“Are you looking for me? Is there something?” Her voice was very calm, also very distant, as if she was looking at a complete stranger.
Zhou Mingyuan was first taken aback upon seeing her.
Today’s Jiang Wu was completely different from his memory.
She wore a simple blue cotton dress, her hair casually tied back.
Her face was free of makeup, yet she was even more beautiful and captivating than before.
Those eyes were clear, composed, carrying a penetrating power that unsettled him, completely devoid of the previous infatuation and adoration.
This change made Zhou Mingyuan feel extremely uncomfortable.
He was used to Jiang Wu treating him like the moon among stars, listening to his every word.
Now, her cold demeanor made him feel his pride was being challenged.
“Jiang Wu! What do you mean by this?” He suppressed the displeasure in his heart and demanded.
“That afternoon, I waited for you at the pier! I waited from afternoon until dark! The ship sailed away, and you never showed up!”
“Do you have any idea, for you, I even quit my job at the Cultural Troupe! For you, I was prepared to give up everything!”
“And this is how you treat me?!”
The more he spoke, the more agitated he became, his voice growing louder.
He wanted everyone to hear, to let everyone know that Jiang Wu was the one who broke faith and betrayed him!
He wanted to utterly ruin Jiang Wu’s reputation!
Sure enough, the moment his words left his mouth, the surrounding crowd immediately erupted.
“Oh my God! He really quit his job for Jiang Wu?”
“This is it then! This is irrefutable proof!”
“I told you, this woman is no good! She’s playing both sides!”
“Poor Commander Qin, wearing such a big green hat!”
“Now we’re in for a show! When Commander Qin gets back, he’ll surely skin her alive!”
Listening to the unsavory gossip around her, Jiang Wu’s face grew colder by the degree.
Looking at this man still acting out his “pitiable romance” drama before her, she suddenly found it ridiculous.
Quit his job? Gave up everything?
Using her divine sense to probe lightly, she had already grasped the full measure of this man.
He hadn’t quit at all!
He had just been reprimanded a few times by the leaders at the Cultural Troupe, felt unhappy about it, and wanted to change his environment.
As for giving up everything for the original host, that was even more of a joke.
From beginning to end, what he fancied was only the original host’s beauty and the non-existent “background” of her maternal family.
He thought the original host was the daughter of some high-ranking official, which was why he went to such lengths to deceive and flatter her.
Now, seeing her have a change of heart and cling to Qin Lie, this “big tree,” he felt resentful and came to make trouble.
He wanted to ruin her, and also to squeeze some benefit from her again.
What a despicable and shameless man.
“Finished?” Jiang Wu waited for him to finish before speaking coldly.
Zhou Mingyuan was stunned by her calm reaction.
In his imagination, Jiang Wu should have been flustered, should have apologized to him, should have begged him not to make a scene.
But she didn’t.
She just looked at him calmly, even with a hint of… pity in her eyes?
“You…”
“Comrade Zhou, is it?” Jiang Wu cut him off.
“I have no idea what nonsense you are spouting.”
“Am I very familiar with you?”
“Between us, apart from meeting once at a performance, it seems there’s been no other interaction, right?”
Her words left Zhou Mingyuan, and everyone around them, stunned.
Not familiar?
No interaction?
This… this was lying with eyes wide open?!
“Jiang Wu! You dare do it but not own up to it?!” Zhou Mingyuan’s face turned pale with anger.
“Have you forgotten how you wrote me letters? Have you forgotten how you told me you loved me, wanted to divorce Qin Lie and be with me?”
“I still have those letters! Do you want me to take them out right now for everyone to see!”
This was a threat!
The military wives around them also showed expressions of watching a good show.
Witnesses and material evidence were all present. Let’s see how you, Jiang Wu, can quibble now!
However, not a trace of panic appeared on Jiang Wu’s face.
She even smiled.
The smile was faint, but carried an indescribable mockery.
“Letters?” She looked at Zhou Mingyuan, asking word by word.
“What letters?”
“You, a grown man, forged a woman’s handwriting to write me some shameless letters, and now you want to take them out to slander my virtue?”
“Zhou Mingyuan, have you no shame?”
“What?!”
Jiang Wu’s words were like a heavy bomb.
Everyone was stunned by the explosion.
Forged handwriting?
Zhou Mingyuan wrote the letters himself, then framed Jiang Wu?
This… this plot twist came too fast!
Zhou Mingyuan was especially dumbfounded, looking at Jiang Wu as if struck by lightning.
He never imagined Jiang Wu would pull such a move!
Turning the tables!
“You… you’re talking nonsense! Those letters were clearly written by you!” he blurted out in a panic.
“Oh?” Jiang Wu raised an eyebrow.
“Then why don’t we take those so-called ‘letters’ right now to the unit’s security department and find a professional handwriting identification expert for a thorough examination.”
“Let’s see if they were written by me, or if they are part of a play directed and performed by you, a man with ulterior motives!”
“By the way, we can also have the unit’s leadership properly investigate you.”
“See if, besides slandering a military family member, you have done any other illegal or disciplinary deeds!”
Jiang Wu’s voice was firm and resounding.
Each word was like a heavy hammer, smashing hard onto Zhou Mingyuan’s heart.
Go to the security department?
Find a handwriting expert?
And investigate him?
Zhou Mingyuan was completely panicked now.
Those letters were indeed written by the original host.
But he didn’t dare to get them authenticated!
Because he himself wasn’t clean either!
In the Cultural Troupe, relying on a bit of talent, he had been ambiguous and inappropriate with several female comrades.
If he were really investigated, his future would be completely ruined!
Looking at the composed, calm woman before him who seemed to hold all the cards, he felt fear for the first time.
He felt like a complete clown.
All his thoughts, all his schemes, were seen through by her clearly.
He was simply no match for her!
Just as Zhou Mingyuan, guilty and terrified, was caught in a dilemma, an icy, bone-chilling voice rang out from beyond the crowd.
“What’s all this noise here!”
It was Qin Lie!
He was back!
The crowd automatically parted, creating a path.
Qin Lie was wearing a crisp military uniform, with training equipment still slung over his shoulder.
He had just returned from the training ground. From afar, he saw a large crowd gathered outside his own door.
And a man having a confrontation with his wife.
His face instantly darkened.
He strode over, the stern, imposing aura he carried from the training ground lowering the surrounding temperature by several degrees.
Everyone fell silent, holding their breath.
Qin Lie walked to the courtyard gate. His gaze first landed on Jiang Wu.
He saw her pale face, slightly reddened eyes, looking as if she had been wronged.
His heart gave a sharp pang.
Then, his gaze shot like a knife towards Zhou Mingyuan standing opposite her.
“Who are you?” His voice was so cold it could freeze shards of ice.
“Daring to bully my woman at my own doorstep?”
Under that gaze, Zhou Mingyuan felt his legs go weak with fright.
Although he could also be considered a cadre, in front of Qin Lie—a real regimental commander who had walked off the battlefield and led troops—he was utterly insignificant.
“Com… Commander Qin…” he stammered, unable to form a complete sentence.
The military wives around them, seeing Qin Lie’s posture of “protecting his wife,” were all terribly excited.
The troublemakers immediately crowded forward, chattering and starting to lodge complaints.
“Commander Qin! You’re finally back!”
“This man, he… he’s slandering your wife!”
“He says… he says Jiang Wu planned to elope with him! And says Jiang Wu wrote him many love letters!”
“You must deal with this! This is simply lawless!”
They deliberately phrased things in the worst possible way, wanting to see how Qin Lie would handle it.
Would he believe his own wife, or believe this strange man with “witnesses and material evidence”?
Listening to these words, Qin Lie’s expression turned very grim.