Chapter 15 – Zhang Lianhua Gets Beaten Up

“Sorry, I overthought it.” Hu Qiufang felt awkward. This was the kind of gossip everyone usually talked about behind closed doors, but now she’d brought it up directly. She didn’t know if Deputy Captain Lu’s wife would be angry.

“So everyone in the family compound has been saying that about me, huh? This is all Lu Fengnian’s fault. He didn’t even bother to explain things to anyone. Thanks to him, my reputation’s been ruined. Everyone probably thinks I brought a kid along and married him as a divorced woman.” Liu Shuning didn’t even need to guess to know what people were saying. The women in the compound were no less gossipy than the intel aunties at the village gates in the modern era.

“Hehe, you two just got married and showed up with a child—people naturally misunderstood. Are you mad at me?”

Hu Qiufang let out a dry laugh. She had spoken out of turn today and had no idea if Captain Lu’s wife would hold it against her.

“I’m not angry. It’s better that you ask me to my face than whisper behind my back.”

Truthfully, Liu Shuning didn’t care that much about what others said. Who hasn’t been talked about behind their back? As long as she didn’t hear it herself, she could pretend it didn’t exist.

“Don’t worry. I’ll help clear things up. You’re a newlywed—it’d be terrible if your reputation got destroyed over a misunderstanding.”

Hu Qiufang liked gossiping, sure—but she looked down on people who made things up maliciously.

Liu Shuning gave a grateful smile. “Then I’ll trouble you, Sister Qiufang. Honestly, I’ve also been thinking I should find a chance to explain everything so the misunderstandings don’t keep growing.”

Hu Qiufang patted her hand. “It’s no trouble at all—we all live in the same compound. I’ll go tell them right away.”

—

That evening, when Lu Fengnian came to find Liu Shuning, she quickly told him about what she’d heard that day.

“Lu Fengnian, have you heard the rumors going around the family compound? Why didn’t you explain to everyone that Ruibao isn’t my child? Now everyone thinks I’m divorced.”

Liu Shuning was genuinely upset. Out of nowhere, she’d been labeled as a divorced woman. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Were these people blind? She was a proper young lady—how had she become a mom all of a sudden?

“I haven’t heard anything like that. I’ll go talk to Auntie Yang later and ask her to help clarify things.”

Lu Fengnian had been busy with training all day and hadn’t even gone to the compound. His comrades were all men and didn’t care for gossip, so he truly hadn’t known people were spreading rumors about his wife.

“Hmph, just hurry up and clear things up. You agreed to bring Ruibao with us too, remember?” Liu Shuning pinched his arm hard—this was all his fault for letting her be misunderstood.

“Ow, that hurts! Take it easy, honey.” Seeing that she was really angry, Lu Fengnian quickly tried to placate her. “Okay okay, I admit I was wrong. Here—pinch me again if it helps. I promise not to complain.”

“Hmph, I’ll remember this grudge. Anyway, is the kitchen in the new house ready? I want to buy some groceries and cook there.”

“I haven’t checked today. Let’s go take a look after dinner.”

“Alright.”

After dinner, Lu Fengnian carried Ruibao while walking with Liu Shuning to their new home.

The new house was at the innermost part of the compound, and they had to pass by the newly built apartment buildings to get there.

It was dinner time, and the area outside the apartments was full of people.

“Deputy Captain Lu, have you eaten?”

“Out on an evening stroll with your wife, Deputy Captain?”

“Deputy Captain Lu, your wife is really pretty!”

…

Along the way, many people who knew Lu Fengnian greeted him.

Of course, not all the comments were pleasant.

“Well well, Deputy Captain Lu, is this your new bride? She’s pretty average-looking! I don’t know what you were thinking—passing up a proper maiden and marrying someone divorced.” Zhang Lianhua had previously tried to set her younger sister up with Lu Fengnian, but he’d rejected her. Seeing him marry someone she believed was “secondhand” filled her with petty satisfaction.

Liu Shuning’s face darkened instantly upon hearing this. She was just about to speak up when Lu Fengnian stepped forward.

He stared coldly at Zhang Lianhua and said, “Don’t talk nonsense. My wife isn’t divorced. Ruibao is a relative’s child—his parents will come pick him up soon. If you keep spreading lies, don’t blame me for being rude.”

Zhang Lianhua was startled by his imposing tone but remained stubborn. “Don’t cover for her. That child calls her ‘Mama.’ How could he not be hers?”

Pfft, as if she’d believe that. Everyone was struggling these days—who would raise a child that wasn’t their own?

At that moment, Hu Qiufang also stepped in. “Zhang Lianhua, stop spreading rumors. That child really isn’t Deputy Captain Lu’s wife’s biological son.”

“Hu Qiufang, what’s it got to do with you? Don’t tell me you’re trying to suck up to the new bride just because her family has money. Look at yourself—do you think she even wants your flattery?” Zhang Lianhua had seen the couple buying a truckload of items yesterday and was green with envy.

She’d stewed about it all night and finally started spreading rumors that the new bride was divorced.

“You must have a death wish, Zhang Lianhua. I’ll scratch your face off!” Hu Qiufang was never one to shy away from conflict. A bit of gossip was one thing, but Zhang Lianhua had really gone too far this time.

It was one thing to slander others, but dragging her name into it too? Absolutely not.

“Come on then! Who’s afraid of who?!”

Without another word, Hu Qiufang lunged forward. She was quick—before Zhang Lianhua could even react, her hair had been yanked hard.

“Ah! Let me go! Hu Qiufang, you crazy woman! You’ll die a terrible death!”

Both Liu Shuning and Lu Fengnian were dumbfounded. How had this escalated into a full-on fight?

A few moments later, seeing the situation getting out of hand, some onlookers hurried over to break it up.

After much effort, the two were finally separated. Zhang Lianhua’s hair was a mess, and there were visible scratch marks on her face. She glared at Hu Qiufang viciously. “You dared hit me? This isn’t over!”

Hu Qiufang stood her ground, hands on her hips. “Damn right I hit you. You’re a lying troublemaker. Keep running your mouth and I’ll rip it off your face!”

Lu Fengnian didn’t like Zhang Lianhua either, but as a man, it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to get physical. All he could do was issue a warning.

“Zhang Lianhua, I’ll let today’s incident slide. But if you keep spreading rumors about my wife, I’ll make sure you regret it.”

Zhang Lianhua was clearly intimidated by his aura, though she still muttered under her breath, “It’s not like I was lying.”

At that point, someone in the crowd spoke up. “Alright, that’s enough. Everyone stop stirring up trouble. Let’s all gossip a bit less from now on.”

Others chimed in their agreement. Liu Shuning gave Hu Qiufang a grateful look, then turned to Lu Fengnian and said, “Let’s go. Don’t waste any more time on her.”

Lu Fengnian nodded and continued walking toward their new home with Liu Shuning and Ruibao. Behind them, Zhang Lianhua was still muttering curses, but much more quietly now.