Qin Peilan's heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously let go of He Wanrou's hand that she had just been holding.

Looking at He Wanrou's tear-streaked face, she felt even more unfamiliar with her.

When He Wanrou saw Qin Peilan's expression turn out badly, she panicked and cried even harder. She grabbed Qin Peilan's arm and sobbed miserably.

"Aunt Qin! Don't listen to her nonsense! I didn't... I really didn't! How could Qiqi, she, wrong me like this! Aunt, you know me best! I've taken care of you and Uncle for so long, when have I not been devoted and honest with you? How could I be that kind of person? You have to stand up for me, Aunt..."

She knew that Qin Peilan was easily swayed. When they were in the sanatorium, if Qin Peilan wanted any new clothes or face cream, she only needed to cry and beg, and Qin Peilan would always give in.

But this time, she miscalculated.

Before Qin Peilan could speak, Shen Zhenbang, who had been silent all along, suddenly frowned and spoke.

Seeing He Wanrou's wailing and wailing, he felt annoyed and confused, especially when he saw his wife's face turn pale from being shaken by her, which made him even angrier.

He said with a stern face:

"Making such a fuss over something as simple as drinking water is ridiculous. What did Dr. Li tell us beforehand? Peilan has just recovered a bit and shouldn't have any emotional ups and downs. If we let her make all the decisions, her head will start to hurt again."

Shen Zhenbang had led troops in the army for decades. When he put on a stern face, his imposing presence was enough to intimidate not only He Wanrou, but also platoon leaders and battalion commanders in the army.

He Wanrou shuddered at his gaze, the words she was about to say stuck in her throat, and she even swallowed back half of her tears in fear.

She bit her lower lip hard, not daring to utter another sound, her heart filled with both hatred and fear.

She knew Uncle Shen's temper; he was a man of his word and hated people who cried and fussed.

If this continues, forget about gaining sympathy; you might get kicked out!

No, I have to be patient, I have to be patient, I'll think of a solution later.

She felt resentful and unwilling, but she could only glare at him secretly and dared not make a sound.

Then he pinched his thigh hard, knelt silently on the floor by the bed, head down, shoulders trembling as he sobbed silently, looking every bit the victim of injustice yet afraid to speak out.

At this moment, Shen Huaichuan had already strode out, brought back a broom and dustpan, and began to sweep up the broken porcelain pieces and tea leaves on the ground with deft hands and feet.

Zhou Qiqi wasn't idle either. She quickly went to find a mop, soaked it in water, wrung it out until it was half dry, and followed behind Shen Huaichuan. As soon as he finished sweeping a section, she immediately went forward to mop the floor clean.

The two of them swept and mopped with such perfect coordination that they knew each other's next move without even exchanging glances.

In no time at all, the ground, which had been a mess, was clean and tidy again.

Shen Zhenbang and Qin Peilan watched from the side, their eyes showing a hint of surprise.

This young couple seems to have found their footing in life; such a tacit understanding can't be developed overnight.

After tidying up, the house was clean and tidy again.

Shen Huaichuan glanced at the clock on the wall. It was getting cold and dark quickly. He hadn't expected it to be almost six o'clock.

He and Zhou Qiqi exchanged a glance, then he turned to the elderly couple and asked:

"Dad, Mom, you must be hungry after all this fuss. We have some noodles and canned luncheon meat at home. I'll make some noodles for you to have something to eat first."

Shen Zhenbang waved his hand, his expression softening considerably, but his demeanor remained serious.

"Let's not talk about food yet. Your mother and I came all this way and waited for you for so long, not just for this meal."

His sharp gaze swept over Shen Huaichuan and Zhou Qiqi, finally settling on Shen Huaichuan:

"Let's get down to business first. What exactly happened between you two... and that girl Lin Yao? We can't eat unless we get these things straight."

Although he still pressed for answers, the anger in his tone had subsided considerably, and he was now more interested in getting to the bottom of things.

Shen Huaichuan nodded: "Okay, let's clarify things now."

He turned around, walked to the cabinet, and took out a thick brown paper document bag.

He never fights a battle unprepared.

He started preparing for this as soon as he learned that his parents were coming.

Inside were photocopies of case-related materials issued by the Public Security Bureau, as well as statements written by the political commissar and several other leaders of the regiment—a thick stack, all neatly organized.

Zhou Qiqi looked at the file folder and felt a slight warmth in her heart.

This kid is quite thoughtful.

Judging from the current situation, my parents-in-law are reasonable people. As long as we talk things out and present the evidence, the previous misunderstanding should be resolved.

Ultimately, we're all family, so why can't we talk things out properly?

Shen Huaichuan pulled out the documents, took a deep breath, and said, "The story begins in August of this year..."

Shen Zhenbang and Qin Peilan held their breath, waiting to hear what was to come.

But before Shen Huaichuan could even begin, he was interrupted by Zhou Qiqi's clear voice.

"etc!"

Everyone looked at her with suspicion.

She glanced coolly at the corner of the room and said, "Uncle, Aunt, this is a family matter."

Her gaze settled on He Wanrou, who was trying to make herself invisible. "Sister He, you're not one of our family, shouldn't you... leave us alone?"