“We’ve been treated so well by you. Why would I ever hit you?
“And actually, one of the sisters who came to visit me last night mentioned that it was He Wanyu who bumped into Qingle, causing her to crash into me.
“Qingle is timid and doesn’t like making a fuss, but my head hurts so much. I have to tell Commander Xie about this properly. The family compound is far too unsafe. I was injured on my very first day here.
“Oh, and Qingle’s facial injury should be investigated too. Why are both of us getting hurt?
“He Wanyu… was the injury on Qingle’s face your doing as well?”
Taking advantage of the fact that He Wanyu was pretending to play peacemaker by grabbing her arm, Ning Lu grabbed her wrist in return.
“Comrade He, I don’t know what kind of conflict you have with Qingle, but I’m innocent.
“I only came to the family compound with my mother yesterday. I haven’t offended anyone.
“I know I was wrong. Will you please let me go from now on?”
He Wanyu’s face instantly flushed red.
Never before had anyone spoken to her so bluntly.
As long as she wrapped herself in moral righteousness, no one had ever escaped her manipulation.
She immediately tried to shake off Ning Lu’s hand.
“What are you talking about? I barely even know you. Why would I ever try to hurt you—”
Taking advantage of the movement, Ning Lu deliberately stumbled backward.
Bang!
Her head slammed against the wooden cabinet behind her.
With a mere thought, she secretly took out a concealed blood pack from her storage space and pressed it against her bandaged head.
Then she looked at He Wanyu in horror.
“C-Comrade He… you’re trying to kill me!”
Blood immediately poured down Ning Lu’s forehead in alarming streams.
Yan Bingqin and Xie Qingle were terrified.
Something inside Xie Qingle finally snapped.
She had barely enjoyed one day of having both a sister and a mother’s love.
And now He Wanyu and Meng Qingqing were trying to destroy it.
She lunged forward, shoved He Wanyu away, and screamed at the top of her lungs,
“Have you two no shame?!
“I’ve always tolerated you! I’ve always given in to you! I was afraid that if things got too ugly, my father and Commander Meng would have a difficult relationship!
“But bullying me wasn’t enough!
“Now you’re bullying Ning Lu too!
“She only arrived yesterday!
“Yesterday you two pushed me, causing Ning Lu to split her head open and need stitches. Was that still not enough for you?
“You came back today!
“Are you trying to kill her?!
“Then kill me first!
“Is it just because I don’t have a mother while you do?!
“So what?!
“Does not having a mother make me less of a human being?
“Why have you bullied me however you pleased ever since we were children?!
“I’m going to fight you! I’ll fight you to the end!”
She charged straight at He Wanyu.
Meng Qingqing froze in fright at Xie Qingle’s outburst and immediately tried to run.
He Wanyu was slammed backward so hard that the small of her back crashed into a solid wooden chair.
The pain made her collapse, tears springing into her eyes.
Yan Bingqin’s hands trembled as she supported Ning Lu.
“Lulu! Mom’s taking you to the hospital! Hurry… hurry to the hospital!”
Then she turned toward He Wanyu, her gaze colder than ice.
“I don’t care who you are!
“I don’t care what kind of family you come from!
“I refuse to believe the law can’t deal with you!
“My daughter has never done anything to you, yet you’ve hurt her again and again. I will absolutely demand justice!
“And another thing—
“From today onward, Qingle is my daughter.
“I’m her mother.
“I’d like to see who dares bully her ever again!”
Normally gentle and soft-spoken, Yan Bingqin became utterly intimidating the moment she protected her children.
Blood kept pouring from Ning Lu’s head.
Xie Qingle turned to look.
She had been about to say something—
Then fainted again.
Yan Bingqin panicked.
Fortunately, Sister Zhang immediately rushed over.
“I’ll go get help! Someone, come quickly!
“This is terrible!
“He Wanyu’s killed someone!”
He Wanyu’s lips turned deathly pale.
Her back ached, and terror gripped her heart.
She had always prided herself on being skilled at manipulating people.
But looking back, she’d only ever dealt with those who were too polite or too thin-skinned to fight back.
Faced with someone willing to make a public scene, she was completely helpless.
Just last night, she had spent the entire night talking with Xie Qingquan.
She had deliberately given him a taste of affection while tearfully pouring out countless fabricated grievances.
Heartbroken and unwilling, Xie Qingquan had still agreed.
The two of them would become soulmates whose bond transcended love.
He would understand her heart.
He believed He Wanyu loved him too.
Only…
Family pressure forced her to marry Lu Huaichuan instead.
And Xie Qingquan had promised to persuade Lu Huaichuan to marry her.
Now that this had happened…
He Wanyu hardly dared imagine the consequences.
If the matter grew larger, everything would begin unraveling.
Ning Lu had injured her head twice—that was a fact.
And the terrifying amount of blood had genuinely frightened He Wanyu.
As Sister Zhang gathered several people to carry Ning Lu and Xie Qingle to the hospital, He Wanyu clenched her fists and hurried after them, tears streaming down her face.
“Aunt Yan, I really didn’t mean to!
“I… I barely used any force…”
Before Yan Bingqin could respond, Sister Zhang interrupted.
“You barely used any force?
“Then why is Comrade Ning bleeding this much?
“Comrade He, save your explanation for the investigation.
“Commander Xie finally managed to remarry, and you’ve sent both of his daughters to the hospital.
“Tell me—do you think Commander Xie is going to ignore this?”
Looking at the large pool of blood, He Wanyu opened her mouth.
In the end, she couldn’t explain a thing.
Then something occurred to her.
She quickly said,
“Maybe today’s accident really was because I was careless.
“But yesterday I absolutely didn’t push anyone!
“It was Meng Qingqing!
“She’s always bullied Qingle because she was jealous.
“When Qingle was accepted into the dance troupe, Meng Qingqing failed the selection and could only work behind the scenes as an assistant.
“I’ve tried to persuade Qingqing many times, but she never listens.
“I really did my best.
“Every single time, I comforted Qingle afterward.
“If you don’t believe me, ask Qingle once she wakes up.”
After saying all that, He Wanyu finally felt somewhat relieved.
As for today’s incident…
She would never admit it had been intentional because she truly hadn’t pushed very hard.
And yesterday’s incident…
She absolutely couldn’t admit to it because she hadn’t done it.
But with Ning Lu bleeding so badly, she had to clear herself of suspicion somehow.
After thinking it over, He Wanyu headed to the hospital.
“Excuse me, Nurse. I’d like to donate blood.”
Of course…
She had no intention of donating herself.
Instead, she paid someone and pulled a few strings, arranging for another woman to donate blood under He Wanyu’s name.
Afterward, she deliberately applied extra face powder to make herself look pale and even chapped her lips before going to find Gu Xiangdong.
With tear-filled eyes, she recounted the entire story.
“I truly didn’t do it on purpose.
“But no one believes me.
“I’ve already donated blood.
“The nurse said I could only donate four hundred milliliters.
“If Comrade Ning still needs more later, I’ll donate again…”
Gu Xiangdong’s heart ached for her.
“Wanyu, you’re too kind!
“How could they wrong you like this?
“Don’t worry.
“I’ll make sure this is taken care of.”
Seeing the concern in his eyes, He Wanyu relaxed.
She absolutely couldn’t allow anyone to ruin the flawless image she had built for herself.
Otherwise…
How could all those men continue revolving around her?
More importantly, she wanted to use this opportunity to create more interactions with Lu Huaichuan.
She knew the original story by heart.
Her entire life had been smooth sailing.
She had conquered countless men.
The unmarried ones remained single for life, willingly giving everything for her.
The married ones neglected their own wives, secretly shedding blood, sweat, and tears for her without regret.
Being adored by everyone…
It was an intoxicating feeling.
The only exception was Lu Huaichuan.
In the original novel, with the help of all the supporting male characters, she eventually married him.
Readers had eagerly anticipated watching the cold-faced military officer gradually fall for the lucky heroine after marriage.
Unfortunately…
For reasons unknown, the original author abandoned the novel halfway through.
The story ended shortly after He Wanyu married Lu Huaichuan.
Even after their marriage, countless men still adored and pursued her.
Yet Lu Huaichuan remained as cold and distant as ever.
He Wanyu knew perfectly well.
The hardest man in the world to conquer was Lu Huaichuan.
He was also the most capable, the most outstanding, and the best man by every measure.
As the heroine…
She had to win him.
So she waited along the only road he would take while heading out on official business.
Lu Huaichuan sat in the military jeep on his way to a destination nearly fifty miles from the military district.
Thinking about Ning Lu’s head injury, he decided that after finishing his work that evening, he would stop by the Xie residence to check on her.
Suddenly—
Screech!
The jeep braked hard.
His driver, Xiao Zhao, stared ahead.
“Commander!
“A woman has collapsed in the road!”
Lying gracefully on the ground, He Wanyu had carefully chosen the most delicate and pitiful pose imaginable.
She remembered how Lu Huaichuan had carried Ning Lu in a princess carry the day before.
Ning Lu was too plump.
Not obese, perhaps.
But among dancers, where everyone prized slender figures, Ning Lu was definitely considered fat.
Men…
Surely they didn’t like overweight women.
When Lu Huaichuan picked her up instead, he would finally understand the difference between her and Ning Lu.
In the end…
A frail, delicate woman would always inspire more tenderness and protection from a man.