Chapter 20 Schemes
Shen Zhixia also planted vegetables in her yard, and they lived peacefully.
That day, Shen Zhixia, supporting her lower back, squatted in front of her vegetable patch to build a bamboo trellis for her tomato seedlings. She had recently fallen in love with growing vegetables, finding it a way to cultivate one's character.
Suddenly, the door was knocked open.
Zhang Weihong was holding a package. She walked in and asked softly, "Xiao Shen, did you receive anything today?"
Shen Zhixia looked completely bewildered: "Sister-in-law, what did you say? I haven't gone out at all today."
Zhang Weihong said with a complicated expression, "Then I'll tell you something, but don't get excited."
She pressed Shen Zhixia down onto the stool, her expression growing increasingly strange.
Shen Zhixia was even more confused: "Sister-in-law, just say what's on your mind."
“Xiao Shen,” Zhang Weihong coughed and took out what she was holding. Shen Zhixia then realized that it was brown sugar wrapped in an old newspaper: “When I opened the door today, I saw that someone had put a piece of brown sugar outside the door. There were also many other people with brown sugar at their door. Brown sugar is a rare item, so everyone took it inside. But when I looked closely, I saw something written on the newspaper.”
Shen Zhixia's heart tightened; she already had a bad feeling.
Zhang Weihong untied the knot of the red cloth, but found that what was revealed was not brown sugar, but a small half-piece of coarse sugar mixed with a lot of sand, as hard as a stone.
Underneath the candy was half a torn old newspaper with the words written in pencil: "The capitalist's daughter is having an affair, and who knows whose child she's carrying."
Upon seeing this, Shen Zhixia frowned and asked, "Sister Zhang, do you know who sent the candy?"
"I don't know. When I opened the door this morning, I saw it outside. I thought someone had kindly brought me brown sugar, but it turns out there's more to it than meets the eye."
These days, brown sugar isn't cheap, so people are usually quite happy to receive it as a gift and will definitely take it. But it's clear the other person has ulterior motives; she took a piece of earthenware to spread rumors. If Zhang Weihong saw what was written in the newspaper, then others must have seen it long ago.
This person is deliberately trying to harm her.
Zhang Weihong sighed: "I just saw this and came to tell you. Anyway, I received this thing. Other people also left candy at their doors. I was wondering if they had written these words on it."
Shen Zhixia confirmed, "It's definitely written."
Zhang Weihong added, "Don't take it to heart. I believe in you. After spending these days together, I think you are an upright person and would never do something like having an affair. Besides, your relationship with Commander Huo is quite good, and it doesn't seem like you're getting a divorce at all. What the newspapers wrote must be a rumor."
But when it comes to rumors, no one cares whether they're true or false. Once they're spread, everyone will talk about them. Some people will believe them, and some won't. Especially in this day and age, they can ruin a person's life.
Zhang Weihong said, "Xiao Shen, why don't you stay home for now? If your sister-in-law finds out that someone is talking about you, I'll help you clear things up. I don't know who's so despicable as to harm you like this. You can come and explain yourself when the time comes."
Explanation is the least effective method. The cost of spreading rumors is too low. People only care about the truth they believe and don't care what she says at all.
Shen Zhixia had no intention of explaining to anyone.
She must catch the mastermind behind this and make them pay a heavy price; only then can the problem be solved at its root.
After she came to join the army, she didn't actually interact with many people, and she maintained a distant relationship with most of them. She only offended Old Madam Li. If someone wanted to take revenge on her, Old Madam Li would be the first person they would target. But this time, the person was very clever and didn't expose himself.
"Sister Zhang, could you leave this piece of candy with me? I'd like to take a look at it," Shen Zhixia said.
Zhang Weihong gave her the candy: "Okay, if you want it, you can have it. I don't know who had such a bad idea to make this thing."
Shen Zhixia nodded and saw Zhang Weihong out. Just as they reached the door, a group of women had already gathered not far away. They were talking about something, and when they saw Shen Zhixia come out, they all stared at her. It was clear that these people were discussing her.
As Shen Zhixia turned around, whispers and snickers arose around her: "Who would have thought? She looks so glamorous, but she's been doing such underhanded things behind the scenes. Do you think Commander Huo knows about this?"
"Of course she doesn't know. Commander Huo is so good to her, she must be kept in the dark. Look how busy Commander Huo is every day, how could he have time to care about these trivial matters at home?"
"No wonder they've been going through a divorce; it turns out she's already had a new lover."
...
Everyone's eyes were focused on Shen Zhixia's back like searchlights, some shocked, some disdainful, and some gloating.
"What nonsense are you spouting!"
Zhang Weihong was furious. She pointed at the group of women and cursed, "The child in Xiao Shen's belly belongs to Commander Huo. How can you all be so gossipy? Talking nonsense, be careful you don't get sores."
"How do you know whose child it is?" one woman protested. "Sister Zhang, you're taking her side, but do you have any proof?"
Zhang Weihong spat and said, "Whoever says it must provide evidence. You're just spouting nonsense. Do you have any evidence? Why should I produce evidence?"
Seeing that Zhang Weihong was about to start arguing with the group of people, Shen Zhixia tugged at her sleeve and shook her head.
Zhang Weihong hesitated for a moment, looked at her, and said in a low voice, "Are you just going to let it go like this?"
"Of course not."
Shen Zhixia's eyes were filled with coldness.
Of course, she wouldn't just suffer in silence, but people can say whatever they want, and she couldn't control what they said.
Arguing is useless; the more you argue, the more people will gossip about it.
What she needs to do is stay calm and not let these people influence her.
Over the next two days, Shen Zhixia outwardly appeared to be calmly resting during her pregnancy and tending to her vegetable garden, but secretly she began to pay attention to every clue.
Although those people spread rumors behind her back, they didn't dare to discuss it in front of her and Zhang Weihong, so she was relatively at peace.
She never mentioned it, as if she didn't care at all.
However, upon closer inspection of the earthen pit that Zhang Weihong had brought, she noticed some details. The sand mixed in with this earthen pit was very fine, unlike ordinary yellow soil, and resembled fine sand from a riverbank.
There is only one river, the Yan River, near the military camp, and the sand on the riverbank is indeed of this texture.
On this day, Shen Zhixia came to Zhang Weihong's house. At that time, only Zhang Weihong was home.
"Sister Zhang," Shen Zhixia said casually, "do you buy the sugar you use for cooking from the supply and marketing cooperative or make it yourself?"
Zhang Weihong looked around warily and whispered, "How could I bear to buy sugar from the supply and marketing cooperative? It's all homemade sugar made from beetroots, with a little sand mixed in... Sigh, there's no other way, it won't form into blocks without adding sand."
Shen Zhixia's heart skipped a beat: "I saw the candy you gave me. The sand in it was very fine, like the kind from a riverbank."
Zhang Weihong paused for a moment, then lowered her voice: "Officer Li used to sift sand on the riverbank, and there might be a lot of sugar stored in his cellar, but we can't just say things like that."
"Are there cellars all here?" Shen Zhixia asked.
"Yes, many people do it. They dig cellars in their own yards to better store grain."
The clues seemed to point to Officer Li's own cellar. But how could she confirm it? Shen Zhixia was at a loss. She couldn't very well openly search someone else's cellar.
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