Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  At the time, her mother-in-law used to have the final say in everything at home. Her husband only knew how to listen to her mother-in-law and had even hated her. Because of what Sister Wei had said about protecting the mother, she didn’t have the right to watch or hug him. However, she had no right to complain.

  Plus, Cao Yang didn’t know any of this. Needless to say, when he was young, even when he had grown up, her mother-in-law had still guarded him against her as though she was guarding against a thief, hating that she couldn’t tie Cao Yang to her belt. She had never let her see Cao Yang alone.

  It wasn’t easy for her to say something, as the old woman would say even more bad things about her to Cao Yang.

  They were clearly mother and son, but they had been set up by the old woman to become enemies.

  Countless times, she had seen the old woman’s smug smile. She had done it on purpose to take revenge on her. She treated her daughter-in-law as an enemy. Only when her son and grandson stood by her side and opposed her daughter-in-law with her would she be satisfied.

  Cao Yang had actually heard Sister Wei’s defense before, but he had never believed it. He felt that she was lying to him, just like his grandmother had said. Seeing that she was still saying it now and had such a terrifying expression on her face, he felt furious and a little afraid. “Grandma already said that no such thing happened. Do you think everyone will pity you if you say this in public? Is this how you show regret?”

  “No, I’m just telling the truth. As far as regret goes, I’ve regretted it. However, when you cursed me with that old woman and spat at me, saying that I was vicious, I actually doubted if I should really regret it.”

  Sister Wei didn’t notice Cao Yang’s frown and continued. “I was hesitant. After all, I feel a little silly about feeling regretful over such a son.

  “At the time, I thought that you were just a child and would learn whatever you were taught. I thought that it was all because of the old woman’s teachings, not you. Later on, I tried my best to think of ways to express to you that I really love you. I thought that it would be fine as long as you grew up and became sensible.

  “But what happened in the end? I tried my best and I kept persisting. I was waiting for the day when you would grow up to be a reasonable person. I thought that you would be sensible then, so I endured it. Even when I was forced to the point of madness by them, I didn’t give up. I persisted for 18 years. What did I end up with after all that waiting?”

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  Sister Wei laughed out loud. “I waited until I felt twice as much hatred. I waited until your verbal abuse went even more overboard. Growing up didn’t do anything to you. Everything was just wishful thinking on my part. I’ve completely thought it through. I don’t regret it anymore.

  “If I’d risked my life to protect and give birth to such a thing, I would’ve suffered a huge loss. It would not have been worth it at all.”

  Sister Wei’s gaze became extremely cold. It would have been terrible if she’d lost her life because of such a thing.

  Cao Yang could not believe it. “How… How dare you say that?”

  “Why wouldn’t I dare? If anyone saw your current state, I think they would understand me. Those who scolded me should be ashamed.”

  The words that had been weighing on her mind for more than twenty years were finally spoken. Sister Wei felt much better. “I saw the truth clearly, so I left. If I had continued living with you people, I would really have gone crazy. I might as well have died.”

  This was the truth behind Sister Wei’s departure from home. For her son, she had stayed in hell for 18 years. She had lost her job and herself. Fortunately, at the last moment, she hadn’t gone completely crazy and had walked out instead.

  Sister Wei had finally felt less repressed, but this time, it was Cao Yang’s turn to feel repressed. Sister Wei’s words had a huge impact on him. He looked at everyone for help, hoping that they would help him scold her back, just like they had before. However, no one spoke. No one helped him.

  In fact, everyone looked at Sister Wei with sympathy, and the way they looked at him was indescribable, as if he had really made a mistake.

  But how could he be wrong? This had been the case since he was young.

  Cao Yang couldn’t help but look at Xiao Mei beside him for help. Seeing that Xiao Mei was looking at him with a complicated gaze of disapproval, Cao Yang panicked. “Xiao Mei, why are you looking at me like that? Do you think she’s right?”

  Xiao Mei didn’t answer his question. Instead, she muttered, “I always thought that when you said your mother treated you badly and even ran away, she had really treated you badly. I didn’t expect such an inside story…”

  “What do you mean? Are you about to say that I was wrong?” Cao Yang asked. Seeing that Xiao Mei didn’t answer, Cao Yang looked at Sister Wei with eyes filled with hatred. “Why are you here? You always ruin my happiness the moment you appear…”

  “The one who stopped Sister Wei was you. She didn’t say a word at first.” Mu Jingzhe couldn’t take it anymore and spoke up.

  “That’s right. We were all watching. Don’t twist right and wrong.” Little Bei spoke. Then, she added, “And you were indeed in the wrong when it comes to this matter.”

  This was the first time Cao Yang was in such a situation and was feeling alone and helpless. One could say that the surrounding people had gotten familiar with him in the past two days, but for some reason, no one spoke up for him.

  Cao Yang could only do it himself. He glared at Little Bei. “Why did you say I was wrong? How am I wrong? I’m the victim!”

  “What kind of victim are you? The real victim is Auntie Wei.”

  Little Bei thought of Bai Lu. “Auntie Wei didn’t do anything wrong.”

  She wished so much that Bai Lu could have survived back then. She wished so much that Bai Lu would have chosen to live.

  “What makes you say that!” Cao Yang couldn’t stand Little Bei’s words. If Sister Wei wasn’t wrong, then was he wrong? Then what did that make his over twenty years alive? “You don’t know anything. You’ve never been chosen before. What right do you have to say that?!”

  “Why don’t I have the right? You hate your mother for not choosing you back then, but I only hate that I couldn’t choose back then myself. Otherwise, I would definitely have let my biological mother live!”

  “Because she didn’t survive. I’ve always blamed myself. But when your mother survived, you criticized her. What right do you have to criticize her? What are you? If you criticize her for not being a good mother, then are you a good son?”

  Cao Yang couldn’t say that he was a good son. Little Bei’s words were like a heavy slap on his face, making him lose face.

  “I can’t say that I’m a good son, but only when a mother is loving can the children be filial. I’m unfilial because she wasn’t a loving mother in the first place…”

  “What’s considered loving? Does it only count if she gives up her life in exchange for yours? Who are you to make her sacrifice herself like this? If you have the ability, die yourself. Back then, she was the same age you are now. If you got married in the future and the child could only be safe if you died, would you make the sacrifice?”

  “Of course I would,” Cao Yang immediately replied.

  “Would do what? Aren’t you thinking that since you won’t be the one giving birth, such a dangerous situation can’t happen to you? And you dare say you would do it!”

  Cao Yang couldn’t prove that he was willing, but he thought of something else. “I can’t prove this because I’m indeed not fit to give birth. However, I don’t agree with what you said just now…… I’m not accusing her because she didn’t sacrifice herself for me, but because she doesn’t even have that heart.”