Hello, Comrade. I'm Here to Marry You!

Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Returning in a Couple of Days

When Su Zhaozhao returned to the guesthouse, she saw the meal container by the door and knew that Xiao Yuanming had gotten her message.

Inside was a steamed bun and an egg.

Su Zhaozhao wasn’t actually hungry, as she also had food in her space.

However, she couldn’t let anyone else know about this, so Su Zhaozhao still had to eat the food they brought her.

After she finished eating, Zhou Xiaoyun came to see her.

Su Zhaozhao immediately handed the pork ribs she had bought to Zhou Xiaoyun. "Aunt Yun, how about we have pork ribs today? I also bought some green vegetables, so we don’t need to go to the market."

Zhou Xiaoyun gasped in surprise. "You went grocery shopping?"

"Yes, I got up early today to exercise. While I was out, I stopped by the market and picked up a few things."

"Oh, you shouldn’t have," Zhou Xiaoyun said. "You’re too kind. Let me do the shopping from now on, alright?"

’Su Zhaozhao really was too polite,’ she thought.

"It’s no trouble. Besides, I get to eat your cooking, Aunt Yun," Su Zhaozhao said with a grin.

’She wanted to build a good relationship with them. After all, she was a stranger in a strange land. Even if she couldn’t be with Xie Huaizheng in the future, getting to know more people would be building her own network.’

’This was a military region, and Aunt Yun’s husband held such a high rank. If she ever needed their help with something in the future, it would be easier to ask.’

Carrying the groceries, Su Zhaozhao went with Zhou Xiaoyun to the residential compound.

"How would you like them cooked?" Zhou Xiaoyun asked. "Red-braised? Stewed? Or in a soup?"

"I’d like red-braised pork ribs," Su Zhaozhao said, not standing on ceremony.

"Alright."

As the two of them entered the compound, they once again spotted Zhang Jufang.

Zhang Jufang was holding a child, and next to her stood an older girl who looked to be about four or five years old.

’Probably her older daughter and younger son.’

Zhang Jufang had a nasty falling-out with Su Zhaozhao yesterday.

Seeing Su Zhaozhao now, she was furious. "Well, look who it is. Coming to freeload another meal at Chief Liu’s house?"

’She had asked around. This Su Zhaozhao wasn’t from here; apparently, she had just arrived from out of town a few days ago.’

’Some people said she was Xie Huaizheng’s fiancée. Ridiculous! She’d been here for so long and had never heard anything about Xie Huaizheng having a fiancée.’

’If he did have one, it would be someone like Jiang Manzhi.’

’This hussy in front of her had a southern accent, and her voice was all soft and delicate—nothing like the crisp, standard accent of someone from Beijing.’

’Camp Commander Xie came from such an impressive background. How could he possibly be with a woman like this?’

’She was probably just one of those women who shamelessly latched onto him.’

Because of this, Zhang Jufang looked down on Su Zhaozhao even more.

"Zhang Jufang, watch your mouth! Are we eating your food?" Zhou Xiaoyun’s expression darkened. She was growing increasingly fed up with Zhang Jufang.

However, she hadn’t mentioned it to Liu Guosheng yet. She felt it wasn’t right to involve their husbands in disputes between the wives.

But now, Zhou Xiaoyun decided she would complain to Liu Guosheng later. No matter what, she had to get Zhang Jufang’s husband to rein in that mouth of hers.

"Sister Xiao Yun, am I not speaking the truth? Is your family that wealthy? Feasting on rich food every day—chicken yesterday, and now pork ribs today? My, it seems being married to the high-ranking Chief Liu really is different. Unlike us, who can only eat at the mess hall."

Zhou Xiaoyun’s face fell at Zhang Jufang’s words.

In this era, everyone was supposed to be progressing, struggling, and prospering together. Everyone was poor.

Who actually had money to spare?

’Wasn’t Zhang Jufang clearly implying that her husband, as the Chief of Staff, was corrupt and taking extra money?’

"So what if we are?" Su Zhaozhao cut in before Zhou Xiaoyun could speak. "Can’t your family afford meat? No way. Surely not? You can’t afford meat, yet you have two children and even have your sister living with you. It seems to me your family is doing better than Aunt Yun’s. Your husband can support five people? Aunt Yun’s family only has four. If we’re talking about who’s richer, it sounds like your family is."

"You... You eat lavishly every day! How could we possibly afford that? These ribs must be so expensive. We have to pinch every penny just to eat a little pork." Zhang Jufang was stunned by Su Zhaozhao’s comeback, but she quickly retorted.

Su Zhaozhao smiled. "I bought the ribs. I have my own money, so I can eat whatever I want. Try not to be so jealous."

With that, Su Zhaozhao took Zhou Xiaoyun’s arm and led her away.

Zhang Jufang stomped her foot in anger.

’That little hussy is actually that rich?’

’God, even though she looked like a city girl, Zhang Jufang never imagined she’d be so wealthy.’

’Could she really be Xie Huaizheng’s fiancée?’

But Zhang Jufang quickly dismissed the thought.

’Impossible!’

"I’m going to tell Old Liu about this! That Zhang Jufang is just too much!" Zhou Xiaoyun said, fuming.

"Aunt Yun, you should have told him a long time ago," Su Zhaozhao said. "She’s so brazen because she thinks everyone is too concerned about neighborly relations to do anything about it. She gets her kicks, but everyone around her has to suffer her disgusting behavior."

"You’re right. I was just trying to keep things civil for everyone’s sake."

"But civility is for people who deserve it. She’s so shameless, why should you afford her any?" Su Zhaozhao said. "When someone is asking for a scolding, you should give them one. You could even consider it a good deed."

Hearing this, Zhou Xiaoyun suddenly felt like she was seeing things from a perspective she had never considered before.

’It seemed Su Zhaozhao’s words made perfect sense!’

So, when Liu Guosheng returned, Zhou Xiaoyun told him about what had happened with Zhang Jufang.

"We’re neighbors, so I usually just tolerate it and let it go," Zhou Xiaoyun said, shaking her head with a sigh. "But she’s always picking on Zhaozhao. Just because Zhaozhao is pretty, she can’t stand the sight of her and says the most awful things."

Su Zhaozhao lowered her eyes, putting on a wronged expression.

Liu Guosheng was furious.

’Su Zhaozhao was Xie Huaizheng’s fiancée! Before Xie Huaizheng left, he had specifically asked him to look after her.’

’To think she was being bullied right under his nose!’

"This is outrageous! I’ll go find her husband this afternoon and have a serious talk with him."

’Since no one else could handle Zhang Jufang, her husband would have to.’

’And if he couldn’t control her either, then they would just have to send her away.’

’Honestly, all the military wives here had followed their husbands to the post. Life wasn’t easy, and they shouldn’t be making things difficult for one another.’

’But from what Zhou Xiaoyun was saying, not a single wife in the compound didn’t have a problem with Zhang Jufang. So why keep her around?’

’She was just disrupting the unity of the community!’

’He would have a good talk with her husband and make him see reason. He was sure the man would understand.’

After dinner, Su Zhaozhao took her leave. Just as she was about to go, Liu Guosheng added, "Zhaozhao, Xie Huaizheng will be back in a couple of days."