From Broken Family to Life Winner: A Reborn Mother's Journey

The next day, Tang Yuanxiao was jolted awake by Yu Le’s excited voice.

”Old Tang, Old Tang, wake up! You’re in the newspaper!”

Tang Yuanxiao opened his eyes and slapped Yu Le’s head away. ”Stop messing around.”

”I’m not! Look, you’re really in the paper!”

Yu Le shoved the newspaper in his hands right up to Tang Yuanxiao’s face, nearly poking him in the eye with it.

”Back off a little.” Tang Yuanxiao sat up and looked around. ’I actually just fell asleep here.’

He rubbed his rumbling stomach. ”Just tell me what’s going on.”

Yu Le looked at him as if he’d seen a ghost. ”I always say you’re like a little old man, no fun at all. How can you be so calm about something this huge?”

Yu Le took a deep breath. ”You’re in the newspaper! Not just any paper, but the daily! The whole Imperial City, maybe even the entire country, is going to know about you!”

Seeing that he wasn’t joking, Tang Yuanxiao took the newspaper from him and glanced at it.

”This is me?”

Tang Yuanxiao stared at the paper, stunned for a moment.

”Who else could it be? Even though it’s black and white and a little blurry, anyone who knows you would recognize you in a heartbeat!”

Yu Le pointed at the photo in the paper. ”And not just one, but two pictures! Look at this, the headline, the article—it’s all praising you, praising us.”

”My name isn’t mentioned and there’s no photo of me, but I’m still really happy and proud.”

Yu Le sighed with satisfaction.

Tang Yuanxiao blinked and took a closer look. ”This is a photo from when we rescued that person yesterday, and another of me sleeping here... How did someone take pictures?”

Yu Le shook his head. ”I don’t know. I didn’t notice either.”

Then his eyes widened. ”Wait, this isn’t the time to talk about this. The supervisor is looking for you. You need to go see him, quickly.”

Tang Yuanxiao: ”...And you’re only telling me now?!”

’Yu Le is going to be the death of me!’

Yu Le scratched his head. ”Aiya, I got too excited and forgot. You should buy a few more copies of this paper to bring back. You can save them as a family heirloom!”

Tang Yuanxiao: ”...”

He quickly got out of bed, tidied himself up, and hurried to the supervisor’s office.

The supervisor also had a copy of the newspaper on his desk.

When he saw Tang Yuanxiao, he smiled and said, ”Well done.”

Seeing Tang Yuanxiao’s bewildered expression, he shook his head. ”I should also congratulate you.”

”Thank you, sir. I never expected this...” Tang Yuanxiao was still confused.

”Tell me the details of what happened.”

The incident had occurred yesterday, while Tang Yuanxiao and his team were rushing back.

They were all aware of the news about the Dengue fever outbreak.

The six of them who had gone on the mission together were all worried about their families, Tang Yuanxiao most of all. The group hurried back without stopping.

As they were passing through the Imperial City, they happened to come across an accident.

An elementary school student with an injured leg was in a wheelchair. Craving a treat while his parents were away, he had his younger brother take him out to buy a popsicle. Unfortunately, his brother wasn’t strong enough to control the wheelchair on a downward slope.

The wheelchair shot straight down the ramp and into the road, causing a scene of chaos.

The wheelchair tipped over, and the child was thrown out.

The wheelchair had rushed down without any warning. A passing truck swerved to avoid it and crashed directly into a tree on the roadside.

The screech of brakes and the sound of the collision drew everyone’s attention.

Seeing the truck had narrowly missed the wheelchair, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

But they had relaxed too soon. The impact of the truck hitting the tree was so great that the load of lumber and planks it was carrying shifted and began to slowly slide off.

And right underneath the planks was the terrified, wailing child.

The planks were thick and heavy. The consequences if they fell on the child were unimaginable.

”Look out!”

Amidst the crowd’s panicked shouts, Tang Yuanxiao, who was closest, threw open his car door. Ignoring the injury on his hand, he rushed out and held up the planks.

The planks were too heavy. Under the strain, the already existing wound on Tang Yuanxiao’s hand tore open, instantly becoming a bloody mess.

”Captain Tang!” Yu Le and the others in the car snapped to their senses and scrambled over.

”Get the kid out of here, now!” Tang Yuanxiao roared, his face straining with bulging veins and his forehead instantly beaded with cold sweat from the immense pressure.

”Okay.” Yu Le grabbed the child while the others helped lift the planks.

Working together, they finally rescued the child.

Amidst the truck driver’s profuse gratitude and the thanks of the parents who had rushed to the scene, Tang Yuanxiao’s group didn’t think much of it and quickly got back on the road.

They had no idea that this scene had unfolded right near a newspaper office and was witnessed by a reporter who was just stepping out.

Unbeknownst to Tang Yuanxiao and his team, the sharp-witted reporter had unhesitatingly captured the moment on camera.

He even followed them afterward, intending to interview Tang Yuanxiao. But by the time he caught up, Tang Yuanxiao was getting his wound treated, and then he fell asleep right after.

The reporter had seen what happened and also interviewed bystanders to learn more about Tang Yuanxiao.

Though the reporter couldn’t interview Tang Yuanxiao, he did snap a photo of him sleeping.

Returning that evening, the reporter wrote up the story immediately. Without excessive embellishment, he presented Tang Yuanxiao as the very picture of an admirable and respectable figure.

The report was very well-received, and even the higher-ups heard about it.

The department was thrilled and took the matter very seriously.

Tang Yuanxiao’s luck had turned.

This accidental positive press, combined with his previously completed missions, completely erased the negative impact from his divorce.

Tang Yuanxiao was now eligible for a promotion.

This was the definitive news the supervisor gave Tang Yuanxiao.

Su Li had also heard about it first thing in the morning and had seen the newspaper.

As she read the article, a complex emotion flickered in Su Li’s eyes, followed by a sense of relief.

’Good. This is really good.’

Because of the Dengue fever, Su Li had been staying here for too long. She was now fairly certain she wouldn’t be infected and was ready to leave.

’It’s really good to get this kind of news before I go.’

Thanks to the Dengue fever situation, the attitudes of the other wives in the compound toward Su Li had changed. Having heard the news that morning, they even came to congratulate her.

This continued until Tang Yuanxiao returned from the supervisor’s office.

Although Tang Yuanxiao still had his usual wooden expression, the joy on his face was undeniable.

”Su Li, did you see the newspaper?”

Su Li nodded. ”I saw it.”

Tang Yuanxiao gave a couple of silly grins.

Grandma Cui and Little Tang Mo were also happy and excited, but seeing that Tang Yuanxiao and Su Li seemed to have things to discuss, she tactfully led Little Tang Mo away.

Only Tang Yuanxiao and Su Li were left in the house.

”Su Li, the supervisor just told me. The impact of the divorce can be completely eliminated. It won’t affect my promotion, and he said there should be a result in about a month.”

Tang Yuanxiao took a deep breath. ”You don’t have to worry about this anymore.”

Su Li nodded. ”Mm, congratulations. That’s great.”

Tang Yuanxiao studied Su Li’s expression, then struggled to explain.

”Su Li, that Nurse Yang... there’s really nothing between us. Don’t misunderstand...”

Su Li shook her head, cutting him off. ”I’m not misunderstanding anything.”

After Doctor Yang had been saved from her suicide attempt yesterday, the outcome of her early retirement remained unchanged. Unable to stay any longer, she left the family compound that very night, saying she was returning to her hometown. Yang Xiangyun, worried, had gone to see her off.

It was, as the saying goes, a case of just deserts.

Hearing Su Li say she wasn’t misunderstanding, Tang Yuanxiao breathed a sigh of relief. ”That’s good. Su Li, you’ve worked hard these past few days. Is your hand any better?”

He was asking about the bite wound Mrs. Tang had given her.

Su Li nodded. ”Much better.”

She had come here before her wound had fully healed.

It was inconvenient to take care of Little Tang Mo with a gauze bandage, so once Su Li saw it was starting to scab over, she just wrapped a piece of white medical tape around it.

Su Li lifted her hand.

”Why are you using medical tape...” Tang Yuanxiao started to say, then suddenly froze.

Su Li still had her watch on her wrist, but... the ring he had put on her finger last time was gone.

Tang Yuanxiao stood frozen, looking at Su Li in disbelief.

Sensing his stiffness, Su Li paused before speaking. ”Actually, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Tang Yuanxiao looked into Su Li’s eyes, a bad feeling rising in his heart.