The door was pushed open with a bang, and Shen Zhiyu rushed out, his face tense, his brows furrowed, staring at her anxiously: "Ningning, how is it? Is it all settled? What are the villagers saying? Did Wang Chunhua recant her testimony?"
Su Qingzhi nodded, her tone calm yet undeniable: "That's about it. The evidence is clear, and everyone has seen it. All that's left is for Yueyue to go to the team to earn work points and pay off the debts she owes my father. Then this matter will be completely settled."
Shen Zhiyu was taken aback, his brows furrowing even deeper. Just as he was about to ask for details, He Zaizhou quickly recounted the whole story, from Wang Chunhua taking the blame for Su Yueyue to her public outburst of tears, repeating it word for word.
After listening, Shen Zhiyu raised an eyebrow, his lips twitched slightly, and he revealed a sarcastic smile: "Tsk, Wang Chunhua is really willing to go to any lengths for her own daughter, even her reputation. She'd use her shameless face as a weapon. Only a real mother would be so ruthless."
He glanced at Su Qingzhi and recalled how this woman had treated her in the past—she would always call her a jinx, say she had killed her own father, and complain that she was wasting even a single extra bite of food. She wouldn't even give her a new dress.
Ah, what a world of difference! Their attitudes toward their two daughters are worlds apart.
Su Qingzhi also found it strange, and murmured to herself, "She's such a stingy person, she'd even fuss over a needle, yet she's willing to take the blame for Yueyue? She's even willing to bear the infamy?"
She frowned slightly, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes.
But then I thought about it again. Wang Chunhua's favoritism towards Su Yueyue had never been hidden; it was practically written all over her face.
But so what?
The villagers aren't deaf or blind.
Everyone knows perfectly well who did the dirty work, who played the victim, who fanned the flames behind the scenes, and who was secretly plotting.
Rumors spread quickly, but the truth cannot be hidden for long.
But Su Qingzhi knew that Su Yueyue would never stop.
She knew that "younger sister" all too well—she appeared obedient on the surface, but was actually cunning and ruthless.
This was just one part of her plan; the real contest had only just begun.
"Mom, my eldest brother has been in the county for a whole day, why isn't he back yet?"
It was completely dark, and the night sky poured down like ink, enveloping the entire village.
The outlines of the distant mountains gradually blurred, and the dirt road on the village road was swallowed by darkness, with only a few houses' windows emitting dim yellow light.
Su Yicen has been gone since she set off this morning, and there hasn't been a trace of her. Su Qingzhi sat on the threshold, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, her heart pounding like a rabbit.
"He Zaizhou."
Shen Zhiyu suddenly spoke, his voice low yet clear, breaking the silence in the room.
He was leaning against the wall smoking, the embers flickering in the dim light, illuminating his cold, stern profile.
"I'll go pick it up."
He Zaizhou stood up almost the instant Shen Zhiyu finished speaking, his tone crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.
He didn't even have time to put on his coat before he rushed out the door like a gust of wind, his footsteps making a rapid "tap-tap" sound on the gravel path in the yard.
Su Qingzhi was startled and instinctively stood up: "No need, it's so late, why bother the captain? It's dark outside, and the road is difficult to walk on, what if..."
Before she could finish speaking, Shen Zhiyu gently pressed her back into place.
“It’s alright,” Shen Zhiyu patted her shoulder, his movements steady and firm, his tone reassuring. “He’s just bored out of his mind. Running around is good for his health. Don’t stop him; he’d love to have something to do.”
Su Qingzhi's lips twitched slightly, but a nameless anger rose in her heart.
She really wanted to yell at Chen Zhiyu: "You're such a bossy guy, you're really asking for it!"
It's true that they have a good relationship, but you can't treat them like donkeys!
He Zaizhou was, after all, a veteran and a respected team leader in the village, not just some errand boy.
She sighed and lowered her head, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the rough edge of the wooden chair.
The person is gone, their footsteps are no longer audible, so there's no point in complaining.
A cool night breeze blew in from outside the courtyard, brushing against her hair.
"A-Chuan, why did Captain He retire from the army?"
She couldn't help herself and asked softly, her voice tinged with a cautious probing, "He seems to be in good spirits, walking with a brisk pace and bright eyes. He doesn't look injured at all."
"His mother is sick."
Shen Zhiyu exhaled a smoke ring, his tone as calm as if he were talking about someone else's affairs, "He couldn't take care of his family while he was in the army. His elderly mother fell ill in bed and had no one to take care of her. He applied for discharge from the army, and it was approved. Later, the army arranged a position for him in the armed forces department, so he had a place to stay."
He Zaizhou is actually quite capable. He was an elite soldier in the army, excelling in physical fitness, shooting, and tactics.
If it weren't for the family troubles, it would have been only a matter of time before I was promoted.
But his mother's mess pulled him back to reality.
The old lady had been ill for three years, constantly needing medication, and money was being spent like water.
There are several siblings in the family, and none of them are willing to take over, fearing that they will be dragged down and that it will affect their marriage and children.
The division of the family property caused chaos, and in the end, no one was willing to take care of the elderly. He Zaizhou was not married, so no one could push him away. He could only grit his teeth and bear it.
He and Shen Zhiyu were soldiers in the same year, and now they are in their early thirties, which is the age when they should be settling down and starting a family.
But he hasn't gotten married yet, not because no one is interested in him, nor because no one is willing to date him.
But when the girls heard that he had a sick mother and needed to spend money on medicine every month, they all backed down.
Money doesn't grow on trees. What girl wants to start her life with a medicine bottle on her back as soon as she enters the house?
To make it easier to take care of his mother, he rented a small courtyard at the entrance of the village next to the armed forces department.
The house was small, but it was clean and tidy.
He had his mother stay in the south-facing main room, where a thick mattress was laid out, and a medication schedule from the hospital was posted on the wall.
He himself slept in a small hut built outside, where he shivered from the cold in winter and felt stuffy and hot in summer, with mosquitoes flying everywhere.
Occasionally, he would have to go to the county town for meetings or business. His colleagues knew about his family situation, and whoever was on duty would stop by to visit Aunt He, help her with a hot meal, or feed her medicine. No one said a word.
Everyone says that He Zaizhou has had a tough life; he's a filial son and a very honest person.
"What illness does Aunt He have?"
Su Qingzhi asked again, her voice so low it was almost as if she were talking to herself.
"Chest paralysis."
Shen Zhiyu stubbed out his cigarette, his tone remaining calm.
"I have a heart condition and have to take medication every day to keep it running. I can't get excited or tired, and I get breathless when the weather changes. The hospital says they can't cure it, they can only manage it. The medication is too expensive; it costs almost a thousand yuan a month."
Su Qingzhi's heart clenched suddenly, as if someone had gripped her chest tightly. Her nose stung and her eyes welled up with tears.
She recalled He Zaizhou's hurried departure earlier and suddenly understood why he was always so tired and why there was always an indelible weariness in his eyes.
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