Chapter Thirty-Three: War

Zhou Chen and Nan Li stood together to block Zhao Na, preventing her from rushing forward. Both of them knew full well that if Zhao Na were allowed to charge, a physical altercation would be inevitable.

However, at this moment, Zhao Na displayed an unexpectedly fierce fighting spirit. Even with two people between them, she continued to point at Cai Juying and Nan Jianlong, hurling insults.

"You two are truly shameless! Who invited you to my daughter's home? You have both polluted this place, made it reek! Nan Jianlong, how do you have the gall to bring this old mistress to your daughter's house? Ah, you two..."

Zhou Chen struggled to hold Zhao Na back. The strength erupting from this elderly woman was truly surprising; he had to exert every bit of his own strength just to keep her contained.

Suddenly seeing Huanhuan and Chaochao run out, he immediately shouted at them, "Huanhuan, hurry, take your brother into the room, lock the door, and don't come out."

This was a scene the children absolutely must not witness; it would be disastrous if it left them with psychological trauma.

Huanhuan was an obedient child. Though she knew something serious was happening, she followed her father's instructions, pulled her younger brother Chaochao into the room, and locked the door behind them.

Zhao Na’s insults grew increasingly harsh; she was beyond furious, practically frantic.

Under normal circumstances, even if she had run into Nan Jianlong and Cai Juying on the street, she would have, at most, muttered about them being shameless or called Cai Juying an old mistress behind their backs.

But this was different. These two people had actually dared to show up at her daughter’s home. Since her divorce, her daughter was all she had left. She valued her daughter more than anything. Although it pained her that her daughter went to dine at their place, she had only ever complained about it and never tried to stop her.

But the pair showing up in person carried a different weight. Her daughter was her entire world; with Nan Jianlong bringing his mistress to her doorstep, her immediate reaction—before even understanding the situation—was that this old mistress had come to steal her daughter and her grandchildren.

Her daughter’s family was her bottom line. Now that she felt that line had been crossed, she went berserk. Obscenities she would never have used in the past poured out in a relentless, vitriolic stream.

Berated directly to his face, Nan Jianlong turned ashen, yet he dared not utter a single word of rebuttal. His hands trembled as he tried to pull Cai Juying away.

But seeing Zhao Na acting so brazenly, calling her an "old mistress" and a "dog of a woman," and coupled with the frustration of failing to achieve their goal today, Cai Juying’s pent-up resentment exploded.

"Who are you calling names? Who’s an old mistress? You have no capability yourself, can't even take care of your own life, so who are you blaming? I am not a mistress, and you have no right to curse me!"

If Cai Juying hadn't fought back, it might have ended differently, but her retaliation only fueled Zhao Na’s rage.

"You shameless old mistress, you still have the nerve to talk? Stealing someone’s husband and you’re proud of it? Who gave you the right? You are truly shameless..."

Nan Jianlong dared not provoke Zhao Na, but he scolded Cai Juying, "Let’s go! Hurry up and leave!"

Cai Juying was full of grievances. To see her own man not only failing to defend her but scolding her in front of his ex-wife and their daughter and son-in-law made her feel as though she had lost all dignity. Her resentment grew even deeper.

"Why should I leave? She was the one who started the verbal abuse! What right does she have to yell? She’s useless herself, so she blames others. I’m the one who’s shameless? You’re the one who’s shameless! Where is your dignity? You’re not a good person either, so stop putting on an act!"

Nan Li, seeing the mistress Cai Juying cursing her mother in her own home, felt her own temper boil over. She shouted at Nan Jianlong, "Dad, take your person and get out! She is not welcome here. Take her away from my house!"

Nan Jianlong was shaking all over, tugging hard at Cai Juying, "Let's go, come with me, hurry back."

With a sour expression, Cai Juying allowed Nan Jianlong to pull her toward the doorway.

But the apartment was small. Zhao Na had charged from the entryway and was standing right in the path. Even though Nan Jianlong and Cai Juying tried to dodge, Zhao Na frantically flailed her arms, trying to strike them as they passed.

Though Zhou Chen and Nan Li tried their best to restrain her, the distance was too close, and Zhao Na managed to land blows on both Nan Jianlong and Cai Juying.

Nan Jianlong took it, but Cai Juying reached her breaking point. Although the blow didn't hurt, it triggered her fury, and she shoved Nan Jianlong’s hand away.

"You dare hit me? By what right do you hit me? Why are you hitting me?"

She began flailing back at Zhao Na. In an instant, their arms were entangled, clawing at each other in a chaotic mess.

Nan Li pulled hard on her mother and shouted to Zhou Chen, "Xia Junshan, pull her away and get them out!"

That was the only solution. Zhou Chen released Zhao Na and stepped between her and Cai Juying, grabbing hold of Cai Juying as he and Nan Jianlong attempted to drag her out.

The two women were clawing at anything within reach, raking their nails across Zhou Chen’s body and ruining his clothes. He didn't care about that; his only focus was getting Cai Juying out.

However, life is often full of surprises. Just as Zhou Chen was about to separate the two brawling women, the unexpected happened: two more figures appeared at the door.

"What are you doing?!"

Tian Yulan had arrived full of anger, but before she even entered, she witnessed a scene that sent her rage through the roof.

Seeing her mother, Cai Juying, surrounded and bullied by a group of people, she felt her head spin. Like a wild beast, she threw her bag aside and stormed into the room.

"Hey! Hey!" Yan Peng, seeing the situation take a turn for the worse, tried to grab his wife, but his reaction was a step too slow; Tian Yulan had already charged in.

Zhou Chen was busy dragging Cai Juying toward the exit. Since his back was to the door and the scene was utter chaos with voices shouting over one another, he didn't hear Tian Yulan’s roar.

Just as he was pulling Cai Juying, a massive force hit him from behind. Caught off guard, Zhou Chen lost his balance and stumbled forward, while Cai Juying, caught in his grip, tumbled into the nearby wall.

Tian Yulan shoved Zhou Chen aside and rushed to steady her mother.

Only then did Zhou Chen realize that the person who had shoved him was Tian Yulan. He didn't know why she had shown up at this moment, but having been shoved twice with significant force, he was fuming.

*Damn it, I’m just trying to break up a fight, why are you shoving me?*

Before he could speak, Tian Yulan went on the offensive. After steadying her mother, she turned and pointed at Zhou Chen, screaming, "Does your family have any shame? So many of you bullying my mother alone! And you call yourselves educated people? Ganging up on her like this—is this the level of your 'cultured' people? You are truly, utterly shameless!"

She didn't know what had happened, but she trusted what she saw: her mother being held by Zhou Chen and being 'assaulted' by Nan Li and her mother. She jumped to the conclusion that her mother was being bullied by the entire family.