I painted an aircraft carrier on the courtyard house for Dongda University.

At this point, Song Dahua suddenly realized that she had misspoke, and quickly covered her mouth, standing there with a pale face and her eyes full of panic.

Although he only said half of what he meant, everyone present was a shrewd person and immediately understood the cause and effect, bursting into laughter.

Someone pointed in the direction of Xu Damao's house and mocked, "Haha, so that's what happened! I was wondering why Old Yi and the deaf old lady, and Xu Damao and Song Dahua suddenly got their marriage certificates. Turns out they tried to scheme against Sha Zhu, but ended up getting themselves into trouble!"

Laughter rose and fell among the crowd, full of mockery and amusement.

Hiding in the back room, Yi Zhonghai heard everything Song Dahua said clearly. He instantly broke down, trembling with rage, his eyes turning red. Pointing towards the door, he cursed incessantly, "That idiot! That moron Song Dahua! She dares to say anything!"

Of all those present, Liu Haizhong was the most perplexing.

Hearing Song Dahua's revelation, he didn't pause at all. He remained silent, walking forward with an empty gaze, as if the earth-shattering revelation had nothing to do with him.

Liu Haizhong was filled with mixed feelings, like a bottle of spice had been overturned, with sour, bitter, and astringent flavors mingling together, making it hard for him to breathe.

He walked forward mechanically, his mind constantly questioning himself: Am I really such a failure? Am I really the trash his second son called me? His eldest son donated the whole family's wealth and ran away; his second son sees him as an irreconcilable enemy and shows no mercy; his third son was just seriously injured by a brick he threw in a moment of loss of control, and his life hangs in the balance.

With a family like this and with myself like this, it seems I'm really not qualified to talk about any ambitions of becoming an official, or even to be a qualified father.

At this moment, his lifelong obsession with becoming an official, like a flame extinguished by cold water, gradually died out in his heart, replaced by overwhelming self-denial.

He even absurdly considered suicide. Living like this was more agonizing than being forced into labor on a farm. He had lost his family, his dignity, and even his last remaining hope had become a joke.

Just as this despairing thought was spreading, he suddenly caught a glimpse of the direction of the central courtyard out of the corner of his eye. Zhang Cuilan was standing by the moon gate, holding the child, quietly looking at him.

Her gaze was indifferent, devoid of mockery or pity, yet it struck Liu Haizhong like a thunderbolt.

He shuddered violently, his steps halting abruptly. The pent-up grievances, guilt, and confusion in his heart finally burst forth upon seeing this scene, and tears welled up unexpectedly, streaming down his cheeks.

He didn't even bother wiping away his tears, abandoning all distracting thoughts, and strode quickly toward Zhang Cuilan, as if grasping at the last straw.

As he approached, his gaze was fixed on the child in Zhang Cuilan's arms. He was somewhat dazed. The child's expression was so similar to that of his eldest son, Liu Guangqi, when he was a child. The same chubby face and the same curved eyebrows instantly touched the softest corner of his heart.

Just as he was lost in memories and doubts, Zhang Cuilan spoke first, her voice calm and gentle, breaking the silence between them: "Would you like to come inside and talk?"

Liu Haizhong was taken aback at first, clearly not expecting her to take the initiative to invite him. He then realized what was happening and nodded vigorously, his eyes filled with eagerness and trepidation.

Zhang Cuilan said no more, turned and walked into the house. The child in her arms slept soundly, undisturbed by the outside world.

Liu Haizhong followed closely behind, his steps hesitant yet firm.

With a creak, Zhang Cuilan gently closed the door, shutting out all the noise, discussions, and curiosity outside.

This caused an uproar among the crowd outside the door. They gathered around the door of the Yi family's house, their faces filled with disbelief, and began to discuss the matter animatedly.

"My God! This old lady actually let Old Liu into the house?"

Yan Fugui stroked his chin, his eyes filled with certainty. His earlier guess was now even stronger. "It seems I was right. There's definitely something going on here. That child might really be..."

With a creak, the door slammed shut, and the room fell silent instantly.

Zhang Cuilan turned around, her gaze fixed directly on Liu Haizhong without any hesitation or concealment. Her tone was calm yet carried an undeniable certainty as she said, "This child is yours. Old Yi is a cripple; you should have guessed that."

These words struck Liu Haizhong's heart like a heavy hammer.

He froze, his face instantly contorted with guilt and panic, as if he had committed a grave mistake. He stammered, "Cuilan, that...that day...I didn't mean to, I don't know why..." He wanted to explain the chaos of the moment, but he didn't know where to begin, his heart filled with helplessness.

Zhang Cuilan didn't let Liu Haizhong finish speaking; she raised her hand and gently waved it, interrupting his explanation.

"I know."

Her tone was flat, devoid of emotion. "That day must have been because we took the old deaf man's medicine, that's why things were like that."

After saying that, a faint, cold smile appeared on her lips, and a hint of coldness flashed in her eyes.

Looking at her cold profile, Liu Haizhong couldn't help but shiver.

He had known Zhang Cuilan for so many years, and she had always been gentle, patient, and considerate of the bigger picture. He had never seen such a cold and distant expression on her face before, which made him feel uneasy.

"Cui, Cuilan, what's wrong? You seem like a stranger to me."

He asked tentatively, his voice full of trepidation.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Cuilan's gaze shifted to the child in her arms, instantly shedding all her coldness and revealing a gentle smile in her eyes. She raised her hand to gently stroke the child's soft hair, and when her gaze returned to Liu Haizhong, she regained her composure: "Last time, Old Deaf Man and Yi Zhonghai were plotting against Sha Zhu, and we became scapegoats. This time, Qin Huairu is plotting against Sha Zhu, and Yi Zhonghai, Old Deaf Man, Xu Damao, and Song Dahua have all suffered."

She paused, her tone tinged with a mixture of relief and sarcasm, "Truly, what goes around comes around; no one escapes the judgment of Heaven."

Liu Haizhong was increasingly confused, looking at the woman before him with a blank expression, his brows furrowed tightly: "Cuilan, what's wrong with you? You seem like a completely different person!"

In his memory, Zhang Cuilan would never say such hostile words, much less look at the disputes in the courtyard with such indifference.

Zhang Cuilan gently shook her head, not answering his question. She then changed the subject, her tone becoming serious: "Old Liu, I'm asking you, do you acknowledge this child?"

Her gaze was fixed on Liu Haizhong, with a hint of barely perceptible tension; this was what she truly cared about.

Without a second thought, Liu Haizhong nodded vigorously, his eyes filled with urgency and determination: "I acknowledge him! Of course I acknowledge him! He's my child, how could I not!"

Seeing his resolute attitude, Zhang Cuilan nodded slightly, her heart easing a little: "It's good that you admit it."

She spoke solemnly, enunciating each word clearly, "I need your help now. I don't care about anything else, but this child is my life, and I absolutely cannot let anything happen to him. The old deaf woman definitely knows about us, and if she tells Yi Zhonghai, given his temperament, the child will surely die. So I need your help. Are you willing?"

P.S.: Please urge me to update more and give me good reviews. Thank you!