Chapter 250: Clarifying the Rumors
Chapter 250: Chapter 250: Clarifying the Rumors
When Zhang Jufang and Gu Qingran saw Xie Huaizheng and his group appear, their faces turned even paler.
Zhang Jufang’s husband walked over to her, his brow furrowed. "What are you doing? This has nothing to do with you. Why are you here causing trouble?"
He had long known his wife was a troublemaker, but he was usually henpecked, so he had always turned a blind eye to Zhang Jufang’s actions.
He couldn’t control Zhang Jufang anyway. As long as she took care of the house and the kids, he let it be.
But he never expected that this time, she would actually go and provoke Camp Commander Xie’s wife.
"I..." Zhang Jufang immediately started to explain. "You’re wronging me! I just wanted to help that poor girl. I thought her report made sense. Otherwise, who would have nothing better to do than write all of this?"
"You’re insane! Instead of taking care of the kids, you’re always making trouble for me!" her husband sighed.
’Looks like I’ll have to send my wife back to the countryside to raise the kids,’ he thought.
’If she keeps this up, I’ll be transferred out of the military sooner or later.’
’And I have no intention of leaving the service just yet!’
Zhang Jufang opened her mouth to retort, but under Xie Huaizheng’s stare, she couldn’t help but lose her nerve.
Xie Huaizheng sneered. ’This woman is all bark and no bite.’
’Of course, the real problem was the instigator.’
He turned to Gu Qingran. "Comrade Gu Qingran, how is it that I never knew my wife was having an affair?"
He walked over to Su Zhaozhao and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
His heart ached just thinking about Su Zhaozhao being wronged and horribly bullied when he wasn’t around.
’She did nothing wrong, yet people are always trying to hurt her.’
Even he had heard the rumor on the base, so it must have been spreading like wildfire outside.
’She must have suffered so much today.’
That was why, as soon as he heard about it, Xie Huaizheng had immediately gathered a few men and come over.
Gu Qingran didn’t dare to meet the man’s cold, sharp eyes. She averted her gaze and said in a low voice, "Camp Commander Xie, you can’t deny everything just because you like her. Her original fiancé wasn’t you! She got together with you only because she looked down on her original fiancé for being poor. You need to face the facts!"
’She refused to believe that Xie Huaizheng wouldn’t be bothered after finding out how materialistic Su Zhaozhao was.’
Gu Qingran was betting on this!
’What man could accept a wife with a past like that? It’s no different from being made a cuckold.’
"Face what facts?" Xie Huaizheng’s expression was icy. He looked at Gu Qingran as if she were a tiny insect.
Being stared at like that, Gu Qingran felt immense pressure.
’This man completely vanished later on, basically ceasing to exist. He wasn’t even as formidable as Xie Huaizhen, so why am I so afraid of him?’
’But... his presence really is a bit overwhelming...’
’He’s more intimidating than the Xie Huaizhen of today.’
"Your wife might not be who you think she is," Gu Qingran forced herself to say.
The next moment, she heard Xie Huaizheng say, "I was the one who pursued Zhaozhao in the first place. As her husband, I know what kind of person she is better than anyone. As for her former fiancé, I know it was Xie Huaizhen. That’s why I’ve specifically brought him here today to clarify a few things."
After he finished speaking, Xie Huaizheng looked toward Xie Huaizhen.
’Su Zhaozhao hadn’t expected Xie Huaizheng to bring Xie Huaizhen here either. What was truly surprising was that Xie Huaizhen was willing to cooperate with him...’
’The original owner’s stepmother had been so awful to Xie Huaizhen, even making his mother sick with anger. She had thought that even with her explanation, Xie Huaizhen wouldn’t be able to let it go so easily.’
’But he was actually willing to help her?’
Xie Huaizhen watched Xie Huaizheng holding Su Zhaozhao, protecting her as if she were behind an impenetrable fortress.
Their bodies were pressed tightly together, the girl’s petite frame nestled naturally against Xie Huaizheng.
’To be honest, Xie Huaizhen felt a little envious.’
’Back then, if he had just been a bit more proactive in telling Su Zhaozhao... maybe she and Xie Huaizheng wouldn’t have ended up together through such a bizarre twist of fate.’
’But now, he would do what he had to do to help Su Zhaozhao.’
"Yes, Zhaozhao and I were engaged before, but we later realized we weren’t a good fit and called it off. I know Zhaozhao is a good person. She wasn’t looking down on me for being poor; we just truly weren’t right for each other. As for the similar names... I suppose it must be a coincidence."
As he said this, Xie Huaizhen’s gaze fell involuntarily on Su Zhaozhao.
He forced himself to swallow the bitterness in his heart.
’Such a coincidence, wasn’t it? Otherwise, how could Su Zhaozhao, who had clearly come looking for him, have mistaken Xie Huaizheng for him?’
’It was all because their names were just too similar.’
’But it was also clear that he and Su Zhaozhao were just not fated to be.’
Su Zhaozhao could sense a hint of sadness from Xie Huaizhen.
Su Zhaozhao bit her lip. She didn’t know how Xie Huaizheng had managed to force Xie Huaizhen to say those words.
He looked genuinely sad when he said them.
’He was probably thinking about that unpleasant business from before. After all, his mother had been so angry she had fallen ill...’
Su Zhaozhao was still staring at Xie Huaizhen when she felt the hand on her shoulder tighten.
The pain snapped her back to her senses, and she turned to look at Xie Huaizheng.
Xie Huaizheng glanced back at her. He didn’t say a word, but Su Zhaozhao knew he was jealous.
Su Zhaozhao: "..."
’How can this man get jealous over anything and everything? He knows perfectly well that Xie Huaizhen doesn’t like me, so how can he still be jealous?’
It made her afraid to even look around. Su Zhaozhao hastily averted her eyes.
"That’s right, it’s a huge coincidence," Xie Huaizheng added. "I know Zhaozhao’s character best, and so do many others in the compound. Gu Qingran, I really don’t understand why you’re spreading these rumors. From what I hear, you’ve been pestering Xie Huaizhen lately. Is it because you can’t have him that you decided to slander his former fiancée?"
"Oh, so that’s what it is! She likes Xie Huaizhen!"
"That explains it! Of all the people here, why else would she target Camp Commander Xie’s wife!"
"The jealousy of a woman..."
...
Gu Qingran could feel the gazes of the crowd turning hostile. A moment ago, a few people had sympathized with her, but now, every look was filled with judgment.
She had never experienced anything like this. She was on the verge of tears.
"But what about her being an elementary school English teacher with only a middle school education? That’s ridiculous, isn’t it? Are you saying my report on that point is wrong?"
"Of course it’s wrong! All of us approved Teacher Su Zhaozhao!" The principal of the military district’s elementary school, Li Dongliang, looked at Gu Qingran. "She gave a public demonstration lesson for us and read English aloud. She passed both the written and oral exams without a single issue! We can’t let an issue with her formal education cause us to lose such a rare talent!"
"Young lady, slandering a teacher at our military district school, and a military wife on top of that... you could go to jail for this!"