It's the students' fault if they are too popular.

She hung up the phone and looked into the car. Dong Yang was staring at the mountains in the distance, lost in thought. Then, as if sensing something, the girl looked at her and quickly lowered her head.

The young girl didn't know where her home was. Her aunt was very nice, but she was just a passer-by in her life. She saw her aunt and her mother discussing something. Her aunt's mother didn't look very happy, but in the end, her aunt walked towards her with a smile.

Tong Yao was very nervous.

She had no idea what her impulsive thoughts would bring to the child's future.

But that was what she wanted to do now, she was sure of it.

The car door opens.

Tong Yao sat sideways and held Dong Yang's small hand in her palm:

"Dongyang, do you want to go with your aunt?

"Go to another city and live with my aunt."

Chapter 126: Going Home

The sky was overcast and it had rained a few days ago, making the mountain road a bit muddy.

"Hold on to auntie, don't fall." Tong Yao walked in front, pulling Xu Dongyang over the slippery dirt stairs. The cemetery bought by the Xu family was on the top of the mountain. The eldest son of the Xu family was holding the urn, panting behind.

"A grave costs more than 100,000 yuan. How can we afford to die in this day and age?" said a relative nearby.

People here believe in cremation before burial. The income level in small cities has not increased, but the consumption level has skyrocketed. Every hilltop is covered with tombs. For many people, burial is indeed a luxury.

Little Dongyang quickened her pace and got closer to her aunt. She was sensitive to the dissatisfaction in her relative's words. Even children don't like negative emotions. She prefers her aunt to be gentle and warm like the sun.

She felt that her aunt was her sunshine in winter. She even thought that it would be nice if her aunt was her mother. She knew that no one wanted her, and her uncles thought she was a burden. When her aunt put her to sleep, she wondered if she could live with her aunt forever.

But she didn't dare to ask. Children are pure-minded and blank, and if others say they are a burden, they will really think they are a burden.

When her aunt asked her, "Do you want to come with me?", she wondered if someone heard her wish and that was why her aunt came to her.

In the car, she nodded desperately and cried:

"They all say...I'm a burden."

The aunt held her in her arms, and her voice was still as sweet as ever:

"But I just like such a cute little bundle."

On this cloudy day in midsummer, Xu Dongyang's five-year-old life took a turn.

-

-

After burying my great-uncle, relatives and friends dispersed. Uncle Dongyang cleaned up the things in the old house, while Tong Yao and Jiang Wu talked to him about Dongyang's whereabouts.

Someone was willing to take over, and Uncle Dongyang was obviously willing, but he didn't want to appear too cold-blooded. In the end, after a lot of talking, he half-heartedly pushed Dongyang to the Tong family.

"Have you thought about adopting her?" Jiang Wu avoided the child and pulled Tong Yao aside. "How much trouble there will be? I don't need to remind you, right?"

The conditions for adoption are very strict, but if there is a relationship, the conditions will be relaxed a lot.

"I feel sorry for this child too. I can ask someone to take care of her. There's no need for you to do it yourself." Jiang Wu added.

Tong Yao was silent. If you ask her if she is ready to be a mother, the answer is definitely no. But she has already spoken, saying that she will "live with her aunt", so she must be taking care of the child herself.

"I want to...register Dongyang in our household first." She said hoarsely, "I will be her guardian. I want to decide on the adoption in a few years. I will still take care of her."

Jiang Wu frowned: "Can you handle it? You'll be teaching senior high school students soon, and the pressure will definitely be greater than before."

Tong Yao nodded: "I can handle it."

It was originally her business and she shouldn't cause trouble for her family.

She saw Dongyang packing his things from a distance. The skinny child was carrying a large Ultraman schoolbag for boys. She hurried over and said:

"You don't have to clean up. Let us do it later."

Dong Yang stopped and said softly:

"Ah."

"Dongyang," Tong Yao squatted down and said softly, "I have talked to your uncle."

She paused and noticed that the girl's pupils shrank and she looked nervous, as if she was afraid that she would change her words to "Go live at your uncle's house."

She couldn't help but smile: "I will live with my aunt from now on."

Dong Yang's lips trembled slightly. She had been through a lot in the past few days. She cried but didn't let herself cry:

"...Thank you, auntie."

Tong Yao wiped away her tears with her fingertips, thinking, how heartbreaking. She hugged Dong Yang and whispered to him:

"Don't cry. From now on, you and Auntie will be a family."

She wanted to give the child a warm home.

They booked tickets for tomorrow, and there was still plenty of time left today. Tong Yao didn't want the child to be immersed in sadness all the time, so she took the initiative to suggest:

"Would you like to go out for a walk with Auntie?"

Dongyang really thought he was just strolling around at first.

Who would have thought that when we got to the pedestrian street, my aunt would stop at every children's clothing store and go in to match her with different clothes. When she came out, Dongyang had become an exquisite doll, and even her schoolbag was a pink brand-name one.

Fortunately, the child’s clothes are light, otherwise Tong Yao would hardly be able to lift them.

As they walked on the street, they attracted countless people's attention. Most people looked at them in surprise, probably wondering how old Tong Yao was. She was so young and beautiful, but she had a five or six-year-old daughter, and...did her beastly husband save the world in his previous life?

"Auntie..." Dongyang followed timidly. She seldom went out on the street and was more afraid than curious about the outside world.

"Hold my hand," Tong Yao laughed, "Don't let the bad guys kidnap you."

She turned on her phone to check the time. It was time for dinner. The last thing on the street was food, so she asked:

"What do you want to eat tonight?"

She noticed that Dong Yang's eyes lingered on the Pizza Hut across the street for a while, then moved away and whispered:

"Listen to my aunt."

Tong Yao curved her lips: "How about eating at Pizza Hut?"

There seemed to be light in Dongyang's eyes.

But when she entered Pizza Hut, the light in the girl's eyes dimmed - she saw the menu, a pizza was dozens or even hundreds of dollars, she didn't dare to order. The people in the queue behind her kept urging her, and the waiter didn't have much patience. Finally, she hurriedly ordered French fries. Tong Yao asked her "Do you only want French fries?" She nodded and said yes.

Tong Yao laughed, ordered a pizza and a steak, and also ordered a drink.

Hearing the cashier's quotation, Dong Yang's eyes widened, and his heart was full of guilt. The food was served, and the girl buried her head in eating. Although it was delicious, her face became more and more bitter as she ate - she didn't want to waste it, but she couldn't finish it.

"Eat slowly. You can take any leftovers home." Tong Yao picked up her phone. "Dong Yang, can I take a few photos of you?"

Dongyang looked up, with some ketchup on the corner of his mouth, and nodded in confusion.

Tong Yao quickly took the photo.

After taking the photos, she sent them to Ruanruan, because the little girl had always wanted to see the child. Ruan Qian replied quickly, and the word "cute" was always in her words. The two chatted happily and found a pleasant resonance inadvertently.

[Ruanruan]: I really want to hug her.

[Children's song]: The big cutie hugs the little cutie.

[Ruanruan]: I am an adult now/I am angry

[Children's rhyme]: As long as you are not an adult, you are still a kid.

[Ruanruan]: When will Yaoyao come back?

【Nursery Rhyme】:Call the teacher.

She continued to reply "tomorrow", unable to hide the smile on her face.

"What does your aunt do?" Dong Yang looked at her eagerly.

"Aunt," Tong Yao put down her phone, "Aunt is a math teacher in high school."

Dongyang made the word "wow" with his mouth, showing great anticipation.

"When you go to high school in the future, maybe your aunt can teach you." Tong Yao said with a smile.

The child's face was red, and he was looking forward to growing up more and more.

At night, Tong Yao took Dong Yang to the hotel. There were only two beds, Jiang Wu slept on one, and Tong Yao had to squeeze in with the child. Dong Yang, who didn't like her cousin squeezing into the bed, liked her aunt very much. At night, she would get into Tong Yao's arms, choose a comfortable position and stay still. Seeing that her daughter was enjoying it, Jiang Wu went to bed by herself and didn't say anything.

-

-

The next morning, at the train station.

The sky cleared up, and the puddles on the ground became smaller and smaller. The wheels of the suitcase rolled over, splashing water, and Dongyang quickly jumped away, fearing that she would dirty the new clothes her aunt bought for her.

An old-fashioned train, an old-fashioned platform. To get on the train, one has to climb a half-person-high ladder. Tong Yao went up first, and with the help of the attendant, she carried Dong Yang up. It was Dong Yang's first time seeing a train, and the dense crowd inside reminded her of a bus. She found her seat, sat by the window, and looked out from the platform. The train station here allows family members to come in to say goodbye, and those people were reluctant to leave when they got on the train, but... no one came to see her off.

She felt as if the connection between her and something had been completely severed, like a kite with a broken string, flying away into the distant sky.

"If you're hungry, eat pizza. I didn't finish it yesterday." Tong Yao put the Pizza Hut lunch box on the table and sat opposite Dong Yang. "Do you want to buy a bottle of milk? I still have time to buy it at the platform now."

Dongyang turned around, shook his head gently, and lowered his head embarrassedly because of Tong Yao's gaze.

Having an aunt is enough.

The train started moving, passing through the mountains and fields. They looked out the window, the morning sun was dazzling. Tong Yao suddenly thought that if someone took a picture of this scene, it would be too unrealistic.

"Educational toys, take a look, take a look..."

"Brother, this way." Tong Yao waved and called the salesman over. When he heard there was business, the salesman ran faster than the reporter.

"What do you have here?"

"Hey, let's see what your daughter likes. I have Rubik's Cube, building blocks, nine-ring linkage..."

Hearing the word "daughter", Dong Yang shuddered and secretly observed his aunt's reaction. Tong Yao was still smiling, not caring at all, and looked over and asked:

"Dongyang, which one do you like?"

"Auntie, I don't even need to..."

"Then buy one of each." Tong Yao said to the salesman.

Xu Dongyang: "..."

During the rest of the time, the adult and the child studied the Rubik's Cube together. After they had put all their efforts into solving one side of the Rubik's Cube, the child changed his position and fell asleep on Tong Yao's legs.

Tong Yao thought that her legs were not her own, but Ruanruan and Dongyang's pillows.

"You can't be too indulgent." Jiang Wu said from her own experience, "You should be more strict like me."

Tong Yao said "OK" perfunctorily, smiled at her mother, and pointed at the girl on her lap:

"Look, isn't it cute?"

"Cute." Jiang Wu was speechless. "Just raise her as your daughter, or you'll have no one to take care of her when you get old."

"That's what I was planning." She lowered her head and gently touched Dongyang's soft face.

"Does your girlfriend have any objections?" Jiang Wu still remembered Ruan Qian, "You should also consider her feelings."

Tong Yao looked up and said, "Mom, don't worry, Ruan Ruan has already agreed." Then, he leaned over again, grinning, "Mom, are you liking Ruan Ruan more and more?"

Jiang Wu said: "I hope you can do what you should do."

"Yes, I understand."

Jiang Wu suddenly felt that her daughter was quite indebted.

After a six-hour long journey, the train arrived at the station. Dongyang woke up rubbing her eyes. She seemed to have traveled through time for ten years. A brand new city appeared in front of her, a steel forest, busy traffic, prosperous, modern, noisy and strange.

No matter how many drivers are waiting at the station entrance, even if it is a luxury car, not many people will make a fuss in a city like this.

But Dongyang thinks everything is amazing.

Tong Yao led the girl into the car, smiling:

"Go home."

Chapter 127: A Family of Three