'Grandpa is usually unconscious around this time, but why is everyone in such a panic?'
Chu Yan, though confused, quickly found a place to park. She and Zhou Fan then followed the surging crowd into Chu Tianxiang's residence.
A crowd had already gathered outside Chu Tianxiang's room, mostly people from the younger generation. The elders had all gone inside.
"Sis, what are you doing back now? And who's this?" a young man asked, squeezing through the crowd toward Chu Yan. He sized up Zhou Fan from head to toe before speaking.
"This is my husband, Zhou Fan. Just call him your brother-in-law. What's happened to Grandpa?" The worry on Chu Yan's face eased slightly at the sight of him. She gave a simple introduction for the two, "This is my younger brother, Chu Wen. We're half-siblings."
"I'm not sure. I just got back myself. But I heard them say that after Grandpa fell into his stupor tonight, he woke up a short while later. Then he started smashing everything in sight, screaming that someone was trying to kill him. And he's freakishly strong—Dad and a few of our uncles can't restrain him, even working together!"
Chu Wen and Zhou Fan exchanged nods, a silent greeting. He then relayed to Chu Yan what he'd heard from the other junior members of the Chu Family.
"Don't worry. This afternoon, my father invited the most renowned physician from the Capital City, Divine Doctor Ouyang. Grandpa will definitely be fine. Unlike a certain eldest uncle, who can't do anything right!"
A dissonant voice cut in. The trio turned to see a young man who bore a slight resemblance to Chu Wen approaching slowly. He was followed by several others, all members of the Chu Family's younger generation.
"That's right. And you two have the nerve to show your faces here? One of you is off running some little company, and the other has no proper job—he just wastes his time in bars or chasing women. You're hardly fit to be part of the Chu Family. What a disgrace!"
"Well, what can you do? Their father might be a nobody, but he's still the eldest son. It's just comical that his children turned out to be so useless as well."
The two young men behind the newcomer chimed in. All three of them were children of Chu Yan's uncle. While the other junior members of the family remained silent due to their status, their expressions made it clear they also looked down on the siblings, Chu Yan and Chu Wen.
"Chu Yifeng, take these pieces of trash with you and get lost. My sister may be married, but don't you forget: I am the eldest son's eldest son in the Chu Family. As long as I'm here, you're all a rank below me!"
After a glance at the speakers, Chu Wen's gaze locked onto Chu Yifeng, the one who had spoken first. His expression was grim; if not for the circumstances, it looked as if he would have already thrown a punch.
"Hah! And so what? You really think you'll inherit the Chu Family with that good-for-nothing father of yours? The Chu Family will belong to *my* father. We'll see how you two strut around the Chu estate then."
Chu Yifeng let out a scornful laugh, his words dripping with contempt. He then shifted his gaze to Chu Yan and Zhou Fan. "A useless woman finds a useless man. I guess it's true what they say: trash is drawn to trash!"
Upon hearing this, a wry smile touched Zhou Fan's lips, and he couldn't help but roll his eyes. 'For fuck's sake,' he thought. 'This is your family squabble. Keep your damn mouths running, but what's the big idea dragging my wife and me into it?'
"It seems Second Uncle's parenting skills are seriously lacking. Since I'm your elder cousin, I have the right to teach you how to behave!"
Chu Yan, who had been silent all this time, now stepped forward, her pretty face cold. She stood before Chu Yifeng, raised her hand, and brought it down across his face!
SLAP!
Everyone present was stunned, their faces frozen in disbelief.
Chu Yan's slap may not have had much force behind it, but the emotional damage and humiliation were maxed out.
"You fucking bitch, you dare hit me? I'll kill you!"
Having never been so aggrieved in his entire life, Chu Yifeng let out a furious roar and lunged at Chu Yan.
Chu Wen saw what was happening and tried to intercept, but he was only just recovering from the shock of the slap. Even he hadn't expected his sister to be so bold.
SLAP!
But just as Chu Yifeng reached Chu Yan, a figure materialized in front of him. Before anyone could see how the person moved, Chu Yifeng was sent flying uncontrollably to the side!
One slap!
Another slap!
As everyone watched Zhou Fan slowly lower his left hand, they were all utterly dumbfounded, as if they had just witnessed something outrageous, completely stunned by what had just happened.
"Holy shit, am I seeing things? Who the hell is that guy?"
"I don't care who he is. He dared to hit the Second Young Master. He's a dead man!"
"Damn it, the arrogance! To hit our Second Young Master in the Chu Family's own house... he must have a death wish!"
It wasn't just them. Even Chu Yifeng, one of the people involved, was sitting on the ground staring at Zhou Fan in disbelief. As he felt his left cheek begin to swell, a nauseating feeling, like he'd swallowed a hundred flies, churned in his stomach. First slapped by Chu Yan, and now slapped again by this man!
Chu Wen's face was a mixture of shock and admiration. 'This brother-in-law of mine is a real piece of work,' he thought. 'No wonder he's the man who dared to marry Sis!'
After a brief moment of shocked delight, Chu Yan inwardly groaned. 'We're in big trouble.' Her slapping Chu Yifeng could be explained away, but for Zhou Fan to lay a hand on him... that would be much, much harder to justify.