Courtyard House: Drunk and tipsy, the whole courtyard exposed at the start.

He originally thought that with his status as an elder, he could easily smooth things over and suppress the matter, then report it to the neighborhood committee, and that would be the end of it. After all, the police station had already told them to settle it privately.

But to his utter surprise, Xu Damao was so assertive and clever this time, directly escalating the Jia family's actions to the point of threatening the safety of all the pregnant women in the hospital.

This has incurred public wrath, and even if Yi Zhonghai had three heads and six arms, he couldn't suppress it.

Standing in the crowd, Qin Huairu looked at her indignant neighbors and a secret sense of smug satisfaction flashed through her mind.

In truth, she had long been fed up with Jia Zhangshi, that lazy, wicked mother-in-law who caused trouble every day. If she could really take this opportunity to send Jia Zhangshi back to her rural hometown, then Qin Huairu's burden would be greatly lightened.

But on the surface, Qin Huairu still had to pretend to be a dutiful daughter-in-law.

"Please, everyone, don't do this! My mother-in-law knows she was wrong! Please, please give her a way out!" Qin Huairu cried as she knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly to everyone, but her words were weak and had no persuasive power whatsoever.

Sha Zhu watched Qin Huairu kneel, his heart aching terribly. He roared at the crowd, "Shut the hell up! These days, sending someone back to their place of origin is practically forcing them to their death! Lou Xiao'e is fine, isn't she? Why are you all acting like this?"

"You idiot! Stop pretending to be all high and mighty!" Xu Damao retorted fearlessly. "You don't have kids, of course you're not afraid! We're men with wives and kids! We're afraid!"

"I'll be frank with you today: anyone who dares to protect Jia Zhangshi is going against the entire household!"

"Yes! Go against the whole hospital!" Everyone echoed in unison.

Although Sha Zhu was tough, he was somewhat intimidated by the anger of everyone in the hospital. No matter how good he was at fighting, he couldn't possibly beat everyone in the hospital by himself.

Just as the situation was about to get out of control, Xu Damao was about to take out paper and pen for everyone to sign and put their fingerprints on.

The door to the Jia family's house suddenly opened.

Jia Zhangshi limped out. She had been hiding in the house, hoping that Yi Zhonghai could resolve the matter, but she had clearly heard everyone in the courtyard telling her to go back to the countryside.

What is life like in the countryside? It's a life of toiling in the fields, with no one having enough cornmeal to eat! Jia Zhangshi has enjoyed so many years of comfort in the city, how could she possibly want to go back!

Besides, what time is it now? People are starving to death in the village. Sending her back to the village would be like sending her to her death!

"You bunch of bastards! Are you trying to force me to my death?!" Madam Jia sat down on the ground and began her signature move—summoning the soul.

"Old Jia! Dongxu! Open your eyes and look! This yard is full of beasts, they're trying to drive me back to the countryside! You'd better take them all away!"

Jia Zhangshi pounded the ground with both hands, wailing and crying, her face covered in snot and tears.

But this time, no one sympathized with her. Their eyes held only disgust and wariness.

They just stood there, coldly watching her continue her summoning ritual.

Zhang Dabiao shoveled the last bite of noodles into his mouth, put the bowl aside, and thought, "I'm so annoyed to hear the summoning of spirits so early in the morning!"

However, he didn't care about all that. As usual, if the fire didn't burn him, he would just watch the show.

However, Xu Damao didn't let Jia Zhangshi continue her summoning ritual: "Alright, Jia Zhangshi, shut up. Everyone's tired of your tricks."

Xu Damao turned to Yi Zhonghai and said, "Uncle, the will of the people cannot be defied. Since everyone feels that Jia Zhangshi's presence in the courtyard is a safety hazard, then let's follow the rules. The minority must obey the majority; let's write a joint letter and send it to the street office."

Yi Zhonghai, didn't you used to love saying that the minority should obey the majority? Today, the boomerang has hit you on the head, and you have no choice but to take it!

Yi Zhonghai's face turned ashen. He knew Xu Damao was forcing him to take a stand. If he continued to protect the Jia family, his authority as an elder would be completely destroyed.

Just when Yi Zhonghai was in a difficult situation.

A dignified female voice came from outside the gate of the courtyard house.

"What's all this noise about? I could hear the chickens running and the dogs barking from all over the place!"

The crowd automatically parted to make way.

Director Wang from the neighborhood committee, accompanied by two staff members, walked into the courtyard with a stern face.

As soon as Director Wang entered the courtyard, his imposing aura instantly silenced the noisy courtyard.

As the official in charge of this area, Director Wang's authority is undeniable. Normally, she might ignore trivial matters in someone's home, but with such a commotion today, even involving the police station, she couldn't possibly ignore it.

The day before yesterday, I had already instructed Yi Zhonghai that it would be best to settle the matter of Jia Zhangshi and Bang Geng being injured while stealing something privately. Police Chief Chen Guangliang of the local police station shared this view, because since they hadn't actually stolen anything, Xu Damao hadn't suffered any loss, and the Jia family had already been punished.

If Yi Zhonghai could mediate, that would be ideal. However, Xu Damao didn't return the day before yesterday, so Director Wang instructed Yi Zhonghai to wait for Xu Damao to return and discuss the matter properly. If that didn't work, the street office and police station could then intervene.

But unexpectedly, as soon as Xu Damao returned, he pushed a pregnant woman, almost causing the death of both mother and child.

The police station intervened, and Xu Damao had also knocked the stick deaf. Lou Xiao'e and her child were safe, and the matter had been settled privately at the police station. They were lucky; no one died.

But the neighborhood committee couldn't believe this hadn't happened, so she came over early this morning.

The results of it?

That's it?

You were given the opportunity to shine, and you still managed to mess it up!

What use are you to me?!

"Director Wang, you've finally arrived!" Yi Zhonghai rushed forward as if he had seen a savior, trying to seize the initiative in the conversation. "There was a minor conflict in the hospital, and we're in a meeting to resolve it. We didn't mean to bother you."

"Minor conflict?" Director Wang sneered, his sharp gaze sweeping over Yi Zhonghai. "Yi Zhonghai, what kind of person are you, the head of the department? Old Mo from the police station called my office during the day! Burglary, causing premature birth, a child suffering a perforated eardrum, a gang fight! You call this a minor conflict? Do you think everyone in our neighborhood committee is blind and deaf?!"

Yi Zhonghai was scolded until his face turned red, and he lowered his head, not daring to utter a single word.

Director Wang turned to Xu Damao, who was standing in the middle of the crowd, and his tone softened slightly: "Xu Damao, how are your wife and children doing now?"

Xu Damao quickly stepped forward and respectfully replied, "Thank you for your concern, Director Wang. Thanks to Da Biao for helping me and getting here in time, my wife gave birth to a healthy baby boy named Xu Xiaojun. Both mother and child are safe and sound."

"That's good." Director Wang nodded, then his face darkened as he looked at Jia Zhangshi, who was sitting on the ground wiping away tears, and Qin Huairu, who was trembling beside her.

"Qin Huairu, Jia Zhangshi. Your Jia family has been getting more and more successful lately." Director Wang's voice was stern without any attempt to conceal it. "Before, you were exploiting the descendants of the deceased, swindling donations, instigating minors to commit burglaries, maliciously making false accusations, and extorting money. Now you're doing it again! Pushing a pregnant woman? What, do you really think there's no law in Beijing?"

"Jia Zhangshi, you were sentenced to six months of labor reform in 60 for instigating minors to steal."

"Have you forgotten what I said when you came back?"

"If this happens again, you will be sent back to your place of origin!"

"We're here today to escort you back to Jiajiawazi!"

"Let's pack our things!"