“Shen Tang, don’t you dare slander me!”

He Qiu was also panicking. She had only managed to persuade Han Zhongguo to agree to marry her by impersonating Shen Tang. If her deception was exposed, she would be finished.

The daughter of Division Commander He still had to be sent down to the countryside? Could it be that the family favored sons over daughters?

Han Zhongguo’s gaze toward her held a trace of doubt.

Shen Tang pressed her lips together. “What you’re saying is ridiculous. How am I slandering you? Everyone at school knows that you, He Qiu, barely scraped into high school. I know the military base is far from the capital, and you’re banking on me not being able to produce evidence of your poor grades.

But there are plenty of wives in the residential compound who are teachers at the school. How well you did on the exam you took a few days ago for the Aimin Junior High School recruitment test can easily be verified with a simple inquiry.”

There were several junior high school teachers in the residential compound, and one of them, a language teacher for the third year, was standing right behind He Qiu.

She nodded. “The school was short on math teachers, so the last recruitment was for math teachers. About ten people took the exam, and the papers were graded by several of us teachers together. He Qiu only scored forty-five points, and this was junior high level material. There were four or five people who scored higher than her.”

He Qiu was deeply embarrassed. In her previous life, she had never been one for studying. After being reborn, knowing in advance that the Haishi Military District Junior High was recruiting teachers, she had forced herself to study for over ten days.

She thought that since she had been given the chance to return to the past, it must have been heaven pitying her. So, as long as she took the exam, she would surely be selected.

How could she have imagined that for just one job, there would be so many capable people?

Han Zhongguo was also surprised.

This was very different from the He Qiu he knew.

The people in the residential compound were also in an uproar. Everyone had thought that Director Zhou had pulled strings behind the scenes to make He Qiu fail, and He Chunhua had even confidently claimed how capable and hardworking He Qiu was.

But it turned out that on a junior high exam, she had only scored a little over forty points—worse than their own children.

He Chunhua wished she could dig a hole and hide in the ground. She tugged sharply on He Qiu’s arm. “Didn’t you say you could pass the exam?”

He Qiu’s eyes flickered. “Auntie, you misunderstood. I said that if I performed normally, I should have been able to pass. This time, I probably didn’t do well.”

He Chunhua finally understood. This He Qiu was far from simple and kind—she had clearly been using her!

“Fine, so it was me meddling in others’ business. He Qiu, oh He Qiu, I misjudged you. Don’t ever call me your relative again. I don’t have a relative like you who stabs people in the back.”

“Auntie, you’ve misunderstood…”

“Misunderstood my foot! Get lost!”

He Chunhua shook off her hand and turned to leave.

Shen Tang, her cheeks puffed out, called after her, “Aunt He, you wrongly accused my aunt earlier. Aren’t you going to apologize?”

He Chunhua gritted her teeth and turned back. “Director Zhou, I wronged you today. I apologize!”

Zhou Ling snorted. “You’ve been stirring up trouble in the residential compound. Do you think a simple apology is enough? If everyone starts making unfounded accusations and insulting others like you, how can our residential compound remain the strongest backbone for our soldiers? You’re punished to clean the toilets for a week. Do you accept?”

He Chunhua: “…I accept.”

With that, she immediately fled.

The strange looks from the crowd felt like He Qiu’s clothes were being stripped off, leaving her exposed in public and utterly humiliated.

Tears streamed down her face. “Tangtang, I never thought things would blow up like this. I just cried a little in the yard because I didn’t pass the exam, and Aunt He misunderstood. It was my fault for not explaining clearly to Aunt He. I apologize to Aunt Zhou…”

If it had been the original Shen Tang, she would have softened by now.

But Shen Tang knew that He Qiu was the kind of person who would climb up by stepping on others, without a shred of remorse.

With the advantage on her side, Shen Tang felt a little less nervous.

“Don’t rush. When Aunt Zhang tried to set me up on a blind date earlier, I told her I liked children, so she introduced me to Battalion Commander Han. She even told me what time to go and where to meet for the blind date. You were there at the time—don’t tell me you didn’t know?”

The original Shen Tang had sought out Aunt Zhang, the matchmaker in the residential compound, hoping she would set her up with Han Zhongguo. She had said she liked divorced men with experience and that she loved children.

The look Aunt Zhang gave her at the time almost seemed to say, “Is this girl crazy?”

Aunt Zhang was also present now, munching on melon seeds. “I can testify. He Qiu was indeed there.”

She had no patience for He Qiu. The residential compound had its share of foolish people, but there were also clever ones. She had introduced Shen Tang to a potential match, but the next thing she knew, the person she introduced had ended up with He Qiu.

Shen Tang was thin-skinned and not very articulate, but Aunt Zhang, with all her life experience, could see right through her thoughts at a glance.

In contrast, He Qiu’s constantly scheming eyes made it clear she was no good person.

With Aunt Zhang’s testimony, He Qiu couldn’t deny her involvement even if she wanted to. Her nails dug into her palms as she stared fiercely at Shen Tang, refusing to admit she had stolen her man.

“I was there, but my meeting with Zhongguo was truly a coincidence.”

“A coincidence? Then why is it that right before my blind date, after drinking a glass of water you gave me, I started having non-stop diarrhea?

Don’t tell me it’s just a coincidence that I missed the blind date, you happened to go to the same place, happened to run into Battalion Commander Han, and happened to introduce your family background to him, ending up on a blind date with him?

With so many coincidences, do you really think the aunties here would believe you?”

Shen Tang’s voice was soft and slightly trembling. Paired with her pale, paper-white face and her tearful, restrained eyes, she looked like a fallen angel who still retained her pride. Everyone couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her.

Aunt Zhang had also seen enough. She spat out a melon seed shell and said, “He Qiu, you’ve gone too far. No wonder Shen Tang didn’t show up that day—it turns out you were stabbing her in the back.

You followed Shen Tang to the military base, stole her blind date, and yet you call yourself her friend? If I were Shen Tang, I’d want to curse too. What kind of friend schemes behind your back?”

The crowd, who had earlier accused Shen Tang of being aggressive and desperate, now looked at He Qiu with complex expressions.

This girl was anything but simple.

Shen Tang had always insisted that He Qiu stole her blind date, but everyone had assumed Han Zhongguo simply preferred He Qiu over Shen Tang and that Shen Tang was trying to ruin their relationship out of spite.

But it turned out He Qiu had drugged her and taken her place.

Drama like this was rare in the residential compound. Everyone was there for the show, and now no one was willing to speak up for He Qiu.

Shen Tang felt the crowd’s pitying gazes and finally relaxed a little. Her reputation was somewhat restored.

Truth be told, the original Shen Tang had been too timid and inarticulate, which allowed He Qiu to slander her freely.

But now, Shen Tang thought to herself, even though she was socially anxious and timid, she had a sharp tongue when she needed it (≧v≦)!

He Qiu was truly isolated and helpless now. She could only look pleadingly at Han Zhongguo, hoping he would say something in her defense.

Although Han Zhongguo had his doubts about her, they had already submitted their marriage application. He couldn’t just stand by and let her be bullied.

“Regardless of what happened, it was He Qiu and I who ended up liking each other. Whatever occurred before was just fate not being on my side with Comrade Shen. I apologize to Comrade Shen on He Qiu’s behalf.”

Shen Tang lifted her small, delicate face, her expression cold. “I was falsely accused and slandered for no reason. She betrayed years of friendship without a second thought. Battalion Commander Han, tell me, was I wrong to pour a bucket of water on her? Does this apology even mean anything?”

Han Zhongguo was left speechless, his face darkening with anger.

Just as He Qiu was about to explain, Shen Tang cut her off. “Who you set your sights on is your business. But the money you owe me must be repaid by tomorrow evening.”

“You owe her money too?” Han Zhongguo’s feelings were indescribable.

If He Qiu had to borrow money from others, didn’t that mean she held no status in Division Commander He’s household?

Han Zhongguo, a rural boy who had climbed his way up, was naturally ambitious. His previous wife may not have come from a particularly prestigious family, but she was still a city girl.

His protectiveness over He Qiu wasn’t because of her plain looks.

“It’s not much…” He Qiu hesitated, lowering her head guiltily.

Seeing her like this, Han Zhongguo was too embarrassed to stay. He turned away with a livid expression and stormed off.

He Qiu was startled. Forgetting her argument with Shen Tang, she hurried after him to explain.

With the show over, the crowd dispersed, heading home to prepare lunch.

Shen Tang finally relaxed, but a wave of dizziness washed over her. She nearly lost her balance and had to lean against the wall to steady herself.

Just then, a tall man in a green military uniform walked in. Shen Tang thought it was Han Zhongguo returning and immediately straightened up.

But then she saw that the man was taller than Han Zhongguo, likely around 190 cm. He had a bronze complexion, broad shoulders, a narrow waist, sharp features, a defined jawline, and walked with a confident, almost arrogant grace.

Shen Tang was feeling awful, but her eyes widened slightly as she sneakily glanced at him.