Chapter 77 – Getting Justice 1

Zhuo Deben looked at his cowardly, indecisive, and soft-eared son-in-law, who hadn’t changed at all over the years, and his heart burned with anger. Back then, when his daughter was seriously ill, he had run off to fool around and found some nondescript woman who even got pregnant. His wife was gravely ill; how could they possibly keep such a child? But he just had to be soft-hearted at that moment and insisted on keeping the child. What a huge blow that was to his daughter. Filled with resentment and regret for her son, she passed away just like that. His heart had lost all hope. He had never wanted to see this spineless man again in his life, but now his grandson had also stumbled here. This time, he had to protect his grandson properly!

“My purpose in coming here today is simple. Since you can’t distinguish who is more important in this family, I’ll sort it out for you,” Grandfather said, tapping his cane. The faces of the standing people were all grim, but they couldn’t act out against this old man.

“My daughter, born into a scholarly family, had so many proper families wanting to marry her back then. Yet, she chose to be with you. May I ask, did I ever ask my daughter to abort the child in her womb and divorce you?” Grandfather mercilessly reopened old wounds from the past.

Father Xiao couldn’t utter a single word, only burying his head lower.

“Now, Fangfang has married Xiangnan, and you have objections, saying the social standing is too high. Heh, do you think your Xiao Family is more presentable than the Yan Family?” As soon as these words were spoken, Yan Yunyang’s expression clearly soured. His father was already showing signs of reconciling with him. If this father-in-law of his dared to look down on the Yan Family…

“No, Dad, that’s not what I meant!” With the person from the Yan Family present, Father Xiao was in a panic. “I mean, social standing isn’t the key. It’s just… it’s just… the Fei Family,” Father Xiao’s gaze drifted to Fei Xiangnan, and he began to stammer, wanting to say something but ultimately closing his mouth. He couldn’t afford to offend either side. Both of his sons-in-law could crush him into the ground. He didn’t know whether to be happy or angry.

“Hmph!” Grandfather snorted coldly. He knew what Father Xiao was going to say. “I don’t care what’s going on in your family. I approve of Xiangnan. He’s not unreliable like you. My eyesight was poor back then, and I foolishly married my daughter to you. Now, after twenty-some years, this old man’s judgment has improved. I won’t be so foolish again!” Grandfather’s words were self-deprecating and endlessly sarcastic towards his son-in-law.

“Look at yourself. Your son is five or six months pregnant, and you actually suggest he get an abortion! Is that how you act as a father?! Now that my great-grandson is born, if he knew his own grandfather did something like that, do you think his heart wouldn’t grow cold? Your first grandson, hmph, you’ve alienated him with your own actions!”

Hearing this, Father Xiao looked up in surprise, his eyes involuntarily turning to Xiao Fang. But… at the time, it wasn’t just a suggestion, it was… he had wanted him to abort it directly. Had Xiao Fang hidden this?

At that moment, Father Xiao’s gaze met Xiao Fang’s. Xiao Fang’s eyes contained many things, but the one thing that couldn’t be seen was any closeness to this father of his. It was like looking at… a creditor. Alarm bells rang loudly in Father Xiao’s mind. Why? Why had it become like this? His son used to hold his hand and act spoiled. Now, why was it like this?

Father Xiao looked on in disbelief, wanting to confirm something, but Xiao Fang averted his eyes and refused to look at him.

Father Xiao was struck as if by a heavy blow and didn’t react for a moment. He suddenly realized what a foolish thing he had done.

This was where President Fei stepped in. Although Fei Xiangnan wanted to use a more brutal method to vent Xiao Fang’s anger, he also understood Xiao Fang’s concerns. When it was time for a gentle verbal assault, he had to endure.

“Uncle, please allow me to call you only that. You’ve probably experienced what kind of person I, Fei Xiangnan, am in the business world. I don’t care what others think, but those who know me know that when I decide on something, I will see it through, and that includes loving Xiao Fang well. I’m a man of my word. You didn’t show any intention of discussing it with us, but tyrannically demanded this child be aborted, all while insisting to Xiao Fang that he didn’t understand your difficulties. Was it really for his own good, or was it selfishness?

“Did you ever really consider Xiao Fang’s thoughts? Did you ever try to trust Xiao Fang? The father he had trusted for so many years, in the end, wanted to kill the flesh and blood in his belly. This child is so precious to Xiao Fang, and it was my hope for a family. Yet it was almost gone because of your ‘suggestion.’ Heh, towards you, Uncle, I’ve probably shown the best temper I have, aside from what I show Xiao Fang. Don’t you think?” Fei Xiangnan said, his words laced with barbs. By the end of his speech, Father Xiao’s face had turned ashen.

Xiao Fang knew that Fei Xiangnan had been holding back his anger. He took President Fei’s hand and quietly urged him to calm down. Fei Xiangnan squeezed his hand back. This was a past neither of them wanted to bring up. Fortunately, they had gritted their teeth and made it through.

Grandfather didn’t say anything more about Fei Xiangnan’s threat. He had already harmed the man’s child, what more could be said? When it came to his great-grandson, he was much more important than this scoundrel son-in-law. If anything happened to him, Fei Xiangnan wouldn’t even need to act; he would be the first to come over with his cane and beat someone.

“Hmph, you do things uncleanly yourself, yet you use a set of standards to demand of others. It would be fine if you weren’t blind, but you can’t even find your way when the sun is brightest and just make assumptions about others. What reason, what authority do you think you have now to lecture Xiao Fang? I think you need to be remade from scratch! You believe anyone’s words. Your son’s life isn’t as important as your face. Five months! If he had really gone, and there had been an accident, could you face your deceased wife, my daughter? Or did you just want Xiao Fang to die long ago, so he wouldn’t interfere with you bonding with your younger son?”

Grandfather’s face was flushed as he said these words, and his scolding jolted Father Xiao awake. What was wrong with him? Had he reached the point where he didn’t even want his son’s life anymore?

Father Xiao looked at Xiao Fang in a panic. Xiao Fang averted his gaze. The harm Father Xiao had done to him could no longer be resolved with a simple apology or a pleading look.

“Dad was just trying to do what’s best for Xiao Fang. The Fei family… if Xiao Fang accidentally offends them one day, how could the Xiao family protect him?! And, you probably don’t know that Dad fainted from anger that day! Xiao Fang explicitly said he wanted to sever ties with Dad!” Xiao Qi stood up at this moment, his eyes red as he spoke. Why? Why was it all their fault now? Just because he was an illegitimate son? Just because his father had an affair and had him? So the legitimate side could just condemn them without reason? He was no longer the powerless Xiao Qi of the past. He had the right to speak up now!

Fei Xiangnan raised his eyes and glanced at Xiao Qi, his gaze filled with warning. It wasn’t even a warning anymore, just a reminder. He held something in his hand that could be fatal to him and asked, Are you sure?

Xiao Qi stumbled. If Yan Yunyang hadn’t been behind him to support him, he might have fallen. In front of this man, he didn’t even have the ability to struggle. What was even more ridiculous was that a year ago, this man had clearly been in love with him.

Grandfather’s face darkened, and he slowly said, “Fangfang, did you really say that?”

Xiao Fang never concealed his decisions. After all, to say something was to take responsibility for it. “Grandpa, I said it.”

A flicker of joy appeared in Xiao Qi’s heart. He hadn’t expected him to admit it so readily. Now, let’s see what else they had to say. However, things didn’t happen as Xiao Qi had imagined. Instead…

“That’s perfect. Since your father can’t stand the sight of you or this child, then let’s just sever ties. Our Zhuo family will henceforth cut off all relations with your Xiao family. My daughter’s memorial tablet will also be rewritten, and when we two old things pass away, my daughter’s grave will be moved with us!” It turned out Grandfather wasn’t here to question him, but to confirm. Severing ties with the Xiao family had always been something he wanted to do.

This terrified Father Xiao. He immediately rushed forward and knelt down without a second thought. “Dad, Dad, don’t do this. I’ve been atoning for my sins all these years! I was foolish back then, but she’s the only memorial tablet I have left. I’ll agree to anything you say, just not Zhuo Zhi, not Zhuo Zhi!”

This had been Father Xiao’s long-standing affliction. He was indecisive and soft-eared, but he truly had some genuine feelings for his wife. It was just that he had been muddle-headed in his youth and had done such a terrible thing!

There was no trace of nostalgia in Grandfather’s eyes, only an incomparably disappointed tone as he said, “You think of Zhuo Zhi in your heart, but why didn’t you think of her son? When the illegitimate son came to snitch, and you heard there was a child, your first instinct was to abort it. Is this your atonement? When you were starting your business, who was by your side? When you faced a financial crisis, who comforted you, who sold her dowry to support you? Was all that not as good as that woman from outside? Is this your atonement?”

Father Xiao knelt on the ground in silence, regret shackling him like a vise.

After saying this, there was still one more person. When his stern gaze fell on Xiao Qi, Xiao Qi couldn’t help but shiver. “Logically speaking, we should have a grudge, don’t you think?”

Xiao Qi’s lips moved, but he couldn’t get a single word out. Yan Yunyang, listening on the side, grew more and more confused. He felt like he understood something, yet he was also a bit lost. The Xiao family’s affairs seemed more complicated than he had thought.

“But, this old man also understands in his heart that the grievances of the previous generation should not be borne by you, a child. All these years, Father Xiao has doted on you, and we have never raised any objections or come to make trouble. Perhaps Fangfang bullied you in the past, but has your father ever failed to get justice for you? Later on, when you brothers fought and competed, this old man never helped either side. But you should never have set your sights on Xiao Fang’s belly. Knowing that his father is soft-eared, you still went and did it. Has the hatred between you really reached this point? Or was Xiao Fang also planning to harm your child, so you had to strike first?”

Upon hearing this, Yan Yunyang’s eyes widened. Xiao Qi did this? So this whole scene today was instigated by Xiao Qi? Impossible. He had always thought he was a hardworking person, trying to climb out of the mud, but he never thought he would step on someone else to do it. So ruthless, almost gambling with a life!

“No, I was… for the sake of the Xiao family, I…” Xiao Qi felt like he was being forced into a corner, breaking down again and again. He thought he had welcomed the light, but he didn’t expect the light to have already left him. He subconsciously looked at Yan Yunyang and actually read disappointment in his eyes. The person he loved most was disappointed in him?

He looked somewhat ridiculously at the people in the living room. So in the end, it was all his fault?

Xiao Qi stumbled back two more steps, but this time, no one came to support him.

“My fault? It’s all my fault? Huh? Did I choose to be this illegitimate son? Did I choose this family? Was being weak as a child a reason for my brother to bully me? In university, he competed with me for popularity, for roles, and mocked me? My fault?” Xiao Qi roared as if he had gone mad. He felt like he had never been so free, so free to speak his mind. Look at their faces, so disgusting, so sanctimonious! As if he were the villain!

“He relied on money to get roles. No matter how many times he failed, he had Dad to clean up the mess behind him. What about me? I could only rely on myself! I’ve been an extra all over the place, wearing a cotton-padded jacket in the summer and passing out from heatstroke, soaking in cold water in the winter and still having to laugh. Me! How hard have I worked to get to where I am today? I’m a person! Why can’t you all just treat me like one?”

Seeing Xiao Qi’s almost crazed state, the pity in Yan Yunyang’s heart began to sprout again. That’s right, what was wrong with him? Xiao Qi grew up in such an unfair environment, was he going to abandon him too? What was he thinking? With a brother like that, being bullied like that, how big of a deal could snitching be?

“Xiao Qi, let’s go. So what if we don’t come home? When has this home ever had a place for you?” Yan Yunyang took Xiao Qi’s hand and was about to leave. He sympathized with this Xiao Qi from the bottom of his heart. He had worked so hard, yet he had to apologize to his precious brother. Why should he?

Fei Xiangnan watched all this, almost ready to make a move. No one could put on an act in front of him. While everyone was still reeling from Xiao Qi’s frantic accusations, Xiao Fang stood up and said in a tone so calm it was chilling:

“Are you saying that I, as the older brother, should have understood that you were just an innocent person when my mother was seriously ill and dying from anger, and that I should have stepped over my mom’s corpse to be good brothers with you? Xiao Qi, I’m not capable of being such a pure saint.” A mocking smile touched Xiao Fang’s eyes, laughing at his ignorance. It was also him who had told their father about this, knowing full well he had high blood pressure. Had he ever thought about anyone else for a moment? Even a father who loved him selflessly.