Mr. Yan, wake up! Your wife isn't a delicate little flower.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Although Susu isn't my biological child, she's always been so well-behaved..."

Qin Jian raised his voice, subconsciously refuting the argument, and also wanting to give a lecture.

"That's fine."

Cheng Xihe found a sofa armrest and sat down, crossing her arms: "I'm a little tired, sit down and talk to me."

"Cheng Xihe, you!"

Zhang Zhiyue intended to ignore it, but she inadvertently met Cheng Xihe's cold gaze.

She stood up, shook off Qin Ruosu, and pulled Qin Jian aside, saying, "Old Qin, don't stand there angry. Sit down and let's talk."

Qin Jian sat down angrily.

Qin Ruosu, sitting on the sofa, glanced at Cheng Xihe.

Hmph, she's dead meat!

Cheng Xihe spoke calmly, glancing at Qin Ruosu before finally fixing his gaze on Qin Jian:

"Qin Jian, instead of getting angry at me here, why don't you ask your sweet girl why I hit her?"

"No matter the reason, you shouldn't have hit your sister! Do you know how much you've hurt her?" Qin Jian looked angrily at Cheng Xihe.

In his view, Cheng Xihe taking the initiative to speak was tantamount to admitting guilt, and he must feel guilty.

She said my mom was a mistress.

Cheng Xihe interrupted him, speaking slowly and clearly, "She told people that my mother seduced you, drugged you, and that's how I came to be. I'm your illegitimate daughter."

"Are you insulting me because you think so too?"

The living room fell silent instantly. Zhang Zhiyue wished she could leave immediately, but her daughter held her firmly in her arms.

Sure enough, as soon as Cheng Xihe finished speaking, Qin Ruosu unconsciously tightened her grip on Zhang Zhiyue's arm.

Before Qin Jian could speak, Cheng Xihe snorted coldly, "Qin Jian, don't forget how you started your company. You were the one who begged to marry my mother."

The once arrogant Qin Jian suddenly fell silent, as if all his strength had been drained away.

For example, if she really said those things, then it wouldn't be surprising at all that she got beaten up.

"Really?" Qin Jian glanced at Qin Ruosu subconsciously, staring at her with wide eyes.

How could Qin Ruosu possibly admit to something like this?

She retorted sharply, "You, Cheng Xihe, you're talking nonsense! You'll come up with any excuse just to hit me!"

"Yeah?"

Cheng Xihe didn't look at her, but stared at Qin Jian instead: "The culprit who cursed me online is someone from Qin Ruosu's dormitory."

I've already sent her to the police station and she's in jail. I wonder what will happen if she reveals who's behind it all...

"You, you!" Qin Ruosu's eyes widened as she cried out, "I really didn't say that! I didn't know she would do that..."

Cheng Xihe looked at Qin Jian teasingly: "Why aren't you saying anything, Father?"

The brief use of the word "father" carries a strong sense of sarcasm.

"Or does Father think it's okay to say such things casually? I wonder if my poor mother will come looking for you in the middle of the night."

Qin Jian's lips trembled uncontrollably: "You, you... stop talking."

His eyes were filled with complex emotions.

Even though he disliked Cheng Xihe, his daughter, and Qin Shengxia, he and his ex-wife had genuinely loved each other.

Cheng Xihe looked at Qin Jian calmly.

His eyes were filled with anger, embarrassment, awkwardness, and a hint of dishevelment he couldn't hide.

What's so embarrassing about it?

Could it be that I really did something to betray my mother?

Cheng Xihe narrowed his eyes slightly.

After a long silence, Qin Jian murmured to himself, "Su Su is someone I watched grow up. She has always been gentle and kind. She would never do such a thing."

She always respected your mother. Every year when she visited your grave, she was very devout and would never...

Qin Jian didn't want to listen to what Cheng Xihe was saying at all, and was still defending Qin Ruosu, seemingly convinced that Qin Ruosu was a well-behaved girl who wouldn't do anything out of line.

"You respect me so much that you spread all sorts of rumors at school? Saying I'm your illegitimate daughter, saying Xiaxia is your adopted daughter, that neither of us are your biological children."

She's the only one, she's the high and mighty heiress of the Qin family, we're all just ants, huh?

"I didn't!" Qin Ruosu weakly retorted.

Cheng Xihe laughed in exasperation: "No? What did your classmates say? Should I call them over and ask them?"

"Qin Ruosu, what are you pretending for?"

After cursing Qin Ruosu, and seeing the other woman's eyes turn red, Cheng Xihe looked at Zhang Zhiyue and said, "Aunt Zhang, is this the good daughter you raised? Upbringing? I haven't seen any of it in her."

"Xihe..." Zhang Zhiyue opened her mouth, but didn't dare to say anything more.

She had already seen those words that day.

These educated children are sharp-tongued and say hurtful things.

She dared not speak up for Qin Ruosu.

"Cheng Xihe, that's enough!"

Qin Jian remained silent for a while, then regained his composure and shouted Cheng Xihe's name.

But when he met Cheng Xihe's cold eyes, he deflated: "Even if, even if..."

"Um?"

"Xihe, even if Susu said something she shouldn't have, you should have come back and told me instead of taking action directly." Qin Jian's voice grew softer and softer as he spoke, as if he had lost his confidence.

"Are you telling me about this favoritism?"

Cheng Xihe laughed, his tone full of sarcasm, "I don't know how you'll handle this?"

It's nothing more than scolding her a few times and making her apologize; it won't cause any real harm.

It's more likely that he felt sorry for her when he saw her cry, and without even asking what happened, he called me back, and started yelling at me as soon as we met.

You are truly remarkable, Your Honor!

She stood up, took two steps toward Qin Ruosu, and looked down at her.

"Mom, Mommy..." Qin Ruosu panicked and tried to grab Zhang Zhiyue, but the latter walked away first, leaving her empty-handed.

Qin Ruosu looked panicked: "Xi, Xihe, what are you going to do?"

"My mother is gone, and no one protects her anymore, not even her husband cares, so I protect her."

Standing in front of Qin Ruosu, Cheng Xihe bent down and gently patted her face, saying slowly and deliberately, "Whoever insults her, I'll hit them. Is there a problem? Hmm?"

"No, no problem..."

Qin Ruosu instinctively replied, then exclaimed in horror, "I really didn't insult your mother, really, Xihe, please let me explain!"

"I tried to persuade Qiqi not to talk nonsense, but she wouldn't listen and insisted on doing it."

Cheng Xihe chuckled: "Was it her idea to have someone beat me up?"

"You, didn't you fight back too?"

Shrinking back, Qin Ruosu had nowhere to retreat and could only look awkwardly at Cheng Xihe.

"Snapped!"

With a light laugh, Cheng Xihe slapped Qin Ruosu across the face she hadn't covered.

"what!"

Qin Ruosu screamed, her eyes wide with horror as she looked at Cheng Xihe: "Dad, you saw it! She hit me! She really hit me!"

"Yes, I did slap you." Cheng Xihe raised his hand: "I can slap you again if I want."

"No!" Qin Ruosu quickly covered her cheeks.

Cheng Xihe rolled her eyes: "Boring."

Ignoring the tearful Qin Ruosu, she coldly looked at Qin Jian: "Qin Jian, you'd better keep an eye on Qin Ruosu, otherwise..."

There was no need to finish the sentence; Qin Jian would figure it out himself.

She turned around, ready to leave.

"where you go?"

Qin Jian yelled from behind her, "You're all home, why are you going out again?"

Standing beside the cabinet, Cheng Xihe's face looked frightening under the light: "What does it matter to you whether I live here or not?"

If you continue to lecture me, don't blame me for being impolite.

Her fists had been itching for a long time.

If Qin Jian dares to say something, she wouldn't mind giving him a little lesson.

For example, breaking a few bones or something.

Remembering how he was beaten black and blue last time, even Qin Jian only dared to tremble and remained silent.

That brat doesn't care whether he's her father or not; she'll only kill him.

"Is there anything else?" Cheng Xihe glanced at the three people in the living room, his gaze lightly sweeping over Qin Yebai, who was hiding in the corner.

Qin Yebai quickly curled himself up, not daring to move an inch.

It seems the Great Demon King saw it.

Turning her gaze away, Cheng Xihe sneered, "In that case, I'll take my leave."

Cheng Xihe turned and left, leaving only Qin Ruosu's suppressed sobs in the living room.

After all, he had just been slapped again.

Cheng Xihe used a lot of force, almost knocking out her teeth: "Dad..."

She looked at Qin Jian with a wronged expression.

Qin Jian stood there stunned for a moment before saying, "Su Su, I'm telling you, you should stay away from Xi He. You can't beat her."

He can't beat him!

"Dad, I really didn't. Why don't you believe me? I'm really not that kind of person."

Qin Ruosu felt very wronged.

Seeing this, Qin Jian said helplessly, "Alright, alright, stop crying. Dad will give you some money. Go buy something you like."

"dad!"

Qin Ruosu was so angry she almost cried.

She hadn't expected Qin Jian to let Cheng Xihe go so easily.

She wasn't punished at all; in fact, she was beaten herself.

"Alright, alright."

Qin Ruosu and Qin Jian started arguing.

Seeing this, Zhang Zhiyue quickly slipped away.

As long as Cheng Xihe's anger didn't reach her today, that's fine.

As for husband and children?

She should think twice. She's a beautiful and wealthy woman; she doesn't need to get involved in these things.

Passing the cabinet, Zhang Zhiyue took two steps back. "Qin Yebai, what are you doing hiding here?"

"mom!"

Qin Yebai crawled out from below: "It's nothing!"

After saying that, he slipped away as fast as he could.

Outside the door, Cheng Xihe stood in the breeze for a while before walking to the doorway.

Car lights came on in the distance, and Bai Ce drove up to the gate, rolling down the window: "Boss."

"Hmm." After getting into the car, she held out her hand to him: "Do you have a cigarette? Give me one."

"have."

"Clatter".

Cheng Xihe lit a cigarette, opened the car window, placed his hand on the window sill, but hesitated to smoke it.

The smoke drifted away gently in the wind...