Everyone inside and outside the building was stunned.
Most of them had seen Lin Wan before.
When Division Commander Xie’s eldest son got married, Lin Wan had attended as Xie Yanqing’s sister-in-law.
She had been soft-spoken and sweet, fair-skinned and well-behaved. Many people had remembered her vividly.
Later, when Xie Zhenshan and Factory Director Lin planned to join their families through marriage, Lin Wan became the future daughter-in-law of the Xie family, a household name in the Military Compound.
Whenever Xie Yanzhou came home on leave, they would see that Lin Wan had been invited to the city for a visit.
Over the years, everyone—including Xie Zhenshan—had thought Lin Wan was the gentle, demure type.
But now this gentle girl, with her seemingly unworldly air, had turned out to be sharp as a blade, shaking them to their core.
“Lin Wan, what are you talking about?” Xie Yanzhou was clearly unhappy, too.
When Lin Wan had first come through the door, she had already sensed his anger.
But with so many people outside watching, and at his father’s pointed look, he had tossed Lin Shuhua a blanket.
Xie Yanzhou was miserable. His heart hurt.
He thought that if his brother saw Lin Shuhua now, he might go mad, too!
This was the woman his brother had loved!
“I’m teaching her how to behave!” Lin Wan looked at Xie Yanzhou and gave a faint smile. “Lin Shuhua is three years older than me and has been raised in my family all this time. She may be my older sister, but her lack of propriety is disrespectful to my Dad and Mom. I came here today on their behalf. I apologize to Uncle Xie and to all of you for my Dad and Mom’s failure to raise her properly!”
Division Commander Xie looked at Lin Wan.
The girl was too sharp, and she showed no regard for anyone’s feelings.
She had just attacked everyone indiscriminately and had no intention of sparing the Xie family.
Still…
“Wanwan is right. Shuhua, you really ought to take a good look at yourself lately.” Division Commander Xie let out a long sigh and spoke in a subdued voice. “The Xie family has indulged you and put up with you all this time because we thought you’d suffered enough, and because Xiaobao was still so young and couldn’t be without his mother.”
“Reflect on myself? How am I supposed to do that? I didn’t even want to have a child in the first place! You promised that from then on, everything would be up to me. You promised you’d treat me like your own daughter for Xiaobao’s sake. And now? The moment Lin Wan shows up, you all start picking on me!” Lin Shuhua shrieked.
“Older Sister!” Lin Wan stepped forward.
“What are you doing?” Lin Shuhua instinctively scooted backward. She was actually a little afraid.
But she had never been afraid of Lin Wan, not once, from childhood to now!
“You’ve disappointed Mom and Dad so much. I’ll go back and tell them that the Xie family has done everything it could for you, but you’ve repaid their kindness with selfishness and outrageous behavior.” Lin Wan shook her head. “Uncle Xie and Aunt Chen don’t understand that your presence will only hurt Xiaobao.”
“That’s true. I’ve never seen her take care of the child. I hear she always sleeps with Doctor Chen!”
“During the day, she’s either shopping, having fun, or sleeping at home. I’ve come to ask Doctor Chen about health matters several times, and she’s still in bed until noon. If you ask me, Division Commander Xie and Doctor Chen have spoiled this daughter-in-law far too much!”
“And that’s not all. Just look at how she dresses when she buys clothes. People will talk behind Division Commander Xie’s back. They’re already wondering whether he’s been taking bribes!”
The murmuring was quiet, but Xie Yanzhou and Division Commander Xie seemed to hear it all the same. Lin Wan saw their faces darken.
“Lin Wan, you did this on purpose! You’re trying to get rid of me so you can take all the Xie family’s property for yourself!” Lin Shuhua shouted.
“Hmm… that does seem possible!”
“Don’t talk nonsense. Lin Wan is Factory Director Lin’s daughter. She grew up well-off, too.”
The military wives kept debating, one agreeing and another denying, all of them thoroughly engrossed.
“Enough, Sister-in-law. You’re Lin Wan’s Older Sister. You should know what kind of person she is. Besides, she isn’t short of money. She doesn’t need the Xie family’s property. Apart from a few simple pieces of furniture we bought ourselves, even this building belongs to the state. The Xie family has no property to speak of!” Xie Yanzhou said coldly.
Lin Wan tilted her head and glanced at him.
He was actually defending her. Was he taking her side?
“You’re all ganging up on me! You’ve joined forces to bully me! I’m leaving. I’m taking Xiaobao with me!” Wrapped in the blanket, Lin Shuhua struggled to her feet. Tears and snot streamed down her face. She looked awful, though she didn’t seem to realize it. She looked at Division Commander Xie. “I’m leaving this family!”
“You can. I’ve always said you’re free to go. Yanqing is gone. We never intended to keep you tied to this family,” Division Commander Xie said.
“I’m taking Xiaobao with me!” Lin Shuhua repeated.
“No,” Division Commander Xie said, shaking his head.
“He’s the one I gave birth to! He’s my son!” Lin Shuhua sneered. “He’s still nursing. I still have to feed him, so I’m taking him with me. Any judge would rule the same way!”
Division Commander Xie’s brow furrowed.
Xie Yanzhou clenched his fists, then turned to Lin Shuhua. “Sister-in-law, I promised I’d arrange a job for you…”
“Xie Yanzhou!” Lin Wan snapped angrily. Looking up at him, she said, “What right do you have to promise her that? You’re supposed to marry me. You promised her a job by your side, promised she could spend every day with you. What are the two of you thinking?”
“Whoa!”
The onlookers outside exchanged glances.
They had long since noticed that something was off about Lin Shuhua; they just hadn’t wanted to say it in front of Lin Wan.
They had thought Lin Wan was naive and couldn’t see it.
“Lin Wan, do you know what you’re saying?” Xie Yanzhou ground his teeth in helpless frustration.
He knew the girl’s defenses were up now, every thorn bristling.
She was getting ready to turn those thorns on Lin Shuhua, on him, even on his Dad…
But why?
“I know. Xie Yanzhou, you’re so devoted to your brother that you’ve been overprotective of Lin Shuhua. And Lin Shuhua says she wants to take Xiaobao away, but nursing him doesn’t automatically give her the right to take him. What are you all afraid of?” Lin Wan looked at Lin Shuhua and said evenly, “Do you know how hard it is to raise a child? She has no job, no family to fall back on, no connections—nothing. If she takes the child away, won’t that be tormenting him and ultimately killing him?”
“Lin Wan, what nonsense are you talking? He’s my son. I gave birth to him. I’m taking my son and leaving this family,” Lin Shuhua said stubbornly.
“Lin Shuhua, something is wrong with you!” Lin Wan looked at her. “You hate the Xie family so much now. Are you really going to treat the child you had with Xie Yanqing well? You’re so determined to take him away—could it be that the child isn’t Xie Yanqing’s at all?”
“Lin Wan, you’re talking rubbish!” As she spoke, Lin Shuhua grabbed the ashtray from the coffee table beside her and hurled it at Lin Wan.