Xu Changping chimed in, “Yeah, this must be a misunderstanding.”
“Cuiping has been with the army for so many years — she knows very clearly what can be said and what cannot.”
“So this definitely has to be a misunderstanding.”
Qin Jianguo asked, “Sister Wang, the rumor that Comrade Lin stole money — does it have anything to do with you?”
Wang Cuiping had been about to argue, but froze when she heard that.
Her lips trembled. “W-what… what’s going on?”
Qin Jianguo clearly explained how the Lin family came to make trouble, trying to use the incident to take Lin Fengxia back home for ‘discipline.’
“This matter only spread within a small circle inside the base, but now people everywhere outside are saying Comrade Lin is a thief.”
Wang Cuiping’s expression immediately changed.
“How is that possible? I only—”
Her words stopped abruptly.
Qin Jianguo’s blade-like gaze landed on her face.
Wang Cuiping wilted like a frost-bitten eggplant, her entire face drooping.
“I didn’t do it on purpose.”
Xu Changping exclaimed, “So it really was you?”
Wang Cuiping explained, “I didn’t intentionally spread it.”
“I heard people from Linjia Village say Fengxia had stolen before. I got angry and argued with them.”
“I didn’t expect it would cause Fengxia and the army so much trouble.”
“Jianguo, it’s right to punish me.”
Qin Jianguo frowned, quickly sensing something wrong. “You mean someone said Comrade Lin is a thief?”
At that, Wang Cuiping’s temper flared up.
“Exactly!”
“Those girls look harmless, but their words are so vicious!”
“Fengxia already lives such a miserable life, yet they still slander and smear her!”
Xu Changping hurriedly said, “Cuiping, calm down first.”
Wang Cuiping gritted her teeth. “I just couldn’t swallow my anger!”
She muttered awkwardly, “I only argued with them a few sentences — who knew it would spread this badly.”
Lin Fengxia came back carrying a vegetable basket and saw Wang Cuiping surrounded by soldiers, about to be taken away.
“Commander Qin, what’s going on with Sister Cuiping?”
Qin Jianguo explained everything in detail.
Wang Cuiping apologized with red eyes, “Fengxia, it’s all because I was too impulsive and caused you trouble.”
“I’m sorry. You can blame me however you want.”
Seeing her guilty look, Lin Fengxia quickly said, “Sister Cuiping, I don’t blame you.”
“It’s just a small matter. I never cared about those rumors.”
Wang Cuiping’s eyes grew moist.
“Good girl… you’ve suffered so much.”
Lin Fengxia pleaded for her, “Commander Qin, this isn’t really Sister Cuiping’s fault. Can you give her another chance?”
But Qin Jianguo said, “This involves base discipline and must be handled seriously.”
“However, Sister Wang acted unintentionally, so the punishment won’t be too heavy.”
Wang Cuiping let out a sigh of relief. “That’s good, that’s good.”
She gave Lin Fengxia a reassuring smile and left with the soldiers.
Lin Fengxia watched her back and sighed softly.
Qin Jianguo’s brows slightly furrowed, his eyes holding both reluctance and guilt.
After a long time, he finally said awkwardly, “Sorry.”
Lin Fengxia was surprised. “Why are you apologizing?”
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Qin Jianguo’s lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he didn’t.
After a moment of silence, he said, “I’ll go first.”
“Contact me if anything happens.”
He smiled faintly at Lin Fengxia, then turned and left.
Lin Fengxia looked at his back thoughtfully.
Sometimes Qin Jianguo was strange, but overall he wasn’t a bad person.
Three days later, Lin Lanzhi, Lin Laohan, and Zhang Landi were finally released.
The three had lost a lot of weight and looked extremely haggard.
Hearing they were out, Lin Fengxia deliberately blocked their path.
When Lin Laohan saw her, he shuddered first.
He swallowed and asked hoarsely, “Why did you suddenly come to find me?”
“Sign this.”
Lin Fengxia handed him the severance document expressionlessly.
After taking it, Lin Laohan’s eyes widened in fury, his hands trembling.
He stared at it in disbelief.
“You… you actually want to sever ties with me?!”
Zhang Landi’s eyes lit up, a flash of joy quickly passing through — though she pretended concern on her face.
“Oh my, why suddenly sever ties?”
“Child, what’s going on?”
“Why cut ties for no reason?”
“Did the family wrong you somehow?”
Tears shimmered in her eyes, yet she couldn’t hide her delight.
Lin Fengxia sneered at her fake acting. “Aren’t you the one who wants me to cut ties the most?”
“I’m my dad’s only daughter. Once I sever ties with him, after he leaves, won’t your son rightfully get all the property?”
Panic flashed across Zhang Landi’s face. “What nonsense!”
“How could I have such thoughts?”
She stepped forward and grabbed Lin Fengxia’s arm. “Fengxia, you’re a good child.”
“Don’t ever sever ties. What would your father do without you?”
Lin Fengxia listened expressionlessly to her crying.
She shook off Zhang Landi’s hand, sarcasm flashing in her eyes.
“Compared to me, his own daughter, doesn’t he like Zhang Goudan more?”
“Since he likes Zhang Goudan so much, I’ll fulfill his wish — let Zhang Goudan become his real son!”
Lin Laohan’s face flushed red with anger.
He grabbed the document. “You unfilial daughter! How dare you sever ties!”
He gritted his teeth and tore the document to pieces.
“In this life you can only be my daughter! Alive you belong to the Lin family, dead you’ll enter the Lin ancestral grave!”
“I will never sever ties with you unless I die!”
He tossed the scraps into the air, paper fluttering down like snow.
Lin Fengxia looked at him calmly.
“You tore this one — I still have others.”
“I will definitely sever ties with you.”
Lin Laohan trembled with rage, eyes blazing as if he wanted to tear her apart.
“You — you unfilial daughter!”
Lin Fengxia shrugged indifferently. “Say whatever you want.”
Overcome with fury, Lin Laohan raised his hand to strike her face.
Just as his hand lifted, an angry shout rang out: “What are you doing?!”
Turning his head, Qin Jianguo strode over.
The moment Lin Laohan saw him, his arrogance vanished like a mouse seeing a cat.
He forced a flattering smile. “Commander Qin…”
Qin Jianguo stood in front of Lin Fengxia, his gaze icy cold.
“Mr. Lin, are you about to hit a woman?!”
Lin Laohan shuddered. “No, I wouldn’t dare!”
“Commander Qin, it’s a misunderstanding!”
“Fengxia wants to sever ties with me — she’s my daughter! How… how can that be cut?!”