Chapter 36: Reaping What You Sow

Chapter 36: Reaping What You Sow

"If I were Yang Jie, I'd definitely agree to the divorce."

"Pity that Yang Jie's love-addled brain is even worse than my second brother's."

As Ye Leyao spoke, she turned to glance at He Yan.

"But still, my second brother isn't too bad. At least he didn't raise three kids for someone else for over a decade like Yang Jie did?"

"He only helped raise one for two months at most."

"And my second brother's values are far more upright than Yang Jie's. The entire Yang family has skewed morals."

He Yan: "…"

Could Ye Leyao stop comparing him to love-struck fools every time the topic came up?

And for the record, he was not a love-struck fool!

He Jing and their parents just happened to turn to look at He Yan.

Their thoughts were in unison:

No, you are.

"You're four months pregnant," He Jing said softly, his tone melancholic.

Mother He looked at him disapprovingly. "And you wanted to cut ties with the family."

He Yan: "…"

Enough, enough. He was already drenched in sweat!

And they were here to watch the drama unfold, not to dredge up his past!

Leave him alone! Please!

Receiving He Yan's pleading gaze, the He family members' lips curved into a smile before they turned back to watch the spectacle.

Seeing Jiang Fang and Yang Tian's tears, Yang Jie immediately panicked and rushed over to them. "What happened?"

Jiang Fang held onto Yang Tian, tears streaming down her face as she threw the rope on the ground. Her voice choked with emotion, she said, "Ask your good-for-nothing sister-in-law and your rotten nephew what they did!"

Yang Jie's expression darkened at the sight of the rope before him. He angrily demanded of Yang Yuan, "Yang Yuan, what have you done to Xiao Tian?!"

"Shouting and making a scene in front of all these guests, how indecent!" An aged, dignified voice boomed from the doorway.

Ye Leyao looked over immediately, her excitement surging:

"Old Master Yang and Young Master Yang Kun have arrived as well; now the entire Yang family is here."

Supported by Yang Kun, the elderly Old Master Yang stood at the door, with several guests beside him. It seemed they were in the midst of showing people around when they heard the commotion upstairs and came up together.

Seeing Old Master Yang, Lady Yang's expression changed slightly, and she looked at Yang Yuan with some concern.

Yang Kun gave her a reassuring glance.

When Yang Jie saw Old Master Yang, it was as if he had found a pillar of support. He turned directly to Old Master Yang to complain, "Father, you must stand up for me!"

Old Master Yang, supported by Yang Kun, slowly walked in. His gaze swept around the room before finally settling on Yang Yuan. In a deep voice, he asked, "Xiao Yuan, what happened?"

Yang Yuan felt somewhat annoyed inside.

Who had told Old Master about this trivial matter? With his unsteady legs, he had specially climbed four floors up.

Yang Yuan didn't want this incident to spoil Old Master Yang's good mood, but if he didn't speak up, Yang Jie would soon exaggerate the story to Old Master Yang. Thus, Yang Yuan could only recount the whole sequence of events in detail.

When Yang Jie heard that Yang Yuan had tied Yang Tian to the sofa and spanked him, his face flushed with anger.

He roared directly at Yang Yuan, "Yang Yuan! We wouldn't even bear to lay a hand on Little Tian. How dare you, his older brother, hit him?"

"You need to understand, I beat him because he struck my mother first," Yang Yuan rolled his eyes. "He also sneaked into my room to steal my merchandise. When I asked who he was, he wouldn't say. I thought he was a thief. He was clearly in the wrong first. What's wrong with me giving him a few slaps? Will it take a piece of flesh off him?"

"If you dare hit me, my father will beat you up!" At this moment, Yang Tian suddenly popped his head out from Jiang Fang's embrace, snarling fiercely.

"Yang Yuan really went too easy on him just now!"

Everyone who heard Ye Le Yao's thoughts nodded in agreement.

They had never seen such an unrepentant child!

The education in the Yang Jie household was truly distorted.

Yang Yuan's face darkened, and he immediately glared at Yang Tian, brandishing the plastic knife in his hand threateningly.

Yang Tian had indeed been hit hard just now. Seeing this, he was startled and shrank back into Jiang Fang's arms.

"Mom, I'm so scared!"

Jiang Fang's face was filled with anger. "Yang Yuan! You're still scaring him!"

Yang Jie chimed in, "Those collectibles of yours are just a pile of worthless paper. They aren't valuable. Why can't you let Little Tian play with them?"

Ye Le Yao's temper flared upon hearing this.

"It doesn't matter whether my goods are valuable or not. Even if they aren't, they're still my property. Why should I let him tear them up for fun?"

"If we follow Yang Jie's logic, then Yang Yuan thinks that Sister Yang's son isn't worth much either. Does that mean Yang Yuan can tear up your son as well?"

Yang Yuan was equally infuriated by Yang Jie's twisted logic: "That's my stuff. Why should I let him play with it?"

"How could you not let him play? This time he didn't tear up your merchandise, and besides, Xiao Tian is still your brother. Can't you, Yang Yuan, be less stingy as an older brother?" Yang Jie was annoyed.

Yang Yuan was burning with anger inside. Just as he was about to speak, he heard Old Master Yang slowly say, "Xiao Yuan, your uncle is right."

Yang Yuan's expression suddenly changed, looking at Old Master Yang in disbelief, "Grandpa—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Old Master Yang continued, "As your uncle said, Xiao Yuan, you didn't beat Xiao Tian up either. Besides, Yang Jie is also Xiao Yuan's real uncle. Can't you, Uncle Yang Jie, be more generous and not get angry with a child?"

The moment Old Master Yang finished speaking, the room fell silent for a moment.

Ye Le Yao burst out laughing first:

"Pfft—Hahahaha."

The Huo family and others also caught on, unable to suppress their amusement.

They thought Old Master Yang was here to smooth things over, but they never expected that he was actually here to support Yang Yuan!

Yang Yuan clearly hadn't anticipated Old Master Yang saying this. The corners of his mouth, which had just drooped, instantly curled up again, and he laughed out loud: "Hehe."

He knew Grandpa was reasonable!

On the other hand, Yang Jie stood there stunned for several seconds after hearing Old Master Yang's words before he spoke in disbelief, "Dad, what did you say?"

"What did I say?" Old Master Yang scoffed, "Wasn't I using your logic to speak the truth?"

Yang Jie's eyes widened, choked speechless by Old Master Yang's words for a long while.

Jiang Fang couldn't take it anymore. She directly stood up, holding Yang Tian, her eyes red as she looked at Yang Jie: "Yang Jie, your son has been wronged today. Are you going to take it lying down?"

Yang Jie hurriedly comforted Jiang Fang: "Don't worry, I will definitely demand an explanation from them! Don't rush, don't rush..."

After comforting Jiang Fang a few times, Yang Jie turned around and angrily questioned Old Master Yang: "Dad! They're all your grandsons, how can you be so biased?"

"Ah ah ah, you're mistaken, Yang Tian isn't really Old Master Yang's grandson!"

Ye Le Yao quickly corrected.

Unfortunately, apart from the Huo family and Qin Yao, no one from the Yang family could hear Ye Le Yao's thoughts.

Old Master Yang slowly walked to the sofa and sat down, his expression unchanged: "If you say I'm biased, weren't you also biased towards Xiao Tian just now?"

"An eye for an eye, how satisfying!" Ye Le Yao almost wanted to stand up and applaud.

Yang Jie was choked by these words, unable to speak further.

Jiang Fang realized that no one present was on their side. Her eyes instantly reddened: "Since Dad has spoken like this, it seems we shouldn't have come to this banquet today. Fine, I'll leave now with Xiao Tian—"

It was at this moment that the incident occurred.

Yang Tian suddenly pulled his hand out of Jiang Fang's grip and pushed her hard in the back.

Jiang Fang, caught off guard, cried out and fell heavily to the ground, her forehead hitting the coffee table, instantly bleeding profusely.

Yang Jie was startled and hurried to pull Jiang Fang up.

At that moment, Yang Tian directly grabbed a cup from the table and threw it at Old Master Yang.

Everyone was shocked.

"Yang Tian!" Yang Kun rushed without thinking to shield Old Master Yang.

Faster than him was Yang Yuan. Yang Yuan moved swiftly, kicking the cup away in mid-air. The cup hit the ground, shattering into countless pieces.

In the next instant, without giving anyone else a chance to react, Yang Yuan kicked Yang Tian in the stomach.

"You f*cking bastard, are you sick?!"

Yang Tian was sent flying by Yang Yuan's kick, landing on the ground with a heavy thud.

Jiang Fang completely ignored her own head injury when she saw her precious son injured again. Tears streamed down her face: "Xiao Tian!"

"Go—check on Xiao Tian!" Jiang Fang urged Yang Jie anxiously.

Yang Yuan had used considerable force in that kick. Yang Tian was now lying on the ground wailing.

Seeing her beloved son cry so pitifully, rage surged through Yang Jie's head, and without thinking, he lunged at Yang Yuan—

"I'm going to fight you!"

The two instantly grappled together.

The living room descended into chaos.

Qin Yao couldn't bear to watch any longer and prepared to step in to help. At that moment, he heard Ye Le Yao's voice:

"Hey, that man... looks a lot like Little Fatty."

Qin Yao paused, and the Huo family looked over together.

The guests who had come to visit with Yang Kun and Old Master Yang didn't expect such an incident. Seeing Yang Yuan and Yang Jie fighting, they hurried to intervene.

After all, seeing Yang Yuan's posture, it seemed he was ready to beat his uncle to death. If they didn't intervene, what if something serious happened?

But among these people, there was one man who didn't go to break up the fight. Instead, he ran straight to Jiang Fang, holding her tenderly in his arms with a pained look.

The scene was chaotic. If Ye Le Yao hadn't reminded them, they wouldn't have noticed this scene in the corner at all.

Jiang Fang leaned into the man's embrace, her eyes brimming with tears.

The man whispered something inaudible into her ear, then gently helped Jiang Fang to her feet.

Ye Leyao's gaze swiftly swept over the Yang family members.

"Well, they're so intimately close, why doesn't anyone find it odd?"

"Could it be that no one noticed?"

"I'll take you to the hospital first?" the man said to Jiang Fang, his face etched with concern.

But Jiang Fang shook her head, pointing at Yang Tian, "You... Brother, take Xiao Tian to the hospital first!"

"What do you care about him? Your head injury is more severe!" the man said sternly.

Ye Leyao, upon hearing this, suddenly understood:

"So he's Zhong Kang, Jiang Fang's half-brother by marriage?"

"And Yang Tian's biological father is him?!"

"Mm... The more I look, the more alike they seem."

Qin Yao was visibly shocked.

The Huo family also found it hard to believe.

Was Jiang Fang so bold?

To dare to get involved with her stepbrother?

Ye Leyao continued to scrutinize Zhong Kang closely.

"But why does Zhong Kang only care for Jiang Fang? He didn't even glance at the little fatty. Could it be that he still doesn't know that Yang Tian is his son?"

"If Zhong Kang were to find out now that the little fatty is his real son... Hiss, wouldn't things become even more interesting?"

"Let go of me!" Yang Jie shouted loudly.

Ye Leyao's attention was once again diverted, and he quickly looked over.

Two male guests held tightly onto Yang Jie's shoulders, pulling him away from Yang Yuan.

Yang Jie, however, was clearly displeased, struggling violently, "Quickly let me go! I'm going to beat that bastard to death!"

Ye Leyao, looking at the two large panda eyes on Yang Jie, burst out laughing.

"Is it possible that they're holding you back to save you, preventing you from being beaten up even worse by Yang Yuan?"

"If they really let go—"

Ye Leyao glanced at Yang Yuan.

Yang Yuan was also being restrained by several men. He could easily shake them off, but he remained still, staring at Yang Jie with a mocking smile, taunting, "Are you sure you can beat me?"

Yang Jie's chest heaved with anger, "You—"

"Enough!" Old Master Yang, watching this farce, closed his eyes wearily.

"Chase them out. Even if I die, don't invite them back ever again." Old Master Yang pointed at the trio of Yang Jie's family, speaking to Yang Kun.

Yang Kun furrowed his brows slightly before saying, "Alright."

Yang Jie never expected Old Master Yang to say such a decisive thing. Instantly, he flared up, "Dad! What do you mean? This is my home, why can't I come back? And today, it was clearly us who suffered, yet why do you always favor Big Brother? I'm also your son, Xiao Tian is also your grandson—"

"If you truly respect me as your father, you shouldn't have caused a scene in the hall just now, nor should you have allowed that scoundrel to cause trouble everywhere! Do you still remember that today is my birthday banquet?!" Old Master Yang pointed at Yang Jie, who was still wailing on the ground, his face contorted with rage.

"Throw them out!" Old Master Yang thundered.

"I won't leave!" Jiang Fang spoke up, her eyes red as she glared at everyone, "Do you think that driving us away will end this? Let me tell you, this isn't over! Not only did Yang Yuan hit my son, he also hit my husband. I'm going to call the police—"

"Huh, she dares to call the police?"

"If I were Yang Yuan, I'd call the police too!"

Mrs. Yang never expected Jiang Fang to say such shameless words.

She had originally thought that regardless of how unruly Yang Jie was, he was still Yang Kun's younger brother. Thus, every time Yang Jie's family came to cause trouble, she tried to minimize the issue, believing in family harmony above all.

But now that they were bullying their entire family, how could she possibly hold back? She snorted, "Fine, call the police. It's perfect; I can also go for an injury assessment to see if I can directly sue him—"

Mrs. Yang glanced at Yang Tian, who was still rolling on the ground, wailing without shedding a single tear, her expression turning colder: "Of course, not only will I get an injury report, I will also hand over all the surveillance videos of Yang Tian stealing from our house each time he came here to the police. It will be good for them to see if these thefts can be charged as larceny. Since you two as parents can't control him, then we'll hand him over to someone who can."

Jiang Fang immediately retorted fiercely, "You dare?!"

"What's there to dare not? Are you suggesting that only officials can set fires?" Ye Leyao shook his head.

The entire Huo family and Qin Yao suddenly turned to look at him together.

Ye Leyao was taken aback.

"Why are you looking at me?"

"Was what I said wrong?"

Mother Huo couldn't help but sigh.

It was right, but why did you blurt out what you were thinking!

Isn't this just inviting trouble?

Sure enough, Jiang Fang turned around in anger upon hearing these words. "Who are you? Our family affairs are none of your business."

Qin Yao furrowed his brows and stepped forward, shielding Ye Leyao behind him. "He's not wrong. I think it's also reasonable to call the police."

Only then did everyone notice Qin Yao, who had remained silent all along.

Jiang Fang naturally recognized Qin Yao as well. Her expression changed slightly, and she subconsciously looked at Yang Jie.

Yang Jie finally broke free from his restraints and said coldly, "Little Qin, you're just a junior..."

"As a junior, I indeed shouldn't meddle in other people's affairs, especially since our family has long severed ties with Uncle Yang Jie's family," Qin Yao interrupted Yang Jie calmly.

After he finished speaking, a hint of embarrassment flashed across Yang Jie's face, only to be quickly replaced by indignation. "Then why do you—"

"So I'll only add one more thing," Qin Yao interrupted Yang Jie again. "Since I still call you uncle, I feel compelled to remind you to take your son for a paternity test early on."

As his words fell, the room fell into silence.

Apart from the Huo family and their entourage, all the guests' faces showed disbelief and a thirst for gossip.

A paternity test?

For Yang Jie and his own son?

The guests couldn't help but look at Yang Tian on the ground, then raise their eyes to Yang Jie, and finally rest their gaze on Jiang Fang, who was bleeding profusely nearby.

Wasn't Yang Tian Yang Jie's son?

Was it true or false?

And weren't they just watching a family dispute?

How did it suddenly turn into a juicy piece of gossip?

Quite exciting.

Yang Jie was left stunned on the spot. "What do you mean? Are you implying that Jiang Fang betrayed—"

At that moment, Jiang Fang felt her blood run cold. She suddenly raised her voice. "Yang Jie!"

Yang Jie hurriedly turned to look at Jiang Fang.

Jiang Fang's whole body trembled slightly, but she had to remain calm as she spoke. "Are you doubting me?"

Yang Jie instinctively wanted to shake his head.

How could he doubt Jiang Fang?

Then he heard Qin Yao say quietly, "Hasn't Uncle Yang Jie noticed yet how much Yang Tian resembles his uncle?"

These words were like a bolt of thunder.

All the guests present simultaneously looked at Zhong Kang and Yang Tian.

Zhong Kang never expected that the Yang family's affairs would involve him. At that moment, he looked incredulously at Yang Tian, who was still lying on the ground.

Yang Tian, raised by Yang Jie and Jiang Fang, was quite chubby, but a teenager's facial features were already fully developed. Even if he was fat, his facial features wouldn't change.

Yang Tian had a flat nose bridge.

So did Zhong Kang.

Yang Tian had single-fold eyelids.

So did Zhong Kang.

The more the guests compared their facial features, the more astonished their expressions became.

"They really do look quite similar?"

"Although it's said that nephews resemble their uncles, don't I remember that Zhong Kang and Jiang Fang are half-siblings...?"

Yang Jie felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He looked at Yang Tian on the ground in disbelief, then at Zhong Kang, his gaze landing on the hand resting on Jiang Fang's shoulder.

"You—"

Jiang Fang seemed to snap back to reality and pushed Zhong Kang away.

"Yang Jie!" Jiang Fang's voice was filled with grievance. "I've given birth to three children for you. Don't you trust me?"

"Then those three children aren't his either?" Ye Leyao suddenly poked her head out from behind Qin Yao.

Yang Yuan couldn't hold back his laughter. "Is it true or not?"

Jiang Fang instantly flew into a rage. "What nonsense are you spouting—"

Qin Yao once again shielded Ye Leyao behind him. "Whether it's true or not, a DNA test will reveal the truth, won't it?"

Huo Yan hurriedly pulled Ye Leyao over and whispered, "Can you watch the show without saying too much?"

Ye Leyao blinked and obediently nodded.

But in her heart, she thought:

"I'll say less later, so as not to fan the flames too much."

Huo Yan: "..."

Isn't the fire you're fanning not big enough yet?

While Qin Yao only mentioned that Yang Tian isn't Yang Jie's biological son, you directly told Yang Jie that none of his children are his own! How could Yang Jie not be devastated?

Indeed, Yang Jie was indeed somewhat devastated at this moment.

He didn't want to believe what Qin Yao said; he trusted Jiang Fang, whom he deeply loved, more. But eyes don't lie.

Yang Tian clearly has no blood relation with Zhong Kang, but who could explain why their facial features are so similar?

It's as if they were—

carved from the same mold!

Yang Jie stared blankly at the two of them, opening his mouth in disbelief: "No... It can't be, right?"

Zhong Kang also thought it was impossible.

He did like Jiang Fang, but he and Jiang Fang had only been together once...

Zhong Kang suddenly shuddered all over.

Could it have been just that one time?

Zhong Kang's expression instantly became extraordinarily complicated. He had never liked this nephew, Yang Tian, so when he saw how Yang Jie had ruined the child, he hadn't intervened in disciplining him.

But now he was being told that this nephew he had always disliked was actually his biological son?

Zhong Kang's voice was hoarse as he looked down at Jiang Fang beside him: "Jiang Fang, Xiao Tian he..."

Jiang Fang's mental state was gradually collapsing at this point.

She had kept the fact that Yang Tian was Zhong Kang's son well hidden; no one knew about it except her!

How did Qin Yao find out?

And that unfamiliar young man earlier, he even knew that her two daughters weren't Yang Jie's children!

With her biggest secret exposed, Jiang Fang was in a panic. Hearing Zhong Kang's voice, she broke down immediately: "No! How could Xiao Tian be your son?!"

"Xiao Tian is my son with Yang Jie," Jiang Fang muttered, "Yes, he's my son with Yang Jie!"

"I don't want to stay here anymore..." Jiang Fang looked at Yang Jie through teary eyes, "Yang Jie, let's go back? Can we go home now?"

Yang Jie fell silent.

He stared blankly at Jiang Fang. Yang Tian had pushed her with great force just now, causing a cut on her forehead, which was still oozing fresh blood.

"We should..." Yang Jie's voice was hoarse, "Go to the hospital first, right?"

At least they should treat the wound on her head, right?

Unexpectedly, hearing the word 'hospital' sent Jiang Fang into a complete breakdown, and she shouted fiercely, "You don't trust me! Yang Jie, do you not trust me?!"

Old Master Yang watched the hysterical Jiang Fang, then glanced at Yang Tian, who had stopped crying on the ground long ago, and nodded at Yang Kun.

In the next second, security guards walked in from outside and started dragging the three of them out.

Jiang Fang's emotions became even more chaotic: "Let go of me—I can walk myself, I'm not going to the hospital..."

Hearing her last words, the light in Yang Jie's eyes completely dimmed.

He just wanted to take Jiang Fang to the hospital to bandage her wound; he didn't want to do a DNA test. Why was Jiang Fang so afraid of going to the hospital?

The answer was already clear, but Yang Jie dared not look down at it.

The security guards escorted Yang Jie's family of three and Zhong Kang downstairs.

Yang Jie hurriedly looked at Old Master Yang, but Old Master Yang didn't even glance at him.

Looking at Yang Kun, his eyes were filled with calmness, without even a ripple of emotion.

Yang Jie's heart sank to the bottom of the sea at this moment.

Was he completely abandoned by the Yang family?

What was he supposed to do then?

Yang Tian started bawling and thrashing around again, even kicking and punching the security guards.

If it were before, the security guards would have endured it.

But Yang Kun had just told them not to be too polite, so there was no need for them to be courteous.

One of the security guards twisted Yang Tian's arm behind his back, and with a snap, the little fatty started wailing loudly.

"Brilliant!"

Ye Leyao watched with delight.

If it were before, seeing his precious son being bullied, Yang Jie would definitely have scolded the security guard immediately. But at this moment, he only found Yang Tian's voice annoying.

Instead, Zhong Kang couldn't help but speak up: "Be gentler with your actions! If something happens to the child..."

"Can't you shut up!" Jiang Fang, losing control of her emotions, yelled at Zhong Kang.

Zhong Kang immediately fell silent.

Arriving at the villa entrance, the security guards simply threw them outside.

Yang Tian sprang to his feet and strode toward Yang Jie. "Dad! You have to avenge me for what those two—"

With a sudden crack, Yang Jie raised his hand and slapped Yang Tian across the face, barking, "This is all your fault!"

Jiang Fang's eyes welled up with tears at the sight. "Yang Jie, what are you doing?!"

Was there anything left for Yang Jie to misunderstand?

No matter how reluctant he was to believe it, the truth now stood starkly before him.

Yang Jie glared at Jiang Fang with bloodshot eyes. "He's not even my son?! What's wrong with me beating him?!"

"If it weren't for him, if it weren't for you—"

"How could I have strained my relationship with my father and brother so much?"

"How could they have been so heartless as to kick me out...?" Yang Jie felt drained of strength. He slowly rose to his feet, about to leave alone, when he caught a glimpse of Yang Tian picking up a stone in the bushes, approaching him with a grim expression.

Yang Jie's blood ran cold. Unable to contain himself any longer, he spun around and pinned Yang Tian beneath him. "You bastard, you dare sneak up on me with a rock—"

The villa's gate had yet to fully close, and through the gap, the guests could clearly see the former "father and son" grappling with each other.

The bitter fruit that Yang Jie had sown in the past was finally being reaped by him in this very moment.