“If I’d known earlier, I should’ve strangled you the moment you were born.”
“You haven’t come home all these years. Only your younger brother and his family have been filial to me—what’s wrong with me helping them?”
“Qi Yuancheng, you’re unfilial and heartless. You deserve to have no children. You deserve to die without an heir!”
All sorts of vicious words spewed from Bai Lanhua’s mouth, twisting her face into something almost grotesque.
The people around them frowned as they listened.
How could a mother be so cruel as to curse her own son with such malice—wishing him to die without descendants?
She even regretted not having strangled him at birth. It was too vicious.
“How dare you say that to him!”
At that moment, Qin Rou—who had always been gentle and prone to enduring things quietly—suddenly erupted.
She rushed forward, shielding Qi Yuancheng, and stood directly in front of Bai Lanhua.
“You say he never came home? Do you even know why? He was defending our country, shedding blood on the battlefield! Without soldiers like him risking their lives, how could you have lived in peace all these years?”
“He may not have come home, but before we got married, he sent nearly ninety percent of his earnings to you. Even now, after marriage, he still sends thirty percent of his income every month. You took that money without a shred of guilt—even gave it to your third son to spend. And did Yuancheng ever complain?”
“Don’t think we’re blind. We know exactly what you and your third son’s family are scheming.”
“Do you really think we don’t see how much you favor them? Do you think we don’t know what kind of people they are?”
“At this point, I’m starting to doubt whether Yuancheng is even your biological son. How else could a mother say such vile things?”
“Is your third son the only one who counts as your real child? If that’s the case, then cut ties with us. Let us go.”
“A mother like you, a brother like him—Yuancheng doesn’t deserve this.”
“Let me make this clear: Yuancheng has done nothing wrong. Not a single thing!”
Qin Rou’s voice trembled with emotion, her neck stiff with defiance. As she spoke, tears streamed down her face.
She wasn’t crying out of sadness, nor for herself—but for her husband. For the injustice he had endured, for the pain he didn’t deserve.
Bai Lanhua stood frozen, rendered speechless, her teeth clenched but unable to retort.
Qi Yuancheng stared at Qin Rou, who was shielding him.
He knew his wife had always been soft-spoken, the type to avoid conflict, never one to raise her voice or lose her temper.
And now, her fury was all for him—to defend him, to demand justice.
Qi Yuancheng looked at the petite figure standing protectively in front of him, and suddenly, the hollowness in his heart, carved out by his mother’s cruelty, was filled.
Perhaps… it was time for him to make a decision.
He stepped forward slowly, taking Qin Rou’s hand, and faced Bai Lanhua.
“In the past,” he said, voice steady but heavy, “I always clung to the hope of family, to the dream of a mother’s love.”
“But now, I understand.”
“Some bonds were never meant to be mine. I shouldn’t have forced them.”
Bai Lanhua’s heart twisted at his words. The son before her suddenly felt like a stranger—distant, unreachable. A strange fear gripped her, as though something precious was slipping through her fingers, lost forever.
Her lips trembled, but no words came out.
Was Qi Yuancheng really her own flesh and blood?
Of course he was!
She had carried him for ten months, endured a day and night of agony to bring him into this world. His birth had secured her place in the Qi family back then.
In those early years, hadn’t she doted on him? Hadn’t she wanted to give him everything?
When had things changed?
Was it when her mother-in-law took him away to raise?
Or when her second and third sons were born?
Her second son, though raised by her side, was dull and quiet. But the third—she had poured all her care into him since birth. He was sweet-tongued, always by her side. Was it so wrong to favor him a little more?
Was it wrong to expect the capable eldest to support the less capable youngest?
Qi Yuancheng had always been disobedient. She had wanted him to marry her niece, but he refused, choosing that Qin Rou girl she never liked instead.
Her third son had obeyed. He married her niece.
Was it wrong to love the son who listened to her?
Bai Lanhua had always believed she was right. But now…
Staring into Qi Yuancheng’s eyes—once warm, now cold with resignation—she faltered.
Had she been wrong?
Qi Yuancheng stepped forward, bowing slightly to Gu Jianing and Sheng Zexi.
“Dr. Gu,” he said, voice firm, “I will personally clarify the rumors. As for how to handle this matter… the decision is yours.”
No matter how much he wished otherwise, Bai Lanhua was still his mother. That truth couldn’t be erased.
Gu Jianing had witnessed the entire spectacle.
All she could think was—Qi Yuancheng was truly unlucky to have such a mother.
She couldn’t help but feel grateful. In both lifetimes, her own family had loved her dearly.
How fortunate she was, to have been born into such warmth.
Gu Jianing exchanged a glance with Sheng Zexi, then nodded.
“Let’s leave this matter to the leadership’s judgment.”
…
Soon enough, the leadership reached a decision.
The investigation results would be publicly posted to clear Gu Jianing’s name.
Additionally, Bai Lanhua was required to apologize to Gu Jianing on the spot and was to be expelled from the military base, with no future approval for re-entry.
As for Qi Yuancheng—though he was entirely innocent in the matter and a victim himself—there was no escaping the fact that Bai Lanhua was his mother.
Thus, he received a formal reprimand.
Qi Yuancheng accepted the decision without objection.
That same day, the investigation results were publicly announced, officially restoring Gu Jianing’s reputation.
The news sent waves through the military housing complex.
No one had expected that the rumors had originated from Bai Lanhua.
And now, even Battalion Commander Qi had been punished because of her.
Everyone agreed: Bai Lanhua was nothing but trouble.
When they learned that she had done all this out of favoritism toward her youngest son—even cursing Qi Yuancheng to remain childless—the backlash against her grew even fiercer.
The next day, Bai Lanhua and Shuanzi slunk away in disgrace.
As she left, only a single soldier escorted them to the station. Qi Yuancheng never appeared.
Bai Lanhua stood frozen for a long moment, tears silently falling.
Had she really been wrong?
Had she truly lost her eldest son?
Only now did the realization begin to dawn on her—but it was too late.
The residents of the Northwest Military District’s housing complex had already been paying close attention to Gu Jianing.
After the rumor scandal, their scrutiny intensified.
However, few actually believed there was anything between Gu Jianing and Qi Yuancheng. After all, Sheng Zexi was clearly the better choice by any measure.
Anyone with eyes would pick Sheng Zexi.
Now, with the investigation results out, everything became clear.
So, Qi Yuancheng had gone to Dr. Gu for medical treatment.
What kind of treatment? It didn’t take long for people to connect the dots.
Qi Yuancheng and Qin Rou had been married for years—yet they still had no children.
Leave a Reply