Hearing ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‍Pei's Mother's voice from outside the door, the three men inside—Lei Zhenhua, Lei Mingguo, and Lei Mingquan, father and sons—felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over their heads, and they all shuddered in unison.

In his panic, Lei Mingquan knocked over the enamel mug on the table. The loud clatter was particularly piercing in the cramped room.

Lei Mingyuan's heart instantly tightened. His brows furrowed deeply, filled with conflict.

He didn't want the Pei family to get dragged into this messy mud pit, nor did he want them to see this disgraceful scene and worry about him. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

So, he suppressed his churning emotions, trying his best to make his voice sound steady, even adding a touch of deliberately feigned drowsiness.

Mom, I'm coming.

Work was heavy today. I felt a bit tired when I got back, took a nap, and accidentally overslept.

Outside the door, Pei's Mother exchanged a glance with Shen Nanchu, who was standing there leisurely with her arms crossed. Disbelief was written all over both of their faces.

How could that be possible?

Pei's Mother raised her hand and checked the Shanghai brand watch on her wrist. It was already seven-thirty; almost two hours had passed since he got off work.

She knew her son's temperament best. Lei Mingyuan was an extremely punctual person who kept his promises. No matter how tired he was, he would never sleep so heavily without making a single sound on a day they had agreed to have dinner at home.

What was more, Shen Nanchu had the system—a little spy—giving her real-time reports!

She already knew that the lingering trio of the Lei family was blocking the room, pressuring Lei Mingyuan.

Before Shen Nanchu and Pei's Mother could figure out a way to get Lei Mingyuan to open the door or take direct action, the three Lei men inside started becoming relentless.

Lei Mingguo and Lei Mingquan immediately stepped forward, one on the left and one on the right, sandwiching Lei Mingyuan between them like two walls. Their tones were full of threat and smugness.

Big brother, did you hear that? Your 'good mother' is here, Lei Mingguo said sarcastically. You don't want her to know we're here, do you?

Lei Mingquan was even more direct, almost pressing against Lei Mingyuan's ear, his spit splashing onto Lei Mingyuan's face. Then hurry up and agree to Dad's conditions! Be quick about it! Otherwise, we'll open the door right now!

In the tube-shaped apartment building of this era, the walls were as thin as paper, and the soundproofing was practically zero.

Although Pei's Mother and Shen Nanchu outside the door couldn't hear the exact words clearly, the lowered voices filled with malicious threats intermittently drifted out.

Someone was threatening her eldest son?!

Pei's Mother's heart sank sharply, and she instantly grew anxious. Ignoring everything else, she took a step forward, wanting to forcefully ram the door.

Her not-so-strong shoulder was already pressed against the door panel, terrified that if she was a second too late, Lei Mingyuan would suffer inside.

Mom, don't rush.

Shen Nanchu, however, was exceptionally calm and grabbed the impulsive Pei's Mother.

Her sharp eyes scanned the surroundings, and her gaze quickly locked onto a window on the corridor wall that opened right into Lei Mingyuan's room.

To let in some air, the window was currently left open with a moderate gap. The murky smell of smoke and the suppressed voices from inside were faintly leaking out from there.

Shen Nanchu pouted her lips toward the window and shot a glance.

Pei's Mother instantly understood Shen Nanchu's meaning.

The two immediately lightened their footsteps, moving silently like nimble cats toward the window, hiding their figures in the shadows cast by the window frame.

Meanwhile, inside the room, hearing Lei Mingyuan's natural and intimate Mom, which carried complete trust and dependence, Lei Zhenhua felt as if he had been bitten by a venomous snake, a strong surge of displeasure and jealousy rising in his heart.

He darkened his face and put on the airs of a patriarch.

Mingyuan, Lei Zhenhua deliberately dragged out his tone with a nauseatingly earnest manner, we are father and son after all. Even if you break the bones, the sinews are still connected. Without me, how could you be where you are today? This debt of upbringing is a matter of natural justice and human ethics. You can't just go against your conscience and refuse to acknowledge or repay it, can you?

This was practically tearing off all pretenses, directly using the grace of upbringing as a bargaining chip for blackmail.

A look of pain and difficulty appeared on Lei Mingyuan's face. His lips were pursed tight and pale, and the hands hanging by his sides were clenched tightly into fists, his knuckles turning white from the force.

The traditional education he received since childhood made it impossible for him to completely sever his understanding of filial piety.

But his integrity and conscience told him even more clearly that what the Lei family men were doing was wrong, violating principles and laws, and he absolutely could not associate himself with their dirty deeds.

He was caught in a dilemma.

Lei Zhenhua, that old fox, keenly caught the struggle, pain, and fleeting vulnerability in Lei Mingyuan's eyes. He knew he had to add fuel to the fire to completely crush this kid.

Lei Mingyuan, listen to me clearly! Even a cornered dog will jump over a wall!

If you really force us into a dead end and cut off our livelihood, at worst... we'll all perish together!

If I have a hard time, don't even think about living comfortably! And the Pei family... hmph, don't think they'll have peace either!

This was a naked, undisguised personal threat and intimidation! Not only aimed at Lei Mingyuan but also pointing the spearhead at the Pei family!

Who gave you the nerve?!

Just as Lei Mingyuan was trembling all over with anger at these shameless and vicious words, a furious shout suddenly came from outside the window. Like a sudden clap of thunder, carrying monstrous anger, it instantly exploded across the entire corridor!

Bang!

The half-closed window was violently pushed completely open from the outside. The window sash slammed against the wall with a loud crash, shaking the dust off the window lattice.

Pei's Mother appeared at the window, fuming with rage. Due to extreme anger, her chest heaved violently, her cheeks were flushed red, and her eyes, which usually held a gentle smile, were now perfectly round and burning with blazing flames.

She planted both hands on her hips, instantly adopting the standard stance of a rural shrew cursing in the street.

She had learned this back in Wangjia Village from the capable Anut Lanhua.

Anut Lanhua once said that when dealing with this kind of shameless, unreasonable scoundrel, speaking politely and reasoning with them is useless. Sometimes you just have to be a shrew—fiercer, wilder, and more reckless than them!

Pei's Mother unleashed her full firepower, pointing at Lei Zhenhua inside the room.

Lei Zhenhua! You black-hearted, rotten-gutted old scumbag!

What did you just say? Perish together?

Bah! Why don't you take a piss and look at your own reflection to see what kind of virtue you have! A wrinkled old loofah sponge, the kind of trash a gust of wind could blow over, and you think you're worthy of perishing together with us?

You maggot-hearted, wolf-hearted, dog-lunged things, you have the nerve to mention the grace of upbringing to my son? I even suspect my Mingyuan was switched at birth by you.

After all, my son is so smart, there's no way you people could give birth to a child like him!