Everyone held back out of consideration for Li Hongyuan's position as battalion commander, but they pitied Wu Guihua and felt she had been wronged, so all the sharp remarks were directed at Wang Yun.
Wang Yun could no longer keep up the act and burst into loud sobs.
"But we really did lose things! We have nothing left!"
Unfortunately, no one felt any sympathy for her.
"Even if you really lost something, you can't just randomly accuse people!"
"That's right, that's right! Maybe someone just has it out for your family!"
"Exactly! This is what happens when you do bad things—karma catches up!"
Wang Yun was both furious and heartbroken, a thousand grievances she couldn't voice, and with a roll of her eyes, she fainted dead away.
Li Hongyuan quickly caught her, frantic with worry!
"Yun'er, Yun'er! Wake up, wake up!"
Everyone craned their necks to watch the drama, and someone muttered a mocking remark.
"Battalion Commander Li, shouldn't you be calling her 'sister-in-law'?"
Pfft!
No one could hold it in any longer—everyone burst out laughing.
Commissar Huang's face cycled through a rainbow of colors, not knowing what to say.
It was over. From now on, the word "sister-in-law" would never be used in this military district again.
No one would dare say it, and no one would dare answer to it!
Wu Guihua didn't look back. Holding her daughter's hand, she strode out of the military district in big steps!
In both her past and present life, this was her first time here—and her last.
It wasn't that she was letting Wang Yun and Li Hongyuan off the hook; rather, this wasn't nearly enough. She wanted Li Hongyuan to kneel and beg her—beg her for a divorce!
And that day was definitely not far off…
The noisy crowd was like a festival celebration. No one noticed that a half-worn Jeep was parked under a large tree not far away.
Huo Chengye pulled off his leather gloves, unbuttoned his collar, and leaned against the car door, grinning with a roguish air.
The organization was forming a special forces unit. He happened to be sick of the tangled factional politics in the Jingdu military district, and his father wouldn't agree to him going to the border, so he'd had no choice but to take this assignment.
For him, it was a challenge, but even more so, a rare chance to escape the Jingdu circle and get some fresh air.
He'd deliberately chosen the farthest province, Heisheng, planning to ask the local military district for help scouting a suitable mountain area for a training ground.
He hadn't expected to catch a good show right at the military district's front gate.
That rural woman looked wronged and angry, but there was more cunning satisfaction in her expression—the pride of a scheme successfully executed.
It was just that no one else had noticed.
But he had no intention of exposing her, because as a soldier, the thing he hated most was betrayal. Whether on the battlefield or in the family!
"Commander Huo!" Regimental Commander Liu Hongjun came rushing over, saluting apologetically.
"We had no idea you were coming. I'm truly sorry to have kept you waiting."
Huo Chengye lazily returned the salute, his long legs still propped against the car door.
"No problem. I just came for a casual visit—no need to make a fuss. Besides, I arrived at quite an opportune moment. No matter how long I waited, I wouldn't have been bored.
"However, our military district still needs to strengthen its discipline and conduct!"
Liu Hongjun followed his gaze to the crowd, his face flushing red. He wished he could disappear on the spot.
The entire military district had worked hard for years to build a reputation for daring combat and upright conduct, and now that fool Li Hongyuan had ruined it all in one stroke.
Before, the embarrassment was confined to their own turf. Now, it would probably reach Jingdu within days.
Last night, he had advocated for kicking Li Hongyuan out of the military district and having him transferred to civilian work immediately. But Commissar Huang had insisted on giving him a chance and observing him for a while longer.
What was there to observe!
A selfish, muddle-headed fool who'd been causing harm for years—was he going to turn over a new leaf overnight?
Huo Chengye turned around, pulled a green canteen from the driver's seat, took a sip of water, then patted Liu Hongjun on the shoulder.
"Regimental Commander Liu, don't worry. I'm not a gossip—I won't go around spreading idle talk. Come on, let's go inside and talk."
Regimental Commander Liu forced a dry laugh and agreed, but the heavy stone in his heart remained lifted. He didn't dare fully trust the man.
Huo Chengye was born on the battlefield. He held a gun at three, followed his parents in underground intelligence work at five, and began leading combat operations at eight. It was said his military achievements were so numerous that a whole notebook couldn't contain them.
On top of that, he was extremely intelligent. After the founding of the nation, he studied in the Soviet Union, and upon his return, he participated in multiple secret research projects—achievements that were beyond even Liu Hongjun's clearance as a regimental commander!
That was also why, though he was barely forty and had been promoted ahead of schedule to the rank of army commander, everyone in the entire military system envied him but no one objected.
By all logic, a man of Huo Chengye's high position should have been either arrogant and self-important or cold and aloof. But he seemed to be experiencing a delayed rebellion. In recent years, his behavior had become increasingly unconventional and unruly, often making Old General Huo roar with fury.
Even though the Heisheng military district was far from Jingdu, everyone had heard about it.
So Liu Hongjun truly couldn't guarantee that such a "lord" wouldn't suddenly change his mind on a whim.
But there was nothing he could do except silently pray…
Wu Guihua, of course, knew nothing of Regimental Commander Liu's dilemma. She paid two yuan and boarded an old passenger bus that rattled and clanked all over, riding it all the way back to Anbang County town.
No matter when or where, the first thing a woman does after striking it rich is always to shop until she drops!
Wu Guihua was no exception. Without a moment's pause, she headed straight for the department store—third floor for watches, cigarettes, and liquor; second floor for clothes, shoes, and socks; first floor for candies and pastries. On her way out, she also grabbed two catties of pork and three catties of dried noodles…
Li Lan followed alongside, carrying the bags, her heart racing with alarm.
"Mom, stop buying! We're spending way too much!"
Wu Guihua unwrapped a piece of White Rabbit candy and stuffed it into her daughter's mouth to shut her up.
"Don't be silly—whatever I buy for you, just take it! Your dad gave us this much money, there's no way to hide it. If we let your grandma snatch it away, we might as well turn it into goods and use them slowly later."
Sure enough, Li Lan's eyes lit up, and she immediately darted over to the stationery counter.
"Sister, give me ten notebooks and two fountain pens!"
Wu Guihua grinned and followed over, paying and taking the receipts.
In truth, the three thousand in subsidies hadn't been touched at all—today's spending was all covered by Wang Yun.
It had to be said, after all these years with Li Hongyuan, Wang Yun had really managed to stash away quite a nest egg. Even after withdrawing the three thousand in savings, the loose change Wang Yun had hidden in every corner of the house still added up to over five hundred, plus all kinds of ration tickets—truly everything one could need.
Wu Guihua smugly ran her fingers through her hair, chin tilted skyward.
Who cares about being squeamish about dirt? That talk was just to win sympathy.
Who would actually turn their nose up at money and tickets?
Even if they did, once exchanged for food, drink, and daily necessities, it all became sweet as can be!
Although Anbang County sat right next to the provincial capital of Hei Province, it wasn't exactly prosperous, and with the New Year having just passed not long ago, the department store had hardly any customers.
When they suddenly encountered a customer on a wild shopping spree, the salesclerks couldn't help but gather around to watch the spectacle.
Wu Guihua didn't want to draw too much attention, so once she'd bought enough, she made her exit.
She made up an excuse to send Li Lan to the state-run restaurant to buy a few meat buns to stave off hunger, then tossed the goods into the Spatial Dimension and slipped back into the small alley beside the hospital…
At the brigade headquarters south of Nandawu Village, Uncle Zhong and Wu Dayong were huddled with a few squad leaders, discussing the miscellaneous chores for the coming spring.
Uncle Zhong couldn't shake the feeling that his eyelids kept twitching, and even his pipe tobacco didn't taste quite right.
"Who knows if Guihua has made it back yet. If something goes wrong on the road, and she's got the kid with her…"