After her mother's death, Su Yuyan, though displeased with her father Su Qishan's decision to remarry, understood it was inevitable.
The Su family was a second-tier family in Yunhai City, and without a matriarch, they would surely be ridiculed by other clans.
Furthermore, Su Qishan was in his prime and genuinely needed a woman by his side.
By all accounts, Zhang Rufeng's appearance was logical.
Yet, Su Yuyan could never have imagined that the person who poisoned Old Master Su would indeed be her stepmother!
Before, she had her suspicions and guesses.
But at this moment, Old Master Su's words pierced Su Yuyan's heart like a thorn.
For she was acutely aware that Zhang Rufeng's audacious actions were undoubtedly linked to her father, Su Qishan.
Could it be that her father intended to harm his own grandfather?
The thought sent Su Yuyan into a daze.
She had never once considered her father to be such a person.
Even when Su Qishan forced her to marry into the Zhang family, Su Yuyan hadn't harbored too much resentment towards her father.
After all, Su Qishan merely wished to make the Su family stronger, even if the sacrifice was his own daughter, not someone else.
But harming Old Master Su changed the nature of things entirely!
A son and his wife poisoning an elderly father was worse than being beasts!
Su Yuyan found it inconceivable what motive could drive someone to commit such a heinous act.
"Old Master, are you delirious from illness? I am your daughter-in-law, the wife of your son Su Qishan! I am a member of the Su family! How could I possibly poison you?"
Zhang Rufeng was flustered, and in her panic, she stepped forward, intending to argue with Old Master Su.
But the old master merely looked at her coldly.
Seeing this, Zhang Rufeng could only turn and point at Zhou Yu, yelling, "It must be this physician with ulterior motives! He whispered something into the Old Master's ear, which is why the Old Master is talking nonsense. Zhou Yu, confess honestly, were you the one instigating this behind the scenes? What good would it do you for the Su family to be in turmoil?"
"You truly speak without thinking," Zhou Yu said, spreading his hands.
Zhang Rufeng was clearly agitated at this moment, lashing out without any consideration.
She didn't even consider.
Old Master Su had merely spoken casually, without presenting any evidence.
And she, on the other hand, was acting exceptionally agitated.
Now, even if Zhang Rufeng hadn't done it, any discerning observer would begin to suspect her.
At this point, Su Qishan, stooping, said to Old Master Su, "Dad, are you mistaken? Rufeng has been married to me for many years; if she hasn't earned merit, she's certainly endured hardship. She's your daughter-in-law, how could she poison you? Moreover, let's present facts and evidence. If you have any proof of her wrongdoing, you may present it. Otherwise, wouldn't you be wronging her? Doing so would chill the hearts of others in our Su family."
Old Master Su snorted and turned his head away.
Hearing Su Qishan's words, Zhou Yu found it quite amusing internally.
The words themselves weren't particularly problematic.
But the gravest mistake was that they came from Su Qishan's mouth!
If someone had poisoned Old Master Su, Su Qishan, as the son, should have been eager to investigate the culprit, not find ways to excuse Zhang Rufeng.
How could that be justified?
Especially when Old Master Su had personally identified the suspect.
"Dad!" Su Qishan raised his voice.
At this juncture, he could not back down.
Otherwise, Zhang Rufeng's inner defenses would surely crumble.
"I wrongly accuse her? Su Qishan! Those who know me understand you are my son; those who don't might think I'm your adoptive father! I raised you, and it truly would have been better to raise a dog!" Old Master Su cursed loudly.
If Su Qishan was unaware of Zhang Rufeng's poisoning, he wouldn't believe a single word.
Because Old Master Su knew very well that Zhang Rufeng had the ambition but not the guts; she was someone with ill intentions but also timid and fearful.
She might have been the one to come up with the plan.
But the actual execution might have fallen to Su Qishan.
Even though Old Master Su was reluctant to believe his own son would harm him, yet...
"Big Brother! If she truly poisoned our father, forget that she's your current wife; even if she were the Queen Mother, I would make her wish she were dead!" Su Qichuan said angrily.
He couldn't stand it any longer.
Although Su Qichuan didn't understand why his father was so certain it was Zhang Rufeng who administered the poison.
He trusted that the Old Master wouldn't falsely accuse someone.
Moreover, while Su Qichuan found it unbelievable, he also felt that it wasn't impossible.
The pressure Su Qishan and Zhang Rufeng had exerted on him over the years made him realize that both his elder brother and this woman had strayed a bit.
But no matter how negatively Su Qichuan thought, he never imagined Su Qishan would poison the Old Master.
After all, he was their biological father!
Su Qichuan remembered that when he was young, Old Master Su wasn't completely impartial between his two sons.
Su Qishan was the son Old Master Su favored!
Often, children were very sensitive to parental favoritism, and Su Qichuan clearly felt it.
Of course, he never said anything.
Because while the Old Master might have had favorites, it wasn't to an extreme degree.
He never skimped on the care he gave him; his elder brother simply received a little more.
"Before the truth is out, Qichuan, aren't you going too far by speaking about your sister-in-law like this?" Su Qishan said, displeased.
He, as the elder brother, felt disgraced that his wife wasn't respected by his younger brother.
However, Su Xingyang couldn't hold back any longer.
"Uncle, you're defending her again and again, could it be that you were also involved in the poisoning?"
"Bastard! Your father doesn't dare speak to me like this, and you think you can!"
Su Xingyang's words infuriated Su Qishan.
He raised his arm as if to slap him.
But Su Qichuan stepped in front of his son. He stared at Su Qishan and said, "Big Brother, I've seen everything you've done to Yuyan over the years. But she is your daughter, and you discipline your daughter. Even if I wanted to stop you, I couldn't. But Xingyang is my son, and he's not under your jurisdiction!"
"Fine! You've gone too far! Now you dare talk back to me!" Su Qishan exclaimed in anger.
His constant worry that Su Qichuan would seize the position of family head was not without reason.
"Have you made enough of a scene! I'm not dead yet!"
Suddenly, Old Master Su's words startled both Su Qichuan and Su Qishan, who were arguing.
They both lowered their heads, glaring at each other, neither yielding.
Shaking his head, Old Master Su looked at Zhang Rufeng and said, "You want proof? I actually have some here."
"You! You! What are you all looking at me like that for! It wasn't me! I didn't poison the Old Master! Proof! Yes! Where's the proof? If you have the guts, bring out the evidence!"
All eyes were on Zhang Rufeng, which made her panicstricken.