Chapter 297 Gossiping

Li Hongmei's hand trembled slightly.

The porcelain bowl wobbled, and a few drops of brown sugar water splashed onto her clothes, leaving a small dark stain.

But the next second, she smiled, the corners of her mouth curving into a familiar smile, as if nothing had happened. "Inquiring about you? You're a respectable member of the Qiao family. Who wouldn't praise your competence?"

She reached up and brushed a stray hair from her forehead, speaking as casually as if she were commenting on the nice weather, "You married into a prestigious family, everyone in the surrounding villages knows; you have a successful job, you're a cadre in the city, earning a few dozen yuan a month; who would dare to say a bad word about you? People are too busy trying to curry favor with you!"

Qiao Wanyin stared into her eyes without blinking.

Those eyes, clear and bright, reflected the faint light of dusk, like a mountain stream in the early morning, crystal clear.

She desperately tried to find a trace of evasion, a hint of unease, even just a moment's hesitation.

But those eyes were as clean as freshly washed water, without even a ripple, let alone any flaws.

"Oh... I was just asking."

She finally lowered her head, her long eyelashes concealing the emotions in her eyes.

I took a sip of brown sugar water, and the sweetness slowly melted on my tongue as the syrup, carrying a warm current, slid down my throat.

But the bitterness in my heart weighed heavily on me, like a waterlogged stone that I couldn't shake off.

By dinnertime, it was already dark, and the dim yellow kerosene lamps were lit in the yard.

Fu Lian pushed open the door and came in. A few snowflakes clung to his military green cotton coat, and a thin layer of frost covered the brim of his hat.

His face was so dark it looked like it could drip water, his brows were furrowed, and even his steps were heavier than usual.

"Li An, what's wrong?"

Qiao Wanyin quickly went to meet him, reached out and took his military cap, her fingertips touching the chill of the brim.

She asked in a low voice, afraid of disturbing her second sister-in-law who was cooking inside.

"I know."

Qiao Wanyin smiled, her tone gentle, yet as cold as the wind on a winter night, each word seeming to be slowly spat out from between her teeth, "But what I want to know more is who is making up these things behind my back, who is hiding in the shadows, pushing my name to the forefront of controversy time and time again."

In the past few days, her intuition has been right every time.

Every strange look, every whispered conversation, every sudden cold attitude from the child's parents reminded her that rumors were quietly spreading.

These are probably what the children in the kindergarten are secretly talking about.

She stood in the corridor outside the classroom, watching several childcare workers huddled together whispering to each other. As soon as she approached, they immediately shut up and avoided eye contact.

Those hesitant, ambiguous expressions, like fine needles, pierced beneath her calm exterior.

Who could it be?

She already knew the answer in her heart.

No need to think—it's probably Liu Piaopiao again.

The woman who grew up in the same courtyard as her, who appeared to be as close as sisters, but secretly kept pressing her.

Only she knew those things—those past events she never wanted to mention again, those secrets hidden in the corners of old photo albums.

Only she truly enjoys tearing apart her good reputation and trampling everything she has worked so hard to build into the mud.

Qiao Wanyin steadied herself, took a deep breath, and gently pinched her palm with her nails to keep herself awake.

She looked down at her mother, who was busy in the kitchen, and said in a low but exceptionally clear voice, "Mom, I'm going out for a bit. When Li An comes back, just tell him I'm going to take care of something and I'll be right back."

Her mother glanced at her, hesitated, and finally just nodded gently.

She knew her daughter never went out without a reason, let alone left home at this time.

But she also understood that once Qiao Wanyin made a decision, she would not turn back.

Outside the rehearsal room of the cultural troupe, the dappled shadows of the plane trees spread layer upon layer on the cement ground, like a watercolor painting disrupted by the wind.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, scattering into dappled golden spots that fell on her shoulders, making the dust on her epaulets gleam.

The wind rustled through the treetops, carrying the heat of early summer and a vague sense of unease.

Inside, an accordion was playing a lively tune, its melody bouncy and cheerful. The female soldiers stood in a row, practicing and humming songs, their clear laughter like bells swaying in the wind.

The cheerful atmosphere was completely opposite to Qiao Wanyin's mood at that moment.

"Oh, Director Qiao, what brings you here today?"

Liu Piaopiao's voice drifted from behind, like a slender needle gently piercing the tranquility.

His tone was tinged with laughter, yet it couldn't hide the sharp barbs; every word was deliberately sarcastic.

Qiao Wanyin slowly turned around.

Liu Piaopiao stood a few steps away, dressed in a crisp military uniform with straight shoulders and a neatly buttoned collar. Two shiny black braids hung down her chest, the ends curled as if they had just been carefully combed.

Her lips curved into a gentle smile, but her eyes were as cold as an icy lake, concealing sharp knives.

"Let's talk."

Qiao Wanyin looked directly at her, her voice neither loud nor soft, neither hurried nor slow, yet like a stone sunk to the bottom of the water, leaving no room for avoidance.

Her gaze was neither evasive nor angry, but rather possessed an almost calm firmness that compelled the other person to look away.

Liu Piaopiao raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise, and lightly touched her temple with her fingers, pretending to be innocent: "Oh, do we need to 'talk' about it? What happened? You're so serious, I thought someone had died."

"Those rumors about me in the compound, didn't you spread them?"

Qiao Wanyin didn't beat around the bush; she went straight to the point.

Her eyes were fixed on him, unblinking, as if trying to dig out the truth from his pupils.

Each word was like a hammer blow, striking the air and silencing the surroundings.

Liu Piaopiao's smile froze, her pupils contracted slightly, and then she exaggeratedly covered her mouth, her shoulders trembling slightly: "Oh my god, you've come to settle scores with me? I'm so busy, how could I have time to meddle in your business? Rehearsals, performances, political studies, which one of them doesn't kill you? Did you think I specially set aside time to gossip about you?"

"No one knows those things except you."

Qiao Wanyin took a step forward, and the two were almost nose to nose, their breaths audible to each other.

Her voice remained steady, but carried a hint of pressure. "Why are you doing this to me? What did we do that makes you hate me so much?"

The music just stopped.

The accordion stopped abruptly with its last note, and the laughter and singing inside gradually faded away.

The surroundings suddenly became eerily quiet; even the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves could be clearly heard.

All they could hear were their breathing and the taut string hidden deep in their hearts.

Liu Piaopiao glanced around and caught a glimpse of several female soldiers secretly looking in their direction.

She lowered her voice, her tone like a viper's hiss: "Qiao Wanyin, don't make false accusations! What shady things have you done to attract so much gossip? The eyes of the masses are discerning, aren't they?"

Qiao Wanyin smiled slightly, the corners of her mouth raised, but there was no warmth in her smile.

She took a half step back, her gaze sweeping contemptuously over the other person's face: "Hiding in the shadows and gossiping, how low. Don't you get tired? Time and time again, you insist on portraying me as an utterly wicked person?"

"Oh."

Liu Piaopiao sneered, her eyes filled with icy coldness, like something deep in a frigid pool on a winter night, cold and dangerous.