Chapter 22 — My Husband Brought His Ex Home

Now you are fabricating more malicious lies against me. In your eyes, is it true that if a falsehood is shouted loudly enough, it can magically transform into the truth?

Lan Chi turned pale, her face contorted with a mixture of anger and humiliation. At that exact moment, a young police officer holding a tablet pushed his way into the room.

The situation online has taken a new turn. Someone has just uploaded a second video.

He turned the screen toward us so we could all see the footage. The video captured the exact moment my father had struck Han Hao across the face in the dim hallway the previous night. The caption attached to it was even more venomous: Father-in-law storms over to assault the son-in-law; the bride's entire family relies on power to bully the weak. The comment section had already exploded into a frenzy of outrage. Some callers were demanding my father’s personal information, while others boldly declared they were heading to his old neighborhood to stake out his front door. My father’s expression darkened instantly, his features settling into a grim mask. The fragile thread holding my composure together finally snapped. They could target me all they wanted, but they were crossing a line by touching my father. I turned my gaze directly toward Xiao Hui.

Did you upload this clip as well?

Xiao Hui’s eyes darted away, refusing to meet my gaze.

No, I did not. I truly know nothing about it.

Han Hao suddenly spoke up, his voice heavy. She did not record this segment.

Everyone turned their attention to him. Han Hao’s complexion was ashen. Last night in the corridor, the only person who could have captured that specific angle was standing in the fire escape stairwell. At that time, apart from Xiao Hui, there was one other person who had not yet revealed themselves.

My heart sank heavily. The police immediately demanded to know who it was. Han Hao closed his eyes tightly.

My father. He had not gone far last night. He was hiding in the stairwell, waiting for Xiao Hui to retrieve the access card.

As soon as those words left his mouth, a sudden flurry of urgent footsteps echoed from outside the doorway. The property management director rushed inside, his face completely drained of color.

Miss Xu, things have gone terribly wrong. There are over a dozen people live-streaming and blocking the main entrance of the residential complex. Some of them even followed your father all the way back to his old neighborhood. They are screaming on their live broadcast, claiming they want to demand justice for the pregnant woman.

My father jerked upright in his seat. At the same time, my phone began to vibrate frantically in my hand. It was the neighbor downstairs calling. The moment I answered, the woman’s voice came through, trembling with panic.

Zhi Xia! You need to rush back here right now! Someone has splashed red paint all over your father’s front door! And they pasted large sheets of paper all over it. The notes read: A debt must be paid with a house, driving a pregnant woman to her death, may you be struck down by the wrath of heaven!

Hearing the words red paint, my father’s expression shifted instantly. He spun around, intending to leave immediately, but I reached out and grabbed his arm to hold him back.

Father, you cannot go back there alone. Right now, those people are simply waiting for you to lose your composure. The moment you panic, their camera lenses will finally have something sensational to capture.

My father’s chest heaved violently under his jacket. That was the home where your mother used to live. When they splash paint across that door, they are smearing filth directly across your mother’s face.

A searing heat prickled behind my eyes, yet I kept my grip on his hands firm and unwavering. That is precisely why we must make them pay the ultimate price for this.

Lawyer Lin immediately contacted his assistant, dispatching a team along with a notary official straight to my father’s old residential complex to gather legal evidence. The police also mobilized the local precinct officers to handle the chaotic scene. By the time we arrived at the location, a dense crowd of neighbors had already gathered in the hallway. Across my father’s front door, a thick cascade of red paint dripped sluggishly down the surface. A stark white sheet of paper was pasted right in the center, bearing crooked yet viciously glaring words: A debt must be paid with a house. Driving a pregnant woman to her death. May you be struck down by the wrath of heaven. My father stood near the top of the stairs, his fingers trembling uncontrollably. The kind neighbor who had called earlier spotted us and hurried over.

Zhi Xia, do not be afraid. We all saw everything with our own eyes; your father did not start any trouble. It was two young men holding up their phones for a live stream, and they even asked us if your father was relying on his daughter to extort money from her husband’s family.

Another elderly neighbor chimed in, I managed to record their faces clearly. I even captured their vehicle license plate number.

I bowed deeply to them in profound gratitude. Thank you all so much.

My father kept his head bowed in silence. I knew the ache in his heart was not for the paint-stained door, but for the painful realization that he had failed to protect me, while dragging the cherished home of his late wife into this mess. Just then, a sudden commotion erupted downstairs. Someone brandishing a phone came barrelling up the stairs.

Is this the apartment? Drag that vicious daughter-in-law out here right now! Everyone look closely, the family of the person who drove a pregnant woman to desperation lives right here!

The police officers quickly stepped forward to block their path. Property management staff and community officials rushed over as well. A blonde-dyed live streamer kept his camera lens aimed forward, shouting belligerently. We are simply giving a voice to the vulnerable! Why are you trying to stop us from recording?

I walked straight up to him. The camera lens was pushed almost directly against my face, and the man’s eyes gleamed with malicious triumph. Folks online, the female protagonist has finally appeared.

I looked at him with absolute calm. How many viewers are currently watching your live stream?

The man was momentarily taken aback. I continued unhurriedly, Excellent. Every single slanderous remark and every act of inciting cyber violence that you have just uttered on this broadcast will serve as indisputable evidence.

The blonde man sneered derisively. Who on earth do you think you are trying to scare? Do you honestly dare to call the police and have internet users arrested?

Lawyer Lin stepped smoothly to my side, immediately pulling out his professional legal identification card. She does not need to arrest ordinary internet users. She merely needs to sue you. Your unauthorized filming of private residences, disclosure of personal addresses, and incitement of a mob gathering moments ago clearly constitute violations of personal privacy rights and public disturbance. Furthermore, regarding the baseless accusations you have broadcast about driving a pregnant woman to her death and extorting property, do you possess a single shred of evidence?