Zhang Yuping said, "Xiao Wen, didn't you just say you knew what he took from home?"
“I didn’t say that,” Wen Moxue shook her head.
Zhang Yuping said anxiously, "You just said that."
Lu Xiaoqin jumped in, "Yes, we heard you say that."
Wen Moxue said seriously, "I only said that I knew he carried something out, I didn't say that it was taken from your house."
"Oh, Wen, he took those things from here. Tell me quickly, where did he send them?"
She had just sent her husband out to check, but it was pitch black outside and there wasn't a soul in sight.
Wen Moxue covered her mouth with both hands in surprise, looking incredulous with an exaggerated expression.
"How is that possible?"
Zhang Yuping spoke with utmost sincerity and earnestness, "Xiao Wen, it's true. Perhaps you don't know what kind of person A Yuan used to be; he often did things like this."
Wen Moxue was genuinely surprised this time.
It wasn't that he believed Zhang Yuping's nonsense, but rather that he never expected Lu Yuan's stepmother to be so eager to ruin his reputation.
Based on her observations over the past two days, Lu Yuan was not at all the lazy, thieving, and despicable person they described.
On the contrary, this man is more reliable and capable than most people.
Seeing her like this, Zhang Yuping and the others assumed that she was surprised to learn that Lu Yuan was this kind of person, and they did not know her true thoughts.
She continued, "Ah Yuan was spoiled by us since he was a child. He always got the best things in the house first, which made him selfish and domineering. He has to get whatever he wants, and if we don't give it to him, he'll find a way to steal it."
"But everyone knows what our family situation is. It's not that we don't want to satisfy him, it's that we really can't. If we satisfy him, in the end, it's our whole family who will suffer."
Whether others believe it or not, even Zhang Yuping herself almost believed it.
“Xiao Wen, if you know what he stole from home today, tell us and make him take it out. Like I said, as long as he takes it out, we're all family, and we won't blame him.”
Wen Moxue's expression was complicated.
She also imitated Zhang Yuping's sincere expression.
"If I didn't know what really happened tonight, I would have believed you and thought he must have stolen your things. It's a real shame that you two are not in acting."
"Wen, what do you mean by this?"
They don't call him Xiao Wen anymore; the way they address him has become much more distant.
Wen Muxue said, "What I mean is, I think the reason Lu Yuan has a bad reputation in the village is probably because you, his stepmother, deliberately ruined it. He clearly didn't steal anything, but you're going around telling everyone that he did."
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Zhang Yuping's gentle face finally broke down.
This is the first person who doesn't believe her badmouthing Lu Yuan.
Hmph, just like me.
So what if she's good-looking? She has no brains at all. She deserves to suffer a lifetime with someone like Lu Yuan.
“How am I talking nonsense? You’re the one who’s really talking nonsense,” Wen Muxue said.
“Wen Zhiqing, considering it’s your first day here and you don’t know Lu Yuan’s character, I won’t hold it against you for saying such things to protect him. Just return what you took.”
Wen Muxue laughed, "So you're including me now?"
“It’s not that we want to include you, but now that you’re married to him, it’s obvious you knew what A-Yuan did today.”
Wen Moxue admitted, "Of course I knew. It was because I knew that I knew how you wronged him."
Seeing that Wen Moxue was stubborn and unyielding, Zhang Yuping was so angry that her liver hurt. Moreover, after trying for so long, she still couldn't get anything out of her, so she had no choice but to look at Lu Guoqing.
"Old Lu, what do you think? I'm at my wit's end. Everyone says being a stepmother is tough. It was one thing for A Yuan to be disrespectful to me before, but now this new daughter-in-law is treating me like this too. I... I'm really having a hard time."
As she spoke, she turned her head away, pretending to be silently wiping away tears.
Seeing that Wen Moxue kept arguing, Lu Guoqing's brows were already furrowed.
"Eldest daughter-in-law, is this how you talk to your elders? Is this the kind of upbringing you city folks have?"
Wen Moxue rolled her eyes inwardly.
"Good manners are subjective. You will naturally be ill-mannered if you are ill-mannered, but you will only be well-mannered if you are well-mannered."
"This is absolutely outrageous!"
Lu Guoqing's chest heaved with anger. If Lu Yuan were here, he would have slapped him across the face.
Seeing that they couldn't gain the upper hand verbally in front of Wen Moxue, Zhang Yuping didn't want to get entangled with her any further.
"Alright, Lao Lu, don't be angry. Getting our things back is the important thing."
After saying that, he looked at Wen Moxue and said, "Wen Zhiqing, you and Ayuan should return the things quickly, otherwise we will have to ask the brigade leader to uphold justice. If this matter gets out of hand, it will not be good for your reputation as a young couple."
"Go, go find your captain."
Wen Moxue scoffed.
"You keep saying that Lu Yuan took your things, so tell me, what exactly did he take?"
Zhang Yuping remained silent; if she had known, she would have spoken up long ago.
"Or tell me exactly what you lost?" Wen Muxue asked again.
Zhang Yuping remained silent.
"Can't say it, can you?" Wen Moxue said with a mocking smile.
“No matter what we lost, it’s a fact that A-Yuan stole something,” Zhang Yuping argued illogically.
Wen Moxue's eyes were opened.
"Tsk, you don't even know what you've lost, yet you immediately conclude that A-Yuan stole something. And you still say you're not wronging him?"
After saying that, she looked at Lu Guoqing and said, "Father, I can't say what's missing. You tell me."
Little did Lu Guoqing know that when Zhang Yuping woke him up, he had only heard that Lu Yuan had stolen something, but not what it was.
He could only look at Zhang Yuping, signaling her to speak.
Lu Xiaoqin was getting a little anxious and tugged at Zhang Yuping.
"Mother, tell me, what exactly did my eldest brother steal from the house?"
Zhang Yuping was almost driven to tears by her daughter's stupidity. If she could explain it, she wouldn't need to urge her.
Not only did they not help me, they also helped the other party interrogate me.
"Alright, stop pressuring her. A-Yuan didn't steal anything from you. She can't possibly say anything."
Wen Moxue's sarcasm was even more pronounced.
"Impossible!" Lu Xiaoqin jumped up and retorted.
“My mother clearly saw my older brother carrying a bag of things out the door.”
Wen Moxue nodded, "Yes, Lu Yuan did carry a bag of things out."
"Then why did you say you didn't?"
As if she had caught her red-handed, Lu Xiaoqin raised her chin and demanded, "Why did you lie?"
Wen Muxue glanced at her and replied, "How did I lie? I didn't lie in the first place."
Then, raising the corners of his mouth, he said, word by word, "Because that bag of things was given to him by me."
"How is that possible?"
"What did you say?"
The screams of the mother and daughter, uttered in unison, were particularly jarring.
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