Hearing his wife's voice, the man who had been glaring coldly a moment ago softened his expression considerably.
"Didn't we agree that I would pick you up? Why did you come so early?"
As he spoke, Huo Tingzhou had already taken the things from Jiang Si's hands.
In the next second, he took off his coat.
The slightly warm coat draped over her shoulders, and Jiang Si immediately felt much cozier.
She glanced sideways at him and repeated her earlier question.
"Who are these two?"
"People from the compound. Not familiar with them."
Seeing the confusion on his wife's face, Huo Tingzhou added calmly,
"They were gossiping about you behind your back."
His words were blunt, leaving no face for the Yu family—Commander Yu and his wife.
Jiang Si almost laughed but held it in.
Then, feigning surprise, she said, "I thought the families living in this compound were all respected elders with impeccable morals! Who would’ve thought there’d be people spreading rumors behind others' backs?"
Her remark left Yu Changqing and his wife choking on their words.
Zhang Yaqin was about to retort when she noticed several military wives approaching from the corner of her eye. Instantly, she clamped her mouth shut.
What would it look like if she, the wife of a commander, started hastily defending herself in front of so many people?
Jiang Si naturally caught her hesitation.
She had given them a chance, but they didn’t take it—so she wouldn’t hold back.
Jiang Si raised her voice, "I never expected to find such troublemakers in this compound. Ah-Zhou, we’ll have to be careful around them from now on."
"I’ve heard how scary these types can be—one disagreement, and they’ll write a complaint letter."
At this, the eavesdropping military wives nearby turned their full attention, eager not to miss any juicy details.
Jiang Si wouldn’t disappoint them. Though she didn’t know what these two were plotting, their early visit with gifts in hand—combined with Huo Tingzhou’s comment about them gossiping—spoke volumes.
She fixed her gaze on Yu Changqing and his wife.
Even without reason, she’d argue fiercely.
Now that she held the moral high ground, why should she back down?
"We all live in the same compound, yet I don’t even know your names."
"I’ve certainly never offended you, so why spread rumors about me? Doesn’t your conscience bother you?"
"Take your things back. We don’t need them, and no gifts can undo the harm you’ve caused."
"And if I hear any more gossip about me in this compound, you’ll be the first ones I come after!"
"..."
Yu Changqing was, after all, a high-ranking commander—someone everyone in the compound treated with respect.
Zhang Yaqin was no different, used to being fawned over by others.
Apart from occasionally being put in her place by Mother Huo, when had she ever suffered such humiliation?
Yet today, a young woman had publicly scolded them in front of a crowd.
The couple’s faces darkened with anger.
This little thing looked quiet and gentle—who knew she could talk so sharply?
But the two were accustomed to maintaining their dignified airs, and with no experience in verbal spats, they stood there like stunned chickens, unable to defend themselves.
Finally, Yu Changqing frowned and muttered, "Young comrade, this is all a misunderstanding..."
"It’s no misunderstanding!"
The commotion outside was impossible to ignore.
Mother Huo opened the door and, seeing the gathering crowd, addressed the matter directly.
"Yaqin has been spreading rumors about my daughter-in-law all over the compound lately."
"I’ve been wondering—what has my third daughter-in-law ever done to deserve such relentless targeting?"
"Mom, I’ve never even met them. Their issue can’t possibly be with me..."
Jiang Si deliberately left her sentence hanging.
But the onlookers weren’t fools.
Exactly—she was a newlywed of less than three months, with no ties to the Yu family. Why would they fixate on her?
It all circled back to the Huo family.
Mother Huo, sharp as ever, caught on immediately and patted Jiang Si’s hand reassuringly.
"I understand, dear. You’ve been wronged. Look how cold your hands are—go inside and warm up."
The unspoken message: Leave the rest to her.
Jiang Si nodded. "Alright."
Then she pulled Huo Tingzhou into the house with her.
It was a Sunday, so the whole family was home.
Grandma Huo beckoned Jiang Si over as soon as she entered.
Meanwhile, Huo Tingzhou went to the kitchen, ladled out a bowl of millet porridge for her, and pulled two boiled eggs from his pocket. After peeling them, he placed them in a small bowl.
The moment Jiang Si sat down, Yang Meina blurted out,
"Third sister-in-law, you’re amazing."
"Amazing?"
"Absolutely! You’re the first person to ever leave Commander Yu and his wife speechless!"
"Wait, that was a commander?" Jiang Si turned to Huo Tingzhou. "Why didn’t you tell me earlier?"
Before Huo Tingzhou could respond, Grandpa Huo’s firm voice cut in.
"So what if he’s a commander? He’s still human. When we’re in the right, there’s nothing to fear."
Jiang Si wasn’t afraid—she just knew the compound’s factions were complicated. She wasn’t sure if her outburst would upset the delicate balance.
"Don’t worry."
Grandma Huo patted her hand again. "Our families have been at odds for years. Breaking pretense is for the best—no more forced politeness when we run into them. Less exhausting."
She had planned to explain the compound’s tangled relationships after the wedding banquet.
But since the Yu family had forced the issue today, Grandma Huo gave her a quick rundown of their history.
The two families went back over thirty years.
When Old Master Yu was alive, they’d actually been on good terms.
After all, both patriarchs had graduated from the same military academy and shared the same ideals.
Of course, another reason for their harmony back then was that the Yu family had always overshadowed the Huos.
But after Old Master Yu passed, the family’s influence waned.
Yu Changqing worked in political and cultural roles, so he kept losing out in promotions.
The ugliest clash happened five years ago.
Father Huo and Yu Changqing were both promoted—but while Father Huo became commander of the capital’s military district, Yu Changqing was transferred to the Military Science Academy as a political commissar.
Both positions held equal rank, but the capital’s district was the heart of power—far from the academy’s peripheral status.
Unable to stomach the demotion, Yu Changqing filed multiple appeals with the military.
All were rejected.
After that, the interactions between the two families dwindled.
Later, the Yu family shifted their focus to cultivating social connections.
Grandma Huo sighed, "Next spring, the head of the military department will retire. Their family isn’t just making trouble to slight you—their real target is your father."
Jiang Si only half-understood these matters. She couldn’t wrap her head around it.
With so many people in the capital, why would targeting just the Huo family make any difference?
