Before he could react, Xia He rushed to Wu Caiwei's side, smiling awkwardly. "Mother, my two children and I know that our good life today is all thanks to you. We won't leave with him. We've already told him not to bother with Father, but he wouldn't listen. Please don't drive us away."
Hesheng hadn't recovered from his mother's blow when he heard his wife speak such heartless words. He looked at her in disbelief. Xia He deliberately ignored his gaze. After all, that father was no good. She, as a daughter-in-law, couldn't say certain things, but now that her mother-in-law wanted to drive them away, she wouldn't be foolish enough to follow. Could she have a good life at the Zhang family's place?
Once, because she had given birth to two daughters, they had disliked her. She had come as a refugee and couldn't resist. Now that she finally had a good life, she would be foolish to leave.
"You... you..." Hesheng pointed at her for a long time, but couldn't utter a single word.
Xia He decisively pulled her two daughters behind Wu Caiwei, expressing her resolve with her actions. Hesheng looked at his two daughters, but they lowered their heads and stared at the ground.
They had been taken care of by their grandmother along the way and already admired and respected her greatly. As for their grandfather's family, their eyes always seemed to want to devour them. Any good food, fun things, or new clothes they had would be coveted by those cousins and snatched away. When they tried to fight back, they were either threatened with fierce looks or slapped away.
They had long disliked those people, and their own father still wanted to associate with them. This time, they absolutely wouldn't go to their home. With their small frames, they would be bullied to death.
Hesheng could only watch them drift further and further away. He felt a pang of guilt for hurting his mother's feelings, but he thought that he was her son after all. If he apologized sincerely later, she would surely soften. To his surprise, before he could even leave, a small bundle was thrown at him.
"When you came to the Yang Wang residence, you had nothing but ragged clothes. Today, I've instructed someone to pack a change of clothes for you. Go and live a good life with your father."
"Mother, you can't be serious, can you? We've depended on each other for so long. How can you have no feelings? You can't just tell me to leave and then expect me to go, can you?"
Wu Caiwei couldn't be bothered to deal with him. She realized they were not on the same path at all. She turned to leave, but Hesheng wouldn't allow it. He quickly stepped forward and grabbed her hand.
He said indignantly, "Is there any son who doesn't filial to his father? I was just doing what an ordinary man should do, and Mother resents me so much? My wife and daughters are all on your side, aren't you proud? A married woman should uphold her wifely duties and obey her husband and son's opinions. But what about you? You knew my father was still alive, yet you flirted with Chen Renjie. Don't you find it shameful? I'm ashamed for you."
The next moment, a palm print appeared on his face. He clutched his face, looking at his mother in disbelief. His mother had truly broadened his horizons today. He used to think he was the most important person to his mother, and even with Chen Renjie around, she hadn't neglected him. But slowly, he realized that as his ties with Zhang Dashan deepened, his mother became increasingly dissatisfied with him.
He hadn't failed to sense his mother's rejection, but he thought that she would depend on him in the future, so he couldn't fall out with her. Thus, he became somewhat reckless. He never expected her to slap him in front of so many servants. This was like dragging his dignity through the mud.
Wu Caiwei looked at his expression and knew exactly what he was thinking. At this moment, she was completely disappointed in him. The original owner's wish was for her son's family to have wealth and peace throughout their lives, not necessarily to live with her. It seemed her previous plan could now be implemented.
"How dare you hit me? Are you enraged and ashamed? If you had behaved properly and not associated with Chen Renjie, we would still be a family. With your capabilities and your status in the Yang Wang residence, Father and my two brothers would definitely dote on you. Our family wouldn't have fallen apart like this." Hesheng felt his words were a bit excessive, but he wanted to vent all his recent grievances. Otherwise, she would still think she was in the right. He didn't know how many times he had argued with others because of ridicule, sometimes even resorting to physical altercations.
"To tell you the truth, even if I didn't associate with Chen Renjie, I wouldn't live with someone like your father. Does he even deserve it? You've been too involved with them, and they've brainwashed you. I'll say this now: if you continue to entangle yourself with them, you won't even know how you died." Wu Caifei left again, completely ignoring Hesheng, who stood in the wind. Since it was his own choice, he had to bear the consequences.
Not long after, Zhang Dashan's family was also driven out of the Yang Wang residence. Zhang Dashan tightly gripped the back gate of the Yang Wang residence, refusing to leave.
"I am Wu Caiwei's ex-husband. I want to see her. She dares to order people to drive me out, and I'll expose all her good deeds. I want to see if this woman has any shame." Zhang Dashan had been leisurely reclining at home, drinking tea, when a group of people suddenly barged in and dragged them out.
In the past, he could endure for a comfortable life, but now that the other party was crossing the river and burning the bridge, he naturally had to expose the affair between her and Chen Renjie, let public opinion deal with her, and let the people of the Yang Wang residence see her true colors.
"I don't know when I did anything wrong to others. The most outrageous thing I've done is probably dating Chen Renjie and keeping Hesheng with me. Now, I'm returning Zhang's children to you, isn't that only right and proper? You said before that he carried your blood. Since he wants to acknowledge his ancestors, I won't stop him. You'll be living under the same roof from now on, so be filial." Wu Caiwei knew exactly what he was referring to, but she was not afraid. Her relationship with Chen Renjie was open and aboveboard. Even if it was not accepted by the world, after so many lifetimes, they had seen all sorts of situations. This was a minor matter to them.
"You licentious woman, how dare you say that? If you did this in our village, you'd be drowned in a pig cage. You're just relying on the power of the Yang Wang residence to be so arrogant in front of me. You wait, there will be retribution." Zhang Dashan was furious seeing her unconcerned demeanor.