The young couple were chatting affectionately in the yard when Zhao Lifang barged in.
Before she could speak, she turned away covering her eyes.
"Are you two going to be sickeningly sweet forever?"
Cheng You withdrew from Qi Chengyan's embrace, their hands still linked.
"I'm not having an affair, what's there to be sick about?"
Zhao Lifang then said, "I heard your dad is divorcing Song Yulian!"
Cheng Tao, having just given birth, ignored her weakened state and went to confront Cheng Tianhua.
Wang Hongxia had recently been contemplating having Zhao Yunlin divorce Cheng Tao.
If this troublemaker wasn't kicked out, the Zhao family would never have peace.
But Zhao Yunlin insisted, unwilling to divorce for his daughter's sake.
"If they divorce, they divorce. It's not a big deal," Cheng You said nonchalantly.
Zhao Lifang sat down on her own, taking out sunflower seeds to crack.
Cheng You handed her a trash can, saying, "Don't throw them on the ground. I'll make you clean it up later."
Zhao Lifang pouted, "You're so meddlesome."
"Wen Jiahao's parents came over, wanting to ask Cheng Tao to put in a good word for you to let Wen Jiahao off the hook."
They cried so pitifully.
They also found it strange how Zhao Lifang was so calm when her husband was imprisoned.
Cheng You said calmly, "Tell them to give up."
It wouldn't matter even if Cheng Tianhua came, let alone Cheng Tao.
"I think they've given up this time, but they've taken a liking to the child you gave to Uncle Li."
Zhao Lifang heard them whispering, "This girl is also of our Wen family. If they raise her, they can find a son-in-law to live with them, and the children born can still take the Wen surname."
Cheng You was stunned, "You mean Zhenzhen?"
"Yes. Wen Jiahao likes men and is now in prison. They're probably out of options and have set their sights on the child."
Cheng You's heart tightened. She had considered this possibility before, but hadn't expected it to come true so soon.
"If Zhenzhen goes through legal adoption, can that prevent the Wen family from trying to snatch her away?" she looked at Qi Chengyan.
Qi Chengyan thought for a moment and nodded slightly.
"Logically, yes."
After all, everyone had witnessed how the Wen family had treated Zhenzhen and her mother before.
Now that there was a better arrangement, they would naturally make arrangements for Zhenzhen.
Cheng You said, "I'll discuss it with Uncle Li and have Zhenzhen raised under his name."
She just didn't know if Uncle Li would agree.
Moreover, they had to act fast, before the Wen family came to snatch the child.
Once Cheng You made up her mind, she hurried out to discuss it with Uncle Li.
As soon as she stepped out, she ran into Cheng Tao blocking her path.
She employed the same tactic as Song Yulian, kneeling.
She just wanted Cheng You to soften her heart and plead for Song Yulian.
"You might as well not kneel. I'm naturally heartless. Even your mother kneeling is useless, let alone you."
Cheng Tao cried her heart out, collapsing on the ground almost fainting.
Ye Changfu, who had followed, shouted, "Cheng You, don't you think you're going too far!"
His speaking up for Cheng Tao truly startled Cheng You.
This was an internal family matter for the Cheng family, and it was not Ye's place to intervene.
"Uncle, what are you doing? When did you become so close to Cheng Tao that you're protecting her like this?"
Cheng You's gaze flickered between them. Could it be what she was thinking?
Ye Changfu's confidence wavered, "I'm not protecting her, I just can't stand it!"
Zhao Lifang walked out with a smile, "You didn't find it unbearable when Cheng You's stepmother and Cheng Tao did so many bad things, but now you can't stand Cheng You? You're a grown man, why are you so nosy?"
Ye Changfu's expression changed drastically, and he defended himself in a rough voice, "I'm not minding my own business!"
Zhao Lifang and Cheng You exchanged a look. Not minding their own business?
Then it was family business?
Cheng You looked at him thoughtfully, "Uncle, Cheng Tao isn't your daughter, is she?"
The words hit home.
Only then did Ye Changfu realize how inappropriate his actions were.
But he couldn't help himself when he saw Cheng Tao being wronged.
Many people stopped in their tracks, looking over with surprise.
Ye Changfu was known as an honest man in Wujing Village. He wouldn't do something like that, would he?
Before he could speak, Cheng Tao first denied it sharply, "No! How could I be his daughter? My father is Cheng Tianhua. When I was very young, Dad told me that I was his biological daughter!"
A twisted smile appeared on her face, "Cheng You, you'd never guess, Dad never liked you or Cheng Wenyu. If it wasn't for being the production team leader, he wouldn't even have married your mother! When I was very young, Dad told me that he liked me the most, and didn't like you at all!"
Because Cheng You resembled Jiang Qing, seeing her was like seeing a shadow of Jiang Qing.
While he coveted the benefits and convenience brought by Jiang Qing's family, he despised his own actions, feeling cowardly.
He believed that his separation from Song Yulian was entirely due to not having a good family background.
But he couldn't admit his hypocrisy, so he attributed all his resentment to Jiang Qing.
Over time, even he himself believed that Jiang Qing had broken up him and Song Yulian.
However, Jiang Qing was so innocent.
She knew nothing about his past with Song Yulian.
Cheng You, hearing Cheng Tao's words, couldn't help but feel something.
But she maintained a cold expression, making no response.
Zhao Lifang, however, couldn't stand it and spoke up for Cheng You, "When Cheng Tianhua said that to you, did he ever consider that your mother had been with so many men, and you don't even know whose child you are? You don't even know who your father is, yet you're shouting at Cheng You. Aren't you ashamed?"
Cheng Tao's expression flickered, and she mumbled, "My dad… my dad is…"
She didn't know who her father was either.
Ye Changfu couldn't bear to see her ridiculed like this and shouted with his eyes closed, "It's me!"
"Cheng Tao's father is me. If you dare to call her a bastard again, don't blame me for being rude!"
The honest man's rare outburst was for Cheng Tao.
His words shocked Cheng Tao herself.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Who's your daughter? I'm not!"
Cheng Tao was filled with grief and despair. She would rather have an unknown father than Ye Changfu as her father.
His public confession now had completely dashed her hopes.
In fact, Song Yulian didn't know whose child she was. As long as she didn't know, it meant Cheng Tao could potentially be Cheng Tianhua's child.
Now, it was all ruined.
A hint of tenderness appeared in Ye Changfu's eyes, "Cheng Tao, although I haven't raised you, I am truly your father. Besides Cheng Tianhua, your mother had only been with me at that time."
Cheng Tao wished she could die. This idiot!
Did he think this was something glorious?
"Shut up! Shut up!"
Zhao Lifang's eyes sparkled with gossip. She had stumbled upon a sensational piece of gossip.
She munched on sunflower seeds while wiping away nonexistent tears.
"A public reunion after more than ten years is truly touching."