Chapter 28: My Mother-in-Law is Actually Crazy

The sudden revelation left everyone stunned, unable to utter a word. Especially those who had just been saying that the old lady was crazy, their expressions were now filled with shock.

What she said was pure nonsense, but Jiang Ningning’s gaze was so sincere, her eyes filled with genuine pain and struggle, making it hard to doubt her.

If the old lady’s mind was fine, why would she suddenly call her son, claiming that his military wife had run away with someone?

No wonder Jiang Ningning had mentioned earlier that the old lady had forgotten about their military relocation.

A gust of sea wind blew, causing Jiang Ningning’s cotton jacket to puff up, revealing a glimpse of her waist, thin as if it might snap at any moment.

She looked like a fragile, beautiful daffodil, her voice hushed and hoarse as she spoke, “My mother-in-law fell down a few months ago and has been forgetting things ever since. Her memory is completely messed up. Just the day before, she collected my husband’s allowance, and the next day she came asking for it again, not leaving a single cent for us. When her illness flares up, she doesn’t even recognize her own grandchildren. One moment she’s smiling at me, the next she’s furious, but I don’t blame her…”

The more they listened, the more tightly they furrowed their brows. It certainly sounded like the old lady was mentally unstable.

“Why don’t you blame her?” Wen Xiuying asked, her voice filled with urgency.

This sister of hers was simply too kind!

Jiang Ningning sighed deeply, her voice full of pity, “Because sometimes, she mistakes me for her daughter, Huo Chunfang. Her love for her is so deep that it turns into scolding.”

“When Chunfang tried to escape the rural assignments and ran away by train with a few classmates, she was almost caught by the Red Guards for ‘engaging in improper relationships.'”

“I asked the doctor, and my mother-in-law’s condition is medically known as Alzheimer’s disease, which often comes with mental instability.”

The crowd:?

The crowd:!!

Their minds were in a bit of chaos, trying to process the information.

So, Jiang Ningning’s mother-in-law had actually developed a mental illness. Not only did she steal the allowances, but she also mistook Jiang Ningning for her daughter, who had run away with a man.

What was this about a ‘classmate’?

Clearly, it had to be another man.

To put it simply: her mother-in-law had gone crazy.

Can crazy people’s words be trusted?

Certainly not!

Xia Xia, with her small, innocent voice, seemed to suddenly realize, “Grandma often comes to ask for money, and she changes her attitude all the time. She secretly pinches me and my brother, calling us bastards, and scolds mom. It’s because her mind isn’t right, isn’t it?”

Though her grandmother’s mental condition was pitiful, it was still hateful.

A four-year-old child wouldn’t lie, and everyone was stunned into silence. So, the old lady really had lost her mind!

Jiang Ningning lowered her eyelids.

She wasn’t afraid of anyone investigating the matter. Tian Cuifen had always been two-faced, causing a scene at the textile factory housing complex.

Huo Chunfang had run away with several classmates, but when the Red Guards caught them, only she and another male classmate were detained.

The truth wasn’t important; what mattered was what kind of record remained.

The novel’s beginning described how the main character’s tragic childhood—her mother dying in a stormy night, her malicious grandmother taking over two factory jobs—seemed so pitiful. The aunt couldn’t pass political checks because of her criminal record, so the grandmother sold the jobs for money, and the original owner was left abandoned in the wilderness, wrapped in a simple bundle.

Jiang Ningning had only read the first ten minutes of the novel, unsure of how it ended or whether there would be a heroine at all.

At this moment, holding Xia Xia in her arms, her eyes turned red.

“Let’s go, I’ll take you to the disciplinary office to clear things up,” Wen Xiuying said, a surge of righteous anger in her voice.

With Wen Xiuying leading the charge, the other military wives quickly rallied around her: “That’s right, we demand the disciplinary office clear up the rumors and restore Huo Zhi’s reputation!”

The enthusiastic military wives surrounded Jiang Ningning, heading toward the base, explaining the situation to anyone they passed.

Jiang Ningning stood to the side, putting on a brave yet sorrowful smile.

Passersby couldn’t help but feel pity for her—being mistreated back home was bad enough, but when she finally thought she could have a good life in the military zone, her mother-in-law was throwing mud at her reputation.

“Oh dear, how could this girl be so unfortunate?”

“Oh, it turns out her mother-in-law isn’t well. No wonder.”

They became indignant, and as more people joined in, the group of supporters grew larger and larger.

At that very moment, the disciplinary office…

Was holding an interrogation regarding Huo Donglin.

The story now traced back to an hour earlier.

Because of this incident, all the way along, everyone pointed and whispered.

In the base, there were naturally those who admired Huo Donglin, but there were also those who were dissatisfied.

Huo Donglin excelled in everything—combat skills, marksmanship, criminal investigation—he was outstanding in every aspect.

Those who once stood at the pinnacle were now brought down from their pedestal by a family scandal.

Disciplinary Office.

The heated argument could be clearly heard through a door—

“Huo Donglin’s wife ran off with someone, and his mother herself said it—can it be false? Do you want me to send you the phone recording?”

“This is all just baseless gossip, a misunderstanding.”

“Comrade Jiang has already arrived at the base this morning with her two children. Isn’t that the best proof?”

Huo Donglin paused for a moment, realizing that the so-called urgent matter was about the phone call from Tian Cuifen.

He pushed the door open and immediately met Zhao Weijun’s gloating gaze.

Huo Donglin’s expression was cold, and he ignored him, instead lifting his gaze to salute the elder in the center of the room.

“Comrade Commander, you called for me?”

The argument in the room ceased instantly.

Elder Sun nodded, signaling Huo Donglin to take a seat.

Once seated, the people from the Disciplinary Office immediately pressed, like rats sniffing out blood, asking, “Comrade Huo Donglin, we are here today because someone reported that your conduct is problematic. Please answer, at 9:10 AM today, did you receive a phone call from your hometown in Qu County?”

Huo Donglin: “Yes.”

“Did your mother, Tian Cuifen, inform you that your wife, Jiang Ningning, ran away with another man?”

This question was framed with a trap. If it had been anyone else, they would have instinctively answered “yes.”

After Huo Donglin stepped into the trap, the person questioning him would not give him any time to explain and would directly move to the next topic, indirectly guiding him to admit that the second statement was true.

A surprise attack, catching him off guard.

But he clearly forgot.

Huo Donglin had once scored full marks in military interrogation training.

“My wife, Jiang Ningning, along with our two children, took train K895 from Qu County on January 24th and arrived at the base at 9:15 AM on January 26th.

Before boarding the island, the harbor security checked and confirmed that Jiang Ningning was carrying the introduction letter from the textile factory street office, as well as the household registration booklet and other formal documents.”

Huo Donglin’s finger pressed down on the desk, turning the tables: “May I ask, Comrade, do you have any official documentation proving that my wife ran off with another man?”

The person asking was momentarily stunned, clearly panicking.

“Your wife came with the military? How is that possible!” This didn’t match the intelligence they had received.

If Jiang Ningning had indeed come with the military, all the rumors would be debunked. They would have difficulty continuing to make trouble for Huo Donglin and would also have to avoid being held accountable for it.

Clearly, it was too late.

Huo Donglin’s dark eyes were filled with ridicule, and he didn’t give them any time to think. He directly addressed the head of the Disciplinary Office: “Based on just one phone call, I could easily report you to your superiors. The Disciplinary Office is handling things recklessly and causing a huge issue.

And this Comrade here, without any evidence, directly slandered my wife. He’s committed a serious procedural error, and I hereby accuse him of defamation.

I hereby demand that within two days, the Disciplinary Office must publicly clear my wife’s name.”

The Disciplinary Office fell completely silent.

At first, each person had been eager to attack, hoping to find a weakness in the perfect soldier.

But the harsh reality was…

They had barely opened a crack when they were immediately defeated, with no way to defend themselves.

Without concrete evidence, they had jumped to conclusions.

This was a fundamental procedural problem. If reported, the entire department would be investigated.

The people in the Disciplinary Office were defeated because they had not received the news that Jiang Ningning and the children had already arrived at the base, yet under the family’s direction, they had rashly interrogated Huo Donglin, thinking him to be someone whose wife had betrayed him.

From the corner, a voice suddenly rang out: “Comrade Huo, how can you prove that this wife of yours, who has come with the military, is the same one you married in your hometown?”

Zhao Weijun, true to his nature, was like a fly buzzing around the cesspit, biting but doing no real harm—just disgusting.