Chapter 46

That evening, with everyone at home, Lu Wenbin asked, “Do you all know about the rumors in the family area recently?”

Lu’s mother’s eyes darted around, then she replied, “What rumors? How would we know?”

Lu Wenbin’s heart sank suddenly.

Even he, who spent his days training in the barracks, knew about the rumors in the family area. His mother often wandered around there; how could she not know? Her reaction clearly showed guilt.

He didn’t beat around the bush anymore and asked seriously, “Mom, did you spread this?”

Lu’s mother became unhappy and was about to refute.

Lu Wenbin spoke coldly, “Mom, think carefully before you speak. Can matters from the barracks be spread so casually? If things go wrong, we might end up with charges of leaking state military intelligence, and none of us would escape.”

His words were a bit exaggerated, but it was to prompt his mother to tell the truth.

He also discovered something very unacceptable.

If his mother did spread this, it meant she was eavesdropping on him and his wife’s private conversations.

Who could tolerate such a thing?

It was also when his mother and sister came over when his wife was six months pregnant, and they refrained from intimate matters out of consideration for the child in her belly.

Now, his wife had just finished her confinement, and it wasn’t time for intimacy yet. Otherwise, their private matters between husband and wife would have been overheard by his mother, which was nauseating to think about.

Not only did he think about this, but Su Qiuyue also thought about it.

Looking at her mother-in-law’s face, she suddenly felt disgusted.

Which mother would eavesdrop on her son and daughter-in-law like this?

Lu’s mother didn’t think that far. Her mind was entirely occupied by the accusation of that crime.

“I… I didn’t say anything. How could there be a crime?”

Lu Wenbin’s heart completely cooled down. “Mom, did you really spread this?!”

Lu’s mother, however, was more concerned about something else. She grabbed Lu Wenbin’s sleeve in panic and said, “Binzi, I won’t go to jail, will I? At that time, Xiaochan said that their director was displeased with the wife of Captain Lu, so I thought about giving her a lesson.”

Lu Wenbin rubbed his face with a headache. “Mom, didn’t we already make amends with Captain Lu last time? Why are you still thinking about causing trouble for others? And how did you know about the issue of Captain Lu’s wife’s parents being sent down?”

Lu’s mother thought that whether they reconciled or not was just a matter of face. She spread those rumors in private.

Wouldn’t she retaliate if others didn’t give her face?

Thinking of what her son said about Captain Lu’s in-laws being sent away, Lu’s mother sighed with relief at her luck.

“Last time, a young man asked me where Captain Lu’s wife’s family was. I just asked him who he was and what he wanted with her.”

Lu’s mother didn’t ask out of concern for someone else’s safety; she was purely curious to hear gossip about Shi Tingyu.

Everyone knew that Captain Lu looked fierce. Which woman liked such a man? Besides, Shi, who was so beautiful, might have someone outside.

Sure enough, someone came to inquire now.

Continuing with the man who asked for directions, Lu’s mother continued, “He’s from the neighboring Weapons Research Institute. Otherwise, ordinary people can’t get into our family area. Later, I asked him about his relationship with Captain Lu’s wife, and the young man said he was a friend of Captain Lu’s father-in-law.”

After that, things were much simpler. She purely went to inquire for the purpose of finding Shi Tingyu’s handle.

People in the Institute and the family area basically knew about Shi Tingyu’s family affairs.

This was no secret; she knew it as soon as she asked.

As for why she said that Lu Weiguo couldn’t be promoted because of Shi Tingyu’s influence, that was her fabrication.

Originally, she didn’t think that Captain Lu, the youngest camp commander, could be promoted.

But she didn’t expect to hit the nail on the head this time.

Lu Wenbin had nothing to say. He was at fault in this matter; he shouldn’t have talked about it at home.

Originally, he just thought his wife had a tight mouth, and since she had a good relationship with Old Chen’s wife, he mentioned it casually. Who would have thought that the walls had ears?

After reflecting on himself, Lu Wenbin said, “Mom, tidy up these days. Once this matter is settled, you should return to our hometown.”

He looked up at his sister and wondered how to handle her.

Lu Wenchan was startled by his glance and hurriedly said, “Brother, I can’t go back yet. I’ve found a job here.”

After a moment of silence, Lu Wenbin said, “Whether you go back or not, we’ll see later. But Mom must go back.”

Lu’s mother was truly unhappy this time. She shouted, “No! I can’t go back. Xiaochan hasn’t found a boyfriend yet.”

This made her angry. The promising relationship with Commander Yang has now gone cold, and she blamed it on Shi Tingyu.

If Shi Tingyu had not been invited that day, the situation between her daughter and Yang Lianzi would be uncertain.

Lu Wenbin also stopped listening to his mother, only saying, “Mom, if I stay here, I’ll lose my job sooner or later.”

Lu’s mother thought her son was exaggerating.

How could Lu Wenbin not know what his mother was thinking? He said, “Take this matter for example. The news spread so widely, I can’t escape responsibility.”

“If Chen Qiang can’t be promoted because of this, my partnership will suffer. Among the three camps, only Old Chen’s promotion would be good for me, because he started in our third camp and my position might still be secure, but not now.”

“How could this happen…” the old lady was shocked, “just spreading a little rumor, how can it be so serious?”

Lu Wenbin was angry, “Mom! At this point, you’re still saying these things.”

The teaching style is great and the thought process is high, but Lu’s mother rarely sees Lu Wenbin angry, and this time she is afraid of shouting.

Lu Wenbin breathed deeply and told her seriously, “Mom, if no one asks about this matter, I won’t cover for you.”

“You’re heartless, I’m your mother!” Lu’s mother felt sad to think her son might not care about her.

Ignoring her mother’s anger, Lu Wenbin said seriously to Lu’s mother, “Mom, don’t listen to me and Qiao Yue in the future. If you continue like this, how can we get along as a couple in the future?”

Lu’s mother was guilty. She hesitated for a moment and finally said, “I understand.”

Back then, she had eavesdropped because she always heard her son listening to her daughter-in-law’s words, afraid that her daughter-in-law would say something bad about her and damage their relationship.

There are too many such intruders in the village, and they are causing problems for good mothers and sons.

The daughter-in-law is from the city and naturally does not get along with them in the countryside.

She only has one son, and she hopes to depend on him in her old age. She absolutely cannot be separated from him because of an outsider.

Her husband died ten years ago, and if her son doesn’t take care of her in the future, what will she do in the second half of her life?