Chapter 25: Apologize to My Daughter

Seeing this, Sister Wang hurriedly chased after it, shouting, “Mimi, come back!”

However, the big fat orange cat vanished in the blink of an eye. When she stepped into the living room, she expected to smell a foul odor and see a scene worse than a doghouse.

To her surprise, not only was there no unpleasant smell, but she could even catch a light, subtle scent of air freshener that wasn’t harsh at all.

What met her eyes next was a spotlessly clean living room, with all the furniture neatly arranged.

She stood dazed for a moment until she spotted her cat on Zhou Wanning. As if remembering something, a look of disgust instantly washed over her face. “Mimi, get off that little mute right now! She’s filthy.”

It turned out that after slipping into the living room, the big fat orange cat had jumped onto the sofa and was lying across Zhou Wanning’s calves.

Zhou Wanning was stroking its head, a rare flicker of joy passing through her usually indifferent eyes.

Few children could resist such a cute, fluffy animal. Although Zhou Wanning couldn’t speak, she loved cats all the same.

But upon hearing Sister Wang’s words, her hand dropped. The joy in her eyes vanished, replaced once more by her usual detached, emotionless look.

Sister Wang couldn’t care less whether her words hurt the little girl’s self-esteem. She rushed over to snatch her cat back, still spewing foul remarks: “Why are you being so disobedient? Don’t you know she’s dirty? What if you catch bacteria and get sick? Mommy’s heart would break!”

As she spoke, she patted nonexistent dust off the big fat orange cat.

Chen Liyang came out of the bedroom, his face covered in ice. He had heard every single word Sister Wang had just said.

Seeing her perform such an insulting gesture made his blood boil even more.

“Sister Wang, my daughter isn’t dirty. At the very least, she’s cleaner than you.

You’re old enough to be a grandmother to these kids, yet you harbor so much malice toward a child. You truly fail to act your age.”

Sister Wang trembled with rage at his words. “You’re the grandmother! Your whole family is grandmothers!

Besides, did I say anything wrong? Who in this entire urban village doesn’t know that your stepdaughter can’t speak at five years old? If she isn’t a mute, what is she?

And look at her clothes! Aren’t they so dirty you can’t even tell their original color?

Now you’re standing there scolding me like some devoted father. Isn’t it your doing that people look down on them in the first place?

Back when everyone else called them little bastards, I didn’t see you say a single word for them.

So in what capacity are you lecturing me now?”

Although Sister Wang was telling the truth about the past, Chen Liyang wasn’t the original host after all. He immediately snapped back, “How I treat my children is none of your business.

But you have no right to humiliate my daughter. You owe her an apology.”

Looking at the man standing up for her, Zhou Wanning raised her head to glance at him. A strange light flickered in her eyes before quickly returning to normal.

Sister Wang burst out laughing as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world. “Are you out of your mind? Asking me to apologize to a mute? Even if I did, could she even say ‘it’s okay’?

I don’t have time to waste talking to you. Hurry up and give me the rent. I still need to go back and give my daughter a bath before she touches something dirty and gets sick.

Unlike some people whose lives are cheap enough to survive in any filthy place, my baby is delicate.”

Seeing Sister Wang continue to humiliate Wanning, Chen Liyang lost his temper completely.

He strode forward rapidly, his eyes looking ready to butcher her on the spot.

“What… what do you think you’re doing?” Sister Wang backed away in sudden panic. She had forgotten that this guy was a violent man. Why on earth had she provoked him?

With a fierce glare and full of menace, Chen Liyang growled every single word: “I’m not going to say this a third time. Apologize to my daughter.

Otherwise, my fists don’t care if you’re a woman.”

“You wouldn’t dare! Hitting someone will get you thrown in jail! Besides, you’re renting my house. Aren’t you afraid I’ll kick you all out with nowhere to go?”

Chen Liyang burst into a chuckle as if he had heard a hilarious joke. “Sister Wang, it’s not like you just met me today. Is there anything in this world I don’t dare do?

Every cop in this district knows me. Do you really think I’m afraid of you calling the police?

As for kicking us out, back when I turned you down and you still chose to rent this place to me, wasn’t it because this place couldn’t be rented out to anyone else?”

“You…” Hit right where it hurt, Sister Wang flushed red with shame and anger.

She had known all along that Chen Liyang was a local hoodlum, but today she finally witnessed it firsthand.

“Apologize. Otherwise, you know me. I can’t control my temper sometimes, and there’s no telling what violent things I might do.” The threat in his voice was completely unhidden.

Everyone knew you couldn’t reason with a lunatic, especially a violent one. Fearing she would never have peace if she got entangled with a man like him, Sister Wang begrudgingly looked at Zhou Wanning and muttered a brief “sorry.”

But Chen Liyang thought her voice was too quiet and her attitude lacked sincerity, so he made her apologize again.

Left with no choice, Sister Wang squeezed out another “sorry,” slightly louder this time, though Zhou Wanning still gave no reaction whatsoever.

Chen Liyang sat down gently beside Wanning and soothed her softly, “Our Wanning isn’t dirty, nor is she a little mute. Daddy knows you just don’t feel like talking right now.

When you do open your mouth one day, you’ll definitely be the most talkative one among us.

Now, let Daddy decide for you and forgive this Old Lady Wang, okay?”

“I’m only forty! Where are your manners?!” Arguments aside, no woman was indifferent about her age, and such a title was a sharp prick to her heart.

Yet Chen Liyang looked at her innocently. “I call you Sister Wang, so by generation, my kids really ought to call you Old Lady. Or should they call you Great-Aunt? Or would you prefer Grandmother?”

As he finished speaking, Sister Wang nearly suffered a cardiac arrest. But knowing she wouldn’t gain a thing from arguing with Chen Liyang, she could only demand with a darkened face that he pay the rent immediately.

Chen Liyang didn’t want to look at Sister Wang either, nor did he want her ruining his child’s mood, so he quickly transferred the money to her.

Watching Chen Liyang handle the mobile transfer so smoothly, Sister Wang realized she had been fooled all along. “Well, aren’t you something, Chen Liyang! You clearly knew how to transfer money on your phone, yet you lied and said you didn’t, making me come all the way here for nothing every month!”

“I only just learned,” Chen Liyang offered as a quick excuse to send her on her way. “I won’t trouble you to come by anymore, Sister Wang. I’ll transfer the money to you on time from now on.” It worked out fine anyway, as he didn’t want to deal with someone so lacking in basic courtesy every month either.

Sister Wang tossed out a final warning that if he dared fall behind on rent, he could pack up and get out. Only then did she cradle her cat and strut off arrogantly, like a victorious peacock.

Once she was gone, Chen Liyang gently took Wanning’s hand. Worried she might feel hurt, he comforted her warmly before getting back to the cleaning.

Zhou Wanning looked down at her short little hands, which still retained the lingering warmth of Chen Liyang’s touch.

She had no memory of her mother. This was the first time he had stood up for her and comforted her in front of someone else, making her feel that she was no longer a child nobody loved.