Chapter 14: Want to suppress her? You can't

After walking a few steps, Jiang Tang stopped.

She looked at Xu Lihua in confusion, then at Lu Changzheng. "Do I need to know who she is?"

Lu Changzheng replied, "No need."

Jiang Tang nodded. "There, Lu Changzheng says there's no need."

So, she didn't need to know who Xu Lihua was.

Just a moment ago, Xu Lihua thought her aunt had simply lost her composure and been provoked into anger by Jiang Tang's few words.

But looking at it now, this Jiang Tang was definitely the type who could kill someone with irritation without even trying.

Xu Lihua's teeth ground together with a clatter. "Comrade Jiang Tang, are you such a grown woman and still have no mind of your own? Do you need Battalion Commander Lu to make every single decision for you?"

"Eh? Is it a bother?"

Jiang Tang still looked bewildered. "Lu Changzheng, am I being a bother to you?"

"No, you're not a bother," Lu Changzheng said softly, squeezing her hand.

He intended to take Jiang Tang away, but he felt there were certain things he needed to stand up for to make his stance clear.

"You are my wife, the person I will spend my life with. Nothing involving you is a bother to me."

Such blunt words were equivalent to a public confession in front of everyone.

The onlookers felt a bit embarrassed hearing this, while the faces of the Xu aunt and niece turned extremely awkward.

At the same time, they felt a sense of resentment.

They were resentful that Lu Changzheng was being blinded by Jiang Tang's appearance—how could he not know a good thing when he saw one?

To any observant person, it was obvious that Xu Lihua was far superior to Jiang Tang!

How could Lu Changzheng not see it?

Xu Hongmei was utterly perplexed.

Xu Lihua was too embarrassed to say directly that she was better than Jiang Tang.

However, she wasn't about to give up so easily.

"I wonder if Comrade Jiang Tang has ever heard the saying: 'A single pear blossom weighing down a begonia'?"

And her name happened to be Xu Lihua.

Wasn't it destiny that she was meant to suppress Jiang Tang?

Jiang Tang suddenly realized. "I know that one!"

"'A pair of mandarin ducks in a double quilt, a single pear blossom weighing down a begonia!'"

She had happened to read this poem and knew its origin, but she didn't quite understand the meaning. "Lu Changzheng, is a 'mandarin duck quilt' the kind used when getting married?"

The little ginseng asked because she didn't understand.

Lu Changzheng nodded with a smile.

Jiang Tang let out an "oh." "Can we have one?"

"I'll try my best to find someone to help me get one, alright?" Lu Changzheng's voice was soothing, as if coaxing a child.

"Okay! But you have to make sure it's a pretty one. It's easier to sleep soundly under a beautiful quilt."

"Alright."

Lu Changzheng granted her every request.

This made others feel both sour and envious. How could Jiang Tang be so lucky? She was clearly a silly girl who knew nothing of social graces, so why did she receive Lu Changzheng's preferential treatment?

They couldn't understand it; they truly couldn't.

Jiang Tang didn't know they were thinking about her; she was hungry and busy pulling Lu Changzheng home to cook.

It was only after walking a few more steps that Jiang Tang finally reacted, several beats behind, to why Xu Lihua had just mentioned the pear blossom and the begonia.

"Comrade Xu, were you trying to say just now that you are the pear blossom and I am the begonia? That you can suppress me?"

Before Xu Lihua could even answer, Jiang Tang continued on her own. "You can't suppress me! No matter what you are, you won't be able to suppress me!"

She was, after all, an eight-hundred-year-old ginseng.

In the natural world, no plant could suppress her.

After saying this, she truly pulled Lu Changzheng away.

Xu Lihua and Xu Hongmei were left standing there, with many onlookers turning their gazes toward them.

The looks they received made them feel quite humiliated.

Xu Hongmei, being thick-skinned, glared at the people around her and said unwillingly, "Battalion Commander Lu is young now and being deceived by appearances. Just wait, once he's been married for a while, he'll realize that a sensible wife is much better."

"Xu Hongmei, why does that sound so unpleasant to me?"

Zhang Hongying stepped forward, her face showing disapproval. "Xiao Lu is being polite to you for the sake of your husband. He's too embarrassed to speak too bluntly to you."

"Xiao Jiang is kind-hearted and hasn't taken offense, but that is absolutely no reason for you to push your luck."

Zhang Hongying had long been dissatisfied with Xu Hongmei.

Her blunt words made Xu Hongmei's face turn pale repeatedly.

Xu Hongmei could rely on being older and her husband being a battalion commander (assuming he was on the same level as Lu Changzheng) to act superior and lecture Lu Changzheng.

But facing Zhang Hongying, she lost her confidence.

After all, Xu Wanmin was a regimental-level officer, two ranks higher than her husband; Xu Hongmei didn't dare to be unruly.

Zhang Hongying continued, "You are neither Xiao Lu's elder, nor is your husband Battalion Commander Wang his superior. From what standpoint are you standing to criticize his choice?"

"Xiao Lu is giving your husband face; don't be ungrateful and pull him down to the ground yourself."

Zhang Hongying didn't get along well with the other wives in the residential compound.

It wasn't that she was antisocial, but rather that most of the wives were like Xu Hongmei—gossiping about one family today and another tomorrow.

This was exactly what Zhang Hongying disliked most.

She had finally met someone like Jiang Tang; she couldn't let people like Xu Hongmei gossip about her at will.

As soon as Zhang Hongying spoke, many of the wives present chose to side with her.

It wasn't that they truly believed Zhang Hongying's words, but simply that they felt they shouldn't go against the Political Commissar's wife.

Zhang Hongying glanced at the resentful Xu Lihua, thinking to herself that she hoped this young woman wouldn't let her temper get the better of her and do something she would regret.

***

Jiang Tang and Lu Changzheng returned home together.

While Lu Changzheng cooked, she sat on a long bench nearby, resting her chin on one hand as she watched him busy at the stove.

Rarely, she thought about Xu Hongmei's words.

"Lu Changzheng."

"Hmm? Are you hungry? Have some biscuits first; I'll have the meal ready soon."

"It's not that..."

Jiang Tang had already eaten a few biscuits and half a bowl of malt extract.

She wasn't that hungry now.

More than eating, there was something else weighing on her mind.

"Lu Changzheng, although I don't quite understand why they said those things, I won't become a burden to you. I promise."

She hadn't become a socially savvy person yet, but she would definitely learn in the future.

"So, Lu Changzheng, can you please not find me troublesome? Can you please not drive me away?"

The little ginseng looked incredibly pitiful at this moment.

Her eyes were full of longing.

She was afraid that if she didn't behave well, Lu Changzheng would grow to dislike her.

Of course, there was also some influence from the residual, hazy memories of the original owner of this body.

Lu Changzheng was a good man and treated her well; she didn't want to leave him.

The man, who had been chopping vegetables, felt his heart soften upon hearing her words. "Silly girl, don't overthink it. Did you forget what I just said?"

"Really?"

The little ginseng, whose mood had been dampened, immediately regained her vitality.

She jumped up, walked a few steps to Lu Changzheng's side, hugged his arm, stood on her tiptoes, and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.