Song Jinyue took a closer look—it was Chen Lingling, the younger sister of her sister-in-law Chen Jing.
A girl of seventeen or eighteen, yet with a mouth sharper than an old woman’s—always snapping at people, mean and biting.
Chen Lingling didn’t even spare Song Jinyue a proper glance. “Acting all proud before, not even looking at people directly—I thought you were so pure and noble. Turns out you were secretly meeting a man and got kicked out when you were found out…”
Song Jinyue stepped forward and slapped her across the face.
“Ah!”
Chen Lingling screamed in pain, her face twisting as she lunged at Song Jinyue. “You shameless little—”
Before she could finish, another slap landed.
“Ah!”
She cried out again.
Song Jinyue raised her hand and delivered several more slaps in succession, each one full of force.
The entire family compound echoed with Chen Lingling’s screams. Curious residents came out upon hearing the noise.
Seeing the usually silent Song Jinyue striking Chen Lingling so fiercely left them all stunned.
Chen Jing, who was upstairs, heard her sister’s cries and came down in confusion. The moment she saw the scene, her pupils shrank. “Song—”
She rushed forward. “Song Jinyue, are you crazy? Why are you hitting my sister for no reason?!”
Song Jinyue stopped and looked at her.
Chen Lingling cried out in pain, “Sis, help—”
Before she could finish, Song Jinyue slapped her again right in front of Chen Jing.
“Ah!”
Chen Jing trembled with anger. “Song Jinyue, have you lost your mind? Don’t force me to call the police!”
“Go ahead,” Song Jinyue said calmly. “I’d also like to ask how insulting a military family member is handled.”
The crowd was shocked.
A military family member?
Song Jinyue was a military family member?
Taking advantage of the moment while Song Jinyue was speaking, Chen Lingling tried to run.
Song Jinyue kicked her, sending her stumbling to the ground with another scream.
Chen Jing’s mind went into chaos. Didn’t Song Jinyue refuse to acknowledge that man? Now she was claiming to be a military family member—did she have no shame at all?
After cursing inwardly, she frowned and said, “What nonsense are you talking about? Insulting a military family member? I kindly let you stay here, and you beat my sister instead?”
From the ground, Chen Lingling shouted, “Sis! Call the police! Let them arrest her—this capitalist—”
The surrounding crowd’s expressions changed.
A capitalist?
Chen Jing’s face turned pale.
Song Jinyue stepped on Chen Lingling’s head, forcing it down.
Her mouth pressed against the ground, her unfinished words turned into muffled sounds.
Noticing the crowd’s reactions, Song Jinyue guessed what they were thinking.
She said calmly, “I’m not qualified to live here? And you are? This house was assigned to my brother by the factory. If anyone is to drive me out, it would be my own brother—not an outsider like you jumping around here.”
The crowd realized Chen Lingling had meant “unqualified,” not what they had assumed.
Song Jinyue continued, “Your dear sister must have forgotten to tell you—my husband is a military officer, and my notice to join the army has already been issued. I was planning to leave soon.”
A voice came from the side, “I can testify—that’s true.”
Everyone turned to look.
Someone recognized the woman as a staff member from the neighborhood office.
The woman said, “This morning, Comrade Song brought her notice to our office and asked us to issue proof so she could buy a train ticket to join the army.”
Chen Jing’s heart skipped a beat.
So Song Jinyue had already agreed to leave? Then why didn’t she know?
If she had known, she wouldn’t have caused this scene.
Song Jinyue noticed Chen Jing’s reaction and smiled slightly. “I was planning to go, but now I might have to wait. Judging from today, I’m afraid the moment I leave, Chen Lingling will move in. With how fierce the two of you are together, wouldn’t you bully my brother to death?”
Chen Jing’s heart sank.
Did that mean Song Jinyue had changed her mind?
Her thoughts became a mess.
After a pause, Song Jinyue added, “Chen Jing, you’re too impatient.”
Chen Jing looked at her.
Their eyes met—and something felt different.
Before, Song Jinyue wouldn’t even bother looking at her, as if a glance would dirty her eyes.
Now, her gaze was calm like a still lake—yet it seemed to see through everything, exposing every thought and intention.
A chill rose from Chen Jing’s feet, climbing up her spine and spreading through her entire body.
She couldn’t help but shiver.
At the same time, a thought surfaced—
Song Jinyue was no longer the same as before.
“Oh,” Song Jinyue spoke again, her voice slow. “When you spoke ill of me, you seemed to forget why you married my brother in the first place.”
Chen Jing’s pupils shrank, her face turning pale as fear and panic surged. “You—”
Song Jinyue gave her a long, deep look.
Chen Jing stiffened, as if falling into an icy abyss.
The crowd, intrigued, all turned their eyes toward Chen Jing.
To be honest, they had always been curious how Song Xiongguan had chosen her.
He was tall, handsome, capable—marrying a factory director’s daughter wouldn’t have been difficult.
As for Chen Jing, she was average in appearance and had been only a temporary worker before marrying him.
Now it seemed there was more to the story.
Song Jinyue pulled Chen Lingling up from the ground.
Dazed, Chen Lingling instinctively tried to scream again, but Song Jinyue spoke first, “Say another word of nonsense, and you might end up getting yourself locked up.”
With that, she let go, turned, and headed upstairs.
Chen Lingling glared at her retreating back, wanting to curse—but the pain on her face reminded her to stay quiet.
She turned to Chen Jing and ran over, crying, “Sis! My face hurts so much! That bitch—”
Before she could finish, she burst into tears.
Chen Jing snapped back to reality. Seeing her sister’s swollen face like a steamed bun, her heart trembled.
Song Jinyue had been ruthless.
Then she noticed the strange looks from the crowd—caused by Song Jinyue’s earlier words.
That matter couldn’t be exposed.
She had to divert attention.
Her eyes shifted to her sister, and an idea formed. “Lingling, I know you’re jealous of Jinyue, but you can’t slander her like this.”
Chen Lingling: “???”
Before she could react, Chen Jing dragged her away. “Come on, let’s go home!”
Under the gaze of the onlookers, the two left the compound.
The crowd exchanged looks, smiled, and began to disperse.
An elderly voice asked, “Who was that girl? She looked about seventeen or eighteen—why is she so good at stirring trouble?”
Everyone turned—it was Grandma Li from the compound.
Someone explained, “That’s Chen Jing’s sister, Chen Lingling.”
Grandma Li snorted. “Oh, that brat! No wonder her mouth smells like she’s been eating filth.”
The crowd burst into laughter.
She asked again, “Who was she arguing with?”
Someone replied, “With Chen Jing’s sister-in-law, Song Jinyue—the tall one who came here a couple of months ago…”
Grandma Li immediately smiled. “Oh, Jinyue! The tall, pretty girl who looks like a movie star, right?”
Everyone nodded.
Some continued chatting with Grandma Li, while others returned home, not noticing a figure quietly going upstairs.
Song Jinyue reached the third floor and was heading to the fourth when a voice came from behind—
“Song Jinyue.”
She turned and saw Chen Weiming, a jobless man from the building who wandered around all day.
He had previously tried to pursue her.
He stepped closer and lowered his voice. “You’re a capitalist’s daughter, right? What Chen Lingling said earlier wasn’t about qualifications—it was about being a capitalist.”
“If you agree to date me and marry me, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear anything.”
“If you refuse, I’ll report you—get you and your brother arrested.”