When the introductions reached the Buling family, Buling made a point of glancing at Qi Gong's wife a few times; compared to Qi Gong, his wife seemed rather ordinary.
Not only that, his wife looked completely mismatched standing next to Engineer Qi. Engineer Qi looked like a refined scholar, while his wife was short and stout, looked much older than her age, and didn't seem very approachable.
When Grandpa Wu introduced Buling to her, the pickiness and dislike in her eyes were so obvious that they couldn't be ignored.
Seeing her like this, Buling lost her mood as well. She gave a brief greeting and said nothing more. Grandpa Wu knew Buling's temper and, fearing another argument, quickly led the two of them to the backyard.
Bu Ling handed the two candies she had just received to little Chen Cong, who was so delighted that his eyes narrowed. The two sons of the Wang family, on the other hand, were filled with envy and jealousy.
The day the new neighbors moved in passed peacefully; whatever thoughts or ideas people had, no one did anything about it that day.
Anyone with a keen eye could see how much the factory valued this new worker, Qi.
Bling didn't have any particular thoughts; they were just neighbors. If they got along, great; if not, so be it.
A week passed in this eerie yet peaceful manner in the courtyard. One morning, as Bu Ling was still half-asleep brushing her teeth, she heard Aunt Shen from the backyard starting her usual routine again.
After listening closely for a couple of moments, I realized that this wasn't directed at Widow Liu, but rather at Qi Gong's eldest daughter-in-law, the particularly beautiful young lady.
Aunt Shen yelled, "You vixen, dressed so scantily so early in the morning, who are you trying to seduce? You're shameless!"
Bu Ling frowned. To be honest, the fact that Aunt Shen was still alive and kicking was definitely because the people in their compound were kind. If someone like her were in the neighboring compound, she'd get beaten up eight times a day.
This isn't just Bu Ling exaggerating. Since starting her small business, Bu Ling has had more contact with the older women in other courtyards and has gained some understanding of their situations. Someone like Aunt Shen, in other courtyards, would be considered a nobody, at the very bottom of the social hierarchy among the older women.
In the morning, everyone was afraid of being late for work, and no one had time to join in the fun. Only Aunt Wu, at Uncle Wu's prompting, went to the backyard. Aunt Lan rolled her eyes and immediately followed.
Bu Ling and Wu Yuanyuan exchanged a glance, and then followed without warning. They had plenty of time before their shift started, so there was no rush.
Bling didn't even put the toothbrush cup back; she just carried it towards the backyard.
In the backyard, Aunt Wu was frowning and scolding Aunt Shen, while Ming Xiangru, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Qi family, stood to the side with a cold face and eyes full of disgust.
"Aunt Wu, my father-in-law told me that the neighbors in our compound are very friendly. Today I've truly witnessed it firsthand." The young woman was not only beautiful, but also had a lovely voice—not the typical girlish, shrill voice, but a gentle, melodious one, revealing a well-mannered upbringing.
Aunt Wu, however, was not in the mood to appreciate the beauty of the voice. Upon hearing Ming Xiangru's words, she instantly understood her meaning. Engineer Qi had never been to their compound before; how would he know that their neighbors were so friendly? He must have inquired with the factory manager.
"Xiaoming, don't worry, if you have any grievances, just tell me, and I'll definitely stand up for you," said Aunt Wu, while giving Aunt Shen a sidelong glance.
Aunt Shen protested, "She's dressed so scantily so early in the morning, what else could she be doing but trying to seduce someone? Old Wu, we already have one person like that in our neighborhood, it's embarrassing enough, we can't have another one like that."
Buling glanced at the young woman's short-sleeved shirt and shorts. It seemed perfectly normal. The weather wasn't too hot, but it wasn't too cold either. Her outfit wasn't bothering Aunt Shen. She wondered what had gotten into Aunt Shen this time.
During the argument, the entire Qi family came out. Old Mrs. Qi and Old Mr. Qi looked very displeased: "Little Shen, you need to provide evidence for your words." Old Mrs. Qi was clearly a well-educated woman; every move she made exuded refinement.
Before Aunt Shen could say anything, Qi Gong's wife, Aunt Qi, spoke up: "Aren't you going back? What are you doing here making a fool of yourself, bringing shame to Yu Sheng?" These words were clearly directed at Ming Xiangru.
A sharp glint flashed in Ming Xiangru's eyes. Just as she was about to say something, Qi Yusheng, the eldest son of the Qi family, jumped out: "Aunt Shi, watch your mouth. What does this have to do with Xiangru? It's this old lady who's being unreasonable."
Unreasonable Aunt Shen: "What are you saying, you brat? Who's being unreasonable? Qi family boy, I've been through this before. Your wife is obviously a troublemaker. You'd better watch out, or you might find yourself being cheated on without even realizing it."
"Aunt Shen, I'm only being polite to you because I respect you as an elder. Don't push your luck." Qi Yusheng's face was ashen. Anyone would be upset if they were spoken to like that to someone's face.
“Aunt Shen, I’ve never offended you since I moved here. You’ve been subtly and overtly mocking me, but I’ve always let it slide because we’re neighbors. I didn’t expect you to take advantage of me like this, did you? I respect the elderly, but I’m not someone to be trifled with.” Ming Xiangru was no pushover either.
From childhood to adulthood, she had been criticized by countless old ladies because of her appearance. If she had a gentler personality, she would have jumped into the river long ago.
Aunt Shen didn't think she had done anything wrong. This woman looked like a bad person: "Did I say something wrong? If you weren't guilty, why would you hide from me as soon as you see me?"
"I'm avoiding you? I just don't want to see you, I'm afraid I'll throw up if I see you." This young lady is quite sharp-tongued.
Aunt Shen's face twisted in hatred as she looked at Ming Xiangru's fox-like eyes with disdain, her resentment growing even stronger.
Ming Xiangru met her gaze without backing down. Aunt Wu was in a real bind. Just then, she saw Jiang Nian tiptoeing around, and her eyes lit up. She immediately said, "Little Jiang, quickly try to persuade your mother!"
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