Chapter 75 : Asking for Trouble

Everyone looked at Liu Hong with strange expressions, as if they were looking at someone with schizophrenia.

Liu Hong almost couldn’t maintain the smile on her face.

However, there were too many people present, and some were willing to give her face, after all, she was the wife of the second-in-command of the island’s troops.

“We’re admiring Sister Su’s chrysanthemums. She’s kind and gave each of us some rapeseed,” someone explained.

As she spoke, she showed the chrysanthemum and lettuce seeds she had received. The plump rapeseeds made people fall in love with them at first sight.

Liu Hong looked at the rapeseed in her hand, unable to tear her gaze away. This is chrysanthemum, her favorite vegetable.

“This seed is really well chosen,” Liu Hong awkwardly praised, her eyes unintentionally glancing at Su Ranran.

But Su Ranran didn’t look at her at all. She continued distributing rapeseed, focused on the person in front of her and seemingly unaware of Liu Hong.

The seeds were handed out bit by bit, and Liu Hong’s eyes nearly bulged out.

She stared at Su Ranran, hoping she would be more considerate and give her some seeds.

But Su Ranran appeared to be oblivious to her. She was focused on giving seeds to the person in front of her, with no intention of coming toward Liu Hong.

Zhou Huaqin, who came with Liu Hong, could not stand it.

She and Liu Hong were now the outcasts of the family compound, and since they were both from the city, they naturally stuck together.

Seeing Su Ranran giving rapeseed to others but not to them, Zhou Huaqin couldn’t help but say something bitter.

“Some people just love to show off, as if they are afraid that others don’t know they have it.”

The voice wasn’t loud, but it was clear enough for everyone present to hear.

The military wives who had been happily showing off their rapeseed suddenly became silent.

Liu Hong nearly cried because of Zhou Huaqin’s stupidity. As she was about to step aside and pretend she didn’t know her, she heard Zhong Juhua’s reply in a calm tone.

“You need talent to show off. I’d like to show off, but unfortunately, I don’t have chrysanthemums in my field.”

Upon hearing this, other military wives who had received rapeseed also chimed in.

“Sister Su is kind and willing to share rapeseed with us. Soon, we’ll be able to eat chrysanthemums,” said Cao Yuhong, shaking the rapeseed she had just received in her hand, her face full of happiness.

Cao Yuhong was the wife of the commander of the third company of the third battalion. She had been with the army for a long time and knew well how scarce vegetables were on the island.

Now that she had received some rapeseed, she was so excited she wanted to show it off everywhere.

Looking at the rapeseed in her hand, Zhou Huaqin’s eyes grew wide.

But she couldn’t let herself lose face and ask Su Ranran for any. She gritted her teeth, looked away, and then continued sarcastically, “Look at your accomplishments, getting all happy over a little rapeseed.”

Liu Hong had silently stepped two steps away from her.

She really wanted the chrysanthemum seeds. Since joining the army, she hadn’t had any, and now, seeing the seeds, she wanted to grab them and devour them.

But to the others, it didn’t matter whether they were two steps away.

Cao Yuhong was unhappy when she heard her rapeseed, which she had just obtained, being belittled.

“We wouldn’t be so happy about ordinary rapeseed, but this is chrysanthemum, real chrysanthemum that can be grown. Have you seen it on the island?” she said, eager to plant the chrysanthemum and dazzle everyone.

“Yuhong, don’t say anything. What kind of vegetables haven’t the city folks seen? They’ll definitely look down on this chrysanthemum. Let’s plant it quickly. Maybe it’ll grow in a few days,” someone next to her advised.

When Cao Yuhong heard that the chrysanthemums would grow soon, she stopped worrying about showing off. She turned around and joined the others in planting vegetables.

The other military wives had already started planting. Though the land was only the size of a palm, there was enough space to tuck a vegetable seed into the cracks.

While planting, they would occasionally ask Su Ranran for guidance, worried that they were doing it wrong and that the seeds wouldn’t grow well.

Su Ranran, always surrounded, had no time to pay attention to Zhou Huaqin.

While handing out vegetable seeds, she continued guiding everyone in planting chrysanthemums.

Everyone was busy, and Zhou Huaqin and Liu Hong were left out. Zhou Huaqin’s face became more displeased as she had caused trouble.

Liu Hong wasn’t much better off.

She had come for the chrysanthemum seeds, even lowering her face to greet everyone. But she hadn’t just failed to get the seeds, she had also offended everyone. She regretted it now. Why did she come with someone like Zhou Huaqin?

But no one cared about their expressions. Everyone else was happily planting chrysanthemums, looking forward to eating fresh chrysanthemums soon.

The two of them, who were being ignored, walked toward their own vegetable fields in silence.

In their fields, they planted the green vegetables they could only eat a few pieces of every few days. But even these vegetables were all they had.

It would be a lie to say they weren’t envious of those who received the chrysanthemum seeds.

Especially Liu Hong, whose land was right next to Su Ranran’s. Whenever she looked up, she could see rows of chrysanthemums, and her saliva couldn’t help but flow.

Su Ranran had already noticed Liu Hong’s gaze, but she pretended not to see it. Why should she change sides just because someone was throwing mud at her?

Even though Liu Hong had stormed off during the banquet, Su Ranran had not forgotten what had happened.

When everyone finished planting their vegetable seeds, the sun began to set. Not staying long, the group walked back to the family compound, chatting and laughing.

Behind them, Liu Hong couldn’t help but scold Zhou Huaqin.

Though Zhou Huaqin’s husband had a lower rank than Liu Hong’s, she worked, so how could she bear the anger?

Eventually, the two started arguing.

Hearing their argument, a group of military wives immediately perked up, slowing their pace so they wouldn’t miss a word.

They were clearly eager for gossip.

Su Ranran didn’t care about the quarrel behind her. She greeted the military wives and quickened her pace.

Shen He should have returned from the barracks by now, and she had to go back to cook.

But halfway there, she suddenly heard a group of children fighting.

“Hit her! Hit her!” they yelled.

Su Ranran looked in the direction of the voices and saw several children surrounding a little girl, beating her up.

“What are you doing?” she shouted, seeing the child being bullied.

The children, likely used to being mischievous and often scolded, heard an adult approaching and quickly scattered.

Su Ranran then saw the little girl who had been beaten.

Wasn’t she the one Su Ranran had taken the boat with on her first day with the army?