Wen Mingyao’s trembling fingers brushed over the torn sleeve, tears streaming down her face.
The next moment, she sniffled and suddenly raised her voice, “I’m going to report this to the leaders and have a good talk with them.”
Granny Qian stared at Wen Mingyao in horror, taking a few steps back and waving her hands frantically. “I didn’t do anything! Don’t you dare make things up!”
She never expected that one day she’d be tripped up in a ditch like this.
This capitalist’s daughter looked soft and delicate, but she was full of tricks when it came to putting on an act.
Qian Dabao was suddenly yanked backward, stumbling on his feet. His cheeks were still puffed up and tense as he glared at Wen Mingyao, gritting his teeth. “You fox spirit, you’re lying!”
Hiding behind the door, Xiangxiu couldn’t sit still any longer.
Her husband, Old Zhang, happened to be the deputy leader of the family committee.
And the two families lived so close…
Xiangxiu took a deep breath, suppressing her disgust and fear toward Granny Qian.
Pushing open the courtyard gate, she froze for a moment at the sight of Wen Mingyao.
This looked far too serious.
“Auntie, why couldn’t you just talk things out properly? Why did you have to push her…” She hurried over to support Wen Mingyao’s unsteady body, her heart aching with concern.
Granny Qian’s trembling finger pointed at Wen Mingyao, her lips quivering, but no words came out.
Seeing this, Qian Dabao wanted to say something more, but as soon as he opened his mouth, Granny Qian clamped her hand over it tightly.
She had misjudged her!
She thought this fox spirit was nothing more than a pretty face.
Who would have thought she’d be one with sharp fangs, and so cunning at that?
Not only that, but this capitalist’s daughter had more tricks up her sleeve than a hornet’s nest.
Dabao didn’t have a single bruise on him, yet this woman had deliberately made a large scrape on herself.
Anyone who saw it would sigh at how pitiful she looked.
This time, she had truly run into a tough opponent!
Thinking this, Granny Qian couldn’t help but grit her teeth secretly.
At this moment, she absolutely couldn’t let Dabao speak, lest this fox spirit seize on his words as evidence.
Her chest heaved violently for a long time before she forced a stiff smile, her voice faltering. “I, I was just…”
Wen Mingyao’s nose tingled with emotion, her shoulder pressed tightly against Xiangxiu’s chest trembling slightly, her voice hoarse.
“Auntie, it’s all my fault…” she sobbed, pausing for a moment. “I shouldn’t have given your grandson half a white flour steamed bun that day, and I shouldn’t have sent him out in a hurry to buy groceries and cook.”
As she spoke, she remembered the scene she had witnessed earlier at the medical station and Granny Qian’s aggressive attitude. All the restraint and endurance she had mustered today crumbled in an instant.
Wen Mingyao suddenly broke down into uncontrollable sobs.
“Just like you said, I don’t deserve to live in this family compound either!”
Her voice was nearly shattered by tears, her chest tight, each word seeming to bleed with sorrow.
Xiangxiu looked at her, her eyes filled with pity, and let out a soft sigh.
Then, she reached out and tucked the disheveled strands of hair at Wen Mingyao’s temples behind her ears, immediately dismissing her earlier resolve to keep Wen Mingyao from going to the family committee.
“Sister, don’t worry. Since you’ve come to join the army, just focus on living your life well. As long as you don’t make any mistakes, no one can do anything to you.”
After saying this, she glanced meaningfully at Granny Qian.
Granny Qian’s face instantly stiffened, alternating between red and white. Her mouth opened and closed as she looked at Wen Mingyao, seemingly still wanting to say something.
Seeing this, Xiangxiu quickly turned sideways, blocking her gaze.
Then, she took Wen Mingyao’s dirt-stained hand and whispered reassuringly, “Don’t be afraid.”
Wen Mingyao thought she was just offering casual comfort.
But when she caught sight of the tall figure rushing toward them, her body suddenly stiffened.
Shouldn’t Zhou Zhuo be taking care of his beloved Yue right now?
A trace of bitterness welled up in Wen Mingyao’s eyes, and she turned her face away, refusing to look at him.
Why did he always seem to catch her at her most disheveled…
Zhou Zhuo was breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling, his usually cool eyes unable to conceal his anxiety.
He took in Wen Mingyao’s disheveled hair, and the next moment, his gaze fell on the bloodstains scattered across her arm.
The specks of red against her fair skin, mixed with patches of yellow soil, looked unbearably glaring to Zhou Zhuo.
He had just returned to his office after eating at the medical camp when Xiao Liu rushed in, flustered, saying Sister Hemiao had come looking for him.
Upon asking, he learned that Granny Qian had gone to his house to cause trouble.
Thinking of Wen Mingyao alone at home, Zhou Zhuo worried she might not be able to handle Granny Qian and grew frantic with anxiety.
Without sparing another thought for Sister Hemiao, he thanked her briefly and hurried all the way back.
Yet, in the end, he had still been a step too late.
Zhou Zhuo reached out and pulled Wen Mingyao close, his gaze darkening as he stared at Granny Qian, his tone icy. “Auntie, what is the meaning of this?”
Seeing Zhou Zhuo’s cold expression, Granny Qian felt a flicker of fear.
Deputy Commander Zhou usually wore an impassive face, but this was the first time his tone had been so frigid.
Granny Qian quickly forced a smile. “A misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding!”
Even Xiangxiu, standing nearby, found it absurd. Did Granny Qian think everyone else was blind?
“A misunderstanding?” Zhou Zhuo let out a cold laugh and retorted, “Are you saying my wife’s injuries were all from a fall?”
Granny Qian’s eyes lit up instantly, and she was about to speak…
But Zhou Zhuo “kindly” reminded her, “Auntie, as Qian Ying’s mother, you are not, in principle, eligible to accompany the army.”
“Later, considering your illness and the fact that you have no other children to support you, a meeting was held to allow you to reside long-term in the division. You said Qian Dabao was young, his father had passed away, and his mother had remarried, and you wanted to bring him along. The division permitted that as well.”
Granny Qian’s face gradually paled, the color draining from her cheeks.
Zhou Zhuo stared fixedly at her, his typically expressionless face suddenly turning cold, his eyes swirling with a deep, ruthless chill.
Then, he indifferently shifted his gaze to Qian Dabao’s flushed little face, still covered by his hands.
“I will have a serious talk with the security department about today’s incident. If you continue to stir up trouble in the family quarters and cause chaos in Qian Ying’s home…”
He paused briefly before adding, “Your daily expenses rely entirely on Qian Ying’s allowance and his wife’s salary. Think carefully about that.”
His cold gaze swept over the two frozen figures before he turned to Xiangxiu and thanked her quietly.
Once inside, Wen Mingyao leaned weakly against the headboard, her face pale. It wasn’t until Zhou Zhuo found the ointment that she whispered, “Do you want a divorce?”
Zhou Zhuo’s hand, holding the cloth, paused slightly, as if he hadn’t heard, and he continued wiping the blood from her body.
Wen Mingyao looked up and watched as he skillfully wrapped a bit of cotton around a matchstick, dipped it in the cool ointment, and gently dabbed it onto the scratches.
His movements were extremely tender.
Even the faint stinging pain from the ointment seemed to fade considerably.
Wen Mingyao’s nose suddenly tingled with emotion.
Zhou Zhuo, oh Zhou Zhuo, since you already have someone in your heart, why still stand up for her, apply medicine for her…
It even gave her a strange illusion.
So good that it made her greedy for it.