Cheng You walked out of the house, her eyes red as if she had been crying.
"Focus the investigation on Song Yulian! Cheng Tianhua doesn't have the guts; he's at most an accomplice."
But Song Yulian was different. She had been involved with Cheng Tianhua for so many years, and her desire to have Jiang Qing make way for her was desperate.
Only she had enough motive.
Liao Hongmei clapped her hands and gritted her teeth, "Cheng You is right. Focus the investigation on that bitch Song Yulian!"
Song Yulian was sentenced to decades in prison, but she did not receive the death penalty.
If Jiang Qing was indeed killed by her, she would definitely not escape this time.
Cheng Tianhua was dead, bringing a sense of peace.
Now, the only person responsible for Jiang Qing's matter was Song Yulian.
Jiang Dingcheng handled this entire affair, fearing Cheng You would lose control of her emotions.
Grandpa Jiang and the elderly Feng couple were old and could not withstand the blow.
Only Jiang Dingcheng was most suitable.
The waiting period for the results always felt exceptionally long.
Even though she already knew the outcome, Cheng You was still not willing to give up.
Until Song Yulian in prison confessed to her crimes without reservation.
The deed was hers alone, but Cheng Tianhua had helped her cover it up.
After she learned of Cheng Tianhua's death, she became somewhat erratic, muttering about retribution, and barely acknowledging anyone who visited her.
The news spread through Yongcheng with lightning speed.
Men cheating was not uncommon, but for an outsider to harm the original wife to the point of death was truly rare.
If you truly disliked someone, you could divorce.
It was a new era; divorce and remarriage were common. Why kill someone?
Those who had previously condemned Cheng You for being heartless now fell silent.
Liao Hongmei wished she could douse them with dirty water and curse them to their faces.
It was truly eye-opening that someone like Cheng Tianhua even had defenders.
With this, the matter of Jiang Qing's reburial was finally settled.
Cheng You did not stay long, leaving even before hearing Song Yulian's sentencing.
"Even though she deserved it, I don't feel any joy," she whispered softly.
Because her mother was not coming back.
Qi Chengyan held her hand, "At least we have brought justice for Mom."
Cheng You tilted her head and leaned on his shoulder. Perhaps it was fate.
She met the elderly Feng couple and had the idea to relocate the grave, which led to today's events.
Song Yulian being sentenced to death was, of course, to be notified to her daughter, Cheng Tao.
The mother-daughter relationship could never be completely severed.
It was at this time that Cheng Tao learned Cheng Tianhua was dead.
She was now beaten daily by Qiu Desheng, a major beating every three days and a minor one every day, but she endured and refused to leave.
As long as she didn't leave, she was still a military family member.
But the news of Song Yulian's impending execution was like the final pin pricking her emotional bubble, driving her to collapse.
No matter how much she disliked Song Yulian, she was still her mother!
Cheng Tao did not consider herself someone who valued family ties greatly, but she could not just stand by and watch Song Yulian die.
From the moment she received the news, she waited outside Cheng You's house until they returned.
"Cheng You!"
Cheng You had always been indifferent to her, and now she didn't even glance at her, walking straight into the house.
Cheng Tao didn't waste time and knelt by the door.
"Cheng You, my mother couldn't have done such a thing; she's being framed! Please, let her go, I beg you, I'll kowtow to you! Everything in the past was my fault; I apologize!"
Cheng Tao shouted while banging her head on the ground, each thud resonating solidly.
In a short while, her forehead became swollen and red, showing streaks of blood.
Sister-in-law He came out to take a look, ignored her, and closed the door, calling out from the courtyard, "Cheng You, what's going on? You need to get her away, or people in the compound will gossip."
She wouldn't side with Cheng Tao out of pity, but those who didn't know Cheng You might.
Cheng You heard her words, responded, and soon came out of the house.
"Cheng Tao, if you want everyone to know that your mother is a murderer who had an affair with a married man, then keep kneeling! If you kneel today, I guarantee you'll have no face to stay here tomorrow!"
Cheng Tao already had an unstable position at Qiu Desheng's home. If he found out about this, he would likely drive her away.
Cheng You's words precisely struck her vulnerability, making her dare not cause further trouble.
But Cheng Tao's state was seen by Qiu Desheng, and she was beaten again.
She was filled with despair, wondering how she had ended up in this situation.
While crying in her room, she heard a voice from outside.
She thought it was Qiu Desheng returning and walked out.
It was a strange man.
Judging by his appearance, Cheng Tao guessed he was Qiu Desheng's son.
"You must be Ying Xun, right?"
Qiu Ying Xun nodded, assuming she was Qiu Desheng's newly wedded wife.
He looked at Cheng Tao a couple more times, her face covered in injuries, her collar unbuttoned, revealing scars that faintly stretched down from her collarbone.
Seeing Cheng Tao reminded him of his own mother who had been driven away, and a hint of pity stirred in his heart.
Sensing his gaze, Cheng Tao blushed and couldn't help but button up her collar.
"You're back so late, have you eaten? I can go to the mess hall and get you a meal."
Qiu Ying Xun quickly said, "No need, you should apply some medicine to yourself first."
Cheng Tao was overcome with sorrow. Someone with no relation to her cared enough to say a few words.
These few words caused Cheng Tao to break down in tears.
Her crying left Qiu Ying Xun flustered.
"Are you okay? Should I take you to the hospital?"
Cheng Tao was in desperate need of comfort. Seeing him approach, she couldn't help but throw herself into his arms and cry.
Qiu Ying Xun froze, his hands clumsy as he looked at the woman in his embrace. For a moment, he forgot she was his stepmother, only wanting to hold her and comfort her.
However, they had only been alone for a short while when they heard Qiu Desheng's drunken curses from outside: "Whose bicycle is this! Blocking my way."
The two inside were startled like birds startled by a bow and quickly separated.
Qiu Ying Xun coughed and walked out.
"Dad, why are you drinking again?"
Qiu Desheng's career had stagnated and was destined not to advance further.
The older he got, the more he gave up.
Seeing Qiu Ying Xun return, he mumbled something unintelligible and pushed past him to go inside.
Seeing Cheng Tao's dejected expression, he started cursing again.
Seeing him about to hit her, Qiu Ying Xun inevitably intervened a couple of times, "She's your wife, after all. It doesn't look good for you to beat her like this."
Cheng Tao felt a pang of discomfort hearing his words.
She was beaten so badly, and Qiu Ying Xun was concerned about Qiu Desheng's reputation?
She felt something was wrong, but she still felt uncomfortable.
However, with Qiu Ying Xun present, Qiu Desheng ultimately did not lay a hand on her again.