Xu Zao's cloyingly sweet smile, with the corners of her mouth almost reaching her ears, remained frozen in place, unable to find a place to land.
Lei Ming remained as unyielding as a stone, only uttering "hmm" and "oh" while gazing out the window, barely sparing her a glance.
The dishes on the table were steaming hot, but she felt a chill in her heart.
After thinking it over, I remembered Lei Ming's surprised "Qi Qi" and the instant light in his eyes when we first met.
Her eyes darted around, and she tried to break the silence with an innocent and curious tone.
"Brother Ming, just now at the door, you were so happy to call out 'Qiqi'? Did you mistake me for your sister or a relative? Her name is Qiqi? What a lovely name!"
Lei Ming was absentmindedly poking at the food in his bowl with his chopsticks when he heard this, he suddenly stopped, and a look of unexpected panic flashed across his face.
He quickly lowered his head, took a sip of soup as a cover-up, and mumbled something.
"Uh... no, it's just... a military wife from the military dependents' area, we're not very familiar... I just happened to run into her and said hello."
"Military spouses in the military dependents' area?"
Xu Zao's voice suddenly rose in pitch, becoming piercingly sharp.
She leaned forward, her eyes wide open.
"There's only one person named Qiqi in the entire military region. You're not talking about... that Zhou Qiqi, are you?!"
Lei Ming didn't speak, but the knuckles of his fingers holding the chopsticks turned slightly white, and his face darkened. He didn't like Xu Zao's tone.
But in Xu Zao's eyes, his tacit agreement mixed with displeasure was irrefutable evidence!
Good heavens, it turns out Zhou Qiqi ruined her plans!
A surge of anger, fueled by contempt and jealousy, erupted from Xu Zao's head, instantly shattering her carefully maintained shyness and ingratiating demeanor.
She slammed her chopsticks on the table with a sharp, shrill sound, drawing the attention of guests at several other tables.
"Comrade Lei Ming! Did you think Zhou Qiqi was a good person just because she's somewhat pretty? Let me tell you, you've been fooled! Zhou Qiqi is a complete vixen!"
Xu Shu and Lin Yao, who were not far away, were startled by the commotion. Lin Yao felt a tightness in her chest and had a bad feeling.
You probably don't know this yet, do you?
Seeing that Lei Ming didn't refute, Xu Zao became even more excited, a mocking smile appearing on his lips, his voice filled with the excitement of revealing a secret.
"Don't be fooled by Zhou Qiqi's current fancy clothes and act-like-a-city princess. In reality, she's been a child bride of the Xu family since she was little! Everything she's eaten and worn since she was a child has been provided by the Xu family. She's just a country bumpkin from a remote mountain village! What's she trying to prove!"
Xu Zao became more and more excited as he spoke, and spittle flew out with the rhythm of his words, almost splashing onto Lei Ming's face.
She leaned forward, lowering her voice but deliberately making sure those around her could hear.
"She's a gold digger, a womanizer who falls for every rich guy she meets! When she was with us, she was always clinging to my brother, head over heels in love, willing to be his slave! And what happened? The moment she met Shen Huaichuan in military uniform, she clung to him like glue! She even abandoned her parents, the Xu family, who raised her from childhood! Ungrateful! Heartless! A woman like that, only her face can fool someone as naive as you!"
She had thought that her words would resonate with Lei Ming, and that they would join together in condemning Zhou Qiqi.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, Lei Ming's expression changed drastically!
He had seen Zhou Qiqi bravely rescue that strange little boy in the pouring rain; that courage and purity were definitely not feigned.
He had only helped her with a small favor, and she thanked him profusely. How could such a kind person be ungrateful?
As for "snobbishness and favoritism towards the rich"? That's an utter joke!
His brother told him that morning that Zhou Qiqi had contracted the production line herself, and the sweater dress she designed was a huge hit in Huacheng.
This production line earns more in a year than Shen Huaichuan, the regimental commander, earns in several years!
Does she need to be a "snobbish" woman? She is a genuinely wealthy woman herself!
If I had to put it bluntly, it would be that Shen Huaichuan, this man, was clinging to a rich woman!
To be a gigolo... no, I should say a sullen face!
Xu Zao was still rambling on and on.
"Comrade Lei Ming, don't be fooled by her haughty demeanor! She's a despicable scoundrel at heart!"
"Enough! Shut up!"
Lei Ming had initially thought he should save face and not argue with a woman, but Xu Zao's words were getting more and more absurd, and he simply couldn't stand it anymore.
He suddenly raised his head, his eyes, which had been somewhat nonchalant, were now sharp as knives, piercing straight at Xu Zao, filled with shock, anger and undisguised disgust!
"I have eyes to see what kind of person Comrade Zhou Qiqi is! I don't need to listen to you, a petty person who maliciously slanders and sows rumors behind people's backs, distorting the truth here!"
As he spoke, he pulled out a few banknotes from his pocket, slapped them on the table without even counting them.
"This is for the meal. I'll treat you to this meal as an explanation to my aunt! Your behavior is despicable! Goodbye!"
After saying that, Lei Ming didn't even bother to look at Xu Zao's face, which was twisted with anger and embarrassment, and completely ignored Xu Shu, who was dumbfounded, and Lin Yao, who was pale-faced.
He turned and strode out of the state-run restaurant, his back view resolute and upright, carrying an awe-inspiring righteousness despite being offended.
Xu Zao was left standing there, frozen, her face turning from red to white, and then from white to green.
The gazes of the diners around her felt like needles piercing her; some were disdainful, some mocking, and others whispering amongst themselves. Those looks made her face burn, and she wished she could disappear into the ground.
The few crisp banknotes on the table, gleaming brightly under the light, now felt like resounding slaps to her face, burning with pain.
Xu Shu then realized what was happening. Seeing his sister's distraught state, he felt both angry and anxious, but even more so, furious with Lei Ming.
He muttered a curse under his breath: "Damn it! You ungrateful bastard!"
Only Xu Zao's heavy breathing and the suppressed whispers of those around him filled the restaurant, like a swarm of mosquitoes buzzing in his ears.
Lei Ming stormed out of the state-run restaurant, his anger burning even more intensely as the cold wind whipped through him.
He just wanted to get away from this disgusting place and that vicious woman as soon as possible.
"Mingming! Why did you leave so soon?"
A familiar yet concerned voice rang out.
Lei Ming paused, looked up and saw his aunt Zhou Shuhua standing at the bottom of the steps, looking at him with a puzzled expression.
"Auntie..."
Lei Ming took a deep breath, barely suppressing his anger, but his tone remained harsh, "There's nothing to talk about, I'm leaving now."
"Hey? You silly child!"
Zhou Shuhua quickly stepped forward to stop him, her brows furrowed.
"Didn't Lin Yao say that her sister-in-law, Xu Zao, is very clever and cute, and especially likable? You're too impatient! Get to know her better by spending more time with her and chatting with her, won't you? Don't let some random, unknown women blind you and affect your judgment!"
Her words were loaded with meaning and implied something.
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