Everyone heard Sun Xiaowan’s words and looked towards Zhao Yunlin and Cheng Tao.
Song Yulian rushed forward and forcefully pulled the two apart, “What do you mean embracing? Don’t put it so crudely. Yunlin was saving someone.”
Cheng You couldn’t be bothered to argue with Song Yulian about whether Zhao Yunlin had embraced Cheng Tao.
She blinked and looked at Cheng Tianhua with an innocent expression.
“Dad, can you explain what you just said? Cheng Tao spread rumors about me and Qi Zhiqing in front of Sun Zhiqing. What are we going to do about this?”
Cheng Tianhua had barely managed to gloss over the previous incident and now Cheng You had stirred it up again.
He felt a surge of frustration and decided he would discipline her properly when they got home.
“If you weren’t so indiscreet, being unclear with Qi Zhiqing, how could Cheng Tao have misunderstood?”
If he had to choose between his two daughters, he would naturally choose Cheng Tao, the obedient and well-behaved child.
Cheng You’s lips curved into a smile, but a coldness flickered in her eyes.
“I was saved by Qi Zhiqing, so I’m indiscreet. I saved Qi Zhiqing, so I’m being unclear. Then Zhao Yunlin just saved Cheng Tao, and they were embracing. What does that make it?”
As she spoke, Cheng You pouted her lips aggrievedly, “Dad, you’re being quite biased. If I didn’t know better, I’d think Cheng Tao was your real daughter.”
Cheng Tianhua’s face turned icy, “I treat Cheng Tao like my own daughter!”
“So I’m not your biological child? Is that why you can shamelessly ruin my reputation outside?”
Sun Xiaowan chuckled and even applauded.
“I’ve truly never seen such a spectacle, sacrificing one’s own flesh and blood to exonerate someone else’s daughter. Isn’t this just a case of ‘new stepmother, new father’?”
Cheng Tianhua glared at her fiercely and shouted, “You shut up!”
Song Yulian, holding Cheng Tao, sobbed weakly.
“Cheng You, one must have a conscience. In the years I’ve been married into the Cheng family, I’ve never mistreated you. You went to Uncle Li’s house to help every day, busy the whole day, sometimes not even coming back for lunch. From that point on, you never ate dinner at home! And Qi Zhiqing happened to go to Uncle Li’s house every day after work. Many people know this, and you still dare to say you and Qi Zhiqing are clean?”
Song Yulian said with a look of deep sorrow, “Cheng You, I didn’t want to say these things, but you’ve gone too far. Today, you even tried to slander my daughter with Sun Zhiqing! The Zhao family wanting to break off your engagement was never because Cheng Tao and Yunlin had anything going on. It was because of your own improper conduct!”
Her words were spoken with such conviction that many people began to take her side.
After all, her reasoning seemed plausible.
Upon closer thought, Qi Chengan did indeed go to Uncle Li’s house after work every day, and no one knew what he was doing there.
Sun Xiaowan, who had been listening with great interest, suddenly heard her name and her anger flared up again.
“Slander? Watch your words! Are you implying I forced Cheng Tao to come here and sow discord? Did I force her to say those things? No matter how much you say, it cannot hide the fact that Cheng Tao is wicked! Wicked to the bone!”
Just as Cheng Tao was about to retort, she heard Uncle Li’s voice, “What a lively scene!”
Uncle Li was accompanied by Sixth Aunt, and everyone made way for them.
Cheng You lowered her head aggrievedly, no longer offering a defense.
Uncle Li stopped and suddenly tapped Cheng You on the head.
“Say something, or everyone will think of my place as what?”
Cheng You rubbed her head and muttered, “A place to see a doctor. So many people come and go from your house. Even if someone wanted to have an affair, they wouldn’t choose your place, would they? They’re not stupid. I believe the villagers are reasonable and sensible people who will never easily believe what Aunt Lian just said.”
The sensible villagers: “……”
They felt a little guilty.
However, Cheng You’s words did have some logic to them.
Uncle Li cast a glance at Song Yulian, “You’re not young anymore. Can you take responsibility for your words? I originally didn’t intend to get involved, but you shouldn’t have dragged me into this. If these words get out, the reputation of my Li family will be ruined!”
Who was Uncle Li? He was the only barefoot doctor in Yangshu Village.
So many people depended on him; who would dare offend him?
Song Yulian’s words had almost amounted to an insult.
But since the words had already been spoken, Song Yulian had no way back.
She decided to go all out. “If it wasn’t for meeting Qi Zhiqing in secret, why would Cheng You stay late every night, and why would Qi Zhiqing go to Uncle Li’s house every day? It is precisely because we respect Uncle Li that we cannot let Cheng You do such shameful things!”
Uncle Li suddenly smiled and stroked his stubble.
“Last time it was Cheng Tao, and this time it’s you. It’s strange that Cheng Tianhua always makes a fuss with you all!”
Not helping his own daughter, but helping the one who came later, was indeed strange.
Song Yulian straightened her back, “This is not a fuss! It is precisely because I treat Cheng You as my own daughter that I don’t want her to go astray.”
San Leng stepped forward, “Pah! You call yourself treating my sister as your own daughter? My sister’s real mother wouldn’t carelessly accuse her and slander her! Among all these people, besides your daughter, you are the most wicked, two-faced, and hypocritical.”
Sixth Aunt shot him a glance and chided, “San Leng! Why are you speaking such harsh truths?”
Cheng You quickly lowered her head, struggling to suppress her laughter.
Uncle Li, with his hands behind his back, said, “Since you say so, I’ll tell everyone. Earlier, my old mother was unwell, as I’m sure you’ve all heard. The weather was too hot, and she couldn’t eat anything all day. Later, she felt a bit better after eating the rock sugar hawthorn made by Cheng You. My old mother liked the food Cheng You made, so she kept her at home to cook every night. If you still don’t believe me, I’ll have to invite my old mother to tell you herself.”
The crowd quickly said they dared not. Old Mrs. Li didn’t go out much anymore, but her authority was still respected.
If they truly invited her, everyone would be scolded severely.
Song Yulian, seeing everyone changing their stance, began to panic.
“Then what about Qi Zhiqing? He goes to your house every day, that’s true, isn’t it? Is there something so important that he has to go every day?”
“I think this is something I should explain.”
Cheng You suddenly turned around. It was Qi Chengan who had arrived.
Seeing Cheng You’s tear-reddened eyes, his gaze lingered on her for a moment.
Though his stern face showed no emotion, it stirred Cheng You’s heart.
Qi Chengan rolled up his trouser leg, revealing a scar on his calf.
The scar was long and clearly indicated surgery.
“I have a leg injury, and I go to Uncle Li’s house for acupuncture every day.”
People usually saw him walking normally and had heard that he left the army due to an injury, but no one had thought it was his leg.