Tang Rubao’s mind went completely blank for a moment. Had a thief broken into her house?!
The house Zhou Jingran had been allocated was a detached house with its own yard.
She had locked both the yard gate and the living room door when she left.
Upon returning, there were no signs of forced entry or tampering with the locks, so it was highly unlikely that a thief had come in.
Tang Rubao walked out of her room and pushed open Zhou Jingran’s door, intending to see if he had returned at noon and taken her money himself.
If he had taken it himself, she knew it would be cowardly to demand it back directly.
The moment she pushed the door open, a pleasant fragrance of face cream wafted out.
Tang Rubao froze in place.
Suddenly remembering something, she closed the door, went back to her room, grabbed her duffel bag, and sniffed it carefully.
Although the scent of the face cream was faint, she could still detect it.
Tang Rubao’s face turned cold as she threw the duffel bag onto the bed.
Although she didn’t use face cream herself, she recognized the scent immediately.
Tu Xiuxiu loved beauty and taking care of herself. She applied face cream all year round, leaving a delicate fragrance wherever she went.
Even if she left a room, if it wasn’t well-ventilated, her scent would linger for a long time.
Just like in Zhou Jingran’s bedroom.
Tu Xiuxiu must have spent a long time in Zhou Jingran’s bedroom.
After Tang Rubao had stepped outside and closed the door, the scent of the face cream remained.
Tu Xiuxiu had come to her house, even touched her duffel bag and she must have taken the money.
A cold smile flickered across Tang Rubao’s eyes. How could the most beautiful girl in the cultural troupe stoop to something as petty as stealing money?
Tang Rubao left the room and closed the door so that when she returned later, the scent of the face cream would be stronger.
She went to the kitchen and cooked a bowl of noodles.
After enjoying her leisurely meal, she lay down on the wooden sofa in the living room, closed her eyes, and rested.
She didn’t get up until she heard men’s voices outside.
Their training had finished.
Tang Rubao picked up her keys and stepped outside.
To draw everyone’s attention, she walked swiftly toward Tu Xiuxiu’s house.
Judging by her posture, it was clear she intended to start a confrontation.
The soldiers who had finished training and others out enjoying themselves naturally turned their curious eyes toward her.
One of the men joked, not maliciously, “Battalion Commander Zhou’s family is so imposing, more energetic than us going into battle.”
“Indeed. I’ve noticed that Comrade Tang from Battalion Commander Zhou’s family isn’t as timid or cowardly as she used to be.”
“Judging by the direction she’s heading, she’s going to Comrade Tu’s house. Is she going to confront her?”
The men didn’t follow, but some of the military wives, driven by curiosity, couldn’t resist. They felt restless if they didn’t see for themselves.
Tang Rubao heard footsteps behind her and a triumphant smile curled at the corners of her lips.
Soon, she arrived at Tu Xiuxiu’s home.
Tu Xiuxiu’s house was similar to Zhou Jingran’s, both with independent courtyards.
While other yards were used for growing vegetables or melons, Tu Xiuxiu’s courtyard was half planted with flowers and half paved with stone, featuring a stone table and several rattan chairs.
The courtyard was as exquisitely decorated as Tu Xiuxiu herself.
Zhou Jingran held an aluminum lunchbox in one hand and a net bag of tomatoes in the other.
As he arrived at Tu Xiuxiu’s doorstep, he saw Tang Rubao approaching with an unfriendly demeanor.
He stopped outside, raised an eyebrow, and looked at her coldly.
What trouble was she planning now?
Tu Xiuxiu sat in the courtyard, drinking flower tea. When she saw Zhou Jingran bringing her lunch, she happily got up to open the door.
But her eyes flickered with a moment of panic when she saw Tang Rubao.
But soon, Tu Xiuxiu glanced at Tang Rubao casually and smiled. “Rubao, you’re here too? Ah Ran just got back with the food. Haven’t eaten yet? Come in and eat with us.”
The way she said it made it sound like Zhou Jingran belonged to her.
Tang Rubao was too lazy to argue and went straight to the point. “Are you in my house?”
Hearing this, Zhou Jingran assumed Tang Rubao was jealous because Tu Xiuxiu had entered his home.
His face darkened, and in a low voice, he said to Tang Rubao, “Whatever it is, we’ll talk about it when I get back.”
To make it easier to take care of Tu Xiuxiu and her daughter, Zhou Jingran had a key to Tu Xiuxiu’s house, and she had a key to his house.
Tang Rubao had always known this, and she knew Tu Xiuxiu often visited his home.
She used to tolerate it, but now she was causing trouble.
It seemed Tang Rubao was truly bored and looking for conflict.
Tang Rubao shot him a cold look. “Why can’t we settle this here and now? Why do we have to go back to talk about it?”
Then she turned to Tu Xiuxiu without any hesitation. “Tu Xiuxiu, what are you doing in my room searching through my luggage?”
Tu Xiuxiu glanced at the several military wives standing behind Tang Rubao and instinctively defended herself. “Rubao, what are you talking about? Why would I go through your luggage?”
No one had seen her enter Zhou Jingran’s house, and no one had seen her enter Tang Rubao’s room. She insisted she had done nothing wrong, what could Tang Rubao do to her?
“Give the money back!” Tang Rubao demanded, her gaze icy.
“I always pay you back for the rice and flour I bring to Xiuxiu,” Zhou Jingran replied firmly, his disappointment clear as he stared at Tang Rubao. “Why are you asking for money from Xiuxiu now?”
Yesterday she argued with him over money, and today she came to Tu Xiuxiu to argue again. Obsessed with money, so vulgar, it’s disgusting.
“What?” Tu Xiuxiu looked at Zhou Jingran in surprise. He usually reimbursed Tang Rubao for the rice and flour he delivered.
“Rubao, Ah Ran only brought some food because he felt sorry for my daughter and me. If you mind, I won’t ask him to bring me food anymore. Please don’t make things difficult for Ah Ran. His salary isn’t high, and he has to support his family. And yet you still ask him for money? Are you trying to drive him to ruin?”
“Ha! He only gives me 5 yuan a month, is that driving him to ruin? And you take 20 yuan from him without a second thought, are you trying to ruin him even more?” Tang Rubao shot back, refusing to be outdone.
Tu Xiuxiu raised an eyebrow, her gaze fixed on Tang Rubao like a radar.
Tang Rubao didn’t seem to be having a tantrum with Zhou Jingran at all, she had become a completely different person.
She had never dared speak back so sharply before, and now she even dared to embarrass Tu Xiuxiu in front of Ah Ran.
“You have no sympathy at all. No wonder Battalion Commander Zhou filed for divorce so early. If I were a man, I’d get a divorce too if I married such a stingy woman,” Zhang Yunmei walked over and glared at Tang Rubao with deep contempt.
The military wives reacted differently to this.
Some thought it wasn’t easy for Tu Xiuxiu, raising a daughter alone, and it was only natural for Battalion Commander Zhou to take care of her. Tang Rubao didn’t need to make such a fuss.
Some felt Tu Xiuxiu was getting too close to Zhou Jingran. Besides, Tu Xiuxiu had her own job, and her husband received a pension. She wasn’t as pitiful as everyone made her out to be.
“Pfft…” Tang Rubao sneered at Zhang Yunmei’s words.
Looking up, she saw Zhang Yunmei’s husband, He Chao, had returned. She waved at him.
“Deputy Battalion Commander He, you married a generous wife. She agrees you should take care of Tu Xiuxiu just like my husband does. What do you think?”