Chapter 77 Rumors
Sister Li returned to the family compound, put down the things she bought, and went straight to the military dependents' gathering place.
"Sister-in-law Li, didn't you say you were busy making a dress for your sister-in-law and didn't have time to come out and chat?" one of the military wives asked in confusion.
Li's wife didn't answer her question. Instead, she looked at Lancao, the wife of Deputy Battalion Commander Wang, another neighbor of Gu Yihan, and asked, "Have you seen Commander Lu's wife?"
Lan Cao looked at Sister Li with a puzzled expression and said, "I went back to my parents' home yesterday and didn't see her."
Li's wife slapped her thigh, found a rock, and plopped down on it: "Let me tell you! Tsk tsk, Commander Lu's wife is a spendthrift woman."
The other military wives surrounded Sister Li, asking, "What happened? What do you know?"
The wives of the soldiers around her all looked at Sister Li with shining eyes. They usually liked to ask about other people's affairs when they had nothing to do.
Li's sister-in-law suddenly felt wronged, and tears streamed down her face: "She's a shrew, she can curse without using a single swear word."
"I kindly reminded her to buy a 28-inch bicycle, which would be more convenient for the men in the family to use."
"She scolded me and said I was meddling. Tell me, in our whole residential area, who buys a women's bicycle? I was just doing this for her own good."
People sympathize with the weak. When the wives of the soldiers around saw that even the usually strong-willed wife of Political Commissar Li was crying, they all thought that the wife of Regiment Commander Lu was too domineering.
However, several military wives simply listened without offering their opinions, as they couldn't afford to offend Sister Li and the others.
But even Commander Lu's wife and the others dared not say anything.
Her own man is serving in the army under someone else's command. Even if she doesn't think about others, she should at least think about her own man.
Deputy Battalion Commander Wang wasn't under Regiment Commander Lu's jurisdiction, but Lan Cao dared to speak much more boldly than others: "Sister Li, I heard that Regiment Commander Lu's wife is from the countryside."
"Who knows what shady methods they used to force Commander Lu to marry her."
"Just like that woman, Battalion Commander Wen's wife, she jumped into the river, and Battalion Commander Wen saved her, and now she's clinging to him."
"Orchids are something that really involves people, and you do absolutely nothing about it!" Zhao Ju said angrily.
Feeling bored at home, she went out for a walk and overheard these military wives badmouthing Gu Yihan.
A flash of disgust crossed Lan Cao's eyes as she looked at Zhao Ju: "Isn't that right? Who knows what despicable methods she used?"
Zhao Ju looked at Lan Cao with disdain and said, "What are you? You only graduated from junior high school and can only teach first-grade students."
"Look at you, always so smug. You only got that job because you're a military wife. Otherwise, would the school even want you? Can you compare to Commander Lu's wife, Gu Yihan?"
"Someone can easily publish two articles with a flick of their finger and earn more than you. Do you really think you're some kind of city dweller?"
After saying that, she held her belly and prepared to leave. Before leaving, she turned back and looked at Lancao, saying, "I don't blame your mother-in-law, I blame you for not being able to have children. You heartless wretch."
The child is like an orchid that defies age. She has been married for three years and has never gotten pregnant. Her mother-in-law scolds her every day, calling her a barren hen.
Zhao Ju continued to stab her in the chest, and Lan Cao, enraged, stood up and quickly tried to push her away, but was grabbed by one of the military wives: "Are you crazy?"
Zhao Ju was also startled by Lan Cao's crazy behavior. She clutched her stomach and backed away, but was supported by another military wife.
After being stopped, Lan Cao regained her senses and began to hate Commander Lu's wife as well.
Lan Cao glared fiercely at Zhao Ju and said, "You're so protective of Battalion Commander Shi's wife for the sake of your family's Battalion Commander Shi. You should see if she even respects you."
After saying that, he shook off the military wife who was grabbing his arm and said, "Who asked you to meddle in other people's business?" He pushed through the crowd and left.
Zhao Ju looked at the military wife who had been thrown aside; it was Wen Juan, the wife of Battalion Commander Cao, who was on Commander Lin's side.
Zhao Ju looked at Wen Juan and said, "Thank you so much just now. If it weren't for your help, I probably would have fallen and hurt myself."
Wenjuan smiled shyly and said, "It's nothing. We're all military wives, it's only right that we help each other."
On her way back, Lancao happened to run into Lu Huailin riding a bicycle with Gu Yihan on the back, chatting and laughing. The laughter was so jarring to her ears.
After arriving home, Gu Yihan jumped off her bicycle and went straight to the kitchen, carrying a thermos. She wanted to wash her face; it was filthy, covered in dust.
After parking his bicycle, Lu Huailin called out to Gu Yihan inside the house, "Wife, you rest at home for a while. I'll go get the supplies I had someone buy for us."
Gu Yihan was applying face cream when she replied, "Okay."
"Thump, thump, thump."
Gu Yihan heard the knocking, went out into the courtyard, opened the door, and looked at the woman at the door with a puzzled expression.
Lan Cao looked at Gu Yihan, who was wearing a floral dress and black leather shoes, with delicate skin, and a hint of jealousy flashed in her eyes.
She smiled and said, "I'm your neighbor. My husband is Deputy Battalion Commander Wang, who works under Commander Lin. You can call him Sister Lan."
Gu Yihan disliked the way this person was looking at her: "Is there something you need?"
Lan Cao grabbed Gu Yihan's hand as she was holding onto the door frame and pulled her straight into the courtyard.
Caught off guard, Gu Yihan stumbled as Lan Cao pulled her. Once she regained her balance, she shook off Lan Cao's hand.
Lan Cao didn't mind. She looked at Gu Yihan and asked, "Little sister, do you know Zhao Ju?"
Gu Yihan didn't want to answer Lan Cao's question and said directly, "I have things to do at home and don't have time to entertain you."
Lancao said to herself, "It seems that you don't know Zhao Ju."
Lan Cao deliberately looked at Gu Yihan with a serious expression and said, "Little sister, listen to my advice, stay away from Zhao Ju."
"She's spreading rumors about you outside, saying that you forced Commander Lu to marry you through shady means..."
Gu Yihan didn't want to listen to nonsense, and before Lancao could finish speaking, she grabbed her arm.
Ignoring Lancao's resistance, he dragged her to the door and pushed her out, slamming the door shut with a "bang."
Lan Cao pounded on Gu Yihan's door and shouted, "Why are you biting the hand that feeds you? I'm doing this for your own good!"
Gu Yihan was amused and annoyed: "Where did this mad dog come from? Is it sick? It's so sick, why doesn't it go see a doctor?"
As soon as Gu Yihan finished speaking, she turned around and was startled by Aunt Chen, who was watching the commotion from the wall.
Aunt Chen, perched on the wall, greeted Gu Yihan with a smile, "Little Han, you must be furious, haha..."
"Don't pay any attention to Lancao. Her mother-in-law has gone back to her hometown. Once her mother-in-law comes back, Lancao will behave herself."
Gu Yihan looked at Aunt Chen and said, "Aunt Chen, why are you climbing so high? Come down quickly, it's too dangerous."
Gu Yihan yawned and said to Aunt Chen, "Aunt Chen, you're busy. I got up too early and I'm sleepy now. I'm going to lie down for a while."
Aunt Chen, having been young herself, knew that newlyweds often lacked self-control, and looked at Gu Yihan with an ambiguous expression, saying, "Go quickly."
After saying goodbye to Aunt Chen, Gu Yihan went straight back to her bedroom, changed into a loose nightgown, and lay down on the bed to sleep.
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