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“Exactly. Shen An’an is gentle and well-behaved—how could she possibly do something like that?”
The onlookers murmured in agreement.
Although Shen An’an hadn’t been in the military family compound for long, she had already built a reputation for being virtuous, kind, and beautiful.
“I think it’s slander. She can’t stand that someone else is getting a good marriage and wants to sabotage it. The Jiang family raised her for years, only to raise an ungrateful wolf.”
“Right? Otherwise, why would she refuse to move out and return to the countryside?” one auntie said, full of disdain.
Shen An’an was pleased with the result of her ploy. She clutched Lin Chunmei’s hand with teary eyes and said,
“Mom, my sister really doesn’t like me. She said these things to ruin my reputation and drive me away. Mom, I’ll just go back to the village…”
Tears streamed down her face as she spoke.
After all, Shen An’an was their biological daughter. Seeing her cry, Lin Chunmei’s face turned cold.
“Zhining, today is An’an and Sheng Hao’s engagement day. For the sake of how your father and I have always treated you well, don’t stir up trouble.”
“Yes, Zhining,” Jiang Zhenhai said kindly. “Your clothes are dirty. Go inside and change, get some rest.”
This was a major occasion, and Jiang Zhenhai didn’t want it ruined by Jiang Zhining.
“You’re right, my clothes are dirty,” Jiang Zhining replied with a smile, “but Shen An’an—you’re dressed really nicely today. That lucky blouse, short hair, plus your pitiful little face… You really do look like someone people would want to protect.”
Shen An’an raised her head confidently, proud of her appearance. Today was her big day—she had to look her best.
Then, Jiang Zhining changed the tone:
“I remember you were wearing a blue shirt yesterday, weren’t you?”
Shen An’an’s eyes flashed with wariness. “What are you trying to say?”
“When you pushed me off the cliff yesterday, I grabbed at you. Guess what I caught?” Jiang Zhining opened her clenched fist. Lying inside was a small, round, black button.
As soon as she saw the button, Shen An’an’s face turned deathly pale. Her pupils widened, and she instinctively clutched at her sleeves.
“That’s not mine!” she blurted out, panic in her voice.
Seeing her reaction, both Jiang Zhenhai and Lin Chunmei had a bad feeling.
“If it’s not yours, then just bring out your shirt and let everyone see for themselves. That’ll settle it,” Jiang Zhining said clearly.
The nosy aunties chimed in, “Yeah, Shen An’an, show us your shirt. That’ll prove you’re innocent.”
“No!” Shen An’an blurted. She remembered Jiang Zhining had grabbed her hand—maybe the button came off then.
Her guilty response only made things worse.
Someone muttered, “Why’s she so scared? Could it be she really pushed her?”
“Shen An’an, you keep saying you’re innocent, but refuse the simplest way to prove it. What are you hiding?” Jiang Zhining’s gaze was sharp.
“Yeah, she’s clearly panicking.”
Flustered, Shen An’an stammered, “It wasn’t me—it was her! She threw herself off on purpose. Right! She staged the whole thing to frame me and grab my button!”
“You didn’t want to show your shirt just now, but now you’re saying I pulled your button off? Shen An’an, if you weren’t guilty, would your story keep changing like this?” Jiang Zhining retorted forcefully.
Cold sweat beaded on Shen An’an’s forehead as everyone stared at her in suspicion.
“And didn’t you suggest we go hiking in the first place? Are you saying I could read your mind and plan all this ahead of time?” Jiang Zhining sneered.
“I…” Shen An’an faltered and looked to her parents for help.
“An’an is kindhearted. She’d never do something like that!” Lin Chunmei defended her daughter fiercely. “Jiang Zhining, we raised you for 20 years—and this is how you repay us? Slandering An’an to steal her engagement!”
Jiang Zhining lifted her skirt slightly to reveal a snake bite mark on her leg.
“Who would be dumb enough to use their own life to frame someone else?”
Gasps echoed from the crowd.
“That’s a venomous snake bite! She wasn’t lying after all!”
“Yeah, who risks their life just to fake a story?”
In that moment, everyone began to believe Jiang Zhining’s words.
Seeing the tide turning against Shen An’an, Lin Chunmei panicked and turned to the Sheng family.
“Madam Sheng, Zhining isn’t Jiang’s biological daughter. How could she be good enough for the Sheng family? An’an is gentle and obedient, while Zhining is arrogant and unruly. She’s not a good match for Sheng Hao.”
Madam Sheng, who had been silent, finally spoke up.
“You’re right. The engagement was with the Jiang family’s biological daughter. Naturally, that means An’an.”
She never liked Jiang Zhining to begin with—pretty face, but spoiled to the bone. What man wants to marry a woman he has to worship like a queen?
Shen An’an, raised in the countryside, was gentle, obedient, and built to bear children—perfect wife material.
With Madam Sheng’s support, Shen An’an straightened her back and stood proudly.
Suddenly, several police officers walked in.
“Who here is Shen An’an?”
Startled, Shen An’an replied nervously, “I… I am.”
One of the officers looked at her.
“We received a report. You’re suspected of pushing a girl named Jiang Zhining off a cliff. Please come with us to the station.”
The entire crowd was stunned.
“Oh my god—it really was her!”
“She always looked so sweet and gentle. Who would’ve guessed she was so vicious?”
Panic overtook Shen An’an.
“No, it wasn’t me! Officer, don’t believe her! She fell by herself—not me! Mom, Dad—say something!”
Jiang Zhenhai quickly stepped forward.
“Officer, please don’t wrongly accuse a good person.”
“We have a witness. Shen An’an, you’ll need to come with us.”
Shen An’an’s face turned ghostly pale. Her mind reeled.
How? She had been so careful. How could there be a witness?
“Mom, Dad…” she cried as the officers grabbed her arms.
“I’m not going! Today’s my engagement day—Brother Sheng Hao…” Shen An’an pleaded, looking to her fiancé.
Sheng Hao snapped, “I won’t marry a murderer. I’m done with her.”
Madam Sheng’s face was grim.
“Chunmei, we’ll discuss this marriage later. Sheng Hao, let’s go.”
The Sheng family stormed out.
Watching her engagement fall apart, Lin Chunmei panicked.
“What do we do now?”
Shen An’an was stunned. Before she could react, the police dragged her away.
Then Jiang Zhining called out, “Oh, by the way, Shen An’an.”
Everyone turned to look.
Jiang Zhining held up the button.
“This button? It’s not even yours.”
“What?” Shen An’an’s eyes widened.
“After someone does something bad, they become extremely tense and overlook little details. I just used your guilt to trick you into revealing the truth.” Jiang Zhining smiled.
Shen An’an’s mind went blank. She had fallen right into Jiang Zhining’s trap.
The neighbors looked at Jiang Zhining with admiration—and at Shen An’an with contempt.
“Mom, Dad, save me!” Shen An’an cried as she was dragged away.
The crowd shook their heads, muttering and scolding her.
Jiang Zhining stood silently, watching the scene unfold.
Her revenge was complete—Shen An’an was publicly rejected, humiliated, and branded as a vicious woman, becoming the laughingstock of the neighborhood.