Chapter 1329 - 1201: Conversation

Chapter 1329: Chapter 1201: Conversation

"Godmother, the little sister is here."

Zhou Jiao stood up, holding a little girl in each hand, inconspicuously observing Qi Kejiu, and smilingly said, "Why are you still calling her little sister?"

Yi Tangtang gave a soft smile, "We’re the same age, I’m just over a month older than her."

"Is it Little Jiu?"

Qi Kejiu slightly bowed, "Hello, Aunt Zhou."

"Oh, so well-mannered, come, let’s sit and talk." Zhou Jiao smiled knowingly at this, then quickly asked Aunt Chen who came in to make some food for the children.

Yes, make, not just prepare some food.

Looking at this girl, skinny as a bag of bones, who even knows the etiquette of greeting, it’s likely her appetite is limited, better to make a bowl of noodles.

Her own May 1st was right, children without parents are the most pitiful. Especially orphans relying on others, her concerns won’t be few.

Beside her, Liu Yi tugged at May 1st, "Mom, you chat, we’ll go upstairs first."

May 1st hesitated to say something, looked at Zhou Jiao, then gave Little Jiu a comforting smile, "Stay here at ease, if you have any grievances, tell my mom, she will take care of it for you."

Little Jiu stared at him, then seriously nodded after a moment.

Zhou Jiao watched the child’s departing back thoughtfully, then looked at the upright sitting Little Jiu: this girl’s manners are not like a village girl at all.

Yi Tangtang looked at Little Jiu, gently nudged Zhou Jiao, "Godmother, look at little sister’s hands."

Hands?

Of course, Zhou Jiao had noticed them the moment she walked in.

A pair of hands not at all like a girl’s delicate hands. There were chilblain scars, thick calluses, though it can’t be confirmed if this was because of mistreatment at the Zheng Family.

From just now May 1st’s brief account, if she’s not mistaken, this child had lost her mother before coming to the Zheng Family, so surviving alone in the village needs consideration.

At this moment, she played ignorant, wrinkled her brow slightly, "The Zheng Family doesn’t seem to have hired any maids, right?"

"Yes, godmother, it’s all little sister doing the housework."

Zhou Jiao glared amusingly at Yi Tangtang, seeing her stick her tongue out, she sighed quietly. This Little Jiu girl is not simple, in such a short time, she’s already won over Little Tangtang.

Little Jiu looked at Zhou Jiao, pursed her lips, "That’s not it. Besides going to school alone in the countryside, I had to take care of myself, also worked."

A hint of appreciation flashed in Zhou Jiao’s eyes, she liked honest children, "Didn’t your dad arrange someone to take care of you?"

"He did, an old lady next door, but she has poor eyesight, and there are many people at home. Afraid that my dad would worry, I usually lived at the school."

So it seems she’s still suffered mostly at the Zheng Family, Zhou Jiao understood and nodded, "Any relatives back in the old home?"

The reason for asking about relatives and not family is likely that those relatives only have blood ties, she must prevent trouble for the kid after she leaves the Zheng Family.

Little Jiu gave her an unexpected look, inexplicably understood, immediately relieved, smiled gratefully at Zhou Jiao, "My maternal family is already gone, after my mom had an accident, my dad cut ties with those people in the old home when he came back, the only uncle is from step-grandmother."

Amidst whatever twists and turns, Zhou Jiao could imagine, so she gave Little Jiu a comforting smile, "That’s the best, sometimes blood relations are worse than none."

"Yes, I think so too. So leaving the old home, there’s nothing I’m reluctant about. My dad originally planned to take me away after I graduated junior high."

Toward smart and resilient children, Zhou Jiao always had an extra layer of admiration, "What about the matters with the Zheng Family, how do you plan to handle those?"

"I want to take back my family’s things."

"That’s rightfully yours. What then?" Zhou Jiao didn’t ask if she wouldn’t return after going abroad? Although exchange students have to return, there are countless ways in this world to make all irregularities legitimate. If this clever girl really doesn’t come back, will the country send someone specifically to bring her back?

"I want to rent a small room near the school first, I can take care of myself alone." Little Jiu said, nervously clenching her fists, closing her eyes and then uttering, "Just that after leaving the Zheng Family, I don’t know if the school’s quota will change? I’m a bit scared."

Zhou Jiao couldn’t help but laugh.

This seems like a child; she doesn’t blame the child for wanting to use her, knowing that leaving the Zheng Family might lead to unfair treatment, but not trying her best to hold onto this support, that would be truly foolish beyond redemption.

Little Jiu heard the laughter, immediately opened her eyes wide, "Auntie, you don’t blame me?"

"Oh, blame you for what?" Zhou Jiao looked at her amusingly.

Little Jiu stood up, bowed to her, "Auntie, great kindness is beyond thanks."

Zhou Jiao pulled her to sit down, sighed, "This is originally yours. Besides your excellent grades, being an orphan of a martyr probably added points for you. What’s yours, no matter how much others try, it can’t be taken. I’ll make sure everything follows the normal selection process."

"Godmother, does that mean little sister is going abroad? That’s wonderful."

"Do you want to go abroad as well?"

Yi Tangtang repeatedly shook her head, "I can’t leave, I need to stay with you, and pop up before you often, just in case you stop caring about me."

Zhou Jiao pinched her cheek, "What a little girl, daring to say anything."

"I’m already 18, a big girl now."

"Yes, our Little Tangtang is a big girl now." Zhou Jiao smiled, looked at Little Jiu, "Tonight Little Tangtang will stay with you here, consider it well."

Little Jiu hesitantly looked at her, "Is it appropriate?" Saying this, she bit her lip, "Aunt Zhou, I have already troubled you, I could stay at a guesthouse."

"The guesthouse can’t stop people from the Zheng Family, matters with Zheng Family and you are not so simple. The issue of mistreating a martyr’s orphan could involve many aspects.

What comes next, will it be lenient or strict handling? At that time, someone will ask for your standpoint, and you need to consider all these aspects."

Little Jiu was stunned hearing this, "That serious?"

"Yes, now the initiative is in your hands. Lightly, it’s domestic arguments, just verbal warnings, seriously, positions could be transferred. He has merits, but your dad is a hero."

Actually, Zhou Jiao didn’t say one more thing, once Zhang Guoqing steps in, this matter cannot be light, the people below will only handle it seriously.

That’s why Zhang Guoqing has still not come out of the study, not once had there been a situation where he didn’t repeatedly investigate Zheng Tiejun’s personal circumstances.

In personal matters, emotions can be involved, but in official matters, one is one, two is two, they don’t intend to wrongly accuse a soldier who once made commendations.

Additionally, from the small incident, she also wanted to take this matter to judge well this girl’s manner of dealing with the world.

Regardless of if she’s overthinking this or what?

For her younger son’s sake, she still wanted to keep this girl within eyesight until going abroad. She can allow herself to sympathize with the other, but not her son getting hurt.