After selling almost everything, Song Xuezhi sat downstairs counting her money.
Zhou Weidong had just rushed back and, from a distance, noticed several soldiers carrying furniture.
At first, he didn’t think much of it. He assumed one of his comrades was moving. But as he got closer, he realized the cabinets looked strangely familiar—they were exactly like the ones in his home.
His expression darkened, and a sense of foreboding rose in his chest.
“Xuezhi, what’s going on?” Zhou Weidong ran over, panting.
Song Xuezhi looked up at him calmly.
“As you can see, I’m moving my things.”
Taking a deep breath, Zhou Weidong suppressed his anger.
“Why are you moving all this? Stop throwing a tantrum. It’ll be a hassle to move everything back later.”
Song Xuezhi sneered.
“Are you dreaming? Nothing’s being moved back.”
“We’re breaking off the engagement. It’s better to separate our belongings now.”
She shoved him aside without hesitation.
Zhou Weidong immediately panicked and stepped in front of the soldiers.
“Comrades, sorry about this. My fiancée and I had an argument. It’s a family matter. Please don’t listen to her and move the furniture away…”
The soldiers exchanged awkward glances, unsure what to do.
Song Xuezhi waved her hand.
“Ignore him. Keep moving.”
The soldiers obediently resumed carrying the furniture.
After all, they served under Commander Wang, not Zhou Weidong. There was no reason for them to obey his orders.
Only one cabinet remained. Once it was gone, they would be finished.
“Song Xuezhi!”
Zhou Weidong’s voice dropped, carrying obvious anger and pressure.
Noticing the curious eyes of the military wives around them, he grabbed her wrist tightly and dragged her into a corner.
“This is outside!” he hissed. “Can’t you give me some face?”
Song Xuezhi rolled her eyes.
“Are you sick in the head?”
“Let go!”
The difference in strength between men and women was obvious. His grip hurt.
“I’m not letting go!”
Seeing her struggle only made him tighten his grip further. He even tried to pin her against the wall.
This woman needed a lesson, or she’d completely lose control.
At that moment, genuine fear flashed through Song Xuezhi.
It was true.
She couldn’t beat Zhou Weidong.
Years of military training had given him a body full of muscle. Subduing her would be easier than crushing an ant.
But this was broad daylight, in public.
“Help! He’s hitting me!”
She opened her mouth and shouted.
Startled, Zhou Weidong immediately covered her mouth.
“What nonsense are you talking about? I didn’t hit you!”
He was a soldier. He would never hit a woman.
Song Xuezhi raised her wrist, revealing the bright red finger marks on it.
“You did hit me. Here’s the evidence.”
“You’re an abusive man. I’m reporting you to the military.”
“What’s going on with Commander Zhou? Hitting his wife?”
“No wonder Little Song wants to leave him…”
“A man like that is no good.”
The military wives nearby immediately began whispering.
A vein throbbed on Zhou Weidong’s forehead.
Irritated, he stepped back and released her.
“Don’t make things up. I’d never hit you.”
“Your skin bruises easily. It turns red from the slightest touch.”
That part was true.
Song Xuezhi’s skin marked easily. Even a light bump could leave ugly bruises that looked serious despite not being severe.
Zhou Weidong knew this and had always been careful around her.
But today, for some reason, he’d lost control.
In his mind, she was simply acting out to get his attention.
In the end, it was still her fault for being so troublesome.
Thinking this, his tone softened slightly.
“Be good. Stop making a scene.”
“You’re all alone here. If you move everything away, where are you even going to put it? What if it gets stolen again?”
“I sold it all to Commander Wang next door,” Song Xuezhi replied.
“He’s getting married and needs furniture.”
“What?!”
Zhou Weidong’s eyes widened.
“Why didn’t you discuss this with me first?”
“The dowry belongs to me.”
“Why would I need your permission to take back my own things?”
She looked at him with open disdain and brushed off the places he’d touched, as though his contact itself was dirty.
For a moment, Zhou Weidong had no response.
Remembering what his sister had told him the night before, he forced himself to remain patient.
“We’re about to get married.”
“What’s yours is mine, and what’s mine is yours. Why divide things so clearly?”
“You’ve used my betrothal gifts too, haven’t you?”
“Who said I’m marrying you?”
Song Xuezhi laughed coldly.
“That would be the worst luck of my life.”
Then she deliberately raised her voice so everyone around could hear.
“Everyone, judge for yourselves!”
“Commander Zhou says I used his betrothal gifts and therefore can’t take my dowry.”
“But the money he gave me was always kept by him.”
“There was a watch and a bicycle.”
“He gave the watch to his sister.”
“As for the bicycle—he’s the one who rides it every day. I don’t even know how to ride a bike!”
She sneered.
“So let me get this straight.”
“My things belong to you, but your things still belong to you?”
“What kind of soldier takes advantage of people like this?”
“Commissar! Leaders! You have to stand up for me!”
She cried loudly on purpose, wanting to make the matter as public as possible.
After all, in the military compound, plenty of people could stand up for her.
Her outburst immediately ignited even more gossip.
No one had expected the usually steady and disciplined Commander Zhou to behave this way.
People began looking at him differently.
Zhou Weidong’s temple twitched.
“I never said I wanted your belongings.”
“If you insist, then keep your dowry yourself.”
He figured she was still angry.
Once she calmed down in a few days, she’d come back to him.
As for the furniture, they could always buy more later.
Besides, the house was currently being occupied by Rainwei, so neither he nor Song Xuezhi needed the furniture right now.
Song Xuezhi merely snorted and turned away.
“As for what you said about not getting married,” Zhou Weidong continued sternly, “I’ll pretend I never heard it.”
“Even if you’re angry with me, you can’t joke about something like that.”
Song Xuezhi couldn’t even be bothered to respond.
The man was still trapped in his own fantasy.
After all, Commander Lu and Chief Li had already helped withdraw their marriage application.
From now on, she and Zhou Weidong were completely finished.
The road ahead was wide enough for each of them to go their separate ways.
“Oh, right.”
“Yi’er has already been admitted to a hospital in the provincial capital.”
“In a couple of days, come with me to visit him…”
Zhou Weidong reached for her hand.
Song Xuezhi instantly darted away as if avoiding something filthy.
Seeing the disgust on her face, Zhou Weidong froze.
Anger surged through him.
“Don’t forget,” he said through gritted teeth, “Yi’er is your nephew too.”
“As his aunt, you can’t be this cold-hearted.”
Song Xuezhi ignored him completely and ran across the street to board a bus.
Zhou Weidong: “…”
He remembered how well she cooked.
Originally, he had wanted to bring her to the provincial hospital so she could cook for Yi’er and Rainwei.
Now that clearly wasn’t happening.
This woman really didn’t know when to stop throwing a tantrum.
With frustration burning inside him, Zhou Weidong’s handsome face turned as cold as ice.
Even the people nearby instinctively stayed several meters away, not daring to gossip in front of him.
He turned and headed upstairs, planning to take some pots, bowls, cooking oil, and seasonings to the hospital.
But the moment he opened the door and saw the interior—
It looked as though a swarm of locusts had swept through.
The place was completely empty.
He stood there, stunned.
Then came a wave of rage unlike anything he had ever felt.
“Song Xuezhi! Have you lost your mind?!”
He rushed into the kitchen.
Not only was the malted milk powder locked in the cupboard gone, but even the rice, noodles, and seasonings he had bought had vanished without a trace.
The only things left behind were two moldy taros, buzzing with flies.
Clenching his teeth, Zhou Weidong slammed his fist into the wall in fury, leaving a deep dent behind.