Seeing Qian Bowen emerge from the main room, Cao Chunmei hurried forward, “Bowen, what’s—”
*Slap!*
Qian Bowen’s hand cracked across her face, his voice a roar, “Why did you do it?”
The loud smack drew eyes—Qian Weidong, Governor Han, and the others turned toward the commotion.
Panic flickered in Cao Chunmei’s heart, but her face feigned confusion, “Bowen, what are you talking about? I don’t understand.”
Qian Rong bristled, “Dad, talk it out, why’d you hit Mom?”
*Slap!*
Another slap landed on Qian Rong’s face, Qian Bowen’s fury boiling over, “And you! Why did you plot against Father?”
The crowd froze.
Qian Weidong jumped in, “Big Brother, are you mistaken? How could Sister-in-law and Rong’er harm Father?”
“Besides, Father’s under a curse—how would they know such dark arts?”
He didn’t notice the flash of panic on Cao Chunmei and Qian Rong’s faces as he said “curse.”
Ye Qiu, watching them closely, sighed inwardly.
It was them, no doubt!
Qian Bowen bellowed, face stern, “Cao Chunmei, explain yourself—why did you and Rong’er target Father?”
“I didn’t target him!”
Cao Chunmei jabbed a finger at him, unleashing a tirade, “You, Qian Bowen—Father’s dying, you can’t find the cause, so you frame me and Rong’er? Is that human?”
“Are you trying to use this to kick me out and bring your son home?”
Son?
Big Uncle had a son?
Ye Qiu’s face registered shock.
The others gaped, dumbfounded.
Everyone knew Qian Bowen had two daughters—Qian Rong and Qian Shiyu, the younger mysteriously absent despite the old man’s illness.
Now a son popped up?
What was going on?
Qian Bowen’s face darkened, “Cao Chunmei, enough!”
“Enough? How’s this enough?”
She sneered, “Since everyone’s here, I’ll expose you, Qian Bowen, you fake gentleman, for what you are.”
Turning to the crowd, she declared, “You don’t know, do you? The esteemed Professor Qian, a beast behind closed doors, messing around with women.”
“Years ago, he kept a mistress—a student of his.”
“And she bore him a son.”
“I don’t know where you’ve stashed them, but that boy’s about three now, right?”
Pointing at his nose, she raged, “Qian Bowen, you’re vile!”
“To protect that mother and son, you frame me for harming the old man—are you even human?”
“For years, I’ve taken so much grief in this family—don’t you know?”
“Decades of toil, and this is my reward? Qian Bowen, have you any conscience?”
All eyes turned to Qian Bowen.
“Big Brother, is… what she said true?” Qian Weidong asked, incredulous.
In his mind, his brother was a learned, upright professor—how could he stoop so low?
Qian Bowen said coldly, “I’ll explain later.”
“Explain what? I’m stating facts,” Cao Chunmei shot a glance at Qian Jinglan, laughing, “Twenty years ago, Qian Jinglan brought back a bastard.”
“Now you’ve got one too, Qian Bowen.”
“Tell me, if the old man weren’t unconscious, wouldn’t you two have pissed him off to death?”
“A century-old scholarly family, riddled with scandals—how ironic!”
Qian Bowen’s voice was icy, “Cao Chunmei, I wouldn’t frame you, nor do I need to.”
“And Rong’er’s my own flesh and blood—why would I frame her?”
“If I say you plotted against Father, I’ve got proof.”
Cao Chunmei smirked, “Proof? Where?”
“You want proof? I’ll show you.” Qian Bowen stormed toward the inner courtyard.
The others trailed behind.
Soon, they reached the courtyard.
Qian Bowen kicked open Cao Chunmei’s door, strode in, yanked open her wardrobe, and found a hidden compartment, pulling out a wooden box, inside it a ten-centimeter puppet.
The puppet’s face mirrored Old Man Qian’s, lifelike, pierced with dozens of embroidery needles.
Qian Bowen barked, “Cao Chunmei, what do you say now?”
Her face went pale.
That look told everyone Qian Bowen was right.
“To think it was Cao Chunmei who harmed the teacher.”
“Pure evil!”
“Such an act—treasonous, unforgivable!”
Governor Han and the others fumed.
Cao Chunmei asked, “I hid that puppet so well—how’d you know?”
Qian Bowen snorted, “If you don’t want it known, don’t do it.”
Qian Rong panicked, “Dad, this—”
“Shut up!” Qian Bowen marched out, entered her room, flipped over her bed, and pulled a box from underneath, revealing an identical puppet, also riddled with needles.
*Slap!*
He spun and slapped Qian Rong, roaring, “You unfilial wretch, trying to kill your own grandfather—where’s your conscience? Eaten by dogs?”
Qian Rong collapsed, face ashen.
The three medical sages, alerted, arrived and pieced it together.
“Tell me why!” Qian Bowen demanded, fury blazing.
Tears streaming, Qian Rong said, “Mom and I gambled online, lost millions.”
“We borrowed from loan sharks to pay it off, but the interest snowballed—principal plus interest, nearly thirty million now, we can’t repay it.”
“The sharks said if we hand over the old house, the debt’s wiped, or they’ll kill us.”
“To get the house, we had no choice, we didn’t want to hurt Grandpa, but without this, Mom and I are dead.” She sobbed, “Dad, we don’t want to die…”
“You damned wretch, I’ll kill you!” Qian Bowen raised his hand again.
A hand darted in, grabbing his wrist.
He looked up—Ye Qiu. “Ye Qiu, don’t stop me, I’m beating this wretch to death today.”
“Uncle, hold off, I’ve got a question first.”
Ye Qiu fixed on him, “Why did you try to kill Grandpa?”
