Chapter 303: “a Silver Tongue”
After saying that, Heng Bao’s playful heart was slightly reined in. Every day, he set aside an hour to do homework.
The two brothers finished writing and consciously went to find Gu Chenghuai, asking their father to check it.
The homework at this time was very basic, not as twisted as in later generations. The children had it easy, and the parents were worry-free.
Gu Chenghuai only needed to spend a few minutes to check both sons’ homework.
Lin Zhao didn’t need to get involved at all.
That evening after dinner, Gu Chenghuai called his wife for a walk, and Lin Zhao happily agreed.
The twins weren’t home; they had gone to the Ning Family again, saying they would sleep with Mao Dan’er tonight.
Neither of them had any objections.
With the children not at home, the couple had so much less worry. They didn’t even need to coax them to sleep; they could do whatever they wanted.
The sun set in the west, dyeing most of the sky orange-red.
There weren’t many people on the road, occasionally some running children could be seen, very noisy.
“Little children have such vigorous energy.” Lin Zhao sighed.
Gu Chenghuai glanced over. One big kid met his eyes, his body visibly stiffening. He called his own little brother and quickly shifted positions.
Seeing this scene, question marks popped up on Lin Zhao’s forehead.
“Huh? Why did they all run away?”
Gu Chenghuai’s tone was flat, “Don’t know, maybe they need to go back and do homework.”
Lin Zhao suddenly realized, “Oh, yeah, they need to hurry and write it, or they’ll have to make it up.”
She thought the troops did this really well. She sighed, “I find the troops pretty good. The little children all have discipline and plans, and there are many little friends, so it’s worry-free.”
Seeing his wife like the troop life, Gu Chenghuai’s stern brows softened with a smile, his mood very good.
Unfortunately, the good mood didn’t last. Soon, someone ruined his mood.
“Gu Commander?” Bai Taohua appeared a few steps away. Her two girls stood obediently beside her, politely greeting him.
Transparent person Lin Zhao: “…”
So interesting.
Gu Chenghuai’s brows furrowed; he ignored her.
When he first came to the military region, he was a thorn in the instructors’ eyes, doing and saying things as he pleased, giving no one face.
For Bai Taohua to slight his wife, it was already good upbringing on his part not to mock her for being blind.
“Wife, still walking or not?” The cold-faced Gu Commander faced his own wife, his gaze indescribably tender.
“Walk, why not.” Lin Zhao smiled, not taking Bai Taohua seriously at all.
The couple ignored Bai Taohua, but Bai Taohua wasn’t that self-aware and didn’t feel embarrassed. As if just noticing Lin Zhao, she covered her mouth with a coquettish laugh, her voice affected, “This must be the younger brother’s wife, right? My fault, I didn’t see you. Should hit, really should hit!”
She lightly patted her own face twice, blaming her two daughters without any reproach.
“You two too, my eyes are bad from doing needlework, and your eyes are bad too? Is this how I taught you?! Hurry up and greet her!”
Bai Taohua wasn’t some upright good person; the children she raised couldn’t be all that proper.
Sure enough, the two little girls looked at Lin Zhao with dissatisfied provocation and reluctantly called out “Aunt Lin.”
Lin Zhao was one to speak her mind; if unhappy, she said it right away. “No need to force it like that.”
The two Bai girls immediately glared, their expressions indignant.
The younger one pointed at Lin Zhao, “You fox spirit!”
When Bai Taohua eyed the promising Gu Commander, she didn’t skimp on telling her two daughters… they would have a new dad, tall and handsome, with prospects and high salary, who would protect their mother and daughters…
Suddenly learning Lin Zhao came to visit relatives, Bai Taohua smashed things at home that day, cursing plenty of ugly words, all heard by her two daughters.
That led to this moment of the little girl lashing out at Lin Zhao.
Before Lin Zhao could speak, Gu Chenghuai’s eyes darkened first. His cold, stern gaze swept over Bai Taohua, landing on the two little girls, his face without a trace of warmth, his voice thick with frost, “Where did you learn to curse? Apologize to my wife!”
He had been on the battlefield; even reining in his aura made the family courtyard kids avoid him like a snake or scorpion. Now with his aura fully unleashed, it scared the two Bai sisters into trembling.
The cursing little girl didn’t dare move, tears gushing out wildly, body pressed against her sister, shaking like chaff.
Bai Taohua saw Gu Chenghuai’s cold face and was scared too, hurriedly blocking in front of her daughters, her smile forced, “The child is still young, doesn’t understand. I’ll apologize for her.”
She looked at Lin Zhao with an apologetic expression, “Younger brother’s wife, sorry. Her dad is gone, no one to teach her…”
Before the white lotus’s pitiful words finished, Lin Zhao smilingly interrupted, lightly countering, “Child’s dad gone, does that mean the mom is half-dead too?”
Bai Taohua didn’t expect her to say that; her mind blanked for a moment, a vicious glint flashing in her eyes.
Lin Zhao’s gaze was indifferent, her voice unhurried, “Although I just arrived, I’ve heard the sisters-in-law’s evaluations of your two girls: diligent, sensible, sweet-mouthed… I don’t see any of that. Opening her mouth to curse a stranger ‘fox spirit’—where did she learn that?”
“Really sullies the hero’s reputation…”
These words were perfectly heard by Zhang Ping.
Zhang Ping: “！！”
What a sharp mouth.
It was the first time she saw Bai Taohua speechless.
“Yeah.” Zhang Ping said loudly, walking over to stand near Lin Zhao, facing the Bai mother and daughters, raising her voice, “Lin Meizi just arrived less than a month ago. Where did your daughters’ malice come from?”
“Bai Taohua, wasn’t it you saying something nasty at home that your daughters overheard and imitated, stabbing at Lin Meizi!” Though phrased as a question, it was stated with certainty.
Zhang Ping and Bai Taohua were enemies. She might not fully understand the man beside her pillow, but her enemy… she knew inside out.
—Bai Taohua seemed soft on the surface but was full of malice inside. It wasn’t impossible for her true face to show at home.
Thinking that, Zhang Ping’s volume rose, “Definitely! Bai Taohua, I know you too well. You’re psychologically dark, can’t stand others doing well. You’re really disgusting; I really despise you!”
With Lin Meizi there, she didn’t even dare mention the previous news she’d heard about the cheap woman eyeing Gu Commander.
Zhang Ping had clashed with Bai Taohua plenty; she knew this silver-tongued person well. She spoke fast, not giving Bai Taohua a chance to interject.
Bai Taohua covered her face, body trembling, crying sobbingly, “Child’s dad, why did you leave so early, leaving your wife and daughter to be insulted. Living is so hard. Back then I should have gone with child’s dad.”
Her two girls cried along with her.
Zhang Ping saw this routine again, her eyelids twitching, a bad premonition rising.
Sure enough, her man approached from afar, unhappily glancing at Zhang Ping, then at Bai Taohua, “Sister-in-law, what’s wrong? Did Zhang Ping bully you again? Tell me, if she bullies you again, I’ll divorce this poisonous woman!”
Bai Taohua timidly glanced at Zhang Ping, tears flowing as she shook her head, “No, sister-in-law didn’t bully me. It’s me… I shouldn’t live in this world. Sister-in-law misunderstands me; I don’t blame her…”
Zhang Ping’s man angrily said, “Sister-in-law, don’t speak for her! She’s a poisonous woman; if not for the kids, I’d have divorced her long ago!”
This pair, one tea, one scum—listening to them, Lin Zhao frowned deeply.
“I say…” Straightforward Comrade Lin couldn’t hold back, interrupting their conversation, “There are others here too. You’re treating us too much like family.”
Her gaze swept over them with probing scrutiny, “I’m new. If I didn’t know beforehand… I’d think you two were a couple.”
This was almost a killing blow.
Who dared not care about their reputation?
The two tacitly distanced themselves.
Bai Taohua’s tears poured out, her voice despairing, “Lin Meizi, how can you say that about me? You want to force me to death…”
“In just this short while, ‘death’ has circled your mouth several times. I’m very curious, Comrade Bai, is it your habit to use death to manipulate people?” Lin Zhao impatiently cut off her crying.
The surrounding people thought carefully—yeah, it seemed so.
Zhang Ping was furious inside because her man sided with Bai Taohua. Seeing Lin Zhao landing blow after blow, she excitedly gripped her hand, “Lin Meizi, I’m not good with words like you. It’s just like that—Bai Taohua is used to crying, can turn no reason into having reason.”
Thinking of past events, she felt her nose sour and voiced her own bitterness, “When I was about to give birth to Stinky Butt, my man was called away by Bai Taohua. I fell in the snow, blood flowing nonstop, nearly died. If not for the sisters-in-law’s help, the grass on my grave would be several feet high now. Poor Stinky Butt stayed too long in my belly, born all sickly and weak. Is it wrong for me to hate Bai Taohua?!”
Zhang Ping looked at the onlookers, saying loudly, “Why call me a shrew, say I lack tolerance? Tolerance my ass! I don’t believe if it were your kids turned like that, you’d welcome Bai Taohua with a smile!”
She pointed at Bai Taohua, pouring out years of grievances, “Just because she cries, because she has no man, I have to swallow all the grievances? Why?!”
Speaking of that year, Zhang Ping’s body shook—with anger, and more from guilt toward her child.
Her enemy living so well tormented her heart every moment.
Zhang Ping’s man was impatient, “Why bring up that now? Can’t Stinky Butt run and jump? Can you stop being so petty?”
Hearing that, Gu Chenghuai couldn’t hold back and scolded, “You shut your mouth!”
He looked at Zhang Ping’s man, his calm voice hiding deep sarcasm and coldness, “Are you a husband, a father—can’t you have some responsibility?”
Really, even he as a passerby couldn’t stand it.
His wife so aggrieved, instead of comforting, he complained—how was that a man?!
Good thing he wasn’t under his command, or he’d drill him to death, wake that brain—damn it, purely stuffed too full!!
Lin Zhao’s gaze was approving.
As expected of the man she chose—look, even a righteous evil sword immortal would scatter to ash approaching.
Gu Chenghuai caught Zhaozhao’s look, nearly losing his composure.
Such a cute wife.
The surrounding onlookers whispered.
“Yeah, not protecting his own wife but protecting an outsider—what’s that? Those who don’t know would think they have an affair.”
“Zhang Saozi really had it tough. Stinky Butt cried weakly like a kitten when born, nearly didn’t make it…”
“Bai Sister-in-law does cry a bit much.”
Someone who saw through Bai Taohua long ago snorted coldly, “Strange too. Sister-in-law has something, ignores the young ones and calls married men. Can’t the young ones be called? If not, we gotta report up. Leader says to build a harmonious, loving troop environment—such coldness won’t do…”
“They can be called!” A sister-in-law helped by young soldiers couldn’t hold back, “Those young ones are nimble and diligent. Whatever help we need, which one doesn’t step up?”
“Yeah, yeah. When I first came to accompany the army, child’s dad was out on task—not there. Two young ones helped us.”
Young soldiers were all enthusiastic, so where was the problem?
Thus, everyone’s gaze toward Bai Taohua lightened.
Bai Taohua knew her reputation was ruined, her heart sinking, glaring hatefully at Lin Zhao.
Gu Chenghuai was so perceptive; his cold gaze shot over, and Bai Taohua hurriedly lowered her head, all thoughts gone.
This scene was also caught by the onlookers.
One sister-in-law punched the man beside her hard, cursing, “Look! Knowing to protect his own wife—that’s a real man! You used to criticize me over Bai Taohua, you heartless Chen Shimei!”
Her man smiled placatingly, lowering his voice, “How’d I know she was like that? Didn’t I listen to you and stay far away? Give your man some face.”
“Hmph, then you wash clothes for half a month.” The woman seized the chance to demand.
“Fine.”
Bai Taohua lost all face inside and out, slipping away when no one noticed.
Zhang Ping glanced, pretending not to see.
Today tore off Bai Taohua’s disguise; the stifled anger in her chest eased a bit.
Her reddened eyes looked at Lin Zhao, words envious, “Lin Meizi, you’re so fortunate. Gu Commander knows what’s what; you didn’t marry wrong.”
Lin Zhao smiled, “Sister-in-law’s days will get better and better.”
After today, that shit-for-brains man should wake up a bit, right?
But Zhang Ping gave a bitter smile, not mentioning her man, only saying, “Yeah, once Eldest and Second grow up, know to care for their mom— with them, my days have hope.”
She nearly negated her man’s value entirely.
The clueless man broke down big time, “Zhang Ping, what do you mean?”
He sneered, “So I contribute nothing to this family, huh?”
Zhang Ping ignored him.
The anger gathering in the man’s chest swelled higher, erupting in a irritable roar, “Speak! What does silence mean! Make it work or end it!”
Gu Chenghuai turned to cover his wife’s ears, gaze displeased, “Lower your voice; you’re disturbing my wife! This is outside, not your home.”
Zhang Ping’s man choked, “…”
Fuming, he turned and left.
Gu Chenghuai thought him clueless; he in turn thought Gu Chenghuai woman-obsessed, no heroics at all.
Lin Zhao pulled down Gu Chenghuai’s hand, nudging the man with her arm, praising, “Nicely done!”
Gu Chenghuai thought to himself, he really found that guy noisy, a bit brain-dead. Right, “brain-dead” was from Zhaozhao; he understood it as brain-sick.
Very fitting.
News of this reached Qian Guiying’s ears. She resentfully said to her man, “I said we shouldn’t keep her; it’d cause trouble. See, how much mess has she made?”
Qian Guiying had felt from the first glance at Bai Taohua that her eyes were too lively—not one to stay put. Later proved right.
But the person was already kept; without just cause, couldn’t send her away. Really worrisome. Today’s matter… perhaps an opportunity?
