you? You aren’t even willing to take a glance at me anymore.”
“Angry? Why would I be angry?” Yang Chen turned around and asked.
“My father had me call you over, yet didn’t treat you politely. He even suspected that you’re an evil-doer. I know you have a kind heart, but my father is just like this, he doesn’t easily trust others. I can’t do a thing about it.” TangTang irately said, “A few years ago he was still alright, but ever since he became this rubbish secretary two years ago, he has become more and more unreasonable!”
Yang Chen softly laughed as he listened to the young lady complaining about her father’s faults, it didn’t matter to him if she sincerely meant it, he just listened.
TangTang saw how indifferent Yang Chen was, and became more anxious, “Uncle, just think of it as my fault, alright? Don’t get angry, I’ll treat you to a meal! You can eat wherever you like, I’ll make amends to apologize for it, alright? I really didn’t do this on purpose, I didn’t know that my father and the others would make a move on you, but a girl like me who doesn’t even have the strength to truss a chicken can’t possibly stop them. Uncle please don’t be like this, I’d rather you scold me than remain totally silent!”
Yang Chen didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry, he wasn’t thinking of anything at all, this brat was making incredulous assumptions on her own, “Hey TangTang, from where did you hear that I’m angry? They made a move against me earlier, but I didn’t get angry, I was just rather annoyed. I’ll be blunt, your father and his bodyguards aren’t fit to get me angry.”
TangTang doubtfully asked, “Really? Uncle you aren’t angry at me?”
“Why would I be angry at you?” Yang Chen unhappily rolled his eyes.
In a blink of an eye, TangTang’s face revealed a delightful smile, like it was spring and she was a blooming flower, and also like a little bear who found a jar of sweet honey. If it wasn’t because she had to hold the steering wheel with her hands, she’d probably be bending over to kissing Yang Chen’s face all over by now!
“I knew you are the best, Uncle!”
Yang Chen waved his hand, “Don’t get too excited, I wasn’t done speaking.”
TangTang was startled, and cutely blinked her eyes, “Didn’t you say you weren’t angry, Uncle?”
“I’m not angry, but that doesn’t mean that today’s matters won’t affect me.” Yang Chen dully said, “I can’t afford to offend the people in your family, or rather you could say I find it too troublesome. In order to stop letting your father have those kind of thoughts, I think we should pretend we don’t know each other in the future. You go to school, I go to work, let’s not contact each other again.”
Yang Chen didn’t want to be suspected here and there by Fang Zhongping. Today’s fight had basically burned all possible bridges, if he continued to keep in contact with TangTang, then even if he was innocent, it would be like mud stuck at the crotch; even if it isn’t shit, it’s shit! Explanations would be useless.
Hearing this, TangTang suddenly floored the brake!
*Skid!*
The car suddenly stopped at the side of the road, the inertia led the two’s bodies to lurch forward!
Yang Chen bewilderedly turned his head to ask, “What are you doing, why’d you stop?”
TangTang didn’t utter a word, she held onto the steering wheel with both hands, while the hair she left loose draped over most of her face, her expression couldn’t be seen.
Gradually, the girl’s thin shoulders begun to shake, drops of sparkling tears fell onto her white and long thighs, she was unexpectedly sobbing.
Yang Chen felt his scalp going numb. What the hell is going on? Why is she crying again? She was just fine a moment ago, why cry!?
“Hey, girl, don’t cry, if you’re about to cry you should give a warning, like the warnings of rain or hail on the TV’s weather forecast segment. These tears of yours are impossible to defend from!” Yang Chen disheartenedly said.
TangTang slowly raised her head. Her immature face had charm bursting forth because of the tears, it even contained the power to shake souls.
After shifting the gear lever to P, TangTang wiped away her tears, sobbed and said, “Uncle… you… please scold me, you can hit me if you want, just don’t leave me, don’t ignore me please……”
“Why would I hit you for no rhyme nor reason?” Yang Chen bitterly smiled, “I’m afraid that your father has low tolerance and makes trouble for me. You’ll be stuck between me and your father, wouldn’t that be tough?”
“It won’t!” As if she was down to the last straw, TangTang immediately said, “I’ve decided to move in with Mommy tomorrow, I won’t stay with Daddy anymore. If Daddy decides to make trouble for Uncle, I wouldn’t care and wouldn’t know about it, Daddy isn’t a match for you anyways, I’ll stop caring about that!”
Yang Chen was puzzled, so he asked, “You’re moving in with your mother? Your parents don’t live together?”
TangTang suddenly blushed, she shyly said, “They… they are my Daddy and Mommy, but they aren’t husband and wife……”
“What does that mean?”
TangTang’s hands pinched onto the edge of her clothes, as if she made up her mind on something she raised her head and said, “Uncle, I’m going to tell you something, you must keep this a secret, just take this as a secret between us, alright?”
The girl’s gaze was as clear as crystals, pure and beautiful, making it hard for him to reject her.
Yang Chen felt waves forming in his heart, he never expected that this lass who gave him such a bad first impression could show such a touching gaze. He subconsciously nodded to signal TangTang to speak.
TangTang pursed her lips, took a deep breath, then said, “I…… I’m actually a test tube baby.”
“Test tube baby?” Yang Chen couldn’t have imagined that this was the secret. He thought TangTang’s parents were divorced or something, but what TangTang said was more shocking than he imagined!
A test tube baby obviously doesn’t refer to a baby born out of a test tube. It means that through scientific means, the man and the woman gamete are placed in a test tube, then it’s placed back into the woman’s body for it to grow. It will still be a baby that takes nine months to be born.
However, after a child is born like this, there are often birth defects accompanying them. For example, heart failure, organ failure, the fact that because they are different from others, family problems, being easily affected by autism, headaches and other medical problems.
No matter how it is put, the technology for test tube babies still hasn’t matured, so within the whole of Huaxia, test tube babies weren’t even known by the majority. Even those who knew wouldn’t discuss it. Children born through such medical technology would always receive a lot of pressure in terms of morality.
“That’s right, so although my Daddy is my Daddy, he’s just a friend to my Mommy. They have never even held hands before, and there’s no need to talk about them being like other married couples.”
After TangTang spoke, she paid attention to Yang Chen’s expression. Seeing his expression turn queer while staring at her, she took it as Yang Chen having the opinion of her birth being too weird. A tinge of sadness showed on her face.
TangTang forced a smile and lowered her head, “I knew it, Uncle you’d think of me as a freak, but that’s alright, I’m a freak anyways. I’ve already grown up, test tube babies grow up normally too.”
Yang Chen laughed, and suddenly rubbed the back of the girl’s head, “I didn’t say a thing, yet you came to a conclusion for me. I’ll be honest with you, whether you’re a test tube baby or an ordinary child, it doesn’t matter to me.”
“Really?” TangTang lifted her head up, showing more spirit in her eyes.
“I have no interest in lying to console you.” Yang Chen smiled and scolded, “Don’t you dare think you’ll be given special treatment for being a test tube baby.”
TangTang sniffled while smiling, then hit Yang Chen’s arm, “Uncle you’re really bad, you made me cry, yet you didn’t explain yourself earlier. My heart nearly shattered.”
“It’s no big deal, you’re just a test tube baby, although your process of being born is a little different, you’re still a child born because of your parents.” Yang Chen flashed a melancholic smile, “Do you know, in this world there are people who don’t even know if they are still human or not? That is the most pitiful.”
“Why would there be people like that?” TangTang was perplexed, “A human is a human, other living forms are other living forms, what’s there that’s so difficult to understand?”
“Haha, let’s not talk about this.” Yang Chen didn’t want to remain on this topic, so he changed topics, “Well then, if you move in with your mother, won’t your father get angry and scold you?”
TangTang giggled, like the youthful and playful maiden she was beforehand, “Don’t worry about that, my Daddy is afraid of Mommy. My Mommy loves me the most, if I ask my Mom to help, Dad won’t even dare to fart!”
“Seems like your father really likes your mother huh.” Yang Chen had understood their relationship.
“Yep.” TangTang nodded, “Daddy had always wanted to woo Mommy since they were young, but Mommy never gave him an answer, so they could only be considered as incredibly good friends. This is why when Mommy wanted to give birth to me, she wanted to make it up to Daddy by using his sperm. Afterwards, when Mommy gave birth to me, Daddy thought Mommy would change her mind, but Mommy remained single all this time. Dad has basically given up now, and thinks that it’s good to maintain this way as well.”
Yang Chen shook his head and said, “It’s not that it’s good this way, your father just has no other option other than to remain this way.”
Hearing that, TangTang sighed and replied, “Yeah, Daddy is rather pitiful. When I was young I wished Daddy would get together with Mommy, that way, I would have a complete family.”
“Don’t you have both parents and a home now?”
“That’s not what I meant……” TangTang dejectedly answered, “Uncle, do you know, both my Daddy and Mommy were really busy when I was young. One was busy working in the government, the other busy working in the business. My childhood revolved around the nursery and kindergarten. Once school ended, it would be with the nanny who took care of me. During that period I was especially afraid of the school day ending during nursery, because I can’t be like other children who happily run off into their Daddy and Mommy’s bosoms……”
“Actually, Daddy and Mommy both love me dearly, they give me a lot of money, and give me beautiful places to stay. The clothes I wear are all branded, and I’ve always been treated like a little princess. I have things other children don’t have, and everybody envies me. But in my mind, I wasn’t happy at all, I don’t actually need all that money, I just want them to bring me to the theme park to play, or accompany me to the park for a walk……”
“Later on I grew up. I sometimes stayed with Daddy, sometimes stayed with Mommy. The adults on both sides tried to pull me closer to their side, but I never got closer to either side. The name on my identity card is just ‘TangTang’, I don’t even follow their surnames. My parents were both very anxious previously, they didn’t mind whichever last name I followed, they just didn’t want me to be like an abandoned child who has a first name but not a last name……”
“Back then that’s exactly what I thought, wasn’t I an abandoned child? Other than having money, having cars, and having homes, there was no difference between me and an abandoned child……”
While speaking up to this point, TangTang’s eyes began to moisten again, but she glanced at Yang Chen and smiled again, “But it’s alright now, with you here, Uncle, I finally don’t need to play with those other children who only know to compete in riches.”
Yang Chen never expected this vivacious child to have such a past. Although her parents were both rich and powerful, they had only taken care of their daughter materialistically and not spiritually, they did a poor job at upbringing her!
“I’m not your parent, don’t think too highly of me.” Yang Chen forced a smile as he spoke with a gentler tone. Perhaps it was because there were some similarities between his and her birth, or perhaps it was pity for her childhood.
TangTang shook her head and said, “Uncle isn’t my Daddy or my Mommy, but Uncle taught me a lesson when I was racing dangerously, accompanied me to watch a boring movie, and protected me when I was in danger. Uncle wouldn’t be like those childish guys who disgust me…… I’ve never met someone like that……” As she spoke, her face turned red as she said, “Also, Uncle occasionally does immoral things to me… I actually enjoy it a little.”
Yang Chen facepalmed, this lass made his goosebumps pop up, “All those things you mentioned were really minor, I’m as important as you think I am. Once you get to know with more people of your age you’d realize that there are actually many good people in this world.”
“It’s not the same! TangTang angrily answered, “I’m just inflexible. Uncle, if you are determined to cut off all relationship between us once and for all, I’d get off the car and kill myself by jumping into the sea!”
“Just talk, you better not do anything silly!”
“If you do something silly then I’ll do something silly! Uncle, you’re the one who forced me!”
“You……”
“I am who I am!”
“You win……”
Yang Chen sighed, he resigned to this girl and pinched her tender cheek with a smile.
TangTang was like a general who had won a hard fought battle, and she revealed a bright smile……
In an instant, the depressed atmosphere in the car was swept away.
