Jiang Jianhua abruptly shook off the sleeve that Xu Runli had just grabbed, wiped it on his clothes as if it had gotten dirty, and forced a smile that looked more like a grimace at Yun Tangyin: "Yinyin, don't take it to heart, I've already cut ties with this crazy woman."
Yun Tangyin didn't reply, but simply folded the IOU into a small square and put it back in her pocket. The silver bracelet gleamed coldly in the sunlight: "Second sister-in-law is more clear-headed than I thought."
The military wives on the wall hadn't dispersed yet, and someone laughed and said, "They should have cut ties with that troublemaker a long time ago!"
Jiang Jianhua's face flushed red, and he buried his head almost to his chest, repeatedly muttering, "I was confused, I was confused before."
Yun Tangyin turned and walked towards the kitchen, her voice neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for everyone in the courtyard to hear: "Being confused isn't scary, what's scary is pretending to be confused when you know the truth. If Second Sister-in-law were truly clear-headed, she would know that some relatives are better off as strangers."
Jiang Jianhua stood frozen in place, watching Yun Tangyin's retreating figure, and suddenly shivered.
She then realized that Yun Tangyin had seen through her thoughts all along, but hadn't exposed them, simply to save her some dignity.
The source of this respectability was simply because she was also a daughter-in-law of the Fu family.
Before she could recover, Xu Runli's scream came from outside the courtyard gate again, this time laced with sobs: "Jiang Zhicheng, you heartless bastard! Let go! I'm going back to fight that little bitch!"
Then came Jiang Zhicheng's low, furious roar: "Aren't you ashamed enough?!"
The military wives peeked over the wall, laughing and joking, while one of them spat out the door, "Has Xu Runli gone mad? Doesn't she know what kind of place this military dependents' compound is!"
Hearing these words, Jiang Jianhua felt a chill run down his spine. He quickly moved a bench from the yard to block the doorway, as if that would stop the pointing fingers.
Hearing the commotion in the kitchen, Yun Tangyin came out with a freshly brewed cup of tea, leaned against the doorframe, and slowly took a sip: "You can shut the door but not the mouth. If Second Sister-in-law was really afraid of gossip, she shouldn't have let the wolf in in the first place."
Jiang Jianhua's hand trembled, and the stool crashed to the ground with a thud. She turned around and lunged at Yun Tangyin to grab her arm, but the other woman dodged her with disgust.
"Yinyin, please help me!" she cried, her voice trembling with tears. "If Mom finds out I helped Xu Runli scheme against the Fu family, she'll definitely kick me out!"
"Was it you who plotted against the Fu family, or Xu Runli?" Yun Tangyin put down her teacup, tea foam gathering in a circle around the rim. "Second sister-in-law had better think carefully before answering. I have a very good memory."
Jiang Jianhua's face instantly drained of color. He remembered that the drafts of the two accounts he had secretly altered were still under his pillow, and the cloth coupons that Xu Runli had instigated him to hide. Suddenly, he felt a tightness in his throat and couldn't breathe.
She knelt on the ground with a thud, her knees hitting the bluestone slab with a dull thud: "I was wrong, Yinyin! Xu Runli forced me to do it all!"
A gasp erupted from the top of the wall, and someone exclaimed, "Good heavens, they admitted it themselves? The Fu family has truly raised an ingrate!"
Yun Tangyin bent down and grabbed Jiang Jianhua by the back of his collar, pulling him up like a chick: "Second sister-in-law, you're quite skilled at playing the victim, but unfortunately you've chosen the wrong audience."
She gestured with her chin toward the main house: "If you want to admit your mistake, go talk to Mom. Whether or not you should be kicked out, it's up to her to say so."
Jiang Jianhua followed her gaze to the curtain at the main room. It was quiet there, as if a pair of eyes were coldly staring at him. He was so frightened that his legs went weak and he was about to kneel down again, but Yun Tangyin held him firmly.
"Stop pretending here." Yun Tangyin leaned close to her ear, her voice as cold as ice. "If you dare to play any more tricks, I'll send this 'evidence' to the regimental headquarters and let everyone judge how Jiang's wife schemed against the military family."
Jiang Jianhua's pupils suddenly contracted, as if a snake had been pinched at its vital point, and his whole body went limp like mud.
She then realized that Yun Tangyin had long held leverage over her, and those words were not a threat, but a blatant warning.
"I...I'll go apologize to Mom right now." She trembled like a leaf, and was pushed by Yun Tangyin, causing her to stumble and move towards the main room.
Just as she reached the door, the curtain was suddenly lifted, and Song Yushuang stood inside, her face expressionless: "No need, I've heard everything I needed to hear."
Jiang Jianhua knelt down with a thud, his face covered in tears and snot: "Mom! I was wrong! I'll never do it again! Please forgive me this time!"
Song Yushuang placed the sewing basket on the stone table, and the silver needles scattered out, gleaming coldly: "The Fu family doesn't support ungrateful wretches. If you want to stay, hand over the cloth coupons you've hidden and the altered accounts. We'll talk about other things when the deficit is paid off."
Jiang Jianhua kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "I'll pay! I'll go get it right now!"
As he scrambled to his feet and ran towards the side room, one of his shoe heels broke off. The military wives watched with amusement, and one of them laughed and shouted, "He's afraid he won't make it in time to atone for his sins!"
Watching this farce unfold, Yun Tangyin slammed her empty teacup onto the stone table: "Mom is kinder than me."
Song Yu glared at her, but a smile was hidden at the corner of her mouth: "With such unrest at home, do you think A-Cheng can be at ease in the army? A little reprimand is enough. If you really kick him out, it will make it seem like the Fu family can't tolerate anyone."
"But you'd better keep that IOU safe. If Jiang Zhicheng dares to renege on the debt, I'll personally go and talk to their leaders."
Yun Tangyin smiled and was about to speak when Fu Yucheng's voice suddenly came from outside the courtyard gate, sounding anxious: "Yinyin! I heard Xu Runli is causing trouble again? Are you alright?"
A figure in military uniform strode through the door, his military boots making a rapid sound on the bluestone slabs. He grabbed Yun Tangyin's arm and looked her up and down. When he saw the red mark on her arm, his brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a mosquito: "Did this crazy woman hurt you again?"
"Stop." Yun Tangyin grabbed his wrist. "What's the big deal that's making you so angry? I've already subdued him."
She recounted the key points of what happened that morning, specifically mentioning Jiang Jianhua's apology. Fu Yucheng's expression softened somewhat, but he still clenched his fists: "I'll go find Jiang Zhicheng later and make him pay back the money he owes immediately!"
"No need." Yun Tangyin tiptoed to smooth out his wrinkled collar. "I kept the IOU. I can take it out anytime I want to make things difficult for him. When dealing with this kind of person, you have to keep something on your hands to feel secure."
Looking at the slyness in her eyes, Fu Yucheng suddenly chuckled and bent down to pick her up in his arms: "My wife is getting more and more amazing."
Yun Tangyin playfully punched him in the chest: "You're so unserious in front of your mother!"
Song Yushuang smiled and turned around to fiddle with her needle and thread: "I'm blind, I can't see."
The military wives cheered from the top of the wall, whistling and shouting, "They love their wives!"
Fu Yucheng carried Yun Tangyin toward the side room, his voice full of doting affection: "It's only natural to pamper your wife!"
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