Chapter 52: When the Wall Goes Down, Everyone Gives It a Push: The Third Uncle Loses All His Supporters

Yan Bugui was dragged away, and the two trucks roared off into the distance, leaving behind a mess and a courtyard full of terrified residents.

The courtyard, which had been bustling with noise just a moment ago, instantly plunged into an eerie and dead silence.

A gust of wind blew, causing the wood shavings from the demolished shed to swirl around in the air, creating a deeply desolate scene.

"What a sin! What kind of mess is this!"

The Second Matriarch collapsed flat onto the ground, staring at the pile of broken bricks and rubble, and began to wail miserably. Her cries were sharp and piercing, yet they could no longer elicit even a shred of sympathy.

The people in the courtyard looked at one another, their eyes filled with thinly veiled panic and lingering fear.

No one had expected that merely building a small shed could stir up such a massive catastrophe. A joint law enforcement operation by the Urban Management Bureau and the Education Bureau—such a formidable spectacle was something they had never witnessed in their entire lives!

"Serves him right! Trying to take advantage of every little petty benefit! Thinking he was so smart! Well, look at him now, he's about to lose his job!"

"Exactly! Doctor Chen had just moved away, and he dared to brazenly occupy the empty space. Wasn't that like carrying a lantern in a latrine—courting death?"

"Keep your voice down! Have you lost your mind? From now on, no one is ever to mention this matter again! Just pretend you saw nothing!"

Amidst the crowd, lowered voices buzzed like a swarm of mosquitoes.

In the past, no matter how stingy and calculating Yan Bugui was, everyone would still show him some basic respect just because he was a schoolteacher. But today, he had been dragged away like a dog right in front of the entire courtyard; whatever shred of "intellectual" dignity he once possessed was completely stripped away, thrown onto the ground, and ruthlessly trampled upon.

When a wall is about to collapse, everyone gives it a push; when a drum is broken, everyone beats it.

This truth was vividly demonstrated at this very moment.

Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiekuang, the two brothers, stood off to one side, their complexions shifting between pale and ashen.

The pointing and judgmental gazes of the surrounding neighbors pierced into them like needles. They felt as though they had never been so thoroughly humiliated in their lives.

"Cry! Cry! All you know is how to cry! Aren't you embarrassed enough yet?" Yan Jiecheng glared at his biological mother, who was sitting on the ground throwing a tantrum, and the anger in his heart flared up instantly.

He strode over and yanked the Second Matriarch up from the ground with a forceful pull.

"What are you doing! Your father has already been dragged away, and you're still taking your anger out on me!" The Second Matriarch, both furious and frightened, delivered a couple of blows against her son.

"I'm taking my anger out on you? Shouldn't I be angry?" Yan Jiecheng's voice had risen to a pitch that sounded entirely unnatural. "I told you long ago not to always think about snatching those little petty advantages! I told you not to provoke Chen Mo! Did either of you listen? Now look at where we are! My dad is about to lose his job, and our entire family has become the laughingstock of the courtyard! How am I supposed to hold my head high at the factory from now on?"

"I... how could we have known it would turn out like this..." The Second Matriarch was completely dumbfounded by her son's roaring.

"Not know? You two must have had your hearts covered in lard!" Yan Jiecheng grew even more enraged. "And Dad too! He studied books his entire life, and all that education went straight down the drain! Couldn't he tell who the real master of this courtyard was? He just had to go pull hair out of a tiger's mouth! Look at him now, he's dragged himself into this mess!"

"Brother, dial it back a bit. Mom is already hurting," his younger brother, Yan Jiekuang, interjected in a soft voice from the side.

"Dial it back? Can this matter just be brushed aside by dialing it back?" Yan Jiecheng pointed angrily at the pile of debris on the ground. "If word of this gets to my fiancée's family, it's entirely uncertain whether they'll still be willing to let their daughter marry me! Who is to blame for all of this? It's all his fault!"

He referred to his father repeatedly as "him," showing not a single trace of worry for the old man, only overwhelming resentment and a desperate urge to distance himself.

Listening to her son's utterly heartless words, the Second Matriarch felt her heart turn half cold. She pointed a trembling finger at Yan Jiecheng, her lips quivering, unable to utter a single word for a long time.

This was the fine son she and the old man had raised after a lifetime of scrimping and saving!

The moment his parents ran into trouble, his first thought wasn't how to help, but rather how to avoid being implicated!

Watching the internal strife within the Yan family, the onlookers in the courtyard whispered even more animatedly, pointing and gesturing endlessly.

Yi Zhonghai took in everything that was happening, and a chill settled deep within his chest. He glanced toward his own tightly shut door, as if he could already foresee his own ultimate fate.

Once he completely lost his influence, Liu Haihao would undoubtedly be the first to step up and trample on him; the people in the courtyard would watch him become a joke; and would silly Zhu, whom he had schemed so hard to rely on, eventually turn around and resent him just like Yan Jiecheng?

He didn't dare to think any further.

Meanwhile, the mastermind behind all of this, Chen Mo, hadn't given the slightest thought to the Yan family's petty troubles.

Having moved into his new home, he was in an exceptionally fine mood.

The two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment was spacious and brightly lit. Red bricks paved the floor, and the walls were painted a pristine white. Brand-new wooden furniture emitted a faint scent of fresh paint. What satisfied him the most was the independent bathroom and kitchen.

No longer would he have to brave the bitter winter cold to run all the way to the public restroom, nor would he have to cook amidst the smoky, foul-smelling chaos of the communal yard.

He brewed himself a pot of fine tea, using the top-grade Longjing presented by Yang Weiguo.

The tea leaves unfurled gracefully in the boiling water, releasing a delicate, lingering fragrance.

Seated in his bright and pristine living room, gazing out at the low, dilapidated single-story houses beyond the window, he felt as though a thick layer of glass now separated him from that entire world.

He could see them, hear them, and even manipulate their joys and sorrows, their lives and disgraces.

Yet they could no longer touch him.

This sensation was quite exquisite.

[Punishment Points: 1200]
[Skills: Advanced Bone-Setting, Advanced Surgical Kit (including nerve suturing and organ transplantation), Advanced Pulse Diagnosis, Eagle Eye (Passive)]
[Items: Nine-Turn Soul-Returning Pill (2)]

Reviewing the gains on his system interface, Chen Mo was thoroughly content. Disciplining a man like Yan Bugui had not only established his authority but also yielded 200 points and a new skill. This transaction was exceptionally profitable.

Who should be the next target?

Qin Huairu? That woman was currently acting like a startled rabbit and couldn't stir up any trouble for the time being. Besides, dealing with her required patience; crushing her all at once would be letting her off too easily. Making her struggle repeatedly between hope and despair—that would be truly amusing.

Silly Zhu? That fool had already had his backbone broken by Chen Mo; his spirit was gone, posing no immediate threat.

Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haihai? Those two old fogies were probably frightened out of their wits by now and wouldn't dare to stir up mischief anytime soon.

Chen Mo's gaze finally settled upon Xu Damao.

That sharp-faced, monkey-cheeked projectionist had always buzzed around his ears like a fly, constantly looking for an opportunity to take a bite. Though not fatal, he was thoroughly irritating.

Moreover, he hadn't divorced Lou Xiaoe yet.

As for Lou Xiaoe, Chen Mo didn't hold a bad impression of her. She was a naive girl from a wealthy background who lacked any real cunning. In the upcoming turbulent era, following a petty scoundrel like Xu Damao would guarantee her a wretched fate.

Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda.

Ah, decided then.

The next one to face the blade would be Xu Damao. Not only would he be punished, but Lou Xiaoe would also be rescued along the way.

With this thought, a cold, cruel arc formed at the corners of Chen Mo's mouth.

Meanwhile, back in the courtyard, the Yan family had descended into absolute chaos.

After Yan Bugui was taken away, the Second Matriarch wept incessantly, while Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiekuang argued fiercely over who should step forward and who should spend the money to "bail him out."

"Dad caused this mess, why should I spend my money?" Yan Jiecheng stiffened his neck, looking utterly reluctant. "I need to save every bit of my salary for my marriage! I don't have a single penny!"

"Brother, how can you say that? That's our dad!" Yan Jiekuang still retained a shred of conscience.

"Our dad? When he was pulling these stunts, did he ever think about whether we were his sons? Now that he's in trouble, he remembers us? Too late!" Yan Jiecheng remained stubbornly resolved to wash his hands of the matter.

The two brothers argued for a long time without reaching any conclusion.

Watching her two selfish sons, the Second Matriarch felt her heart turn utterly frigid.

She knew she could no longer rely on them.

Wiping away her tears, she dragged herself up from the ground with a single, overriding thought in her mind.

She had to beg for help! She absolutely had to seek help!

But whom could she turn to?

Everyone in the courtyard was currently steering clear of their family, terrified of contracting even the slightest bit of bad luck.

After pondering over all her options, she finally pinned her hopes on a single individual.

The First Master, Yi Zhonghai.

In her view, having held a position of authority for so many years, Yi Zhonghai undoubtedly had connections at the factory. Besides, he always prided himself on being "virtuous and respected," so he surely couldn't just stand by and watch a man die without lifting a finger!

Having made up her mind, the Second Matriarch tucked the last two salted duck eggs remaining in the house into her pocket and, under the cover of darkness, furtively crept toward the entrance of Yi Zhonghai's home.