“Didn’t Xiao Wan go to see Zhixin earlier?”
Kang Zhimiao nodded. “Yes, after she came back that day, she asked about Zhixin. I gave Zhixin a call and found out she’s been recovering at home from an injury recently. Xiao Wan said she wanted to go visit her.”
“What’s wrong?” Kang Zhimiao asked, noticing Xu Xun’s expression had turned serious.
“Does Zhixin have some kind of conflict with Comrade Xiao Ye?”
Kang Zhimiao frowned. “Comrade Xiao Ye? Which Comrade Xiao Ye? I haven’t heard Zhixin mention any Comrade Xiao Ye. She doesn’t seem to have anyone with the surname Ye around her.”
“Comrade Xiao Ye changed her surname. Her original surname was Shen. She’s the sister of Chen Can’s wife, Shen Liya. She used to date Chen Can and is now married to Yue Mingyuan.”
“You mean Shen Zhiqiu?” Kang Zhimiao had already guessed that Comrade Xiao Ye was Shen Zhiqiu, but she hadn’t dared say it. In a family like the Xu family, she didn’t need to appear too clever; being a bit simple-minded actually meant less trouble.
“Yes.”
Kang Zhimiao had already roughly guessed the situation and quickly calculated in her mind how best to respond. “Zhimiao has mentioned this Shen Zhiqiu, that is, Comrade Xiao Ye, to me a few times. When I left the song and dance troupe, Comrade Xiao Ye had already joined. I vaguely remember back then she was still young, but you could already tell she was a beauty and quite talented.”
“I even mentioned to Zhixin that she should try to learn more from Comrade Xiao Ye.”
“But you know Zhixin has a straightforward personality and can’t stand even a grain of sand in her eye. It’s possible she had some friction with Comrade Xiao Ye, and they just didn’t get along well.”
“Zhimiao used to be quite close with that Shen Liya. She told Xiao Wan that Comrade Xiao Ye was up to no good in the troupe, which caused Xiao Wan to develop a big misunderstanding about Comrade Xiao Ye.”
“Xiao Wan is naive. She tends to believe whatever others tell her.”
“Whether there was any exaggeration, hearsay, or even outright fabrication in this, I don’t know. But regardless, Comrade Xiao Ye is now the daughter-in-law of the Yue family, and the Yue family is famously protective of their own.”
“You must have heard about some of the recent events involving the Yue family. The elder Mr. and Mrs. Yue think very highly of the daughter Comrade Xiao Ye gave birth to.”
Xu Xun patted Kang Zhimiao’s shoulder, reminding her, “Zhimiao is not a child anymore. I know you want her to marry into a big family compound too, and you’ve introduced quite a few suitable young talents from our neighbors to her.”
“You’ve been in this compound for over a decade now. You should understand the rules here. Some things can be said, and some things must never be spoken, not even if they rot in your stomach. You mustn’t offend people you shouldn’t offend because of a loose tongue.”
A jolt of alarm shot through Kang Zhimiao. She quickly said, “Old Xu, I need to go back to my parents’ house tomorrow to check on Zhixin.”
“Go ahead.”
After Xu Xun left, Kang Zhimiao grew more and more frightened the more she thought about it.
She hadn’t considered this angle before. When she heard Kang Zhixin badmouthing Shen Zhiqiu, she didn’t think it was a big deal. How could she have forgotten that Shen Zhiqiu was the Yue family’s daughter-in-law?
Early the next morning, after both Xu Changkong and Xu Xun had left for work, Kang Zhimiao returned to the Kang family home.
“Big sister, what brings you back?”
Kang Zhixin was just coming out of her room, heading to the kitchen to see what there was to eat, when she saw Kang Zhimiao and happily bounced over to her.
Kang Zhimiao hurried forward to support her. “I didn’t ask you over the phone last time, what exactly happened? Dancers fear leg and foot injuries the most; this can affect your entire stage career.”
“It’s all because of that Lu Shuangshuang.”
Kang Zhixin would never admit she had fallen on her own. She said Lu Shuangshuang had pushed her on purpose to get the position of secondary lead dancer.
“Big sister, you have no idea how bad that Lu Shuangshuang has become.”
“I bet she learned it from Shen Zhiqiu. Shen Zhiqiu is just that wicked.”
Kang Zhimiao helped Kang Zhixin to the kitchen and started making noodles for her while asking, “Zhimiao, why do you dislike Shen Zhiqiu? Did something happen between you two?”
“No, I just plain can’t stand her.”
Kang Zhixin’s face showed undisguised disgust for Ye Zhiqiu. “Why did she get to be the secondary lead dancer as soon as she joined? She has that seductive look, always flirting with men!”
“Zhimiao, did you see her flirting with men? Or are you just jealous that she’s prettier than you?”
Kang Zhimiao could tell at a glance that Kang Zhixin’s dislike for Shen Zhiqiu stemmed purely from jealousy.
Beautiful girls face gossip everywhere. Just because they have a pretty face, they get slandered and have stories made up about them for no reason.
She had been talked about like that too. Simply for speaking to a man, she was accused of flirting.
Her impression of Shen Zhiqiu was deep because that girl was truly stunning.
Even among the sea of beauties in the song and dance troupe, she was someone who caught the eye immediately—a genuine great beauty.
And to this day, she still remembered Shen Zhiqiu’s dewy almond eyes and that fair skin. She really stood out from the crowd, the first person you’d notice.
Kang Zhixin’s face instantly darkened. “Big sister, whose sister are you? Who are you siding with?”
“Zhimiao, do you still want to marry into a big family compound?” Kang Zhimiao placed the bowl of noodles in front of Kang Zhixin.
Kang Zhixin picked up the chopsticks. “Of course I do.”
“Your brother-in-law reminded me yesterday that if you want to marry into a compound in the future, then don’t provoke Shen Zhiqiu.”
“Whether what you said is true or false, Shen Zhiqiu is the Yue family’s daughter-in-law.”
“To put it bluntly, even when beating a dog, one must consider its owner. Besides, both Yue Mingyuan and the Yue family value Shen Zhiqiu highly.”
“You think you’re only ruining Shen Zhiqiu’s reputation, but what you’re actually involving is the Yue family.”
“If you really offend the Yue family, not only their compound, but you can forget about marrying into any other compound.”
“Big sister, don’t scare me.”
Kang Zhixin pouted, completely dismissing Kang Zhimiao’s words. “What is Shen Zhiqiu anyway? I think that Yue Mingyuan is just bewitched by her seductive looks. Once he comes to his senses, he’ll definitely dump her, especially since she only gave birth to a daughter.”
“Big sister, is the Yue family really that powerful? I heard Shen Zhiqiu’s father-in-law was promoted to general. Isn’t he the same as your father-in-law?”
“General Yue is a shangjiang (senior general).”
“Shen Zhiqiu, I don’t know what kind of dumb luck she stumbled into to have such good fortune.”
Kang Zhixin stabbed her chopsticks into the noodles in her bowl. “No way, I absolutely cannot marry someone worse than her.”
“Big sister, you have to introduce me to the son of a general’s family too.” Kang Zhixin hugged Kang Zhimiao’s arm and acted spoiled.
Kang Zhimiao pulled her arm away, both annoyed and amused. “Zhimiao, do you think generals are cabbages, lying around everywhere? ‘Introduce me to a general’s son’—you really know how to give me impossible tasks.”
“When I married your brother-in-law, my father-in-law wasn’t a general yet.”
“Besides, many families in the compounds arrange marriages internally, and there are those who marry for love. The ones left are very few. Being able to find one with decent conditions is already very good, and here you are picking and choosing.”
