Chapter 118 No Need to Bow Down to Me
"Fu Ya," she said in a low voice, with a hint of concern and a touch of probing, "do you want to truly establish yourself in the performing arts troupe?"
Fu Ya suddenly narrowed her eyes.
"Do you have a solution?"
In this position, seniority and ability alone are far from enough, and she understands this all too well.
Qiao Wanyin did not answer immediately, but slowly pulled open the bottom drawer of the desk.
She took out a small notebook, about the size of her palm.
The cover is somewhat worn, and the corners are slightly curled.
She skillfully turned to one of the pages and tapped the densely packed words on it with her fingertip.
"This is Liu Piaopiao's recent activity record."
“Every afternoon, Su San would go to ‘Old Su’s Tailor Shop’ in the east of the city by herself and stay there for more than two hours.”
"Moreover... she never goes through the main entrance; she always goes through the back alley."
Fu Ya's eyes suddenly lit up.
Her breathing quickened slightly, and her voice was kept very low.
"You mean...she altered her military uniform without permission?"
“I didn’t say anything.”
Qiao Wanyin immediately closed the notebook, her movements swift and decisive.
A slow, meaningful smile appeared on her lips.
Neither admitting nor denying.
"but……"
She paused, her gaze turning serious as she looked at Fu Ya, "If someone 'happens' to discover that a member of the performing arts troupe is altering the style of their military uniform, or even frequently having private contact with outsiders..."
"What do you think the consequences will be?"
The two stared at each other in silence.
The only sound inside was the ticking of the wall clock.
There were no words spoken, yet the air was filled with an unspoken understanding.
Just then, the wooden door to the courtyard creaked open.
Fu Li'an appeared at the door.
He stood there with his back to the light.
When he saw Fu Ya inside the room, he paused noticeably, his brows furrowing tightly.
"Comrade Fu Ya?"
Fu Li'an's voice was low and deep.
What are you doing here?
His gaze swept back and forth between Fu Ya and Qiao Wanyin.
The room suddenly became eerily quiet.
Even the ticking of the wall clock seemed amplified several times over.
The air was still, and even breathing became a cautious exercise.
Fu Ya changed her expression almost instantly.
She quickly stood up, a gentle and polite smile plastered on her face.
"Hello, Commander Fu. I'd like to ask Comrade Qiao about the mutual aid center."
As she spoke, she patted the notebook beside her.
Fu Li'an remained unmoved.
His cold gaze slowly swept across the two faces.
His eyes were filled with disbelief.
He gave a cold laugh.
"Are you really here to ask for work advice?"
He leaned slightly forward, his tone sarcastic.
"Hmm... Could it be that he's actually afraid of Liu Piaopiao?"
"you!"
Qiao Wanyin suddenly stood up, her cheeks flushed, her fingertips trembling as she pointed at Fu Lian.
"What do you mean, 'you'?"
Qiao Wanyin spoke sharply, her eyes fixed on Fu Lian.
"Did I say something wrong? Liu Piaopiao has had feelings for you for a long time. Didn't you realize that at all? Or are you pretending not to know?"
"Now she's even followed me to the military base, coming all this way under the pretense of a performance to comfort the troops, but what's she really after? Isn't she just trying to steal my man?"
Qiao Wanyin gritted her teeth, her chest heaving violently.
"Can't I even protect myself? Can't I fight for myself?"
Seeing that she was angry, Fu Li'an frowned slightly and lowered his voice.
“If she really does something excessive or crosses the line, tell me, and I won’t stand idly by.”
What good would it do to tell you?
Qiao Wanyin's eyes reddened, and her voice trembled slightly.
"Can you stay by my side all day long? Can you follow me every step of the way? Can you stop her from playing tricks and sabotaging me behind my back?"
"Then I can report this to Commander Fang!"
Fu Li'an raised his voice, and his tone suddenly became firm.
"Let's solve this problem through the proper channels, not by resorting to these underhanded tactics! We can't let her get away with this!"
"The right path?"
Qiao Wanyin scoffed.
“Commander Fang is Liu Piaopiao’s uncle. Blood is thicker than water. Who do you think he will side with? Who will he believe? Fu Li’an, you are too foolish and too naive.”
The two remained frozen in place, neither willing to back down.
After a long while, Fu Lian finally sighed, his shoulders slumped slightly, and his tone softened.
"Qingqing, I really don't want to see you scheming against people, using people, and being suspicious at every turn... This isn't like you. You weren't like this before."
"Then what should I be like?"
Qiao Wanyin's voice trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.
"Does this mean I should just swallow my anger? Do it mean I should let everyone bully me? Be a pushover that anyone can kick at and bully?"
“Fu Li’an, things are different now,” she said, raising her head. “Women can stand up for themselves, fight for their rights, and protect the people they care about! I’m no longer that little girl who can be manipulated by others!”
Fu Lian stared at her, his eyes filled with mixed emotions—heartache and worry.
He slowly began, “Commander Fang spoke to me today. The implication was that I should keep an eye on my family and not interfere in the affairs of the cultural troupe. Do you know how difficult this is for me right now? I’m being watched from above and below. One wrong step and everything will be lost.”
Qiao Wanyin's heart sank suddenly.
She didn't expect Liu Piaopiao to be so quick, having already bypassed her and gone directly to the higher-ups to complain.
This move was swift and ruthless, striking directly at the vital points.
"I……"
She was about to explain, wanting to say that she didn't mean to cause trouble.
Before she could finish speaking, Fu Li'an raised his hand to stop her.
"Don't you know who Fu Ya is?"
His voice was low and carried a hint of reproach.
"This spoiled, willful, and domineering young lady has been pampered since childhood and is willful and willful. Using her as a pawn to deal with Liu Piaopiao is like bringing a wolf into your house; she will only hurt herself sooner or later."
He rubbed his throbbing temples.
"Wanyin, we've only just settled in the military, and everything is still in its early stages. We really can't afford to go through this kind of turmoil. Even the slightest setback could undo all our previous efforts."
Qiao Wanyin lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes.
She just stood there, not saying a word for a long time.
Finally, she raised her face and looked directly at Fu Lian.
“I’ll handle my own affairs and won’t be a burden to you. You don’t need to worry about me, and you don’t need to bow down for me.”
"What utter nonsense are you spouting!"
Fu Li'an took a sudden step forward, his voice rising abruptly.
He grabbed her shoulder with such force that she swayed slightly.
“We’re husband and wife, two people tied together by the same rope. If something happens to you, I can’t escape either! Do you think you can shoulder everything alone? What kind of talk is that?”
His tone was intense, almost shouting, which made her eardrums go numb.
But after he finished speaking, he paused for a moment, his Adam's apple bobbing.
"You think Liu Piaopiao is only after you? She told Commander Fang that I can't control my wife! She said that I, Fu Li'an, am completely controlled after getting married, and I can't even protect my family! Do you know how much face I'll have if these words get out?"
Qiao Wanyin suddenly looked up, her voice accusing.
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