Chapter 18: Can You Face Commander Lu With a Clear Conscience?

Without delay, Lin Shuqiao grabbed Lu Ziqi’s little hand and headed straight for the door.

But as soon as she stepped outside, she overheard Auntie Zhang whispering something mysteriously to a group of people, glancing repeatedly at Lin Shuqiao’s house.

Looks like Auntie Zhang still hadn’t kicked her gossiping habit.

Unfortunately for her, she locked eyes with Lin Shuqiao just then. Flustered, she quickly averted her gaze.

“Auntie Zhang, what are you chatting about?” Lin Shuqiao asked cheerfully, carrying a large bamboo basket on her back and holding Lu Ziqi’s hand as she walked over.

The onlookers had already taken up positions, eager to watch the drama unfold.

“You keep glancing toward my house—talking about something related to me, perhaps?” she asked casually, now standing right in front of Auntie Zhang.

Faced with Lin Shuqiao’s direct approach, Auntie Zhang remembered her past crazed outbursts—like a madwoman—and couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

But with all the neighbors watching, she had to hold her ground to save face.

What’s there to be afraid of? It’s just a girl!

“I heard from my daughter yesterday that you went out to meet Jiang He. And you even took the child with you. That’s not appropriate, is it?”

Her words were clearly meant to smear Lin Shuqiao, and Lin wasn’t about to let it slide.

She smiled faintly. “Auntie Zhang, Liu Jie has really inherited your family tradition of spreading rumors. She’s got the skill of turning white into black, and black into pitch-black!”

That simple comeback had the surrounding crowd stifling laughter behind their hands.

The laughter sounded like sharp needles in Auntie Zhang’s ears.

“Don’t talk nonsense! I think you’re just guilty and panicking!” she snapped back, though her smug expression quickly returned.

“Everyone in the compound knows about you and Jiang He! Stop pretending. It’s not like we’re going to do anything to you. Just admit it already!”

“You act like it’s some sordid affair, but who here doesn’t already know the truth?”

With that, she fully exposed Lin Shuqiao’s supposed relationship with Jiang He.

If this had happened before her rebirth, Lin might’ve had no choice but to accept the blame.

But now? Her ties with Jiang He were clean. She wasn’t about to carry this burden.

“Who said I have anything going on with Jiang He? I’m curious, Auntie Zhang, what solid proof do you have to make such a claim?”

The ambiguous smile on Lin’s face made a chill run down Auntie Zhang’s spine.

“What proof? Everyone’s eyes are clear as day! Isn’t that enough?” she argued, holding her head high.

Calmly, Lin continued, “Then please tell me—when and where did you see me and Jiang He doing something inappropriate? If you can’t answer, that means you’re spreading lies about a married woman.”

“My husband is a soldier. I won’t tolerate anyone dragging our family name through the mud in public!”

Her voice grew louder with each word until everyone present could hear her loud and clear.

The crowd’s attention turned back to Auntie Zhang.

“This…” Auntie Zhang widened her eyes, blurting out instinctively, “You’re still denying it? My daughter saw the two of you together with her own eyes!”

Lin Shuqiao raised an eyebrow in surprise. “But if you can’t even say where or when this happened, how exactly did Liu Jie ‘see’ it? Could it be she’s the one with something going on with Jiang He?”

“Pah!” Auntie Zhang exploded with rage and raised her hand to slap Lin, but Lin grabbed her wrist midair and flipped the situation on her.

“Ah! You little wretch, how dare you grab me like that!”

Auntie Zhang struggled free and rubbed her aching wrist.

“Everyone knows you’ve been giving Jiang He this and that, never hesitating to spend money on him. That’s all from Commander Lu’s hard-earned wages! How can you look him in the eye?!”

She lashed out, looking like the very image of righteous fury.

Lin Shuqiao calmly counted on her fingers. “Everything I gave Jiang He was a loan, not a gift. Who said otherwise?”

“But you, Auntie Zhang—you know more about other people’s lives than your own. If you’re so knowledgeable, why don’t you repay what Jiang He owes me yourself?”

Her smooth tone stood in stark contrast to Auntie Zhang’s frantic anger.

That line had the crowd laughing out loud—no more muffled chuckles this time. After all, no one had ever made Auntie Zhang eat her words like this before.

Everyone knew Auntie Zhang was the compound’s “information hub.” Truth or not, once she said it, it spread like wildfire.

“How is that possible!” she gasped, chest heaving as she looked around.

Not a single soul stepped in to help her. Everyone pretended not to see a thing.

Then someone shouted from the crowd, eager to stir the pot:

“Why don’t we go straight to Jiang He and settle this?”

“Good idea! Since Auntie Zhang’s so good with words, let’s have her explain everything in front of everyone!”

Hearing this, Auntie Zhang’s face darkened.

She could tell this spectacle was spiraling out of her control.

Auntie Zhang glanced at Lin Shuqiao again and saw that she remained calm and collected. That only made her angrier.

This shameless brat must be faking it—once she saw Jiang He, the truth would come out.

Gritting her teeth, Auntie Zhang sneered, “Fine! Let’s go!”

“I just wonder if someone has the guts to come with me.”

The implication was clear.

“Sure.” Lin Shuqiao glanced at the swelling crowd. Might as well settle this today once and for all.

No more arguing. She grabbed Auntie Zhang with one hand and led her toward Jiang He’s house, followed closely by the eager neighbors.

Auntie Zhang tried to escape, but the crowd behind her was too “enthusiastic.” Lin pulled her from the front while the neighbors pushed from behind.

“Let’s go see if it’s true!”

“Yeah, Auntie Zhang. If you’re speaking with evidence, why be afraid of a little girl?”

“If she’s falsely accusing you, she should be exposed!”

Jiang He had just finished his morning training and was stunned to see a huge group gathered outside his house—with Lin Shuqiao and Auntie Zhang sitting right in the center of the courtyard.

Jiang He adjusted his expression and walked toward Lin Shuqiao with a joyful look, acting like the crowd didn’t exist.

“Qiaoqiao, why are you here all of a sudden?”

Seeing his fake smile, Lin felt utterly nauseated.

But his affectionate tone caused the crowd to murmur in surprise.

That tone… could there really be something between them?

Auntie Zhang quickly stepped forward and shouted, “See! I told you—they do have a thing going on!”

Jiang He looked confused as he scanned the crowd, pausing mid-step.

Lin Shuqiao, unbothered, got straight to the point. “You should return the things I lent you. You still have the list from last time, right?”

His expression immediately darkened, though he tried to brush it off. “That list… I think I lost it.”

He forced a regretful smile, clearly unwilling to return anything.

“Is that so?” Lin Shuqiao crossed her arms, clearly unfazed.

Then she pulled a new copy from her pocket and handed it over. “Here’s a backup. Take it.”

“I’ve got plenty more at home. Lose it again, and I’ll just print another—until you repay every last item.”

After two lifetimes, no one knew Jiang He’s tricks better than she did. This time, she came prepared.

Jiang He stared blankly at the list, stunned. When did she get this smart?

“But Qiaoqiao… didn’t you say you liked me? That these gifts were from your heart? Who asks for their gifts back?”

She stuffed the list into his hand and gave a cold smile. “That was Commander Lu’s hard-earned money to support his family. I only loaned it to you out of pity.”

“I never once said I was giving anything! If you don’t return it, don’t blame everyone here for losing respect for you!”

The crowd at the door was still watching, and Jiang He felt like he was being roasted alive.

His voice tightened. “Qiaoqiao, why are you being so cold now? Have you forgotten what we had—”

“Enough!” Lin interrupted him sharply.

“In the end, people who won’t repay debts are full of excuses. I still have to take care of a child—no time to listen to you ramble. Pay up!”

From behind, Lu Ziqi looked up to see Lin Shuqiao retreating from Jiang He’s groping hand with an expression of sheer disgust.

His big, black eyes blinked in shock.

Was this really the Lin Shuqiao he knew?

If only he could talk—he’d call her out right now!

Jiang He, stunned by her rejection, raised his voice, “Qiaoqiao, how can you be so heartless! Have you forgotten—”

“Don’t you dare,” Lin snapped. “I’m a married woman. You wouldn’t lay hands on someone else’s wife, would you? Just pay up already!”