Chapter 8

Huo Jincheng’s expression turned grim, and his voice was cold: “The matter hasn’t been clarified yet, and you, sister-in-law, are already thinking about driving Yun’er out. Isn’t that a bit too hasty?”

“Isn’t it clear enough? Didn’t Mingli already say that it was Lan Yun’er who…”

“That’s just her side of the story! She doesn’t have any evidence to prove that Yun’er instigated her!” Huo Jincheng’s voice was icy cold, every word laced with sharpness. His gaze swept over Zhou Mingli, his eyes glinting with an icy chill. “If, in the future, every thief in the village claims Yun’er made them do it, then wouldn’t my Yun’er be the scapegoat for everything?”

Hearing this, the crowd thought it made sense. Although Lan Yun’er had stolen before, they couldn’t label her as utterly malicious just because of one incident, let alone attribute every theft in the village to her. That would be too unfair.

Qi Huifang, indignant at Huo Jincheng’s words, immediately lashed out: “What do you mean by that? Are you saying that my Mingli is falsely accusing Lan Yun’er?” She pointed at Lan Yun’er, her tone growing sharper: “Ever since this woman came to our village, she’s been pestering Mingli every day. At first, I thought she was trying to befriend Mingli.

But who would’ve thought she was trying to harm her, manipulating Mingli into helping her steal? Mingli has been a good girl all her life. Before Lan Yun’er came, had anyone ever heard of Mingli stealing anything?”

The crowd shook their heads. Zhou Mingli had a good reputation in the village, and no one had ever heard of her stealing. Could this mean that the current incident was indeed instigated by Lan Yun’er?

Qi Huifang, seeing the crowd’s reaction, was pleased and continued: “This time, stealing from the captain’s house, it was clearly Lan Yun’er’s doing! She’s a menace and a blight on our village!”

At Qi Huifang’s declaration, Zhou Mingli started crying even more pitifully: “I’ve let down the captain and everyone else. I shouldn’t have stolen, but I… I was really scared when Yun’er threatened to commit suicide in front of me.”

Her sobs were so heart-wrenching that one might believe she’d endured tremendous grievance.

Lan Yun’er, however, smirked inwardly. Zhou Mingli’s acting skills were commendable. In the 21st century, she could easily win an acting award. But if Zhou Mingli could act, so could she. After all, she had sixty years of worldly experience under her belt, and acting was one of the many skills she’d mastered.

Quickly mustering her emotions, Lan Yun’er glared at Zhou Mingli and began to cry: “Mingli, how can you do this? How can you distort the truth like this? It was clearly you who manipulated me into stealing!

Today, when we stole from Aunt, He’s house, it was your idea. You said if I stole something, Jincheng would divorce me. Even the incidents of hanging myself and poisoning the pigs were all your suggestions. You told me that as long as I did these things, Jincheng would hate me and drive me out of the house.”

Turning to look at Huo Jincheng beside her, she sobbed: “Jincheng, I’m sorry. Before, I was single-mindedly thinking about divorcing you. But that was because I didn’t understand your worth. I thought I wouldn’t be happy with you.

But now I know better. You’re the man I want. For the rest of my life, I only want to be with you.”

Tears streamed down her face as she spoke, sliding down her cheeks and soaking into her collar.

Seeing her pitiful tears, Huo Jincheng felt a pang of pain in his heart. He quickly wiped them away for her and said, “I know, I know everything.”

The onlookers were stunned.

What? The things Lan Yun’er had done in the past were all… Zhou Mingli’s manipulation?

Yao Guizhi’s expression darkened, and she immediately glared at Zhou Mingli: “So it was you! It was you all along! I always thought Yun’er was honest and straightforward when she was still at her parents’ home. Why did she change after marrying into our family? It turns out you were behind it!”

“Auntie, no! Yun’er is falsely accusing me! She…” Zhou Mingli hurriedly tried to defend herself.

Lan Yun’er, wiping away her own tears, continued sobbing: “When I first got married, I genuinely wanted to live a good life with Jincheng. But Mingli kept telling me that the Huo family was too poor, that Jincheng would never amount to anything, and that staying with him would only lead to a life of suffering.

She kept urging me to divorce Jincheng. I was foolish enough to believe her back then and acted recklessly, thinking about divorce.”

“You’re lying! I never encouraged you to do that! Lan Yun’er, stop spouting nonsense!” Zhou Mingli, panicking, abandoned any pretense of affection and directly addressed her by name.

Lan Yun’er retorted, “I’m not lying.

Today, you coaxed me into stealing from Aunt He’s house.

When I stole, you saw that Jincheng and I were still fine, with no sign of divorce. You then urged me to steal from the captain’s house instead.

But when I fell into the river, I had an epiphany. I realized I wanted to live well with Jincheng and didn’t want to stir up trouble anymore. So I… refused you.

But I didn’t expect you to turn around and steal yourself, and after getting caught, you falsely accused me of coercing you. Mingli, you’ve gone too far! Are you trying to ruin me completely?”

Finishing her tirade, Lan Yun’er started crying like Zhou Mingli, leaving Huo Jincheng busy comforting her.

When Huo Jincheng looked up at Zhou Mingli, his gaze was icy and suffused with a deadly intent. Zhou Mingli, meeting his eyes, instinctively shivered.

Clenching her hands, Zhou Mingli tried to explain: “It’s not like that! Things aren’t like that! Lan Yun’er is lying and slandering me!”

Qi Huifang fiercely glared at Lan Yun’er and defended her daughter: “Lan Yun’er, you’re skilled at turning the tables, aren’t you? You did something wrong and still want to pin it on Mingli?”

“I’m not lying! I swear everything I’ve said is true. If I’m lying, may I be struck by lightning!” Lan Yun’er declared resolutely, raising four fingers to make an oath.

People in this era were quite superstitious. Seeing Lan Yun’er make such a deadly oath, many began to believe her. Perhaps things were indeed as she claimed.

Just then, Aunt He, who had remained silent, stepped forward.

Aunt He glanced at Lan Yun’er and addressed the crowd: “I believe Jincheng’s wife.

Even though she stole from me today, she apologized and compensated me with a jar of malted milk.

I believe she’s genuinely remorseful and wouldn’t steal again. If someone truly knows their wrongdoing, they wouldn’t repeat it.

So, I think this incident has nothing to do with Jincheng’s wife.”

The crowd was surprised by Aunt He’s defense of Lan Yun’er. Hearing that she had only stolen a dozen eggs but had compensated with a jar of malted milk, they felt her apology was sincere.

A genuine apology indicated true remorse. If she truly regretted her actions, stealing again would indeed seem unlikely.

Could this mean Zhou Mingli be really framing her?

The crowd turned their eyes to Zhou Mingli, their gazes shifting. Zhou Mingli bit her lip, panic bubbling within her.

But she couldn’t admit to the theft now. If she did, how could she continue living in this village?

Tearing up, Zhou Mingli insisted: “I’m not lying! What I’m saying is true. Lan Yun’er forced me to do this. I can also swear! I swear every word I’ve said is true. If I’m lying, may I be struck by lightning!”

After all, it was just a curse. She wasn’t as superstitious as these villagers.

However, the moment she finished speaking, a thunderclap rumbled through the sky.