Mu Xiaocao calmly closed her suitcase and leaned down to sniff it.
Yes, there was a very strong scent of Yongfang Snowflake Cream.
She never applied any cream to her face because she had no money. When her hands became severely chapped, she would buy some Bangbang Oil. Besides using it on her hands, she sometimes applied it to her lips; otherwise, they would crack as well.
Snowflake cream was something only Hu Lili would use. She had smelled this exact scent on Hu Lili before.
After all, that woman was quite vain.
But what was Hu Lili doing here?
In the Family Compound, the houses with yards were all Single-Unit Small Courtyards. When Mu Xiaocao had gone out, she had locked both the courtyard gate and the front door. There were no signs of the locks being tampered with, which meant that Hu Lili had the keys to this place.
What true love indeed!
She herself had only received a key upon arriving here, yet Hu Lili actually had one too!
Since the woman had practically delivered herself to her doorstep, how could she possibly let her off easily?
It seemed those five hundred yuan were now in the bag!
Mu Xiaocao never expected that the Lead Dancer of the Cultural and Artistic Troupe would actually engage in such sneaky and dishonest behavior. It truly shocked her sensibilities.
Mu Xiaocao closed the bedroom door and locked it again.
Yes, the evidence had to be preserved perfectly.
When she stepped outside, the soldiers had just finished their training. They were walking through the compound in groups of twos and threes.
Fuming with rage, Mu Xiaocao arrived at the front of Hu Lili’s house and kicked open the courtyard gate, startling the passersby and nearby neighbors.
What was going on!
Someone joked, “Battalion Commander Liu’s wife is really fierce, she looks even more energetic than us soldiers.”
“Aiyoh, she really is. Looking at this stance, she’s looking for a fight. I have to see this.”
The men stood at a distance, but the women had no such reservations. They wiped their hands on their aprons and gathered around.
“Oh my, Mu Xiaocao, what happened?”
If they didn’t find out the details, the curiosity would itch at their hearts unbearably.
Hearing the commotion behind her, the corners of Mu Xiaocao’s mouth curled into a successful arc.
This was exactly the effect she wanted!
One had to admit that Hu Lili was a woman who knew how to enjoy life. As a Martyr’s Widow, she had also been allocated a Single-Unit Small Courtyard.
While other families grew vegetables and raised chickens, what did she do?
She planted flowers and trees. Beneath the trees, she had placed a Stone Table and Stools, and a swing hung from a branch.
Yes, everything was arranged quite exquisitely, just like the woman herself.
But no matter how exquisite it looked, her heart was filthy, and the very thought of it was disgusting.
Liu Guoqiang, carrying an Aluminum Lunchbox, saw a large crowd gathered around Hu Lili’s house from a distance. His heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly quickened his pace.
Hu Lili was sitting inside the house drinking tea, waiting for Liu Guoqiang to deliver her meal. When she saw the courtyard gate being kicked open by Mu Xiaocao, a flash of panic crossed her eyes.
But she quickly composed herself and walked out to greet Mu Xiaocao as if nothing were wrong.
“Xiaocao, why are you here? Have you eaten yet? If not, come in and eat with me. Guoqiang should be bringing the food over soon.”
Aiyoh, hearing those words made Mu Xiaocao feel embarrassed for her. Was Liu Guoqiang her man? How could she mention Liu Guoqiang so matter-of-factly?
Mu Xiaocao gathered her emotions, and tears immediately began to flow.
“Comrade Hu, if you want Liu Guoqiang, I’ll give him to you! Isn’t it enough that I’m leaving? But why did you go into my room and steal my money?! That was the divorce compensation Liu Guoqiang gave me! I’ve been married to him for three years, and for three whole years, I’ve lived like a widow while serving his entire family, young and old. I even had to go to the fields to earn work points and do farm labor. I haven’t worn a single piece of new clothing, I haven’t slept in once, and I haven’t been the slightest burden to him. But what about him? He gives half of his monthly salary to you! You eat and drink the best while I struggle bitterly in the countryside. I’ve already agreed to a divorce, so why won’t you two let me go? That five hundred yuan is what I deserve, earned by working as a nanny for three years. Why did you have to take it away!”
“What? Comrade Hu went to Liu Guoqiang’s house to steal things?”
One Military Wife cried out in disbelief. In an instant, everyone standing nearby heard this explosive news.
“That can’t be right? Battalion Commander Liu receives a Rank 18 salary, which is one hundred and two yuan a month. Even excluding the change, giving half to Comrade Hu would be fifty yuan. Comrade Hu herself has a salary of thirty-eight, and the state gives her a thirty-yuan Pension. She has an income of about a hundred yuan; why would she be eyeing his wife’s things?”
“Exactly, this is too much. Is she bullying Mu Xiaocao because she’s from the countryside? No matter if she’s from the country, she is still the Military Wife Battalion Commander Liu married through a proper match. Who does Hu Lili think she is?”
“Battalion Commander Liu, too—he seems like a decent person, but his actions are… tsk tsk, a bit muddled. You don’t know, Mu Xiaocao has been here for several days, and Battalion Commander Liu hasn’t looked after her at all. Instead, he brings three meals a day to Hu Lili. It’s not like Hu Lili is paralyzed, tsk tsk.”
Few men spoke, but they were all huddling together and whispering. Battalion Commander Liu’s actions were indeed a bit excessive.
The military wives, however, had no such qualms. They were now pointing fingers at Hu Lili, their words becoming quite unpleasant.
“I didn’t steal your money, and I haven’t been to your house.”
Hu Lili’s face turned pale.
Last night, she had a dream. She dreamed that Mu Xiaocao’s Pearl Necklace was a treasure. She hadn’t dreamed of where the treasure was specifically, but she felt it was extremely precious—that if she got her hands on it, she could stay young forever, be immune to all diseases, and it would help her live a smooth life.
Driven by greed, she had slipped into the Liu household this morning after Mu Xiaocao went out. At that time, no one was home.
But after rummaging through Mu Xiaocao’s suitcase, she couldn’t find the necklace.
As for the five hundred yuan, that was even more nonsensical. All of Liu Guoqiang’s money had been given to her; where would he get that much money to give Mu Xiaocao? She hadn’t seen a single cent in that suitcase.
But now that Mu Xiaocao was accusing her so brazenly, she only felt a surge of terror and a sense of being unable to defend herself. Now, her only option was to stubbornly deny it; there was no other way.
Liu Guoqiang squeezed through the crowd. Thinking Mu Xiaocao was looking for trouble again, his face darkened, and he said coldly, “What are you making a scene for now? Come back with me. If there’s something to say, we’ll talk at home.”
She really was getting bold, even resorting to framing people.
To take better care of Hu Lili, he had given her the keys to his house. But others didn’t know that. If people found out Hu Lili had the keys to their home, both his and Hu Lili’s reputations would be ruined.
Mu Xiaocao’s face was covered in tears. “What? Even at a time like this, you still want to protect this thief?”
“What thief!” Liu Guoqiang shouted sternly. “When did I ever give you five hundred yuan? Stop making things up!”
“I’m making things up? Hu Lili went into my room, rummaged through my suitcase, and even unzipped the zipper of the inner compartment. My suitcase is made of Red Velvet. Because it was at home, I didn’t lock it, but that isn’t a reason for you to rummage through it as you please!”