TSWPF -Chapter 165 Blame

Master Tong sent someone to investigate, and when he confirmed that things were exactly as Liu Zhimou had described, his face turned red with anger. He strode back home with long, heavy steps, heading straight to Tong Wanrong.

“Master…” When Dongmei saw Master Tong burst in, seething with anger, her heart skipped a beat. With his face looking so grim, could something bad have happened?

Glancing at Dongmei, Tong Xiansheng’s anger flared even more. Normally gentle, he couldn’t help but raise his foot and kick her.

If Dongmei hadn’t been there to cover for her, how could he have lost face today?

Every word he had said to Liu Zhimou today was now slapping him in the face, one by one.

Dongmei was sent sprawling to the ground, letting out a small cry.

No one knew what had provoked Master Tong to such fury.

“Father, what’s wrong?” Tong Wanrong stepped forward, glancing at Dongmei kneeling on the ground, then at her father’s ashen face, a bit fearful as she asked.

Tong Xiansheng took a deep breath, not wanting to embarrass Wanrong outside, and strode inside with a flick of his sleeve.

“Nanny Cao, help Dongmei up!” Seeing Dongmei break into a cold sweat from the pain, Wanrong instructed her to go apply some medicine, then turned and went inside, closing the door behind her. “Father, what’s wrong? Who made you angry?”

In her memory, her father had always been gentle and soft-spoken. She never imagined he would kick a maid today.

He must be truly furious.

With a sharp smack, Tong Xiansheng struck the table, his eyes full of disappointment as he stared at Wanrong. “Tell me the truth—what did you do yesterday?”

Her heart sank. Wanrong looked at him, wondering if he had discovered something.

“What could I have done? I was just bullied, that’s all,” she said, forcing a tone of anger and plopping into a chair.

Seeing his daughter so unrepentant, Tong Xiansheng’s anger surged. He grabbed his teacup and hurled it to the ground. Crash! The cup shattered into pieces.

The sudden incident startled Wanrong.

“Father, what’s wrong? Why throw things in front of your daughter? If you have something to say, just say it.”

Her father had always pampered her—he’d never shown her such a look before.

Tong Xiansheng sneered, eyes full of disappointment. “Wanrong, since when did you learn to lie to your father?” He suddenly felt estranged from his daughter, she didn’t feel like his clever, obedient little girl.

Hearing his words and seeing his cold expression, Wanrong’s heart sank deeper and deeper, reaching rock bottom.

She believed her father knew what had happened yesterday; otherwise, why else would he be questioning her?

She swallowed and forced a small smile. “Father, what are you saying? I don’t understand at all.” She wouldn’t admit it so quickly before he revealed everything.

She held onto a small hope—perhaps her father was testing her?

If she admitted too quickly, wouldn’t she fall into his trap?

Might as well deny it for now! Admit it only when there’s no other option.

Seeing Wanrong so stubborn, Tong Xiansheng closed his eyes in pain. His daughter had changed—she was almost unrecognizable to him.

“Yesterday at Fuman Restaurant, did you push Ziqian’s fiancée? Answer me honestly—yes or no?”

Hearing this, his heart ached even more. If his daughter’s reputation was ruined, finding a good husband would be difficult.

Wanrong’s face changed drastically. She bit her lip and slowly nodded.

Seeing Tong Xiansheng’s increasingly stern expression, she hurriedly explained, “Father, I didn’t mean to. I really didn’t mean it, please believe me.”

She hadn’t intended to act that way—she had truly lost control in the moment. Why wouldn’t anyone believe her?

“You… you…” Tong Xiansheng was so furious his chest heaved violently. He pointed at Wanrong, struggling to speak, unable to say more than a few words at a time. He was truly livid.

Wanrong’s action today, compared to the last time she went to see Li Qingling, angered him even more.

At least last time she had only spoken, not acted. This time, she had used her hands.

Fortunately, Li Qingling had been rescued and nothing serious happened. If she had fallen and been hurt, would Liu Zhimou have let it slide?

When had his daughter become so foolish?

Seeing her father’s face flushed with anger, and him almost gasping for breath, Wanrong was frightened. She quickly got up and ran to him, gently patting his back.

“Father, don’t be angry. Breathe slowly… breathe slowly…”

If her father died from anger, she would truly be a forever guilty child.

After a while, Tong Xiansheng finally calmed down, slowly catching his breath.

He slammed the table with force and shouted at Wanrong, “Kneel!”

Today, he had to discipline her properly, or she would commit even graver mistakes in the future.

Wanrong clenched her fists tightly, not daring to resist, and slowly knelt before her father, bowing her head, presenting herself for punishment.

“Do you know you were wrong? Do you truly understand this time? Huh?” He regretted not punishing her more severely last time—if he had, she might have remembered and never made this mistake.

Tears streamed down Wanrong’s cheeks. She bit her lip and choked out a soft “Mm.”

Seeing his daughter so upset, Tong Xiansheng’s heart ached too.

But this time, he would not indulge her—he would punish her harshly so she would remember, so she wouldn’t make such mistakes again.

“You…”

Before he could finish, a voice shouted from the doorway.

“Master! What are you doing? Huh?” Mrs. Tong ran in, shouting, grabbing Wanrong’s hand to pull her up. “What did Wanrong do to deserve this punishment? Don’t you know she’s weak? What if she gets sick?” She couldn’t bear to see her daughter suffer.

“Enough noise! Let go and let her kneel properly,” he said. Coddling children too much only spoiled them, making them reckless.

“Mother, you don’t need to worry about me. Go sit aside. I’m fine,” Wanrong sniffed, freeing her hand and kneeling again. This action earned her father’s nod of approval.

One must take responsibility—if you make a mistake, face it bravely. Those who hide away will achieve nothing in life.

At least his daughter had learned this, easing his anger slightly.

Mrs. Tong, however, was still confused. Seeing Wanrong kneel again, she painfully reached out to pull her up, glaring at her husband, demanding an explanation.

Tong Xiansheng laughed bitterly. “An explanation? Fine, I’ll explain. Your precious daughter, yesterday at Fuman Restaurant, in front of everyone, tried to push Liu Zhimou’s fiancée down the stairs! Such a heinous act—how could I not punish her? Huh?”

With a daughter so shameless, how could the Tong family maintain its dignity?

Mrs. Tong shivered in disbelief and quietly asked Wanrong if it was true.

Wanrong covered her eyes, tears slipping through her fingers. “Mother, I didn’t mean it. Please believe me, I really didn’t. I just… lost my mind for a moment…” She clutched her mother’s hand so tightly it hurt, unaware.

Seeing her daughter panic, Mrs. Tong comforted her softly, assuring her she was safe. Gradually, Wanrong calmed down.

Mrs. Tong then turned to her husband, raising her voice. “Master! Didn’t you hear her? She says she didn’t mean it. I believe her—she’s so kind, she wouldn’t intentionally push anyone down stairs. Even if she did, she’s just a country girl, why worry? If you trust everyone else, why not trust your own daughter?”

At times like this, Mrs. Tong was clear-headed, questioning him firmly.

But her lack of principles had allowed her daughter to act recklessly.

Tong Xiansheng’s chest ached with anger. He slammed his fist against his chest. “Fine, continue indulging her, continue protecting her! Let’s see if you can protect her forever! As her father, don’t I care for her too? I do—but that’s not how you show care. She must learn right from wrong!”

Only by doing so would his daughter grow.

“Master, what… what do you mean?”

“What do I mean? Ha… Go outside and see what people are saying about your daughter. They say she’s scheming, that she dares to harm others openly… With a reputation like hers, who would marry her? Tell me, who would?”

Reputation is everything—once ruined, it’s almost impossible to restore.

Mrs. Tong was incredulous. “What? Master, are people really saying this?” She looked at Wanrong, crying softly with her head down, and patted her back. “It’s all Li Qingling’s fault! If not for her, Wanrong wouldn’t have lost her reputation!” Her daughter had always been well-regarded; suitors were practically breaking down the door. If she hadn’t been picky, her daughter’s marriage would have been settled long ago.

Now, with her reputation ruined, would anyone come to propose?

Mrs. Tong’s heart sank.

“Shut your mouth!” Tong Xiansheng shouted, spinning in place with rage, pointing at his wife. “If you hadn’t let her go out, would this have happened? Huh?” He had restricted his daughter before to prevent such shame. But she disobeyed him and let her go—now disaster struck.

He continued, furious, while Mrs. Tong shivered, no longer daring to deflect blame.

“Master, what should we do? What about our daughter?”

Tong Xiansheng sat back down with a sigh, exhausted. He needed to think carefully about his daughter’s situation.

The matter of his daughter required careful deliberation.