If she agreed to today’s matter, they would surely take her for a pushover, thinking they could manipulate her anytime in the future.  

Xia Zhi’s eyes darted around, and suddenly, she smiled. She sidestepped the crowd and walked outside, saying as she went, “I understand. How could I bear to make things difficult for everyone?”  

With that, Xia Zhi turned and strode away, heading straight to her room. The sight inside was a mess, and the air even carried a foul stench. A flicker of disgust flashed in her eyes.  

She stepped forward and found the original owner’s savings jar—a chipped, large water vat.  

Seeing the few coins and small bills inside, her heart ached. She grabbed it and stormed out in a huff.  

The crowd, seeing her leave, thought she had given in and collectively sighed in relief. After all, if this matter blew up, it wouldn’t be good for anyone.  

But then they saw Xia Zhi carrying a patched cloth bag, stuffing money inside as she marched out.  

Curious, the group quickly followed her.  

Xia Zhi dashed out of the residential compound. Before the others could catch up, she quickly grabbed a passerby.  

“Quick! Go tell Lu Beiting that—that he’s being cheated on! If he doesn’t come soon, he’ll be celebrating fatherhood for someone else’s child!”  

Then she hurried to the locust tree at the village entrance, where Liu Kun, the ox-cart driver, waited to transport goods or passengers for a small fee.  

“Uncle Liu, could you take me to town? It’s urgent.”  

The crowd’s expressions changed instantly. She really was going to report them in town!  

Zhang Xia’s legs gave way in fear. If not for Gu Yunshen supporting her, she would have collapsed on the spot.  

“Quick, Yunshen! Y-you can’t let her go to town! Otherwise, your future will be ruined!”  

“Liping, help me hold my mom.”  

After speaking, Gu Yunshen stormed toward Xia Zhi, furious. This woman was going too far.  

“Xia Zhi! Enough! Is this really necessary?”  

Caught off guard, Xia Zhi was yanked by him and fell to the ground. Stunned for a moment, she suddenly burst into loud sobs, lying on the ground clutching her arm and wailing.  

“Bullying! The college student from the Gu family is bullying me! Wuwuwu… Not only did he cheat on me with his cousin behind my back, but now the whole family gangs up to torment an orphan like me! There’s no justice, no justice at all!”  

“Xia Zhi, stop it! I barely pushed you—stop pretending!”  

Gu Yunshen was frantic. The military base wasn’t far away. If this caught the attention of the army officers, the situation would spiral out of control.  

“How could the Gu family act like this? It’s just too much.” Li Chunhua couldn’t stand it anymore. She had never realized how despicable the Gu family was before.  

“Xia Zhi, I’m begging you, get up! I—I’ll give you money, alright?”  

Seeing the soldiers from the nearby military area glancing their way, Gu Yunshen panicked. If this escalated, even if Xia Zhi didn’t report him, he wouldn’t escape unscathed.  

Might as well pay her off now.  

“What’s going on here?”  

A deep, authoritative voice cut through the noise. Everyone turned to look.  

Lu Beiting sat in a wheelchair, dressed in military green with a blanket draped over his legs. Though seated, his presence exuded an intimidating aura.  

“I-It’s Battalion Commander Lu… He’s here too.”  

At the sight of Lu Beiting, the crowd immediately quieted down.  

Xia Zhi also looked over. The man wore a neat military uniform, his features sharp and his posture upright, with an air of authority between his brows.  

So this was Lu Beiting?  

He looked far more impressive than that pretty-boy Gu Yunshen.  

She hadn’t expected to actually summon this formidable figure.  

Xia Zhi’s eyes darted craftily before she wiped her tears and walked toward Lu Beiting with delicate sobs, her voice soft and pitiful.  

“Battalion Commander Lu, you have to stand up for me! Gu Yunshen and Hao Liping were shamelessly carrying on in my room in broad daylight. If I hadn’t come back early, my reputation would’ve been ruined!”

“Not only did they bully me, but they also kept Battalion Commander Lu in the dark, making decisions without consulting you first!”

“And what’s more—the Hao family wants me to swap places with Hao Liping and marry you instead, Battalion Commander Lu!”

The soft, tearful voice murmured “Battalion Commander Lu” over and over, sending an itch straight to the heart.  

Lu Beiting lowered his gaze, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes.  

“Gu Yunshen, Hao Liping… Hah. Hao Dazhuang, don’t you owe me an explanation?”

His brows furrowed slightly, his hands resting on his legs tightening into fists. His sharp gaze swept between the Gu and Hao families, sending chills down their spines.  

Hao Dazhuang, completely baffled, broke out in a cold sweat.  

No matter what, Lu Beiting was still a battalion commander. The imposing aura of a military man weighed heavily on them, and even if he was injured now, he was still a decorated soldier.  

Trembling, Hao Dazhuang stammered,  

“T-this… Battalion Commander Lu, we were in the wrong, but what’s done is done. Besides, you and Liping never formally got engaged.”

“How about this—Xia Zhi was raised by our family too. What do you think of her?”

Lu Beiting’s face darkened, but he remained silent. The Hao family had once saved his father’s life, and in gratitude, his grandfather had arranged a childhood betrothal between him and Hao Liping. After his grandfather’s passing, even a high-ranking official had stepped in to reaffirm the arrangement.  

Now, just as the wedding date was being finalized, this mess had erupted.  

The onlookers grew tense at Lu Beiting’s silence. This was Battalion Commander Lu they were dealing with—how bold of the Hao family!  

Hao Liping gritted her teeth. She refused to marry a cripple.  

“Lu Beiting, you’re already injured—why drag me, an unmarried girl, into this?”

“Yunshen and I are in love. Either you marry Xia Zhi, or the two of you can grow old alone!”

After all, who would want a useless cripple and a rejected tigress?  

Might as well pair them off and let them make do.  

Lu Beiting’s grip on his legs tightened, his icy glare burning with suppressed fury.  

“So you think so little of me?”

“You make decisions behind my back without a word?”

“Hah. How impressive.”

It wasn’t Hao Liping’s betrayal that angered him—it was their blatant disrespect toward military authority.  

“B-Battalion Commander Lu, this really is just a misunderstanding!”

Hao Dazhuang desperately tried to explain, but the facts were undeniable. No amount of talking would change that.  

Lu Beiting leaned back, his presence overwhelming as he coldly regarded them.  

“Uncle Hao, don’t forget who proposed this marriage in the first place.”

Hao Dazhuang stiffened.  

Who proposed it?  

None other than… the high-ranking official himself.

Chen Xiuping, who had been firmly on her daughter’s side just moments ago, now panicked.  

“Battalion Commander Lu, we admit we were wrong! We’ll apologize properly, but… Liping and Yunshen have already… been together. If she marries you now, it’ll only tarnish your reputation!”

Hao Liping couldn’t help but glance at Lu Beiting, a flicker of infatuation in her eyes—quickly replaced by resentment.  

Lu Beiting was handsomer than Gu Yunshen, and his family background was superior.  

But what did that matter?  

His body was broken. He’d never achieve anything great in the future.  

“Hao Liping was never my only option. I only agreed back then out of respect for the official.”

“You’d better think carefully about how you’re going to explain this to him.”

Xia Zhi watched the Hao family’s stunned faces, satisfaction bubbling in her chest.  

Then, her gaze landed on Zhang Xia and Gu Yunshen, who were trying to shrink into the background.  

She strode toward them.  

Zhang Xia flinched back at her approach.  

What was this madwoman planning now?