Using Marriage as Bait : Extra 13
Extra 13
The little boy’s fierce expression made Liang Yuan shiver involuntarily. He was used to bullying him, but now the one he used to bully had turned the tables. Even at the age of four, Liang Yuan couldn’t tolerate it.
He called out to the others around him, “Come help me beat him up! Whoever makes him cry first, I’ll give them a limited-edition toy race car!”
Toy race cars were incredibly tempting to little boys. Hearing Liang Yuan’s offer, a few of his usual playmates gathered around to attack Jiang Zhouming.
Xiao Tangtang, scared that Jiang Zhouming would get hurt, hurried off to find the teacher. But when she returned with the teacher, the scene on the practice field left her stunned.
The boys who had tried to gang up on Jiang Zhouming were all lying on the ground, beaten. The air was filled with the sound of boys crying one after another, with Liang Yuan crying the loudest because he had been beaten the worst.
Jiang Zhouming had also gotten a bit hurt, but it wasn’t serious. He was the only one not crying.
One of the boys, seeing the teacher arrive, rushed over in tears to complain.
“Teacher, they wanted to beat up Jiang Zhouming, so he fought back!”
Xiao Tangtang quickly added, defending her friend.
Some kids were hurt, and the teacher didn’t have the energy to sort out who hit whom. In this kindergarten full of kids from well-off families, she didn’t want anything to go wrong, so she quickly took the injured children to the infirmary.
The scene was chaotic.
Xiao Tangtang approached Jiang Zhouming and noticed a red mark at the corner of his mouth. She said, “Jiang Zhouming, you’re hurt. You should get it checked.”
“No need.”
He said, looking calm. But when Xiao Tangtang touched the corner of his mouth with her finger, he winced in pain.
“Does it hurt a lot?” she asked.
“No,” the boy said through gritted teeth.
“They’re so annoying,”
The little girl pouted, clearly upset.
The boy said, “It’s fine. They won’t dare laugh at you anymore. If they do, I’ll make sure they can’t get up.”
Xiao Tangtang hadn’t forgotten how, when she first met Jiang Zhouming, other boys surrounded and beat him but he didn’t fight back. Now, she thought he was amazing. He’d beaten all of them, like a hero.
“Jiang Zhouming, you’re so strong! Why didn’t you fight back before when others hit you?” she asked.
“Because back then, I didn’t have anyone to protect. Now I have to protect you,”
He said with a determined look, acting like a little grown-up.
The little girl said, “You don’t have to. My brother will protect me too. Don’t fight with them anymore. You’ll get hurt.” She pointed at the red mark on his mouth.
“It’s okay. When your brother can’t protect you, I will. I’m yours, so I have to protect you.”
The little girl thought for a moment and nodded. “Alright then.”
That evening, on the way home, Xiao Tangtang chatted with her mom as usual, recounting what happened at school.
“Liang Yuan is so annoying! But Jiang Zhouming helped me beat him up. When the others tried to hit Jiang Zhouming, he made them all cry. He didn’t even cry!”
Although her explanation was a bit scattered, Lin Xiyu understood roughly what had happened. Typical kindergarten antics—always fighting over the silliest things.
“I didn’t know Jiang Zhouming was so strong,” Lin Xiyu said.
Xiao Tangtang nodded enthusiastically. “He’s amazing! Jiang Zhouming even said he would protect me.”
Lin Xiyu chuckled. It sounded like something straight out of a drama. She asked with amusement, “Did you tell him that your dad, mom, and brother will protect you too?”
“I did! But he said he’d still protect me.”
Tangtang’s brother, Lu Chengmao, had finished school early that day and was heading home with them. Though he didn’t say anything, he was silently thinking that his sister didn’t need anyone else’s protection. He was there for her. That little brat should mind his own business.
The next day at school, Xiao Tangtang noticed that everyone was acting strangely. It was like they were suddenly afraid of Jiang Zhouming. Whenever he appeared, people moved aside. Even those who used to bully him avoided him like the plague.
Xiao Tangtang didn’t know it yet, but Jiang Zhouming’s fight had made him famous in kindergarten. The boys who used to pick on him now feared him. Fear turned into submission, and even admiration. Some of the boys who got beaten up started to look up to him, and soon Jiang Zhouming earned the nickname ‘Brother Zhou.’ A group of followers began to form around him.
But at that time, Jiang Zhouming was still just Xiao Tangtang’s dance partner.
Kindergarten practice sessions were sometimes held indoors and sometimes outdoors. That day, the teacher organized practice on the outdoor playground.
Lu Chengmao finished class early and came by to check on his sister. During the break, he spotted her from a distance, standing with a boy who was helping wipe sweat from her forehead.
When Xiao Tangtang turned her head, she saw her brother. She always got excited when she saw him.
“Brother!”
She called out sweetly, running toward him and throwing herself into his arms.
Lu Chengmao caught her steadily and waited until she let go. Once she released him, she asked, “Did you come to see me?”
“Yes, I came to see you.”
“Do you want to watch me dance later? I’m really good!” she asked.
“If I’m not in class, I’ll watch,” he said.
The little girl remembered her dance partner and pulled her brother over to introduce them. “Brother, this is my dance partner, Jiang Zhouming. Jiang Zhouming, this is my brother.”
Jiang Zhouming wasn’t much of a talker. He usually only spoke to Tangtang. Even though this was her brother, he wasn’t interested in talking.
Lu Chengmao wasn’t particularly interested in him either.
Just then, Zhang Minmin came over to chat with Xiao Tangtang. The two little girls got caught up in their conversation, leaving the boys behind.
Lu Chengmao glanced at the boy in front of him and asked, “My sister said you want to protect her?”
Jiang Zhouming nodded and said, “Yes.”
“My sister doesn’t need your protection. I’m her brother. I’ll protect her.”
The boy replied, “You protect yours, I’ll protect mine.”
“If you want to protect her, then stay away from her. That’s the best way,”
Lu Chengmao said before turning away to find his sister.
That afternoon, Lin Xiyu came to pick up Xiao Tangtang, only to find her running out in tears. Lin Xiyu scooped her up and asked, “What’s wrong, Tangtang? Did someone bully you?”
The little girl looked absolutely heartbroken, hugging her mother’s neck and crying uncontrollably.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. Don’t cry anymore. Tell Mommy what happened,” her mother coaxed.
The little girl sobbed for a while before calming down enough to speak. In between sniffles, she said, “The teacher changed my dance partner.”
“Huh? Why?”
“I don’t know. The teacher just suddenly switched my partner.”
“So, does this mean you don’t like your new partner?”
Little Lu Wantang shook her head vigorously. “I don’t like the new partner. I want Jiang Zhouming to be my partner.”
Lin Xiyu had a feeling this sudden change of partners had something to do with Mr. Lu. She didn’t share her suspicions with her daughter and instead tried to comfort her. “Let Mommy ask the teacher about it later and see what happened, okay?”
The little girl nodded eagerly. “Can you get the teacher to switch him back?”
“Mommy will try her best, okay?”
“Okay.”
Clearly, the little girl was very attached to her dance partner.
That evening, Lu Junting came home early, and Lin Xiyu pulled him into the study as soon as he arrived.
“What’s going on? Why so serious?”
Lu Junting walked over, intending to embrace her, but she pushed his shoulders. “Not now, I have something important to talk to you about.”
“We can talk while I hold you,”
He replied, scooping her into his arms. “Okay, go ahead.”
Resigned, Lin Xiyu allowed him to hold her and asked, “Were you the one who asked the teacher to change Tangtang’s dance partner?”
“Yes, it was me,” Lu Junting admitted without hesitation.
“Why?”
“You know the situation with that boy’s family.”
“I do, but why didn’t you ask to change the partner earlier? Why wait until after the two of them became friends? Now that they’ve bonded, switching partners makes Tangtang really upset. She came out of school crying today.”
“She was crying?” Lu Junting hadn’t anticipated that. The thought of his daughter being sad cast a shadow over his expression. After a moment of contemplation, he said, “I hadn’t planned to intervene at first since Tangtang chose her partner herself. Besides, it’s not fair to blame a child for their father’s mistakes. But yesterday, I heard that the boy got into a fight, injuring several kids—some of them pretty badly. His mother is nowhere to be found, and the Jiang family is embroiled in chaos. No one’s really looking after him. I’m worried that if Tangtang gets too close to him, she might get hurt.”
“I heard about the fight too, but I also heard that he fought because of Tangtang.”
Lu Junting nodded. “Yes, I know. That’s exactly why I want Tangtang to stay away from him.”
Lin Xiyu looked puzzled.
“He’s still just a child, but what he did was too extreme. It reminds me of his father. I’m worried that one day, he might go even further and cause serious trouble. That wouldn’t be good for him or for Tangtang.”
Lin Xiyu nodded thoughtfully. “But Tangtang is really upset right now. She really likes having Jiang Zhouming as her partner.”
“She’ll have a new partner soon. Kids forget things quickly; she’ll move on.”
Lin Xiyu wasn’t so sure about that. She knew her daughter well, and Tangtang wasn’t one to forget things easily. The next morning, as expected, Tangtang immediately asked her mother, “Did you talk to the teacher? Can I have my partner back?”
See? Her memory was as sharp as ever, Lin Xiyu thought.
Lin Xiyu picked up her daughter and placed her on her lap. In a gentle voice, she said, “Tangtang, the teacher must have had her reasons for the change. Why don’t you try working with your new partner for a while? You might find that you’re even more in sync with them.”
“I don’t want to!” Tangtang pouted angrily. “I don’t like the new partner. He’s not as good-looking as Jiang Zhouming, and he’s so clumsy. I want Jiang Zhouming!”
Though Xiao Tangtang was usually a sweet and cheerful child, she could be quite stubborn when upset, and her tantrums were not easy to handle. Lin Xiyu felt caught in a bind. As a mother, she didn’t want her daughter to get close to someone whose family was so complicated, but seeing her daughter so upset tugged at her heartstrings.
“The teacher let us choose our own partners. Why bother if they’re just going to change them anyway?”
The little girl’s reasoning was surprisingly sound for her age, leaving Lin Xiyu momentarily speechless. Finally, she asked, “Have you asked Jiang Zhouming if he still wants to be your partner?”
Tangtang hesitated. “He probably does, right?”
Lin Xiyu suggested, “Why don’t you ask him? If he also wants to be your partner, Mommy will talk to the teacher and see if you two can switch back, okay?”
Tangtang’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
“Of course.”
Buoyed by her mother’s assurance, Xiao Tangtang approached Jiang Zhouming during practice. Jiang Zhouming’s new partner was a chubby little girl with glasses who rarely spoke and obediently followed instructions.
When Tangtang arrived, Jiang Zhouming and his new partner were holding hands, preparing for practice.
Seeing this, Tangtang felt a surge of jealousy.
“Jiang Zhouming,” she called out loudly.
Startled, Jiang Zhouming immediately let go of his partner’s hand. His expression grew complicated as he said, “You’ve got a new partner now. Go practice with them.”
Tangtang grabbed his hand and pulled him aside. “Jiang Zhouming, will you come back and be my partner?”
“I think my new partner is fine,” he replied.
“Don’t you like me?” Tangtang’s face fell, her mood darkening. “Do you not want me to be your partner anymore?”
Jiang Zhouming hesitated, unable to respond. He was more mature than most kids his age, and his difficult family life had made him especially sensitive. After the teacher had intentionally separated him from Tangtang, he quickly realized what was going on.
He remembered how Tangtang’s family had pressured Liang Yuan’s family to apologize when Liang Yuan bullied Tangtang. Tangtang’s family was clearly more powerful than Liang Yuan’s.
The teacher’s sudden decision to switch partners must have been Tangtang’s family’s idea. He also recalled Tangtang’s brother telling him to stay away from her.
Tangtang might like him, but her family didn’t.
That realization left Jiang Zhouming feeling both angry and powerless. He knew there was nothing he could do—just as he couldn’t stop his mother from leaving him.
Upon closer thought, it was understandable why Tangtang’s family didn’t like him. He had a criminal father and was considered tainted. No one at school played with him either.
Only Tangtang didn’t mind. She said he was good-looking and was willing to play with him.
He originally had no friends. It was only after meeting Tangtang that he finally had one. Friends, warmth—these were things that had never belonged to him. Now, it was just a matter of returning to how things were before. Tangtang should be friends with better people, at the very least, with someone clean.
Even though he felt reluctant to let go, reality was clear to him. Someone like him wasn’t worthy of being friends with Tangtang.
Jiang Zhouming said, “Rehearsal is about to start. You should go find your dance partner.”
Tangtang held onto his hand and said, “Jiang Zhouming, let’s go tell the teacher to change the partners back, okay?”
Jiang Zhouming slowly pushed her hand away and said, “I think things are fine as they are now.”
Xiao Tangtang watched Jiang Zhouming return to his partner, feeling abandoned. She couldn’t believe he didn’t want to be her dance partner anymore. They had so much fun dancing together, and he’d even promised to help her win first place.
When Lin Xiyu came to pick up Tangtang, she quickly noticed her daughter’s downcast mood. Tangtang walked absentmindedly with her head hanging low and didn’t even notice her mother standing nearby.
“Tangtang.”
Lin Xiyu called out, and only then did Tangtang stop in her tracks. She turned around as if just realizing her mother was there. “When did you get here, Mom?”
Lin Xiyu scooped her up and asked, “What’s wrong, sweetheart? You didn’t even see me. Do you have something on your mind?”
Xiao Tangtang wrapped her chubby little arms around her mother’s shoulders and softly said, “Jiang Zhouming doesn’t want to be my dance partner anymore.”
This surprised Lin Xiyu. She had initially thought that if Jiang Zhouming still wanted to be Tangtang’s partner, she could try convincing Mr. Lu.
Lin Xiyu quickly comforted her, “It’s okay, Tangtang. Just keep working with your new dance partner, alright?”
“I don’t like my new dance partner. He’s clumsy and keeps stepping on my feet. He’s not as good a dancer as Jiang Zhouming, and he’s not as good-looking either.”
“But Jiang Zhouming already has a new partner, and he seems to like her. How about giving your new partner another chance? Maybe you’ll get used to him.”
Tangtang was silent for a moment before nodding reluctantly.
For the next few days, Tangtang completely ignored Jiang Zhouming. Although they often saw each other during dance practice, she didn’t want to talk to him. She was genuinely angry and didn’t want to be friends with him anymore.
Her mother told her to try and adjust to her new partner, but Tangtang couldn’t. She didn’t like her new partner at all. To avoid rehearsing with him, she even pretended to be sick.
When Lin Xiyu came to wake her up one morning, Tangtang lay lazily in bed, refusing to get up.
“Mom, I feel weak and my head hurts. I think I caught a cold.”
Xiao Tangtang said, even adding a couple of fake coughs for effect.
Lin Xiyu quickly touched her forehead. “No fever. Do you really not feel well?”
Xiao Tangtang nodded weakly.
Lin Xiyu said, “Get up and put on your clothes. Mommy will take you to the hospital.”
Xiao Tangtang stayed curled up in bed. “I don’t want to go to the hospital. I just want to lie down for a bit.”
“You can’t just lie around if you’re sick. Get up.”
“I don’t want to. I’ll be fine just lying here.”
Lin Xiyu quickly caught on to what was happening. She knew her daughter well and understood this wasn’t about being sick.
“Xiao Tangtang, didn’t Mommy tell you before that little kids shouldn’t lie? Be honest with me—are you really feeling sick?”
Feeling guilty, Tangtang pulled the blanket halfway over her face. Seeing her reaction, Lin Xiyu was even more convinced of her guess. Not wanting to push her too hard, she lay down next to her and gently asked, “Tell Mommy the truth. Why don’t you want to go to school?”
Under her mother’s gentle questioning, Xiao Tangtang stopped pretending. In a small voice, she said, “I don’t want to go to school. I don’t want to rehearse the dance. Mommy, can you tell the teacher I don’t want to participate in the dance anymore?”
“Dancing is a group activity, and you’re part of the group. Why don’t you want to participate?”
“I don’t like my dance partner.”
Lin Xiyu sighed. It was still about the dance partner. She thought little kids would forget quickly, but Xiao Tangtang was still hung up on it.
“When you have a problem, you can’t run away from it. You should talk to Mommy and Daddy about it instead. No more lying, okay?”
Xiao Tangtang nodded. “Okay.”
Lin Xiyu patted her head. “Alright, you can rest at home today. I’ll discuss this with Daddy and see if we can help you switch partners.”
Xiao Tangtang’s eyes lit up. She climbed onto her mom’s chest and stared at her intently. “Really?”
“I can try, but I can’t promise.”
Xiao Tangtang pressed her chubby cheek against her mom’s. “Thank you, Mommy. I love you.”
Lin Xiyu’s heart melted. She poked Tangtang’s little forehead and said, “You cheeky little girl.”
Meanwhile, Jiang Zhouming quickly noticed Tangtang’s absence that day. Even though Tangtang hadn’t spoken to him in days, he still found himself glancing in her direction during practice. But today, she wasn’t there.
During the break, Jiang Zhouming found Tangtang’s good friend, Zhang Minmin.
“Do you know why Tangtang didn’t come today?”
Zhang Minmin said, “I heard she’s sick.”
Tangtang was sick? Jiang Zhouming’s young face showed concern. He quickly asked, “What kind of sickness? Is it serious?”
“I don’t know.”
Knowing Tangtang was sick gave Jiang Zhouming an overwhelming urge—he wanted to go see her.
The author has something to say:
The bittersweet love story of little kids.
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