Chapter 32: Coercing with Death

Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Coercing with Death

"But what could I do when you were being beaten and berated at the Song Family’s home? When I was pregnant with you, I still had to work in the fields, didn’t I? You were a girl, and the Song Family didn’t want you. What was I supposed to do? You really can’t blame me for this!"

She said, reaching out and grabbing the cuff of Shen Zhenwu’s pants.

"Snap out of it! They’ve conspired to tear us apart—a mother and her daughter! Just think about it. If Song Yao were really your daughter, why has she never come back all these years? Why hasn’t there been a single word from her? Can she prove whose child she is? With words alone?"

Shen Zhenwu’s face turned livid as he shoved Liu Yumin’s hand away.

"Shut up! You thieving hag! I’m certain that Song Yao is my long-lost daughter! You’re spouting nonsense and refuse to admit the truth, even on your deathbed! Don’t think I won’t get a weapon!"

With that, he turned and strode toward the inner room.

The sound of drawers being flung open and cabinets ransacked came from inside, followed by a CLANG of metal.

Liu Yumin trembled with fear, hunching her shoulders and shrinking away.

But Shen Shuangshuang began to scream like a madwoman.

"Dad! Don’t you dare get a weapon! If you use it today, I’ll die right here in this room! You think she’s your daughter? You’re wrong! I am the one who carries your blood! Are you going to drive your own flesh and blood to her death for a total stranger?"

"Search your conscience! Look at my face, look at my eyes! I’m the spitting image of you when you were young! Every elder in the village says we look alike! Why won’t you believe me?"

"Dad! Snap out of it! Can’t you see you’re wrong? I am your real daughter! Why are you so determined to take someone else’s child and treat her like a treasure? What for?"

"Say something! I respect you, I love you! I rushed back from Beijing just for your birthday. All I wanted was to have a meal with you and show you how much a daughter cares! But how do you treat me? By pushing me to this?"

She spun around abruptly, her eyes fixed on the white wall.

"Since you won’t acknowledge me as your daughter, then I’ve... had enough of living."

With that, she charged forward and slammed her head against the wall.

"Stop her!"

Song Yao roared.

The adjutant standing directly in front of Shen Shuangshuang reacted the fastest, lunging forward to grab her by the arm.

Shen Shuangshuang struggled with all her might, a hoarse, sobbing cry escaping her throat.

"Let me go! Let me die! I don’t want to live anymore!"

Liu Yumin shrieked at Song Yao, her voice filled with anguish.

"Daughter! Tell him! Tell him you’re the one who lied to Mr. Shen! Don’t get someone killed! What did Miss Shen ever do to you? If you cause her death, will you be able to sleep at night?!"

After screaming at Song Yao, she threw herself at Shen Zhenwu’s feet, crying as she kowtowed, THUMP, THUMP, THUMP.

"I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, Mr. Shen! I was out of my mind, I never should have taken Miss Shen’s golden bracelet. But I was just so terrified of being poor!"

"This daughter of mine is just like me—she’s been a liar since she was a child, always spinning tales! Her father and I tried to discipline her, we even beat her, but we couldn’t break the habit! She only lied to you out of spite because she hated me for trying to force her to marry Zhang Laosan..."

"But I swear, every drop of blood in her veins is mine—Liu Yumin’s! May lightning strike me down if I’m lying!"

Liu Yumin screamed until her voice was raw, but Song Yao remained completely still.

She started to panic.

’If this blows up in our faces today, my daughter and I will never be able to show our faces in public again!’

At that thought, Liu Yumin dropped to her knees with a THUD and began kowtowing again. THUMP. THUMP.

"Little Mud-ball, Mom’s begging you. I was wrong, okay? I’ll never force you to marry anyone again, I’ll never meddle in your business! Just come home with me. Don’t drag our whole family into the pit for a moment of wealth and glory!"

"The truth will always come out. Mr. Shen will find out sooner or later, and then our whole family will suffer! Please, take pity on us! We’re your family, connected by blood!"

As soon as she said this, the crowd began to waver.

"So it really was a misunderstanding? Stealing the bracelet, you could say that was for money. But why swap children? Just trading away your own daughter? Who would do something like that?"

"That’s right, no real mother could be that cruel."

The people whispered among themselves, their voices a low buzz of discussion.

Just as the crowd was wavering between belief and doubt, Song Yao suddenly stepped forward.

CLAP. CLAP. CLAP.

She began to clap slowly.

All eyes were involuntarily drawn to her.

She looked directly at Shen Zhenwu, her gaze filled with a stubborn resolve.

A moment later, her knees buckled, and she knelt heavily on the ground.

"Since I can’t prove my blood relationship with Mr. Shen, I won’t force the issue. But if Mr. Shen isn’t afraid of the disgrace, I would like to call you my adoptive father!"

Shen Shuangshuang choked, her chest tightening abruptly.

She composed herself and took a deep breath.

"But by doing this, are you being fair to the parents who birthed and raised you? No matter what, it wasn’t easy for them to bring you up. You should stay by their side, serve them, and care for them. That is the duty of a child..."

"Exactly!"

Liu Yumin immediately chimed in.

Her eyes reddened as she forced out a few tears.

"My daughter, how can you be so heartless!"

"A daughter of the Song Family has to get married sooner or later. They can’t keep me, and they don’t particularly care if I’m around. Now I have a chance to take Mr. Shen as my adoptive father, move to the city, and live a good life. In the future, when my life improves, won’t they also benefit?"

A corner of Song Yao’s mouth curled up as she slowly rose to her feet.

A chill ran through Shen Shuangshuang.

’This Song Yao is no easy opponent!’

’Her words were flawless.’

’She had absolved herself of responsibility to her birth family while framing this new adoption as something that would benefit everyone.’

Seeing that she was momentarily speechless, Song Yao immediately pressed her advantage.

"Besides, Comrade Liu, you claim to be my real mother. So now that I’m about to move up in the world and live a better life, what’s there for you to be unhappy about?"

"I’m on the verge of turning my life around, but instead of being happy for me, you’re helping Shen Shuangshuang stand in my way. What are your true intentions? Are you really looking out for me, or for that precious daughter of yours?"

At these words, Shen Shuangshuang’s expression changed subtly.

The people in the crowd weren’t fools, either.

Seeing Liu Yumin’s bizarre reaction, they started to have their own doubts.

"You know, what Song Yao said makes sense. Getting an adoptive father doesn’t mean cutting ties with your real parents. What mother wouldn’t want her child to do well?"

"That’s right. If that were really her daughter, she’d be clapping and cheering! Getting connected to a man like Mr. Shen is the kind of luck your ancestors have to bless. If it were me, I’d be laughing in my sleep!"

"It makes sense for Miss Shen to object, but for this Comrade Liu to be so vehemently against it... something’s not right."

Hearing the tide of opinion turn against her, Liu Yumin began to wring her hands in panic.

"I... I just can’t bear to let you go! Little Mud-ball, if you go to Beijing, it’ll be hard for your mother to even get a glimpse of you! My heart aches to see you fly so far away. That’s why I wanted to arrange a marriage for you here in the village, to keep you close!"

Song Yao cut her off with a cold laugh.

"So you picked a widower in his forties to be my husband? You say it’s for my own good, but your actions are vicious. Who’s going to believe that?"

Liu Yumin was so cornered she was practically hopping with rage.

"Why are you being so stubborn, you wretched girl! I’m your mother! Would I really do anything to harm you?!"

She took half a step forward, reaching out to grab Song Yao’s arm.