Chapter 3: Not a Biological Son?

Li Cuicui had lost too much blood. Her right shoulder had already been bandaged, and she was resting against the bed while Song Xiangqian sat beside her.

Members of the second and third branches of the family were also standing nearby.

Song Hexiu entered with his wife and children. He did not even look at Li Cuicui's wound, which was still seeping blood despite the bandage; instead, he went straight to the point: "Mother, exactly what have I done to wrong you that you would do this to my daughter? Since I was thirteen, I have been supporting the entire family, helping my younger brothers marry, and helping the family buy land and property. And yet, just for five taels of silver, you would take my daughter's life? You have truly broken my heart."

Lying in bed, Li Cuicui's face was deathly pale from blood loss. Seeing her son accuse her, she suddenly found strength despite her weakness and roared indignantly, "Dalang, can't you see your mother is injured? What are you trying to achieve by saying this? Do you want me to kneel and apologize to your daughter?"

Song Hexiu ignored her for the moment and looked toward his second and third brothers, asking in a heavy voice, "I am asking you: who carried my daughter out? Who locked my wife and children in their room?"

In Qingyu Village, there was no precedent for splitting the family before the parents had passed away.

If he wanted to split the household, he would have to find a way to force his parents to propose it themselves!

Seeing their eldest brother's cold and stern gaze, Song Hemao and Song Heiwei instantly felt a sense of guilt.

They were still somewhat afraid of Song Hexiu.

Seeing that they remained silent, Song Chuhuai spoke up proactively, "Father, Grandma ordered it. She made Second Uncle and Third Uncle do it together. I saw it with my own eyes."

Song Hemao felt that, as an elder, he should not be criticized by a six-year-old brat like Song Chuhuai, no matter what he did. He glared and shouted, "When the elders are speaking, what business is it of yours? Get lost!"

Song Chuhuai showed no fear, straightening his back as he said, "When you came to take Sister in the middle of the night, we tried our best to stop you, but we were no match for you. Second Uncle carried Sister out and gave her to Grandpa, Grandpa carried her away, and Grandma locked our bedroom door."

Song Chuman chimed in, "Father, everything is exactly as Huai said."

Song Hexiu gave Song Xiangqian a look of disappointment, then clenched his fists and delivered a punch to both Song Hemao and Song Heiwei.

He couldn't hit his father, but he could certainly hit his brothers.

The two of them hadn't expected Song Hexiu to actually lay hands on them and, for a moment, they even forgot to resist.

Even though Song Hexiu only had the strength of a scholar and it didn't hurt much, one shouldn't hit a person in the face—especially in front of their children. It made them feel utterly humiliated.

Song Hemao covered his face and roared, "Song Hexiu, what right do you have to hit us? You aren't even our kin—"

"Er-lang!" Li Cuicui shouted anxiously, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Song Xiangqian also said in a heavy voice, "Er-lang, have you lost your mind?"

Song Hemao froze. Recalling what his parents had said earlier, he fell into silence.

Song Chuman looked at the old couple. Why were they so agitated?

This was the first time the old couple had scolded their precious children on behalf of her father.

Had the sun risen in the west?

Song Hemao had just said her father wasn't their kin?

Kin of what?

Song Chuman's eyes widened suddenly. Could it be that her father wasn't the biological son of the old couple?

But there had never been any rumors in the village that her father wasn't their biological child.

Sheng Shuwan and Song Chuhuai were also in a state of shock.

Usually, Song Hexiu maintained the persona of a frail, gentle scholar with a good temper; this was the first time they had seen him turn violent against his own family.

Song Xiangqian's expression was extremely grim. "Dalang, we are all one family. How can you hit your own brothers?"

"Own brothers?" Song Hexiu sneered. "Do their actions make them worthy of being my brothers? Is there an uncle who would let his niece die just for money? If they wanted money, they could have used their own children for sacrifices; why use mine? As Aman's father, I have supported them for many years. It is one thing that they are ungrateful, but to repay my kindness with such cruelty by trying to kill my daughter—I do not want such ungrateful, wolf-like brothers!"

Li Cuicui roared, "Dalang, what do you mean by that? Are you saying you'll abandon us for that money-losing brat?"

Song Hexiu countered, "Am I the one abandoning you? It is you who abandoned me. You have broken my heart and cast me aside."

"I'm not going to argue this with you." Li Cuicui looked at Song Chuman, meeting the girl's cold gaze.

Li Cuicui paused. For some reason, she felt that Song Chuman was different, though she couldn't put her finger on why. Frowning, she spoke, "This money-losing brat is nothing but a jinx. Ever since she came back, Er-lang has gone mad, injured me, and cost me two taels in medical fees."

"You used to dote on your brothers most of all, yet today you actually hit them. We can't stay in this house. Since she's already alive, your father and I have discussed it: we'll sell her to a wealthy household to be a maid. That way, we can get some money to live a better life."

They had originally thought they could get the five taels from Village Chief Du, but they hadn't expected this money-losing brat to be saved.

If they went to ask for the money now, Chief Du certainly wouldn't give it to her, and the other villagers certainly wouldn't donate.

If she became a maid in a wealthy house, Song Chuman would receive a monthly wage in the future, which could supplement their family.

Though she was reluctant to admit it, Song Chuman was indeed very beautiful.

Even at only six years old, she already showed signs of being a beauty. If she grew up, she would surely be a vixen just like her mother.

Perhaps she would even catch the eye of a young master from a wealthy family and become a favored concubine; if that happened, the Song family would finally rise in status.

Song Chuman sighed. As expected, they were still plotting against her.

Song Hexiu refused without a second thought, his tone resolute: "Impossible. Aman is my biological daughter. I will not sell her the way you sold your own daughter back then. Live a better life? That sounds lovely, but in the end, my wife and children will only be left to watch from the sidelines."

Song Chuman looked at Song Hexiu with satisfaction.

That's right; that is the attitude a father should have.

After all, if Li Cuicui could sell her own biological daughter, selling children would surely happen again in the future.

Besides her and her brother, her mother still had two more in her womb.

Li Cuicui frowned. "Dalang, by saying this, are you saying you won't listen to us?"

Song Hexiu's tone was firm: "I won't."

If he listened to them any longer, his family would be destroyed.

Song Xiangqian suddenly spoke with a sigh, "Dalang, you are the only one in our family who has received an education. Do you know that to support your studies, when your brothers were sick as children, we couldn't bear to let them go to school just so we could scrape together your tuition? You support them because you owe them."

Song Chuman frowned. Here it was again—the moral kidnapping.

In the past, hearing these words would have surely made Song Hexiu feel guilty.

But he was now numb to such rhetoric.

Song Hexiu knit his brows. "Every single time, you use those words to silence me, but I am no fool. Judging by your usual favoritism, there is no way you would have stopped the second and third brothers from studying just for my sake."

"I have no memory of my life before I was thirteen, so you can say whatever you want."

"Even if what you say is true, I have been supporting them since I gained my memories. I am twenty-eight years old this year, and I have supported them for fifteen years. Including their own children, I have supported them longer than you ever supported them."

"My wife even gave birth to two stillborn babies because I handed all my money over to you. Our immediate family has done nothing wrong to you."

"If we are talking about debts, it is the two of your branches that owe our branch two lives."

Song Chuman nodded in agreement.

If Song Hexiu had been a bit more selfish and less obedient in the past, she would have had two older brothers and sisters.

However, both his first and second pregnancies ended in stillbirths at the same time—could there really be no conspiracy behind that?

In the era she came from, there were plenty of child kidnappers in the 80s and 90s.

If she had the time, she might actually investigate this.

It was the first time Li Cuicui had seen her eldest son speak with such backbone. She was nearly driven to death by rage and threatened, "If you won't listen to us, I will split your family off entirely. You've offended people; you won't be able to find a good job in the city later. With your frail scholar's appearance, you don't even have the strength to go fishing alone. You get sick every month and spend a fortune on medicine, your wife is pregnant, and the money-losing brat and Song Chuhuai are only six. I want to see how you'll support them in the future!"

Song Chuman's eyes lit up. There was such a good thing happening?

(End of Chapter)