Duan Chunping couldn’t speak Mandarin properly. Since people here came from all corners of the country, she would adapt her heavy dialect into broken Mandarin when sharing stories about her hometown.
“Absolutely! It was the Qu family who begged and pleaded to marry their daughter into our family. Otherwise, with my son being a soldier and so handsome, why would he marry her?”
“When she was back in her hometown, she was never proper—always flirting with others. Otherwise, why would she sneak off here to find Dongguo without telling anyone?”
“She parted ways with Dongguo without even settling things properly. Her own family didn’t know anything about it, and then she turned around and married another man. Who would believe there’s nothing shady going on?”
Qu Chuning gritted her teeth. Back when Xi Muzhou proposed marriage, she had anticipated these difficulties. Even though she was the victim in this situation, in the eyes of conventional society, she was no good woman—after all, how could a decent woman marry two husbands?
Though Duan Chunping’s Mandarin was far from standard, it didn’t dampen everyone’s curiosity about the matter.
Taking a deep breath, Qu Chuning picked up her basin and walked over.
“Auntie, what shady business were you talking about? I didn’t quite catch it. Could you repeat that?”
Seeing Qu Chuning arrive, everyone’s expressions froze with embarrassment. A few even tried to slip away quietly.
Qu Chuning stopped them in time. “Hey, no need to rush off! Since I’m here now, if there’s anything you want to know, you can ask me directly. I know much more than she does. For example, who I was flirting with back in my hometown, how my family begged and pleaded to marry me into the Lin family, or how Lin Dongguo insisted on marrying someone else even though he knew he still had a wife back home. I’ll tell you everything in detail!”
Qu Chuning’s words made the women extremely uncomfortable. One of them smiled awkwardly, stood up, and said, “Comrade Qu Chuning, actually, we didn’t know—we only heard it from her. We should get going now.”
Duan Chunping wasn’t the least bit afraid of Qu Chuning. In her view, even if Qu Chuning had changed, a leopard couldn’t change its spots—how dare she try to hit her? Besides, wasn’t everything she said the truth?
It was only after returning and questioning her son that Duan Chunping learned how fortunate Qu Chuning had been. Before even properly breaking up with her son, she had turned around and married a Regimental Commander. How could Duan Chunping tolerate this? A woman abandoned by her husband should be scorned by thousands, insulted by millions, and pointed at by everyone. How could she possibly live better and better?
Moreover, that wretched Qu Chuning had even extorted over three thousand yuan from her son. With her own cunning motives, Duan Chunping began spreading rumors about Qu Chuning in the Military Family Area.
Qu Chuning’s face showed no trace of a smile. She glanced at the female comrades present and said word by word, “Sisters, you’ve been here longer than I have, and I’ve often heard Sister-in-law Qi praise you, saying you’re role models I should learn from. I believe you’re not the type to believe everything you hear. Since I passed the review, it should mean there are no issues with me. If you’re ever curious about my personal life in the future, you can ask me directly. It’s much better than hearing it from someone with ill intentions, don’t you think?”
After Qu Chuning’s words, the female comrades exchanged glances and awkwardly left.
Seeing Qu Chuning approach her, Duan Chunping, already guilty, now had to feign boldness. She craned her neck and met Qu Chuning’s eyes: “What are you looking at? Did I say something wrong? Hmph, a woman discarded by her husband’s family—what good could she possibly be?”
With that, Duan Chunping spat on the ground and turned to leave.
But Qu Chuning wouldn’t have it. She grabbed Duan Chunping and dragged her straight to the Lin Family, leaving her clothes forgotten on the spot.
Inside, Shi Zhenzhen was complaining to Lin Dongguo. With the house being so small, now that Duan Chunping had arrived, they needed a place for her to sleep. Lin Dongguo, being a man, could move into the dormitory, but Shi Zhenzhen had no choice but to share a bed with Duan Chunping.
“Dongguo, you can’t ignore this. I haven’t been sleeping well every day. Think of something—maybe send your mother back to the countryside for now, alright?”
Lin Dongguo had his own calculations. He didn’t want to publish a clarification in the newspaper; his reputation was too important. But today at work, he had been given an ultimatum, and his mind was troubled. He had no patience to coddle Shi Zhenzhen and replied offhandedly, “Mom still has matters to attend to. What’s the rush? Don’t you often mention the money we borrowed from your parents? If my mom can get that money back, we can repay them!”
After a pause, Lin Dongguo added, “Zhenzhen, no matter what, she’s my mother. Raising me wasn’t easy for her. Whatever she does, it’s for our good. You should be more tolerant!”
“Lin Dongguo!”
Qu Chuning had just released Duan Chunping’s hand in the courtyard and now shouted loudly, “Your mother is out there smearing my name everywhere. Can you control her or not? If you can’t, then fine—let’s settle our affairs by publishing a statement in the newspaper. I’ll issue one myself!”
Hearing Qu Chuning’s voice, Lin Dongguo rushed out, with Shi Zhenzhen close behind.
Qu Chuning’s expression was dark. Duan Chunping’s tactics were utterly disgusting—treating this place like the countryside and trying to tarnish her reputation with slander.
“Qu Chuning, let’s talk properly. No matter what, my mother is your elder. Speaking to her like this is extremely disrespectful!”
Lin Dongguo stepped forward to support Duan Chunping and immediately turned to scold Qu Chuning.
Duan Chunping’s face was also grim. She raised her voice and shrilled, “If I’d known she was such a disrespectful creature, I would never have agreed to bring her into our family back then. Any random woman off the street would be better than her. Look, everyone, look! Did I say anything wrong? This is exactly the kind of person she is. Back in our hometown…”
Lin Dongguo’s gaze at Qu Chuning was full of blame and disgust. Had he not learned his lesson twice before, he might have resorted to violence again.
“Pah!”
Qu Chuning spat fiercely on the ground. “Whether I have manners or not is none of your business. Your whole family are swindlers! Your son married another woman outside yet still tried to drag me along, expecting me to slave away for your Lin Family. And now you won’t even let me speak? Do you think your family are emperors or something? Pah!”
Qu Chuning showed Duan Chunping no mercy whatsoever. Pointing at Lin Dongguo, she snapped, “I used to think you were at least somewhat of a man. Now that your workplace has issued the penalty decision, you keep delaying it and even summoned your mother from your hometown to slander me. If you don’t keep her in check, I’ll have no choice but to take this up with your superiors!”
The Qu Chuning before them was like a fiery little chili pepper. Lin Dongguo was infuriated by her words: “When have I ever refused to comply with the decision? Chuning, my mother is elderly. Do you know what she’s been telling me since she arrived? She said you’re a good girl, that I wronged you, and that I should make it up to you properly. But you—is this how you treat her? Even if you don’t regard her as an elder, she’s old—what’s the harm in giving her some leeway?”
Had Qu Chuning not spent decades dealing with Duan Chunping in her past life, she might have actually believed Lin Dongguo’s words.