The thank-you gifts sent from Commander Zhang’s household hit the compound like a boulder dropped into a calm lake, sending ripples across the entire military community.
Everyone had been waiting for the Ho family’s misfortune: Huo Jingchuan disabled, married to a country girl, surely doomed to a miserable life.
But who would have thought that this country girl would suddenly become a guest of honor in Commander Zhang’s house?
Malted milk, specially-supplied canned goods, and even meat vouchers that couldn’t be bought with money—laid out like this, they made many in the compound green with envy.
And the one paling with jealousy the most was Wu Guihua, the wife of the deputy regiment commander, who lived in the back row of the Ho household.
Wu Guihua was a classic nosy, petty shrew: broad, coarse, with sharp, cunning eyes.
She was the cousin of the gossiping Liu Sao, and loved forming cliques around the compound.
Even worse, her husband Wang Daqiang, deputy commander of the Third Regiment, had been overshadowed by Huo Jingchuan for years.
Finally, after waiting for Huo Jingchuan to become disabled and retreat from the front lines, she saw her husband finally getting a chance to shine—only for the Ho family’s new bride to make such a splash, even linking up with the commander himself!
How could Wu Guihua tolerate that?
..
The afternoon sun shone warmly. Near the compound’s water room, several family members washed vegetables and chatted.
Wu Guihua cracked sunflower seeds, spitting shells on the ground, her mouth twisted in a mocking grin:
“Ha! You really believe that girl can heal anyone? Pfft! She’s just a blind cat catching a dead mouse, that’s all.”
Liu Sao quickly chimed in: “Cousin’s right! How old is that girl? She says she learned from a barefoot doctor—who knows if it’s even true?”
“Barefoot doctor!” Wu Guihua sneered, her eyes sharp and venomous. “My family had people like that before—superstitious, full of mumbo jumbo. I bet what she did isn’t medicine at all; it’s just rural ‘shamanistic rituals’! Witchcraft!”
The other military families were startled: “Sister-in-law Guihua, you can’t say that… that’s feudal superstition…”
“Why not?” Wu Guihua raised her voice, deliberately letting everyone hear. “Think about it! Any proper doctor uses stethoscopes, lab tests. She just sticks some needles in randomly, and the person comes back to life? Witchcraft, that’s what it is!”
Fired up, Wu Guihua lowered her voice—but just enough for everyone nearby to catch it:
“And I heard her older sister refused to marry, but she came instead. There’s clearly something fishy going on! Maybe… bad blood!”
“Maybe she’s a ‘foreign agent’ sent over! Using witchcraft to confuse the commander, destabilize the army! Look at Commander Huo—so sharp before, now completely under her spell. That woman is a jinx! She’ll destroy Commander Huo one day, maybe even harm our compound!”
In that era, calling someone “superstitious” or an “enemy agent” was enough to ruin a person.
The other families exchanged uneasy glances. They thought it sounded extreme—but a flicker of doubt crept into their eyes.
Just then, faint footsteps echoed.
Jiang Mian was approaching with an enamel basin, heading to the water room.
Having trained her hearing in her previous life, she picked up Wu Guihua’s entire tirade clearly—even from a distance.
Shaman rituals?Witchcraft?Enemy agent?Jinx?
Jiang Mian snorted inwardly. That woman really had an imagination—wasted if she didn’t write novels.
Wu Guihua turned—and came face to face with Jiang Mian.
Instead of feeling guilty for being caught talking trash, she rolled her eyes and deliberately spat on the ground:
“Pfft! Bad luck! Smells like a fox!”
The water room went instantly silent.
All eyes locked on Jiang Mian, waiting to see her reaction.
Would she roar back like when she saved the old chief? Or…
Jiang Mian froze.
The next second, she adjusted her expression. Her normally calm face went pale, a visible red ring forming around her eyes.
She bit her lower lip hard, trembling slightly. Her fingers gripping the enamel basin were white at the knuckles.
Facing Wu Guihua’s provocation, she said nothing—just lowered her head, looking like a frightened rabbit, stumbling past everyone and running home without even getting water.
Her retreating figure looked utterly wronged, helpless, and fragile.
Seeing Jiang Mian flee, Wu Guihua smugly put her hands on her hips and laughed:
“See that? Guilty! I knew it! This country girl has just this much skill!”
But no one heard the volcanic stream of inner thoughts exploding inside Jiang Mian:
Shaman rituals? Go jump in a lake!I’m trained in real Chinese medicine! Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles is national treasure! Know what that means, you uneducated shrew?!Enemy agent? Fox spirit? I bet you’re the real spy—those beady eyes say it all!
Fine, you want to slander me? Try pinning a political label on me?Wu Guihua, huh? Just wait!Gentlemen take ten years to get revenge—I, divine doctor, take revenge from morning to night! I know this compound’s water sources better than anyone…Wait until I get a free hand, I’ll make a super-strong laxative that leaves you questioning your life! Let’s see if you still have the energy to spew nonsense then!
Jiang Mian ran home, maintaining her pitiful, “oh-so-helpless” act—but of course, she wasn’t performing for Wu Guihua.
She was performing for the “Living Yama” at home.
After all, when you strike someone’s personal doctor, Commander Huo is not going to stay calm.