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◎Day 18 of the control group◎

Shen Xinglian's hand tightened around the thermos, a cold glint flashing in her eyes: "If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten. She has indeed been too quiet lately. Before Jiang Renzhou went missing, she would always hang around the family compound through Officer Wei's connections, occasionally coming up to me to inquire about the startup team."

Jiang Wanzhou frowned even more: "I thought the rumors were too suspicious before. Logically speaking, if Commander Jiang went missing, people would be worried at most, but they shouldn't have turned their attention to you so quickly. If it really was Jun Yanghong stirring things up behind the scenes, then it makes sense."

"She's always been jealous of our success."

"She definitely has ill intentions."

Jiang Wanzhou became more and more certain as she spoke. She wasn't someone who liked to blame others, but the events of the past few days made her want to find a way to avoid the situation.

“Last time she instigated my mom and second brother to cause trouble, but we dealt with it, so she must be holding a grudge. Now that my brother is out of contact, she’s taking this opportunity to fan the flames, throw mud at you, and maybe even try to ruin our startup team.”

Liu Hongying chimed in, "I just remembered something. A few days ago, when I went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy something, I saw Jun Yanghong secretly talking to that saleswoman who was making things difficult for Xinglian."

"The two of them huddled together and whispered for a long time, then quickly separated when they saw me coming. At the time, I didn't think much of it, but now that I think about it, she was probably behind it."

"We can't let her continue like this," Zhou Qingyu said in a deep voice. "I'll report this to the military right now and have someone investigate her recent activities. Her husband, Officer Wei, has connections in the county, but military discipline is not just for show. If they find out she's spreading rumors and disrupting morale, they won't let her off the hook."

Shen Xinglian took a deep breath, suppressing her anger: "Qingyu, thank you for your trouble. But we also have to be careful. Jun Yanghong is a master at playing the victim to gain sympathy. If we don't have solid evidence, she will definitely turn the tables on us."

“I know.” Zhou Qingyu nodded. “I will have a reliable person investigate, without alerting the enemy.”

Jiang Wanzhou said to Liu Hongying, "Sister Hongying, you don't need to protect us in this matter. These days, please ask about my brother's situation for me and also take care of the startup team."

Liu Hongying nodded: "If you need anything, just say so. We're all comrades."

That afternoon, Zhou Qingyu asked his comrades in the army for information.

Not long after, the news came back.

Jun Yanghong has indeed been frequently in contact with several family members who previously spoke ill of Shen Xinglian. Not only has she spread rumors behind her back that "Shen Xinglian is a jinx to her husbands," but she has also secretly told people that "Jiang Renzhou is definitely not coming back. Shen Xinglian, a woman with two children, simply cannot support the startup team, and the startup team is about to disband."

"It really was her!" Jiang Wanzhou slammed her hand on the headboard in anger. "She's got a good plan, trying to take advantage of our misfortune and steal our startup team!"

Shen Xinglian's eyes grew even colder: "She wants to start a business team simply because she's eyeing our sales channels and formula. We made a splash at the trade fair before, and even the Foreign Trade Bureau expressed interest in cooperating with us. She's been envious for a long time."

“The evidence isn’t conclusive enough yet,” Zhou Qingyu said calmly. “I’ve already reported the situation to the military leadership, and they said they would warn Officer Wei and tell him to keep his family in check.”

Sure enough, two days later, Officer Wei took the initiative to find Shen Xinglian with an embarrassed smile on his face: "Comrade Shen, Yang Hong was ignorant before and said some things she shouldn't have. I have already criticized her, so please don't take it to heart."

Shen Xinglian glanced at him indifferently: "Officer Wei, I don't care what she says about me, but she shouldn't implicate the child, let alone spread rumors and disrupt morale. I hope you can control her and stop her from causing trouble, otherwise don't blame us for being impolite."

Officer Wei nodded quickly: "Yes, yes, I will definitely keep her in line and make sure she stays at home obediently and never dares to say anything out of line again."

Everyone thought that Jun Yanghong would restrain herself after Officer Wei intervened, but no one expected that she would have another trick up her sleeve.

That morning, Shen Xinglian and Jiang Wanzhou had just dropped Mingyuan off at school when they saw a group of people gathered in front of the bulletin board in the family compound, pointing and whispering unpleasant things.

Their hearts sank, and they quickly walked over.

A note was posted on the bulletin board, written in crooked handwriting: "Shen Xinglian is a jinx, she brings misfortune to husbands and neighbors, the startup team is an unlucky place, whoever gets involved will be unlucky!"

"That's too much!" Jiang Wanzhou trembled with anger and reached out to tear the note.

Shen Xinglian grabbed her, her cold gaze sweeping over the crowd: "Who posted this? Step forward!"

The crowd fell silent; the few people who had been gossiping earlier all lowered their heads, not daring to look at her.

Just then, Jun Yanghong helped an old woman slowly walk over. As soon as the old woman saw Shen Xinglian, she rushed up to hit her: "You jinx! You're the one who ruined my son's comrades! My son was on a mission with Commander Jiang, and now we can't contact him. You have to compensate my son!"

Jun Yanghong tried to mediate, but in reality, she only added fuel to the fire: "Auntie, please don't get agitated. Comrade Shen didn't do it on purpose. It's just that this startup team really should take a break, so as not to drag others down with them."

Shen Xinglian looked at her coldly: "Jun Yanghong, don't pretend to be a good person here. You're the one who posted this note, and you're the one who brought the old lady here, aren't you?"

"Don't make false accusations!" Jun Yanghong's eyes immediately reddened as she cried to the onlookers, "I just kindly brought Auntie here to ask about the situation, how did it become my arrangement? Shen Xinglian, isn't it enough that you're a jinx to your husbands, do you have to frame me too?"

Some of the onlookers began to waver and started whispering among themselves.

"That's feudal superstition."

Jiang Wanzhou was furious and was about to say a few more words when she heard a sharp shout from behind her: "What are you all doing gathered here!"

Everyone turned around and saw Liu Hongying walking over with two comrades from the military unit, followed by Zhou Qingyu.

Liu Hongying walked to the bulletin board, tore up the note, and said to the crowd, "The military has already investigated and found out that Commander Jiang and his men only experienced a temporary signal interruption and will be able to contact them soon! As for this note and the previous rumors, they were all deliberately spread by Jun Yanghong in an attempt to seize control of the startup team!"

As she spoke, she took out a stack of evidence, including records of conversations between Jun Yanghong and several family members, as well as evidence that she had asked someone to find the old lady.

The crowd erupted in uproar, their eyes filled with disdain as they looked at Jun Yanghong.

Jun Yanghong's face turned deathly pale, and she still tried to deny it: "It wasn't me! They framed me!"

The comrades from the military stepped forward and said sternly, "Jun Yanghong, we have solid evidence. If you continue to deny it, you will come with us to the military base for investigation! In addition, Officer Wei will also be punished accordingly for knowing about it but failing to report it!"

Jun Yanghong was so frightened that her legs went weak and she collapsed to the ground.

The old woman was stunned. Realizing she had been used, she yelled at Jun Yanghong, "You wicked woman! You actually lied to me!"

The onlookers also criticized Jun Yanghong: "So it was you who was behind this! How despicable!" "Comrade Shen is truly wronged, to be slandered like this by you!"

Jun Yanghong was taken away by her comrades from the army, and the onlookers gradually dispersed.

Looking at everything before her, Shen Xinglian finally felt a little relieved. She looked at Liu Hongying and said, "Thank you, Sister Hongying. I'm sorry for troubling you."

"No need to thank me, we're sisters." Liu Hongying patted her shoulder. "If anyone dares to bully you and Xinglian again, we'll stand up for them together!"

Jiang Wanzhou also breathed a sigh of relief: "Now it's finally peaceful. Jun Yanghong will be punished."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qingyu said in a low voice, "The military leaders said they will deal with this matter seriously, and Officer Wei will be transferred away from the island. No one will dare to bother you anymore."

Shen Xinglian nodded, her eyes regaining their sparkle: "Right now, I don't want to think about anything else, I just want to wait for my brother to come back."

Perhaps heaven heard her wish, for good news came from the army that very evening.

Jiang Renzhou and his team successfully rendezvoused with the support troops, not only completing their mission but also capturing a number of foreign spies.

He only suffered minor injuries in the battle and is already on his way back, expected to arrive at the island tomorrow.

"He's back! He's really back!" Shen Xinglian hugged Mingmei and cried with excitement.

Jiang Wanzhou's eyes also reddened, and she held Zhou Qingyu's hand, saying, "That's great! Brother is alright! Our family can finally be reunited!"

The next morning, Shen Xinglian, along with Mingyuan and Mingmei, stood at the entrance of the family compound and waited.

Jiang Wanzhou accompanied her, and Liu Hongying and the other women from the startup team also came to welcome Jiang Renzhou's return.

In the distance, a military jeep drove up and stopped at the entrance.

The car door opened, and Jiang Renzhou, dressed in military uniform, appeared, though his face bore abrasions.

His arm was wrapped in bandages, but his eyes remained firm and strong.

"Renzhou!" Shen Xinglian rushed over with Mingmei in her arms and threw herself into his embrace.

Jiang Renzhou hugged her and the child tightly, his voice hoarse but full of strength: "Xingxing, I'm back. I'm sorry you and the children have suffered."

Mingyuan rushed over and hugged Jiang Renzhou's leg: "Dad! You're finally back! I knew you were the best!"

Jiang Renzhou bent down, picked up Mingyuan, kissed him on the cheek, then looked at Jiang Wanzhou and Zhou Qingyu and smiled: "Qingyu, Wanzhou, I'm sorry to have worried you."

Zhou Qingyu shook her head: "It's good that you're back."

Liu Hongying and her sisters-in-law also gathered around, smiling and saying, "Commander Jiang, welcome back!"

Jiang Renzhou saluted everyone: "Thank you for your concern. The successful completion of this mission would not have been possible without your support. Especially my wife, Shen Xinglian, who has taken care of everything at home. She is my greatest pride."

Shen Xinglian leaned against Jiang Renzhou's chest, her face full of a happy smile.

The sunlight shone on them, warm and bright.

All those past rumors and scheming seem so insignificant in the face of family reunion and mutual protection.

In the evening, the two families gathered together and prepared a table full of dishes.

Mingyuan chattered excitedly to Jiang Renzhou about what had happened recently, while Mingmei was held in Jiang Wanzhou's arms, giggling.

Jiang Renzhou said seriously, "I have something to tell everyone."

Jiang Wanzhou looked at his serious expression and had a bad feeling: "Brother, relax. This doesn't seem like a good thing."