章)In the evening of August in Jincheng, the air was still filled with heat, the wild flowers on both sides of the road were blooming, and the cicadas were chirping non-stop.
Tao Ran held a small popsicle in her mouth and watched the scenery outside the window pass by quickly, and in the blink of an eye it became a residual shadow, with a worried expression.
Qiao Jingmiao patted her shoulder and said gloatingly: "Dont panic, its better to live a miserable life than to die a good death. You have to pay for what you have done."
Tao Ran ignored her and bit the popsicle until it was crisp. The driver who was driving in front took a look in the rearview mirror. Two girls were carrying backpacks. The girl with long hair looked quiet, but she had a pair of phoenix eyes, and her eyebrows and eyes were full of love. She was the one who just spoke.
The other girl...
He couldnt help but take another look.
She had short hair cut to her shoulders, delicate features, fair skin, delicate and tender, and didnt sweat at all. In the hot August, it seemed that just looking at her could cool down the body.
The car drove for a long time and came to the fork. Qiao Jingmiao said, "Master, stop here."
Tao Ran finally responded: "...Dont stop, dont stop, keep driving." She turned around and grabbed Qiao Jingmiaos neck, "You promised to go home with me to face my mother. If you dare to run, I will strangle you to death."
Qiao Jingmiao couldnt help laughing: "Little Taotao is so fierce. You are so fierce, and you are still afraid of your mother?"
Tao Ran hugged her schoolbag tightly, with a sad expression. It can be said that she was very scared.
She took the second-to-last place in the class, with an average of 30 points in each subject. The last place who took the blame for her missed the exam because of acute appendicitis. As soon as she received the notice, Tao Ran ran away.
She ran to Bingcheng with Qiao Jingmiao to escape the summer heat.
Seeing that school was about to start, she had to go home. When she thought of her mothers chilly tone and the "house baguette", she shivered. I hope Qiao Jingmiao is here, her mother will let her go, and be gentler when scolding her.
Qiao Jingmiao touched her head: "Its a pity to cut your black hair, it was so beautiful before."
Tao Ran said: "Even those who are heartbroken will cut their hair."
"Hahaha, heartbroken, you havent even fallen in love yet. You havent even held the hand of little brother Jiang Ye, let alone fall in love with him." Qiao Jingmiao looked at Tao Ran again after saying that, "You are so pretty, why worry about that grass. Its also Jiang Ye who has no vision. If he doesnt regret it in the future, I will lose."
Tao Ran finally smiled.
Her eyes curved into crescents, which were particularly adorable.
The car drove up the mountain. There was a residential area at the foot of the mountain, but there were several small villas on the mountain.
Tao Rans family was very rich. They were not the kind of aristocrats who were inherited, but nouveau riche who were difficult to integrate into the circle of the rich.
Before the age of six, Tao Ran was still a poor kid who played in the mud with a group of mud monkey kids. After the age of six, Taos father got lucky, the Tao family became rich overnight, and Tao Ran became a little girl.
Qiao Jingmiao suddenly poked Tao Rans arm: "Tao Tao, look over there, isnt that your house?"
Tao Rans family has a house in the small apartment at the foot of the mountain road.
Tao Ran looked over and saw several boys clothes hanging on the balcony on the second floor of the apartment. The white shirt fluttered in the wind, and it seemed a bit ostentatious.
She squinted her eyes and took a closer look. Those clothes looked very familiar...
Qiao Jingmiao suddenly realized: "Oh, thats our school uniform."
Tao Ran opened her eyes wide, school uniform?
The car had already driven away, and when she thought about it, it was really the school uniform of Jincheng High School.
Why would there be school uniforms hanging in that house?
There was no time for them to think clearly, and they had already arrived at Taos house.
Tao Ran paid the money and got out of the car. Her legs went weak when she saw the small villas.
"We just moved in. Dont be scared."
"No!"
Taos mother walked downstairs leisurely and looked at the two little girls in the living room. Before Tao Ran said "Mom", Cheng Xiujuans feather duster was already down.
Tao Ran reacted quickly and stood up in a flash, screaming and running around the living room: "Mom, listen to my explanation!"
"It hurts! Mom, please be gentle!"
"Ahhh, my god!"
Tao Ran jumped around the living room, and Cheng Xiujuan chased after her.
Qiao Jingmiao: "..." She sat there, not reacting.
By the time she realized what was happening, Tao Ran had already been beaten up. She was sitting next to her, sobbing and crying, with tears in her eyes: "Qiao Jingmiao, what use do I have for you?"
Although it was a very sad moment, Qiao Jingmiao almost laughed out loud.
This was not the end.
Cheng Xiujuan glared at her: "Tao Ranran, you are so brave. If you have that ability, dont come back. You are so amazing. You are a top student with more than 200 points in the exam, and you are the second place. You still feel pain. If you have such a thick skin, no bullet should be able to penetrate you."
Tao Ran did not dare to refute. She was so timid that she lowered her head and accepted the training obediently, like a pitiful little quail.
Qiao Jingmiao cleared her throat several times, wanting to say a few words to help Tao Ran, but when she thought of Cheng Xiujuans tough appearance, she swallowed it back silently.
This is the sequelae of getting rich quickly.
Cheng Xiujuan still has the habit of ordinary women teaching children in her bones. Her voice is loud and clear, and she pays special attention to her childrens grades.
After scolding Tao Ran, she politely greeted Qiao Jingmiao.
During dinner, Tao Ran asked casually: "Where is Dad?"
Cheng Xiujuan said: "Dead."
"...Oh."
Tao Rans father is often not at home, so naturally the relationship with Cheng Xiujuan is not good. But he dotes on his daughter, and Tao Rans summer vacation is also his strong financial support, so Cheng Xiujuan is so angry.
The husband is not at home, and the daughter is not doing well.
She was so angry that a mouthful of rice almost choked in her throat. Thinking of something that happened a few days ago, she reluctantly swallowed the rice.
"Tao Ran."
"Hmm?"
"A few days ago, your father brought a boy from the town. He is about your age. I heard that he is the first in their county. His grades are very good. He scored 150 points in mathematics, which is a perfect score. He is also handsome, handsome, and polite."
It was summer in August. I dont know if it was because the air conditioner was set at a low temperature, but Tao Ran felt a chill when she heard it.
Cheng Xiujuan said: "I think he came at the right time. Its useless for a tutor to teach you. Maybe you will get it if your peers teach you."
Tao Ran almost couldnt help but say, Confucius teaching is useless to me.
She held back her words and suddenly thought of the apartment at the foot of the mountain road and the clean white shirt.
"Why would dad bring him here? Will his family agree?"
Cheng Xiujuan sighed: "The child is quite pitiful. He comes from a single-parent family. In July, his mother died of illness, and he was left alone in his family. I heard that he was the child of your dads classmate, so I brought him back."
It sounds very miserable.
The cold air climbed up along her fair and slender calves. Tao Ran not only did not hear the pity in it, but also always felt weird.
"You also brought a stranger home?"
"Tao Ranran! You dont even have a bit of kindness now, right!"
"..."
"Besides, the child is sensible. He was afraid of disturbing us, so he took the initiative to move out. Dont guess about others with your narrow-mindedness. I tell you, you should study hard with him. If you get the second to last place in the exam again, youd better be careful of this layer of skin on your body."
Tao Ran was so angry.
There are so many doubts, only her mother is simple-minded.
How come his father hadnt mentioned such a miserable boy before? He was brought home by his mother who died suddenly, and he was able to deal with Cheng Xiujuan in a gentle and generous manner, which left a good impression on her. A boy who grew up in a small town, he behaved properly and generously everywhere, and his mothers heart was tightly held.
Tao Ran thought that he proposed to move out, wasnt it because he was free and no one would care about him?
The more he thought about it, the more possible it was.
Even before they met, Tao Ran didnt have a good impression of this "other peoples child".
She hummed and retorted: "Only you are careless, why do I feel that he doesnt sound like a good person."
"You are the only good person, right! If you say one more sentence, you wash the dishes after dinner."
Tao Ran was as quiet as a chicken for a moment.
After eating, Zhang Ma collected the bowls and asked Tao Ran: "Is Tao Tao having fun in Bingcheng? Look at his face, he has lost weight."
"Its fun. Its super cool there."
Cheng Xiujuan went back to her room and went downstairs again, handing Tao Ran her wallet: "You will start school on September 1st. That kid is kind and promised to teach you when he has time. You should buy him some things during these few days, okay? Clothes and shoes. He just transferred here and he is probably not used to it. He has no one to take care of him, so lets treat him better."
Tao Ran took the wallet and agreed.
Cheng Xiujuan glanced at her: "Your hair is so ugly."
"..."
...
After washing up, Qiao Jingmiao lay on Tao Rans big bed and sighed: "Your mother is so lively."
"Then Ill give it to you."
"Im afraid of pain." Qiao Jingmiao said with a smile, but she could feel Cheng Xiujuans indifference to her. She didnt care. Her grades were very poor, and she was one grade older than Tao Ran. She was not a good student in school. Her parents definitely didnt like their daughter to have friends like her.
Qiao Jingmiao asked Tao Ran: "Will you meet that boy tomorrow? Buy him something?" As she said that, she asked Tao Ran to hand over the big doll on the ground for her to hug.
Tao Ran bent down to hug the doll: "Wait a few days, I always feel that he..." I always feel that this "other child" is a bad embryo.
Her words were stuck in her throat, and her eyes looked at a small thing on the ground in disbelief.
A black lighter.
Daddys lungs are not good, quit smoking.
She squinted her eyes, picked up the black lighter, and the coldness passed into her palm.
This little thing seemed to coldly announce two things to her:
First, he came to her room.
Second, he is definitely not a good thing.