Chapter 6 Uncle, Can You Take Me In?

"I've sent you the link, check it out quick!"

Tong Tong clicked on the link Fang Yue had sent, leading to a post on the school forum.

"Selling high-priced belts, the beauty of the foreign language department is kept by a sugar daddy! And he's a bald uncle in his fifties!"

The post had a photo of her selling the belt with her image photoshopped next to an old man, looking intimate from behind, sparking people's imaginations.

"I used to treat her like a goddess, but she turns out to be a slut."

"You treated her like a goddess? Everyone knows she's been partying with all sorts of people since high school. She's so messed up!"

"I've got money, name your price for a night."

Reading the comments, Tong Tong's face grew darker and darker.

Who was spreading such rumors behind her back?!

The driver quickly brought the car around, and as soon as Tong Tong arrived at school, she noticed the looks people gave her were different.

She placed her books on the desk and got up to go to the restroom.

After flushing the toilet, Tong Tong thought about how to handle the situation. As she was about to leave, she realized the door wouldn't open.

What's going on?

"Is anyone out there? I..."

Tong Tong hadn't finished her last few words when a noise came from above, and a bucket of cold water doused her from head to toe.

The restroom door opened, and several girls stood at the entrance, arms crossed, smirking at her.

Sheng Jiao, dressed in designer clothes from head to toe, radiated an air of luxury.

If the school were a pyramid, Sheng Jiao would definitely be at the apex. Even the principal had to yield to her by three points, and no one dared to provoke her.

The wet strands of hair clung to Tong Tong's cheeks, giving her already pale face an added touch of pitiable charm.

Sheng Jiao stood there smoking, looking at her with disdain.

"There are no men here, so who is this pitiful act for?"

Tong Tong's heart sank for a moment. She knew Sheng Jiao had always been targeting her from behind, but she never expected Sheng Jiao to be so brazen today.

"Sheng Jiao, this is a school!"

"School?" Sheng Jiao took a drag from her cigarette and exhaled a cloud of smoke right in Tong Tong's face, "Tong Tong, let me tell you, not just the school, but no one dares to stop me anywhere else!"

Before Tong Tong could react, Sheng Jiao pinched the cigarette butt, grabbed her arm, and viciously ground the still-burning end into her hand.

"Hiss!"

Tong Tong winced in pain. As she struggled, the two girls behind Sheng Jiao immediately stepped forward to hold her down and keep her from moving.

The burning pain shot through her hand. Sheng Jiao seemed unsatisfied, pressing the cigarette onto her skin several times until it went out, then took out a lighter from her bag.

"You worthless slut, today I'll burn your hair off and let everyone see just how pretty you, the beauty of the department, really are!"

Sheng Jiao's eyes gleamed with malice. Initially, the title of beauty of the foreign language department was hers until Tong Tong appeared and made Sheng Jiao's earlier efforts to promote herself all for naught, tarnishing her reputation.

The damp hair was not easily ignited. Instead, Sheng Jiao nearly burned her own hand in the struggle with Tong Tong.

Taking the opportunity, Tong Tong bit the hand of one girl, pushed Sheng Jiao away, and ran out fast.

Sheng Jiao and the others did not catch up. Tong Tong ran desperately to the office and opened the door, finding only the counselor inside.

"Teacher, just now..."

She took a deep breath and told the counselor about what had happened in the restroom.

The counselor looked her up and down with disdain.

"Sheng Jiao is a real young lady. What time would she have to target you? Don't flatter yourself!"

Tong Tong was stunned by the counselor's words, standing there, speechless.

The counselor scoffed, "You, a mistress, still want to smear Sheng Jiao. Our school can't accommodate such malicious people like you!"

"Today, I was just about to look for you. I can't continue teaching a student like you, doing such shameless acts. Going out and saying you're my student is also tarnishing my reputation!"

He grabbed a document and slammed it in front of Tong Tong.

"Sign this withdrawal application right now and get out!"

Tong Tong's eyes hardened as she stared at the words "withdrawal application" for a long time before speaking.

"The school hasn't issued any notice, so why should I withdraw."

The counselor glared, "At such a young age, instead of studying, you resort to being kept. How can the school possibly keep you?!"

Tong Tong kept a poker face. "Without notification, your action of asking me to sign this now is a forced withdrawal."

The counselor wanted Tong Tong to leave, but without the school's directive, so he thought of getting her to voluntarily withdraw.

The counselor intimidated her, "If you leave now, the school can still save you some face. If it comes to forced withdrawal, it won't look good on your record!"

This year was critical for his performance evaluation; he couldn't let the Tong Tong incident affect it.

"You must sign today and get out of our school!"

Tong Tong's voice was as resolute as ever, "I won't sign."

Without concrete evidence, the school wouldn't expel her over these rumors and gossip, which were the counselor's personal actions and had nothing to do with the school.

"Tong Tong, you'll regret this! You worthless tramp, you won't take the out given to you!"

In the midst of the counselor's furious cursing, Tong Tong turned around and left the office.

She was soaked through, walking along the street while passersby looked at her with strange gaze.

Yet Tong Tong didn't react; she walked aimlessly down the street.

She now understood why Sheng Jiao didn't chase after her when she escaped; it was because Sheng Jiao knew, in this school, no one would help her.

She was like a little rabbit that had stumbled into a ferocious primal forest, danger lurking everywhere, and she was alone, an easy target for anyone to easily snap up.

The sky began to rain, with large droplets drumming down, and Tong Tong took shelter under an eave, her gaze momentarily vacant.

She couldn't go back to the Tong Family now, all her money had gone to her grandmother's medical expenses. Where could she go now?

...

The Mu Family.

Xiaoxun was reporting the day's affairs to Mu Jingyan. After finishing, he didn't hear any response from Mu Jingyan.

He stealthily glanced over and saw Mu Jingyan completely engrossed in reading a document.

The document looked familiar. Xiaoxun narrowed his eyes and then realized.

Wasn't this the information about Tong Tong he had sorted out today!

"Mr. Mu, the madam today…"

Before he could finish, a servant rushed in hurriedly.

"Mr. Mu, the madam has returned!"

Tong Tong stood at the grand entrance of the Mu Family, completely drenched by the rain.

As the door opened, what Mu Jingyan saw was such a bedraggled figure.

The girl's clothes were soaked, clinging tightly to her body. Xiaoxun only took one glance then quickly averted his eyes, looking at the sky, the ground, the door—anything but Tong Tong.

Tong Tong looked at Mu Jingyan, her eyes that were once clear and spirited were now dull and cloudy, as if they were about to shatter in the pouring rain.

"Uncle, can you... take me in for a while?"

Truth be told, Tong Tong didn't know whether coming here was right or wrong.

She was actually afraid of Mu Jingyan; after all, this man was too dangerous.

But apart from this place, she had nowhere else to go.

All eyes were on Mu Jingyan, waiting for his answer.

The prolonged silence was unsettling, the man's sharp gaze on her was like a blade, as if he wanted to dissect her to see clearly.

A gust of cold wind blew by, and Tong Tong could no longer hold herself up. Yes, with her current down-and-out appearance, what right did she have to be taken in by Mu Jingyan.

She clenched her coat, ready to leave, when suddenly, a loud boom filled the sky.

The violent thunderclap startled everyone; Tong Tong's legs gave out, and she fell to the ground.

"The wife of the Mu Family is not without refuge."

The man's voice was indifferent, yet in the pounding rain of the night, it provided the lost and bewildered Tong Tong with a pillar of strength.

He had agreed.

With Mu Jingyan's consent, the way people looked at Tong Tong changed.

She was the first woman to make Mu Jingyan agree to let her stay at the Mu residence.

Mu Jingyan turned and walked away. Just as Tong Tong was unsure of what to do, Xiaoxun stepped forward with a friendly smile.

"Madam, follow me."

Xiaoxun led her into the study of the Mu Family, where Mu Jingyan had already entered.

He handed Tong Tong a document, and when she saw it, she was somewhat taken aback.