After the most troublesome people left, the entire scene fell into an eerie silence.
Ruan Ting He had not expected to witness such a huge piece of gossip.
So Ruan Jiao Jiao had actually been involved in a fraudulent marriage. She had almost mistaken Shen Yan for someone with terrible taste for liking a woman like her.
In the original owner’s memories, Ruan Jiao Jiao had been flirtatious even back in the village, rumored to be involved with many men.
She had also been a local troublemaker—someone who relied on male attention and bullied others every day.
The original owner had been bullied by her since childhood.
It could be said that Ruan Jiao Jiao was rotten to the core.
A woman like that was completely unfit to be a military wife.
At least Shen Yan hadn’t truly lost his eyesight.
“I’ve made things clear about me and Ruan Jiao Jiao. If anyone dares to spread nonsense again, don’t blame me for being rude!”
“Now let’s talk about the fight. Who started it? Will you admit it yourselves, or do you want me to question each of you one by one?”
His sharp, hawk-like gaze swept across the parents, making them shiver in fear as old memories surfaced.
When Shen Yan was young, a neighbor’s child once pushed his younger sister and broke her tooth. Shen Yan retaliated by knocking out the other child’s front teeth completely.
At fifteen, when his bicycle was damaged and the other party relied on a powerful relative to refuse compensation, Shen Yan sent out more than a dozen complaint letters. The entire compound was investigated and restructured for months—and that relative had since completely disappeared from any official records.
He had been ruthless and vengeful since childhood, never showing mercy when he struck back.
Once he remembered someone, that person would lose sleep at night.
He was practically the King of Hell.
And now, the Shen family was no longer what it used to be. They were people no one dared to offend.
Previously, thinking Shen Yan would side with Ruan Jiao Jiao, they had supported her without hesitation. Now that they saw his true stance, even the foolish ones knew what to do.
One by one, the parents urged their children to tell the truth.
“It was us who started it—but it was Shen Yaozu who told us to!”
“Yes! He said Dabao and the others were illegitimate children trying to steal his father!”
“He promised us cake if we helped him bully them!”
“Waaah… we were wrong…”
The children cried as they confessed everything.
Now the truth was completely exposed.
As for how a three-year-old like Shen Yaozu could say something like “illegitimate children,” anyone with a brain could guess it had come from Ruan Jiao Jiao.
“So she really is that vicious behind the scenes…”
“No wonder she corrupted our children!”
“She must be jealous because others are prettier than her, so she wanted them gone!”
“She’s just afraid Shen Yan would be taken away. In the end, he doesn’t even acknowledge her or her son.”
As discussions grew louder, one parent finally stepped forward first.
“Our child was wrong. We will bring gifts and formally apologize.”
With someone leading, others quickly followed. Parents admitted fault, and children were forced to bow and apologize.
Of course, a few slipped away quietly with their children without saying a word.
Soon, the crowd dispersed. Section Chief Li also finally relaxed, no longer forced to take sides against his conscience.
Ruan Ting He was slightly dazed.
What did Shen Yan mean just now?
Was he backing her up?
She understood very clearly—without Shen Yan, these people would never have apologized so easily.
But what exactly did he mean by helping her and the children?
“Comrade Ruan, now that the truth has come out and everyone has apologized, our security office also bears responsibility. Do you have any requests? We will try our best to make amends.”
Ruan Ting He came back to her senses and squatted down.
“Dabao, Erbao, Xiaobao, what compensation do you want?”
The three children looked at each other.
Then Dabao and Erbao said in unison, “We want them to apologize to Brother Yin Ze.”
“That’s definitely necessary,” Section Chief Li quickly said, remembering Yin Ze.
He cautiously looked toward Yin Quan, who was effectively in charge of the Yin family at the moment.
“Doctor Yin, what do you think…?”
Yin Quan had not expected the children’s only request to be an apology for Yin Ze.
His usually cold heart softened slightly.
“As for Yin Ze’s matter, we’ll wait until my grandmother returns. But Section Chief Li, since Ruan Ting He and the children are staying at the Yin residence, they are part of our family. I hope nothing like this happens again. My father still has influence in the military.”
His words carried clear warning.
Section Chief Li broke into a cold sweat.
There were too many big figures in this compound. As a security officer, he couldn’t afford to offend any side.
He really had a hard job.
He shouldn’t even be handling this kind of situation.
He would just have to increase patrols in the future.
“Brother Yin, how is Yin Ze doing?” Ruan Ting He asked worriedly.
“He’s fine. He couldn’t open the door, so he kept hitting it with his head until he knocked himself unconscious.”
“What?!” she gasped. “How is he now?”
“Mild concussion. He needs hospitalization for observation.”
Hearing this, she felt even more guilty. “I’m sorry… I didn’t take good care of the children.”
The three children immediately bowed.
“Sorry, Uncle Yin. We caused trouble for Brother Yin Ze.”
Yin Quan was speechless. “Why do you call him brother, but call me uncle?”
He then looked at Ruan Ting He.
“And you—don’t you know how to teach children proper seniority? You call my grandmother ‘Grandma,’ and they also call her ‘Grandma.’ What kind of hierarchy is this?”
Ruan Ting He scratched her head awkwardly. “Sorry… I didn’t think about it.”
Now that she thought about it, it really was messy.
So she corrected them.
“From now on, you must call her Great-Grandma. And Yin Ze should be called Uncle Yin Ze.”
The three children nodded obediently.
Suddenly—
Gurgle.
Someone’s stomach growled loudly.
Everyone turned to look at Yin Quan.
He coughed awkwardly. “I was on night duty. I haven’t eaten yet.”
“There are dumplings at home. Shrimp and pork filling—your favorite. I’ll cook them for you when we get back.”
As she turned to leave with the children—
Shen Yan’s face darkened completely.
His beloved woman was chatting so harmoniously with his brother.
And she even knew what his brother liked to eat.
He was so jealous it hurt.
He suddenly picked her up.
“You injured your foot. I’ll carry you back.”
Everything spun before her eyes before she was lifted into a firm, unyielding embrace.
The more she struggled, the tighter he held her.
“Don’t move. If you fall and get hurt, I won’t care,” he warned, striding forward toward the Yin residence.
Passing Yin Quan, he didn’t forget to add, “Take the kids.”
The commanding tone made Yin Quan roll his eyes.
What a great brother.
Still as domineering and unreasonable as ever after all these years.
But as he looked at the scene, he couldn’t help but fall into thought.
Dabao really did look a bit like Shen Yan when he was young…
Could it be that Ruan Jiao Jiao was telling the truth? Was Ruan Ting He really Shen Yan’s woman, and the children his?
“Why are you still standing there? I’ve got something to talk to you about later!”
Shen Yan called back impatiently.
Yin Quan sighed.
His “good brother” really never changed.