A few women were lost in thought after hearing the conversation.

Liu Mingxiang pointed at Li Shuping and said, “No matter what you say, a good woman must follow the virtues of womanhood, obey the three obediences and four virtues. Abandoning your husband and children through divorce is shameful and should be condemned!”

Old Lady Yuan nodded in agreement.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk…” Li Shuping’s gaze shifted between Liu Mingxiang and Aunt Yuan. “The Qing Dynasty has long fallen, this is New China, a new society, and you’re still clinging to these old feudal ideas.”

Her words made Old Lady Yuan and Liu Mingxiang’s expressions change.

They were reminded of those difficult years.

“Who’s holding on to feudal thoughts?”

“You are. Both of you.” Li Shuping pointed at Liu Mingxiang and Aunt Yuan. “The ‘three obediences and four virtues’ are nothing but feudal dregs. They were abolished long ago. The Great Leader once said, ‘Women hold up half the sky.’ That means if men support one half, we women are fully capable of holding up the other half.”

“We women are equal to men. We can stand on our own feet, work hard, and create happy lives. We can contribute to the country and society.”

Li Shuping looked at Liu Mingxiang with disdain. “And here you are, still preaching about the ‘three obediences’—obeying your father at home, your husband after marriage, and your son after your husband’s death. If that’s not feudal thinking, then what is? In the new society, women no longer have to bind their feet. But it seems you’ve gone and bound your minds instead.”

Old Lady Yuan quickly denied it, “I—I didn’t really hear what Xiao Liu said just now. I don’t hold any feudal thoughts, not at all.”

With that, she got up, took her stool, and went inside.

Though the chaotic years had passed, those who lived through them still feared saying the wrong thing and being labeled.

Realizing she had said something wrong, Liu Mingxiang didn’t argue with Li Shuping anymore.

She turned and went home in silence.

Lin Xiaoyu called after her, “Hey, where are you going…”

Liu Mingxiang walked even faster and slammed her door shut once she got inside.

“Wow, Liu Mingxiang got scared.”

Someone murmured, and the group laughed.

After the laughter, they glanced at Li Shuping, realizing she wasn’t someone to mess with.

“Comrade Li Shuping.”

Who’s calling me?

Li Shuping turned around and saw Captain Gu from the criminal investigation team.

Seeing someone in a police uniform, everyone in the courtyard tensed up.

Some began wondering if Li Shuping had committed a crime and was about to be arrested.

“Captain Gu, what brings you here?” Li Shuping looked genuinely surprised.

Lin Xiaoyu was nervous too, but seeing the calm expressions on her mom and the police officer, she relaxed.

Gu Zhiyuan raised the basket in his hand. “You left this in the car.”

Li Shuping looked down at her empty hands and smacked her forehead. “Oh, my memory! I completely forgot.”

“Thank you so much for bringing it to me personally, Captain Gu!” She took the basket and thanked him repeatedly.

This Captain Gu is such a nice man.

“I’ve delivered the basket, so I’ll be off.” Gu Zhiyuan nodded slightly.

But due to his long years of interrogating suspects, his expression remained stern, and even when he smiled, no one could really tell.

“Have a glass of water before you go.” Though there was no hot water at home, Li Shuping offered politely.

“No need.”

“I’ll walk you out,” Li Shuping said, handing the basket to her daughter.

“No need. Stay where you are,” Gu Zhiyuan declined again.

“Alright then. Take care.”

Gu Zhiyuan took a few steps, then stopped, turned around, and said loudly, “Marriage freedom is a right granted to every citizen by the state. Whether to marry or divorce is up to each person. As long as it doesn’t break the law or morality, divorce isn’t shameful.”

With that, he walked away.

Li Shuping blinked.

So Captain Gu had heard everything—and even defended her.

“Wow, even the police officer heard it.”

“Then he must’ve heard what Liu Mingxiang said too. Do you think he’ll take her in for re-education?”

“Probably not—he’s already gone.”

Inside her house, Liu Mingxiang leaned against the door, scared out of her wits.

That old woman in House Five actually knows someone in the police.

She’d better stay far away and never provoke her again.

“Li-jie, how come you know a police officer? I heard you call him ‘Captain.’ Is he really an officer?” Cui Juanzi from House Seven asked curiously.

Li Shuping didn’t answer.

She just pulled her daughter Lin Xiaoyu back into the house.

She wasn’t about to answer.

Let them guess.

Let them think she had powerful connections in the Public Security Bureau.

Then they wouldn’t dare mess with her and her daughter.

“Tch, ignoring people now?” Cui Juanzi rolled her eyes behind her back and muttered.

“Seems like they’re pretty close. He even personally brought her the basket.” A few gossipy women huddled together and whispered.

“Could he be her secret lover?” Wang Guixiang asked with excitement.

The others stared at her like she was insane.

“What? What’s wrong with that?” Wang Guixiang shrank back and asked cautiously.

Cui Juanzi poked her temple. “Are you stupid? Why would a police officer fall for a divorced old woman?”

“Exactly. He may not be young either, but he looks way younger than that one from House Five. And that aura—clearly someone from a good background. His wife’s probably a rich young lady.”

“Guixiang, you’re bold, daring to make up stuff about a police officer. If someone heard, they could report you for spreading rumors and get you locked up.”

Wang Guixiang immediately covered her mouth. She didn’t dare say another word.

“Maybe he’s some distant relative?”

“Could be…”

Before long, a rumor spread through Courtyard 23: the woman from House Five, Li Shuping, had a distant relative who was a big official at the Public Security Bureau.

At the Lin household:

Liu Qin was cooking in the kitchen, while the rest were in the living room.

Zhang Jiao angrily complained to her father-in-law, “Dad, you don’t know how unreasonable Mom is. I asked her to help watch Junjun, and she said he’s not her responsibility. That watching him was a favor, not a duty! Isn’t Junjun her real grandson?”

Lin Yongnian’s face darkened. “That Li Shuping is going too far!”

“Even her neighbors couldn’t stand it, and she went and scolded them too, saying they were meddling. Just to avoid helping with Junjun, she made up this nonsense about needing to work to support herself and Xiaoyu.”

At first, Liu Qin thought her mother-in-law really planned to live like that with Xiaoyu.

But on the way to the factory, she realized it wasn’t possible.

With the current job market in the city, even young people were fighting over temp jobs.

A woman nearly fifty—where could she possibly find work?

She must’ve made it up to avoid babysitting Junjun.

“I begged her so much, and she still wouldn’t help. She even kicked me and Junjun out, made me run back and forth, and I was late to work. Got publicly scolded by the deputy factory director.”

“Your mom is completely out of line. No, I’ve got to go talk to her.” Lin Yongnian stood up.

Lin Jianshe held him back. “Dinner’s almost ready. Eat first, then go. It’s not far anyway.”

Lin Yongnian thought it over and sat down again.

That Li Shuping not only divorced and moved out, but now she won’t even help with Junjun.

What kind of grandma is she!