Hearing Wen Mingyao’s question, Zhou Zhuo turned to look at her and raised an eyebrow. “No.”
“I thought you might have some thoughts about Qian Ying not being punished along with them.”
A bright smile lingered at the corner of his mouth, his eyes gentle and his voice low, laughing cleanly and unrestrainedly.
Yet there was an indescribable depth in his gaze that was hard to decipher.
Wen Mingyao met his meaningful gaze with her beautiful almond-shaped eyes, a faint curve lifting the corners of her lips.
“I, Wen Mingyao, have always been clear about gratitude and grudges. As for why Qian Ying wasn’t punished, I believe the team will be fair and just, and I trust the decisions of the higher-ups.”
Seeing her calm and distant smile, Zhou Zhuo’s gaze seemed to flicker.
Zhou Zhuo wanted to tell Wen Mingyao that, given Qian Ying’s temperament, he would surely come knocking with gifts to apologize in the next couple of days.
In fact, in the matter of Granny Qian, Qian Ying was also a victim.
He was a genuine countryman, having lost both parents at a young age, with only a few years of schooling and no family support or cultivation.
However, he was inherently strong-willed. Even when exhausted from daytime training, he still attended literacy classes every night without fail.
A pair of fists, a rifle, countless days and nights of sweat, and a thick stack of study notes…
Zhou Zhuo had witnessed firsthand how arduous his journey had been.
As for Granny Qian…
When Old Master Qian was alive, he had served as the brigade secretary and had taken care of Qian Ying for a few years.
Before his death, he even wrote a letter of recommendation for him.
Not long after Qian Ying enlisted, Old Master Qian passed away.
A few years later, the old master’s son and grandson also passed away one after another, leaving only Granny Qian and Qian Dabao, the sole heir, in the Qian family.
Qian Ying was not an ungrateful person. Over the years, he had treated Granny Qian as his own mother and Qian Dabao as his own child.
But some people are inherently flawed.
All Qian Ying could do was swallow his pride, apologize door-to-door repeatedly, and clean up the messes left by that grandmother and grandson.
He had originally intended to explain this to Wen Mingyao, but now it seemed unnecessary.
Thinking of this, Zhou Zhuo smiled self-deprecatingly.
In an instant, he composed himself and glanced at Wen Mingyao indifferently.
Then, he took a few steps forward, quickly putting distance between them.
Wen Mingyao understood that he didn’t want to speak to her. Seeing this, she simply remained silent.
Until they returned home and finished dinner, Zhou Zhuo hadn’t said a single word to her.
Seeing this, Wen Mingyao also smiled faintly.
After what Zhou Zhuo said yesterday, she had spent the past two days thinking it through.
Some things, the more you force them, the less you get.
During this one year, she would simply fulfill the duties expected of a nominal wife.
Anything more, she couldn’t force.
Having resolved these thoughts, Wen Mingyao no longer felt sleepy. She gathered her clothes, picked up a basket, and went out to buy groceries.
Meanwhile, at the Qin household.
As soon as Jiang Yao entered the house, she hurried back to her room, grabbed a basket, and was about to rush out with her handkerchief wrapped around money and coupons.
Seeing her frantic appearance, Jiang Yue’e’s face immediately darkened.
Earlier on the road, when she saw Wen Mingyao heading out to shop from afar, Jiang Yao had been distracted.
At the time, Jiang Yue’e thought Jiang Yao was simply displeased with that capitalist’s daughter. Little did she expect that she actually intended to follow and provoke her.
Seeing Jiang Yao’s anxious expression, she sneered coldly and slammed the lunchbox in her hand heavily onto the table.
“Jiang Yao, have you forgotten the promise you made to me over the phone in front of your grandfather just a couple of days ago?”
“You said you would never bother Zhou Zhuo again, that you would focus on learning household chores…” Jiang Yue’e was instantly furious. “And now, not even two days later, you’ve swallowed all those words?”
Jiang Yao clutched the nearly faded handkerchief tightly in her fingers, her voice trembling slightly. “Auntie, I just wanted to go out and buy some meat.”
Seeing her guilty expression, Jiang Yue’e felt a headache coming on.
“How many times do I have to tell you before you understand? Zhou Zhuo is already married. You shouldn’t cling to those old feelings anymore.”
Jiang Yao twisted the hem of her clothes nervously, biting her lip as if on the verge of tears.
“I understand, Auntie. But I’ve liked Brother Zhuo for so long—it’s not something I can just let go of in a day or two.”
“I’ve been trying so hard to hold back, I…” Jiang Yao wiped the tears from the corner of her eye, her voice hoarse. “I just want to see what Wen Mingyao has that I don’t, what it is about her that attracted Brother Zhuo.”
As she spoke, she began to sob quietly. “Maybe then I can finally give up for good.”
Her words carried a hint of self-mockery.
Seeing her tear-streaked face, Jiang Yue’e’s heart, which had hardened over the past few days, softened a little.
After all, she had watched this child grow up.
In the end, she couldn’t bring herself to be too harsh.
She sighed, rubbing her temples, and her tone softened compared to before.
“Jiang Yao, if you want to go see Wen Mingyao today, fine!”
She paused briefly. “But remember, she’s already married. Interfering with a military marriage is a crime!”
Jiang Yue’e looked steadily into her niece’s tearful eyes, her words concise but emphasizing the seriousness of the matter.
“If you ever do something so shameless in the future… you know what your uncle is like!”
At the mention of Qin Zheng, Jiang Yao instinctively shrank back.
Jiang Yue’e thought to herself that she had said all she could.
She had scolded and lectured, but Jiang Yao wasn’t her own child.
She couldn’t really slap her.
Besides, Jiang Yao was already of marriageable age—she ought to know better.
Jiang Yue’e looked at Jiang Yao with mixed emotions, hoping that Jiang Yao truly meant what she said—that she just wanted to see what made Wen Mingyao special so she could move on sooner.
She prayed Jiang Yao wouldn’t cause any trouble that might affect Qin Zheng.
Hearing this, Jiang Yao immediately brightened up, wiping away her tears.
She understood what her aunt was most worried about.
Quickly drying her eyes, she said earnestly, “Auntie, don’t worry. I really do understand everything you’ve said. I won’t make things difficult for you or Uncle.”
Seeing her solemn expression, Jiang Yue’e simply waved her hand.
Watching Jiang Yao rush past her in a hurry, Jiang Yue’e pressed her fingers against her throbbing temples.
She had already taken the wrong path back then, and she didn’t want Jiang Yao to follow in her footsteps.
Qin Zheng was a good man—cold on the outside but kind-hearted.
Back then, she had taken advantage of his kindness in a moment of weakness and trapped him.
Although Qin Zheng wasn’t married or engaged at the time, she knew he had a woman he loved…
Over the years, Qin Zheng had never been stingy with money, but that was all she ever received from him.
He had never even touched her.
She spent each day guarding the empty house, washing clothes, cooking meals, and cleaning—day after day.
She was living the kind of life she had hated most before getting married.
Thinking of this home, and then of Jiang Yao chasing after Zhou Zhuo all day long, she truly felt exhausted.