Chapter 21: The Evil Neighbor Occupies the House

The family district of Qing Sha Island was built on the hillside, with rows of small, matchbox-like houses arranged unevenly along the slope.

Each household had a small yard about two meters square in front of their door, surrounded by half-height walls made of broken coral stones. From a distance, the scene looked like a chessboard filled with inkstones.

But the yard of House 7 in the third row was empty.

This location was higher up, offering a better view. From the doorstep, one could gaze far out to the sea, making this house a sought-after property.

Yet, only Zhang Yun seemed undeterred by her lack of shame. She led her children and began to cause a scene, blocking the gate to the yard. “I’ve had my eye on this house for a long time. I’ve even planted vegetables in the yard, and the military has tacitly approved it for me!”

What kind of nonsense was that?

The guards were so furious that their faces turned red. They shook their housing distribution documents and argued, “Please cooperate. This house is assigned to Captain Huo. If you have any objections, go to the logistics department.”

“Captain Huo’s family is arriving today and will move in tonight. Please do not obstruct our work.”

At the mention of Huo Donglin, a trace of venomous resentment flashed in Zhang Yun’s eyes.

The feud between the two families went back six years.

At that time, when Huo Donglin was assigned to the 10th Army, Zhang Yun’s husband, Zhao Weijun, was a soldier under his command.

Who would have thought that, as time passed, Huo Donglin’s exemplary performance earned him more and more medals, with rapid promotions to the rank of captain.

Meanwhile, Zhao Weijun was still a mere lieutenant and barely a deputy rank.

Even their houses were different.

During the housing lottery, both families ended up as neighbors. House 7 in the third row had plenty of sunlight and an excellent view.

House 8, on the other hand, was located at the end of the row, in the shadow of a large rock that blocked most of the sunlight, making it cold and damp year-round.

Especially in recent years, as more children were born, the situation became even more difficult. The first four children were nothing but a burden, and only the youngest, Yaozu, was a boy.

Zhang Yun had planned to occupy the neighboring house. She intended to break down the wall in the middle and raise the height of the gate. The three bedrooms in the neighboring house would be used as follows: the largest would be for Yaozu, the next would be a study, and the smallest would be for herself and her husband.

But before she could start any work, a group of guards stormed in to clean the house, announcing that Huo Donglin’s family was arriving.

How could that be?

“The house has been empty for a long time, and it will deteriorate. I’ve worked hard for five years cleaning it. Even if I haven’t earned any merit, I’ve put in effort.”

“Huo Donglin wants to take the house? Not a chance!”

“If he still remembers the old friendship, he should be reasonable and swap houses with us.”

Upon hearing this nonsense, the guards, who had already been annoyed, were now furious. They brandished their brooms and mops, as if ready to march in.

“Anyone who dares step in here, I’ll hang myself!” Zhang Yun pulled out a length of hemp rope from behind her and hung it from the doorbeam.

Clearly, she was prepared.

With a fierce glare, she made her four daughters cry even harder.

“Huo Donglin is taking the former leader’s house! Huo Donglin is bullying military families! Huo Donglin is taking advantage of his power…” The noise grew louder.

The guards were seething with anger but dared not force their way in.

The onlookers were shaking their heads.

Although the house technically belonged to Huo Donglin, with Zhang Yun and her daughters constantly causing trouble, they would never be able to live there.

Zhang Yun, a hard-hearted person, was clearly prepared to go to any lengths, and she thrust her head straight into the hemp rope.

The guards, alarmed, were about to rush in and stop her.

Suddenly, the sound of someone cracking sunflower seeds echoed at an inopportune moment.

The atmosphere at the scene fell silent.

Even Zhang Yun paused her actions and looked up in confusion.

At some point, a fairy-like woman had appeared at the family compound, accompanied by two exquisitely carved little children.

The scene continued to unfold with an amusing mix of tension and light-heartedness, as the three of them—mother and children—enjoyed their moment of peace amidst the chaos around them. The family was a picture of harmony, sitting side by side and casually munching on sunflower seeds, their matching wide eyes making them an irresistible sight for everyone around. Their beauty, especially that of the mother and her children, captivated the crowd, creating an almost serene, picturesque moment.

It was a strange contrast to the bustling energy around them, as people marveled at their charm. Even Zhu Changguang, who had been preoccupied with his own responsibilities, couldn’t help but pause, his thoughts distracted by the calm family scene. He had previously warned Jiang Ningning to stay out of the way and avoid drawing attention, but seeing how effortlessly the family had become the center of focus, he couldn’t help but be a little taken aback by their “low-key” presence. If he knew just how much attention they were garnering, he’d probably be pulling his hair out in frustration.

Manman, noticing the shift in the room, gave a playful yet calculated glance toward Zhu Changguang, signaling him to stay out of the way. The subtle warning didn’t go unnoticed, and Zhu Changguang, feeling somewhat embarrassed, retreated to the back of the crowd.

Then, Summer—who was the most observant of the bunch—spoke up, her voice carrying over the silence in a way that caught everyone’s attention.

“Why did she stop? Is it because it hurts?” Manman asked, feigning innocence while his gaze subtly warned Zhu Changguang to keep his distance.

Summer sighed with a mock exasperated air, and without hesitation, launched into a mini-lecture that sounded more like an expert explanation than a casual comment. “Her weight should be around 150 pounds. The door frame, with only one support point and made of wood, is about one meter long and 30 centimeters thick. It can only support about 30 kilograms. That means, once she hangs on, the door frame will break in less than ten seconds, and she’ll fall.”

The crowd was momentarily stunned into silence. A little girl who had never been taught formal physics had just explained an engineering principle with startling clarity. Even the adults, including Jiang Ningning, couldn’t help but marvel at Summer’s insight.

“Baby, you’re a physics genius!” Jiang Ningning exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with pride as she ruffled her daughter’s hair.

Summer’s cheeks flushed, and she shyly hid her face with her hands, not used to such praise.

As the family shared a moment of warmth, the conversation quickly turned back to more practical concerns. Summer, who had been calculating the cost of fixing the door, asked, “Does fixing a door cost a lot of money?”

Jiang Ningning nodded thoughtfully. “Yes, since there’s no dedicated furniture store here and supplies are hard to come by on the island, it would be a significant expense. Not only would we need to buy the wood, but we’d also need approval and a carpenter to install it.”

The mention of high costs made little Manman’s eyes widen, and his small face scrunched up in a display of genuine concern. His mind immediately jumped to the possibility of spending too much money, and he offered an unorthodox suggestion to Zhang Yun: “Auntie, why not hang it somewhere else? Maybe it won’t cost so much.”

Zhang Yun, hearing this, almost choked on her own breath. She looked at Manman with a mix of bewilderment and irritation. The cheeky little boy had no filter—he was suggesting she stop her dramatic antics simply to avoid spending money. The absurdity of the suggestion caught everyone off guard, and soon, the entire crowd was laughing.

Zhang Yun, caught between wanting to save face and not knowing how to handle the situation, stood there, momentarily at a loss. Should she continue with her performance and risk making an even bigger fool of herself? Or should she abandon her act entirely?

It was at that moment that the children’s humor broke the tension, and the crowd, who had been eyeing Zhang Yun and her antics, shifted their attention back to the charming family. No one cared about the interruptions anymore, and Zhang Yun, suddenly very much alone in her embarrassment, found herself feeling a little out of place.

Among the onlookers, an older woman, Aunt Cai, approached Jiang Ningning, her eyes softening as she admired her delicate beauty. “Are you traveling with your younger siblings, dear?” she asked, lowering her voice as if speaking to someone fragile.

Jiang Ningning, ever the gracious lady, smiled and handed out sunflower seeds to those around her, making sure to share in the camaraderie. “Aunt, they are my dragon and phoenix twins,” she replied, her voice gentle yet proud.

The crowd, now charmed by the family’s effortless elegance, joined in and began praising them. Everyone gathered around, laughing and enjoying the small moment of joy, and just like that, Zhang Yun’s drama was forgotten. The attention shifted completely to the three of them, their radiance and warmth leaving a lasting impression on everyone who witnessed the scene.

And so, in a world full of complications and distractions, Jiang Ningning and her children remained a beacon of simple beauty and warmth, even in the midst of a chaotic and sometimes unfathomable world.