Seeing Song Ru's red eyes, the woman's stern expression subsided a little and she reached out to tidy up her hair.
"Xiao A'ru, you finally got rid of the Song family and got the life your mother had hoped for. You should cherish your blessings and think more about your sister."
"I'm not one of those little girls who can't carry anything. Besides, look at my face. I'm so pretty. There are many men who want me."
"I was always worried about you before, but now that you have escaped from the wolf's den, I can rest assured and find a home for myself."
She didn't even give Song Ru a chance to speak and just patted her head with disgust.
"I finally found a handsome man with a rich family. I can be a ready-made mother without having to give birth to a child. Please don't ruin my happiness... Hey, why are you crying again? Girls' tears are so precious. You should cry less so that you can make people feel sorry for you..."
The little girl cried even harder.
Aunt Rui couldn't help but sigh and pulled the person into her arms.
"Alright, alright, I don't mind you anymore. At worst, I can send you wedding candy when I get married."
…
Tang Ning waited for a long time in the distance before Song Ru came back, but the woman who had spoken to her before was no longer by her side.
Seeing her red eyes, Tang Ning asked in a low voice: "What's wrong?"
Song Ru said in a hoarse voice: "Aunt Rui doesn't want to go back with me. She said she is going to get married."
Tang Ning was not surprised. She learned about Aunt Rui from Song Ru and also knew that Aunt Rui had been secretly taking care of Song Ru over the years. She guessed that she probably would not follow them back to the Tang Mansion.
Seeing that Song Ru was in pain, Tang Ning gently embraced her and said, "I'll have someone check on Aunt Rui's husband's family and have them take care of her secretly. If you miss her in the future, you can always come to see her."
Song Ru leaned in Tang Ning's arms and hummed a low "hmm". After a moment, she said, "Sister, will you go to the Song Family Ancestral Hall?"
Tang Ning nodded.
"After I lose my membership in the Song family, I want to change back to my mother's surname."
Tang Ning was stunned. She had originally planned to let Song Ru marry into the Rong family after discussing with her aunt.
After Song Ru and Song Tan severed their relationship, she no longer had the protection of her clan. In addition, due to the Song family's problems, it would not be easy for her to get married in the future. But if she married into the Rong family, even if she was just an adopted daughter, her status would be different.
But she didn't expect that Song Ru would want to change her surname to Xue.
Tang Ning didn't ask her why, nor did she try to persuade her. She just asked, "Have you thought it through?"
Song Ru whispered, "I've thought about it."
She wanted to have the surname Xue, but she was still Sister.
Tang Ning did not agree right away. She just thought for a moment and said, "Tomorrow we will go to the Song family to move the graves and remove the surname. It will take a day or two. After the Song family's affairs are settled, if you still don't change your mind, then I will accompany you to Jingzhao Prefecture to change your family name and change your surname to Xue from now on."
Song Ru rubbed her shoulder: "Thank you, sister."
On the way back, Tang Ning and the other person didn't say anything else. Hua Wu and Xichun also stood quietly by the side.
Perhaps because of her emotional ups and downs today, or perhaps because her injuries had not yet healed, Song Ru fell asleep leaning on Tang Ning before arriving at the mansion.
After the carriage stopped, she was still sleeping very soundly, with no intention of waking up.
Tang Ning originally thought that Song Ru was in a bad mood and did not disturb her to rest, but now he realized something was wrong. He quickly reached out and touched her forehead, and found that Song Ru had started to have a fever at some point.
"Aru, Aru?"
Seeing that Song Ru closed her eyes and her eyelashes trembled but she didn't wake up, Tang Ning hurriedly said, "Help A Ru go in quickly."
Hang Li stood outside: "Girl, what happened?"
"Aru fell asleep due to fever."
Song Ru's body was extremely weak to begin with. Years of deficiency had left her in extremely poor condition. She also happened to have her period after the previous injury. Even Madam Qin said that her condition was really bad. If it weren't for Song Qin today, Tang Ning would not have agreed to let her leave the house.
When Hang Li lifted the car curtain, he saw Song Ru leaning on Tang Ning. She was very small and her face was very pale. Xichun and Hua Wu were about to reach out to support her.
Hang Li's eyebrows were filled with anxiety. "Madam Ru hasn't recovered from her last injury yet. She is in a coma. It might hurt her if we help her in like this. Girl, why don't I take her in?" As if he was afraid of misunderstanding, he said in a low voice, "There is no one else here. Madam Ru's reputation will not be harmed."
Tang Ning didn't think much about it. It was Hang Li who brought Song Ru back home the last time she was injured, and he followed the rules everywhere when going in and out. Moreover, she touched Song Ru's forehead and felt it was a little hot, so she didn't hesitate any more.
"That's fine. Carry Aju in, and be gentle."
After getting the permission, Hang Li lowered his head and went into the carriage shed without any delay. He reached out and took Song Ru into his arms, then carried her out of the carriage.
After returning to the mansion, they went straight back to Song Ru's yard and told Xichun to find Doctor Sun and Hua Wu to fetch some water. Tang Ning entered Song Ru's boudoir a step later and saw Hang Li lying on the side of the bed in a strange posture.
"Guard Hang?"
Hang Li quickly turned sideways: "Girl."
Tang Ning then saw clearly that his sleeve was grabbed by Song Ru who was lying on the bed.
Hang Li whispered, "Madam Ru seems to be a little confused due to the fever..."
Just like the last time when he carried her back, she held his collar tightly, she pulled his sleeve hard and refused to let go.
Hang Li felt a little depressed in his heart. He gently pinched Song Ru's overly slender wrist. After she let go of his sleeve, he carefully put her hand back to the bed.
Not daring to look at the person on the bed any longer, Hang Li withdrew and asked in a low voice, "Girl, I just heard you tell Madam Ru that you are going to the Song family tomorrow?"
Tang Ning didn't think it was strange for Hang Li, who was driving the car, to hear this: "Yes, go and prepare, bring some people, and go tomorrow morning..."
She paused, looking at Song Ru lying on the bed, and thinking of Song Jinxiu who blocked them, her face turned colder: "Forget it, no need to wait until tomorrow, go and call someone, and go later!"
Hang Li's eyes flashed with a fierce look: "Yes."
Imperial Doctor Sun came over and examined Song Ru, and said that she just had a strong emotional fluctuation and was weak, which was why she suddenly had a fever and became drowsy. Only then did Tang Ning breathe a sigh of relief when she realized that there was nothing serious. She asked Hua Wu and Xichun to take care of Song Ru. When she left, Hang Li in the outer room had already prepared everything.
Gu Helian and Xiao Yan were also there.
Gu Helian looked a little haggard. When she saw Tang Ning coming out, she asked, "I heard that you are going to destroy the Song family's ancestral hall?"
Xiao Yan glanced at him, turned his head to look at Tang Ning and said softly, "Do you want to move the grave tonight?"
Tang Ning said coldly: "I don't want to have anything to do with the Song family for a moment."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan said calmly, "Since you don't want to be contaminated by them, then let's move the grave tonight. I'll have people prepare the new coffin and grave. Although the academy hasn't been built yet, the back mountain has been fenced off. I'll send Madam Rong and the others there later."
"When did you prepare it, brother?"
"When you mentioned it that day, I prepared it in advance, thinking that I would need it sooner or later."
Xiao Yan raised his foot and moved to her side. When his shadow overlapped with hers, it just blocked the scorching sunlight that was shining on her.
"Come on, I'll go with you."
Tang Ning tilted her head slightly and looked at his profile which was slightly against the light.
There were no sweet words or touching remarks, but just the unreserved "I'll be with you" that made her defenses collapse.
The sunshine in May was particularly dazzling, and Xiao Yan seemed to be covered with a layer of light. The mottled light suddenly hit her heart like a blunt object, causing Tang Ning to suddenly palpitate.