He treated me like a servant.
Not only did I have to wash Song Qian's clothes, but I also had to prepare foot-washing water for her.
He would constantly bring up Battalion Commander Sun's life-saving grace, borrowing my money today to support Song Qian, and tomorrow paying for the medical care and retirement of Song Qian's parents.
Everything I brought with me, except for the clothes I had already worn, ended up in the hands of this so-called widow.
Let me ask you, who has more grievances than me?
I was also raised by my family with love since childhood; what right do these scoundrels have to degrade me like this?
Political Commissar Qi looked at the few women wiping away tears, his feelings as complicated as could be. With such great eloquence, it would be a real pity if she didn't become a political commissar!
…………
Li Yuchu paused for a moment and continued,
"I won't be afraid to tell everyone, I am also a military family member.
My grandfather is a combat hero.
He was severely injured on the battlefield 26 years ago and was basically unable to take care of himself. He only returned to the countryside because he didn't want to add trouble to the organization.
What is the difference between my grandmother and a widow?
She had to take care of my grandfather, serve her parents-in-law, and look after the children. She cried until her tears ran dry and bled until she was drained, insisting on raising my father and his brothers to be upright men.
My eldest brother is a regiment commander at the 53492 unit in the Northwest Military Region. He almost died several times; once, he was stabbed over twenty times, and the doctor even told us to prepare for his funeral.
But my parents never asked the organization for a single cent or a single grain of compensation.
And my eldest brother-in-law, a naval regiment commander in the Southeast Theater, went missing for half a year due to a mission. My eldest sister was also pregnant at the time, and everyone treated her like a widow.
But she also didn't make any requests to the organization, gritting her teeth and persevering no matter how difficult it was.
But I just don't understand, why is it so natural for Song Qian, this widow, to occupy all my property and my fiancé?
Does being a widow give one the capital to do whatever they want?
Since one married someone who carries a gun, one should be prepared to be a widow.
Just like a man, if you are afraid of death, don't be a soldier. If you are a soldier, you must be prepared to sacrifice for the motherland at any time.
How did it become a springboard for doing bad things and a privilege for seeking benefits when it came to Song Qian?"
Everyone present, except for Gu Zechen, opened their eyes wide.
"Li Yatou, you have such an impressive family, why didn't you say anything?"
Li Yuchu looked at Yang Yunkai on the side.
"My older brothers and sisters all earned their positions through real combat; there was no need to say it!
Our whole family is low-key!
Especially after this so-called fiancé of mine tried to use my family's military connections, my grandfather repeatedly forbade me from revealing it!"
An old woman snorted coldly.
"Li Yatou, you must be careful. Who knows what they were plotting when they got engaged to you?
Why did you ever take a liking to him in the first place?"
Li Yuchu didn't hide anything.
"Five years ago, when I was fifteen, I was playing in the forest farm near our village because I was mischievous and got trapped in a great fire. He was the one who saved me!
And in my childhood, around '61,
the whole country was suffering from famine. I was walking on the road, dizzy with hunger, and fell down. He was the one who gave me half a pack of biscuits!
It's not unreasonable for me to have liked someone who helped me twice like that, right?
However, I have already fully repaid his kindness to me!
The year before last, his younger brother wouldn't listen and insisted on diving in a place with swift currents, almost drowning. I was the one who jumped in to save him, and the town even rewarded me with ten yuan!
Last year, his younger sister offended some thugs and was almost raped. It was my third brother and I who risked our lives to save her. I still have a scar on my back from that!
This year, I even gave my job to his younger sister!
My parents, grateful for his two acts of life-saving grace, have helped with everything for so many years.
While other families couldn't even eat fine grain, his family could eat white flour dumplings with meat every few days!
I even worked hard to plan a scorer job for his father.
When his mother was hospitalized, their relatives all pretended not to know, and it was my mother and I who took turns taking care of her!
In short, there are too many such things!"
Now the whole family courtyard was in an uproar.
"Is this guy a scoundrel?"
"It's a good thing Li Yatou paid him back, otherwise she would have been held hostage by his 'kindness' for the rest of her life!"
"In other words, the Yang family was being supported by Li Yatou's family!"
"I want to cry for Li Yatou!"
After saying all this, Li Yuchu looked at Yang Yunkai.
"Is what I said correct? Was there any exaggeration?
It doesn't matter if you don't admit it.
In the two years since we got engaged when I was 18, I have kept all our correspondence, which can be verified by the organization!"
Yang Yunkai's complexion was extremely ugly; he nodded slightly without denying it!
Li Yuchu slapped him across the face.
"So, are you going to compensate me for the grievances I've suffered since I arrived here?"
Seeing this situation, Song Qian completely quieted down, not even daring to lift her head.
Li Yuchu grabbed her hair.
"Whatever you ate of mine, you have to spit it back out!"
Song Qian, Yang Yunkai, is this all there is?
I will make your lives better to be dead than alive!
The political commissar on the side listened to her well-founded statement and watched her relentless slaps.
This combat power is not just strong!
Not to mention the old ladies, even he, a grown man, couldn't bear to listen anymore.
It was too disappointing!
He usually saw Yang Yunkai as very motivated and diligent, sigh!
……
Li Yuchu turned to look at Gu Zechen.
"Two leaders, I have finished what I wanted to say.
Who should I ask for this money? Give me a clear answer!"
Gu Zechen did not answer her immediately, but looked into her eyes with a complicated expression she couldn't understand.
However, he quickly returned to normal.
"Regardless of whether he committed a crime, he must return your money!"
Li Yuchu didn't quite believe it.
"He doesn't have much money. As far as I know, his money was all sent home. Otherwise, how could he use my money to support a mistress?"
Political Commissar Qi quickly corrected her.
"Comrade Xiao Li, don't make wild guesses before the matter is investigated!"
Li Yuchu changed the subject.
"Then, will you, Political Commissar, give me the money?"
"You..."
Gu Zechen looked down at her and said word by word, "It will be deducted from his salary and allowance!"
"He only earns a few dozen yuan a month; how many years and months will it take to pay it off?
Otherwise, please give me a guarantee that if he doesn't pay it back within a year, you will pay it back for him!"
She was planning to get rid of Yang Yunkai; if he died or was sentenced to prison, who would pay the money back?
"There is no such precedent."
"Alright then, I will collect all their passbooks and money tickets now. That's not illegal, right?"
"It's not illegal, but it cannot exceed the amount you stated above!"
"Good! Everyone, be my witness.
You won't go back on your word later and find an excuse to arrest me, saying I misappropriated private property, right?"
It wasn't that she was overly suspicious, but she really didn't understand this Gu Zechen.
In her previous life, she had been here for a total of three months, and he had been on a mission for more than two and a half months.
He wasn't there when she was kidnapped, but it was his fault for not managing his own people well!
In short, she died miserably in a foreign land, and he also had responsibility!
"I won't!"
Everyone was stunned by the conversation between the two. A man as good as his word like Commander Gu had no credibility with Li Yatou?
Li Yuchu didn't care what others thought and started rummaging through boxes and cabinets.
After more than ten minutes,
"These two poor wretches only have these twenty-something yuan in total.
What do you say?"
Yang Yunkai opened his eyes wide.
"Impossible, I clearly had a passbook."
Song Qian suddenly started breathing again at this moment.
"I also had a passbook, and there were several hundred yuan in cash. How could there be none?"
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