As soon as she stepped out of the district office gate, Jiang Yao sprinted with all her might toward the supply and marketing cooperative.
Before long, she spotted Wen Mingyao.
Wen Mingyao was standing in the vegetable section of the cooperative, taking a few cucumbers and tomatoes from the salesperson.
Glancing at the vegetables she had just bought, Wen Mingyao was pondering what to cook for dinner when a familiar voice suddenly came from behind her.
“Oh, you’re here to buy groceries too?” Jiang Yao pretended to lower her gaze, glancing at the bamboo basket in Wen Mingyao’s hand.
Wen Mingyao looked at her, a perfectly measured smile curling at the corner of her lips. “Yes, what a coincidence!”
If she hadn’t noticed Jiang Yao’s swollen, tear-stained eyes, she might have truly believed this was a chance encounter.
Jiang Yao’s gaze involuntarily drifted past the edge of the basket, settling on the cucumbers and tomatoes inside. Her fingers, tucked into her coat pocket, tightened abruptly.
Impossible!
Wen Mingyao, a capitalist’s daughter, couldn’t possibly know how to cook.
Recalling how Zhou Zhuo had queued to wash dishes in the cafeteria that day, a flicker of understanding passed through Jiang Yao’s eyes.
It must be Zhuo Ge who usually cooks at home, while Wen Mingyao just sits back and enjoys the fruits of his labor.
Thinking of the two dishes she had just learned to cook over the past few days, Jiang Yao’s lips unconsciously curved into a faint, disdainful smile.
One look at Jiang Yao’s expression, and Wen Mingyao knew she was probably up to no good again.
She still needed to buy some pork, vermicelli, eggs, sugar, and pastries, and she had no time to waste on Jiang Yao.
Seeing Wen Mingyao turn to leave, Jiang Yao hurriedly followed.
By the time they walked out of the supply and marketing cooperative, Jiang Yao hadn’t bought anything.
After walking a short distance, with Jiang Yao still trailing leisurely behind her, Wen Mingyao finally turned around and couldn’t help but ask, “Do you need something from me?”
Before Jiang Yao could hide the jealousy and resentment in her eyes, she met Wen Mingyao’s cool gaze.
Earlier, to placate her aunt, she had claimed she was just curious to see what made Wen Mingyao better than her.
A few days ago, her grandfather had also issued a stern warning over the phone.
He said, “Jiang Yao, if you really do something as disgraceful as breaking up someone else’s family, I’ll personally break your legs!”
Since childhood, in the Jiang family, her grandfather was both her favorite and her most feared person.
She knew it was because her eyes and brows bore a slight resemblance to her deceased uncle that she had become her grandfather’s favorite among all her cousins.
At the same time, she also knew that her grandfather placed great importance on reputation, and his threat to break her legs was no empty promise.
She wouldn’t destroy Zhou Zhuo and Wen Mingyao’s marriage, but she didn’t want Wen Mingyao to feel at ease either.
After all, Wen Mingyao came from a capitalist background—she simply couldn’t stand the sight of her.
Jiang Yao decided to drop the pretense. “You must have seen everything at the health clinic yesterday, right?”
Wen Mingyao narrowed her eyes slightly, her fingers tightening around the handle of the basket as she looked thoughtfully at Jiang Yao. “You were there yesterday too?”
In response, Jiang Yao merely smiled without answering, instead saying, “The person you saw yesterday with Zhuo Ge is the lead actress he likes, named Ye Jingjing. I heard her family is also from Rongcheng.”
Yesterday, she had gone to the health clinic to pick up medicine for her aunt, only to coincidentally witness the scene.
Wen Mingyao let out a soft scoff. “How kind of you to tell me. It’s my fault for being blind—I never noticed before…”
She understood the implication in Jiang Yao’s words: Ye Jingjing and Zhou Zhuo were childhood sweethearts.
Yet having lived in the Zhou family for a full five years, how could she not be clear about Zhou Zhuo’s social circle in Rongcheng?
“You’re not angry?” Jiang Yao widened her eyes, disbelief churning in their depths.
Wen Mingyao’s gaze swept over her incredulous face, a faint, silent smile curling her lips.
Angry? Not exactly.
But it did hurt inside.
Even though she had long known, hearing it again inevitably stirred ripples in her heart.
Wen Mingyao turned and stood still, looking at her with a bright smile. “On the contrary, I’m quite happy.”
Then she stepped forward, leaning close to Jiang Yao’s ear and lowering her voice. “What does it matter how much Zhou Zhuo likes her? I am the rightful daughter-in-law of the Zhou family. The name written beside his on the marriage certificate is Wen Mingyao.”
“As long as I remain married for even one more day, women like you and Ye Jingjing will always be considered third parties.”
Wen Mingyao’s tone was calm, yet each word was sharp as a blade, landing precisely on Jiang Yao’s face and making her cheeks burn with shame.
Jiang Yao shoved her away abruptly, pointing a finger at her nose. “You… you…”
Wen Mingyao slapped her hand away, casting a cold, mocking glance at her. “And you should stop playing these cheap tricks in front of me. Don’t think everyone else is as foolish as you.”
“If you have the energy and persistence, you’d be better off eating more brain-boosting foods to sharpen your mind.”
Wen Mingyao spoke each word deliberately, leaving no room for mercy.
Watching the color drain from Jiang Yao’s face, Wen Mingyao felt a strange calm inside.
There was no joy or satisfaction of victory.
The moment she turned away, her throat felt clogged with a damp cotton ball, leaving only a tangled mess of emotions.
By the time she returned home, Zhou Zhuo had already left.
She carefully put away the items she had purchased that day.
The square milk candies had been bought in bulk by weight, so she divided them by count into four oil-paper packets, then took out the pastries and placed them back in the basket along with the candies.
When she first arrived at the family compound, Sister-in-law Sunmai and Sister-in-law Xiaoqin had brought her vegetables.
According to Zhou Zhuo, it was Sister-in-law Hemiao who delivered the message yesterday.
And then there was Sister Xiangxiu…
Perfect—one packet of milk candies and one packet of pastries for each family, so as not to be impolite.
After quickly organizing everything, Wen Mingyao picked up the basket and went door-to-door to visit.
…
Qin Zheng set down his pen and glanced at Zhou Zhuo sitting across from him.
Then he picked up his tea mug, blowing away the foam. “Zhou Zhuo, how is your wife’s injury? Has it improved?”
Zhou Zhuo didn’t look up, merely giving a faint “Mm” in response.
Seeing his expressionless face, Qin Zheng felt a surge of irritation.
“With that dead-fish face of yours all day, what girl would want to stay with you?”
“Xiao Wen gave up a comfortable life in Rongcheng to come all this way to join you in the army—clearly, she wants to build a life with you.”
Qin Zheng spoke several sentences in a row, but seeing Zhou Zhuo remain unmoved, he felt his temper rising.
He hurriedly picked up the tea mug on the table and took a few large gulps.
Judging by Zhou Zhuo’s anxious expression yesterday, it didn’t seem like he had no feelings for his wife.
He had gone to the security unit and the family committee for help.
Qin Zheng sighed helplessly.
Zhou Zhuo was the most outstanding young man in the Yuncheng division. Though he came from a prominent family, he never flaunted his background.
Others could only speculate about Zhou Zhuo’s family circumstances; only he and the division commander knew the details.
Zhou Zhuo had made his way to the position of deputy commander entirely through his own resilience and determination.
Yet why was he so clueless when it came to matters of the heart…