Having mentally prepared herself, Mu Xiaocao’s state of mind became even more peaceful.
She was who she was, the fireworks she admired most, having nothing to do with anyone else.
She had only been quiet for a while when a knock sounded at the door.
She walked over and opened it; standing outside was Hu Lili, holding a bag of fruit candies.
“Xiao Cao, good afternoon. It was wrong of me to mess with your things, and I apologize. Here is half a jin of fruit candies for you.”
Hu Lili’s expression was gentle, with a hint of guilt. This appearance of hers had once fooled many people in the compound.
Even now, some still thought Hu Lili was kind and generous while Mu Xiaocao was narrow-minded. Didn’t she just go in to look for a dress and rummage through her trunk? Was there a need to be so relentless?
Hu Lili looked at Mu Xiaocao expectantly with an expression that made Mu Xiaocao, who had lived two lives, feel inferior. She was an artist, after all; she should have gone into acting instead of dancing.
Mu Xiaocao glanced at Hu Lili, took a milk candy from her pocket, and popped it into her mouth.
Hu Lili’s face stiffened. “So, Xiao Cao has candy to eat.”
Mu Xiaocao rolled her eyes at her. “It’s not the sixties; it’s not like candy is impossible to find.”
Ironically, she really hadn’t eaten milk candy in her past life. Her only memory of eating candy was on her wedding day. On that day, her grandmother had tucked a piece of candy into her hand, a somewhat sticky fruit candy.
Grandmother said she hoped her life would be sweet and happy from then on. Unfortunately, her grandmother’s wish was destined to go unfulfilled.
And this milk candy had been given to her by Qin Muyang. He was grateful that she took care of Qin Su and cooked for her. Having received over a jin of milk candies, Mu Xiaocao planned to take them back for her grandmother, her mother, and her brothers to eat.
However, since Hu Lili insisted on coming to her door to look for trouble, she wouldn’t coddle this white lotus.
Hu Lili’s expression was very poor. Several military wives nearby were pointing at them and whispering; they were surely saying bad things about her.
Hu Lili felt a sense of urgency. Seeing a figure rushing over out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly stepped forward to grab Mu Xiaocao’s hand.
Mu Xiaocao jerked her hand away, only to see Hu Lili scream and fall backward.
Instantly, the candies hit the ground, scattering everywhere. Hu Lili’s eyes brimmed with redness, and she looked ready to cry as she stared at Mu Xiaocao.
“Xiao Cao, I know you have a problem with me, but you shouldn’t have pushed me.”
Mu Xiaocao was stunned. Who pushed her? She hadn’t even let Hu Lili touch her!
The next second, a figure sprinted over at top speed and helped Hu Lili up.
“Are you alright? How could you be so careless?” Then, Liu Guoqiang glared fiercely at Mu Xiaocao. “What kind of madness are you up to now? Apologize to Lili immediately!”
Mu Xiaocao closed her mouth and looked at Liu Guoqiang with amusement. “I didn’t do anything wrong, why should I apologize?”
But Liu Guoqiang had seen it clearly just now—it was Mu Xiaocao who pushed Hu Lili.
“Brother Qiang, I’m fine. I just wasn’t on guard; don’t blame Xiao Cao.” Hu Lili frowned, looking pitiful, yet she still spoke up for Mu Xiaocao.
Liu Guoqiang was fuming. He took a step forward, grabbed Mu Xiaocao’s wrist, and ordered condescendingly, “Apologize!”
Although she no longer held any hope for Liu Guoqiang, Mu Xiaocao was still chilled to the bone by his gaze.
She forcefully shook off Liu Guoqiang’s hand. “Liu Guoqiang, are you sick or just blind? Didn’t you see your woman fall down on her own?”
“Mu Xiaocao, I saw it with my own eyes! How dare you keep arguing!”
“I said, Hu Lili fell down herself. I didn’t push her!”
As she spoke, Mu Xiaocao looked around, hoping a witness would stand up for her.
At this moment, Auntie Li from next door stepped forward. “Battalion Commander Liu, don’t wrong Mu Xiaocao. Just now, Hu Lili fell down by herself. Mu Xiaocao didn’t even touch her hand.”
Mu Xiaocao was delighted to see this. Since moving in with Qin Su, she had given her neighbors some of her homemade winter melon soup. It seemed that bit of soup was very useful at a critical moment.
“I saw it too. Pfft, Battalion Commander Liu, you really are blind in both eyes and heart. Ignoring your own wife to look after an outsider. Tsk, tsk, Mu Xiaocao didn’t even touch her. On the other hand, Hu Lili brought a few fruit candies just to frame someone—it really is an eye-opener for us.”
Liu Guoqiang was stunned. “What… what are you saying?”
Hu Lili’s heart skipped a beat, but she still cried out, “You’re lying! I didn’t!”
Auntie Li and another military wife didn’t want to meddle in others’ business, but who could resist when Mu Xiaocao’s winter melon soup was so delicious? Besides, they really had seen Hu Lili fall on her own.
“Hu Lili, you were the one who approached and grabbed Mu Xiaocao. She only jerked her hand away to avoid you. She didn’t do anything, yet you fell backward. Xiao Cao, tell your Auntie, have you learned some peerless martial arts? Like that ‘strike an ox across a mountain’ or ‘topple mountains and overturn seas’ where you can knock someone down without even touching them?”
Auntie Li held great prestige in this compound. Very few people would doubt her words. Consequently, the expressions of everyone looking at Hu Lili now were difficult to describe.
Could this Hu Lili just stop for a moment? Did she have to stir up trouble until the whole family compound had no peace?
Liu Guoqiang couldn’t believe his ears either. After a long silence, he looked at Hu Lili with disappointment.
Hu Lili’s face turned pale. she quickly questioned, “Auntie Li, what benefits did you take from Mu Xiaocao? Why are you speaking up for her?”
Auntie Li’s eyes widened. “What? Are you saying I’m framing you?”
Hu Lili’s accusation completely enraged Auntie Li.
“I, Li Cui’e, have lived in this compound for over ten years. What kind of monsters and demons haven’t I seen? My husband was a martyr, and my two sons are upstanding soldiers. My words are worthy of their medals and my own conscience! But you, intentionally falling down to frame Mu Xiaocao—what are you trying to do? Instead of being a proper martyr’s dependent, you insist on acting like that sort of person everyone hates. You are an utter disgrace to us military wives!”
As she spoke, Auntie Li also threw a disparaging look at the pale-faced Liu Guoqiang.
Liu Guoqiang’s face stiffened. Was he wronging Mu Xiaocao again?
Mu Xiaocao gave Auntie Li a thumbs up, feeling as if all her pent-up frustration had cleared and her Ren and Du meridians were wide open. Ignoring Liu Guoqiang’s awkward expression, she stepped forward and gave Hu Lili two fierce slaps.
Heavens, the feeling of slapping her was so satisfying! The resentment and hatred from her past life were all poured into those crisp slaps.
“Mu Xiaocao!”
Not only was Hu Lili stunned, but even Liu Guoqiang was dazed for a moment. “How can you hit people!”