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

Chen Xiangbei talked a lot with Grandma Xia. Besides saying that he had no interest in the money and just didn't want it to go to Yang Su for nothing, he also shared a lot of his feelings. In particular, when he mentioned that Old Chen didn't intend to give the money to Yang Su and had specifically told her that the money shouldn't be touched, Chen Xiangbei felt so guilty that he wanted to cry.

"Mom, I don't think Dad completely forgot about us, right?" Chen Xiangbei said dejectedly. "He definitely cares about me, but I haven't graduated yet, so that old woman's second child is more anxious, which is why he helped him find a job first, right?"

He stared intently at Old Lady Xia, as if wanting to hear a definite answer from her.

Grandma Xia suddenly felt a pang of sadness. This child had never thought about these things before, always cheerful and carefree. He would rummage through his father's wardrobe without a second thought when his clothes were dirty or old, and he would ask his sister to mend them when they were torn. He never cared when he was scolded.

Even if she ran away from home, they would only remember her after several days, and she would eventually come back on her own, but they would not hold a grudge.

She's always seemed so immature, so why is she asking this question now?

He must have felt uneasy. His parents were divorced and his father remarried. He wasn't sure if he and Old Chen would treat him the same way as before, or if he would feel like an abandoned child.

He asked this question because he was trying to find out if his biological father still cared about him in some small ways, because he couldn't feel that Old Chen cared about him, so he could only try to comfort himself by finding some trivial details.

Grandma Xia patted his head and said, "Third son, your father definitely cares about you."

Chen Xiangbei shook his head: "Really? But since he can find a job for that Wang Ming, why didn't he find one for my second brother when he was unemployed? He has the ability but doesn't use it on his own children. However, as soon as someone speaks well of him, he eagerly helps them. Before it was my second uncle's family, now it's Yang Su's family."

He...he doesn't care about us at all. He only likes being flattered. He wants to be the head of the family and have everyone listen to him. When we children misbehave, he goes to dote on other people's children. But those other people's children are even less likely to listen to him, and he just can't understand that.

Chen Xiangbei slumped onto the table and cried softly a few more times. Grandma Xia patted his head to comfort him. Then he suddenly raised his head and said, "Mom, I don't need him to find me a job. Even if I don't have a job, I can support myself. I don't need to steal. I can develop a lot of businesses."

"Mom, I can live perfectly well without stealing or working. I just feel that Dad is so nice to outsiders but so harsh on his own children. He lets them stay in my room and just throws my things in my sister's room without even asking my opinion. When I confronted him, he told me to get out if I didn't want to stay. Why is he so nice to other people? I'm so... so jealous."

As he spoke, Chen Xiangbei felt ashamed to say it out loud. He was already such a grown-up, yet he was still jealous of his father for being nice to other children. Chen Xiangbei felt that he was still not mature enough.

Then... he lay there silently and cried a few more times.

Grandma Xia also felt angry on his behalf, thinking that Old Chen was truly inhuman.

Previously, his sister Chen Mei's daughter's wedding caused such a mess; I thought this old man would finally understand some principles. Even if it's his own nephew, there are some people you shouldn't help.

But now things are really messed up. He won't help his own nephew, and he still won't help his own son, but instead he's helping his stepson. Sometimes, Old Mrs. Xia really wants to dig out that old man's brain to see if it's full of maggots.

Seeing Chen Xiangbei's heartbroken expression, Grandma Xia said, "Third son, I've been asking around for you. Actually, I've been asking people to look for jobs for you. I definitely won't let you go to the countryside. I was looking for one for your sister before, but she has a job now, so she doesn't need one anymore. I'm having someone find one for you. As for your father, if you want to stay with him, then stay with him. If you don't want to, then stay with me. You won't become a homeless child."

Chen Xiangbei's eyes were red: "That old bastard!"

Grandma Xia sighed, "What a tragedy, sister. If I ever find a man like this going out to find a girlfriend, I will definitely make things clear with the woman. People who can't think straight are really causing a lot of harm."

Chen Xiangbei wiped away his tears with his sleeve. "Thank you, Mom."

Grandma Xia handed him a hot towel, saying, "Silly child, why are you thanking your mother?"

Chen Xiangbei eventually went back. He said he had already thought about the money and would come back to talk to Grandma Xia after he had dealt with it. Then he left with the money in his pocket.

He braved the cold wind and arrived at the hospital.

In front of Old Chen's ward, only the three brothers and Chen Xianghong were there. None of the three children from the Wang family came. Yang Su was detained in the Public Security Bureau and had not been released yet.

According to Chen Xiangnan, he came with the police after giving his statement. Old Chen was sleeping at the time, so they couldn't interrogate him. He said they would come back tomorrow.

Chen Xiangnan understood what Old Chen meant, and his face was now so black it could drip ink. He'd been beaten like this, yet he still cared about saving face and what others thought, refusing to divorce. Things had gotten this bad; why didn't Yang Su just beat him even harder back then, rendering him speechless?

These were just thoughts in his mind; he certainly wouldn't dare say such treasonous things, otherwise, something terrible might happen.

The ward was quiet. Chen Xiangdong had been trying to persuade the old man all night, but to no avail. The older the old man got, the more stubborn he became; he believed everyone but his own children.

Chen Xianghong had talked herself hoarse, and Old Chen even glared at her. She had no idea what she had said wrong.

Chen Xiangnan tried everything—coercion and bribery—but nothing worked.

Faced with the children's repeated attempts to persuade him, Old Chen's ears felt like they were stuffed with chicken feathers, and he simply blocked out their voices.

Chen Xiangbei had the money tucked into the lining of his clothes; he wouldn't dare take it out in this situation. When his father is mentally unstable, it's best not to reason with him—it's pointless.

Let him keep the money for now, and we'll deal with it after his father is discharged from the hospital.

But seeing Old Chen's pathetic state, he couldn't help but get angry. He had slowly expressed his grievances to Old Lady Xia, but with Old Chen, expressing his grievances was useless; he might as well just start cursing.

So, when all the persuasion from others had failed, Chen Xiangbei passionately spoke up, scolding Old Chen until his face turned red. Miraculously, Old Chen, dragging his drowsy head, sat up, pointing at him, wanting to curse but lacking the strength, and his voice was no match for Chen Xiangbei's loud voice.

It almost made him faint with anger again.