Even though Song Qingchun didn"t dare look up at her father, she could feel his gaze fall on her stomach. Perhaps Little Sesame had felt the same thing because her stomach twitched twice with pain.
"You"re pregnant?" Song Menghwa"s tone was gentler compared to before. However, there was still a harsh undertone beneath it, which caused Song Qingchun"s heart to quiver with fear. She bit on her lips, and her head lowered even more. After a while, she answered in a mosquito-like voice, "Yes."
The expression on Song Menghwa"s face didn"t change much as he continued to stare at Song Qingchun"s stomach. His lack of reaction caused the atmosphere in the hall to stagnate uncomfortably.
The crowd paid full attention to this scene. Some of the reporters, since their cameras had been broken, took out their phones to record this momentous confrontation.
The hall was eerily silent. Song Qingchun could feel her palms covered with sweat. Realizing her father still hadn"t said anything, she stretched her lips and eventually said, "Dad, I"m sorry, but please don"t…"
Before Song Qingchun could finish, Song Menghwa suddenly raised his staff.
Is Sir Song Menghwa going to hit her? But that"s her daughter; isn"t that a bit too cruel?
Some in the crowd sucked in a breath; others turned their heads away. Qin Yinan"s first reflex was to rush toward Song Menghwa. Hearing the swis.h.i.+ng sound of the staff through the air, Song Qingchun closed her eyes to brace for impact.
Su Zhinian, who stood beside her, turned his whole body around to s.h.i.+eld Song Qingchun without a thought.
And just like that, Song Menghwa missed, landing heavily on the spot Su Zhinian just vacated. His force was too strong that he even fell forward. The crowd was stunned.
So, he was about to hit his son and not his daughter…
Even Su Zhinian was surprised. After releasing Song Qingchun with a shocked face, before he could find his balance, Song Menghwa"s staff came flying at his back. It landed heavily on his back, causing him to flounder forward before landing on Song Qingchun.
In his rage, Song Menghwa aimed another hit at Su Zhinian"s back. He scolded him angrily, "Su Zhinian, you undutiful son, you disappoint me so much!"
The two hits landed on the same spot, and it caused a very subdued groan to escape from Su Zhinian"s clamped lips.
"Dad!" Song Qingchun recovered and yelled out without a second thought. She escaped from Su Zhinian"s grasp to stop Song Menghwa.
Su Zhinian, who heard the sound of whis.h.i.+ng air, knew that the third hit was coming. Afraid that it might accidentally swipe Song Qingchun, with a pull of his arm, he locked her tightly in his embrace as another heart-piercing pain came from his back, one that caused his whole body to shake slightly.
"Uncle Song!" Qin Yinan, who had stopped earlier since the staff missed, rushed forward again after hearing the shout that escaped from Song Qingchun"s lips.
Even Fang Rou and the butler came forward to calm him.
"Father, don"t get too mad…"
"Old Sir, we definitely can talk this out. There"s no need for violence…"
Song Menghwa ignored them completely. He grabbed his staff, and the hits landed on Su Zhinian like rain.