All-Courtyard Meeting, This Performance Is Not Aimed at Anyone

Lou Xiao'e explained the situation.

Just then, First Elder Yi Zhonghai, Second Elder Liu Haizhong, Silly Zhu, and Xu Damao had just gotten off work and arrived at the entrance.

After hearing Lou Xiao'e's account, they all frowned.

Liu Haizhong wanted to take the opportunity to scold Lin Zhen, blaming him for setting up rat traps at home.

But on second thought, it was Lin Zhen's freedom to set up whatever he wanted in his own home. Even if he set up bear traps, it wasn't Liu Haizhong's place to say anything.

Besides, it was Bang Geng's hand that was caught. He remembered Jia Zhangshi slapping him at the hospital and felt that Lin Zhen had actually stood up for him.

Liu Haizhong pursed his lips and remained silent.

First Elder Yi Zhonghai frowned and asked, "Lin Zhen, why did you put rat traps in your house?"

Lin Zhen glanced sideways and replied, "To eliminate the four pests for the country. The supply and marketing cooperative sells them legally, so I bought them legally. I kept them inside my room with the door locked, specifically for catching rats."

Yi Zhonghai looked at Lin Zhen, momentarily speechless.

Xu Damao was angry that Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu had driven Qin Jingru away.

Seeing this, he quickly fanned the flames, saying, "Exactly, I have them at my house too, specifically for catching rats."

Silly Zhu angrily retorted, "Shut up, Xu Damao! Must you butt into everything!"

Yi Zhonghai said with a dark expression, "Alright, let's not argue outside. We'll go back and have a meeting!"

As the group entered the courtyard.

Jia Zhangshi lunged forward like a madwoman.

"Lin, you have malicious intentions!"

A murderous glint flashed in Lin Zhen's eyes, and he instantly revealed his palm.

"You're asking for death!"

Whoosh

The powerful aura instantly extinguished Jia Zhangshi's shrewish fury.

She immediately remembered that night when she was slapped and vomited blood.

Although Lin Zhen wasn't as foolish as Silly Zhu, he was even more daring when it came to taking action.

She had to apologize to him after being beaten. This! This!

Jia Zhangshi immediately deflated.

"He... he, First Elder, this Lin fellow is harming people!"

Yi Zhonghai sighed, "Old sister-in-law, we'll discuss it at the meeting."

The atmosphere at the courtyard meeting was thick with tension.

Several people glared angrily.

Third Mistress had been spat on by Jia Zhangshi for speaking the truth and was getting more and more angry the more she thought about it.

She was now seething and arguing with Jia Zhangshi.

Third Master Yan Bugui was also extremely angry after learning what had happened.

Now Yan Jiecheng, Yan Jiefang, and Yan Jiekouang, the three brothers, were backing their mother.

Jia Zhangshi sat there, glaring at Lin Zhen with a puffed-up expression.

Beside her, Bang Geng's right hand was bandaged and hung around his neck with a piece of cloth.

Qin Huairu had also heard about it and rushed back, leaving Jia Dongxu to stay at the hospital for the time being.

She was crying so sorrowfully. Just a few days ago, she had sent her sister back to their rural hometown, and then this incident happened.

Her heart was filled with regret and anger.

She regretted sending her sister away, and she was even more angry at her mother-in-law.

Not only did she insist on forcing Qin Jingru to leave, but even though she was sleeping at the hospital that night, she insisted on sleeping in again after returning home.

If she had been more diligent, Bang Geng wouldn't have ended up like this!

Lin Zhen sat in the front row, nonchalantly. He felt he wasn't at fault for this matter at all.

Let them have a meeting.

After all, the courtyard had to hold meetings like this periodically to resolve conflicts.

Otherwise, the conflicts in the courtyard would continue to accumulate and eventually erupt.

"Old Liu, you go first," Yi Zhonghai quietly reminded Liu Haizhong.

Liu Haizhong had learned his lesson this time. Since the main purpose was to mediate the conflict between Lin Zhen and the Jia family, he would stay out of it as much as possible.

"The injuries on my face haven't fully healed these past few days, so it's inconvenient for me to speak. Old Yi, you can start directly."

Yi Zhonghai nodded and cleared his throat.

"We've called this courtyard meeting today because there are many conflicts that need to be resolved, but the main issue is the conflict between Lin Zhen and the Jia family. I believe everyone has heard about it: Bang Geng had two fingers broken by the extra-large rat trap from Lin Zhen's house. Regarding this matter, let's discuss it thoroughly and try to resolve the conflict between their two families."

Yi Zhonghai finished speaking and looked at Yan Bugui.

Yan Bugui said slowly, "I think as long as Lin Zhen didn't place the mousetrap on the road as a trap, he can't be blamed."

"Bah! Yan Bugui! How can you be so biased?" Jia Zhangshi immediately cursed.

Yan Bugui frowned, "I'm mediating for both your families, and you start cursing and spitting? Is that how you behave?"

Third Mistress chimed in, "Exactly. Bang Geng saw that no one was around and tried to pry open the window to steal. He can only blame himself for getting hit. She spat at me, neighbors, this is just speaking the truth!"

"Bah! Did you see it with your own eyes? Stop slandering people!"

"Grandma Jia, stop spitting. We're all neighbors, can't we talk properly?"

Yan Jiecheng couldn't stand it anymore. Jia Zhangshi was truly shrewish.

"Shut up, Yan Jiecheng. When the elders are talking, it's not your turn," Silly Zhu, without understanding the situation, sided with the Jia family.

Seeing this, Xu Damao shouted, "What's it to you, Silly Zhu? With the three elders here, you're really showing off?"

"Hey, you punk! We're not done with your backstabbing yet. Let's settle it right now!"

Lin Zhen and Lou Xiao'e exchanged a smile.

The meeting had already descended into chaos before the parties involved had even spoken a word.

"Quiet, quiet!"

Yi Zhonghai, furious, slammed his enamel teacup, making a clanging sound, and managed to suppress the noise.

"Let's take this one matter at a time. We'll start with the incident where Bang Geng's finger was broken by the mousetrap at Lin Zhen's house. Lin Zhen, you first, explain how the mousetrap ended up by the window."

Jia Zhangshi angrily said, "He did it on purpose! He wanted to harm my Bang Geng!"

"Grandma Jia, how can you say that!" Lou Xiao'e was so angry she wanted to argue with Jia Zhangshi.

Lin Zhen quickly pulled her back, "Wife, go sit with Third Mistress. You don't need to say anything about this."

Lin Zhen unhurriedly stood up and slowly walked in front of Jia Zhangshi.

Jia Zhangshi felt breathless and dry-mouthed under Lin Zhen's imposing presence, "You... you're not planning to hit me, are you?"

"Hmph! I'll give you a demonstration first! Ha! Ha! Heh~ha!"

Lin Zhen performed a round of martial arts in the small meeting area.

Backflips, front flips, carp muscle flex, whirlwind kicks, Piguazhang, consecutive palm strikes.

He stunned everyone in the courtyard.

"This... this is a martial artist!"

"Oh my, it's a loss if Lin Zhen doesn't join the national sports team!"

"Exactly, hey! My eyes have been opened tonight!"

Yi Zhonghai's face looked like it could wring out water. He wondered what Lin Zhen was up to.

Liu Haizhong touched the injury on his face, his mind racing with fear, a chill running down his spine.

Yan Bugui waved and applauded, and Silly Zhu followed with cheers.

Xu Damao broke out in a cold sweat and joined in the applause, "Lord Lin is mighty!"

The young people in the courtyard all looked up to Lin Zhen as an idol, their cheers unceasing.

After finishing his martial arts display, Lin Zhen smiled faintly, "I just saw that the atmosphere was a bit tense, so I put on a little show for everyone. It's not directed at anyone here."

Although he said that, Jia Zhangshi no longer had the courage to throw a tantrum.

Lin Zhen calmly asked, "Grandma Jia, how do you know I deliberately harmed Bang Geng?"

Jia Zhangshi stammered, "You... you put the mousetrap inside the window, weren't you waiting to trap Bang Geng's hand?"

"Oh~ So you knew Bang Geng would definitely pry open my kitchen window to steal? Then why didn't you educate him properly? You are condoning your child's theft, which is a shameful act! You are hindering the development of the new era! You are a remnant of feudalism! You are a sinner of the new society!"

When it came to labeling people, Lin Zhen was no novice.