Shen Fuyao’s blood was full of vigor, her voice strong and loud. Almost everyone on the first floor heard her. Gossip about the daughter of a commander stirred everyone’s curiosity to the peak; passing family members, doctors, and nurses all slowed down, pausing their work, ears pricked to listen.
For a moment, the hospital fell into an eerie silence.
“What nonsense are you spouting? This is slander. Say another word, and I’ll report you to the police!” Xia Yulan forced herself to stay calm, raising her voice to warn Shen Fuyao. Yet the panic on her face betrayed the deep unease she felt inside.
“Shen Fuyao, what are you saying?” Wang Chaoying, having just finished changing his bandages, rushed out to intervene upon hearing Shen Fuyao challenge Xia Yulan.
“Oh? Here comes the traitor himself,” Shen Fuyao’s voice grew even louder as she deliberately fixed her gaze on Wang Chaoying.
This was the first time she had seen Wang Chaoying since her rebirth.
Having recently achieved a major merit and on the verge of a promotion to battalion commander, Wang Chaoying walked proudly toward her. His skin was fair; even after spending time outdoors, by winter it would pale again. His overly delicate facial features made him handsome, though somewhat effeminate—definitely not Shen Fuyao’s type.
The man she liked had to be at least 1.83 meters tall, long-legged, with a masculine, commanding presence—truly the caliber of a “celestial” man.
“Chaoying,” Xia Yulan stepped forward, eyes brimming with tears. Ever since Wang Chaoying achieved his great merit, she had publicly claimed to be in a relationship with him.
She was aware of a Shen Fuyao living in the countryside but assumed that a rural woman so deep in the mountains wouldn’t dare travel alone, much less come to a military base and cause a scene. After all, she had already sent Wang Chaomei back to “deal with” Shen Fuyao.
“Who is she? Why is she spreading lies about me?” Xia Yulan pointed at Shen Fuyao, seeking justice.
Wang Chaoying gave Xia Yulan a reassuring glance, then turned angrily to Shen Fuyao. “Shen Fuyao, you colluded with bandits and emptied my house! How dare you show up at the military base?”
Those watching nearby, hearing the rumors of the past two days, whispered among themselves:“Could this beautiful female officer be the one who ‘sold herself to bury her grandmother,’ shamelessly trying to marry Wang Chaoying?”
“By the name, maybe. But judging by her looks and demeanor, it doesn’t seem right. She’s so beautiful—would she really need to shamelessly cling to Wang Chaoying?” someone doubted.
“Why not? No matter how pretty, she’s just a country girl. Wang Chaoying is an officer; she must be trying to hold onto him. I heard from little Wang that this daughter-in-law does nothing at home and even abuses Wang Chaoying’s twin adopted children. How evil! Ugh, and colluding with bandits? I heard she was seen rolling around in the hay with a bandit—disgusting.”
A woman in her fifties joined the gossip. Her name was Zheng Hongmei, a hospital cleaner. She had overheard all of this while Wang Daren accompanied Wang Chaoying to the hospital for medicine yesterday.
The gossip was soft-spoken but clear enough for Shen Fuyao to hear.
She strode straight up to the man who had claimed she sold herself to bury her grandmother and asked coldly, “Did Zhou Lanxiang tell you my grandmother passed away?”
The man worked in the hospital cafeteria. It was mealtime, and he had just delivered meals to bedridden soldiers whose families hadn’t arrived yet. With nothing to do, he had paused to watch the commotion. He muttered a few words quietly, but Shen Fuyao heard every single one.
“No… I don’t know her,” the man said, uneasy. He had never gossiped about anyone before and was caught red-handed—embarrassing, to say the least.
“Everyone in the hospital says that. I was just repeating it casually,” the man explained.
Shen Fuyao snorted, then turned to Zheng Hongmei. “Did you personally see me abuse the twins? Or see me with bandits?”
“No, but I heard it with my own ears. Your father-in-law said it himself. How could he lie about you?”