Chapter 384: Chaos and Public Outrage

**Chapter 384: Chickens Flying and Dogs Jumping – A Public Outrage**

"Mom! Mom!" Ai Liangfa called after Chen Aru’s disappearing back.

Ai Chengpeng, seeing how agitated his wife was, felt uneasy. He gave his son a pointed look. "Why are you just standing there? Go after her!"

"Ahh—right!" Ai Liangfa hurried off in pursuit of his mother.

Only after his son had gone did Ai Chengpeng let out a relieved sigh. He turned to Ai Xiaoqing, his gaze complex and heavy.

"Xiaoqing, all these years, I’ve never treated you unfairly. I’ve seen your little games, but because I pity you for losing both parents so young, I looked the other way. But don’t mistake me for a fool."

"Let me be clear. Xiaolan was away for over two months recently—she was getting help. She has mental health issues and can't handle stress, or she’ll snap. After two months of serious treatment, she was finally improving."

"You say everything that happened to you was done by Xiaolan. Then I have to ask—you must’ve done something to her to make her lose it like this. What was it?"

Ai Chengpeng's voice was cold and forceful, his bloodshot eyes locked onto Ai Xiaoqing.

Ai Xiaoqing's heart clenched, her eyes narrowing, but she still put on a brave face.

"Uncle, how could you say that too? Xiaolan is your daughter, but I’m your niece! Waaah~ I’ve been through so much, and instead of taking my side, you’re grilling me like this. Don’t you care about breaking my father’s heart from beyond the grave?"

"It’s Xiaolan who ran away. I’m the one who was hurt. Instead of going after the criminal and helping the victim, you're picking on me—a helpless patient. How do you live up to that uniform you wear?"

...

Meanwhile, Zuo Shangdang dragged himself home, exhausted, carrying two bags of belongings belonging to Qi Sanmei and her husband. His face was bruised and battered.

As he reached the entrance of Longxiang Apartments, he ran into his neighbor from Unit 502, an assistant department head at some government office.

The man called out when he saw him. "Comrade Zuo?"

Zuo Shangdang looked up. "Ah, Section Chief Zhang!"

Zhang now noticed the bruises on Zuo’s face, and whatever scolding he’d intended to give was swallowed back.

"What happened to you?" he asked, tone slightly more polite.

Zuo touched his cheek awkwardly. "Oh, nothing really. Just had a bit too much and took a tumble."

"Oh~" The disbelief was written all over Zhang’s face.

Zuo forced a smile. "So… you're heading out?"

Zhang’s tone grew disapproving. "Comrade Zuo, I know you're a good man, and your work matters. But you can’t ignore your family completely. You should spend more time at home. You may not care, but don’t let it affect the neighbors, alright?"

Zuo stiffened. "Section Chief Zhang, I've been swamped lately—I haven't even been home for days. Did my family cause any trouble again? I'm really sorry. I'll go talk to them right away."

Zhang’s wife immediately jumped in sarcastically.

"Trouble? You're underestimating your old lady’s energy and talent. These past two days, no one on the third or fourth floor—including us—has slept a wink."

"We tried to talk some sense into her, but she reamed us out instead. And in Unit 402, they have a new mom recovering from childbirth. When they spoke up a bit, your old lady dropped to the floor right then and there."

"We've been neighbors for so many years, always getting along peacefully, and I've truly never seen such a scene before..."

Zuo Shangdang felt like he was boiling with shame, his entire body burning.

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry for the trouble. It's all my fault—I focused too much on work and didn't handle family matters properly, causing problems for the neighbors."

His face burning with embarrassment, Zuo Shangdang awkwardly apologized before hurrying home.

Even on the third-floor stairwell, he could hear the pounding sounds from above.

His head spun, and he grabbed the handrail, taking a few deep breaths before rushing upstairs.

"You wicked bitch, you did this on purpose, didn't you? You idiot, how many times have I told you? I could’ve taught a pig by now—what the hell is wrong with you?"

"Mom, waaah, I didn't mean to~" came Lu Yazhi’s sobbing voice.

With a bang, Zuo Shangdang pushed the door open.

Lu Yazhi flinched, trembling as she turned her tearful face toward him, looking completely shattered in his eyes.

"Shang Dang, waaah, you're finally back." Lu Yazhi threw herself into Zuo Shangdang’s arms.

"Oof~" Zuo Shangdang suppressed a groan, enduring the pain from his injuries.

Before Qi Sanmei could speak, Zuo Nanfu’s face darkened.

"Carrying on this way in public, right in front of elders—what kind of manners are these? Have you no decency at all?"

Qi Sanmei’s eyes flashed as she rushed forward, grabbing Lu Yazhi’s arm and yanking her away.

"Ah~" Lu Yazhi screamed.

"You man-hungry slut, why don’t you just climb onto my Shang Dang’s waist? Are you blind? Can’t you see your man’s face is injured? Are you that hard up?"

Zuo Shangdang quickly shielded his wife, shouting angrily at Qi Sanmei, "Mom, that’s enough!!!"

"How far do you want to take this before you’re satisfied? In just two days, you’ve caused chaos already. Do you really think this is the countryside, cursing like a sailor?

This is City A, where the neighbors are all respectable people. Here, we value civility and decorum!

Do you have any idea how many people you’ve offended in these two days? I’m mortified to show my face outside. If you keep this up, you’ll drive us all back to farming—is that what you want?"

Zuo Shangdang, who usually maintained a gentle demeanor with everyone, finally lost his temper, and the old couple quieted down at last.

Lu Yazhi was also startled, blinking back tears as she turned her attention to Zuo Shangdang.

"Shang Dang, what happened to you? Did Sister... how could she hit you so hard?"

Qi Sanmei immediately bristled again. "What? That barren Hou woman dared to lay hands on you? The nerve of her! I'll—"

"Enough! Just be quiet!" Zuo Shangdang was at his breaking point.

"Neither Hou Li nor her son were home—I didn’t even see them.

Not only did we fail to get our things back, they’ve sold the family’s ancestral home. Who knows where they took everything else.

I got these injuries from Zhao Xiongguang’s sons!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Yazhi immediately demanded, "What? You didn’t find them? So we didn’t get our things back?

What about all my jewelry? And my bankbook? And our car, everything in the house—they’ve got everything! If even the ancestral home is gone, can we ever get our things back?"

"Oh my god!" Zuo Nanfu shot up, roaring. "What? That Hou woman sold our ancestral home?"

No sooner had he spoken than Zuo Nanfu’s head spun, and he staggered backward. Qi Sanmei rushed to support him. "Old man, old man, don’t do this to me."

Zuo Shangdang released Lu Yazhi and sprinted over. "Dad, Dad~, what’s wrong?"