Chapter 178 Drawing Random Conclusions

She slammed her hand on the table with a loud bang: "Adong, look at her! That jade was the last thing my parents left me! It's a keepsake! It's a token of their affection! Would I joke about it? Would I needlessly smear myself with such nonsense? Am I crazy?"

Fu Li'an did not respond immediately, but simply lowered his head, his fingers gently gliding over the jade pendant, his movements slow and meticulous.

After a moment, he slowly spoke, his voice steady and restrained: "Mom, please don't get agitated."

He looked up at his mother, his eyes filled with reassuring words: "Qingqing won't touch this jade. This matter... let's not make a fuss."

Song Yazhi's face turned even uglier, as if she had been slapped in the face in public.

She pointed at Qiao Wanyin, her voice trembling: "Adong! What do you mean by that? The evidence is right in front of us! The jade is in her room! And you're still defending her? Whose side are you on?"

Fang Wanyu immediately grabbed Song Yazhi's arm, her voice trembling slightly, filled with deep grievance: "Brother Maidong, Auntie came all the way here to see you. She sat in the car all morning, and her legs are numb. But now... you're talking to her like this?"

"Wanyu".

Fu Li'an suddenly turned his head, his tone turning icy cold, like the north wind in winter, showing no mercy, "This is my family matter, it's none of your business to interfere."

Fang Wanyu's body trembled violently, her eyes immediately reddening and tears welling up: "Brother Maidong... I just feel sorry for Auntie, I feel sorry for her having to suffer such injustice at her age... I..."

"Adong!"

Song Yazhi immediately interrupted sharply, glaring at Fu Li'an, "How can you talk to Wanyu like that? She grew up with you, went to school with you, ate with you, she knows you better than I, her mother! She's much closer to you than this daughter-in-law who just appeared out of nowhere!"

Qiao Wanyin, "..."

She opened her mouth, then froze on the spot, as if struck by lightning.

Who came out of nowhere?

Who is it?

"mom."

She finally spoke, her voice not loud, but very clear.

She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. "I'm not someone of unknown origin. I'll go get my ID card right now and show it to you."

She turned to walk towards her room, her steps firm.

"Stop talking nonsense!"

Song Yazhi glared at her fiercely, her tone full of disdain and contempt.

Fu Li'an glanced at his mother, his brows furrowed deeply, and finally sighed.

He didn't say anything more, but turned around and walked to Qiao Wanyin's side, gently holding her cold hand.

Although the palm was cold, it was firmly enveloped by him.

He looked up and said firmly to Song Yazhi, "Mom, Qingqing is my wife."

“I know her best. She wouldn’t steal anything, let alone our family heirloom. Please trust me this once.”

Upon hearing these words, Qiao Wanyin felt a sudden warmth in her heart, as if a ray of light had suddenly shone into the cold night.

She lowered her eyes, a thin layer of moisture welling up in them.

Unexpectedly, at this time, Fu Lian was still able to stand by her side without hesitation.

It was definitely worth it for her to choose this person!

"You understand?"

Song Yazhi retorted with a cold laugh, her eyes twitching slightly, her voice filled with barely suppressed anger, "You've only known her for a few days? Do you know what she did in the past? Do you know about her life in the countryside? Do you know how much gossip she's spread behind your back? Do you know if she's really innocent?"

"She has a lover named He Dayong in the countryside, and another man from the port city named Sheng Qi. You're still protecting this kind of woman?"

Fu Li'an frowned, a vein throbbing on his forehead, his eyes filled with disbelief and shock. "Mom, who told you this? Who told you? Who's been gossiping behind your back, spreading so much rumors about you?"

Song Yazhi's face turned pale and then red, her lips trembled slightly, and her eyes darted away, as if she didn't want to look her son in the eye.

Does it really matter who said it?

Her voice rose, but her tone carried a hint of uncertainty. "The key is that these things are true! I've inquired, and many people say the same thing. Could it be that the whole village conspired to deceive me? Could they all come up with such a well-structured story?"

Fang Wanyu knew she couldn't hide it anymore. Her face turned pale, and her fingers gripped the hem of her clothes so tightly that her fingertips turned white.

She lowered her head, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible, as if it would dissipate with a gust of wind: "Brother Maidong, Auntie asked me, and that's when I started telling her about what I heard in the countryside... I just... I couldn't help myself, I didn't think too much about it... I never expected it to turn out like this..."

"Fang Wanyu".

Fu Lian suddenly raised his voice, his words cutting through the air like knives, his sharp eyes piercing her, "You have to take responsibility for what you say, don't you understand? One word can ruin a person's reputation, even their life! Have you thought about the consequences? Have you thought about Qingqing?"

Fang Wanyu turned pale with fright, her pupils contracted sharply, and she shrank back as if someone had grabbed her by the throat, her heel hitting the corner of the wall with a dull thud.

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She only felt a tightness in her chest, and cold sweat quietly slid down her back.

Song Yazhi suddenly stood up, her eyes blazing with anger. She slammed her hand on the table with a loud "bang," which shook the coffee table three times. Teacups jumped up, their lids fell off, and tea spilled all over the table.

Her finger trembled as she pointed at Fu Lian: "A Dong! Do you even see me as your mother anymore? You're being so mean to Wan Yu, whom you've watched grow up, all for her sake? She's your cousin's daughter, a relative of ours! Why are you taking it out on her? Huh?"

Fu Li'an didn't speak, but quietly walked up to his mother, his expression calm yet unquestionable.

He looked down at Song Yazhi, his voice steady and firm: "Mom, Qingqing is my wife. I trust her, just like you trusted Dad back then. You didn't believe the rumors that Dad was having affairs, and you stood by him. Now, I hope you can stand by me and trust the person I've chosen."

These words were like a needle, piercing straight into Song Yazhi's heart, sharp and precise, causing her so much pain that she could barely breathe.

Her face turned pale instantly, her lips turned blue, and her eyes were filled with astonishment and disbelief.

Her legs went weak, and she staggered back two steps, her knees buckling. Luckily, she was supported by the sofa armrests behind her, preventing her from falling to the ground.

"Great! That's really great!"

Her voice trembled, her eyes filled with sadness and grievance, tears welling up but stubbornly refusing to fall. "I raised you with such difficulty, caring for you through thick and thin, sending you to school, hoping you would succeed... and this is how you treat me? For a country girl, you've abandoned your mother? You've thrown away the filial piety I taught you from childhood? Do you even care about this family anymore?"

Seeing his mother so angry, Fu Li'an felt a heavy weight on his chest and his heart ached. His throat tightened, but he knew that backing down now would be a betrayal of Qiao Wanyin.

He gritted his teeth, his gaze remaining firm, and he did not back down an inch.

"Mom, I didn't abandon you."

He spoke softly, his voice pleading yet unwavering, "I just hope you can be fair to Qingqing and not jump to conclusions based on a few gossips. She's not the kind of person you imagine."