"Exactly, you can't say that! But Liu Jingyi is so inconsiderate, blurting things out without any regard for others' feelings."
"Hey, what do you think? Was her invitation to Chen Jie's house for dinner genuine or just a polite gesture?"
"Who knows? Did the sun rise in the west? Before, when Chen Jie tried to talk to her, she would ignore her."
"I think she just doesn't like Li Chunhua and deliberately said those things to annoy her, while also trying to win Chen Jie over. Liu Jingyi, she's a shrewd one!"
Chen Jie listened to the surrounding chatter but didn't participate. She simply bent down and silently picked up the enamel shards from the ground, throwing them into the nearby trash can.
Looking at the water stains on her hands, she recalled Liu Jingyi's rare, even sincere, smile and invitation as she left.
"Come to my house for dinner next time."
These words gently stirred in Chen Jie's heart.
It was indeed too unexpected.
The Liu Jingyi of the past was arrogant and dismissive of them. Because she was her neighbor and Commander Leng was her husband's superior, her attempts to befriend her had always been met with rejection.
What was wrong with her today?
Had she changed her personality? Or… because she had subconsciously tried to mediate earlier, and Liu Jingyi had seen it?
Sister Chen shook her head, her heart filled with complex emotions.
Liu Jingyi was eccentric and sharp-tongued, but her reckless, vibrant energy also gave one a certain… exhilaration?
At least, she lived the kind of life many wouldn't dare to live.
"Forget it, why think so much?"
Sister Chen shook the water off her hands and turned to go home.
However, Liu Jingyi's smiling invitation, like a pebble, stirred a ripple in her calm heart.
Meanwhile, Liu Jingyi left the compound and spent the day looking for work.
There were plenty of jobs, but she couldn't do any manual labor. Getting into a factory required connections; the job opportunity her family had previously had had been given to Chen Biyu's daughter.
Supply and marketing cooperatives and state-run department stores were indeed places everyone wanted to go, but for her, they weren't particularly special.
As a modern person, these jobs might be respectable now, but in a few years or decades, they would mean nothing.
However, she did see business opportunities while browsing state-run department stores.
But Liu Jingyi needed to think it over carefully, given the current harsh environment and Leng Yunting's military background.
When Liu Jingyi returned, Leng Yunting was already home.
He was unpacking the things he brought back last night, remembering Liu Jingyi's crying. The little leather shoes he'd just bought came in handy.
A hundred yuan or so might be several months' or even half a year's salary for others, but for someone from Leng Yunting's family, it was nothing.
Liu Jingyi had actually wanted to buy them before, but all the remaining sizes were large; they didn't have her size.
Leng Yunting wasn't a traditionalist; he was quite good at charming women, it just depended on whether he wanted to.
Last night, he was in a fit of anger, so he couldn't really blame Liu Jingyi, since she was the one who brought it up out of curiosity.
But he was instinctively unhappy, and then, because of what she said, he just wanted to teach her a lesson.
Leng Yunting thought Liu Jingyi would apologize like before, but this time, she was incredibly stubborn and wouldn't back down.
When Liu Jingyi got home, she acted as if Leng Yunting didn't exist.
Instead of her usual sweet smile and "husband" greeting, she walked past him indifferently and went straight into the house.
Leng Yunting, however, acted as if nothing had happened. Seeing her still red and swollen eyes, he paused for a moment, then said, "Dinner's ready, let's eat."
Liu Jingyi showed no sign of stopping, saying indifferently, "I'm not hungry."
Seeing Leng Yunting's usual attitude, Liu Jingyi's temper flared even more, and she was even less likely to be appeased now.
She was already like this, and Leng Yunting was still the same as usual—what a scoundrel!
Liu Jingyi had been running around all day, and with Leng Yunting's torment last night, she was exhausted.
She was covered in sweat, and all she wanted now was a hot shower.
Liu Jingyi went to her room, found some pajamas, and went to the bathroom, but instead of taking a bath as usual, she just quickly washed herself.
Even though it was a quick shower, it felt good for her, given her exhaustion and sweat.
After showering, she went straight back to her room, ready to sleep.
Leng Yunting, aside from his initial comment, didn't find a chance to speak again.
Leng Yunting was a clean freak; seeing Liu Jingyi's clothes, he took them to wash and hung them to dry in the yard.
After he finished tidying up, he went to the room and picked up the sleeping Liu Jingyi.
Liu Jingyi was still half asleep, her eyes barely open, when she felt herself being kissed.
"Wife, get up and eat."
Liu Jingyi had intended to ignore him for a few days, but being woken up by his kiss, seeing his handsome face, made it impossible to stay angry.
Liu Jingyi inwardly cursed herself for being so weak, so easily softened by a man's looks?
No, to be precise, her newly erected defenses had crumbled.
Leng Yunting's breath, hot and scorching, brushed against her cheek, his deep eyes focused intently on her, seemingly hiding an apology and… barely perceptible flattery that hadn't been there the night before?
Liu Jingyi wanted to push him away forcefully, but her body resisted her will, craving the warmth and firmness of his embrace.
And the tragic future she had dreamt of in her dream made Liu Jingyi panic.
Liu Jingyi suddenly grabbed the man's shirt and said to him, "Even if we're not together anymore, can you not be nice to other women?"
"From now on, you'll only be nice to me!"
Leng Yunting really wanted to crack open her head to see what was inside. What
gave her the right to say such domineering and unreasonable things?
They weren't together anymore, so why couldn't he find someone else or be nice to someone else?
They were strangers now, so why should he still be nice to her?
Liu Jingyi looked at the man, receiving no answer, and suddenly felt a pang of disappointment.
"Leng Yunting, we were husband and wife for a time. Even if you don't like me, we still have some feelings for each other. Even if you have someone you like in the future, can you not abandon me and leave me to die?"
Liu Jingyi muttered softly.
Leng Yunting reflected for a moment. Could it be that he really went too far yesterday, making her think he would abandon her?
"We won't separate, okay? Unless you don't want me anymore."
Leng Yunting's voice was deep, with a hint of coaxing. His arms firmly encircled her, and he carried her off the bed without leaving any room for argument.