“The sewage issue.”  

Director Lin frowned slightly.  

The military family quarters were different from rural areas—space was limited and cramped. Building a traditional dry toilet with a septic tank wasn’t feasible here.  

The only option was to construct a modern flush toilet, which meant digging a pipeline to connect to the main sewage network of the military quarters.  

This involved two major problems.  

“The more troublesome one is the cost,” Director Lin said, pulling out a slightly aged but neatly handwritten draft for Zhou Qiqi to review.  

“I’ve calculated it. The materials and labor for the toilet alone will cost around 150 yuan, which is already a significant amount.”  

“Moreover, the soil conditions in our military quarters are special. We can’t use cheap clay pipes for the underground sewage line—they’d crack and break too easily. We have to use sturdier, more durable cast iron pipes instead.”  

“A single cast iron pipe costs about 10 yuan. From your house to the main sewage network, it’s roughly a 100-meter distance. That means we’d need around 30 pipes, adding another 300 yuan to the cost.”  

“Add it all up, and the total comes to 450 yuan!”  

Director Lin’s tone carried a hint of solemnity.  

For an ordinary family, this was not an easy sum to produce.  

Zhou Qiqi was also taken aback by the number.  

But the moment she recalled Qiu Chunfang’s revolting behavior in the toilet, she didn’t hesitate.  

Shaking her head firmly, she said, “That’s not a problem. What’s the other issue?”  

Four hundred and fifty yuan was equivalent to three months of Shen Huaichuan’s salary—expensive, yes.  

But their family’s savings account held 3,000 yuan. If they gritted their teeth, they could manage it.  

Besides, the toilet was a critical facility that affected the quality of life for the whole family, especially her own.  

In Zhou Qiqi’s eyes, this expense was a necessary and worthwhile investment.  

Her decisive attitude made Director Lin pause slightly, a complicated expression flickering across his face.  

But he quickly composed himself, his warm smile returning as he said,  

“If that’s not an issue, then the other problem is relatively minor.”  

Director Lin picked up a detailed layout map of the military quarters and pointed precisely at Zhou Qiqi’s house. Then, tracing an imaginary line to the main sewage pipeline, he explained:  

“The pipeline can’t be dug under the main road—it would disrupt normal traffic and ruin the aesthetics of the military quarters.”  

“It has to run along the back walls of these few households to reach the main line.”  

“So, you’ll need to communicate with these residents in advance and get their consent.”  

“Once everyone signs off, I can approve it immediately, and the construction team can start work first thing tomorrow morning!”  

In Director Lin’s view, since they were all military spouses, helping each other out was just a matter of a few words. This shouldn’t be a problem at all.  

But the moment Zhou Qiqi saw where his finger was pointing, her straight posture deflated like a punctured balloon.  

“You’ve got to be kidding me… How can my luck be this bad?”  

She couldn’t help muttering under her breath.  

The first household the pipeline had to pass through was none other than Qiu Chunfang’s house!  

Given the conflict between her and Qiu Chunfang, there was no way the woman would agree to help her so easily.  

Her large, watery eyes darted quickly across the layout map, then shifted hopefully toward Zhu Yingying’s house on the right.  

“Can we avoid the left side and detour the pipeline to the right instead? I see another main pipeline over there.”  

Director Lin frowned and shook his head.  

“That wouldn’t work well. The terrain on the right is higher, so the sewage wouldn’t flow naturally by gravity. You’d have to install a lift pump and a check valve in your yard, which would add another expense.”  

“Plus, taking that detour would mean passing by several more households, increasing the length of the pipeline and driving the cost even higher.”  

He still advised Zhou Qiqi to try negotiating with the neighbors on the left.  

Zhou Qiqi understood that Director Lin was giving her the most reasonable suggestion out of goodwill.  

But she couldn’t let it go and pressed further:  

“If we detour to the right and connect to the other pipeline, roughly how much extra would that cost?”  

“This much.”  

Director Lin held up three fingers.  

Zhou Qiqi’s heart sank—another 300 yuan?  

Combined with the earlier estimate, the toilet alone would cost 750 yuan. And if she added the bathroom renovation, the total would reach 1,000 yuan!  

Even as someone who prioritized comfort, Zhou Qiqi couldn’t help but hesitate at such a staggering cost.  

On the way back, Qin Shi noticed Zhou Qiqiu’s low spirits and asked with concern:  

“What’s wrong, sister-in-law?”

Zhou Qiqi wasn’t one to beat around the bush, so she briefly explained the conflict between her and Qiu Chunfang to Qin Shi.  

“There was a minor clash on the train, but we’re even now. Yet after we arrived at the residential compound, she still targeted me for some reason.”  

She didn’t care why.  

But someone else did.  

The moment she finished speaking, Qin Shi blurted out, “I know why!”  

Before Zhou Qiqi could even ask, he eagerly spilled everything.  

Last month, when he went to the public phone booth to call home, Qiu Chunfang had been sitting right in front of him.  

By chance, Qin Shi overheard her mention Shen Huaichuan’s name. Out of curiosity, he listened more closely.  

The person on the other end of the call was Lin Yao’s mother, who had asked Qiu Chunfang to help push Shen Huaichuan and Lin Yao’s marriage forward.

The two had been betrothed since childhood, but they still hadn’t married. Lin’s mother was growing anxious, especially with all the gossip swirling around, so she was trying every possible way to pressure Shen Huaichuan.  

“I heard it clear as day—Auntie Lin promised Qiu Chunfang a 200-yuan ‘thank-you fee’ if she succeeded!”  

Zhou Qiqi suddenly understood.  

Well, well. So that was the reason.  

Qiu Chunfang had so many children at home and was struggling to make ends meet.  

Zhou Qiqi’s arrival had directly cut off her potential windfall—no wonder she resented her!  

But Lin’s mother probably didn’t realize she was wasting her money.  

The reason the two hadn’t married wasn’t because Shen Huaichuan refused to wed Lin Yao—it was because Lin Yao had already found her “true love” elsewhere.  

By now, those two “cheaters” had likely made their relationship public.  

As they walked back to the courtyard, Zhou Qiqi was lost in thought, but Qin Shi was still preoccupied with the toilet issue.  

“Sister-in-law, if you’re uncomfortable talking to her, I’ll go for you. Qiu Chunfang is usually decent to me. If I ask, it shouldn’t be a problem.”  

Zhou Qiqi shrugged. “If you want to go, give it a try.”  

But she suspected Qiu Chunfang wouldn’t agree—this trip would be a waste of time.  

Sure enough, within minutes, Qin Shi returned with a crestfallen expression.  

“Qiu Chunfang said digging a pipeline along her back wall would count as taking up her land and cause major problems for her family. She absolutely refuses… unless…”  

Zhou Qiqi hated it when people hemmed and hawed. Frowning, she demanded, “Unless what? Spit it out!”  

Qin Shi scratched his head. “Unless you pay her for the land.”  

“How much does she want?”  

Zhou Qiqi raised an eyebrow, thinking that as long as it wasn’t outrageous, she might as well pay.  

Qin Shi held up two fingers. She guessed:  

“Two yuan?”  

“Twenty?”  

Twenty was already a lot, but to her surprise, Qin Shi shook his head each time and said:  

“Two hundred!”  

“Qiu Chunfang also said you have to go personally and ‘ask nicely.’ If your attitude is good, then there might still be room for negotiation…”  

So Qiu Chunfang wanted her to go beg in person, huh?  

Two hundred yuan? That was just plain extortion!  

Forget two hundred—she wouldn’t even give twenty!  

No, two yuan would still be letting her off too easy!  

She regretted sending Qin Shi in the first place—now he’d just suffered a pointless humiliation.  

But what infuriated her even more came later.  

After working at home for a while, she couldn’t hold it any longer and headed to the outhouse.  

Just as she reached the door, she overheard voices inside.  

“Really? She’s building a private toilet at home?”  

“What’s she trying to prove? A country girl acting like a princess?”  

“Exactly! She even sent Shen Huaichuan’s orderly, that blockhead Qin Shi, to beg me. Said they needed to run a pipeline through my yard!”  

“That must cost a fortune! And Shen Huaichuan agreed? Has that vixen bewitched him?”  

“Tsk tsk, the money spent on a private toilet here could’ve married two rural brides!”  

“So pretentious! She’s clearly trouble…”  

……  

The first few remarks were obviously Qiu Chunfang exaggerating the story, interspersed with mocking laughter from a few unfamiliar military wives.  

Zhou Qiqi knew that once Qiu Chunfang learned about the toilet plan, she’d immediately spread it around to smear her reputation.  

She just hadn’t expected to walk right into the gossip session.  

Her eyes gleamed with mischief. Clearing her throat, she called out loudly:  

“Which busybody wives are in there, so obsessed with other people’s business?”  

“Must be really bored—if a manure cart passed by, you’d probably grab a spoon to taste it, huh?”  

“Oh wait, no need for a cart—we’re standing right on top of some fresh goods! Why not scoop some up for dinner? The thick bits as a side dish, the watery bits as soup! Or just look around and help each other out!”