She won't clear her name; she'll throw away all the scum.

After returning from that compound, Grandma Xia made a special trip back to their factory and asked the canteen chef to cook her a bowl of porridge, preferably meat porridge.

Walking along the road with a lunchbox of piping hot porridge, feeling completely content, Grandma Xia thought about her sister waiting for her in the temporary rented house.

As darkness fell, Grandma Xia tucked the lunchbox into her clothes and quickened her pace; the night wind was still quite cold.

As she passed a supply and marketing cooperative, Old Lady Xia stopped. She remembered the tattered cotton coat her sister was wearing, so worn that its color was barely discernible from washing. The cotton inside was all bunched up and stiffened, offering no protection against the wind and making it cold to wear. She had been thinking of buying some cloth and cotton in a few days to make her own clothes for her sister to wear for now. That afternoon, she asked Chen Xiangbei to bring clothes, quilts, and other daily necessities over as well.

But thinking about how her sister hadn't even been able to afford a decent piece of clothing for decades, Old Mrs. Xia felt a pang of sadness. So, she decided to go all out and just buy a ready-made garment. The fabric was one that couldn't be bought elsewhere; it was warm and windproof. She had been eyeing it for a long time before the New Year.

Grandma Xia turned and entered the supply and marketing cooperative, heading straight for the clothing counter.

Halfway there, Grandma Xia suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head sharply and her eyes met those of her second son.

The second son was standing next to a stylishly dressed woman. The two were laughing and joking together. The woman pointed to a watch in the display case, as if asking for his opinion.

That woman isn't Tang Jiao!

After making eye contact with Old Lady Xia, Chen Xiangnan immediately took a step back, keeping some distance from the woman. He wanted to explain, but the facts were right in front of his mother, and nothing he said would make a difference.

The two of them just stared at each other silently, neither of them making the first move.

The two of them were behaving intimately, and Old Lady Xia felt that even if she were beaten to death, they must be having an affair.

It's only been a short time. He and Tang Jiao have only been married for less than a year, and that shameless filthy second son has already turned out like this again.

The woman next to him noticed him staring at an old woman and, puzzled, turned to ask him. Chen Xiangnan forced a smile, whispered something to someone, and then finally walked over.

Chen Xiangnan approached Grandma Xia and called out, "Mom!"

Old Mrs. Xia felt a tightness in her chest, an unbearable discomfort, unable to catch her breath. She thought back to before, if only she had firmly opposed this scoundrel marrying Tang Jiao, then that girl wouldn't have been harmed.

Shameless, shameless beast.

Grandma Xia was so disgusted that her face turned pale. When she first joined the supply and marketing cooperative, she was very happy. She had bought her sister some clothes, found a house, and had some money in her hands. What a pleasant life! She thought there would be many more good days ahead.

But in that instant, she felt she had committed a terrible sin.

She committed a sin when she gave birth to this bastard, and she'll get her comeuppance later. Although she doesn't advocate feudal superstition, thinking about her past life and those people made Old Lady Xia feel breathless.

Clinging to her last glimmer of hope, Old Mrs. Xia asked, "Second son, this woman...?"

After a moment of silence, Chen Xiangnan said with a lack of confidence, "Mom, I don't really have any relation to her. She's the niece of the director of Tangjiao Hospital. I just accompanied her to look at watches today."

Grandma Xia: "It's alright. Why are you so close? Are you two flirting? If I call the police, they can charge you with having an affair."

Chen Xiangnan stubbornly denied it, saying, "We really have nothing going on. I have a wife, how could I possibly mess around?"

Grandma Xia: "You didn't wear that green hat that Zhao Hui wore?"

Chen Xiangnan felt like he had eaten shit when he thought about that incident. His mother knew how to hit his weak spot, but he was truly innocent with this woman. He had only been working at the hospital for a few days. It was impossible for him to have gotten a job through his father-in-law's connections and then go and seduce other women. He really did come out with her.

Although... although he was somewhat flirting, he definitely wouldn't be flirting right now.

His mother can't frame him.

Chen Xiangnan immediately swore to Grandma Xia that he didn't think he had done anything wrong, but he could clearly see that his mother didn't believe him.

Grandma Xia beckoned with her finger, signaling Chen Xiangnan to bend down and listen to her. Chen Xiangnan was puzzled, but he did as she said.

"Second son, let me tell you the truth." Old Mrs. Xia's expression was serious.

Chen Xiangnan also became serious. "Mom, you say it."

Grandma Xia: "Actually, you're not my biological child. You're so clever and smart, it's obvious you're not my or your father's child, right?"

Chen Xiangnan was utterly shocked. His mother's gaze was far too serious, but the matter itself was so unsettling that he didn't know whether to believe her or not. "What? Mom, you're not lying to me. Where did I come from?"

Grandma Xia continued, "Actually, you were born of a dog. Don't call me Mom anymore. Find a dog to be your biological mother."

After finishing her sentence, Grandma Xia lost interest in buying clothes and turned to leave, leaving Chen Xiangnan standing there motionless.

His mother would rather he were born of a dog than admit that she gave birth to him. Chen Xiangnan didn't know how to feel, but he always felt that his mother was drifting further and further away from him.

The woman behind her came forward to ask questions after the old woman left, but Chen Xiangnan did not reveal a single piece of information.

Chen Xiangbei was left behind by Grandma Xia to take care of Xia Yu'e today. It was already late and his mother hadn't returned yet. Chen Xiangbei was starving. He thought that since his aunt was asleep, he would go out and look for his mother. Maybe his mother would see how hard he had worked and buy him something nice to treat him.

But he hadn't walked far when he saw his second brother walking with a woman by the roadside. That woman wasn't his sister-in-law, so... he followed them furtively all the way to the supply and marketing cooperative, not even feeling hungry anymore.

But just as he was about to follow her in, he saw his mother walk straight in. Thinking about the family battle that might happen later, the evil mother versus the adulterous second brother, Chen Xiangbei really wanted to go in and see.

But then he thought about it again. When his mother divorced his father, she was very dissatisfied with all of their children. If he went to jail, and his mother's anger towards his second brother affected him, then all his work for the day would be for nothing. Chen Xiangbei had calculated this clearly in his mind, and it was not worth it at all.

So he squatted on the street opposite the supply and marketing cooperative, waiting for them to come out.

It doesn't matter who comes out, as long as he can find out the news, that's enough.

Sure enough, his mother came out shortly after. Although it was a bit short, the pain of hitting someone doesn't matter how short it was, so Chen Xiangbei thought his second brother had suffered a lot.

"Mom, you must be tired. I've come to take you home." Chen Xiangbei stepped forward solicitously; he was a dutiful son.