Gu Yongping had no choice but to shift his gaze to his adopted sister, Gu Chunmiao.
"Miaomiao, go and persuade your mother-in-law..."
Gu Chunmiao pursed her lips: "Do you really want me to persuade her?"
Gu Yongping gritted his teeth: "Let's get your mother-in-law down first."
Gu Chunmiao walked over and earnestly reasoned with her mother-in-law:
"Mother, please come down first. If you have grievances, seek out the government. This is a new society, not the old one. If you didn't do it, no one can wrongly accuse you."
"I think Regimental Commander Gu has misunderstood you. It doesn't matter if he doesn't listen to your explanation. At worst, I'll accompany you to the Military Unit. We can ask the leaders there to mediate for us."
Li Xiufen's eyes lit up. She let go of the hemp rope and jumped down from the stool herself.
"That's right, that's right! How could I forget? The literacy class taught us: if you have difficulties, find the government!"
"Let's go, let's go! We'll take the train to Beijing City today! We'll find the government, or go to the Military Unit to find the leaders and ask them to judge us. Should we also report it to the Public Security Bureau in the Provincial Capital on the way?"
Gu Yongping's brow twitched: "It's just a family matter, why report it to the police? Besides, the government won't bother with such trivial things..."
Li Xiufen swiftly pulled the hemp rope from the door frame, rolled it up, and tucked it into her waistband.
"If the government doesn't care, I'll go and hang myself at the entrance of the government compound!"
"Whether it's right or wrong, it must be clarified today!"
Gu Yongping was so scared his scalp was about to explode.
If Li Xiufen really went to the Military Unit to make a scene, or even hang herself at the entrance of the Military Compound, how could their family ever show their faces in the compound again?
Seeing Li Xiufen and Gu Chunmiao's fearless expressions, a hint of doubt arose in Gu Yongping's heart.
Could it be that the letters slandering Sisi were not actually written by Miaomiao?
But if Miaomiao didn't write them, then who did?
A nearly absurd, yet infinitely close to the truth, guess slowly formed in Gu Yongping's mind.
For the first time, he set aside the filter of being her biological brother and examined Gu Sisi beside him from the perspective of a regimental commander.
Gu Sisi felt a chill run down her spine under his gaze: "Brother~ Wh-what are you looking at me for?"
Gu Yongping shook his head: "It's nothing. Since we're here anyway, we haven't visited Miaomiao's husband's family. It's a good opportunity to stay here for a few days and see how Miaomiao is doing..."
Gu Sisi's face turned pale, and she timidly tugged at Gu Yongping's sleeve.
"Eldest Brother, are you... are you going to take Sister Miaomiao back?"
Gu Yongping paused, then gently patted Gu Sisi's head: "Sisi, everyone in the compound knows now that you are Mom and Dad's biological child, my biological sister. Even if Miaomiao goes back, it won't affect you."
Gu Sisi lowered her head, her bangs covering the resentment and unwillingness in her eyes. She said to Gu Yongping in a docile tone: "Eldest Brother, I know. I never thought of competing with Sister Miaomiao for anything... It's she who doesn't want to see me and always targets me at home..."
Gu Yongping opened his mouth, instinctively wanting to scold Gu Chunmiao, but his peripheral vision caught sight of the hanging rope in Li Xiufen's hand. His mind jolted, and he felt as if a large basin of cold water had been poured over him, instantly sobering him up.
He frowned: "Sisi, you're saying those letters targeting you from the Cultural Troupe were all sent by Miaomiao? Are the envelopes still there? Bring them to me."
Gu Sisi's eyes flickered: "Those letters were shown to me by others. They didn't give me any envelopes. Maybe they just threw them away when they opened them?"
Gu Yongping suddenly thought of a question: "Sisi, I've been meaning to ask, who gave you those letters you mentioned? Write their names down for me, and when I get back, I'll ask them..."
Gu Sisi felt a wave of panic. She lowered her head, tightly clutching the hem of her clothes with both hands, her voice filled with a thick, tearful tone:
"Eldest Brother, do you... don't you believe me?"
"Eldest Brother doesn't not believe you, it's just that everything requires evidence!"
"Sisi, you've seen it too. It's not that I'm unwilling to believe you, but Miaomiao's husband's family is making a fuss and insisting we provide evidence. Otherwise, they'll go to the Military Unit to cause trouble, and maybe even go to your Cultural Troupe..."
"No! They can't go!" Gu Sisi suddenly raised her head, her eyes bloodshot. "Brother! Aren't they just a bunch of poor country folk? Our Dad is a military leader! If they dare to cause trouble at the Military Compound, let the Public Security Bureau arrest them! Or send them to a farm for labor reform!"
"Shut up! Gu Sisi, are you crazy? That's your sister! No matter what, we are family. How can you call the police to arrest your sister?"
Gu Sisi cried out in despair: "She's not my sister! It's her! Gu Chunmiao stole my life! If it weren't for her, I should have grown up in the Military Compound since I was little, and everything she has now should be mine!"
After saying that, Gu Sisi turned and ran.
Gu Yongping was so scared he didn't dare to press further. He took out a thick envelope from his pocket and pushed it into Gu Chunmiao's hand.
"Miaomiao, I know you're upset that Mom and Dad are sending you to the countryside, but we had our reasons."
"You can see Sisi's current condition; she can't handle any more stimulation."
"I'll go chase her! Take this money and these coupons. Mom asked me to give them to you... Mom is just being stubborn. Actually, she regretted it the day you went to the countryside."
"If you have time, it's best to go back with Zhanjun to see Mom..."
Gu Chunmiao didn't have time to refuse before Gu Yongping had already run far away.
"Mother, this money... what should we do?" Gu Chunmiao instinctively looked at Li Xiufen.
For some reason, she now only wanted to listen to her mother-in-law's arrangements.
Li Xiufen thought for a moment and said: "Put it aside for now. We'll find a chance to return it next time we see them."
"Our family is poor, but we're not starving. We can't use this money! If we use it, we won't have the confidence to argue next time."
He Zhanjun couldn't help but persuade his mother when he heard she was about to argue with someone again: "Mother~ Can we be more civilized? Your son is now a Deputy Battalion Commander, after all. What does it look like if you keep threatening to hang yourself with a hemp rope?"
"Shut up!" Gu Chunmiao glared at He Zhanjun and firmly shielded her mother-in-law behind her.
"Mother is standing up for me today, and I appreciate it. What business is it of yours?"
"Besides, when people argue, who is civilized? They even fight. Mother only threatened to hang herself, she didn't fight with Gu Yongping and Gu Sisi. That's already very civilized."
Li Xiufen felt a warmth spread through her. Looking at Gu Chunmiao, her eyes were like those for her own daughter.
Li Xiufen's eyes grew moist: "Miaomiao, you don't dislike me?"
Gu Chunmiao affectionately put her arm around her mother-in-law's arm: "I don't dislike you at all. Mother, in my heart, you are the best mother-in-law in the world!"
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law clung tightly to each other, praising each other.
He Zhanjun stood alone, holding a hoe in his hand.
For some reason, he felt as if he had been isolated by his biological mother and his wife...
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