Chapter 69 He's not his biological son

Wang Guihua was already in tears, and with a trembling hand, she slapped Song Yaoyao's face again, who was filled with shock.

"Slap! Slap! Slap!"

After a few more slaps, Song Yaoyao, who was stunned by the blows, finally came to her senses and let out a sharp scream.

"Aaaaah... Wang Guihua, how dare you hit me? What right do you have to hit me? I'm going to fight you to the death!"

With bloodshot eyes, Song Yaoyao lunged at her mother-in-law. Her frenzied behavior terrified the police officers nearby, who quickly stepped forward, pinned her hands behind her back, and restrained her.

"Zhou Shuyao, are you just going to watch me get beaten by your mother? I'm carrying your child! You can't treat me like this!"

"Ling Huanwu is a slut. It's no use you, old woman, protecting her. She doesn't even want her own parents. Do you think she'd be dutiful to you, her mother-in-law? You're dreaming..."

The entire residential compound echoed with Song Yaoyao's desperate cries and curses, sending chills down everyone's spines.

Zhou Shuyao stared blankly at the crazed Song Yaoyao, as if he were seeing her for the first time.

But she was his wife, and he couldn't help but protect her.

His eyes were bloodshot, and he turned to Wang Guihua with a puzzled look, demanding sharply, "Mother, I am your biological son, and my elder brother is just someone you picked up. How can you be so biased towards my elder brother and sister-in-law? What makes you think Yao Yao is lying?"

Zhou Shuyao's words shocked the entire audience.

Ling Huanwu looked at Zhou Jiuzhen beside her in astonishment, whose face did not show much expression.

She never imagined that Zhou Jiuzhen was not her mother-in-law's biological son.

What she never expected was that her mother-in-law would protect her, a daughter-in-law with no blood relation, instead of protecting Song Yaoyao, who was pregnant with her own grandson!

What Wang Guihua did next left everyone present speechless and in awe.

Wang Guihua pulled a small notebook from her chest and slammed it heavily on the table. "Is this enough?"

All the villagers craned their necks to look, and there on the table was a "Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner Qualification Certificate"!

It should be noted that in those days, many doctors were only given basic training before starting their jobs; they were all barefoot doctors.

Even though many doctors in big city hospitals cannot obtain this authoritative certificate, this old woman did, which shows that her medical experience and ability are first-class and recognized by the state.

In an instant, Wang Guihua's image as a rural woman was elevated, and her words became highly credible!

“Back in Shitou Village, I conducted a thorough examination of all the female educated youth in the village, including my daughter-in-law. My son was too embarrassed to say anything, but today, for the sake of my daughter-in-law’s innocence, I’m going to swallow my pride and say it: when my eldest daughter-in-law, Ling Huanwu, married my eldest son, she was a virgin!”

"And you..."

Wang Guihua pointed at Song Yaoyao with trembling hands, her angry voice rising several octaves.

"What right does a thief who steals other people's happiness have to spread rumors about them?"

"Officers, don't worry about her being pregnant. This kind of woman who lies all the time and has terrible character, I beg you to detain her for a few more years. Otherwise, who will compensate my eldest daughter-in-law for all the grievances she has suffered over the years?"

One biased word after another, like stitches of thread healing the soul, gradually mended Ling Huanwu's heart, which had long been shattered into pieces.

The icy coldness in my heart has been rekindled, and it is now beating vigorously again.

Tears streamed down her face, dripping onto the ground and leaving dark stains.

She hurriedly tried to wipe it with her sleeve, but her mother-in-law, Wang Guihua, pulled her into her arms.

The coarse cloth clothes, still smelling of firewood, brushed against his cheeks, and he heard his mother-in-law's chuckled, reproachful voice, "Silly child, when we're wronged, the first thing we should do isn't to prove ourselves, but to make them produce concrete evidence. Besides, you're not fighting alone; Jiuzhen and I will both testify for you!"

All the villagers who witnessed this scene couldn't help but tear up, turning their faces away to wipe away their tears.

The only sound left in the entire residential compound was Song Yaoyao's desperate screams and curses as she was taken away. As the sea breeze carried them away, the whole village fell silent once more...

＊

Night fell.

Darkness enveloped the entire coastline, like a huge black ribbon gently spread across the sky and earth.

Qin Jinshen lay on the soft, fine sand, looking at the blue fluorescent light on the distant sea. It was as if he could see the woman's tears falling drop by drop, slowly piercing his heart until it was a bloody mess.

He let the damp seawater pound against his body, feeling as if his entire body was being torn apart.

The thought that because of his mistaken trust, he had hurt the woman he loved most so badly that her toenails would never grow back made him feel so distressed that he almost died.

His painful cries echoed across the beach, until the rising waves repeatedly engulfed him, his mournful cries still reverberating under the night sky.

The guards tried to pull him up but couldn't, and were frantic with worry.

"Sir, why are you doing this? You didn't know Miss Ling was innocent back then. If you explain things clearly, she will forgive you!"

"No, she wouldn't!"

Qin Jinshen wept uncontrollably, like a desperate, trapped beast on the verge of death, repeatedly pronouncing his own death sentence.

He grabbed the guard's trouser leg, panting heavily, his eyes almost pleading, "Could you please pull out my toenails too? Old Ma, please help me, okay? My heart aches so much, it aches so much..."

The guard's eyes were filled with fear as he shook his head frantically.

"No, I don't have the tools..."

The next second, he was so frightened that he collapsed on the beach.

Qin Jinshen picked up a stone from the beach, raised it high, and then slammed it down!

Instantly, his big toenail shattered, and Qin Jinshen's face contorted in pain, yet he still trembled as he picked up the stone and gritted his teeth to smash it against his foot.

One strike after another, making a dull sound in the darkness.

Tears mingled with blood, swept away by the surging seawater, all being pulled into the bottomless darkness of the ocean...

＊

The stars twinkled under the night sky.

A tall figure wearing an apron was stirring the food with a spatula by the stove.

The swirling smoke made the man's cold, hard features appear gentler and more serene.

Ling Huanwu, holding a kerosene lamp, reached out to snatch the spatula from his hand, saying, "I'll cook. It'll be a laughing stock if people see a regimental commander like you cooking."

"Don't pity me just because of what I just said, or treat me like royalty. I can still do this little job."

Zhou Jiuzhen stood ramrod straight with his head held high, a rare look of emotion appearing on his face. "What exactly are you saying? How could I possibly sympathize with you? You've eaten more rice than I've eaten salt over the years. Why would I sympathize with you?"

"What?"

Ling Huanwu, holding a kerosene lamp, stared wide-eyed at Zhou Jiuzhen, hardly believing her ears.

The Zhou Jiuzhen she knew was usually not one to say more than a few words, but he had just spoken such a long sentence in one breath!

Wang Guihua covered her mouth and chuckled, then pulled Ling Huanwu into the house.

"Don't mind him. He was a great cook when he was little. This kid, the more he cares about something, the more stubborn he becomes."

Ling Huanwu took the flatbread her mother-in-law handed her and started eating it, her eyes filled with admiration and curiosity. "Mother-in-law, were you the chief physician at which hospital back then?"

"besides……"

She glanced at Zhou Jiuzhen standing by the door, then lowered her voice and asked her mother-in-law, "Is Jiuzhen really not your biological son?"