Everyone looked back and saw Old Man Qian walking forward with his cane, his face full of anger.
He was clearly targeting Deputy Director Qian, stopping directly in front of him.
"Qian Dingzhong, you are worse than an animal!"
Song Yulian, not recognizing him, couldn't help but say when she heard him curse, "Who are you? Why are you cursing people?"
Old Man Qian snorted, "Who am I? I'm his dad!"
Deputy Director Qian's expression turned somewhat unnatural. He pulled Old Man Qian and said, "Dad, let's talk about this at home."
Old Man Qian pushed him away and roared angrily, "Do you still have any shame? Ostensibly, you're proposing for your son, but in reality, you're finding a wife for yourself! What is this called? A fraudulent marriage! When you first mentioned it to me, didn't I tell you that if you dared to do this again, I'd break your legs!"
Despite his old age and injured leg, he still had strength.
As he spoke, he raised his cane and began to strike Deputy Director Qian's legs.
Deputy Director Qian, a man in his forties, hopping around from the blows, was a rather novel sight.
Cheng You's recent grievances suddenly vanished at this moment, and she couldn't help but laugh.
"Dad, stop hitting! At least save me some face!" Deputy Director Qian yelled in exasperation.
Old Man Qian panted, "Face? You still want face? She's an eighteen-year-old girl, how could you even think of her? I think you deserve to be beaten!"
Saying this, he looked at Cheng You again and said, "Girl, I'm sorry. He won't bother you again."
Cheng You felt a warmth in her heart, suddenly understanding what it meant to be rewarded for good deeds.
"It's okay."
Old Man Qian nodded, and his expression changed again as he looked at Deputy Director Qian.
"Get lost! Don't force me to rip your skin off."
Song Yulian and Cheng Tao exchanged a glance and couldn't help but call out, "Deputy Director Qian, what about the marriage?"
Old Man Qian shot them a stern look, "So it was you who came up with this rotten idea, letting Qian Dingzhong propose under the guise of marrying off his son, to marry an eighteen-year-old girl? I don't care what your intentions were, but I'm telling you clearly today: the marriage is off. We of the Qian family will not do such an immoral thing!"
Song Yulian was stunned and quickly cried out in injustice, "What are you talking about? What does this have to do with me?"
Old Man Qian scoffed and glanced at Deputy Director Qian, "Then tell me, did you come up with this idea yourself?"
Deputy Director Qian didn't care, but he wouldn't take the blame for someone else.
He took a photo from his pocket, which was of Cheng You.
"Your daughter gave me this photo and asked me to marry her under the pretext of marrying my son. Don't tell me you didn't know about this?"
Song Yulian was speechless. Of course, she knew.
Cheng You sneered, "So it was a family conspiracy to sell me."
Cheng Tianhua: "..." Would anyone believe him if he said he was wronged?
He truly was unaware of these matters conspired by Song Yulian and Cheng Tao.
Therefore, he felt incredibly wronged by the way everyone looked at him.
After Old Man Qian and his son left, the crowd didn't disperse.
A hint of coldness appeared in Cheng You's eyes, "Is it because I moved out that Dad is so anxious, worried he won't have a chance to sell me again, so he's so impatient now?"
Cheng Tianhua's face turned red with anger, "Bullshit, I never did such a thing!"
Then, he slapped Song Yulian across the face and trembled with anger, pointing at her.
"You dared to do such a thing, it's simply too much!"
Cheng You scoffed, "Dad, can you have some responsibility? Every time something happens, you let Aunt Lian take the blame. I feel wronged for her."
Cheng Tianhua's eyes widened in rage, and he roared, "I truly didn't know!"
But everyone's gaze, like Cheng You's, simply didn't believe him.
If he didn't know every time, why did he defend Song Yulian and Cheng Tao every time?
Cheng Tianhua was somewhat at a loss, and at this moment, he suddenly doubted his decision to marry Song Yulian.
Perhaps it was a mistake.
Cheng You said helplessly, "Alright, let's assume you didn't know. I'm your daughter, what else can I do?"
No matter what Cheng Tianhua did, she had to endure it.
Just as Cheng Tianhua was unable to explain himself, Sixth Aunt arrived.
The first thing she said was, "If you didn't know, why did you choose to have someone propose when I was at the commune meeting? Wasn't it because you thought Cheng You would have no one to turn to at that time, which suited your intentions perfectly!"
Sixth Aunt's words directly nailed Cheng Tianhua to the pillar of shame.
It wasn't the first day she had known Cheng Tianhua, but it was indeed the first time she had truly seen his true colors.
Selling his daughter for promotion and wealth was not uncommon throughout history. It was not surprising, not surprising at all.
Cheng Tianhua was about to explain when he saw Sixth Aunt wave her hand impatiently.
"The fact that you can do such a thing shows that you haven't received enough education. Starting tomorrow, Cheng Tianhua, Song Yulian, and Cheng Tao will come to the Women's Federation office for education and criticism. Cheng Tianhua, our ideology must keep pace with the country's progress and continuously improve. Looking at today's events, your actions are still from the old society. I will report this truthfully, and as for how the higher-ups will handle it, we'll discuss it later."
Cheng Tianhua's alarm bells immediately rang. If Sixth Aunt reported this, who wouldn't know he sold his daughter for personal gain?
He would have no face to look up at anyone!
"Auntie, don't..."
Sixth Aunt snorted, "I gave you opportunities, but what did you do? Even a clay figurine has some temper. Relying on Cheng You being your daughter, you trampled her to death, all because you thought you could use filial piety to suppress her!"
This time, she would not be soft-hearted.
Cheng Tianhua's actions had crossed her bottom line.
"Cheng You, why are you still here? Leave quickly!"
Cheng You responded with an "oh" and helped Old Lady Li leave.
"Grandma, it's too cold. Let me take you home first."
Old Lady Li waved her hand, "Forget it, I'm already out. I'll just take a walk."
Sixth Aunt glanced at her, "Come and sit at my place."
Old Lady Li nodded, "Alright, I'll give you some face."
"Hey, I don't need you to give me face!"
"Then I won't go."
"Fine, don't go then!"
Old Lady Li's tone was fierce, but there was a smile on her face, a smile that Cheng You had never seen before.
"Then you must go, I've already agreed."
Cheng You then helped her to Sixth Aunt's house. The two old ladies were discussing old memories, and Cheng You just listened, unable to interject.
Speaking of Cheng Tianhua, Old Lady Li spat, "This ungrateful wretch should have his position as captain removed!"
Sixth Aunt shook her head, this was not something she could interfere with.
Cheng You felt warmth in her heart and said with a smile, "It's okay, Grandma, the wicked will get their just deserts."
Old Lady Li shook her head with a look of melancholy, "Waiting for the wicked to get their just deserts, that's difficult."
Sixth Aunt shook her head. Cheng Tianhua was Cheng You's father, and that was an unchangeable fact.
As long as this relationship existed, it would be difficult for Cheng You to resist.