Chapter 16

Chapter 16 - Tong Zhenzhen, you are done for. (3)
It was an hour walk to the Public Security Bureau from where she was.
Tong Mianmian was a child and couldn’t walk for that long. She would need to carry her then but she wouldn’t be able to carry her with her small arms and legs.
If Tong Mianmian was not going with her, she could borrow a bicycle and ride over there. It would save her a lot of time that way.
Nevertheless, she still patiently asked the little bun’s opinion. “Mianmian, Big Sister need to go take care of some things. Do you want to stay here or go with Big Sister?”
Tong Mianmian blinked her big eyes and cocked her head. “Mianmian will wait here for Big Sister like a good little girl.”
She understood what Aunty had said earlier. She was a good girl and she did not want to hold her sister back.
Tong Xuelu reached her hand out and rubbed Tong Mianmian on her hair. “Mianmian is a good girl. Stay with Aunty. Don’t run around. Big Sister will be back to pick you up soon.”
The little bun nodded docilely.
Mother Tong borrowed a bicycle from someone at the Women’s Federation Office for Tong Xuelu and Tong Xuelu took off for the Public Safety Bureau immediately.
***
It took Tong Xuelu 20 minutes to head over to the Public Safety Bureau.
As Mother Tong had already spoken to her, as much as Cai Chunlan was reluctant, she dared not give Tong Xuelu a hard time.
Nevertheless, the head of the Public Safety Bureau was out at the time and Tong Xuelu still had to wait for half an hour to get her permission slip.
She will need the permission slip to move to household register over to the other Tong family.
She folded up the slip, placed it in her pocket, and started heading back.
Tong Zhenzhen walked toward the Women’s Federation Office with a frown. She could not have looked more upset.
Tong Xuelu entered the Literary and Art Troupe through her family’s connection in the past. Now that Tong Zhenzhen was back, naturally Tong Xuelu could not keep that position.
What Tong Zhenzhen was upset about was that those over at the Literary and Art Troupe thought that she wasn’t as attractive as Tong Xuelu!
They also said that her singing was awful and her dancing was too stiff.
She was so mad!
Tong Zhenzhen’s eyes widened all of a sudden and shrieked after she rounded the corner, “What are you doing here, Tong Mianmian?!”
Startled, Tong Mianmian looked up and turned pale. “Sis, Sister Zhen.”
“Who you calling sister?” Tong Zhenzhen ran up and grabbed Tong Mianmian by her arm. “Speak. Who brought you here? Was it the tramp Tong Xuelu?”
Hurting from her arm being grabbed, tears rolled down Tong Mianmian’s cheeks. “Don’t call my sister names! You are a bad person!”
Seeing Tong Mianmian was defending Tong Xuelu, Tong Zhenzhen was so angry that she turned into a puffer fish immediately.
That tramp Tong Xuelu. She knew that she wouldn’t take off just like that. She had just left yesterday and she brought a child back with her today.
What was she up to?
It didn’t matter what she was up to. There was no way she’d let her have her ways!
With one hand over Tong Mianmian’s mouth, Tong Zhenzhen pulled Tong Mianmian toward an alley with nobody there.
Arriving at the Women’s Federation Office, Tong Xuelu could see her mother and two clerks searching for something. “Mom, what are you doing?”
Mother Tong was frantic. “You are back, Xuelu, you sister Mianmian had disappeared!”
Tong Xuelu braked abruptly and asked anxiously, “What happened? How did Mianmian disappear?”
Mother Tong recounted what happened with her eyes reddened.
After Tong Xuelu had left, Mother Lu noticed that Tong Mianmian’s clothes were turning white from too many washings. Knowing the Tong family’s situation, Mother Tong quickly asked around for money and tickets.
Tong Mianmian was playing by the entrance when Mother Tong walked inside and she was gone when Mother Tong turned back around.
She asked the security guard by the entrance and he told her that he did not see Tong Mianmian leaving.
That meant that Tong Mianmian was still inside the compound.
Tong Xuelu was not happy but now was not the time to point fingers.
“Let’s split up and look for her.”
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Author’s rambling:
Tong Xuelu: Tong Zhenzhen, you are done for.
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