The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 666 - 665: Piercing Through

Chapter 666: Chapter 665: Piercing Through

"I’ve heard that in those rich families, keeping concubines is common, and they birth a horde of children who share the same father but different mothers. If even children from the same womb fight among themselves, what more can you expect from those who aren’t born of the same mother? I’m afraid they’d do anything for the sake of inheritance."

"Not to mention, those kids have mothers who can whisper into your father’s ear. Being motherless, can you really expect your dad, who has abandoned you for over twenty years, to take care of you now?"

"Besides, your father isn’t short on children. From what you’ve said, he has seven or eight of his own. If you return, as an outsider, after others have been ingrained in that mansion for over a decade, it’s impossible to fight them alone. And without a single ally in that place, I fear they would swallow you whole, bones and all!"

"Listen to me, a man can’t rely on his father, his mother, or anyone else; true ability is relying on oneself! Though we can’t compete with their influence for now, as long as we don’t covet their wealth, what kind of life can’t we live? If it really bothers you and you want to make your mother proud, don’t rely on your father. A man like him is unreliable! Depend on yourself, carve out your own path, and then return to earn their respect."

"Otherwise, even if you go back and become an official, thanks to your so-called father, when people talk about you, they’ll say you rose up because of him, and that’s not true skill!"

...

Her words sent Song Chongjin into deep thought.

Seeing this, Old Granny Zhang nodded at Wang Yongzhu and whispered, "I’ll go back to the room first. You should talk some sense into him. Chongjin is also a child of hardship, sigh..."

With that, she couldn’t help but murmur a curse under her breath: "Damned all of them—" before heading back to her room.

Wang Yongzhu closed the door, walked up behind Song Chongjin, wrapped her arms around him, and comforted him in silence.

Although Song Chongjin was deep in thought, when he felt the familiar presence of Wang Yongzhu close to him, he relaxed, took her into his arms, seated her on his lap, and subconsciously began to play with her fingers.

Wang Yongzhu looked at Song Chongjin’s face and thought back to the man at the inn that day. From this angle, the resemblance between them was striking.

She just hadn’t expected that Song Chongjin’s real father would be such a person.

Talking about family honor and unavoidable circumstances was just an excuse for his indifference; maybe that’s just how men of this era are. Song Hong’s words proved this—power and influence are what men truly love; women are merely adornments to them.

However, the mystery surrounding Song Chongjin’s real mother was baffling. If she really had the determination, why would she have followed Song Hong with neither name nor status, content to be his concubine?

If she were a weak woman, how could she have decisively left upon finding out she was pregnant with Song Hong’s child, especially when he was getting married?

How did a fragile noblewoman, who had never left the Capital City, manage to escape Song Hong’s men and end up in Jing County?

It’s a pity that she passed away early; no one knows what she was really thinking at the time.

As Wang Yongzhu was contemplating Qi Huan, the grandmother she never met who died early, Song Chongjin had already sorted out his thoughts. Coming back to reality, he saw Wang Yongzhu seemed lost in thought too. He decided in his heart, pulled Wang Yongzhu close, and whispered softly, "Yongzhu, based on what we know, it looks like Song Hong is indeed my biological father. I, I am just an illegitimate child. Would, would you despise me?"

Wang Yongzhu slapped his hand, "What on earth are you daydreaming about all day long? Now that we’re married, you are mine, and of course, I’ll protect you! Who dares to despise you? Watch me beat them to death!"

Song Chongjin finally set his mind at ease, leaning on Wang Yongzhu’s shoulder, their necks entwining, "Yongzhu, do you think I’m too cold-hearted? Logically, when a father and son recognize each other, shouldn’t they burst into tears? Yet, when I look at him, I only feel disgusted!"

Wang Yongzhu snorted, "Speaking of being cold-hearted, it’s your so-called father who is truly cold-hearted! Let me tell you, don’t just listen to what your dad says; watch what he does! If he really loved your mother, he would not have treated her that way! Think about it, if you really loved me, would you let me follow you without a proper status?"

"Of course not!" Song Chongjin answered resolutely.

"You see, but your dad could! Besides, if he was really anxious about your mom leaving him and searched everywhere, how could the Duke Weiguo Residence, sending people out in all directions, fail to find your mom—a woman who had never left the house nor the Capital City, and was pregnant at that time? Do you believe it?"

Song Chongjin fell silent.

"Your dad claims there were troubles at home and he was afraid of implicating you by bringing you back, so he left you outside to preserve a lineage for the Song Family. And he even assigned so-called trusted people to take care of you! If he really cared about you, he would have definitely instructed his trusty people to send him regular updates about you, right? But look, he only remembered you after ten years; even when his trusted servant died and hadn’t reported on your well-being for seven or eight years, he didn’t care. Is this the behavior of a father?"

Song Chongjin’s breath grew heavier.

"Later he sent someone to look after you, but people close to you could be bribed by a cousin’s wife to plot your murder, not to mention the several assassination attempts against you. He, as a father, remained indifferent—is this normal? From your retelling of these events, I don’t see a loving father, only a cold, heartless elitist. Now that he wants you back, I fear there won’t be anything good in store!"

"Maybe the Duke’s Mansion has no heir, or maybe the Duke’s Mansion is facing some difficulty now and needs a scapegoat! Or, perhaps, Lord Duke has had a change of heart and a father’s affection has suddenly erupted, remembering this son he had outside for over twenty years, and he wants to make amends!"

Wang Yongzhu laughed coldly at the end.

Song Chongjin held Wang Yongzhu tightly, like a drowning person clutching at the last straw.

Painfully closing his eyes, the self-deceit he had held crumbled in the face of Wang Yongzhu’s incisive words.

"Thank you, Yongzhu!" Thank you for piercing that false bubble, allowing his heart, which longed for familial affection and was blinded, to see clearly at last.

Wang Yongzhu silently hugged Song Chongjin back, understanding him. Being treated this way by Song Chunhua and the Song Family and discovering that he was not Song Chunhua’s biological child, he wanted to know his origins, to know if he was truly unloved by his parents.

It’s very normal to be confused when you’re abruptly presented with something you’ve desperately longed for, unable to see clearly because you’re in the midst of it.

But to puncture this sham called fatherly affection, Song Chongjin must be in pain right now!

Very well, Song Hong! Duke Weiguo Residence!

A dark glint passed through Wang Yongzhu’s eyes, bullies of her man—remember you all!