“Mm, I’ll just wait at home!” After saying this, Lin Nannan hung up the phone.

She turned around and saw the group of women exchanging uneasy glances, their faces pale. Grinning, she added fuel to the fire: “Someone will be here soon—maybe they really will take Lu Heng away!”

“If they don’t take my brother, they’ll take you!” Lu Yuan, being young, hadn’t yet mastered Lin Nannan’s ruthless tactics, but she loved watching their faces turn ashen. It felt incredibly satisfying.

He Ye now panicked and forced an awkward laugh. “Ah Yuan, you know what kind of person your auntie is—I was just joking! How could you take it seriously?”

“Joking?!” Lu Yuan shrieked, her voice trembling with rage. “My brother sacrificed himself defending our country! He’s already suffered enough, and yet you still want to kick him while he’s down? What are you trying to do—push him to his death? Destroy our family?”

Other matters might not have drawn her out, but this one was unbearable. Even if people gossiped, she would fight these women to the end.

Seeing her sister-in-law on the verge of tears, Lin Nannan reached out and ruffled her hair. “Don’t cry. Right and wrong will be made clear eventually.”

“My brother’s already like this, and they still dare to slander him… It’s just too much.” The young girl buried her face in Lin Nannan’s shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably.

Lin Nannan’s gaze turned icy as she stared at He Ye and the others. Because of her sister-in-law’s tears, she marked another grievance against them.

“Village Chief,” He Ye, afraid that Lin Nannan might spiral out of control, turned to Lu Ding. “We were just gossiping—it’s not that serious! They’re blowing things out of proportion. If the military really sends people over, won’t it shame our entire village? Hurry and call them back—tell them not to come!”

Lu Ding shared the same ancestral roots as Lu Heng’s family. Moreover, Lu Heng had once been the village’s most accomplished and promising young man, bringing great honor to them all. How could he allow anyone to bully him now?

Before, as a man, he hadn’t wanted to stoop to arguing with these women. But now, he thought Lin Nannan’s method was brilliant—it was cathartic. Why wouldn’t he support it?

“Who do you think I am? Do they take orders from me? Do I call the shots?” Lu Ding sneered.

He Ye choked back a retort, realizing Lu Ding was siding with Lin Nannan—after all, he was a Lu.

“Village Chief, no offense, but what kind of person Lin Nannan is—if others don’t know, you should! Her talent for stirring up trouble is unmatched. If the military really comes, you’ll be the one in hot water!” After defiantly snapping back, she turned and stormed off.

She planned to send her daughter to find Lu Heng first. No matter what, she had to smooth things over. After all, Lin Nannan’s reputation was already in tatters—if they pinned the blame on her, no one would question it.

Young and naive, Lu Yuan thought He Ye’s hurried departure was out of fear, completely unaware of her malicious intentions.

Lin Nannan, however, knew He Ye wasn’t done yet. But no matter what tricks she pulled, Lin Nannan wasn’t afraid.

In fact, she was curious to see what He Ye would try next. With a clear conscience, she had nothing to fear. Let them scheme all they wanted.

…

In the village, nothing stayed secret for long. Within moments, word had spread—though somehow, the story had twisted into Lin Nannan being the troublemaker, offending He Ye and even provoking Lu Heng’s former military unit…

Some people close to the Lu family hurried to find Lu Fang and the others. In just a few words, they explained the situation and urged, “You’d better go back and check quickly. If Lin Nannan really causes trouble, you’ll have a headache to deal with.”