“Anyone with even a little bit of upbringing would know better than to badmouth people behind their backs. You two sound like a couple of old gossips.”
This was Yu Qingqing’s first time dealing with Jiang Ni.
The woman standing before her was articulate and composed, which gave Yu Qingqing an inexplicable sense of danger.
“Who are you calling a gossip? Watch your mouth!” Huang Dingding shouted.
Jiang Ni couldn’t be bothered to argue with her.
“If you can’t provide any evidence, then you’re spreading false rumors and defaming a military family member. I’ll report this to the police.”
“And while I’m at it, I’ll talk to your troupe leader and the division commander. Just wait until you receive a formal disciplinary notice in front of your entire troupe and the whole family compound!”
Yu Qingqing and Huang Dingding exchanged a glance.
Huang Dingding had only heard those things from someone else. Where would she get any evidence?
Her bravado immediately disappeared.
Yu Qingqing, however, had lived to the age of fifty in her previous life. She knew that if this matter escalated, neither of them would benefit.
So she wisely backed down.
“Jiang Ni, if this really bothers you that much, then we’ll apologize.”
Jiang Ni frowned deeply.
This Yu Qingqing was definitely not a simple woman.
She was using retreat as a means of advancing. Although she was apologizing, her words subtly implied that Jiang Ni was the one making a fuss over nothing.
Yu Qingqing put on a sincere expression.
“I’m sorry, Jiang Ni.”
Huang Dingding reluctantly mumbled, “Sorry.”
Yu Qingqing looked at Jiang Ni.
“We’ve apologized. Is that enough now?”
The apology was clearly devoid of sincerity.
Jiang Ni gave a cold snort. “What do you think?”
Yu Qingqing smiled.
“We all live in the same family compound. Jiang Ni, let’s just leave it at that.”
Jiang Ni gave Yu Qingqing a long, penetrating look.
There was something in Yu Qingqing’s eyes that she couldn’t quite understand.
Just as she was about to speak, a voice called out from nearby.
“Jiang Ni!”
Jiang Ni turned around and saw Fang Zhiying walking toward her, holding the hands of two little girls.
Yu Qingqing quietly closed the door behind her.
Fang Zhiying hadn’t noticed Yu Qingqing and the others. Seeing Jiang Ni standing outside Political Commissar Li’s courtyard, she asked, “What are you doing here?”
Jiang Ni lifted the basket in her hand and pulled back the cloth covering it.
“Aunt Ying, I made some potato pancakes and brought them over for your family.”
Fang Zhiying leaned over to take a look.
The potato pancakes were golden brown, giving off an irresistible roasted aroma mixed with the rich fragrance of lard.
Lard was precious in those days.
Just how much had Jiang Ni used to make them smell this good?
“Oh, you really are such a clever girl! Come on, come sit at my place for a while!”
Jiang Ni followed Fang Zhiying into her courtyard.
The layout was almost identical to Fu Ruichen’s yard, except that Fang Zhiying had vegetables growing everywhere.
Chives grew thick and lush, cucumbers and green beans climbed all over the fence, and the eggplants were a vivid purple. There were also several rows of young vegetable seedlings still growing.
The entire garden was bursting with life.
Jiang Ni thought to herself that this was exactly what she wanted her own courtyard to look like.
Once she got everything planted, she would buy some flower seeds and plant them around that tree, turning the area into a small garden.
Fang Zhiying led Jiang Ni inside and brought out a stool.
“Sit here.”
The two little girls followed closely behind Jiang Ni, their eyes fixed on the basket in her hands.
Jiang Ni smiled.
“What are your names? How old are you?”
“My name is Pan Di. I’m eight.”
“My name is Zhao Di. I’m five.”
The corner of Jiang Ni’s eye twitched slightly.
…
They really wanted a boy that badly? Even their names meant “hope for a younger brother” and “hope for a younger brother.”
Still, she kept her thoughts to herself and took out the potato pancakes.
“Zhao Di, Pan Di, come try the pancakes Auntie made.”
“Thank you, Auntie.”
Each girl took a pancake.
They were still warm. The girls held them beneath their noses and sniffed.
They smelled wonderful!
The moment they took a bite, both girls’ eyes lit up.
“It’s so good! I want another one!”
Zhao Di was still chewing on hers as she reached out for another.
Fang Zhiying smacked the back of her hand.
“Mind your manners! The two of you, go outside and play after you finish eating.”
Pan Di grabbed Zhao Di’s hand and pulled her outside.
Before leaving, however, the girl gave the pancakes one last reluctant look.
Fang Zhiying was tempted by the aroma too, so she picked one up and took a bite.
The fragrance of sesame and lard burst across her tongue, mingling with the rich, roasted flavor of the potatoes.
It was so delicious that she practically felt her tongue melt.
“Girl, how did you make these so delicious?”
“It’s very simple.”
Jiang Ni explained the recipe to her.
Fang Zhiying listened and sighed inwardly.
As expected of someone from the city—she certainly knew how to enjoy herself.
For ordinary families like theirs, simply being able to add a little oil to their cooking was already considered a luxury.
Even at the military base, they didn’t get oily dishes at every meal.
Her impression of Jiang Ni improved yet again.
Regiment Commander Fu’s wife wasn’t only good at handling social relationships—she was generous, too!
These days, who would be willing to make something this delicious just to give away?
If someone made food this good, wouldn’t they normally hide it away and quietly eat it themselves?
Fang Zhiying ate a few more bites before putting the pancake down. She wanted to save the rest for her husband, Old Yao, and their two daughters.
At the same time, she decided she should return Jiang Ni’s kindness.
“Jiang Ni, when are you planning to plant vegetables in your garden?”
Jiang Ni had actually come intending to ask Fang Zhiying for advice.
“Aunt Ying, are you free tomorrow? Your vegetable garden is so well kept. I’d love to make mine look like yours.”
“Of course! My two children will be at school tomorrow, so I’ll come over to your place.”
Jiang Ni stayed at Fang Zhiying’s house for a while before getting up to leave.
Before she went, Fang Zhiying even picked some fresh green beans from her garden and gave them to her.
When Jiang Ni returned home, she found the courtyard gate standing open.
Fu Ruichen was already home.
But before she even stepped inside, she heard a shrill voice coming from within.
“Regiment Commander Fu, you know what my sister is like. She’s always been such a quiet, honest girl.”
“If your wife hadn’t bullied her so badly, why would she hide in the room crying for so long? Look at how swollen her eyes are.”
“You have to give my sister an explanation!”
Jiang Ni stepped inside and saw two women sitting across from Fu Ruichen.
Yu Qingqing’s face was streaked with tears. The moment she saw Jiang Ni, she paused before shrinking behind the woman beside her.
She looked utterly helpless and vulnerable.
Yu Hong saw this and assumed Yu Qingqing was frightened of Jiang Ni. She gently patted her sister’s hand.
“Don’t be afraid. With Regiment Commander Fu here, he’ll be fair and impartial. He’ll make sure his wife answers for what she did.”
Jiang Ni raised an eyebrow.
She immediately understood what was going on.
Yu Qingqing had beaten her to the punch and come running to complain about her first.
Jiang Ni walked over, pulled up a chair, and sat down beside Fu Ruichen.
“Ruichen, we have guests over. Why didn’t you tell me?”
Fu Ruichen glanced at Jiang Ni before replying, “This is Sister Hong, the wife of Deputy Political Commissar Zhang. And this is her younger sister, Yu Qingqing.”
Jiang Ni went straight to the point.
“Oh. Ruichen, I heard Sister Hong saying that I bullied Yu Qingqing?”
Fu Ruichen’s expression remained unreadable.
“Mm.”
He had only just returned home when Yu Hong and Yu Qingqing stopped him. He hadn’t even had a chance to ask what had happened.
Yu Hong looked Jiang Ni over from head to toe.
Her sister hadn’t been exaggerating. Regiment Commander Fu’s wife really was arrogant. Just because she came from the city, she acted as though she could look down her nose at everyone.
Jiang Ni folded her arms across her chest and looked directly at Yu Qingqing.
“Yu Qingqing, go ahead and tell me. Exactly how did I bully you?”