Chapter 40: Urging Others to Be Magnanimous—May Lightning Strike You!

Her first thought was that Wen Xue must be pulling some new stunt again.

“Yeah! I saw her sitting by the main gate of the compound yesterday at noon, and the medics carried her away,” said Auntie Guihua, noticing Wen Nian’s surprised expression. “Oh! You didn’t know? I heard she stayed in the infirmary overnight!”

“I really didn’t know. She didn’t come to me. Is she still in the infirmary now?”

“No idea. The infirmary isn’t far. Go take a look later, and you’ll find out.”

Wen Nian thanked her with a smile.

She was going to see for herself what Wen Xue was up to this time.

The infirmary was located in the center of the military compound—decent in size.

Wen Nian was just about to push open the door to the ward when she heard Wen Xue’s slightly roughened voice from inside.

“Dr. Liu, my ankle still hurts badly. I can’t move at all. Are you sure it’s not fractured?”

“There’s no fracture, just a sprain.”

“But it hurts so bad when I move! I can’t even walk. What am I supposed to do?”

“Don’t worry. The regimental commander already instructed us—you can stay here until your injury heals.”

“Really? Could you please tell Commander Lu that I’d like to thank him in person?”

“Sure, but Commander Lu is very busy. I can only pass the message along for you.”

“Okay. Thank you so much, Dr. Liu.”

The man gave her a few more reminders—don’t get the wound wet, don’t walk on it unnecessarily, and so on.

When Wen Nian heard them mention Lu Hanzheng, her hand on the doorknob paused for a moment.

Just then, the male doctor finished giving instructions and opened the door.

He glanced at Wen Nian standing outside and couldn’t hide the amazement in his eyes.

Wen Nian nodded politely and brushed past him.

“Big sister, you’re finally willing to see me!” Wen Xue’s eyes immediately reddened the moment she saw her.

“It was all my fault last time. If I’d known Mom would do something like that, I would’ve stopped her no matter what. Please don’t be mad at me, okay?”

She looked pitiful, as if she’d suffered a great injustice.

Her hair was tied into two low ponytails, each with a yellow ribbon tied into a bow.

She wore a long-sleeved ginger-colored bulaji dress.

There was a minor scrape on her knee—barely a surface wound, nothing to worry about.

It was just the thick smear of purple antiseptic that made it look worse than it was.

Wen Nian sneered lightly—this was enough of an injury to warrant spending the night in the infirmary?

“Xiao Wen, so this is your little sister, huh?” said a chubby auntie from the next bed over as she pulled back the curtain. “She’s apologized so sincerely! As her big sister, you should be more magnanimous. Don’t hold it against her!”

Wen Nian found the woman vaguely familiar.

But she couldn’t recall her name.

Most days, Wen Nian was either at the Lu household or at Jiang Wenwen’s school, going back and forth on a fixed route. After dropping off the little girl, she rarely wandered around.

After all, there weren’t many shops in this era, and the product variety was pitifully limited—not to mention everything needed a ration ticket.

She’d lost interest after a few trips.

Even inside the compound, she rarely showed her face.

Although she came from a rural background, her good looks had attracted plenty of attention from the young men in the compound.

Every time she stepped out, there’d be aunties trying to introduce her to someone.

Even though she’d turned them down again and again, some of them just wouldn’t give up.

Wen Nian got so annoyed she simply stopped going out if she had no errands to run.

“I’m Auntie Yuzhen from the back courtyard. I bought face cream from you before,” the woman said.

At that, Wen Nian immediately remembered.

So it was her.

The first time she came to the compound to explore the market, a bunch of military spouses had whispered behind her back.

This woman had been the ringleader.

She’d said Wen Nian looked like a vixen.

Later, she’d even brought her grandson and demanded snacks from her with an air of entitlement.

Wen Nian hadn’t even bothered responding.

The woman had left grumbling and cursing.

That grandson of hers even secretly threw stones into the Lu family courtyard.

Later on, she shamelessly approached Wen Nian to become a secondhand dealer.

With her mouth moving non-stop, she managed to slash the price of the face cream by half.

She was practically asking for too much.

Not to mention, Wen Nian had already given the distribution rights to He Xiuli.

Even if she hadn’t, Wen Nian would never sell to someone like her.

What Wen Nian hated the most were people who loved to take advantage and who talked too much and were rude.

Qin Yuzhen sneered.

Everyone in the compound said Wen Nian was pretty.

But to her, that just meant she was a fox spirit.

Looking all alluring and seductive, twisting and turning as she walked.

She just didn’t look respectable.

Marrying a woman like that meant not only would the husband waste all his money, but he might even get cuckolded.

If you asked her, her own sister was the better-looking one.

She had a decent appearance and a strong body.

Definitely skilled at doing housework.

Wide hips, big butt — she looked like she could give birth easily.

Marry her and you’d be guaranteed two kids in three years, three kids in five.

Qin Yuzhen sized Wen Nian up from head to toe, left and right.

The more she looked, the more suitable she seemed.

Her nephew was just at the right age for matchmaking, and this girl would be a perfect fit.

Putting on the airs of an elder, she lectured Wen Nian.

“Xiao Wen, you’re way too harsh on your sister. Look at her little face — you scared her so badly it’s pale and gloomy.”

Hearing someone backing her up, Wen Xue immediately burst into tears.

“Sister, please forgive me, I really know I was wrong. As long as you forgive me, I’m even willing to kneel.”

Wen Xue cried, snot and tears mixing together.

The tears blended with the thick makeup on her face, looking like putty.

It was really ugly to look at.

Wen Nian was tired of watching her act.

A mocking smile tugged at her lips.

“Then kneel!”

Wen Xue was stunned, not expecting her to say that.

She bit her lip tightly, looking embarrassed.

She couldn’t afford to fall out with Wen Nian right now.

She hung her head, pretending to wipe her tears silently.

Seeing Wen Nian coldly staring at her, unmoved,

Wen Xue couldn’t cry anymore and pretended she wanted to get off the bed.

Qin Yuzhen quickly stepped forward and pressed her down.

“Oh no, don’t move. Doctor Liu just said your ankle sprain is pretty serious. Don’t move it recklessly.”

She gave Wen Nian a disapproving look.

“As an older sister, your heart is way too cold. Even if you’re not blood-related, you’re family. She’s already hurt like this — how can you still make her kneel?”

Wen Nian rolled her eyes inside.

She hated people who meddled and liked to guilt-trip others with moral superiority.

Leaning on Qin Yuzhen, Wen Xue lowered her head, lips curling into a slight smile.

After a while of sobbing, she wiped her tears dry.

“Auntie, you know my sister?”

“Of course I do! Your sister’s famous in the compound — excellent cooking skills, and she even makes face cream. Xiao Wen, you and Comrade He must have made quite a profit, right? Tell Auntie, how much have you earned?”

Wen Nian showed no expression but felt annoyed inside.

Such a big mouth.

Qin Yuzhen squinted her narrow eyes and leaned closer.

“Oh, Auntie’s not a stranger. Tell me, you two must have made a lot, right?”

Wen Nian frowned and quietly took a step back.

Spittle was almost flying in her face.

Wen Xue was shocked in her heart.

Good at cooking?

And makes face cream?

No way.

A simple village girl like her — how would she even know what face cream looks like?