Mermaid By the Shore Chapter 3

Monday, May 23, 1994, cloudy to overcast.

I knew God would not favor me, and the rain never came.

But it doesn’t matter, what was supposed to happen has happened, and I have done what I always wanted to do but never did.

It's geography class in the afternoon. Because my grades have always been good, Teacher Yao thinks I can pass the geography exam without any problems. She kindly allowed me to do something else during geography class, so I can write this diary.

For me, writing a diary is more of a way to vent than a habit. I have no one to talk to, only the diary is my friend who has grown up with me since I was a child. What's more, I must write down what happened today.

When I woke up in the morning, I looked out the window at the gloomy weather and dry ground. I wasn't disappointed, nor was I too depressed. This was just one of my countless unfulfilled wishes. What I'm worried about now is the shriveled toothpaste tube and the pair of white sneakers with an uncertain future.

The shoes were fine, as the toothpaste and chalk temporarily covered up the ink stains. The downside was that a thick hard shell had formed on the surface of the shoes, which would crack and fall apart at the slightest touch. I looked at this pair of fragile "white" sneakers at a loss. While I was still hesitating, I heard my mother's shouting from the bathroom. It seemed that she had discovered the toothpaste I had wasted. I didn't want to be scolded again when I was already upset enough. So, I changed into a pair of slippers, wrapped the sneakers with newspapers, put on my schoolbag and ran out the door. When I passed the public kitchen, I saw the two plates buckled together, but I didn't have time.

In the Youth League Office, I changed into my white sneakers. Teacher Zhou Weiguo took the national flag out of the cabinet and urged us to go to the playground. I didn't dare to walk fast, for fear that the hard shell would fall apart. Teacher Zhou soon noticed my strange posture, and before he asked, he had already seen the white debris at my feet.

"Oh my god!" Teacher Zhou's eyes widened. "What are you wearing? Plaster?"

There was no time to explain, and no way to explain. I blushed, lowered my head, and walked step by step to the playground. However, a bigger problem came. The other three flag bearers and I had to march to the flagpole in front of all the teachers and students in the school.

I closed my eyes as I took my first step.

A few seconds later, I clearly heard the crowd whispering. Then, there was laughter that got louder and louder. I knew that the harshest voice must have come from Mana. She must have pointed at the white debris of my sneakers that were scattered on the ground with my footsteps and gradually revealed their colorful true colors, and laughed at me together with Song Shuang and Zhao Lingling.

Alright alright.

In this way, I walked to the flagpole with a blank expression, kicking my white powder flying all the way, under the gazes of hundreds of astonished, dissatisfied and mocking people. When the national flag was unfurled, my face was temporarily covered by a piece of red. I couldn't help but open my eyes, and found his face half a second later.

Yang Le didn't smile, nor did he stare at my sneakers, but just looked at the national flag with a serious face. I know that what he was thinking about at this moment was definitely not the blood of many martyrs that dyed this flag red, he just didn't want to be one of those eyes that embarrassed me.

The national anthem sounded, and the national flag slowly rose to the top of the flagpole. I looked up and saluted the national flag, and watched the dark clouds slowly gathering in the sky above the fluttering red flag.

After the flag-raising ceremony, I changed into casual shoes. However, the pair of "white" sneakers still became a topic of discussion among my classmates. Many people even ran to my seat during the break just to see the pair of broken sneakers under the chair. I really want to throw it away, but I can't. Because as long as the shoes are not cracked or broken, my parents will not buy me a new pair. In their opinion, shoes are to be worn, as long as they can be worn. Those spots are not a problem at all. Of course, I can also deliberately damage the shoes, but this is another math problem: How many trucks of glass does my father have to remove in order to exchange for a pair of sneakers?
 
The "star effect" brought by this pair of shoes did not last long. During the lunch break, everyone had lost interest in them. I was also happy to relax. But new troubles were waiting for me: I was in a hurry to go out in the morning, and I didn't bring lunch. I hadn't eaten a single grain of rice since last night, and I was already hungry, and I began to miss the two plates in the kitchen. When my classmates began to open their lunch boxes in the classroom and the aroma of various meals wafted between the seats, I quietly left.

I drank a bellyful of cold water in the bathroom. Although it didn't solve any practical problems, it at least alleviated my hunger. I wiped my mouth and slowly walked towards the auditorium.

Today we are rehearsing The Daughter of the Sea, an English musical, the closing show of this year's English Festival. It is lunch time now, and there should be no one in the rehearsal room. Hiding here can not only avoid the embarrassment of being discovered that I have not eaten lunch, but also allow me to be alone for a while.

As expected, the auditorium was empty. I walked along the marble-paved aisle, through the rows of seats, towards the stage. I stepped onto the wooden stage, walked on the creaking floor, went behind the scenes, and then walked through a narrow corridor to the rehearsal room.

It was pitch black. I fumbled to turn on the light, and after a while I adjusted to the sudden bright light, the empty rehearsal room appeared in front of me. Because of hunger, my heart beat fast, and my hands and feet were weak. So I sat on the prop box and rested for a while. Then I opened the wardrobe and found the red dress with my name on it among the rows of red dresses and put it on.

I played one of the prince's maids, who would not appear until the fourth act, and had only a few lines to say. Despite this, I took out the script from the prop box and went through it again carefully. After a few minutes, I had memorized the lines that I had already memorized. I closed the script, closed my eyes, and began to rehearse in my imagination.

I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of Yang Le, even though I had already lost face enough at the flag-raising ceremony this morning.

So, I needed an opportunity, not as that poor, run-down girl whose color was indistinguishable like an old rag, but to look him in the eye and say a few words with dignity, even if it was just "Maid C".

What's more, I will get his response and smile. Although the relationship between us is still noble and humble, it is not Yang Le and Su Lin.

How nice.

I started to smile, then felt frustrated.

I threw the script back into the box, and it landed on top of another script wrapped in a clear plastic cover. I knew without even looking that it was Mana's. Oh, and by the way, she insisted that we call her the Little Mermaid on set, because she was going to play the Little Mermaid. I picked up the Little Mermaid's script, and she had many more lines than I did, all marked with a red ballpoint pen. However, long passages of English lines would kill Mana, so she wrote Chinese homophones after many of her lines.

"I don't fear!" I read it softly and couldn't help laughing, imagining with some malice the scene of Mana speaking such poor English and acting with Yang Le.

She liked him, and the whole school knew it, so she insisted on playing the role of the Little Mermaid. I don't know how much her rich father played a role, but Mana finally got the role as she wished. Yes, she is very beautiful, with a good figure, and her curly chestnut hair makes her look more like a foreigner.

However, is she really qualified to be the Little Mermaid?

I turned my head and looked at myself in the practice mirror. I was wearing a dark red dress with white lace, holding a script in one hand and supporting myself on the prop box with the other. I had a pale face, single eyelids, narrow eyes, and straight black hair hanging on my shoulders.

During a rehearsal, I finished my lines and stood behind Prince, looking at Yang Le without disguising. I looked away only after the instructor, Teacher Zhou, called a stop. At the same time, I noticed that Teacher Zhou was looking at me.

"Come here for a moment." Teacher Zhou raised the camera in his hand and motioned for me to watch the playback.

I didn't dare touch that precious thing, I just hid aside and looked at the small screen.

In the picture, I was slightly to the left of the center, and Mana only showed half of her face.

"Your eyes are actually more like the Little Mermaid." Teacher Zhou smiled at me, "What a pity."

I don't feel sorry. I can't ask for more than being able to complete a task with him and looking at him openly.

However, I can only be Maid C, not a mermaid?

I set my sights on the last closet.

The next second, I took quick action.

It was a pure white long dress, made of gauze and simple in style. However, in the words of Teacher Zhou, when the little mermaid wore it and stood among the maids, she was "like a white stamen among red petals."

At this moment, I had taken off the red petals and thrown them on the ground. I was only wearing a bra and panties, and took the pistil off the hanger. The moment my fingertips touched the gauze skirt, I began to tremble, as if the light yarn was charged with electricity. At the same time, a wave of dizziness came over me, and my teeth clattered together.

Just like that, I put on the white dress with a pale face and trembling hair. When I swung my long hair out from my neckline, a fragrance spread. I was very familiar with this smell, it was the perfume that Mana often used. Although she hated it, this smell was really too charming. It made me immersed in some wonderful emotions all of a sudden.

I am the pistil. I am the mermaid singing in the sky. I am the mermaid who traded her beautiful voice for a pair of human legs. I am the mute orphan in the prince's heart.

I stood in front of the practice mirror, looking at myself quietly. At that moment, I believed that a beam of light fell from the sky and shone on me. I gathered my hair, rubbed it, and let it down again. The originally straight hair like clear soup noodles had a slight bend. I turned my face to the side and raised my eyebrows slightly.

Oh my god, how could this be me?

I stood on tiptoe and turned in a circle. My skirt fluttered and the fragrance spread. It was as if countless small bubbles rose up around me and then burst. The air turned into clear sea water, and the song of whales came faintly in the distance. I smelled the sweet fragrance of seaweed...
 
"What are you doing?"

This scream of shock and anger pulled me back to the surface of the sea. I turned around and saw a group of people standing at the door of the rehearsal room, everyone's eyes were focused on me, and standing in front were Mana and Yang Le.

I stood there in a daze, feeling the light above my head becoming hotter and hotter.

Yang Le looked at me in surprise, his eyes moving from my bare feet, long skirt to my hair. When he met my gaze, he smiled and said, "Why are you here so early?"

Mana took a few steps forward, her originally delicate features twisted together in anger: "Take it off!"

"Oh." I came to my senses, like a thief caught in the act, my heart was filled with fear, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

I hurried to the dressing room and suddenly realized that the red skirt was still on the ground.

"I..."

Mana hugged her shoulders and looked at me with disgust. The red skirt was at her feet. I lowered my head, trotted a few steps, and bent down to pick up the skirt. But Mana picked up the red skirt with her toes and threw it aside, as if it was something dirty.

I didn't say anything, nor did I resist. I just picked up my skirt and ran quickly into the dressing room.

After closing the door and sitting on the chair, I suddenly lost all my strength.

My heart was still beating violently, and blood was rushing from my hands and feet back to all parts of my body. I clutched the red skirt tightly, staring at the dark brown wooden door of the dressing room, motionless.

I suddenly felt annoyed, not because I stole Mana's skirt, but because of my panic and submission in front of her. Why couldn't I arrogantly say "try it, what's wrong?" Why was I beaten back to my humble and insignificant self the moment I made eye contact with her?

I sat there for five minutes, or maybe longer, before I slowly took off my white dress and put on the dusty, wrinkled red one.

Walking out of the dressing room, I lowered my eyelids, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone. In my limited field of vision, I found that everyone except Mana had changed their clothes. Song Shuang and Zhao Lingling were with her, seemingly whispering to comfort her.

I lowered my head, walked to Mana, and handed her the white dress, but she turned aside and refused to take it.

"You didn't even say sorry?" Song Shuang's voice rang in my ears, "You are so shameless."

I stretched out my arms, maintaining the same posture, and said nothing.

Yang Le stood up from the prop box and put down the script in his hand: "Hurry up and rehearse. We still have classes in the afternoon."

His words worked, and Mana finally turned around. Without even looking, I knew she rolled her eyes at me and snatched the white skirt away.

I exhaled quietly and tried to find a corner to hide. As soon as I raised my head, I met Yang Le's gaze. He smiled at me, and I forced the corners of my mouth to smile as well.

At this moment, I heard a swear word come out of Mana's mouth, and then something was thrown at me.

It's the white dress.

Everyone else was stunned, including Teacher Zhou who had just walked in.

"What's going on?" Teacher Zhou put the camera on the table, picked up her skirt, looked at Mana in confusion, and then followed her gaze to me, "You guys..."

"She stole my clothes!" Mana pointed at me, "She made them stink, I won't wear them!"

"Ah?" Teacher Zhou's eyes widened in surprise. He subconsciously wanted to put the skirt under his nose to smell it, but then he felt something was wrong. "You only wore it for a while, it's not necessary. Hurry up and change your clothes for rehearsal. In two weeks..."

"How could it be possible!" Mana turned to Teacher Zhou and yelled, "She didn't even change her clothes or take a shower!"

In fact, until now I still don't remember how I raised my arm, swung it, and let my palm land heavily on Mana's face. I only remember that after that crisp sound, Mana's expression changed from surprise, fear, and then rage. Then, she pounced on me like a lioness. If it weren't for Teacher Zhou, Yang Le and other classmates who stopped her, I might have been torn to pieces by her, let alone writing this diary in geography class.

Strangely enough, as I wrote these words, I was very aware that Mana was looking at me with malicious eyes from behind me. However, I was very happy, even though my right hand was swollen and still aching. I finally knew what I had always wanted to do. The clear palm print on her face seemed to wash away all my humiliation. This is what it felt like to feel refreshed both physically and mentally. I knew I would definitely pay a price for this, but for the pleasure of that moment, I was willing to pay it.

Wang Xianjiang leaned over the conference table with his hands on the table. In front of him was a huge blueprint with dense lines crisscrossing and extremely messy.

The weather was hot and humid, and Wang Xianjiang was already sweating profusely. He had to constantly adjust his reading glasses that had slipped down to the tip of his nose. There was only one red circle on the blueprint, marking the exit of the Weihong Canal. Wang Xianjiang had been hesitating with his ballpoint pen for a long time, but still didn't know where he could make a difference. This made him even more irritated, so he simply threw away the ballpoint pen, picked up the teacup, and took a sip of the jasmine tea that had long since cooled.

The restlessness in his chest eased a little. Wang Xianjiang fell back in his chair, lit a cigarette, and fanned himself by the collar.

In my 30 years as a police officer, this was the first time I encountered such a vicious case. A heavy rainstorm flooded the entire city. After the rain stopped, three female corpses floated in the Weihong Canal.

The identities of the three dead bodies are unknown, and they are of different ages, heights and weights. The bodies were all naked, and the preliminary cause of death was determined to be mechanical asphyxiation caused by strangulation with ropes or something similar. As for other characteristics, further autopsy is needed to determine. Judging from the silt and scratches left on the bodies, the bodies were most likely washed out of the manhole by rain. What Wang Xianjiang has to do is to determine where the bodies were abandoned in the manhole. First, he can conduct an investigation around this place to see if he can extract valuable trace evidence; second, he can determine the number of the dead - no one can guarantee that the three bodies currently available are all the dead.
 
At this time, the door of the conference room was pushed open and Tai Wei walked in holding a few files.

"Master, how are things going on here?" Tai Wei placed the files on the blueprint and wiped the sweat off his face. "We have some clues about the source of the corpse."

"Oh?" Wang Xianjiang stood up and put out his cigarette. "What's going on?"

"I compared the missing persons cases reported this year and found several with similar physical features to the deceased." Tai Wei pointed to the files on the table, "I have arranged to identify the body."

"several?"

"Seven." Tai Wei curled his lips. "The deceased has been highly decomposed and his face is unclear, so we have to cast a wider net."

"Okay, let's do it as soon as possible." Wang Xianjiang reached for the cigarette box, "Once we find the source of the corpse, we can arrange the next work."

"Take mine, take mine." Tai Wei hurriedly took out a cigarette from his pocket, handed one to Wang Xianjiang, and lit it for him. "Is this the blueprint of the manhole?"

"Well, it's like a ghost painting, I can't understand it." Wang Xianjiang sighed, "We also have to consider the rainfall, flow speed, and flow direction. Let's find someone to analyze it."

"Okay, I'll go to the Planning Institute to find someone." Tai Wei took out his notebook and had just written a few words when forensic doctor Lao Du pushed the door and walked in.

"Lao Wang, the autopsy is done." Lao Du yawned, looking tired, "Come and take a look?"

The autopsy room was located on the basement floor, where the temperature was much lower. In addition, the high-power air conditioner roared in the corner, and as soon as Wang Xianjiang entered the room, most of the sweat on his body disappeared. Tai Wei hid behind him, shivering repeatedly.

The room was well lit. Under the pale fluorescent light, the white cloth covering the body was particularly glaring. Wang Xianjiang and Tai Wei took the masks and gloves handed to them by Lao Du and put them on one by one.

"what's the situation?"

"Dead person No. 1, female, between 30 and 35 years old, 162 cm long, weighing 51 kg. Pubic symphysis was removed, and birth scars were found..."

"Let's get to the point, Lao Du." Wang Xianjiang rubbed his face, "I don't have time to listen to nonsense."

"She has given birth to a child." Lao Du glared at him, "She should be a married woman."

Wang Xianjiang looked back at Tai Wei, who understood and took out his notebook to write it down.

"The cause of death is mechanical asphyxiation, strangulation." Lao Du lifted the white cloth from a corpse and pointed at the swollen dark green skin on the neck. "The murder weapon should be something like wire."

"anything else?"

"The deceased had been S3xually assaulted before death. One of them had type A blood." Lao Du picked up a metal book clip on the dissection table and flipped through it. "From the stomach contents, they were killed within ten hours of their last meal."

Lao Du closed the folder and added: "First R@p3, then kill."

Wang Xianjiang cursed. He bent down, covered his face with his mask, and carefully looked at the hands and feet of one of the female corpses.

"Don't look at it, the corruption is too serious." Lao Du knew his intention, "However, the resistance and restraint injuries are not many."

"That means the victims were subdued very quickly?" Tai Wei thought for a moment, "This B@st@ard is pretty strong."

Wang Xianjiang glanced at Tai Wei, then turned to Lao Du: "Does the deceased show any signs of being tortured?"

"I can't tell." Lao Du shook his head. "Abrasions and the like are all post-mortem injuries."

He pointed at the body and said, "Subjugation -- R@p3 -- murder, all done in one go, without any unnecessary steps."

"It seems that this B@st@ard just wanted to have some fun?" Wang Xianjiang frowned. "He is a low-income person. Otherwise, it wouldn't be that difficult for him to find a woman."

"Should I check the key population?" Tai Wei interrupted, "Those with a history of S3xual crimes."

"Okay." Wang Xianjiang nodded, "We'll also check those who have been punished for public order."

Tai Wei responded and wrote it down in his notebook.

Lao Du yawned again: "How are things over there?"

"No progress." Wang Xianjiang let out a long sigh, "We'll make arrangements after we find the source of the corpse."

"It's not easy." Lao Du frowned. "Except for knowing that the body was dumped in the manhole, we don't even know where the first scene is. The manhole is like a Fcuking spider web, how can we check it?"

Wang Xianjiang smiled bitterly and said, "Tomorrow I will go to the Planning Institute and find someone to help analyze it. If it doesn't work, we can just drill a well and search inch by inch."

Two pencils. A two-color ballpoint pen. A black ballpoint pen. An eraser. A ruler. A set square. A protractor.

Jiang Yushu took these items out of the pencil case one by one and placed them on the table. Then, she looked up and down at this so-called "pencil case". It was actually a packaging box for a certain brand of nutrient solution, made of plastic, with a magnetic buckle on the edge of the box. It can be seen that this pencil case has been used for a long time. The trademark and words on the lid have been completely worn away, and the originally sharp edges have become smooth. A long crack runs across the box. With a little force, the box will break into two pieces.

Jiang Yusu carefully put the pencil case away and looked at it in a daze.

The child used a triangle and a protractor, so he should be a middle school or high school student. He used a medicine box as a pencil case, and the scale on the protractor was worn off, but he was reluctant to replace it, which seems to indicate that his family is not well off. There was cartoon tape on the two-color ballpoint pen, and both pencils were sharpened neatly (the tip of one of them was broken).

A junior high or high school girl from an average family.

Jiang Yushu sighed slightly and put the items back into the medicine box one by one. After closing the shaky lid, Jiang Yushu found a piece of newspaper, carefully wrapped the medicine box, and then tied it tightly with transparent tape.

She didn't know if she would have a chance to return the pencil case to its owner. She didn't even know if the "girl who was dragged away" really existed. However, the appearance of a pencil case used by a girl in that place forced Jiang Yushu to connect the two together.

There are two possibilities. First, I was actually dazzled that evening, the so-called school uniform girl did not exist, and the pencil case was just dropped by a careless girl; second, there was indeed a girl who was attacked and dragged away from the corner of the building. The girl had a fight with the other party, and the pencil case in her schoolbag fell on the grass.
 
Compasses.

This word suddenly appeared in Jiang Yushu's mind. There was no such thing in the medicine box. If you were taking a geometry class, you should use a compass. However, when Jiang Yushu picked up the pencil case, she looked around and found no other objects.

Will she take out a compass to defend herself?

Jiang Yushu exclaimed slightly. A girl needs to use a compass to protect herself. What kind of dangerous environment is she facing?

She didn't dare to think about it anymore and kept comforting herself.

I must be overthinking it. Maybe it was a careless child who lost the pencil case. I was dazzled after looking at the account book for a day...

Jiang Yusu stood up, picked up the box wrapped in newspaper, and put it into the drawer of the desk.

Jiang Ting came back half an hour late again today. As soon as she entered the door, Jiang Yushu noticed that she looked unhappy. After asking a few questions, Jiang Ting replied sullenly that she ran a thousand meters in physical education class and was a little tired. After putting down her schoolbag, she hid in her room and came out only at dinner time.

At the dinner table, Jiang Ting still didn't talk much, just eating her meal. Jiang Yushu wanted to talk to her about how her day was at school, but her daughter just responded with "hmm", "ah", and "okay". Jiang Yushu also lost interest. She silently calculated in her mind that Jiang Ting should not have her period yet. This sudden bad mood was really inexplicable. The two finished their meal in silence, and when they were cleaning up the dishes, Sun Weiming came.

Sun Weiming never came to visit at this time, let alone without saying hello in advance. Jiang Yushu felt strange, but still asked him to sit down and asked Jiang Ting to make a cup of tea and bring it over.

The father and daughter sat at the dining table, chatting indifferently. Jiang Ting was still in a bad mood, with drooping eyelids, and gave brief answers to Sun Weiming's questions. He didn't speak, and Jiang Ting didn't speak either. Jiang Yusu washed the dishes and hid in the living room to watch TV. After more than ten minutes, there was silence at the dining table. Then, Jiang Ting lowered his head and walked towards his bedroom. When passing by the living room, he said, "Mom, I'm going to do my homework," and closed the door and didn't come out again.

Sun Weiming sat alone at the dining table. Jiang Yushu thought for a moment, then stood up and walked over to refill the half-empty teacup in front of him.

Sun Weiming asked, "What happened to Tingting today?"

"I don't know. When I asked her, she said she was tired." Jiang Yushu put down the thermos, "I'll ask her again in the evening."

"Oh." Sun Weiming seemed not to want to dwell on this question. "How have you been lately?"

"Good."

"Are you busy at work?"

"Well enough."

"You're not feeling too bad, are you?"

"Yes, Not Bad."

Jiang Yushu looked up at her ex-husband, who was talking to her with a stiff posture and expression, just like his arm lying on the table. She really didn't want to let such an awkward conversation continue, so she said, "Tingting is fine. It's normal to have mood swings during puberty." Jiang Yushu stood up, "Don't worry."

Sun Weiming sat still, his smile becoming even more mischievous: "After all these years, have you not considered your personal problems?"

Jiang Yushu raised her eyebrows in surprise. After being divorced for several years, Sun Weiming had never cared about this matter. Why did he suddenly ask if she had found a new love?

"A colleague introduced me to him. He's not bad." Jiang Yushu didn't know what Sun Weiming's intention was. In order to maintain her self-esteem, she spoke vaguely, "Let's see how we get along."

"Well, you're not young anymore, and you still have to live your life." Sun Weiming didn't ask any more questions. "Besides, it's not easy for you to take care of Tingting by yourself."

"It's okay. It's not easy, but I've made it through." Jiang Yushu smiled, "Thanks for your concern."

"If she's a good person, then marry her." Sun Weiming was quite positive. "We've turned the page on this one. We should all live a good life and maybe have another child."

"How old am I..." Jiang Yushu suddenly felt something was wrong, "You came here today, is there something going on?"

Sun Weiming smiled rather reluctantly: "Well, there is something I want to discuss with you."

"You say." Jiang Yusu straightened up and folded her hands across her chest.

"You know, I've done pretty well in the past few years." Sun Weiming came over, "The company also recognizes my ability and plans to transfer me to the Beijing headquarters."

"This is a good thing." Jiang Yushu looked at Sun Weiming, her vigilance still intact, "Congratulations first."

"Yes, thank you." Sun Weiming nodded. "I may have to settle down in Beijing after I leave."

"Oh." Jiang Yushu waited for Sun Weiming to continue, thinking, what does this have to do with me? Are you just showing off?

"Beijing, you know, has richer educational resources." Sun Weiming lowered his head and slid his fingers across the table. "Tingting is already a sophomore in high school, I think..."

"What are you thinking?" Jiang Yushu's face turned pale, "Take Tingting away from me?"

"How can this be considered robbery?" Sun Weiming defended, "Isn't it for the sake of the children?"

"You don't have to think about it." Jiang Yushu stood up again, "The child's surname is Jiang now. You can go now."

"Yushu, think about it, that's a Beijing hukou. Do you know how much lower the college entrance examination admission score is than our province?" Sun Weiming restrained his smile, "For example, to get into Tsinghua University, Beijing kids only need..."

"Do you know how many points Tingting got in the midterm exam? Do you know how she ranked in the class?" Jiang Yushu reached out to pull him, "Go away. We don't want your Beijing hukou."

"Can you please be reasonable?" Sun Weiming was also anxious. "How about this, let Tingting decide for herself."

"I'm her mother, I decide for her." Jiang Yushu didn't know where she got the strength from, and dragged Sun Weiming to the door, "You go. No one can take Tingting away from me."

"Yushu, think about it again." Sun Weiming held onto the door frame, his tone softened, "I'll contact you again."

Jiang Yushu unlocked the door and pointed outside: "Get out!"
 
After driving her ex-husband away, Jiang Yushu suddenly felt weak all over. She leaned against the door, breathing heavily. Grievances, anger, and fear all came over her. She soon slid down to the ground, resting her forehead on her knees, sobbing softly.

After crying for a while, Jiang Yushu vaguely heard her daughter's bedroom door open. She hurriedly got up, sat at the dining table, turned her back to the bedroom. A few seconds later, she felt a pair of hands fall on her shoulders.

"Mom, what's wrong with you?"

Jiang Ting's breath blew into Jiang Yushu's ears, warm and itchy. This made her want to cry again. Jiang Yushu barely suppressed the sobs that surged up her throat, patted her daughter's hand, and said in a hoarse voice: "It's okay, I talked to your dad for a while, and it wasn't very pleasant."

"It's really annoying. Don't let him come here again."

"Nonsense, that's your dad."

"I don't care, but you can't bully my mother." As he spoke, Jiang Ting put his arms around Jiang Yusu's neck and pressed his cheek against hers, stroking her gently.

Jiang Yushu raised one hand and touched her daughter's head. The thick long hair rubbed against her fingertips, and a slight tingling sensation gradually spread from the extremities of her body to her whole body. Jiang Yushu's hand slowly exerted force, and finally hugged her daughter tightly, as if she would lose her in the next second.

Around 11pm, the mother and daughter went to bed. Jiang Ting's mood improved a little, but she still looked more depressed than usual. After saying goodnight to Jiang Yushu, she went to bed. Jiang Yushu prepared the ingredients for tomorrow's breakfast, sat on the sofa alone for a while, and returned to her bedroom.

She went to bed but couldn't sleep. She knew Sun Weiming's character very well. Although he left in anger today, he would definitely not give up. In a few days, he would come to her again and try every means to achieve his goal.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yushu felt chest tightness and shortness of breath again. Sun Weiming abandoned his wife and daughter and started a new family. After having a son, he became increasingly indifferent to his daughter. Now that the mother and daughter are living a slightly calmer life, he is stirring up trouble again and wants to take away Jiang Ting, whom Jiang Yushu regards as her life. This is too much bullying!

No matter what Sun Weiming's motives were, it was a daydream to take Jiang Ting away from me. Jiang Yushu thought angrily, he reduced a family of three to two, and now he wants to make me all alone, what right does he have to ruin my life again and again?

She couldn't lose Jiang Ting. This was something Jiang Yushu had never thought about. This was not just a matter of habit, but also the source of all her hope, the only glue she could count on in her broken life, and the last reason she could use to resist her fear of the future. However, the more she thought about it, the more another small voice in her heart gradually became louder.

Am I too selfish? Tingting is a child, not my private property.

No! No!

Jiang Yusu shook her head vigorously, as if trying to drive away the voice.

I am her mother, she is still a minor, I have the right to make decisions for her! What's more, Tingting prefers to live with me!

She couldn't lie there any longer, so she got out of bed and ran straight to her daughter's bedroom.

At this moment, Jiang Yusu was eager to see her daughter. She even woke up Jiang Ting and asked her daughter to confirm it in person.

However, the moment she pushed open the door, Jiang Yusu was stunned.

There was no one on Jiang Ting's bed.