Luo Caixia, still holding the mesh bag in her hand and without even setting it down, quickly stretched out her arms to shield Zhou Jianhua. "Sister-in-law, what are you doing? If the child did something wrong, you can reason with him properly."

Niu Chunying wouldn't have any of it. "Caixia, move aside! I'm going to beat this little brat within an inch of his life today! No sense of respect at all!"

Luo Caixia stood her ground. "Sister-in-law, calm down first. Don't hurt the child while you're seeing red. Besides, Jianhua's just a bit mischievous; his nature isn't bad at all."

Lin Xiaoxiao was puzzled inwardly: She's interfering with another mother disciplining her own son as if he were her own child?

And looking at Luo Caixia's posture, she really doesn't act like an outsider.

Seeing Luo Caixia blocking her, Niu Chunying couldn't very well continue her outburst. She could only glare at Zhou Jianhua and scold, "You little brat, just you wait!"

Only when Luo Caixia saw Niu Chunying lower the rolling pin did she turn around and speak softly to Zhou Jianhua, "Jianhua, what's the matter with you? You're so grown up now, why are you still making your mother angry?"

Zhou Jianhua instantly lost his mischievous defiance in front of Luo Caixia, hanging his head in silence.

Lin Xiaoxiao found it all quite interesting. No wonder everyone thought Luo Caixia was the destined wife for Zhou Huai'an. Looking at how she carries herself, she really doesn't act like an outsider.

When the commotion in the yard had nearly subsided, Wang Fenglan finally emerged from the house, her face wreathed in smiles. "Caixia, you're back! It's been a while. I was just saying the other day that I should find time to visit you in the county town."

She smiled with an exaggerated, almost fawning expression, as if currying favor with some VIP, clearly putting on a show for Lin Xiaoxiao.

Luo Caixia smiled in response, "Auntie, I just got home. I originally planned to come back with Ah Xun and the others this morning, but I had some unfinished work."

As she spoke, she picked up the mesh bag from the ground and handed it to Wang Fenglan. "I bought some treats for Uncle and you."

Wang Fenglan's eyes narrowed into cheerful slits as she took it happily. "Oh, look at you, why so polite? Just you coming to see us is joy enough."

The two acted as if there had never been any unpleasantness between them, affectionate as biological mother and daughter.

Just then, a woman wearing a floral headscarf peeked curiously around the gateway several times before walking in with a chuckle. "Oh my, I could hear the lively noise from your house from far away! Have you got guests? Well, isn't this Caixia? When did you get back?"

As she spoke, she glanced several times at Lin Xiaoxiao, her face full of anticipation, as if expecting some drama to unfold at the Zhou family home.

Wang Fenglan wasn't very keen on dealing with Sun Qiuxiang, the woman who had entered the yard—the only woman in Zhou Family Village she could never out-argue, someone who loved spreading gossip and stirring up trouble even more than she did. Sun Qiuxiang had nothing better to do than gossip from one household to another.

Luo Caixia greeted Sun Qiuxiang with a smile, "Aunt Qiuxiang, I just got back. Come by for a visit when you have time."

Sun Qiuxiang nodded repeatedly. "Good, good! Oh, it's just good you're back! Changsuo is back too, you should come home and have a look."

Her words, clear to everyone, were deliberately provocative.

Lin Xiaoxiao watched quietly from the side. Although she didn't know this Sun Qiuxiang, she could tell from the woman's exaggerated tone and shifty, darting eyes that she was certainly not someone to be trifled with and probably an expert at sowing discord.

Wang Fenglan grew a bit impatient. "Sun Qiuxiang, if you've got nothing to do, go back to your own home. You really are everywhere, aren't you?"

Sun Qiuxiang pursed her lips. "You think I want to be here? I was just passing by, afraid your family might come to blows..." Then she turned her head and saw Zhou Huai'an entering the yard, immediately calling out excitedly, "Changsuo! Oh my goodness! You look even more impressive after all these years! Being an official sure makes a difference!"

Zhou Huai'an was momentarily stunned by the sudden enthusiasm but then greeted her politely, "Aunt Qiuxiang, are you keeping well?"

Sun Qiuxiang nodded repeatedly. "I'm doing just fine! How long are you back for this time? Tell me, why didn't you end up with Caixia?"

She said this with a look of regret on her face, completely ignoring Lin Xiaoxiao who was standing nearby.

Luo Caixia hurried over and pulled Sun Qiuxiang's arm. "Aunt Qiuxiang, stop talking nonsense! Huai'an's wife is right here."

Sun Qiuxiang didn't care at all. "I'm not talking nonsense! Everyone in the village knows Caixia waited for you all these years? And that time you were injured two years ago, Caixia even went specially to the city to take care of you for a long time. A single man and a single woman, all alone..."

Wang Fenglan also grew anxious. "Sun Qiuxiang, you sure have a lot to say! Our Huai'an is already married."

Sun Qiuxiang snorted coldly. "It's precisely because I know he's married that I'm speaking up for Caixia! I'm calling out the injustice for her!"

Luo Caixia's scalp prickled with panic. She knew Sun Qiuxiang was always unreliable, but she never expected her to be this outrageous, actually questioning Zhou Huai'an to his face. She hurriedly explained, "Huai'an, Aunt Qiuxiang has remembered it wrong..."

Sun Qiuxiang looked incredulous. "How could I remember wrong? Everyone was busy with work points back then. I even asked your mom, and she said you went to the city to take care of Changsuo."

Lin Xiaoxiao listened, finding it more and more intriguing. She almost wished she could pull up a stool to sit down and properly listen to the story that Zhou Huai'an and Luo Caixia had to tell from all those years.

Zhou Huai'an frowned, his expression unusually stern. "Aunt Qiuxiang, stop spreading rumors.

My comrades-in-arms took care of me when I was injured. I also never dated Caixia. Saying things like this doesn't affect me much as a man, but it's not good for Caixia's reputation."

Luo Caixia's mind went "buzz"—it was all over! Her face turned deathly pale as she stared at Zhou Huai'an. She never expected him to say it outright—given his character, he always disdained explaining such things.

Lin Xiaoxiao was also shocked, looking at Zhou Huai'an. She had originally guessed that there might be nothing between him and Luo Caixia, that it was all unrequited feelings on Luo Caixia's part. She never expected it was actually true!

Sun Qiuxiang, still unwilling to give up, pressed on, "How is that possible? Didn't you even write letters to Caixia? Sent quite a few used clothes and shoes from the army?"

Back then, anyone who had a pair of military sneakers was the envy of the entire village. And Luo Caixia not only had them, but they were also in her size. The postman delivered them right to the village, leading everyone to believe Zhou Huai'an had sent them to her.

Zhou Huai'an shook his head. "No, I never sent her anything. I did send a couple of things to Aunt Wang Ying though. Aunt Qiuxiang, I'll have to trouble you to explain things to the villagers and not let everyone misunderstand anymore."

He had initially thought it was just because their families were close that people misunderstood.

But these past couple of days, he realized things seemed different from what he had thought, and he needed to clarify them quickly.

Sun Qiuxiang exclaimed "Oh my!" several times, still unable to believe it. She turned to Luo Caixia and asked, "Caixia, is everything Changsuo said true?"

Luo Caixia bit her lower lip, her eyes reddening. Not a single word came out. Finally, she covered her face with her hands, crying, and tried to leave, but Zhou Huai'an stopped her. "Let's get this clear now, to avoid any continued misunderstandings in the village."

Sun Qiuxiang now understood—it was likely all made up by Luo Caixia herself. Seeing Luo Caixia cry didn't soften her heart; instead, she pressed further: "Caixia, now that wasn't right of you! If you weren't taking care of Changsuo, what exactly were you doing during that time?"

She certainly didn't mind watching the drama unfold.