Looking at Zhuang Chujiao’s righteous demeanor, Zhuang Shaoyang felt deeply disheartened.

He laughed angrily, "I’ve given you everything you ever wanted, I’ve catered to your every whim, and now you claim I treat you poorly? Seems I’ve raised an ungrateful wretch."

Zhuang Chujiao felt a bit guilty; her dad did treat her well when she was young.

She gritted her teeth and said, "But since Zhuang Xiangnuan came back, you don’t see me anymore."

"You say I don’t see you? How many times have you messed up, and every time I’ve pleaded with Nuannuan to forgive you? For your sake, she’s almost disowned me as her father, and now you accuse me of favoritism?" Zhuang Shaoyang felt a stabbing pain in his heart and lungs from anger.

Zhuang Chujiao retorted, "Then tell me why, even though I was born first, you didn’t marry my mom but married her mom instead. Why must I be the illegitimate daughter? All of you say you love me, but do you really think I don’t know you only see me as her substitute? I can’t reconcile this."

Zhuang Shaoyang looked at her and suddenly laughed, "So you think Nuannuan has taken everything that should have been yours?"

The smile unnerved Zhuang Chujiao, but at this moment, she didn’t care, "Exactly, my mom wasn’t the mistress, I’m not the illegitimate daughter, her mom is the mistress, she’s the illegitimate daughter!"

Zhuang Shaoyang was trembling with anger. At this moment, he felt endless regret and defeat.

He thought giving her a happy life meant fulfilling her every need, letting her grow up like a princess, without ever considering what was in her heart.

"Jiaojiao, what nonsense are you talking!" Liang Rong snapped coldly, pulling Zhuang Chujiao aside.

She looked at Zhuang Shaoyang and said, "Shao Yang, it’s my fault for not raising Jiaojiao properly. I was alone with Jiaojiao back then, life was hard, and I didn’t instill the right values in her. Over the years, I’ve spoiled her; it’s all my fault."

Back then, any woman who was single with a daughter was subject to ridicule, life was truly difficult.

Liang Rong’s words were both self-blaming and highlighting Zhuang Chujiao’s lack of fatherly love.

This made Zhuang Shaoyang recall some past events, and a thread of self-blame filled his heart.

But if Zhuang Chujiao feels wronged, does his daughter living away from home feel any less wronged?

The mistake was his, why should his daughters suffer for it?

"Nuannuan, rest assured, I’ll take Jiaojiao and leave the Zhuang Family shortly, you won’t have to see us again," Liang Rong said to Mu Yan with a mournful voice, "Jiaojiao’s faults are entirely my responsibility; I haven’t taught her well. I don’t seek your forgiveness, only hope you don’t become estranged from the family."

Mu Yan looked at her noble and self-sacrificing appearance and found it amusing. What a formidable woman she was!

Knowing it’s wrong, she simply accepted it, since it’s the daughter’s fault and nothing to do with her. To others, she’s just a mother who hasn’t raised her daughter properly.

But the daughter is so grown up, hardly someone she can control; so, this mother is truly blameless.

Mu Yan smiled mildly, "No, you’ve taught her very well; your daughter’s just as shamelessly malicious as you. Unfortunately, she’s a bit too stupid to pull off these schemes."

This remark caused Liang Rong’s expression to change slightly. She lowered her head and said nothing, looking pitiful.

To anyone watching, it seemed like Mu Yan was taking the opportunity to challenge her stepmother.

Mu Yan glanced at the others in the Zhuang Family and said, "Don’t look at me like that, I have no interest in petty arguments to lower my stature. If I dare to speak like this, it’s naturally because I have evidence. If not to clear my mom’s name, do you think I would even want to be here?"