When She Stops Being Dramatic

Chapter 211: Chapter 89: Leading Lady of the 60s Cultural Troupe (28)

”Actually, I found this bloodstained letter cutting family ties and the household registration transfer certificate in a clothes pocket. I asked someone to use the address on them to find my maternal grandparents.”

”None of you wanted me anymore, so why should I be tactless enough to show up again?”

”The factory is full of familiar places. It actually brought back a few memories. Aunt Tong, I don’t need to spell out how much every single person in your family couldn’t stand me over the years, do I?”

Tong Yuxiang stared at the familiar handwriting, her lips trembling, at a loss for words.

”Brother Huo, whatever the issue is, let’s discuss it in private. Uncle Huo and Aunt Tong are both very open-minded and reasonable. They’re nothing but happy that you’ve come back alive. How could they possibly not want to see you?”

”Even any worker at the factory would respect and admire you just from hearing your name, to say nothing of your own family.” The woman who had been part of the scenery until now suddenly chimed in with a light laugh.

”On the way here, Aunt Tong kept mentioning that she wanted to invite you home for dinner tonight. She’s planning to make your favorite braised pork ribs.”

Huo Tianhao tilted his head and asked coolly, ”And who might you be?”

Xia Zhaoyun chuckled, quite pleased with his attitude.

She pulled the brand-new marriage certificate from her bag and showed it off triumphantly. ”I just registered my marriage with Comrade Huo Tianhao! With the approval of the organization, we are now a legally wedded couple!”

”We’ll head to the supply and marketing co-op later to buy wedding candy for everyone.”

After saying her piece, she shoved the marriage certificate in the woman’s face, waving it for a moment before carefully tucking it away.

”You know, Comrade, I get the feeling you act more like a child of the Huo Family than Tianhao does. Inviting someone over for dinner? Heh, I’m sorry, but we don’t just accept invitations to anyone’s house.”

”Oh, and one more thing. Tianhao doesn’t like pork ribs.”

The woman’s face flushed red and then turned pale. She couldn’t help but retort, ”How is that possible? Who doesn’t like pork ribs?”

Xia Zhaoyun pursed her lips and sighed softly. ”Tianhao and I are both unloved children. We rarely ever get to eat meat, so when we suddenly get to eat our fill, it makes us sick...”

”I guess we just aren’t blessed like that...”

There was no good response to that!

Tong Yuxiang’s eyes snapped shut, and she slumped against the young woman, her back to the crowd, concealing the frantic darting of her eyes.

’A letter cutting ties? As if you can sever blood ties just by saying so!’

Tong Yuxiang had been one of the few university graduates from over twenty years ago. Her worldliness and cunning far surpassed that of ordinary people; she knew exactly how to manipulate others and steer public opinion.

’Yes, Huo Tianhao is a hero. If he were dead, she truly wouldn’t be able to outmaneuver him.’

’But he’s alive!’

’People are forgetful, envious, and love to compare. They talk a big game about gratitude, but few ever act on it. Most are content to just stand by and watch the drama unfold, spicing up the story to have some juicy gossip to share.’

’Before long, someone would surely start the rumor that Little Hero Huo had angered his stepmother into fainting the moment he returned.’

’After the story makes the rounds, it’ll get more and more outrageous. People will start asking, can a hero be so unfilial?’

But before she could gloat over her brilliant move, Xia Zhaoyun rushed forward in a panic, shaking her. ”Aunt Tong, why did you suddenly faint?”

Tong Yuxiang finally felt a surge of satisfaction. Her eyes were squeezed shut as she struggled to keep them from twitching, determined to remain ”fainted.” She also gave Ren Taoning a secret pinch.

Ren Taoning froze for a second, then immediately swatted Xia Zhaoyun’s hands away. ”Why did she faint? You two must have angered her into fainting!”

”She was so happy before! On the way here, she kept saying how she hadn’t been good enough to Brother Huo in the past and that she’d regret not having the chance to make it up to him for the rest of her life.”

”She even said that if she could go back in time, she would definitely treat Brother Huo so much better!”

”But what about you two? Did Aunt Tong say a single thing? You just went off on her like a string of firecrackers, bombarding her with accusations. If it were me, I wouldn’t have been able to take it either.”

”Even villains get a chance to atone for their sins and change their ways! Aunt Tong knows she fell short, so can’t you just give her one chance?”

”Brother Huo, you’ve had a brush with death. You of all people should have a new perspective on things. Don’t you want to be on good terms with your family?”

Xia Zhaoyun quickly interjected, ”Tianhao is very blunt and doesn’t know how to mince words. How could he have known Aunt Tong was so sensitive?”

She didn’t just say it; she stepped forward and grabbed Tong Yuxiang’s shoulders, trying to turn her around to face them.

Ren Taoning wasn’t about to let that happen. She was dutifully running interference for her future mother-in-law. ’So what if they’re registered? A marriage without parental approval has no future!’

As the two of them struggled, Ren Taoning, who was half-supporting Tong Yuxiang, lost her footing and fell to the ground, right in the direction of...