Chapter 964: [Bonus chapter] Won't End Well
"Is that so?" asked Grandfather Xiang. "But our Yue doesn't have any parents."
"Brother Xiang," Grandma Zhai spoke up. "Don't say it like that."
"Sister-in-law, are you willing to go against your conscience and say she does have parents?" asked Grandfather Xiang.
Grandma Zhai really couldn't say it. After all, she was familiar with what kind of parents Yue Yue had. Even if being old-fashioned, she wanted to say that the grace of birth can't be forgotten, but she couldn't say it considering what Yue Yue went through because of her own parents. At this point, she actually believed that it would have been better if they didn't bother giving birth to Yue Yue. At least, she wouldn't have to suffer for no reason.
"How are we not her parents? I kept her inside my womb for months and brought her to this world!"
Grandfather Xiang looked at the angry Madam Yue who rushed in and looked away after one glance. He had to say, that Yue didn't look like her mother all that much.
"You stay quiet!" said Elder Yue and he stared down at his wife and stepped up, "Old Xiang, I apologize for my wife's behavior."
Grandfather Xiang didn't say anything in response.
Grandpa Zhai sighed and said, "Old Yue, you sit down here and then talk."
Elder Yue glanced at Grandfather Xiang and didn't know what to say. Actually, he didn't get to learn much about Mu Chenyan apart from the fact that she was from the Mu Clan and wasn't an easy person to reach. But what startled him was that, to the outside world, Mu Chenyan was more of a Xiang family member than the Mu Clan. And who didn't know about the Xiang family's legacy?
From his understanding, his daughter was currently with the Xiang family as well.
He had never met Grandfather Xiang before this day. After all, he was a politician all his life just like most of his family but Grandfather Xiang was a military man. It wasn't easy for them to get along or get together to make an acquaintance. Besides Grandfather Xiang left the country years ago and only recently came back.
Even if he was sitting in a wheelchair, Grandfather Xiang still had the strongest momentum among these old people.
"I think Old Xiang already knows why we invited you here," said Elder Yue. "Yue Yue is my daughter. I..."
"Stop," Grandfather Xiang didn't let him continue. "When I said, our Yue doesn't have any parents, I meant it. When I first met her, she was just an orphan. Now, where are these parents coming from?"
Elder Yue's heart clenched when he heard that and said, "Even if you refuse to accept it, she is still our Yue family's daughter."
"Tsk," Grandfather Xiang tsked at that. "Oh? Do you have proof? Why don't we check the Yue family's genealogy? Everything will be cleared."
Elder Yue's hand shook and he held his knee to stop the trembling. It was clear that Grandfather Xiang's attack wasn't bad. That one statement was enough. There was nothing else to add to that.
historical
Grandpa Zhai cleared his throat but stayed quiet. He didn't want to take a side right now. If he had to, he'd definitely stand beside his best friend rather than his ex-in-laws. Besides, he didn't think his best friend was wrong.
"Blood relations can't be forsaken," said Madam Yue. "And they don't need any proof either. You're making Yue an unfilial daughter by saying that she refused to accept her own parents. We suffered so much to bring her to this world."
"And you almost took her life as well," said Grandfather Xiang lazily. "Who are you to question me? If you're a mother, you'd act like one. Your daughter kneeled for a whole night in the rain outside your home asking for forgiveness, what did you do? She almost lost her life that night, what did you do? She lost her voice that night, what did you do?!"
There was a rage in Grandfather Xiang's eyes by the end of his words which started Madam Yue to the core. She wasn't a match for Grandfather Xiang's momentum at all.
"What happened to Yue?" asked Grandma Zhai. "Brother Xiang, what do you mean by she lost her voice?"
Grandfather Xiang took a deep breath and said, "Yue can't talk. She lost her voice years ago because their precious daughter pushed her out of the house which made her sustain a head injury. Adding on the delay in treatment by kneeling futilely outside their door, her nerves were damaged and she can't speak anymore. So, your grace of giving birth was returned that very night." He stared at Elder Yue who was frozen at this time and went on, "You should be thankful that Yue Yue respected you and that's why she kept that surname of your family. Or else, today, she'd have nothing to do with your family."
He was right. The only reason Yue Yue kept her surname was because of her father. Till the very end, she really respected her father and since her name was given by him, she didn't want to change it at all.
"I don't have anything else to say to you," said Grandfather Xiang. "You already believed that she is dead. Then treat it as that. There is no need to think about her or try to atone now that you're feeling guilty. It's too late for that. Better stay away from Yue'er. She is my, Xiang family's daughter now. And we happen to be very protective of our family members." He took a deep breath and added, "It's because that Yue'er doesn't want me to do anything that I'm being very cordial for now. But if you or anyone from your family did anything, it won't end well. I know very well how to protect what is mine. I might be old but I still know how to be fair." That was a blatant attack on Elder Yue but he couldn't even say anything.