“Song Zhiqiang, you were that adulterer back then, weren’t you? You slept with my perfectly good unmarried daughter for free and refused to take responsibility, leaving her to bear a child out of wedlock. The villagers cursed her so viciously. Don’t act like you don’t know—you lived in the village before too. Look at you now, doing well for yourself in the city. Didn’t you steal someone else’s factory position to get where you are? Don’t you feel guilty? And your mother—back then she looked down on my girl and refused to let her marry into your family. Now after more than ten years, she suddenly approves?”
Everyone thought the old lady had finished exposing secrets, but no one expected the groom himself to be involved too. So neither the bride nor groom at today’s wedding banquet were decent people.
“Mother, what adulterer? What child out of wedlock? Stop talking nonsense. And my job was willingly given to me by my elder brother. Mother, today is mine and Su Ya’s wedding. You’re welcome to stay and drink at the banquet, but we’ll discuss everything else after the wedding when we go home.” Song Zhiqiang said with a livid face, suppressing his anger.
Of course Song Zhiqiang knew everything Old Madam Su said was true. The job issue aside, if the matter between him and Su Ya spread, everything would be over.
If he was not the adulterer, then Su Ya’s reputation for bearing a child out of wedlock and fooling around with men would be set in stone. People always said he had high standards, yet after searching for so long he ended up with such a promiscuous woman?
But if it was confirmed to be him and Su Ya, then it meant he refused responsibility while Su Ya bore his child and later married into the Lin family, even making the Lin family raise his daughter. Though only Lin Zhitang remained of the Lin family, a瘦死的骆驼比马大—a fallen giant was still greater than a horse.
“Yes, Mother. Brother Qiang is right. Come, sit down and eat first. Enjoy yourselves. Later I’ll book rooms for you at the guesthouse. Since you’ve already come, stay for a few days before heading back.” In order to placate Old Madam Su, Su Ya had no choice but to spend money to silence her.
Old Madam Song had already reluctantly accepted Su Ya as her daughter-in-law. Since entering the family, Su Ya had behaved obediently enough. Since her son liked her, she didn’t want to play the villain as long as her authority as mother-in-law remained intact.
She had already been unhappy that Old Madam Su’s family arrived uninvited, but now the woman had no restraint at all, blurting out every secret she knew.
Old Madam Song herself was a stepmother who had suppressed the children born to the first wife after marrying into the family. Back then, Song family’s eldest son had once saved someone by chance and was rewarded with a factory job, yet in the end it was Song Zhiqiang who entered the city. What happened in between was obvious without explanation.
Back then Song Zhiqiang had taken Elder Brother Song’s machine factory position, and later got fired for theft. Two years ago he bribed his way into the Revolutionary Committee.
People could insult Su Ya if they wanted, but not her son. She might have done those things herself, but how could outsiders be allowed to say them?
Old Madam Song finally exploded, cursing back at Old Madam Su. “You old hag, what nonsense are you spouting? What, you came here today just to stir up trouble? You won’t even give your own daughter face? If that’s the case, take her back! Our Song family isn’t lacking daughters-in-law. What adulterer? What child out of wedlock? What rubbish are you talking about? If you don’t know how to speak properly, shut your filthy mouth!”
“You’re the old hag! Which word I said was false? There are witnesses to all of it! Everyone in the village knew your son and Su Ya were dating. There was even a midwife there when she gave birth to that bastard child!”
The two old women argued endlessly, and it took great effort to separate them.
“Su Ya, where’s that bastard child? Didn’t you bring her with you?” Even after being restrained, Old Madam Su’s fighting spirit remained overwhelming.
“Mother, what bastard child? Can you stop talking already?!” Su Ya’s voice changed from anger.
“Mother!” Song Zhiqiang’s fury also reached its peak.
Everyone’s eyes swept between Su Ya and Song Zhiqiang before landing on Su Yun. Wasn’t she the adopted daughter brought into the Lin family?
Old Madam Su noticed everyone staring at Su Yun. She turned to size her up from head to toe and said, “Oh my, you look just like your mother. City life sure is different, huh? What, won’t even greet your elders? If I hadn’t raised you for a few years, would you have been able to enjoy city life? You look just like your mother—both ungrateful girls.”
“I’m not some bastard child! I’m the Lin family’s adopted daughter! Old hag, you know nothing, so what nonsense are you talking about? Shut your filthy mouth!” Hearing the old woman call her a bastard over and over again, Su Yun’s anger exploded and she cursed loudly.
During all these years living in the Lin family, Su Yun had deliberately tried to forget the memories of growing up hungry, poorly clothed, and frequently beaten. But the sudden appearance of the Su family brought those deeply buried memories rushing back.
“Old Madam, I’m Su Yun’s husband. Su Yun is the Lin family’s adopted daughter. Stop slandering people here.” Wu Jianguo also angrily refuted her. After all, he had valued Su Yun because of her status as the Lin family’s adopted daughter. If she was an illegitimate daughter instead, that changed everything.
One shocking revelation after another came pouring out, and neither Su Ya nor Song Zhiqiang could stop it.
To prevent Old Madam Su from saying anything even more outrageous, Old Madam Song directly covered her mouth by force.
But by then, Old Madam Su had already said enough to leave everyone utterly stunned.
All eyes gradually turned toward Lin Zhitang.
Lin Zhitang’s eyes were red, her face full of disbelief. Looking as though she could barely stand, she staggered toward Su Ya. “Mother… is she really my grandmother? Is everything she said true? You and Uncle Song already knew each other before marriage? Sister Su Yun is the child you had before marriage? You really deceived Father… and deceived me too?”
Su Ya instinctively denied it. “Of course it’s not true. She’s talking nonsense.”
“How could it be false? I’m her real mother! If there was nothing wrong with her, why would I say these things to harm her? Go ask anyone in the village—they can all testify. Back then Su Ya and that bastard Song Zhiqiang were just like in those opera stories, deeply in love. It’s all because that old woman from the Song family refused to let Su Ya marry into the family!” Old Madam Su immediately refuted her.
The Song family relatives also remembered that such a thing had indeed happened. Su Ya and Song Zhiqiang had only one thought in their minds now:
It’s over.
Seeing Su Ya unable to refute it, Lin Zhitang looked at her in disappointment. “Mother, how could you deceive Father and me like this? Back then you were the one who said you wanted to adopt a child so I’d have someone to play and grow up with. Father trusted you completely and agreed without the slightest suspicion. I was so happy to have an older sister. All these years, the life she lived in the Lin family was no worse than mine. How could you bear to deceive us?”
“No wonder… you never really liked me much when I was young, yet suddenly wanted to adopt a child to accompany me. So it was all planned from the beginning. You said her background was pitiful and told me to give in to her more and favor her. I accepted all of it. But I never imagined it wasn’t because of me—you just felt sorry for your lover’s daughter suffering.”
“Not true, I didn’t…” Su Ya stammered.
“Mom, I really am your biological daughter? I’m the child you had with this man? Didn’t you tell me I was sold to the Su family as a child bride and you adopted me out of pity?” Su Yun asked Su Ya blankly.
“Yes—no—that’s not what I meant. You are adopted. What she said obviously isn’t true!” Su Ya hurriedly denied it.
“That’s right. But now that your mother and I are married, I’ll treat you as my own daughter.” Song Zhiqiang didn’t mind gaining another daughter, but he absolutely could not admit the truth.
“That’s right. I’m adopted. I was sold. I’m the Lin family’s adopted daughter…” Su Yun muttered, as though convincing others, yet also trying to convince herself.
She would rather be a sold orphan adopted by the Lin family than be Su Ya’s illegitimate daughter—especially the daughter Su Ya had with her second husband.
“How could Su Yun be an illegitimate daughter? She’s the Lin family’s adopted daughter!” Wu Jianguo’s face no longer carried the smugness from earlier. If Su Yun’s true identity was that of an illegitimate child, then all his previous pride became nothing more than stupidity.
Although Lu Ming’an could tell Lin Zhitang was mostly acting, his heart still ached for her.
In his eyes, Lin Zhitang was a delicate young girl who deserved to be cherished and protected. He hoped she would never suffer harm—whether physically or emotionally.
Lin Zhitang wiped the tears from her face twice with her hand and pretended to be strong as she said firmly:
“Mother, since marrying Uncle Song is clearly your long-cherished wish come true, then let everyone present today bear witness. From this day onward, you—and Su Yun as well—will have no further connection with the Lin family. I won’t forget the kindness of giving birth to me. Rest assured, if you ever need anything, I’ll do my best to repay you.”
After speaking, Lin Zhitang burst into tears and ran out.
Lu Ming’an immediately chased after her.
The spectacle left everyone at the banquet sighing in shock.
Su Ya and Song Zhiqiang had truly treated the Lin family like fools.
Some people sympathized, while others gloated.
Lin Chennian had been an extremely intelligent man. If not for his poor health dragging him down, he surely would have achieved great things.
Unfortunately, even heroes could not escape the snare of beauty. In the end, he had been deceived by the woman beside his pillow and even helped raise his wife’s illegitimate daughter.