Zhou Shuren looked at Second Zhou kneeling on the ground with a half-smile. “Why are you kneeling? Get up.”

How could Second Zhou dare to get up? He really didn’t know what his mother-in-law had done. He only protected her because he didn’t want to be looked down upon by his brothers. So even though he knew some things were going on, he didn’t ask. But now his father not only said it outright, but was also very disappointed in him.

Now his father’s eyes were cold. This kind of coldness shouldn’t be the look of someone looking at their son. It was as if he were looking at a stranger. He couldn’t feel any blood ties. His mother, at least, would warn him when she was disappointed in him. He knew that as children, parents would forgive their mistakes.

Just like in Pingzhou, Chang Lian had also made mistakes. His parents had punished him severely, but they were still good to Chang Lian. He felt that as long as he didn’t cross the line, it was okay.

But his father’s attitude today made him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar. “Father, your son was wrong.”

Zhou Shuren looked indifferently at Second Zhou. His and Zhulan’s contributions to the Zhou family had never been proportional to their gains. Zhulan had taken on the role of a mother, and he was slowly beginning to feel like a father. He thought that since he was a father, parents shouldn’t argue too much with their children, but not arguing didn’t mean tolerating everything.

Zhulan stood up. She didn’t want to see how Zhou Shuren would educate Changyi. Her disappointment in Chang Yi and Chang Lian was different. At least Chang Lian still had a heart, but with Chang Yi, she only saw coldness. She had almost forgotten the plot of the novel, but she still remembered that Chang Yi had left the Zhou family with his wife and children.

Before, she just didn’t want to make malicious assumptions because a novel is a novel, and this was reality. A few words didn’t represent the whole story, and it hadn’t actually happened. It was just a pity that she was too presumptuous, thinking that she could raise the Zhou family’s children well. Plus, Second Zhou was good at pretending. If it weren’t for the Pingzhou incident, she would have really misjudged him.

Hearing footsteps, Second Zhou looked up and saw only his mother’s back. Panic gripped him, and his body reacted faster than his brain, quickly grabbing his mother’s wrist. “Mother, I made a mistake, I’ll change, please don’t ignore me!”

Zhulan turned to look at Second Zhou, who was sweating profusely. His reaction was instinctive; his anxiety wasn’t feigned. But when it was time to be firm, Zhulan wouldn’t hesitate. She pressed down on Second Zhou’s hand and forcefully pulled it off. Zhulan turned and left deftly.

Zhulan could see clearly that Chang Lian was like a sapling with some branches growing crooked; she could simply cut them with a knife. But Chang Yi was already almost mature. She and Zhou Shuren had only pruned the branches over the years; the main trunk remained unchanged.

Moreover, Second Zhou had only learned scheming from her and Zhou Shuren; her knife couldn’t cut it. She could only use Zhou Shuren’s knife. Even if she cut it at the root, it would still grow crooked.

Zhulan thought to herself that she and Zhou Shuren had done right by the original couple. Their children were different, but she and Zhou Shuren had fulfilled their responsibilities. Even if they saw the original couple again one day, they would stand tall.

Second Zhou stared blankly as his mother left without saying a word. He didn’t understand what he had done wrong. He didn’t feel any different from Chang Lian, but why didn’t his parents treat him the same way they treated Chang Lian? Second Zhou turned around, “Father.”

Seeing Zhulan leave, Zhou Shuren no longer needed to pretend to be the original. Without the original persona, Zhou Chang Yi was just a familiar stranger to him. “Look at your eyes. You’re not convinced. Do you think Chang Lian also made mistakes? Why is it that you haven’t done anything, but my attitude towards you is different?”

Second Zhou’s hard-won… Unconvinced, he instantly deflated, “Father, your son didn’t.”

Zhou Shuren set down his teacup and stood up. He circled around Second Zhou twice before letting out a mocking laugh. “Then let me tell you exactly how you differ from Changlian. Changlian is not as cold-hearted as you. First, you concealed Zhao Shi’s appearance. You never once considered what would happen to the entire Zhou family if something went wrong. From this alone, it’s clear how selfish you are. Second, you received plenty of benefits from the Qian family, yet you never thought of going to offer condolences. Deep down, you must even feel relieved now, mustn’t you? With a yuejia who were no longer a merchant’s servants, the first thing you felt was happiness. That only shows how cold and unfeeling you are.”

Although Zhou Shuren didn’t interfere with Second Zhou and Chang Lian, he knew everything he needed to know from his conversation with Zhulan. Second Zhou said he refused the Qian family’s proposed dowry for Zhao Shi, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t accepted other money from the Qian family; otherwise, how could he afford two shops and an orchard?

Second Zhou felt completely exposed in front of his father, his most hidden thoughts revealed perfectly. He dared not look his father in the eye.

Zhou Shuren narrowed his eyes. “Raise your head.”

Second Zhou stiffly raised his head, feeling a chill run through him. His father was so unfamiliar today.

Zhou Shuren said coolly, “You’ve learned nothing but scheming from us. Will the entire Zhou family become your targets one day?”

Second Zhou was terrified. “Father, I didn’t. You said it’s okay to scheme against outsiders, but never against family members. I didn’t.”

Zhou Shuren said sarcastically, “You haven’t openly schemed, but you’ve been using them all along. Didn’t you just use Chang Zhi and Xue Mei? Do you think you two are the smartest people in the whole family?”

Second Zhou swallowed hard. Why did he mention Chang Zhi and Xue Mei? He wanted to curry favor and cover up his own intentions.

Zhou Shuren stood up. “Didn’t you and Zhao Shi buy an orchard in Chuanzhou? I think you must have enough money to buy a house. After you come back from Pingzhou, you and your wife should move there. Don’t come back without my notice. Leave the two children here; I’m worried about entrusting them to you.”

Second Zhou was terrified, thinking he had misheard. “Father, are you trying to send me away?”

Zhou Shuren said, “You can think that way if you want. Second Son, you should be happy. Your father is struggling, but for the sake of the entire Zhou family’s well-being, I will not divide the family, at least not for now. Otherwise, your second branch would have to leave today.”

Second Zhou was covered in cold sweat. His father was telling him bluntly that he wasn’t dividing the family because he was afraid that he and his brothers would drag the entire Zhou family down. He should indeed be happy; at least he hadn’t been separated.

Zhou Shuren sat down and said, “Your mother and I are different. Today, your mother is willing to give you this chance, but remember, it’s a one-time opportunity. And another thing, you two have already lived outside before, so manage yourselves properly. Don’t think that just because the family cannot split households yet, you are safe. There is also the matter of adoption—within the clan, there are families lacking sons.”

In any case, he was hardly lacking in “adopted” sons. If anything, he found there were too many of them!

This time, Second Zhou was not merely stunned—he was completely dumbfounded. The words “being adopted out” had now truly become a knife hanging over his head. Today, he had also seen his father’s coldness firsthand. Zhou Shuren had not concealed it at all; with those calm eyes, Second Zhou knew every word his father said was true.

He was certain that the only person Father truly cared about was Mother. Thinking of her, Second Zhou began to cry. People always said that a child with a mother was precious, and the saying was absolutely right. If not for Mother, then after what happened today, he felt that Father would not merely have sent him out of the house before—Father really would have found him troublesome enough to adopt him out.

(End of Chapter)

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