Looking at An MeiYun's pitiful hands hugging her own pants legs, Zhi Xia grabbed the fabric of her pants with one hand, and suddenly yanked her leg out, even kicking her in passing.
Looking at her lying on the ground in a sorry state, Zhi Xia mockingly laughed, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it either."
Liu Ling held the child without even glancing at them, said a word to the Old Master and Old Madam, then turned and left.
Zhou Nan hesitated for a moment, but in the end didn't say anything. Instead, she hid away in the kitchen.
The Old Madam got up, took Zhi Xia's hand, and said, "You just hurt your ankle yesterday, and you're still so reckless today. You don't even know to be more careful. I’ll have your fourth brother go and say something later so you can take a couple days off work."
Zhi Xia wanted to find an opportunity to go to the Lin Family. Naturally, she couldn't miss this opportunity from Lin Zheng. But she hadn't told the Old Madam about it, and An Zhiang was uncooperative, so he ran off to ask for leave for her.
In fact, the Old Master and Old Madam were not happy for Zhi Xia to take this job in their hearts.
Their An family’s granddaughter, even if she didn’t have much education, the family could still support her.
Things like cooking, just knowing some simple home-cooked meals to feed herself and take care of the family would be enough, for her future life’s sake.
Unfortunately, the Old Madam didn't know what was on Zhi Xia's mind, but An Zhiang had already run off, so she couldn't stop her either. She could only think of other ways afterwards.
The Old Master and Old Madam had just arrived in a huff to deal with things, and they didn't have time to feel heartache over their great-grandson.
Now that everything was settled, they naturally wanted to go see the child, while also comforting Liu Ling.
After making a fuss all morning until now, they still hadn't made breakfast. The Old Master and Old Madam also stayed to eat before leaving, but the time was already nearing noon.
Zhou Nan tidied up the kitchen and came out. Seeing Wen Qing, she wanted to reach out and hug him, but was dodged by Liu Ling.
The smile on her face instantly froze.
In the few years since Liu Ling married, this was the first time she didn't give face to her mother-in-law like this.
"A mother cherishes her daughter above all else, and although she looks after her grandson every day, it still can't compare to the daughter she raised with her own hands." Liu Ling's words had hidden thorns, and after saying them she directly hugged the child and left, without even going back to the room, but going out the front door instead.
Zhou Nan's face went from green to white, first filled with anger, then half a day later, like a deflated balloon, she sat on the stool in despair without saying a word.
Liu Ling went out holding the child to call An Zhiqing, since the child had this happen, the child's father had to know, lest it come out wrong from someone else's mouth and end up twisted in the telling, blamed on her in the end.
After finishing the call and coming back, Liu Ling began to feel sad again.
In the two years since the child was born, other than when she was home, most of the time the child was looked after by his grandmother. Usually, she was grateful and respectful towards her mother-in-law.
But this time, it really made her feel awful.
If it was just an accidental bump or scrape, she wouldn't be so petty about it. After all, her mother-in-law was busy with housework, it wasn't possible to keep an eye on the child every minute.
But that day when she came in the door, she clearly saw An MeiYun impatiently push the child, and the child's forehead happened to hit the corner of the table, causing the current consequences.
Liu Ling felt conflicted again.
She still had to work, the child still couldn't do without his grandmother caring for him. She didn't worry about leaving him with Zhou Nan, but An MeiYun could absolutely never come in this house again in the future, even just occasionally.
She had always known An MeiYun had a strong vengeful heart. With the child still in the house, she tried her best not to oppose her.
This time, she really couldn't let it slide.
After finishing the call, Liu Ling walked back carrying the child. Returning to the living room, Zhou Nan was still sitting there. She didn't know if she was angry too, but seeing them come back she didn't say anything more.
An MeiYun tidied herself up a bit and came out. Seeing Liu Ling, her expression unconsciously dodged a little. Then she said to Zhou Nan, "Mom, my face is injured. I'm afraid it won't look too good going out tomorrow. Can you go with me to the hospital?"
Zhou Nan sighed, took two dollars out of her pocket and handed them to her, "The hospital isn't too far, just go yourself. Mom has some things to deal with and can't get away."
An MeiYun's heart chilled again, but under these circumstances didn't dare ask for more or show her grievance in front of Liu Ling.
She couldn't rely on the An family anymore. Now the only one she could grasp was Lin Hao.
Her looks weren't outstanding to begin with. Usually she could be praised as delicate, mostly thanks to her well-kept hair covering her forehead and cheekbones, making her face look small and delicate.
Now with an injury on her face, she was bound to be pointed at and talked about tomorrow when going out. Plus hearing about today's mess, Lin Hao would probably be unhappy too when he found out.
Zhou Nan and An MeiYun left one after the other, just An MeiYun wore a large sun hat that could hide her whole face when she bent her head down a little. Zhou Nan ran off to make a phone call.
An Zhiqing had just returned after finishing the call with his wife, when he was notified of another call.
As soon as he picked up the phone, he heard his mother's sobbing voice.
"Zhiqing, Mom knows she shouldn't be protecting MeiYun, but after all she's the child Mom raised with her own hands, and she's getting married tomorrow. Your dad and I told her to come home less in the future, isn't that enough? Why does the whole family have to insist on cutting ties with her? Mom's heart aches, it was clearly the Gao family's wrongdoing, why should we have to pay for their crimes..."
An Zhiqing already knew what really happened from Liu Ling.
Faced with Zhou Nan's crying complaints, he didn't even say a word, just calmly waited for her to finish crying.
Hearing the sobbing stop on the other end, and Zhou Nan not speaking anymore, only then did An Zhiqing ask her, "Liu Ling already called me earlier, and told me what happened at home recently. I heard it from her."
Zhou Nan was not surprised. "Mom can see that your wife blames me. It really is MeiYun's fault that caused Wen Qing to suffer..."
"Mom, listen to me," seeing Zhou Nan about to start babbling again, An Zhiqing interrupted her and said, "When you and Dad protected MeiYun time and time again, did you ever think that the person hurt in this matter isn't MeiYun or you and Dad, but Zhi Xia. She should have grown up carefree and enjoying everything you once gave to MeiYun in our home. But because of these things, not only did she not enjoy any of that, she suffered a great deal, was wronged a lot, and even ended up being sold. And have you thought, if Zhi Xia didn't find out about her own origins and desperately run to her grandmother's home for help, what would have become of Zhi Xia?"
An Zhiqing spoke slowly and clearly, leaving enough time for Zhou Nan to think. Then he continued, "Our team has rescued some abducted or tricked women from the mountains before. I've seen those kinds of situations. They weren't even regarded as human. So in this matter, I don't feel sorry for MeiYun. She grew up carefree in our home, never worried about food or clothing, doted on by you and Dad. Even if you have to cut ties with her now, she has the ability to survive and a way out. I also don't feel sorry for you and Dad, because Grandpa already made the decision for you long ago. It's just that you always harbored wishful thinking, imagining that Zhi Xia and MeiYun could get along. The only one I feel heartache for is my sister I never met, who suffered so much that she never should have from a young age, and desperately found her way back to her parents through thousands of hardships, thinking she had found the way to survive, but instead faced bias at every turn, with no one to protect her. And when you shielded her enemy's daughter in front of her time and time again, did you ever think about whether your own daughter had someone to protect her, whether she would feel sad..."
