The constant gossip eventually died down, but some stains would forever be branded onto Cheng Tianhua and Song Yulian.
Whenever people saw Cheng Tao, they would recall the scandalous deeds Song Yulian had committed.
Cheng Tianhua had been tossing and turning, unable to sleep for days.
As soon as he closed his eyes, Yang Yunian's words would echo in his mind.
Was Cheng Tao truly his child?
The more he looked, the less she resembled him.
His two children with Jiang Qing were both exceptionally attractive; in comparison, Cheng Tao appeared rather ordinary.
After much deliberation, Cheng Tianhua decided to cut ties swiftly and divorce Song Yulian.
If he hadn't married Song Yulian, his reputation wouldn't have been tarnished to this extent.
His two children wouldn't have moved out and disowned him as their father.
Cheng Tianhua sighed softly. He was no longer young. Rather than hoping Song Yulian would bear him another son, it would be better to mend his relationship with Cheng You.
Filial piety and paternal affection, wasn't that ideal?
With this realization, he proposed divorce to Song Yulian.
They sat facing each other, having not spoken for days.
The first words uttered were about divorce.
Song Yulian stared blankly at the man before her. "I followed you for so many years, and this is how you treat me?"
Cheng Tianhua gave a cold laugh. "How have I treated you? Have I given you and Cheng Tao little over the years? And what was the result? How did you treat me! Song Yulian, you are truly something. Who knows how many men you've been with all these years!"
Song Yulian looked at him with tears in her eyes. "To put it bluntly, you just don't believe me!"
"You haven't done anything to earn my trust either!"
If it weren't for the matter of Cheng Tao's parentage, he would never have considered divorce.
After all, divorce wasn't a good reputation to have.
But he couldn't accept that the daughter he had doted on with guilt for so many years was not his own!
For Cheng Tao, he had even sacrificed the marriage prospects with the Old Zhao family for her.
Song Yulian sobbed softly, overcome with grief.
If she left the Cheng family, how would she live in the future?
"Tianhua, I know I was wrong. Please don't divorce me, okay? Cheng Tao is truly your child. Just believe me this once. Would you rather believe others than believe me?"
Cheng Tianhua refused to look at her. "I have already decided. We are getting a divorce."
He stood up, flicked his sleeves, and walked out, heading to Cheng You's home.
He wanted to be the first to tell her the news, hoping to ease their father-daughter relationship.
"Dad doesn't expect you to be like before, but I hope that for your mother's sake, you can forgive Dad."
"You have the nerve to bring up my mother. Cheng Tianhua, when did you and Song Yulian get together? How many years did you two conspire behind my mother's back? Do you dare to say these things at my mother's grave?"
Cheng You detested his hypocritical demeanor.
If it were possible, she wished she didn't carry his bloodline.
Mentioning Song Yulian made Cheng Tianhua feel guilty; when in the wrong, his back couldn't straighten.
"Dad made a mistake, and I know I was wrong now."
Cheng You had seen his hypocrisy too many times to believe him.
Even looking at him soiled her eyes.
"If you're done talking, get out. I don't want to meddle in your family's affairs. Whether you divorce Song Yulian or not is none of my business."
Cheng Tianhua fell silent for a moment, hesitating.
"Cheng You, you are married and living with your in-laws, which is natural. But can Wen Yu move back and live with Dad? After divorcing your Aunt Lian, I'll be all alone at home..."
Cheng You said coldly, "I never interfere with Wen Yu's decisions. If he's willing to live with you, then he can go back. I don't care about him."
Cheng Tianhua felt a surge of joy. Cheng Wen Yu was young and easily manipulated.
He quickly entered the house to speak with Cheng Wen Yu.
Before he could even speak, a cup was hurled at him.
If he hadn't dodged in time, the cup would have hit him squarely on the forehead.
Cheng Tianhua was furious. "Cheng Wen Yu, have you no manners!"
"Get out! I don't have a father like you. Get out!"
His attitude was even more vehement than Cheng You's, giving Cheng Tianhua no chance to speak.
Cheng Tianhua wanted to bring him back with the intention of using this opportunity to improve his relationship with Cheng You.
Judging by this, Cheng Wen Yu must have already harbored hatred for him.
Cheng Tianhua walked out in disappointment, forcing a bitter smile. "Wen Yu has some misunderstandings about Dad..."
Cheng You raised an eyebrow. "Misunderstandings?"
Cheng Tianhua fell silent sheepishly, not responding.
After an awkward silence in the courtyard, Cheng Tianhua, finding no further topic of conversation, prepared to leave.
Cheng You glanced at him indifferently and happened to see Song Yulian stumble in, looking dishevelled.
She knelt before Cheng You and kowtowed, weeping.
"Cheng You, I beg you, don't let your father divorce me. I beg you!"
As soon as Cheng Tianhua proposed divorce, she had anticipated this. She must have known Cheng Tao wasn't his biological child and was now thinking of her biological son and daughter, wanting to use divorce to mend ties with them.
Cheng You quickly retreated behind Qi Chengyan, peeking out at her.
"Your divorce from him has nothing to do with me."
She couldn't be bothered with Cheng Tianhua.
Whether he divorced or not, she had no intention of acknowledging him as her father again.
Cheng Tianhua, finding it embarrassing, tried to pull Song Yulian away.
"It was my decision to divorce you. Cheng You knows nothing about it."
Song Yulian forcefully pushed him away and crawled towards Cheng You, shouting hysterically, "How could you not know! It's all because of you that your father wants to divorce me!"
Cheng You's expression turned cold, and she looked at Cheng Tianhua.
"Take your wife away quickly, or I won't be polite!"
Cheng Tianhua used brute force, dragging Song Yulian up and walking out.
Song Yulian, unwilling to give up, shouted, "Cheng You, I beg you! Please, don't let your father divorce me!"
Her voice echoed throughout Wujing Village, making it known to everyone that Cheng Tianhua was divorcing her.
Cheng You pouted. "What does it have to do with me."
Qi Chengyan held her and patted her. "It has nothing to do with us. Let them be."
Cheng You nestled in his arms and looked up at him.
"Do you think I'm very heartless? After all, he's my own father."
Cheng You could imagine what people would say about her, surely some would call her cold-blooded and ruthless.
Qi Chengyan curled his lips. "And you? Do you think I'm very heartless?"
Since arriving here, he hadn't contacted his family.
Except for Qi Yang.
His marriage to Cheng You was also conveyed through Qi Yang.
Qi Yang had also relayed to him the words of opposition from his family.
But Qi Chengyan ignored them all, even maintaining an indifferent attitude towards whether they would attend the wedding.
In terms of kinship, he was actually more distant.
Cheng You pouted and shook her head slightly.
"In my eyes, you are the best."
Qi Chengyan raised his hand and gently stroked her face.
"Me too."
Cheng You raised an eyebrow. "Me too what?"
"Like you."
"Say it, otherwise how would I know?" Cheng You mumbled.
Qi Chengyan remained silent for a moment, then pressed her head into his chest.
"You are the best."
Unequalled.