Chapter 47: The Selfish Nan Jianlong

Hearing that Yan Peng and Tian Yulan had ended up at the police station genuinely shocked Zhou Chen.

He recalled that just last night, he had thoroughly cursed Tian Yulan out over the phone, and it was already late evening by then. Could it be that they were taken to the station after that?

But why on earth?

"That old home-wrecker's daughter, she's at the police station? Wonderful! Heaven has finally opened its eyes. Like mother, like daughter—neither of those two women is any good. The police should just lock both of them up."

Upon hearing that Tian Yulan was in the police station, Zhao娜 immediately slapped her thigh in delight, her face brimming with vindictive satisfaction.

Nan Jianlong’s expression darkened. His original intention was to address his daughter and son-in-law, but this ex-wife of his always jumped in to interrupt. It drove him to distraction, yet he dared not talk back, knowing full well that if he dared to engage, Zhao Na would make him fully understand the terrifying wrath of an older woman.

"Why? How did they end up at the police station?"

Nan Li was completely bewildered. While the more she saw of Tian Yulan lately, the more displeased she felt, she still couldn't fathom how things could escalate to a police station on a normal day.

Nan Jianlong said, "Their apartment window was broken. It fell from upstairs and hit someone."

"Did it kill someone?" Zhou Chen exclaimed in shock.

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Nan Jianlong glared at Zhou Chen before explaining, "The shattered glass bounced and grazed people. Although two people were injured, it wasn't serious. They were just taken to the police station for routine questioning. It's a civil matter, so it will involve some compensation and apologies."

Zhou Chen was left utterly speechless. Could this be considered Tian Yulan reaping what she sowed?

"Dad, you didn't come all the way over here just to tell us this, did you?"

"I came to ask what on earth is going on."

Zhou Chen looked completely blank. "No, Dad, if you want to know what happened, go ask Tian Yulan and Yan Peng. Why are you running over here to ask us? Like you said, we didn't even know about this."

Nan Li nodded in agreement. "Exactly, Dad, have you lost your mind? If you want to know what happened, why don't you ask the people involved instead of questioning us?"

Both of them were baffled by Nan Jianlong’s inquiry. How were they supposed to know what happened? In fact, upon hearing the news, Zhou Chen felt a sense of quiet gratification; as for the reasons behind it, what business was it of his?

Nan Jianlong replied, "I heard from Yulan that their incident this time is related to you two."

"Dad, what a strange thing to say. Their window broke and hit someone, and somehow that's connected to us? Are you implying we had nothing better to do last night and went over to deliberately smash their window?"

Zhou Chen was utterly speechless. What kind of chaotic nonsense was this? How could someone else's window breaking and injuring people possibly be blamed on them?

Even Zhao Na strode over from the sofa, walked up beside Nan Jianlong, and pointed a finger at him. "Nan Jianlong, do you have nothing better to do with your life? That old home-wrecker's daughter had her window hit someone—that's just them deserving their bad luck and receiving divine retribution. What does it have to do with Lili and Xia Junshan? Your logic is absolute lunacy!"

Nan Jianlong hurried to explain, "I'm not saying the injury has anything to do with you. It's just that, according to Yulan, the reason their window broke is because Junshan called her and cursed her out so furiously that she threw her phone in a rage. The phone happened to hit the window, causing the glass to shatter and fall, which is what injured the people below."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen was left utterly dumbfounded. He pointed at himself in sheer disbelief.

"Dad, are you alright? She smashed her own window in a fit of temper, and how is that my fault? If someone had died, would I have to take the fall for her too? Lili, we really need to take Dad to the hospital for a check-up to see if something's wrong upstairs. This logic defies comprehension."

Only because the man was his father-in-law did Zhou Chen refrain from directly telling him his brain was malfunctioning. The whole thing was entirely too absurd.

"Right, exactly, Lili, hurry up and take this old fossil to get his brain checked. See if something's clogged up inside. That old home-wrecker's daughter gets herself into trouble, and he comes running over here to interrogate his own biological daughter and son-in-law. I've truly seen it all today. Even a stepfather wouldn't act like this!"

Zhao Na gestured wildly as she pointed at Nan Jianlong, thoroughly infuriated by his behavior.

"Alright, Mom, stop talking."

Though Nan Li also found the situation completely bizarre, she still felt protective of her father and couldn't bear to let her mother continue tearing into him.

"Dad, I really have to say, why on earth are you sticking your nose into this? Tian Yulan gets into trouble, and somehow you try to pin it on Xia Junshan?"

"Besides, Dad, have you even figured out what actually happened? Without knowing a single fact, you rush over here right in the middle of the day to stick up for Tian Yulan. How do you expect that to make us feel? Are you my biological father, or Tian Yulan's?"

"No, no, Lili, you've got it wrong. I didn't mean that at all, you're overthinking it."

Nan Jianlong was displeased by Zhou Chen's tone, and he chose to ignore Zhao Na's barbs, but he dared not take his biological daughter Nan Li lightly. He hurriedly waved his hands.

"I'm not standing up for Yulan. I just heard their version of the situation and wanted to come over and find out more. How could I possibly favor them? Even if I favored anyone, it would definitely be you—you're my only biological daughter."

"Oh please! You still remember Lili is your biological daughter? I thought you'd been so utterly bewitched by that old home-wrecker that you'd forgotten who your own flesh and blood even was."

No matter how mild Nan Jianlong's temper usually was, Zhao Na's needles provoked his ire. "I'm talking to my daughter. Can you not butt in?"

"Lili is my daughter first, and only then your daughter. Never mind butting in—if I threw you out right now, she wouldn't say a single word against me. Want to test that theory?"

"I can't be bothered with you. You're looking less and less like an educated person by the day."

"Talk about being educated with someone like you? You call yourself educated when you cheat and take up with a mistress? There's a specific term for a man like you—a beast in human clothing."

"You, you..."

How could Nan Jianlong ever win a verbal sparring match against Zhao Na? He was dressed down completely, his chest heaving with indignation.

"Grandma, Grandpa, please stop fighting." Huanhuan and Chaochao could no longer hold back, their wide, watery eyes darting between Nan Jianlong and Zhao Na.

Nan Li quickly chimed in, "Alright, Mom, that's enough. Take Huanhuan and Chaochao over to the sofa to read."

"Hmph."

Zhao Na shot a heavy glare at Nan Jianlong, then took the two children to wash their hands and mouths before settling them on the sofa with their books.

"Dad, don't blame me for speaking bluntly. Look at you—you haven't the slightest clue what actually happened, yet you let yourselves be coaxed by a few words from them, running over here full of accusations and inquisitions. We all know you mean well, but good intentions sometimes lead to bad outcomes. Surely you understand a principle that simple?"

Nan Jianlong felt extremely awkward under his daughter's gaze. He truly didn't know the full story; Tian Yulan had simply called Cai Jujing claiming she was at the police station, then wept about how Xia Junshan had verbally abused her over work matters, using horribly insulting terms like "home-wrecker's daughter" that drove her to throw her phone in despair, resulting in the broken window.

Cai Jujing had then relayed this with added embellishments. To Nan Jianlong, conflicts between his two daughters meant he, as the elder, needed to step in and mediate.

What further displeased him was that even if the two daughters were bickering, why was Xia Junshan—usually so sensible—joining in and hurling abusive insults?

Add to that the rumor he'd heard in the courtyard shortly before: that Xia Junshan had resigned from his job without even giving him a courtesy heads-up. That had left him deeply discontented.

Hence why he had rushed over in the middle of the day: first, to properly lecture Xia Junshan, and second, to understand the situation and smooth things over so the two households could reconcile.

He clearly had good intentions, yet upon arrival, he was first subjected to a tongue-lashing from his ex-wife, then had his son-in-law dare to lecture him, and finally found his own daughter accusing him of meddling. The grievances pressing down on his chest felt suffocating.

"Lili, I know you're still holding a grudge over the unpleasantness here last time. But regardless, you've known each other for so many years and shared meals at the same table for just as long. Even without a blood tie, you're practically relatives; there's no need to harbor bitter hatred. If she runs into trouble, you help; if you run into trouble, she'll help. Mutual accommodation and assistance—that's the proper way to get along."

Upon hearing this, Nan Li finally snapped.

"Dad, you really have no idea what's going on, nor do you care to understand. This isn't even our first conflict. Ever since the incident here last time, just a few days ago, Tian Yulan secretly colluded with other parents to strip Huanhuan of her position as class monitor, and then ran into Junshan at the school gate to hurl sarcastic insults and even tear his clothes in broad daylight. Do you have any idea what that feels like?"

"There was something like that?"

Nan Jianlong stared in blank astonishment; he genuinely had no knowledge of this event.

Zhou Chen advised, "Dad, I think you should just focus on living your own life and stay out of our affairs. Putting that aside, take last night: she clearly came asking for a favor, yet she adopted an arrogant, commanding tone, acting as if I'd committed a crime if I didn't sort things out for her."

"I couldn't be bothered with her at the time, but she only escalated, hurling all sorts of curses. Not only did she insult me, she cursed out Lili and Mom too. Am I supposed to just roll over and take that? Cursing her out was letting her off lightly; if she'd been standing right in front of me, I would've slapped her across the face."

"As for her claiming she smashed the window because I angered her, that's even more laughable. She always shifts the blame onto everyone else while acting like she's completely blameless. What kind of person is she?"

"What? She dared to curse at me and Lili?"

Zhao Na, who had been keeping her ears perked the entire time, shrieked in outrage. "That old home-wrecker's daughter actually dared to curse at us? Truly lacking in upbringing! Xia Junshan, Mom supports you on this. Cursing her was too mild; you should've slapped her. Just like her mother, neither of them is any good."

Nan Jianlong felt a throbbing headache coming on. He finally understood that his son-in-law wasn't entirely to blame.

"Even so, as a grown man, why bother bickering with a woman?"

Zhou Chen chuckled. "Dad, by your logic, I suppose I deserved to be cursed at and attacked, and I'm not even allowed to talk back?"

Nan Li joined in with indignation, "Dad, your logic is seriously flawed. Gender equality is a thing nowadays—why is it that she's allowed to curse at us, but Xia Junshan isn't allowed to talk back? You might think this is a minor issue, but to us, it's a major one. Why should we accommodate her? Why should we let her bully us? Who even is she to us, and what relation does she bear?"

Nan Jianlong argued, "You may not be biological sisters, but after all these years, you should get along like sisters. If you really fall out completely, how ugly does that look?"

"Dad, please don't say that. Tian Yulan and I were never sisters, nor have we ever gotten along like sisters. We were always two completely unrelated strangers. You're the one who forced us together, staging those family banquets every single time. What family banquet? She and I are not a family at all, so there's no such thing as a family banquet."

Nan Li's face was etched with bitter resentment. Her patience with Tian Yulan had reached its absolute breaking point, and she no longer wished to endure a single second of it. Sisters? Relatives? They could all go to hell.

Zhou Chen echoed her sentiments. "Dad, Lili is right. I used to let things slide, but my heart has truly turned cold now. There's simply no point in interacting with someone like that. Usually she acts fine, but the moment trouble hits, she throws endless tantrums and acts as though we've wronged her in every possible way. Let's get one thing straight: if anyone wronged anyone, it's them who wronged Mom and Lili. Why should we keep accommodating them?"

Nan Jianlong was already drowning in misery. While he remained silent when his daughter spoke, Zhou Chen's words immediately reignited his temper.

"Xia Junshan, I find your boldness growing quite a bit lately. You've actually started lecturing me now? This has nothing to do with you—it's our family business, so stop fanning the flames."

Hearing that, Zhou Chen's anger flared up as well.

"Dad, I completely disagree with what you just said. What do you mean by 'our family business'? In your eyes, does that make me an outsider, someone even lower than Tian Yulan?"

He was genuinely furious. Even considering whatever past history Nan Jianlong had with the original Xia Junshan, he personally had very little emotional attachment to the old man.

During the few months he had lived in this world, Nan Jianlong's impression on him was far from favorable. Clearly aware of the animosity between Nan Li and Tian Yulan, and despite Tian Yulan's constant needling at every family dinner, Nan Jianlong would always play the peacemaker—privately pressuring Nan Li to back down and compromise.

Not to mention the massive uproar last time in this very apartment, after which the old man hadn't even offered a word of comfort, acting as if nothing had happened at all.

And now, upon learning of the situation, he was still scheming to reconcile the two families, even going so far as to dismiss this as "family business" that had nothing to do with him—the actual person involved.

Knowing his biological daughter was standing right there, how could he utter such words? Was there any such thing as a biological father like this?

At that exact moment, a profound disgust toward this father-in-law took root in the depths of Zhou Chen's heart. The man truly was a piece of work.

Back in his younger days, infatuated by the fact that his first wife was a well-bred young lady from an affluent family, he showered her with care and devotion. But the moment life threw a curveball and he felt that refined lady could no longer cater to his every physical need, he strayed, found a woman who could wait on him hand and foot, and kicked his original wife to the curb without a second thought. Was that something a decent human being would do?

And now, in his old age, he was desperately trying to force his biological daughter and the mistress's daughter together, willfully turning a blind eye to their deep-seated conflicts, purely so he could bask in his idealized domestic bliss.

Such behavior was selfish to the absolute extreme.

In the past, Zhou Chen hadn't voiced his thoughts out of consideration for Nan Li, pretending to be oblivious to it all. But now, the father-in-law's callous remarks had thoroughly chilled his heart.

Nan Li was likewise incensed to the core. "Dad, are you out of your mind? Xia Junshan is my husband, and I am your biological daughter. Yet now Xia Junshan has been relegated to an outsider, while Tian Yulan—the child brought by another woman—has become your real family? Is that genuinely how you think?"

"I, I..."

Nan Jianlong realized he had slipped up. He had merely spoken in the heat of the moment while choked with grievance.

"Nan Jianlong!"

Zhao Na's piercing screech rang out once more. She erupted in fury: "Fine! I see it clearly now—you're a heartless, ungrateful wretch! Xia Junshan is Huanhuan and Chaochao's father, and Lili's husband. For over a decade he has worked himself to the bone for this family, yet in your eyes, he doesn't even measure up to the daughter of an old home-wrecker! Wonderful, just wonderful!"

"Nan Jianlong, if you refuse to acknowledge Xia Junshan, I will! He is Zhao Na's son-in-law. Since you consider that old home-wrecker's daughter to be your family, fine! From now on, go live with them! Right now—get out! Pack up and get out of my sight immediately!"

"Grandma, Grandma, please don't fight! Don't fight with Grandpa!" Huanhuan and Chaochao wept as they hugged Zhao Na tightly.

Zhao Na was beside herself with rage. "Huanhuan, Chaochao, he is not your grandpa! Don't ever call him that again! An old fool who won't even acknowledge his own daughter and son-in-law doesn't deserve to be called a grandfather! Get out, get out!"

Seeing Zhao Na raging like a madwoman, Nan Li rushed over to restrain her while Zhou Chen hurried to pull Huanhuan away and scoop up Chaochao in his arms.

"Dad, you should head back first. We can talk things over by phone later."

Trembling slightly, Nan Jianlong rose to his feet. He cast a guilt-ridden glance at Nan Li and Zhou Chen, his lips parting as if to speak, but no words came out. Finally, with a defeated, hollow expression, he turned and shuffled out the front door.