In this era, most toy cars were made of real metal and had quite some weight. If it had hit her face, her nose bridge could have been broken. A brat like that needed to be taught a lesson.
“Xiao Jian.” The woman picked her son up from the ground.
“Bitch, you dare bully my son?” She pointed at Li Jiyue and cursed angrily. “Just wait—you wait right there. My husband will be here any minute.”
Her father-in-law was hospitalized, and she had brought her son to visit him. Her father-in-law disliked her and had said many unpleasant things to her, making her cry on the spot. She had borne a son for the Li family—she was a great contributor to the family! Yet that old thing dared to look down on her. When he died, she wouldn’t burn him any spirit money and would let him starve in the underworld.
Her husband had told her to come to the state-run restaurant to eat first; they would join her later.
The surrounding diners whispered among themselves.
“The director’s wife really has a powerful background. No wonder she doesn’t even put soldiers in her eyes. That little girl is going to be in trouble—once she falls into their hands, who knows how badly she’ll be tormented.”
“And she’s so pretty too. What a pity. Young people are hot-headed and can’t hold back.”
“In times like these, you can’t stand out. Self-preservation is the real wisdom.”
…
Just as the two sides were facing off, a middle-aged man entered with several others. Seeing his son crying so hard he could barely breathe, he quickly picked him up and patted his back to comfort him. Then he reproached his wife, “Xiao Yun, what happened? The child’s crying and you’re not even taking care of him?”
Zhou Yun turned to the man, tears streaming down her face as she cried and acted coquettish. “Brother Li, this woman bullied me and our son. She cursed me and even hit me. Hurry and have people arrest her—strip her naked, shave her head half-and-half, and parade her through the streets for struggle sessions. Wuwuwu…”
She knew the person her husband cared about most was their son. Since the child had been bullied, he definitely wouldn’t let this little bitch off.
Li Jiyue corrected coldly, “It was you who insulted the soldier first. Your son threw something at me and rammed into me. I was already being lenient by not hitting anyone.”
Director Li put his son down and walked up to Li Jiyue. His eyes were sharp and severe as he questioned her, “Who are you? Why did you bully my son and hit my wife? What exactly are you trying to do?”
He wore a pair of glasses, and behind the lenses his gaze was as sharp as an eagle’s. His lips were pressed tightly together, radiating unquestionable decisiveness and authority. Just a few pointed questions were enough to make people feel an invisible pressure, as if the air itself had frozen. His presence was overwhelming—commanding without anger.
Li Jiyue had interacted with many powerful high-ranking officials in her previous life. This small scene didn’t scare her at all. She replied calmly, “An ordinary civilian.”
The original owner’s biological parents were still in the northwest; she didn’t know whether her actions would affect them. In the twenty-first century, a capitalist’s daughter was something to envy. In this era, a capitalist’s daughter was hated by everyone—even dogs. How utterly miserable.
It would be nice if there were some powerful thigh she could cling to.
Just as she was thinking this, a deep voice suddenly sounded by her ear, “Director Li!”
Li Jianmin saw who it was and immediately put on a flattering smile. “…Regiment Commander Fu, you’re here too?”
His face changed almost instantly, as if the one who had just been angry wasn’t him at all.
Fu Chengyu said, “Director Li, just now your son was frightened by my face and started crying. Your wife said many very unpleasant things. This female comrade stood up for me. The matter started because of me and has nothing to do with her. Your wife’s words just now were truly excessive.”
Those last eight words made Li Jianmin break out in a cold sweat.
The Fu family’s ancestral home was in Yangcheng, and later they moved to the capital. For three generations, the Fu family had served in the military, a well-known military-political family in the capital. Fu Chengyu’s father was a three-star general—a big figure he absolutely could not afford to offend.
Three months earlier, when the enemy agent Fu Chengyu had been secretly pursuing realized escape was impossible, he tried to detonate the bomb on his body and perish together with everyone on the ship. To protect the people aboard, Fu Chengyu grabbed the enemy agent and leapt into the sea. He was rescued and survived, but was left disfigured and disabled. He returned to Yangcheng from the island fishing-village unit, honored as a hero returning home. At the time, Li Jianmin had personally led people to the train station to receive him, and it even made the newspapers.
And now Zhou Yun had dared to say he was frightening—this was a huge disaster!
Li Jiyue hadn’t expected this soldier brother to have such a powerful background. Now it was her turn to take advantage of his authority. Standing beside Fu Chengyu, she added, “More than just unpleasant—I, as a bystander, really couldn’t listen anymore and had to stand up for the soldier comrade. Then she said the two of us were having an affair. Madam Li said her husband was powerful and influential, and that a mere civilian like me couldn’t afford to offend them. Fine, I admit it—I can’t afford it. I’m just a tiny shrimp. But insulting soldiers is against the law. I’ve heard that Director Li, you’re politically upright, strict with yourself and lenient with others. You would surely handle this impartially and wouldn’t shield your own people, right?”
The more Li Jianmin listened, the angrier he became—angry and afraid at the same time, rage surging in his chest. He forced a stiff smile and nodded. “Of course. The successors of socialism must be fair and just, abide by discipline and the law.”
He grabbed Zhou Yun and pulled her forward. “Zhou Yun, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and apologize to Regiment Commander Fu!”
No matter how much he usually doted on this foolish woman, when it came to his own status and power, he would never indulge her recklessness.
Zhou Yun had been counting on her husband to back her up, only to see him bowing and scraping before the other man and forcing her to apologize humbly. Why?! Why should she?!
With tears in her eyes, she cried out in grievance, “Brother Li, you’re a director! Why are you afraid of him? So what if he’s a regiment commander? Isn’t he just a lousy soldier? Is his rank really bigger than yours? Why should I apologize to him?”
Li Jianmin’s daughter, Li Shengnan, rushed forward and slapped Zhou Yun hard. “Pa—!”
Facing Zhou Yun, Li Shengnan launched into a furious scolding. “Zhou Yun, is the Fu family someone you can afford to offend? Are you trying to get our entire family killed? You vicious woman—hurry up and apologize!”