Chapter 88: The Source of the Rumor is Poisonous

“…With a big forest, you really get all kinds of birds!”

“Let’s not even talk about Comrade Wang Yadan—she’s the niece of Political Commissar Liang’s wife, so she’s practically half a resident of the Family Compound.”

“But what gives the newcomers the right? Just because they’re good-looking, they can bully people as they please?”

“Luckily, those active in the life square are well-informed, or else we wouldn’t have been able to dig up the specifics.”

As she spoke, she swung her arm for emphasis.

“Come on, let’s head to the cafeteria.”

“Just what kind of scheming character she is, we’ll find out once we go in.”

The moment her words fell, she reached out to lift the plastic curtain.

To maintain hygiene and keep out flies and mosquitoes, a transparent plastic curtain hung at the entrance.

But the material was thick, and even someone lightweight would need some effort to push it aside.

In the brief moment it took to lift the curtain, Shen Yi’an, whose senses had been heightened by the Spirit Spring Water, curled her lips slightly.

Wang Yadan?

The niece of Political Commissar Liang’s wife?

Half a resident of the Family Compound?

Good-looking people can bully others as they please?

The group from the life square?

If these were isolated pieces of information, they wouldn’t lead to any useful conclusions.

But when connected, certain things quickly fell into place.

The female comrade who showed up yesterday kept mentioning that her uncle was the Base Political Commissar.

Combined with what she’d just overheard, her identity was clear: Wang Yadan, the niece of Political Commissar Liang’s wife.

Wang Yadan?

It was a lovely name, but it didn’t quite match the person.

Such a beautiful, flower-like name, yet she possessed the heart of a snake.

Clearly, she was the one who had taken a liking to Li Beichen, yet she used her connections in the Family Compound to shift the blame onto someone else.

Hah, how impressive!

No wonder the aunties gathered at the life square had spoken so viciously.

So the source of the rumor was poisoned from the start.

Suppressing the indescribable emotion in her eyes, Shen Yi’an stared intently at the entrance.

She wanted to see for herself what kind of people Wang Yandan could manipulate.

Hopefully, they wouldn’t be too brainless…

Noticing her gaze fixed behind them, Chen Rongying turned around in confusion and saw the plastic curtain lifted just enough for one person to pass through.

Soon, five figures entered the cafeteria.

None of their faces were familiar, so she turned back to Shen Yi’an. “What’s wrong? Do you know any of them?”

“No!” Shen Yi’an shook her head.

If she knew them, she wouldn’t be reacting this way.

Her answer only puzzled Chen Rongying more.

“If you don’t know them, why are you staring at the entrance?”

“I thought they might be someone you know.”

Hearing this, Shen Yi’an withdrew her gaze and smiled. “I didn’t know them before, but maybe I will soon.”

Thinking she was joking, Chen Rongying chuckled and said nothing more, instead helping the youngest, Song Shu, finish her last few spoonfuls of millet porridge.

Children naturally have delicate stomachs, so nourishing millet porridge was just right for her.

Meanwhile, Song Chaoxu, after a moment of contemplation, seemed to have figured it out. “Are they here to cause trouble?”

His accurate guess earned him a nod and a smile from Shen Yi’an. “That’s what I suspect.”

After finishing her explanation, she added, “Including us, there are less than five tables of people having breakfast in the cafeteria.”

“When they came in, they first looked around at everyone, then focused their gaze on our table.”

“If I still couldn’t guess something from that, then my brain would be too useless.”

Hearing her reasoned explanation, Song Chaoxu nodded in agreement.

“It seems you guessed right!”

“The way those people walked over just didn’t feel right.”

Their conversation successfully piqued Chen Rongying’s interest.

She first turned to look behind her again, then quickly turned back.

“Yi An, it seems you’re not suited for living at the Aviation Base.”

“We’ve only been here for less than two days, and we’ve already had two groups of troublemakers coming one after another.”

“Oh, right, and there’s all the gossip outside too.”

“After meeting with Beichen, you should just come with us. Otherwise, with your small frame, it’ll be hard enough for you to protect yourself, let alone with the baby in your belly.”

Hearing this, Shen Yi’an gave her a bright smile, “Let’s see.”

“If anyone else comes looking for trouble before Li Beichen returns, then I’ll go with you.”

Although there was some falsehood in her words, at least seventy percent of it was true.

The most important purpose of her coming this time was to settle matters about the child with Li Beichen.

Once this key issue was resolved, she still had to expand her career plans—she couldn’t afford to waste any time.

As for competing for attention with irrelevant people, sorry, she didn’t have the energy or time for that now.

Isn’t building a career wonderful?

Isn’t spending time with family wonderful?

Who would waste time on meaningless things?

While thinking this, the people who had entered the cafeteria had already approached.

When they met Shen Yi’an’s gaze, someone couldn’t hold back and directly questioned her.

“You’re that woman who’s coveting Captain Li, right?”

“Let me tell you, don’t even think about it. Someone like you has no chance.”

As she spoke, the person had already positioned herself beside their table.

“A person like Captain Li can only be matched by Comrade Wang Yadan.”

“She’s not only good-looking, but her uncle is also the Base Political Commissar. How could someone like you compete with her?”

“Stop dreaming and leave quickly. With that seductive look of yours, it’s just a pity Captain Li isn’t interested in your type!”

With someone taking the lead, the others quickly followed suit.

“That’s right, what qualifications do you have to be thinking about Captain Li?”

“You’re a bit prettier than Comrade Wang Yadan, but what’s the use? Without an uncle who’s a political commissar, it’s all for nothing.”

“Exactly, you’re still too inexperienced to compete with Comrade Wang Yadan.”

Seeing these female comrades who were as prickly as hedgehogs from the moment they arrived, Shen Yi’an’s first reaction wasn’t to respond to them. Instead, she first apologized to Chen Rongying and Song Chaoxu, “I’m sorry, Sister Rongying, Brother-in-law, for disturbing your breakfast mood.”

“Please wait for me for a while. After I’m done, we can have lunch directly in the cafeteria, so we don’t have to come back again soon after returning.”

Seeing that she showed no signs of nervousness or unease, Chen Rongying and Song Chaoxu, though worried, didn’t say anything and agreed to her suggestion.

“Alright, we’ll have lunch directly in the cafeteria.”

“Missing out on a hot breakfast is fine; we can still enjoy a hearty lunch.”

Once they agreed, Shen Yi’an then turned her attention to the people standing beside her. “Excuse me, may I ask if we know each other?”

“I don’t know any Wang Yadan you’re talking about. As for the female comrade who calls the base political commissar her uncle, I did meet one yesterday.”

“Could they be the same person?”

The aggressive approach not only failed to intimidate anyone, but the person being confronted could calmly counter-question them, leaving the troublemaking female comrades momentarily speechless.

It took a while before someone managed to respond.

“Nonsense!”

“There’s only one Political Commissar Liang in the base. Besides Comrade Wang Yadan, there’s no one else who calls him uncle.”

After speaking, she crossed her arms again.

“What, scared now?”

“Let me tell you, you’d better leave while Captain Li hasn’t returned. The farther, the better.”

“If he finds out someone like you is pestering him, even the person who brought you to the base might face punishment.”

Seeing someone take the lead, the others followed suit.

“Yes, you should leave immediately. The family compound isn’t a place for you to be.”

“You should be grateful Comrade Wang Yadan is a good person. If it were someone else, you might have already gotten a few slaps across the face.”

“Exactly! In all the time the base has existed, you’re the first woman to shamelessly chase after someone like this!”

Hearing the emphasis on “woman” at the end, Shen Yi’an couldn’t help but chuckle lightly. “Comrade, have you not received any education?”

“Our leader said, ‘Women’s strength is boundless, holding up half the sky of our great cause.'”

“By saying ‘woman’ like that, are you opposing our leader’s teachings?”

Watching the female comrade’s face instantly pale, she added, “Be more careful with your words in the future.”

“You’re lucky you met me today. If it were anyone else, you might have been taken for ideological reeducation.”

“Having a mouth to speak is good, but saying everything that comes to mind isn’t necessarily wise.”

Upon hearing this, the female comrade who came to lecture others found herself flushed then pale with anger, before ultimately turning and running away without another word.

Her retreat carried a faint air of fleeing in panic.

Seeing the instigator run off, the others were left in an awkward position—unable to stay yet unable to curse—and eventually chose the same exit strategy.

Witnessing this scene, Shen Yi’an shrugged at Chen Rongying and the others who had been watching the spectacle.