Chapter 121: I Didn’t! 

On Saturday morning, Bi Qiao’an snuggled under her blankets for a long time before finally deciding to get up for breakfast.

“Honey, it’s too cold!” she complained, touching the goosebumps on her arms.

Shen Yanming retrieved a hot water bottle, filled it, and placed it in Bi Qiao’an’s hands. “I’ll turn the air conditioning up a few degrees then. Put this on your legs to warm up.”

Bi Qiao’an tucked the hot water bottle between her thighs, the warmth spreading through her pajamas. Feeling more comfortable after a few bites of sweet porridge, she said, “In previous winters, we always had heating. This year, it probably won’t be available. I feel like I’m being really delicate – I can’t stand the cold even before the worst of it arrives.”

“Air conditioning and heating aren’t the same,” she explained. “Heating keeps the room consistently warm, while air conditioning only helps while it’s blowing. Once it’s off, or you’re not directly facing it, the chill sets in.”

Shen Yanming thought for a moment. “Then let’s make a small stove.”

“Do we make it now? I worry if we do it too early, we won’t be able to gradually adapt to the cold.”

“It’s okay. We can’t improve our cold tolerance if we keep freezing like this.”

Bi Qiao’an nodded, and after breakfast, they felt warm all over. They donned thermal innerwear and fleece leather coats, then retrieved several 5L barrels of purified water, toilet paper, dried vegetables, and instant noodles from the space. Three trips were needed to load everything into the car.

They first visited Shuirun Jia community to collect medicinal lilies, then Shuiyun Residential to get the pot of yew. Bi Qiao’an started her plant exchanges with the closest netizens, working her way outward. Finally, they arrived at the Mengxiang Cheng community.

They brought two packs of toilet paper and 10L of purified water to B District to exchange for a pair of mynas. Afterward, they drove to A District to visit Song Wennuan and Jiang Shanshan.

Bi Qiao’an and Shen Yanming had never been to this community before and had not informed Song Wennuan of their visit. Today was meant to be a surprise…but who knew it was Bi Qiao’an who received a shock!

After parking the car, Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an took the gift bag and got out to look for Building 7. Only then did they discover a crowd of over a hundred people surrounding the bottom three floors.

Bi Qiao’an frowned and pulled Shen Yanming through the crowd. “Please excuse us! We need to get inside!” she called out.

“Hey, no pushing! If you’re late, just watch from outside,” someone snapped back.

“Sorry, please let us through. Thank you!” Bi Qiao’an apologized, grateful as people made way for her and Shen Yanming.

Before they could reach the front, a sharp female voice pierced the air, “You shameless wretch! Did the country raise you to be someone’s mistress? Disgusting!”

“Sister Fang, I didn’t!” a woman’s voice protested.

“Don’t lie! Why else were you having meals and buying jewelry with my husband? Your taste is truly unique—choosing a married man with a child!”

“Sister Fang, please listen, I really didn’t…”

“Didn’t, my ass! There’s proof. Why are you playing innocent? I’ve seen your type before, with that flirty look, you’re simply born to be a mistress. Unworthy of this country! Why don’t you go die?”

Finally reaching the building entrance, Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an saw a furious woman pulling, pinching, and clawing at Song Wennuan. Her face was red and swollen, tears streaming down. Jiang Shanshan stood beside Song Wennuan, trying to protect her, while onlookers pointed and gossiped.

Bi Qiao’an’s heart sank. She rushed forward to break up the fight, but despite her and Jiang Shanshan’s efforts, the woman managed to twist Bi Qiao’an’s arms several times. Thankfully, thick clothing protected her, otherwise they would probably be bruised.

Wiping Song Wennuan’s tears, Bi Qiao’an turned to Jiang Shanshan for a quick explanation. Apparently, the enraged woman was a colleague’s wife, accusing Song Wennuan of shamelessly seducing her husband. When Song Wennuan had come down to explain, she’d been slapped without warning. Jiang Shanshan was worried and had followed, but was too late to stop the attack.

The woman’s shrewish ranting continued, denying Song Wennuan any chance to speak.

Furious, Bi Qiao’an shielded Song Wennuan. “Missus,” she challenged, “you say my friend seduced your husband. Show us how. What’s your evidence?”

The woman, emboldened by the new arrivals, bluffed, “My word is evidence! If she hadn’t ruined my marriage, why would my husband ignore me?”

“Missus, you’re slandering and still acting self-righteous! If you can’t back up your accusations, we’ll call the police,” Bi Qiao’an countered. “You think you can ruin my best friend’s reputation without proof? I’m suing you for defamation!”

The woman, sensing Bi Qiao’an wasn’t bluffing, produced photos from her bag, throwing them at her. “Bah! You’re her best friend so of course you’ll speak for her. You’re just the same kind—born to be mistresses!”

Shen Yanming, initially hesitant to intervene in a women’s quarrel, could no longer tolerate the insults. “Missus, watch your mouth. My wife is not to be insulted. If you can’t be civil, I wouldn’t mind ripping out your tongue.”

Feeling suddenly bolstered by Shen Yanming, Bi Qiao’an ignored the woman’s outburst and bent down to pick up the photos. They did show a man and Song Wennuan, but Bi Qiao’an instinctively trusted her best friend.

“Missus,” she addressed the crowd with a mocking smile while holding up the photos, “you’ve decided on an affair based on just these few pictures?”

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