“My little sister probably wouldn’t do something like that.” It’s likely that she was just feeling a bit down after hearing about Sheng Zexi’s marriage. Maybe she’ll feel better after some time.

With this thought, Peng Yude felt relieved and left as well.

…

Time flew by, and soon it was the day of the market.

Gu Jianing had agreed to go with Zhang Shuwang.

Although it was still snowing today, the sun had come out, and the temperature had risen a bit.

Thinking about how she was going to stun the military wives who had been spreading rumors about her being ugly, Gu Jianing decided to wear her military coat but left her red scarf loosely draped around her neck, revealing her delicate, fair, and beautiful face.

When Zhang Shuwang arrived and saw Gu Jianing’s exposed face, her eyes lit up.

“Let’s go then.”

At this time, many of the military wives were also heading to the market.

As they walked, they encountered Zhang Shuwang and Gu Jianing.

When their eyes fell on Gu Jianing, they were completely stunned.

Where did this stunning beauty come from?

Why hadn’t they seen her in the military compound before?

Was she from the cultural troupe? Or perhaps a relative of one of the soldiers?

She was so beautiful! Look at her face—it practically glowed in the sunlight, flawless and radiant.

Her features were exquisite, her cheeks rosy, and her lips full and red, giving her a healthy and vibrant appearance.

Her eyes were especially captivating, sparkling like they could speak, as if they held the essence of autumn.

As someone was looking at Gu Jianing, she happened to glance back.

The moment their eyes met, it felt like an electric current ran through them.

Beautiful, so beautiful.

She looked young too, probably not married yet.

Immediately, these military wives started thinking about whether they had any unmarried young men in their families or among their relatives.

If they could pair this girl up with one of them, it would be perfect.

With her looks, any man would surely fall for her.

Zhang Shuwang noticed the many gazes fixed on her companion, their eyes shining with admiration, and she felt quite pleased.

Yes, this was exactly what she wanted—to stun these people and make them eat their words.

Gu Jianing also noticed the stares, but she was used to it. Perhaps because she had been receiving such attention since she was young, it no longer fazed her.

“Oh, I remember you! You’re Battalion Commander Lin’s wife, right? Hello, I’m the wife of Battalion Commander Cui, your husband’s comrade…” A military wife in her thirties stepped forward to greet them.

Although Zhang Shuwang was also a newcomer and somewhat unfamiliar, she was still somewhat known.

The woman then turned her gaze to Zhang Shuwang’s side. “And this young lady is?”

Zhang Shuwang had been waiting for someone to ask. Seeing the woman’s curiosity and noticing the other wives secretly perking up their ears, she immediately smiled.

She had been waiting for this moment to set the record straight about Gu Jianing.

“You don’t know who she is?”

“You know Battalion Commander Sheng Zexi from our military compound, right?”

Of course, they knew Battalion Commander Sheng Zexi.

Was this girl related to him?

Because of the previous rumors, no one thought of her as Sheng Zexi’s wife. After all, it was said that Battalion Commander Sheng’s wife was an ugly country girl, while this young lady was so beautiful—just as good-looking as Battalion Commander Sheng. So, it was more likely that she was a relative.

But in the next moment, Zhang Shuwang’s words shattered their assumptions.

“This is Jianing. She’s Battalion Commander Sheng Zexi’s newlywed wife,” Zhang Shuwang introduced enthusiastically.

After saying this, she felt a wave of satisfaction as she watched the shocked expressions around her.

“What? You’re Battalion Commander Sheng’s wife? How is that possible?”

“Wasn’t it said that Battalion Commander Sheng’s wife was an ugly country girl?”

“Yes, it was said that she was so ugly, with a face full of freckles, that’s why she always covered herself up when going out.”

At this point, someone realized the flaw in the rumors.

“You said it yourself—she always covered herself up. So, no one actually saw what she looked like.”

“Then she could very well be beautiful. How could anyone call her ugly without even seeing her?”

Once someone pointed this out, everyone suddenly understood.

That’s right, no one had actually seen her. They had just made assumptions based on her covering up.

But now, seeing her in person, they realized how far off the rumors had been.

A country girl?

With this figure and this elegance? She looked more refined than any city girl.

And that face—who in their right mind could call her ugly?

She was clearly a heavenly beauty.

Look at those exquisite features, that fair and smooth skin.

If she was considered ugly, then what did that make the rest of them? Wouldn’t they be considered an eyesore in public?

The person who spread those rumors was truly outrageous.

“So, you’re Battalion Commander Sheng’s newlywed wife. You’re so beautiful! Hello, I’m the wife of Battalion Commander Cui. My husband and your husband are good friends. I’m a bit older than you, so you can call me Sister Yu…”

Although she now knew that the young lady was married to Battalion Commander Sheng and couldn’t be introduced to her brother, Sister Yu was still very enthusiastic. Sister Yu had no particular hobbies—she just loved talking to beautiful people, regardless of gender.

As she put it, looking at beautiful people could brighten her mood.

Gu Jianing didn’t mind socializing with these military wives.

She wasn’t particularly skilled at socializing, but she didn’t dislike it either.

Moreover, Battalion Commander Cui—Sheng Zexi had mentioned him before, saying they were good friends. They had even planned to invite the couple to their housewarming.

“Are you all heading to the market too? Let’s go together.”

And so, the three of them chatted as they walked to the market.

Meanwhile, the others whispered among themselves.

As they talked, the news spread: Battalion Commander Sheng’s wife wasn’t an ugly country girl—she was a stunning beauty…

Gu Jianing followed the two wives to the market.

This market was a joint effort between several nearby villages and the military compound. It was held on the tenth day of every month.

Farmers could bring their surplus agricultural products to sell at the market.

By the time Gu Jianing and the others arrived, the market was already bustling with people—vendors setting up their stalls, buyers browsing, and the atmosphere lively.

Gu Jianing had initially thought there wouldn’t be much to see, but to her surprise, there were quite a few stalls set up.

Was it because the heavy snow hadn’t completely blocked the roads yet?

“Sisters, how about we split up for now to buy what we need, and then meet back at a designated spot in an hour and a half to head back together?” Gu Jianing suggested.

“That works,” both Zhang Shuwang and Sister Yu agreed.

After all, they each had different things to buy, so splitting up made sense.

And so, Gu Jianing parted ways with them and began exploring the market on her own.