When it came to food, anyone who dared tell her what she could or couldn’t eat was asking for trouble.
Lin Weiwei was frightened by the killing intent radiating from Jiang Yan and instinctively took a step back as she explained, “I didn’t. I was just worried you’d make yourself sick from eating too much.”
Lin Weiwei didn’t even dare accuse Jiang Yan of wasting food anymore.
“Auntie Weiwei, she won’t,” Xiao Xi piped up. “My stepmom can eat a lot. She can eat as much as a whole pig!”
His exaggerated expression was ridiculously adorable. Jiang Yan instantly broke down, the corner of her mouth twitching violently.
*Well, thank you very much for thinking so highly of your mom!*
“Ahem.” Jiang Yan cleared her throat and looked at Lin Weiwei. “Doctor Lin, I’m not eating your family’s rice, and I’m not spending your family’s money. You really don’t need to worry about me this much!”
“But you’re spending Brother Ting’s money! Brother Ting’s missions are so dangerous, and he works so hard to earn that money, yet you’re using it to stuff yourself!”
Honestly, Lin Weiwei found this even more painful than if Jiang Yan had been spending her own money.
Jiang Yan didn’t understand. “I’m spending my own husband’s money. Why are you so worked up about it?”
“I…” Lin Weiwei’s throat caught.
Yes. What right did she have to get worked up?
Lin Weiwei quickly composed herself and explained, “I’ve just never seen anyone waste so much food before, so I got a little emotional. I’m sorry.”
“I’ll say it again. I’m not wasting food. This is my normal appetite. Well, I just happen to eat a little more!”
*You call that a little?*
Lin Weiwei certainly didn’t believe Jiang Yan could actually eat that much, but seeing how angry Jiang Yan was, she didn’t dare say anything else.
Zhao Erniu didn’t believe it either.
Neither of them left, coming up with all sorts of excuses to stay. In the end, they watched, dumbfounded, as Jiang Yan polished off every last bit of food.
She really ate it all!
The first thing Lin Weiwei thought was: *How is Brother Ting ever going to afford a wife who eats this much?*
Zhao Erniu, meanwhile, thought: *Sister-in-law is a role model for all of us. I wish I could eat that much too!*
That way, once times got better, he could make up for all the meat he hadn’t been able to eat over the years.
……
That afternoon, Xiao Jin’s condition improved, so Jiang Yan took him and Xiao Xi home.
They had barely arrived when Zhou Yunjing showed up with the results of his investigation.
Jiang Yan had only been at the military compound for a few days, and there were only a handful of people who had any sort of grudge against her.
This was such an obvious frame-up that it didn’t take long for Zhou Yunjing to trace it back to Zhao Xiaomei.
Things hadn’t gone according to plan, and Zhao Xiaomei had been constantly worried that she would be exposed. But she never expected it to happen so quickly.
*I can’t admit it!*
*I’d rather die than admit it. If I do, I’m finished!*
Zhao Xiaomei repeated this to herself over and over.
But once she was taken into the military interrogation room, she didn’t even make it through the first round of questioning before confessing everything.
She had secretly gone into the mountains and caught the venomous snake herself. While Huo Zhanting was away on a mission, she had quietly released it into Xiao Jin and Xiao Xi’s bedroom.
Her goal was to frame Jiang Yan for abusing and murdering her stepchildren, use the incident as an excuse to drive her away, and then marry Huo Zhanting herself and become the regimental commander’s wife.
Zhao Xiaomei also implicated Auntie Zhao.
She had promised that after marrying Huo Zhanting, she would give all of his salary to Auntie Zhao and have Xiao Jin and Xiao Xi wait on Zhao Jinbao. In return, Auntie Zhao had agreed to help her frame Jiang Yan.
That was also why Auntie Zhao had suddenly appeared at Jiang Yan’s house first thing that morning.
After Zhao Xiaomei’s interrogation, everyone was left speechless.
*Had this aunt-and-niece pair been kicked in the head by a donkey?*
Even if Huo Zhanting really divorced Jiang Yan, did that mean he would definitely marry Zhao Xiaomei?
*Ugh, why am I letting her nonsense get to me?*
Jiang Yan had already witnessed firsthand how these two could take their wild fantasies completely for granted, so when Zhou Yunjing told her what had happened, she wasn’t particularly surprised.
But hadn’t Huo Zhanting said Zhao Xiaomei had already been sent back to her hometown?
*As expected, you really can’t count on men!*
Jiang Yan silently cursed that bastard in her heart before asking Zhou Yunjing, “Where are Auntie Zhao and Zhao Xiaomei now?”
“They’re both being held in the detention room.”
“How does the army plan to deal with them?” Jiang Yan asked.
Zhou Yunjing paused before answering, “Considering that although this incident was serious, it didn’t lead to any irreversible consequences, and Zhao Dahu is innocent. He’s also a battalion commander, so the army doesn’t want him to have a mother who ends up in prison.”
Zhao Dahu was a very capable soldier. His hearing was exceptionally sharp—he could hear even the faintest sounds within a ten-meter radius.
That ability was extremely useful during missions and combat operations and could greatly reduce casualties.
Commander Jiang valued his talent and wanted to protect him.
“So the higher-ups have ordered Zhao Dahu to pay five hundred yuan in medical expenses for Xiao Jin, and Zhao Xiaomei and Auntie Zhao will be sent back to their hometown.”
“Of course, that’s the army’s decision. As for how it’s ultimately carried out, it will still depend on Commander Huo and your opinion.”
Jiang Yan frowned.
She wasn’t satisfied at all. This punishment was far too lenient for the aunt-and-niece pair.
And although Zhao Dahu was innocent, he had created the conditions that allowed them to do what they did. If he hadn’t been softhearted and failed to send Zhao Xiaomei back home, Xiao Jin would never have suffered like this.
Besides, so what if Zhao Dahu was a valuable soldier? Wasn’t her Lao Huo valuable too?
Why should his family be allowed to get away with attempted murder simply because he was talented?
Why should her son have to suffer for it?
“Battalion Commander Zhou, please report this to your superiors. I refuse to accept this arrangement. Zhao Xiaomei and Auntie Zhao must go to prison!”
Sending them back home?
That would be letting them off far too easily.
Zhou Yunjing had known Jiang Yan wouldn’t agree. He opened his mouth, but in the end, he didn’t try to persuade her again.
He returned and reported Jiang Yan’s response to Political Commissar Sun.
That very evening, Political Commissar Sun brought Zhao Dahu to Jiang Yan’s home to apologize.
“Sister-in-law, I’m sorry. I failed to keep my family under control, and Xiao Jin was hurt because of it. I’m willing to compensate you however you want. Just… could you please not send my mother to prison?”
Zhao Dahu was a truly devoted filial son. Otherwise, Auntie Zhao wouldn’t have dared behave so outrageously.
Jiang Yan had no intention of sacrificing herself just to fulfill someone else’s idea of filial piety. She looked coldly at Zhao Dahu.
“I remember Commander Huo telling you to send Zhao Xiaomei back to your hometown, didn’t he? You were the one who failed to send her away, which led to all of this. What right do you have to come here and plead for her?”
“And your mother knew Xiao Jin had been poisoned, yet in order to frame me for murdering my stepson, she brought a group of people to stop me from taking Xiao Jin to the hospital. She wanted Xiao Jin to die and then pin the blame on me. How exactly do you expect me to forgive her?”
“I…”
Zhao Dahu was rendered speechless by Jiang Yan. Aside from saying sorry, he had no idea what else he could say.
“Comrade Jiang Yan, I know you’ve been wronged, and Xiao Jin has suffered,” Political Commissar Sun said, “but you also have to consider the army. If the family member of a serviceman is convicted of murder, it will affect the army’s reputation!”
Protecting Zhao Dahu was only one reason.
More importantly, the army couldn’t have a convicted murderer among its military families. Otherwise, when the units were evaluated for outstanding performance at the end of the year, their regiment would certainly lose its chance.
“Comrade Jiang Yan, I hope you can put the bigger picture first.”
Political Commissar Sun was clearly putting pressure on her.
Jiang Yan’s expression turned grim.
She knew that in this era, people cared enormously about their reputation. Whenever something ugly happened, they preferred to cover it up and settle it privately.
She just hadn’t expected the army to be the same.
*Then what about Huo Zhanting?*
*Would he also sacrifice Xiao Jin and let him suffer just to protect the army’s reputation?*
If that was really the kind of man he was, then he was no good.
He might as well die in battle sooner, and she could become a martyr’s widow!