Chapter Ninety-One

Chapter Ninety-One

"Zhou Sijia!" Shu Yao was truly terrified of Zhou Sijia now.

She felt thoroughly betrayed by Zhou Sijia.

Cai Wenqing immediately snatched the phone and answered it, then began to question her.

"Miss Zhou, may I ask what my daughter did to offend you? Why are you trying to harm her like this? Did Jiang Yiyan give you money to do this? Oh, right, you're friends with Jiang Yiyan, so perhaps you didn't even need any money."

"Miss Zhou, even if you want to help your friend, you shouldn't frame an innocent person. Our Yaoyao... has been terribly harmed by you."

Zhou Sijia had a natural inclination for stirring up trouble and relished in the misery of those she targeted. The more someone suffered because of her schemes, the happier and more accomplished she felt.

Therefore, seeing Cai Wenqing's lamentation only made Zhou Sijia feel incredibly satisfied.

"Auntie, this isn't my fault. I didn't make anything up; it's all true. If Jiang Xu hadn't hugged your daughter, how could I have taken such photos? Instead of blaming your daughter for having an inappropriate relationship with her stepbrother, you blame me for stating the facts... Auntie, you're really unreasonable."

Cai Wenqing: "They're siblings. When Yaoyao was upset, her brother hugging her to comfort her is perfectly normal. It's only because your mind is impure that you see everything as dirty."

"Oh." Zhou Sijia was now lying on her bed, painting her nails while holding the phone casually. "So what? I still believe what I saw with my own eyes. I saw them hugging each other."

"You!" Cai Wenqing was speechless with anger. "I don't have time for this." She angrily hung up the call.

"What kind of person is this! If I had known, I wouldn't have added her on WeChat. It's also my fault; I was too eager." Cai Wenqing started to blame herself.

If she hadn't been so anxious to introduce her daughter to wealthy second-generation heirs, her daughter wouldn't have gotten involved with Zhou Sijia.

And all of this was caused by Zhou Sijia.

How regretful she was!

But there were no regrets in life, and it was too late to change anything now.

They could only find a way to solve their current problems.

"Your father called Jiang Yiyan. That wretched woman must have been spreading lies about me in front of him. I don't know what she said or how much he believed. Yaoyao, this will be a difficult hurdle for us to overcome."

At this moment, Shu Yao said, "He's not my father!"

Since he wasn't her biological father, he had always favored Jiang Yiyan.

No matter what mistakes Jiang Yiyan made, he always sided with her.

Over the years, Shu Yao had called him "Dad," tried to be obedient, and never caused him any trouble. Her excellence even brought him honor.

Yet, in his eyes, she was still an outsider.

She had her pride and wasn't someone to be pushed around.

Cai Wenqing was also angry at Jiang Cheng but tried to maintain perspective. She urged her daughter not to have such thoughts.

"Compared to your real father, he's much better. Jiang Yiyan is his biological daughter, so it's natural for them to be closer. Yaoyao, try to understand."

Shu Yao, however, was overwhelmed by recent events and broke down crying. "I don't understand! Am I not his real daughter? Do we not share blood ties? Why does he treat me badly, always hitting and scolding me? Why are other fathers so loving to their daughters?" Was she worthless?

Was she unlovable?

Thinking back to her past experiences, Cai Wenqing shuddered. Even after ten years, she couldn't bear to recall those dark times.

Reflecting on her past and present, Cai Wenqing suddenly realized what she should cherish.

"Yaoyao, don't be afraid, don't think about it, don't think about it." Those memories were a nightmare for both mother and daughter, and they still feared rainy and thunderous nights.

Her ex-husband would often take out his frustrations on them, especially during storms, beating them brutally.

Fearing her daughter might relapse into that nightmare, she held her tightly, trying to provide some comfort.

Shu Yao cried uncontrollably, something she hadn't done in a long time.

In recent years, despite material comforts, she had felt emotionally deprived.

She had endured silently, but today, she let out all her pent-up grievances.

"Mom, I feel so hurt. Back then, I was the one who suffered, yet everyone sided with Jiang Yiyan. If they had just spoken up for me once, I wouldn't have held onto the past."

She continued, "Why can other fathers love their daughters so much, while mine hits and scolds me? Why, after calling him 'Dad' for so many years and being more filial than his biological daughter, am I still an outsider in his eyes? What more do I need to do for them to love me?"

Shu Yao felt abandoned by the world, except for her mother, no one truly loved or cared for her.

She thought her brother was special, but she was wrong.

His affection for her was not pure.

Mother and daughter cried together that night until exhaustion overtook them, and they fell asleep.

When they woke up the next morning, the chaos of the previous night had faded, leaving only a headache.

Without the emotional turmoil, Shu Yao felt as if the events of the previous night were distant and unfamiliar.

She was indifferent about the future. After all, things couldn't get worse than they already were.

At worst, they would return to living in the old apartment building from over a decade ago.

But Cai Wenqing clearly didn't want to give up their current life and continued to try to salvage it.

"I still have some feelings for him, after all, we lived together for over ten years. The time I spent with him is no less than the time Jiang Yiyan's mother spent with him. Even if he treasures his daughter, he wouldn't completely disregard my feelings. Perhaps he's been momentarily blinded, but eventually, he'll forget about these things."

Cai Wenqing had already decided that when she went downstairs, no matter how much Jiang Cheng sided with Jiang Yiyan, she would only appear aggrieved.

Playing the pitiful role in front of Jiang Cheng was something Cai Wenqing was adept at.

She knew how to win a man's heart by showing kindness.

Men, most of them, are chauvinistic and care about their dignity. If she showed weakness, even if it was her fault, they would feel a bit of sympathy.

But Cai Wenqing underestimated the ruthlessness of men and their concern for their own interests.

When they want to be good to you, they are indeed sincere. But once you cross their line, they can turn on you instantly.

What bothered Jiang Cheng the most about last night was seeing the ambition in those around him.

Jiang Xu was someone Jiang Cheng had invested a lot of effort into grooming as an heir. In the future, he would marry a daughter from a well-matched family. He didn't expect his son to marry above his station, but certainly not just anyone.

Moreover, Shu Yao was his stepdaughter.

If any scandal spread within their circle, who would dare marry their daughter into the Jiang family?

Jiang Cheng had always been generous with Cai Wenqing and her daughter, never stingy with financial support. When it came to food, clothing, and daily necessities, Shu Yao always had the same as Jiang Yiyan.

Even when they were young, if Shu Yao showed potential, Jiang Cheng did not hesitate to spend money on her education.

But his kindness towards them had its limits.

If he discovered any ambition to take over the Jiang Group, he would immediately turn against them.

Therefore, Cai Wenqing did not fully understand the man she had shared a bed with for over a decade.

She had miscalculated.

Downstairs, Jiang Cheng had already risen early.

He was sitting on the living room sofa, reading a newspaper.

Cai Wenqing lingered at the top of the stairs, cautiously peering down for a while. Only after confirming that Jiang Cheng seemed normal did she breathe a sigh of relief.

Perhaps he was angry last night after being provoked by Jiang Yiyan, but now, after a night, he should have calmed down.

Thinking this, Cai Wenqing descended the stairs as usual, greeting Jiang Cheng as if nothing had happened.

"You're up so early today?" It was only six o'clock, though Jiang Cheng usually woke up around this time, Cai Wenqing was making small talk.

Jiang Cheng glanced at her, acknowledged her, and told her to go eat breakfast first.

Initially, she felt uncertain, thinking he might not be as calm as he appeared. But when she heard his tone, Cai Wenqing completely relaxed.

If he didn't mention last night, neither would she. Since he told her to eat breakfast, she happily went to do so.

Thinking everything was back to normal, when Cai Wenqing returned after eating and sat beside Jiang Cheng,

Jiang Cheng suddenly asked, "Do you have time later?"

Cai Wenqing didn't think it was anything important because he usually spoke in that tone. So when Jiang Cheng mentioned going to the Civil Affairs Bureau if she had time, Cai Wenqing was taken aback.

She was stunned for a moment, unsure if Jiang Cheng meant what she thought he did. After a while, she tentatively asked, "Ah Cheng, you..." She couldn't bring herself to say the two words.

Afraid she might misunderstand, she quickly changed the subject and asked, "Why... Why are we going to the Civil Affairs Bureau?"