Jiang Moli turned her head to see Lu Tingting standing a few meters away, surrounded by a group of girls like stars around the moon. Aside from Wu Meixia and Song Ke, there were three other familiar-looking young women whose names she couldn’t recall. Judging by their attire, they were likely Lu Tingting’s university classmates.  

At this time, the college entrance examination system had been abolished, but students could still be admitted as worker-peasant-soldier students to continue their studies in higher education institutions.  

“Jiang Moli, shouldn’t you be guarding the toilet at this hour? What are you doing here?”  

“Guess why I’m here,” Jiang Moli replied lazily, mentally calculating how to extract disdain points from the three unfamiliar faces.  

Lu Tingting snorted. “Slacking off on your first day of work? Seems like you don’t want this job! If you don’t, just say so—plenty of people are lining up for it! But think carefully: if you lose this job, you’ll have to go to the countryside as an educated youth. Marry some rural bumpkin, have a bunch of peasant kids, and never dream of returning to the city!”  

Song Ke stepped forward and shoved Jiang Moli. “Didn’t you hear Tingting? Get back to guarding your toilet! Don’t forget who you’re working for. If you dare lose this job, you’ll regret it!”  

Just as Lu Cheng returned to the department store, he spotted Jiang Moli being cornered by a group of women. His stern face darkened instantly.  

He strode quickly to Jiang Moli’s side. “What’s going on here?”  

His deep, authoritative voice startled Song Ke, making her shrink back in fear. When she saw Lu Cheng’s icy, intimidating expression and razor-sharp gaze, she ducked her head and huddled closer to Lu Tingting.  

“Your third uncle.”  

Lu Tingting was also surprised to see Lu Cheng, a flicker of guilt crossing her face. “Third Uncle.”  

The title “Third Uncle” took Jiang Moli aback. Her eyes darted between Lu Cheng and Lu Tingting before she suddenly smiled.  

Lu Cheng only then noticed Lu Tingting beside Song Ke and frowned. “Tingting? What are you doing here?”  

Jiang Moli promptly looped her arm through Lu Cheng’s and said in a sweet, affected tone, “Big Brother Soldier, you came just in time. They’re bullying me. You’ll protect me, won’t you?”  

Lu Cheng immediately saw through her act but played along with an “Mm.”  

Lu Tingting nearly burst with rage, her voice rising sharply. “Jiang Moli, have you no shame?! That’s my third uncle! Let go of him!”

“No!”  

Jiang Moli clung even tighter to Lu Cheng’s arm.  

Lu Tingting, furious, tried to yank Jiang Moli away. How dare this trash lay a finger on her third uncle!  

Jiang Moli dodged behind Lu Cheng, feigning a pitiful tone. “Big Brother Soldier, control your niece. She’s so mean!”  

Lu Cheng helplessly held Lu Tingting back. “Tingting, stop making a scene!”  

Lu Tingting, beside herself, pointed at Jiang Moli. “Third Uncle, she’s like a piece of sticky plaster—anyone who gets close is doomed! Stay away from her!”  

Jiang Moli peeked out from behind Lu Cheng, batting her big, doll-like eyes. “Big Brother Soldier, do you have a girlfriend? If not, marry me!”  

To Lu Tingting and her friends, Jiang Moli’s behavior was the epitome of shamelessness—phony, affected, and openly seducing someone else’s elder in public. She deserved to be drowned in a pig cage!  

Hearing the notification of disdain points rolling in, Jiang Moli cheerfully stepped out from behind Lu Cheng and crooked a finger at Lu Tingting. “Be a good niece and call me Third Aunt.”  

Lu Tingting lost it. “Jiang Moli, you’re dead!”  

She raised her hand to slap Jiang Moli, only to be stopped once again by Lu Cheng.  

“Third Uncle, why are you helping her? She’s just a—”  

Lu Cheng’s expression turned thunderous. “Watch your language! Show some respect!”  

Then he added, “Apologize to your Third Aunt!”  

Lu Tingting’s eyes bulged like copper bells. Apologize to Jiang Moli? Wait—what had her third uncle just said?  

Third Aunt?!  

She must be so angry she was hearing things!  

Her outstanding, exceptional third uncle falling for Jiang Moli? She’d eat shit upside down before believing that!  

“Third Uncle…”  

“Did you not hear me? Apologize. To your Third Aunt.”

Jiang Moli tugged at Lu Cheng’s sleeve, adopting the tone of a magnanimous elder. “Don’t be so harsh. If the younger generation doesn’t listen, just reason with them gently.”  

Lu Cheng glanced down at her. “Then you handle it?”  

“Gladly!”  

Lu Tingting looked as if she’d been struck by lightning, her expression horrified. “Third Uncle, you… you know her?!”  

“This is your Third Aunt. Address her properly.”  

“No way! Her?!”  

Lu Cheng’s face darkened. “Lu Tingting, who taught you to point at your elders? Did all those years of education go to waste?”  

Terrified, Lu Tingting quickly retracted her hand, but her eyes still bore into Jiang Moli with venom, as if she wanted to tear her apart. Clearly, she couldn’t accept the fact that Jiang Moli had become her Third Aunt.  

She’d rather eat dirt!  

In stark contrast to Lu Tingting’s fury, Jiang Moli was in an excellent mood. “Good niece, you seem to have a lot of free time. Since your Third Uncle and I are busy preparing for our wedding these days, why don’t you take over my shifts at the public restroom for a while?”  

“Why should I?!”  

“Because you were the one who arranged this job for me. If I can do it, so can you.”  

Lu Cheng’s expression turned icy. “You got your Third Aunt a job cleaning toilets?”  

Though Lu Tingting didn’t think she’d done anything wrong, under Lu Cheng’s piercing gaze, she couldn’t help but feel guilty.  

“She was the one who asked me to help her find a job! I didn’t force her!”  

Lu Cheng had watched Lu Tingting grow up. He could see right through her—she’d clearly done this to humiliate Jiang Moli.  

Even if Jiang Moli weren’t his wife, he wouldn’t tolerate his niece bullying others.  

“The military is setting up a school for dependents and needs teachers. You seem perfect for the job. I’ll sign you up.”  

“No! I won’t go!”  

Lu Tingting’s face paled. She had no intention of going to some impoverished backwater with nothing but mountains and mud.  

But Lu Cheng’s stern expression made it clear he wasn’t joking.  

Faced with the choice between cleaning toilets and teaching in the countryside, Lu Tingting swallowed her pride and chose the former.  

“7:30 tomorrow morning. Don’t be late~”  

Jiang Moli, just you wait!  

Watching Lu Tingting’s furious retreating figure, Jiang Moli felt nothing but satisfaction.  

“Happy now?”  

“Feeling sorry for your niece?”  

“Her father is often away, and she was raised solely by her mother, so she’s a bit spoiled. As her aunt, don’t take it to heart.”  

Jiang Moli shrugged. “I don’t start fights, but I won’t back down either.”  

Lu Cheng studied her. “You really can’t stand losing, can you?”  

“Nope. Not one bit.”  

Not tolerating bullies wasn’t a bad thing. With him away so often, at least he wouldn’t have to worry about her being mistreated.  

Jiang Moli looked at the tall, handsome, and imposing man beside her, her expression playful. “I never expected you to have such a grown-up niece.”  

“I never expected you to know Tingting either.”  

Though Lu Cheng replied casually, inwardly, he wondered if his wife was subtly hinting that he was too old for her.  

“We were high school classmates.”  

“No wonder I’ve never met you. I was stationed at the military base during her high school years.”  

As they chatted, the atmosphere between them was harmonious. From a distance, they looked like the perfect couple—a match made in heaven.  

…

“Tingting.”  

Hearing her name, Lu Tingting turned around.  

“Sister Weiwei…”  

Recognizing Meng Wei, Lu Tingting’s lips trembled, and tears welled up uncontrollably.  

In Lu Tingting’s heart, Meng Wei was like an elder sister—kind, caring, and always there for her since childhood.  

“What’s wrong? Who upset you?”  

“It’s Jiang Moli…”