Before Cheng You and Cheng Wenyu even stepped through the door, they heard Cheng Tianhua's furious roar. Song Yulian and Cheng Tao dared not retort, only sobbing.
Zhang Yunmei called out, "Cheng You is back! Just in time, go persuade your dad, don't let him get too angry!" Her eyes were full of schadenfreude.
Cheng You smiled and nodded, "Auntie, don't worry, my dad is in good health, no need for your concern. Be careful your uncle doesn't get jealous of my dad."
Zhang Yunmei's expression changed. She snorted coldly and walked away, her hips swaying. She had genuinely liked Cheng Tianhua when she was younger, and Cheng You had subtly pointed it out.
Not long after, Cheng You and Cheng Wenyu pushed the door open. Song Yulian and Cheng Tao knelt on the ground, their faces bruised and disheveled.
Seeing Cheng You, Song Yulian bared her teeth and lunged. Cheng You's gaze turned cold, and she shouted, "How dare you touch me!"
"If you dare to touch me even once, I guarantee you'll be at the police station tonight. Do you believe me?"
Song Yulian's hand froze. Her face turned ashen, but she managed to restrain herself from slapping Cheng You. She dared not.
Cheng Tianhua grabbed her and forcefully pushed her away. "Didn't you hear a single word I said tonight?"
Song Yulian cried out hysterically, "I heard you! But tell me, how am I supposed to tolerate this! Cheng Tianhua, you were the one who asked me to marry you, you promised you'd treat me well, and this is how you treat me? For these two bastards, you hit me, you scold me. All the grievances I've never suffered in my life, I've suffered them all from you!" Her previous husband, though not great, had never hit her.
Cheng You sneered, "Bastards? My mother married officially, my dad personally went to Old Jiang's house to bring her in. Who are you calling a bastard? If anyone is a bastard, it's Cheng Tao, isn't it? She has no rightful place in our home, yet she calls my dad 'Dad'."
Cheng Tao let out a fierce roar and lunged at Cheng You. Her posture suggested she intended to tear Cheng You's face apart. However, before she could get close, Cheng Wenyu kicked her away. He had learned it from San Leng today and was now putting it to use. It turned out to be quite effective.
Seizing the opportunity, Cheng You stepped forward and delivered two hard slaps to Cheng Tao's face, her own palm tingling from the impact. "I've wanted to hit you for a long time, you slut!" Cheng You exhaled, feeling truly relieved. She had finally said it.
Cheng Tao curled up on the ground, clutching her stomach. Seeing this, Cheng Tianhua berated, "Cheng You, how could you hit your sister!"
Cheng You sneered, "Sister? Is she my sister? After what happened, she wanted to ruin me, and you still have the nerve to tell me to call her sister! My dear father, if I don't hit her, are you expecting me to stand there and let her hit me?"
Cheng Tianhua trembled. Looking at Cheng You's hateful gaze, he felt a prickle on his scalp, as if he were seeing Jiang Qing.
"Today's matter is far from over. Never have the wrongdoers stood before the victims with such audacity! You dare to hit me? Are you worthy?" Cheng You spat.
Cheng Tianhua rubbed his temples, his face filled with helplessness. "What do you want then? Cheng You, your second mother and sister have wronged you. Dad will compensate you. Let's leave it at that."
Cheng You raised an eyebrow, sarcastically saying, "I don't have a second mother or sister like that. From now on, we are sworn enemies! Compensation is certainly welcome, but you need to tell me how you plan to compensate me before I'll be satisfied."
Cheng Tianhua said, "Your engagement to Zhao Yunlin is impossible now. Dad will find you a good family to marry into."
Cheng You had been waiting for his next words, but when Cheng Tianhua stopped, she realized he was finished. She chuckled, her eyes curving, "Dad, that's it?"
Cheng Tianhua clasped his hands behind his back, his face grim. "And that's not enough?" An engagement for another engagement. In his eyes, Cheng You had suffered no loss.
Cheng You laughed in anger. "It's a shame you're not a production team leader, Dad. You should be an accountant; the way you're calculating would make my mother hear it from underground." Since Dad doesn't know what I want, I'll tell you directly: I want five hundred yuan. And when Cheng Tao gets married, you are not to give her a dowry. Whatever betrothal gifts the Zhao family gives, you must also give to me."
"You're dreaming!" Song Yulian rebuked. Five hundred yuan, how many years would an ordinary farmer need to save five hundred yuan!
"Dreaming? I'm asking my dad for money, what does it have to do with you? How long have you been married into the Cheng family? You only had two sets of clothes when you entered. How much have you and Cheng Tao taken from our family? This money was earned by my parents. I think you're the one dreaming?" Cheng You looked directly at Cheng Tianhua. "Dad, will you give it to me?"
Cheng Tianhua suddenly felt a chill in his heart, as if he had never known this daughter before. Was this really the innocent and naive Cheng You from before? But he knew that what Cheng You said was true. If he didn't agree to this, she would never let it go.
He gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and said in a deep voice, "Fine, I agree! I'll keep the money for you for now, and when you get married..."
"Don't try to fool me with that! I don't need you to keep it, I want the money now! Dad, aren't you afraid my mother will come up from underground to find you if you scheme against your own daughter?"
Cheng Tianhua was furious. "If you scheme against your father, aren't you afraid of..."
"I'm not afraid! I haven't done anything to wrong my mother, so why should I be afraid? On the contrary, you, who bully her daughter like this, she'll definitely come up first and flay you alive!"
"Cheng You! You! You!" Cheng Tianhua's anger flared. He clutched his chest, his face turning pale, and he nearly collapsed. Song Yulian quickly supported him. "Cheng You, do you want to anger your dad to death?"
"If my dad really gets angered to death, I'll buy him a good coffin, don't worry," Cheng You said coldly.
Cheng Tianhua, hearing this, rolled his eyes, as if he were about to faint. Song Yulian helped him sit down and forced him to drink several cups of water before he felt a little better.
Cheng Tianhua looked at her mournfully. "Cheng You, do you really want to fall out with the family like this?"
Cheng You huffed, hands on her hips, chin raised. "With these two sluts around, this is not my home! Dad, it's too late to play the emotional card with me now. Just give me the five hundred yuan."
Cheng Tianhua exhaled, "Five hundred for you, and I'll give you Cheng Tao's betrothal gifts. This matter ends here. You'll properly break off your engagement with the Zhao family, right?"
Cheng You smiled sweetly, "Yes, I don't want that kind of trash. I don't pick up garbage."
Cheng Tao, who picked up garbage: "..."
Cheng Tianhua got up and went inside. After a while, he came out with a stack of "Da Tuan Jie" bills. "There are five hundred here. Do you want to count it?"
Cheng You took it with a smile, like a little money grubber. "Of course I'll count it. I'm afraid you'll cheat me." Cheng Tianhua rubbed his chest, thinking she would eventually give him a heart attack.
Cheng You counted twice, ensuring the amount was correct, and then nodded. "Alright, then it's cash on delivery! I advise you all to stay out of each other's way from now on. If I don't provoke you, don't provoke me, otherwise, I'm not someone to be trifled with!" She bared her teeth at Cheng Tao, looking fierce yet harmless.