Chen Guangren suddenly felt a chill all over his body.
Anyone who suddenly realizes that their daughter, who they believed to be generally gentle and sensible despite occasional tantrums, is actually selfish, deceitful, and unapologetic while blaming them for being unfair, would be heartbroken.
Lan Shi had been with Chen Guangren for over ten years and knew him well.
Seeing his expression, her heart sank. She quickly stepped forward to console him. “Children’s father, don’t be angry. Ling’er is usually very well-behaved and deeply cares for her brother. Now that the two children have conflicting stories, there might be some misunderstanding?”
As she spoke, she gave Chen Jiu a cold and reproachful look.
Chen Jiu remembered how, when he was five years old, Lan Shi, heavily pregnant, had brought a bundle of bamboo strips to his door and looked at him with that same cold gaze. She had pinched him so hard it felt like she was trying to tear his flesh off, forcing the frail child who struggled to breathe after a few steps to learn how to weave bamboo baskets.
When he was eight, he took the blame for Chen Ling for the first time under her coercive gaze. He had liked the little Chen Ling, who used to cling to him and stop Lan Shi from bullying him. Unable to bear seeing her teary-eyed and upset, he took the blame.
Now, under that gaze again, Chen Jiu instinctively wanted to admit fault.
But he resisted.
He couldn’t be this pathetic in his second chance.
Ignoring Lan Shi’s warning gaze, he raised three fingers to Chen Guangren and said, “Father, I swear to the heavens, if I am lying, may I be struck by lightning and meet a bad end…”
“Alright, alright, as if I don’t know your character?” Chen Guangren quickly interrupted him, giving him a stern look. “What’s with the random curses? Are you not sick enough already?”
Before Chen Jiu could respond, Chen Guangren turned around angrily and said to Lan Shi, “Look at how well you’ve raised your daughter!”
Lan Shi hadn’t expected Chen Jiu to ignore her warning. She was secretly furious but didn’t dare to confront him in front of her husband. Fearing that Chen Jiu might reveal more in anger, she held back, keeping her head down and choking back tears.
The saying goes that after sharing a bed for a day, a hundred days of affection follow. Although he had initially married Lan Shi to have someone care for Chen Jiu, over the past decade, she had borne him children, and Chen Guangren had developed feelings for her.
Seeing her in this state, his heart softened.
However, thinking about how Chen Jiu almost got into trouble because of Chen Ling’s capriciousness, his anger didn’t subside easily.
He wearily waved his hand. “Alright, go make some noodles for Jiu-ger. He hasn’t eaten yet.”
“Okay.” Lan Shi replied, turning to leave.
As she left, she took Chen Ling along, saying, “Ling’er, come and help, and consider it an apology to Jiu-ger.”
Her tone was gentle, but thinking about her underhanded tactics, Chen Jiu felt a subconscious fear.
Nevertheless, he wouldn’t back down anymore.
This mother-daughter duo, one playing the good cop and the other the bad cop, had manipulated him endlessly, leading to his unfortunate end.
Why should he let them get their way?
Chen Ling was unwilling, but causing more trouble would only anger her father further, so she had no choice but to leave.
Chen Guangren, seeing their obedience, softened his expression a bit.
Turning to the bedridden and melancholic Chen Jiu, he comforted him. “Jiu-ger, don’t be too upset. Ling’er is just too spoiled and capricious. I’ll discipline her more.”
