A Beauty in the 80s Goes on a Blind Date with Her Child, Captivating the Military Compound - Chapter 53

Under her long, slightly curled eyelashes, Shen Sisi’s dark, profound eyes glared icily at Yang Qiuxia.

“Yang Qiuxia, I see you’ve forgotten the pain once the wound healed, haven’t you?”

“Do you want me to help you refresh your memory in front of the police?”

Yang Qiuxia’s face turned white with fear. If this truly went to the police station, she would be completely ruined! With a loud splash, she scrambled out of the water vat, crawling away on all fours. Just as she tried to get close, Gu Chengfeng stepped in to block her. His fierce, predatory gaze made her shiver violently.

“Wait, listen to me explain…”

Gu Chengfeng knit his brows in annoyance. Had he known this woman would repeatedly try to harm Sisi, he would have pursued the matter to the end last time.

“Whatever you have to say, say it to the police!”

Gu Chengfeng turned away decisively, his tall, lean frame blocking out the light. He reached out and wrapped an arm around Shen Sisi’s shoulder. “Let’s go home.”

Before leaving, he didn’t forget to look back and call out to his fierce mother: “Mom, what are you standing there for? You’re coming back too.”

Xu Hongying’s body trembled. Did I hear that right? Her son finally remembered her and even asked her to come home. She felt that something about Gu Chengfeng had changed—she couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but her heart swelled with joy as she hurried after them.

On her way out, she glanced at the manure-covered brush in her hand and casually tossed it into Yang Qiuxia’s house.

Yang Qiuxia was terrified, her heart sinking. It’s over. This time, it’s all over. Drenched and shivering like a drowned rat in the biting wind, her vision blurred, and she collapsed to the ground.

The matter quickly reached the military district’s political commissar. By that afternoon, several groups of people had arrived to conduct interviews and take statements; it had become a major incident.

Chen Wenzhong was in the middle of a provincial meeting when he received the news. He was so livid he nearly shattered his tea cup. That woman does nothing but stir up trouble all day long—there’s no living with her!

He canceled his afternoon meetings and went to the state-run cooperative to buy an assortment of apology gifts: a large pig’s leg, a pound of brown sugar, a bottle of Maotai liquor, a tin of malted milk, along with bags of rice, flour, and oil. He and his orderly carried the heavy load to Shen Sisi’s door to apologize in person.

Instead, he was met with a closed door. No one was home.

Chen Wenzhong stood in the freezing wind for two hours until nightfall, but they never returned. It seemed they were determined not to let Yang Qiuxia off the hook. He dumped the items at the doorstep and headed straight for the hospital, dragging Yang Qiuxia out of her sickbed.

“How can you lie here in good conscience? Get up and go apologize to them!”

Yang Qiuxia had suffered a fright and caught a chill; she was currently burning with a high fever, her mind a delirious haze. She had finally seen her husband, only to find he didn’t have a single word of concern for her.

She felt incredibly wronged. “Apologize? She’s a loose woman who’s corrupted the atmosphere of this compound! She’s the one who should apologize. Why should I bow down to her?”

Chen Wenzhong hadn’t expected her to remain so stubbornly unrepentant. In a fit of rage, he threw her back onto the bed. He lit a cigarette, suppressing his internal fury. “Fine. Do whatever you want. I, Chen Wenzhong, am done with you. We’re getting a divorce! It’s over!”

“I won’t divorce you! Not even if it kills me!”

“You won’t? Then go to prison. Take your pick!”

Chen Wenzhong took a deep drag of his cigarette, then slammed the butt onto the floor, sending sparks flying as he stormed out. Instinct told Yang Qiuxia that this time, Chen Wenzhong was dead serious.

Why does everyone take Shen Sisi’s side? she wondered bitterly. Even an unreasonable mother-in-law like Xu Hongying would fight for her. Where did I go wrong?

Outside the State-Run Restaurant, the family walked down the street in high spirits. Xu Hongying, carrying various bags, looked radiant.

“Shen Sisi, don’t think that just because you gave me a few small favors, I’ve accepted you,” Xu Hongying blustered. “I might have acknowledged you as my daughter-in-law, but you’re still a hundred thousand miles away from my personal standards.”

Shen Sisi wasn’t annoyed. Her expression remained calm and steady. “Auntie, buying things for you is a matter of etiquette, not an attempt to curry favor. I don’t know what your standards are, but I know that right now, I am the best match for Gu Chengfeng. Whether you acknowledge it or not doesn’t change much for me.”

The smile vanished from Xu Hongying’s face. “Well, aren’t you something! I just finished venting your grievances for you, and now you’re talking back?”

Shen Sisi’s beautiful eyes curved slightly, her tone becoming playful and coquettish. “And what about you? Just a moment ago, you were calling me ‘daughter-in-law’ left and right, and now you look down on me again…”

“I…” Xu Hongying was speechless. How can this woman be so charming? She wasn’t even angry when scolded; she actually had a quite a good temperament.

Though Xu Hongying wasn’t highly educated, she could sense that Shen Sisi was nothing like the woman in Yang Qiuxia’s stories. She was exceptionally beautiful—prettier than a movie star—yet she didn’t possess a shred of “seductress” energy. Instead, she was like a breath of fresh air. Given her looks and poise, if she hadn’t already had a child, she likely wouldn’t have even looked at her hot-tempered son.

After thinking it over, she let out a long sigh. “I’ve already called you my daughter-in-law in front of everyone. Are you still going to call me ‘Auntie’?”

“This…” A faint blush crept across Shen Sisi’s flawless face.

Was Xu Hongying actually accepting her? Her heart fluttered with joy. Then, in a voice as soft as a mosquito’s hum, she whispered, “Mom…”

Xu Hongying tilted her head, blinking. “What did you say? I couldn’t hear you.”

Shen Sisi cleared her throat and gathered her courage, shouting clearly: “Mom!”

The shout was loud enough to be heard across the street. Xu Hongying laughed so hard the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes bunched up like chrysanthemum petals. “Alright, alright! I’m not deaf!”

Seeing the two of them reconcile, the corners of Gu Chengfeng’s mouth curved into a deep smile. Before, he had been constantly on edge, fearing his mother would sabotage his relationship or that Sisi would be scared away. Now, he felt he could finally sleep soundly.

“Let’s not cook tonight. Let’s eat at the State-Run Restaurant!” Gu Chengfeng suggested. They happened to be right at the entrance.

Shen Sisi agreed. After the battle with Yang Qiuxia and the thawing of her relationship with her mother-in-law, they really did have something to celebrate.

Gu Changmei was all for it, raising both hands in approval. She chirped, “Well… Sisi, it’s cold out. Why don’t you take the kids inside and start ordering? We need to go buy a few things first.”

Gu Chengfeng was about to decline when he caught his aunt’s meaningful look. Shen Sisi saw the three of them exchanging glances and knew exactly what was happening—they had something to discuss and were trying to get her out of the way.

She didn’t call them out on it. Instead, she nodded and asked, “Alright, we’ll go in first. By the way, is there anything you’d like to eat or any dietary restrictions?”

All three said they had no preferences and left it up to her. Shen Sisi told them to hurry back, then pushed the door open while carrying the child. She was a smart woman; she knew what to ask and what to leave alone. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder what they were keeping from her.

Lost in thought, she walked into the restaurant. Since it wasn’t the weekend, there were only a few occupied tables. Seeing a private room available, she asked the server to open it and bring the menu.

Just as she was about to enter, a shrill voice came from behind her: “Oh, isn’t this my dear cousin?”