Volume One, Chapter 20: Does This Look Like a Woman Who Just Gave Birth?
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Shen Sisi was worried about the little one at home; if the child woke up midway and couldn’t find her, she would be anxious. So she politely declined, “The baby is home alone, I’m not at ease. Maybe next time!”
“The child is still small, it’s true that she can’t be left alone. How about this…” Li Wenhui glanced calmly at the bowl in her hand, “Put the bowl down, I’ll bring it to you later.”
Shen Sisi was perceptive and caught her signal—Li Wenhui was planning to come over for a chat!
She smiled gently, “Then that would be a favor, sister-in-law.”
Setting down the large white porcelain bowl, Shen Sisi shut the door and left.
Back home, Niuniu was still asleep, perhaps due to the fish soup she had eaten, her little face was flushed with color, finally showing some vitality.
She tucked in Niuniu’s quilt and then boiled some water. Just as the misty tea was brewed, a visitor arrived.
“Little sister, it’s me.”
Li Wenhui had followed shortly after Shen Sisi left, carrying the bowl.
When Shen Sisi opened the door, she saw that the bowl was not only clean but filled more than halfway with glutinous millet.
“Sister-in-law, what’s this for?”
Li Wenhui handed the bowl into Shen Sisi’s hands, “I saw your child was pale and thin. You should make some millet porridge for her. If she eats it regularly, she’ll surely gain weight.”
Seeing the golden millet, large and round, of excellent quality, Shen Sisi knew Li Wenhui genuinely wanted to befriend her.
So she didn’t refuse.
“Then I’ll accept it on behalf of the child, thank you. Please come in and have some tea.”
Shen Sisi invited her to sit and served her an apple.
During this time, Li Wenhui kept observing Shen Sisi, her gaze lingering on the soft, slender waist.
She hardly looked like a woman who had given birth.
“Sister-in-law, have some fruit.” Shen Sisi offered the apple.
Li Wenhui accepted it, feeling a very good impression of her.
She was refined and polite, nothing like the rumors painting her as a promiscuous seductress.
“Well... don’t take this morning’s matter to heart,” Li Wenhui comforted her.
Shen Sisi’s expression remained calm, her demeanor serene as still water.
“Thank you, I’m fine… It’s just that there are some things I don’t quite understand, and I’d like to ask you about them.”
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Li Wenhui bit into the crisp, sweet apple, “Go ahead.”
Shen Sisi put down the fruit knife and methodically peeled the apple, “I just arrived and haven’t offended anyone. Why do Zhang Xiuhong and Yang Chunxia target me? Who is spreading these rumors about me?”
Seeing her calm and composed attitude, not impulsive, Li Wenhui finally spoke, “I’m not entirely sure myself. I heard it from Zhang Xiuhong, she said you…”
She couldn’t bring herself to say those words!
Shen Sisi’s eyes darkened, “She called me a ‘broken shoe,’ an unwed mother, right?”
Li Wenhui nodded vigorously, “Exactly. She flaps her big mouth everywhere telling people about you, making it sound like she saw it with her own eyes.”
“As for why she targets you…” Li Wenhui’s eyes rolled thoughtfully, “Let’s just say, your brother-in-law Gu used to be the captain of the first battalion, while Zhang Xiuhong’s husband Zhou Tao is captain of the third battalion. They’ve been competing for the regimental commander position…”
Li Wenhui was smart, hinting just enough and leaving the rest to Shen Sisi’s insight.
Shen Sisi was silent for a moment, now it made sense…
No wonder Zhang Xiuhong disliked her so much and targeted her right away—it was all about the promotion.
If she fell into the trap and fought loudly with Zhang Xiuhong, she would definitely be kicked out of the military housing compound.
Given Gu Chengfeng’s temper, who knew what rash things he might do.
He was risking rumors and gossip to bring her back; she couldn’t repay him with betrayal and cause trouble for him.
Noticing a flicker of sharpness beneath her calm exterior, Li Wenhui knew Shen Sisi had grasped the stakes.
She pressed her advantage, “As for that Yang Chunxia, don’t be fooled by her constant smiling and friendliness. She’s a smiling tiger, very scheming. She loves forming cliques, stirring up trouble, and always uses Zhang Xiuhong as her pawn. You need to be careful.”
Shen Sisi nodded in understanding, then looked at her worriedly, “If you’re helping me, aren’t you afraid they’ll retaliate against you?”
Talking about this made Li Wenhui’s face flush with anger, “Since I moved into the compound, I’ve been bullied by them countless times. If it weren’t for your brother-in-law Gu helping me, I’d have been kicked out long ago, and my brother Yong would have faced punishment too.”
Shen Sisi sighed deeply; no wonder Li Wenhui dared to stand up for justice.
It was all because of Gu Chengfeng.
He had sown a good seed before, and she was now reaping the benefits.
During that cup of tea, Li Wenhui and Shen Sisi quickly became familiar.
Li Wenhui seemed to open up, chatting nonstop about life in the compound.
She carefully told Shen Sisi which people were trustworthy.
And which were best to keep at a distance, as if sharing a precious secret, explaining everything clearly.
Shen Sisi listened attentively, her heart full of gratitude.
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She smiled and told Li Wenhui that when Gu Chengfeng returned from his mission, she would definitely invite the couple for a meal.
Li Wenhui’s eyes lit up. Having just tasted the sugar-glazed glutinous rice cake—crispy on the outside, tender inside, with a sugary syrup filling—she knew Shen Sisi was an excellent cook.
Such an invitation was naturally not to be refused, and she nodded repeatedly in agreement.
When the topic shifted to Shen Sisi’s daughter, Li Wenhui became curious.
Tilting her head slightly, eyes filled with gentle inquiry, she softly asked, “Sisi, what’s the story with your daughter?”
Her tone was very warm, like chatting casually, without any hint of offense.
Shen Sisi was equally candid, “This is my daughter. She’s had a weak constitution since childhood. The rest… I’ll tell you when there’s a chance.”
Li Wenhui nodded, her gaze filled with curiosity but quickly returning to calm.
She was a sensible person, knowing what to ask and what to avoid.
Since Shen Sisi clearly didn’t want to mention it, why press her?
She thoughtfully stood up, “I won’t keep you then. Remember to come find me when you have time…”
After seeing Li Wenhui off, Shen Sisi washed the tea cups, mulling over her words.
It seemed the rumors originated from Zhang Xiuhong.
Who had passed them on to her?
Looks like she needed to find a chance to dig into Zhang Xiuhong’s background and unearth that person!
Afraid of being caught off guard and hurt again, Shen Sisi stayed indoors for two days.
By the third day, all the food at home was gone, and she guessed Gu Chengfeng would be back soon.
She took Niuniu outside, planning to buy a chicken to stew soup as a welcome home dish, and to pick up some ingredients for medicinal oil.
Just at the entrance, she saw a shifty-looking man being stopped at the military compound’s guard post, shouting that he was there to see Gu Chengfeng.
The man had a buzz cut, half of his left ear was cut off, and he looked like a disreputable character.
He was being blocked by the soldier on guard but refused to relent, almost provoking a fight.
Seeing this, Shen Sisi hugged Niuniu and quickly hid in the shadows, watching the man from a distance.