Chapter 348| Chapter 349| Chapter 350
Chapter 348: Everyone Says Yi Yi is a Disaster Star
“If you go back to the capital, you’ll have to live under the Gu family’s roof,” Mother Sheng pointed out.
Sheng Wanyan had never once considered taking Yi Yi back to the Capital. She wanted to stay exactly where she was until Gu Tingxiao returned.
“Mom, I’m going to wait right here for Tingxiao to come back,” Sheng Wanyan said firmly.
Her words stopped Mother Sheng from saying anything further. She had originally wanted to convince her daughter to return to Rong City with her, but Wanyan was determined to wait for Xiao Gu. Yet, no one even knew if the man was dead or alive, let alone how long this wait might be.
“Yan’er, Mom understands how you feel,” Mother Sheng sighed gently. “But I’m so worried about you being here all by yourself.”
There was no way Mother Sheng could leave her daughter alone in Bing City with peace of mind. Without a man in the house, an isolated mother and daughter were easy targets for bullies and neighborhood gossip. If they went back to Rong City, at least Wanyan would have the protection of her parents.
“Yan’er, won’t you just come back to Rong City with Mom?”
“Mom, I just want to wait for Tingxiao here.”
Seeing her unwavering resolve, Mother Sheng didn’t push the issue. She decided she would simply stay and take care of her daughter for now; they could figure out the rest later.
“Alright. Then Mom is going to stay and live with you for a while.”
Sheng Wanyan naturally didn’t refuse her mother’s presence and immediately moved to prepare the guest room. “Let me clean it up for you.”
But Mother Sheng shooed her away, insisting on cleaning the room herself so her daughter could sit down and catch her breath. She had traveled all this way specifically to lift the burden off Wanyan’s shoulders.
Once the room was settled, Mother Sheng took Wanyan and Yi Yi across the street to have dinner at the grandparents’ house.
The rest of the family had already guessed that Mother Sheng intended to move in with Wanyan, and they all breathed a collective sigh of relief. Having someone stay with her day and night brought them immense peace of mind.
“It’s good that you’re here. Go and take good care of Yan’er,” Grandma Sheng murmured, pulling Mother Sheng aside for a private word. Her biggest fear was that Wanyan wouldn’t be able to handle the psychological weight of her grief. “Yan’er hasn’t been in a very stable state of mind lately. We need to keep a very close eye on her.”
Mother Sheng nodded gravely, committing her mother-in-law’s warning to heart. She would watch her daughter like a hawk.
After dinner, Mother Sheng gathered her things and officially moved into Sheng Wanyan’s apartment.
“Let Yi Yi sleep in my room tonight,” Mother Sheng offered. Since Yi Yi was now drinking formula at night, she didn’t need to stay glued to her mother’s side.
“Mom, she’ll fuss and keep you up all night long,” Sheng Wanyan protested.
Mother Sheng waved off her concern. “I’m not that old yet! I can still handle a baby. Besides, didn’t I raise you and your brother just fine? I want to spend some quality time bonding with my granddaughter.”
She scooped the baby up, bouncing her playfully. “Isn’t that right, sweetie?” Yi Yi giggled, her bright eyes curving into happy crescents. “See? Our little Yi Yi wants to sleep with Grandma.”
Not wanting to deprive her mother of the chance to bond with the baby, Sheng Wanyan finally relented. “Alright, let Yi Yi sleep with you tonight.”
Mother Sheng wheeled the baby’s crib into her room, bringing along the diapers, formula, and bottles. Sheng Wanyan boiled some water, and after both women had bathed the baby and washed up themselves, they retreated to their respective rooms to rest. There was no need to overthink the future tonight; there was still a long road ahead.
The next morning, Mother Sheng woke up early. By the time Sheng Wanyan got out of bed, a hot breakfast was already waiting on the table.
After eating, Sheng Wanyan prepared a bottle and fed Yi Yi. Meanwhile, Mother Sheng quickly familiarized herself with the household layout and immediately set to work watering the vegetable garden and feeding the chickens.
Seeing her mother eagerly taking over every single chore, Sheng Wanyan understood that she was trying to coddle her. While the agony of Gu Tingxiao’s disappearance was a heavy weight on her chest, she hadn’t deteriorated to the point where she was entirely incapable of caring for herself. She firmly believed that Gu Tingxiao was still alive—perhaps injured, perhaps delayed, but as long as a body hadn’t been recovered, he was out there somewhere.
“Mom, let me feed the chickens,” Sheng Wanyan said, reaching for the feed basket.
Mother Sheng dodged her hand, clearly unhappy. “You don’t need to lift a finger. I’ll handle it.”
“Mom, please. I don’t want to just sit around.” If she stayed idle, her mind would inevitably wander to dark places.
Hearing the subtle plea in her voice, Mother Sheng finally relented and let her help. “Just don’t push yourself too hard,” she cautioned gently. “Yan’er, your health is the most important thing right now.”
Sheng Wanyan nodded silently.
By the afternoon, little Yi Yi was getting restless and wanted to play outside. It was the perfect excuse for Mother Sheng to take Wanyan out for a stroll to get some fresh air.
As they approached the riverbank, they noticed several military wives gathered by the water, scrubbing their laundry and chatting idly.
“Now that Captain Gu is gone, do you think his wife will remarry?” one woman gossiped loudly.
“She’s so beautiful, plenty of men would be lining up to marry her,” another chimed in.
“But she’s dragging a money-losing girl around with her! What family would want to take on that kind of baggage?”
Qiao Hehua, who was scrubbing clothes nearby, instantly flushed with anger. Her husband was the reason Captain Gu was missing. How could she possibly sit by and listen to these women drag Sheng Wanyan’s name through the mud? Captain Gu wasn’t even confirmed dead yet, and here they were casually discussing his widow’s remarriage!
“Aren’t you all women yourselves? Keep your mouths clean and stop calling little girls ‘money-losers’!” Qiao Hehua snapped. Usually timid and non-confrontational, she was now fiercely glaring down the gossips.
One of the women sneered. “If Captain Gu hadn’t been busy trying to save your man, would he have died? If it weren’t for your family, Captain Gu’s wife wouldn’t even be a widow right now.”
Qiao Hehua was struck completely speechless. The brutal truth of those words hit her like a physical blow, leaving her with absolutely nothing to say in her own defense. She and her husband would spend the rest of their lives trying to repay Sheng Wanyan.
Sensing her weakness, the gossip only grew more venomous.
“Honestly, I think that child is a jinx. She’s a disaster star who curses her own parents,” a woman muttered viciously. “Think about it! Right after she was born, Captain Gu got shot and nearly died.”
“And now she’s barely a year old, and her dad is gone for good.”
“Exactly! Isn’t she just bad luck?”
Qiao Hehua’s blood boiled. How could these people spew such toxic garbage from their mouths?
“That’s right!” another woman gasped in sudden realization. “When she was born, Bing City suffered that massive flood! And now, there’s a catastrophic reservoir collapse! Oh my god… could that baby really be a cursed disaster star?”
Hearing them label an innocent baby a curse, Qiao Hehua completely lost her temper. Without a second thought, she hoisted her heavy wooden basin and violently hurled her dirty laundry water straight at the gossiping women.
Splash!
“Ahhh! Qiao Hehua, are you out of your mind?!” The women shrieked, instantly soaked in murky, soapy water. They scrambled backward, hurling curses.
“Watch your filthy mouths!” Qiao Hehua screamed back, her eyes red. “Captain Gu sacrificed himself to save my husband. If you’re going to blame anyone, call my man the unlucky one! And don’t you dare forget who it was that saved all of your lives during that flood!”
A few yards away, Mother Sheng and Sheng Wanyan had heard every single word.
If Mother Sheng hadn’t been holding Yi Yi in her arms, she would have already marched over and slapped the teeth out of that woman’s mouth.
“Yan’er…” Mother Sheng whispered worriedly.
Sheng Wanyan’s face was an icy mask of pure fury. She strode purposefully down the riverbank, her dark eyes locked directly onto the military wife who had called her baby a jinx.
“Who did you just call a disaster star?” Sheng Wanyan’s voice was deathly quiet, but it carried a chilling menace. “Who brings bad luck to her parents?”
The women jumped at the sudden voice, spinning around in sheer terror.
“Captain Gu’s… Captain Gu’s wife…”
The gossiping women instantly shrank back, lowering their heads in fearful silence.
Sheng Wanyan let out a cold, sharp sneer. Without a moment’s hesitation, she lunged forward and grabbed the main gossiper violently by the hair.
Chapter 349: Smashing the Du Family!
“Aaaaaah!”
Sheng Wanyan grabbed the woman by the hair, yanked her head back, and slammed her face into the river, holding her under.
Gurgle, gurgle…
The military wife who had been spewing venom found her head pinned firmly beneath the surface of the rushing water. She flailed her arms wildly, thrashing in a desperate bid for help.
“Help… Mmph… Help!”
The surrounding women watched in sheer horror. Had Sheng Wanyan completely lost her mind?
With a vicious tug, Sheng Wanyan ripped the woman up by her hair, forcing her face out of the water. “Speak! Keep talking!” she snarled. “Who did you call a disaster star, huh?”
“I—”
Gurgle, gurgle…
Sheng Wanyan shoved her head right back beneath the surface. She wished she could drown every last one of these miserable gossips.
A few yards away, Mother Sheng quickly covered little Yi Yi’s eyes, shielding her from the violent display. She knew her daughter well; Wanyan wouldn’t actually cross the line into murder. She was simply delivering a terrifying, unforgettable lesson. She was making it crystal clear that anyone who dared utter a single word against Yi Yi would pay a severe price.
Sheng Wanyan looked entirely feral. The exact moment the woman beneath her hands was on the verge of suffocating, she hauled her head out of the water. The second the gasping woman managed to draw a single breath, Sheng Wanyan shoved her back under.
“I didn’t start it! Liang Qian said it! Liang Qian said it!”
The tortured woman was so utterly terrified that a yellow puddle began to spread into her clothing. She was scared out of her wits; Sheng Wanyan was genuinely acting like a lunatic. Trembling violently, she babbled everything she knew just to save her own skin.
“It was Liang Qian who spread the rumor! She’s the one who called the baby a disaster star and said she killed Captain Gu!”
Hearing Liang Qian’s name, Sheng Wanyan’s eyes turned ice-cold. This woman was a cancer that could no longer be tolerated.
“I shouldn’t have bothered saving a single one of you,” Sheng Wanyan whispered, her gaze sweeping over the remaining military wives. Every single one of them was deathly pale, keeping their heads bowed, not daring to make eye contact.
“Let me tell you something,” Sheng Wanyan announced, her voice dropping to a deadly, dangerous register. “If I ever hear anyone breathe a single foul word about my daughter again, I will kill you. Even if I don’t use my own hands, the next time disaster strikes this base, I will personally stand by and watch you die.”
The women shook like reeds, completely broken by her unhinged, desperate aura. They nodded frantically, sobbing out promises to never repeat the rumors. Sheng Wanyan was a madwoman right now. If they pushed her an inch further, she would follow through on her threat.
A deep sense of shame settled over the crowd. Sheng Wanyan had risked her own life to save them during the flood, yet they had repaid her kindness with sickening ingratitude, pinning the blame for a military tragedy onto an innocent infant. And they had been caught red-handed.
“We won’t say it! We swear we’ll never say it again!”
Terrified for their lives, the women wept and swore oaths.
Sheng Wanyan abruptly released her grip on the woman’s hair, letting her collapse into the shallows, and marched straight toward the Du family’s quarters. Along the path, her face twisted in a dark scowl, she spotted a heavy wooden fence post. She snatched it up and gripped it tightly, stepping toward their front gate.
Mother Sheng quickly carried Yi Yi back to their apartment, handed the baby off, and sprinted back out to help her daughter back up her play.
Pan Yue, hearing that a massive brawl was brewing, didn’t hesitate for a second and ran to join them.
“Quick, Xiaoze! Go after them!” Grandma Sheng urged franticly, pushing Sheng Wanze toward the door. “Don’t let the women get hurt!”
Grandma Sheng hadn’t expected the base neighbors to be weaponizing such vile rumors behind Wanyan’s back. Sheng Wanze didn’t waste a second, bolting out of the house to ensure his mother and sister didn’t take the brunt of the Du family’s retaliation.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Sheng Wanyan began striking the Du family’s front door with the wooden post. Inside, Aunt Du froze at the deafening racket and marched to the entryway, cursing at the top of her lungs.
“Who is it?! Pounding like you’re summoning a corpse! You break my door, you’re paying for it!”
Aunt Du yanked the door open, only to choke on her words. Sheng Wanyan stood on the threshold, a heavy wooden club raised in her hand, her eyes completely hollow and murderous.
“What do you think you’re—”
Sheng Wanyan pushed past her without a word, storming into the house. Aunt Du clawed at her sleeve, trying frantically to block her path, but she was easily shoved aside.
“How dare you force your way into my home?!”
“Liang Qian!” Sheng Wanyan roared, her voice echoing through the house. “You miserable bitch! Get out here!”
Liang Qian, who had been resting in the back bedroom, shivered at the sound of Wanyan’s voice. Terrified, she bolted her bedroom door from the inside, refusing to come out.
Sheng Wanyan marched straight to the locked door and began slamming her heavy wooden post against the wood. When the lock wouldn’t give, she delivered a brutal kick near the handle, splintering the frame, and burst into the room. She swung the stick without hesitation, striking Liang Qian across the shoulder.
“Ah!” Liang Qian shrieked, scrambling across the bed to dodge the blows as Sheng Wanyan pursued her relentlessly. “Sheng Wanyan! Are you insane?!”
Sheng Wanyan closed the distance, grabbed Liang Qian by a fistful of hair, and began dragging her out of the bedroom. Liang Qian clawed at her hands, trying to resist, but every time she fought back, Sheng Wanyan brought the wooden post down hard against her shins and arms.
Aunt Du hovered in the hallway, shaking with fear. Is this girl completely unhinged?
Sheng Wanyan systematic systematically destroyed everything in her path. As she dragged Liang Qian through the house, she used her free hand to smash every vase, mirror, and piece of pottery she passed.
“Aaaaah! My house! My belongings!” Aunt Du wailed, lunging forward to protect her prized possessions. But the moment Sheng Wanyan whipped the wooden post around, pointing it directly at her face, Aunt Du stumbled backward in terror.
“Don’t… don’t be impulsive!” Aunt Du stammered.
Sheng Wanyan’s expression remained frozen in an icy mask. She swung the club sideways, striking Aunt Du hard across the forearm, sending the older woman retreating with a shriek of pain.
CRASH!
Sheng Wanyan brought the club down onto the dining table, shattering the wood and sending teapots, porcelain bowls, and dinner platters crashing to the floor in a spray of shards.
Yanking Liang Qian by her hair, Sheng Wanyan dragged her out into the courtyard. Just then, Mother Sheng and Pan Yue burst through the gate. Seeing the wreckage and realizing what was happening, they immediately joined the fray, systematically demolishing what remained of Captain Du’s courtyard furniture.
Aunt Du, seeing her home reduced to splinters, lost her mind and lunged at Mother Sheng. But Mother Sheng was a veteran of neighborhood brawls back in the gritty streets of Chengdu; she had never lost a fight in her life.
With Pan Yue flanking her, Mother Sheng easily bypassed Aunt Du’s clumsy swings, grabbed her by the collar, and pinned her against the courtyard wall.
“How dare your family let your wretched daughter-in-law spread vile rumors about my granddaughter!” Mother Sheng hissed. “How dare you call my sweet girl a disaster star!”
Before Aunt Du could even respond, Mother Sheng delivered a resounding, open-handed slap across her face.
“Since you don’t know how to keep your daughter-in-law’s filthy mouth shut, you can take the punishment in her place!”
Mother Sheng unleashed a flurry of slaps, thoroughly thrashing the older woman. For all her usual fierce, aggressive behavior on the base, Aunt Du was completely outmatched and reduced to a sniveling mess.
On the other side of the courtyard, Sheng Wanyan dragged Liang Qian all the way down to the riverbank, throwing her bodily into the rushing water. The military wives who had remained by the shore watched in stunned silence as Sheng Wanyan waded in behind her.
She pinned Liang Qian beneath the surface, refusing to let her come up for air.
“Liang Qian! You’re nothing but a worthless whore, yet you love pretending to be a pure saint!” Sheng Wanyan shouted over the rushing water. “You want to live a safe, comfortable life after what you did? Do you honestly think your family’s petty influence can protect you from me?”
Sheng Wanyan wrapped her fingers tightly around Liang Qian’s throat. Liang Qian’s face turned a violent shade of crimson as she thrashed beneath the surface, her lungs screaming for oxygen.
“Lusting after another woman’s husband because you can’t control your own pathetic, wanton body!” Sheng Wanyan snarled, pressing down harder. “And then you dare to spread rumors about my child? Did you truly think I was soft enough to let that slide?”
Cough! Gasp… Gurgle…
Liang Qian clawed frantically at Sheng Wanyan’s wrists, desperate to pull her head above water, but Sheng Wanyan’s grip was like an iron vice.
Several horrified military wives scrambled up the banks, screaming for the guards and leadership.
“Since you targeted my innocent baby,” Sheng Wanyan whispered into the water, “then you don’t deserve to breathe another breath on this earth!”
Sheng Wanyan squeezed with all her might. Liang Qian’s legs kicked violently against the riverbed, her body convulsing. In that terrifying moment, Liang Qian realized Sheng Wanyan wasn’t bluffing—she was actively trying to end her life.
She’s a lunatic! She’s completely insane! Liang Qian thought in a panic. To commit a public murder over a useless girl… isn’t she afraid of prison? Isn’t she terrified of leaving her daughter with a murderer for a mother?
Liang Qian fought desperately for survival, but the current and the weight of her wet clothes stripped away her leverage. She had never endured such brutal humiliation in her entire life, completely powerless against the woman she despised. She swore to herself that if she survived this, she would ruin Sheng Wanyan.
Sheng Wanyan could read the venomous hatred and defiance burning in Liang Qian’s bulging eyes. But she didn’t care. Let her hate. The debt between them would be settled in blood.
“Stop! Comrade Sheng Wanyan, let go!”
Political Commissar Xie finally arrived, sprinting down the bank in a panic. Seeing the life-and-death struggle in the river, he didn’t hesitate, plunging straight into the cold current to pull Sheng Wanyan away.
Chapter 350: Crushing Liang Qian in the Water
“Unbelievable!”
Political Commissar Xie was furious. Had Comrade Sheng Wanyan completely lost her mind? Was she trying to ruin her own life? Drowning someone out in the open like this—how was that any different from murder?
Political Commissar Xie felt his head buzzing and nearly fainted on the spot from the sheer shock of the scene. If there was a grievance, they could have sat down and talked it out calmly. Why on earth did she have to resort to violence?
He immediately ordered the nearby guards to drag Liang Qian out of the river. Once she was hauled up onto the bank, she began to hack violently.
“Cough! Cough, cough, cough…”
Liang Qian collapsed onto the damp grass, clutching her chest as she choked up mouthfuls of river water. Her face was flushed a dangerous crimson. Just a moment ago, she genuinely thought she was going to die. She felt as if she had already set one foot into the underworld.
“What is going on here?” Political Commissar Xie demanded sternly, glaring at the two women the moment Liang Qian managed to catch her breath.
Liang Qian lunged forward, desperately grabbing the Political Commissar’s trouser legs as she shrieked out her accusations. “Political Commissar! Help me! Sheng Wanyan tried to murder me! She’s trying to kill me!”
She frantically pointed back toward the family quarters, eager to lay out all of Wanyan’s offenses. “They even forced their way into my home and completely destroyed it! She broke my doors and smashed everything I own!”
Political Commissar Xie frowned deeply, his gaze shifting to Sheng Wanyan. “Comrade Sheng Wanyan, what do you have to say for yourself?”
Too many eyes had witnessed Wanyan’s actions. Even if the Political Commissar wanted to shield her out of respect for her circumstances, he had no plausible excuse to sweep this under the rug.
“Political Commissar! Everyone here saw it!” Liang Qian screamed, gaining confidence. “My entire house was ransacked and smashed to pieces by her, her mother, and Pan Yue! I want to press charges against Sheng Wanyan for attempted murder and property damage!”
Political Commissar Xie’s brows furrowed tightly into the sharp lines of a frown. Why had Comrade Sheng Wanyan been so incredibly reckless? If she ended up behind bars because of this, how could he ever look Gu Tingxiao in the eye again?
“Political Commissar, she’s right. I absolutely wanted to kill her,” Sheng Wanyan stated, offering no defense whatsoever. From the moment she marched down here, her sole intention had been to end Liang Qian’s life.
“Political Commissar! Did you hear that?!” Liang Qian shrieked, her voice triumphant. “She admitted it herself! She confessed!” She pointed her finger directly at Sheng Wanyan’s face, wishing the guards would drag her to a prison cell this very second.
Seeing that Liang Qian still had the audacity to point at her, Sheng Wanyan strode forward, snatched her hand, and violently bent her finger backward.
“Aaaaaah! Let go! It hurts, it hurts!”
Liang Qian screamed in agony. Seeing the raw, volatile fury in Sheng Wanyan’s eyes, Political Commissar Xie immediately ordered his men to drag Liang Qian away to prevent Wanyan from snapping completely.
“Political Commissar, I want to ask you a question,” Sheng Wanyan said, her voice dropping to a chilly, dead-even register.
“Ask it,” the Political Commissar sighed. He didn’t understand why she was choosing this exact moment to cross-examine him, but looking at her hollow expression, his heart ached for her. Gu Tingxiao was gone, and the poor girl had clearly been pushed past the brink of sanity by the trauma.
“If a military dependent knowingly commits a crime—specifically, maliciously cursing and slandering the surviving family of a martyr—what is the penalty under military law?”
“Such actions are strictly disciplined and dealt with severely under military regulations,” Political Commissar Xie answered firmly.
Hearing his response, Sheng Wanyan turned her piercing gaze toward Liang Qian, who was shivering under the guard of the soldiers. Liang Qian instinctively took two steps back, completely breaking under Wanyan’s stare, though she desperately tried to avoid meeting the Political Commissar’s eyes. She told herself that as long as she steadfastly denied everything, Sheng Wanyan couldn’t prove a thing.
“That woman, Liang Qian, has been systematically spreading rumors that my daughter is a jinx!” Sheng Wanyan shouted, her voice ringing out clearly across the riverbank. “She told the entire base that the massive flood in Bing City was triggered by my baby’s birth! She labeled my daughter a cursed disaster star!”
“Gu Tingxiao’s own flesh and blood—a child whose father is currently missing in the line of duty—is being publicly branded as a curse who destroys her own parents! So let me ask you, Political Commissar, how exactly do you intend to discipline Liang Qian for this?”
Sheng Wanyan took a step closer to the leadership, her voice laced with biting irony. “Since when do we blame the volatile state of our national infrastructure on the birth of an infant? Is our great nation truly so weak and incompetent that we must lay the blame for natural disasters on a baby who is barely ten months old?”
“Comrade Liang Qian, by spreading such nonsense, are you openly expressing contempt for the authority of the state? Do you believe our government is entirely incompetent?”
Sheng Wanyan’s words hit the crowd like a thunderclap, instantly plunging the entire riverbank into a suffocating, terrified silence. No one dared to utter a single breath. The moment she framed the gossip as a political assault on the state’s competence, the casual neighborhood slander took on treasonous proportions. Who would dare risk their life to chime in now?
“Liang Qian!” Political Commissar Xie bellowed, his face twisting into a mask of pure fury as he whipped around to glare at her. “Did you spread those words?!”
Liang Qian bit her lower lip so hard it nearly bled. “Political Commissar! I didn’t! Sheng Wanyan is making up lies to frame me!” She dug her heels in, determined to maintain her innocence at all costs.
Sheng Wanyan let out a sharp, mocking laugh. Stepping into the crowd, she reached out and dragged the gossiping military wife she had subdued earlier into the clearing. “Tell him,” Wanyan commanded. “You were just shouting that my child is a curse to her family and brought bad luck to the base. Where exactly did you receive that information?”
Liang Qian glared daggers at the woman, her eyes flashing a silent, dangerous warning to keep her mouth shut.
Sheng Wanyan ignored her look and addressed the trembling woman. “If you refuse to speak the absolute truth right now, you will face the full weight of military law yourself.”
“I’ll talk! I’ll talk!” the woman wailed, completely breaking under the threat of military prosecution. How could she possibly risk her own skin to protect Liang Qian now? “It was Liang Qian! She’s the one who told me everything! She even gave me ten yuan to spread the story around the quarters!”
“She explicitly told me to make sure everyone believed the baby was a cursed jinx who caused Captain Gu’s death!”
The woman poured out every single detail of their transactional arrangement, leaving Political Commissar Xie’s blood pressure skyrocketing to the point where his temples throbbed violently.
“You’re lying! You filthy liar, I never did that!” Liang Qian shrieked, lunging forward to clamp her hand over the woman’s mouth to silence her.
But the gossiping wife was entirely consumed by terror now, frantic to distance herself from the crime. “I am not lying! The ten yuan you handed me is still sitting inside my dresser drawer at home!”
At a time like this, who cared about ten yuan? Saving her own life was the only thing that mattered.
“You miserable bitch! How dare you falsely accuse me!” Liang Qian screamed, losing her composure entirely as she resorted to threats. “Just you wait until my father hears about this! See how Chief of Staff Liang handles you!”
“Oh? I’d quite like to know myself,” a booming, authoritative voice resonated from behind the crowd. It carried an immense, suffocating weight that instantly commanded the entire area.
Political Commissar Xie froze, a sudden wave of disbelief washing over his face. He whipped around, his eyes going wide as plates the moment he recognized the figures approaching down the path.
“Political Commissar Xie, perhaps you can explain this situation to me in thorough detail?”
Sheng Wanyan blinked, wondering if her exhausted mind was playing tricks on her. How could they possibly be here…
“Commander-in-Chief!”
The surrounding soldiers instantly snapped to attention, raising their hands in a crisp, synchronized salute to the towering man.
It wasn’t just Father Gu who had arrived; Mother Gu was stepping right beside him. Bypassing the officers, Mother Gu rushed straight to Sheng Wanyan’s side, gripping her cold hands tightly as her eyes filled with tears. “Yan’er, my poor child… I am so sorry you had to endure such vile treatment.”
Sheng Wanyan managed a faint, reassuring smile and shook her head. She didn’t feel wronged. From the very moment she chose to marry a soldier like Gu Tingxiao, she had prepared herself for every contingency—including the devastating possibility of losing him.
“Greetings, Commander-in-Chief!” Political Commissar Xie stammered, offering a sharp salute. Cold sweat began to bead across his forehead under Father Gu’s icy, unreadable stare.
The Commander-in-Chief was managing critical state operations; what on earth had brought him all the way to the Bing City base? Political Commissar Xie’s heart sank into his boots. It was completely over now. This time, Liang Qian and Chief of Staff Liang were going to face the absolute, merciless full weight of military law.
“I would like to echo Comrade Sheng Wanyan’s question to you, Political Commissar Xie,” Father Gu began, his voice laced with an immense, terrifying authority that left the onlookers trembling. “Since when do the administrative failures and natural disasters of this nation get pinned onto the back of an innocent infant?”
“Why? Is it that our government lacks the capability to manage its infrastructure? Or is it that the dependents within your unit hold our country in such utter contempt that they feel comfortable reducing national crises to superstitious baby curses?”
“Is our great nation truly so entirely incompetent? Speak up!”
Father Gu’s roar echoed across the riverbank, his powerful aura completely crushing the room until no one dared to draw a full breath.
“Political Commissar Xie, is this the chaotic state of the unit you are supposedly managing?”
Hearing the Commander-in-Chief openly question his professional competence and leadership, Political Commissar Xie instantly straightened his spine, sweat pouring down his neck as he prepared to answer for his regiment.
