Mu Xiaocao spoke with tears and a choked voice.
“I’m only twenty-one years old, but when I walk outside, everyone thinks I’m nearly thirty.
“I also want someone to support me with money so I can live an exquisite and beautiful life, but no one ever gave me that kind of life.
“I could act pitiful to Liu Guoqiang just like Hu Lili does, but Liu Guoqiang doesn’t like me at all. He’d just say I was a crude imitation of her.
“I have no problem with Hu Lili using her own salary to dress herself up, but I will not tolerate her taking Liu Guoqiang’s money to buy this and that—and then even stealing my money!”
The gazes of the onlookers toward Hu Lili changed instantly.
Indeed.
Mu Xiaocao was Liu Guoqiang’s wife. By right, half of Liu Guoqiang’s salary should belong to Mu Xiaocao. Why was it being given to Hu Lili?
Hu Lili wasn’t the only martyr’s widow in the compound.
From the moment a military wife marries a soldier, she is already prepared for the possibility that her man might have to sacrifice himself.
Since they wore that uniform, they had to live up to the title of a soldier, rather than relying on that status to play the victim.
Moreover, the state did not mistreat anyone.
Whether it was the widows or the children of martyrs, the state never abandoned them; everyone’s livelihood was guaranteed and never ignored.
Hu Lili was pitiable, but she shouldn’t be accepting another woman’s husband’s kindness with such a clear conscience.
“Hearing Mu Xiaocao say it like that, I feel Hu Lili isn’t the pitiable one; it’s Mu Xiaocao who is.
“This child served the Liu family elders in the countryside and had to eke out a living in the fields, yet her own man was taking money to take care of another woman with such meticulous devotion.
“And she couldn’t even say anything after she found out. If she said a word, people would criticize her for being narrow-minded and not magnanimous enough.”
“Exactly.
“And this Battalion Commander Liu—he can only serve his country in the military without distractions if his home is stable.
“What’s the use of taking such good care of Hu Lili? Does he really expect Hu Lili to serve his family? People like her need a free nanny to serve them.”
As she spoke, that military wife glanced toward the Lu family’s direction, her eyes full of disdain.
Hu Lili couldn’t hear the crowd’s discussions very clearly, but every word fell into Liu Guoqiang’s ears without exception.
He stared coldly at the relentless Mu Xiaocao.
What was she trying to do by slandering Hu Lili’s reputation like this?
Lili was already so pitiable. How could she be so vicious!
He had indeed neglected her for these past three years, but surely she didn’t feel that just because her life was miserable, she had to drag someone down with her?
He spoke coldly, “Mu Xiaocao, stop making a scene. I’ll change the locks as soon as we get home. Is that enough?”
Mu Xiaocao shot him a sidelong glance.
“What’s the use of changing the locks? You’ll just turn around and give Hu Lili a new key the moment you get it. Isn’t that just taking off your pants to fart?”
After snapping at Liu Guoqiang, Mu Xiaocao turned back to Hu Lili.
“You said you didn’t touch my suitcase, but my suitcase was clearly placed by the head of my bed. After I went inside, it was by the wardrobe. Did it grow legs and walk there on its own?”
“What nonsense are you talking about? Your suitcase has always been by the wardrobe. I didn’t move it at all!”
As soon as these words came out, the entire area fell silent for three seconds, followed immediately by a burst of curses.
“Hu Lili, you thief! I didn’t expect you to actually enter Mu Xiaocao’s room.”
“Tsk, tsk. Battalion Commander Liu, you and Comrade Hu really don’t treat each other like strangers, do you? You actually gave Hu Lili a key to your house.”
“I… I didn’t… stop throwing dirty water on me…”
Hu Lili’s face turned pale instantly.
This Mu Xiaocao looked simple and harmless, but she had actually learned how to dig pits for others!
Mu Xiaocao looked at her with cold eyes.
“Hu Lili, you still won’t admit it?
“If you never entered my room, how would you know my suitcase was always by the wardrobe?
“Also, the scent of your vanishing cream is still lingering on my suitcase and clothes.
“If you won’t admit it, fine. Let’s go find Political Commissar Wang and talk about this.”
Upon hearing that they were going to find the leadership, Hu Lili panicked even more.
“Don’t… don’t… Xiao Cao, I just… I just… I just couldn’t find a piece of clothing, so I went to look in your suitcase.”
Mu Xiaocao sneered.
“You didn’t even prepare a decent script for your lies.
“Yesterday, Liu Guoqiang asked me to wash your clothes. I didn’t agree, so he sent the clothes to Hu Ping and asked her to wash them for you, even giving Hu Ping one yuan.
“You didn’t go to Hu Ping to find your missing clothes, but came to my room instead. What were you planning!
“Give me back my five hundred yuan right now, or I’ll go to the military and report you for theft!”
Mu Xiaocao’s every word was sharp and pointed, leaving the surrounding people utterly speechless.
This Battalion Commander Liu—what could they even say about him?
He looked like such a dignified and intelligent man, but the way he handled things was simply eyesearing.
But the most loathsome one was Hu Lili.
Usually acting so aloof and proud, who would have thought she was a thief!
Liu Guoqiang pressed his lips together tightly. He looked at the unyielding Mu Xiaocao, then at the guilt-stricken Hu Lili, and felt a throbbing pain in his head.
He could hardly believe his ears.
Hu Lili had really gone to his house and rummaged through Mu Xiaocao’s suitcase!
Hu Lili’s eyes darted around erratically, and she took a helpless step back.
She didn’t even know how to escape this predicament.
Mu Xiaocao stared at her coldly.
“Give me the money. I don’t have time to waste here with you.”
Hu Lili’s lips trembled violently.
Did this bitch have to press her so hard?
When had she ever seen any money?
There was nothing in that suitcase but a set of ragged padded clothes; there wasn’t a single thing of value, let alone five hundred yuan!
She hadn’t even found that necklace.
Did she not know Mu Xiaocao’s background?
She knew better than anyone whether Liu Guoqiang had any feelings for Mu Xiaocao.
They hadn’t even consummated the marriage in three years, and the pittance Liu Guoqiang gave Mu Xiaocao every month was pathetically small. She couldn’t possibly have five hundred yuan!
When Mu Xiaocao said the money was given by Liu Guoqiang, Hu Lili didn’t want to believe it.
Liu Guoqiang hadn’t saved much money himself, so what would he have given Mu Xiaocao?
But now, she was unable to defend herself!
She had admitted in front of everyone that she had entered Mu Xiaocao’s room and rummaged through her suitcase.
Even if Mu Xiaocao claimed she had lost a priceless treasure, others would believe it!
Especially at the thought that Liu Guoqiang might have actually given Mu Xiaocao that much money, Hu Lili’s face went white.
Liu Guoqiang had never given her that much money before.
The more she thought about it, the more her heart ached. Hu Lili’s eyes welled up with tears, wearing a stubborn expression as if she wanted to cry but was holding the tears back. This immediately triggered Liu Guoqiang’s protective instinct.
“Mu Xiaocao, let’s go home. If there’s something to say, say it at home.”
“Get lost. This isn’t your place to speak.”
Mu Xiaocao wasn’t going to indulge him.
Heh, so his heart was aching already? The things that would make his heart ache were still to come.
She gave the pitiable-looking Hu Lili a deep look, then turned and walked away.
There were too many people here; she couldn’t teach Hu Lili a lesson herself.
But the military had iron-clad discipline. She didn’t believe no one would handle this.