With so many children at home, she truly couldn’t manage to care for each child’s emotions, but the eldest daughter played a significant role in this regard.
The children all listened to their eldest sister, though when they were mischievous or made mistakes, her palm would mercilessly land on their bottoms.
The childhood of the Tong Family sisters was happy and complete!
After a brief rest following lunch, Tong Yuheng and her mother reported the results of their respective actions.
Tong Jiahui had already found Vice Director Zhang and agreed to transfer Tong Linsheng’s job to his son. Tong Jiahui had offered a transfer price of eight hundred, but Vice Director Zhang insisted on giving one thousand, and even said he would arrange some cotton and fabric for them to make cotton clothes for the children.
At this time, cotton was a scarce commodity, very difficult to obtain. They likely used the cotton ration tickets meant for their own children.
In this world, there are calculating, heartless people like the Fan Family, but also loyal and righteous old colleagues like Vice Director Zhang—there are still more good people in the world…
After agreeing with Vice Director Zhang, the transfer procedures would be handled once the girls received their graduation certificates and registered for rural assignment. Doing it too early might lead to unforeseen changes.
Vice Director Zhang’s family had one son and one daughter. The daughter was sixteen and in her first year of high school; delicate and frail, the family couldn’t bear to send her to the countryside, so she directly took over her mother’s position and started work last month.
The son, Zhang Xu, was eighteen and in his third year of high school. He also participated in the early graduation exam this time, preparing to go to the countryside. As a man, he was responsible.
But his mother couldn’t bear it either—with only one son, if he went to the countryside and only returned once every few years, the thought alone twisted her heart painfully, and she even fell ill over it.
This time, Tong Jiahui willing to transfer her husband’s job left him immensely grateful. With a job, his son wouldn’t have to go to the countryside!
Even as the factory director, he dared not cheat in the recruitment exam to let his son directly enter, especially since his son’s poor academic performance was well-known.
Tong Jiahui voluntarily transferring Tong Linsheng’s job made him feel somewhat guilty, thinking he was wronging Old Tong and could not bear to take the job he left for his children with his life.
Tong Jiahui sincerely explained their family’s current situation to him. Staying longer might attract more powerful figures targeting them, so retreat was the best strategy.
With this matter settled, Tong Yuheng went to school in the afternoon as if nothing had happened. She still needed to register for the early graduation exam!
After two classes in the afternoon, police officers came to the school to find the Tong Yuheng sisters. They were questioned separately, and Tong Yuheng knew Fan Yaqing had awakened and reported to the police.
The officer questioning her was a young man recently assigned. He was momentarily stunned by Tong Yuheng’s coolly elegant face, then quickly grew serious and asked:
Hello, Tong Yuheng, are you familiar with Fan Yaqing?”
“We’re somewhat familiar, but our relationship isn’t good. We’ve been classmates for almost two years; saying we’re unfamiliar wouldn’t be believable!”
Then, may I ask what you were doing during this time after school at noon, and with whom?”
“After school, I went home with my sister Yuyao, had lunch, rested at home for about half an hour, then came back to school.”
“Right, Fan Yaqing didn’t come to school in the afternoon. What happened to her? Did something happen?Tong Yuheng’s voice carried a hint of schadenfreude that was unmistakably obvious!
"Don't ask about that yet. It's said you had a conflict with her this morning. What was the reason?" the young policeman continued impatiently.
"She accused me of dating her cousin. If I didn't slap her, I'd be keeping her for New Year's! Next time she ruins my reputation, I'll slap her again!"
"Hitting people is wrong! When you and your sister went home together, who saw you?" the policeman asked.
"The school gatekeeper, and Aunt Zhang from our Family Compound. We sisters usually get home before twelve, then help my mom serve the dishes before eating and resting."
"I'll verify what you said! Hope you're not lying!"
Tong Yuheng: Hah! From going out to ambush Fan Yaqing, knocking her out, retrieving the jade pendant, cutting her hair, to reuniting with my sister—it took less than ten minutes. Unless there's a witness on the scene, no one can confirm I was the one who attacked her.
There are my footprints in the woods, but once on the road there's no snow. My feet aren't size 43 anyway.
On the other side, the policeman questioning Tong Yuyao got the same answers. Yuyao also asked what happened to Fan Yaqing.
This policeman mentioned Fan Yaqing being knocked out and having her hair cut messily. This couldn't be hidden; they'd soon find out.
Tong Yuyao widened her eyes in shock: "Oh my, how could this happen! Isn't it only those caught in adultery who get their hair cut unevenly by the wife?"
"Do you know who she interacts with frequently?" The policeman thought this was a clue and hurriedly asked Yuyao.
"I don't know. At school, she's close with Huang Lijuan, Du Yuanyuan, and Zhang Xiaomin. They always hang out together. Ask them!"
Yuyao truly didn't know her sister had done such a big thing in just those few minutes during lunch! Though her sister didn't say anything, she knew it was her eldest sister.
Wow! Eldest sister is the best! Well done!
Fan Yaqing, who had caught a chill, believed she was beaten by Tong Yuheng because the jade pendant on her neck was missing! That pendant was secretly taken from Yuheng's desk drawer, but footprints and traces on the scene indicated the perpetrator was a man around 1.8 meters tall.
Tong Yuheng had solid evidence of absence. Many testified the sisters were always together and went directly home from school. Her classmates also stated the morning conflict was provoked by Fan Yaqing.
She spread rumors about the sisters, so Yuheng hitting her wasn't unjustified. Fan Yaqing dared not mention the pendant stolen from the Tong Family being snatched back, feeling extremely panicked. She felt she'd lost something very important to her!
Tong Yuheng returned home early, heading straight to the kitchen to prepare dinner. The other sisters went to their rooms to do homework, while Yuyao went to the twins' room to cram them on basic middle school knowledge. Soon, Tong Jiahui also returned from work and entered the kitchen to cook with her eldest daughter.
The Tong Family's house, including the small courtyard, was only about fifty square meters. Because there were many children, the couple divided the two main rooms into four. A 1.2-meter-wide corridor was left in the middle, with doors facing each other across the four small rooms.
The innermost room on the right was the parents' bedroom, opposite was the room for the sixth child Yuxuan and the seventh Yuqi. Previously, because they were young, the parents would check on them more often at night, so they were placed closest to them.
This room was only about five or six square meters, with two small beds placed inside. Between the beds stood a rather narrow long table, which the two younger sisters used for homework during the day and for storing clothes at night. The walls on both sides were fitted with hanging cabinets, which could hold quite a lot of items.
Next to it was the twins' room, featuring narrow bunk beds. Inside, there was a standing wardrobe and two desks, placed near the window, directly facing the beds. This room was only slightly larger than the one behind it, roughly around eight or nine square meters.