He Saozi's face turned crimson, wishing she could slap her.
But it was an undeniable fact that the Qi family hadn't initially fancied Cheng You; she had no counterargument.
"You're talking nonsense! Feng Xue was involved with a married man, the whole compound knows it. How dare you flaunt your achievements here! She's just like you, her mother, neither of you are decent people!"
Before Feng Yaojun and Zhu Yan got married, he had a girlfriend, but Zhu Yan had intervened.
That woman couldn't bear the gossip in Yancheng and had married far away to another province.
This was common knowledge in the compound.
Zhu Yan, having her old affairs brought up, felt a burning sensation on her face, but still spoke defiantly.
"So what? Zhou Xia couldn't even keep her man after marrying Ruan Tianyang, and now she blames my daughter for interfering? Never mind the process, as long as the result is satisfactory."
He Saozi had never seen such a shameless person, her face contorted with anger.
She was still contemplating a comeback when a voice with full of vigor called from behind her, "Excuse me, is this Commander Qi's home?"
Turning around, she saw several soldiers carrying a huge wardrobe, not even out of breath.
He Saozi quickly moved aside. "Yes, yes, it is."
The soldiers set down the wardrobe and said, "Commander Qi's family sent it over."
Cheng You and Qi Chengyan exchanged glances and asked, "What's the wardrobe for?"
Qi Chengyan shook his head, also clueless about what was happening.
He Saozi had already reached out to the wardrobe, opening and closing it, touching and examining it.
She said with a smile, "This wardrobe is truly excellent. It's large and spacious, made of solid wood, and quite heavy!"
Before long, another group of people arrived, carrying a chest.
As Cheng You wondered what they were up to, Song Qinglan and Qi Shengwen arrived.
Both were dressed formally, as if specifically for the occasion.
Song Qinglan took out a thick red envelope from her bag, which looked substantial and likely contained a good amount of money.
"Cheng You, our Qi family understands tradition. When you and A'Yan got married in the countryside, we were unable to attend due to circumstances, but the betrothal gifts and wedding presents must be given; it's proper etiquette. This red envelope is our Qi family's betrothal gift to you."
Cheng You couldn't deny feeling surprised. This ceremony made her feel as if she had just married Qi Chengyan again.
She hadn't eloped with Qi Chengyan, but had been openly recognized by her in-laws.
The red envelope was thick; Cheng You estimated it contained over a thousand yuan.
"Nowadays, a wedding requires the 'three turns and one bell' (bicycle, sewing machine, watch, and radio), and our family certainly wouldn't be lacking."
She opened one of the boxes, revealing gold jewelry, a jade bracelet, and an Omega watch.
The contents of this box alone were extremely valuable.
Song Qinglan didn't care about not flaunting wealth; she wanted Cheng You to have dignity.
"You already have a bicycle, so buying a new one would be wasteful. I'll substitute it with other items."
Another large wooden chest contained a full box of fabric, all for Cheng You to make clothes.
Finally, they produced two red envelopes for the change of address.
Song Qinglan said generously, "No need for a tea ceremony. Just give me a grandson or granddaughter quickly; that's better than anything else."
Cheng You: ...
Immediately after, Song Qinglan shot a look at Zhu Yan, as if to say: Does your daughter's betrothal gift have as much as my daughter-in-law's?
Zhu Yan couldn't control the look of surprise on her face. This large wardrobe alone couldn't have been made in a short time.
She didn't believe Song Qinglan had sent these items just out of spite.
All these gifts were for Cheng You as a betrothal present?
Song Qinglan was crazy!
Cheng You herself hadn't expected Song Qinglan to have prepared so many things for her so meticulously.
"Thank you, Mom and Dad."
Song Qinglan smiled with satisfaction and beckoned.
"Please, comrades, help carry the items inside. Thank you for your hard work."
These items were moved into Cheng You's home under Zhu Yan's envious gaze.
Song Qinglan's family fortune was truly deep.
She couldn't help but wonder if her own mother-in-law, who came from a prestigious family like the elder Mrs. Qi, also had such deep coffers.
Not to mention Mr. Feng, who had received a generous gift from a wealthy merchant in his youth and held a substantial fortune.
She felt a twisted hatred in her heart; of all these things, not a single one was willing to be given to her.
Song Qinglan walked slowly in front of her. "What, haven't you seen enough?"
Zhu Yan forced a smile. "I've seen enough. I'll be going now."
"The gate isn't that way," Song Qinglan reminded her.
Zhu Yan smiled slightly. "I'm going to the military hospital to see Cheng Tao."
Song Qinglan didn't speak, scanning her with a glance, always suspecting Zhu Yan was up to something.
Zhu Yan, in everything she did, first weighed whether there were any benefits to be gained.
She never did anything that wouldn't yield profit.
Meanwhile, Zhu Yan arrived at the hospital.
At that moment, Cheng Tao had just learned the truth about her infertility and was crying her eyes out in the hospital room.
The nurses nearby couldn't console her.
Seeing Zhu Yan arrive, a nurse quickly said, "Are you family? Please try to comfort her. Crying like this is not conducive to wound recovery."
Zhu Yan quickly agreed, "Okay, I'll try to comfort her."
After the nurse left and closed the door, Zhu Yan impatiently said, "Had enough crying? The more serious your injury, the more it benefits you. This is a great opportunity to gain sympathy from the elders! Are you mourning a death?"
Cheng Tao's face was dejected, and her wound throbbed faintly.
She now hated Feng Xue to the bone. If it hadn't been for Feng Xue pushing her to take the blade, Feng Xue would have lost her fertility now!
"It's not your daughter who lost her uterus, so of course you're speaking lightly."
Zhu Yan rolled her eyes. "So, do you want money or a uterus? Besides, you're not without a child, you have another daughter, right?"
Cheng Tao's gaze was sorrowful. "But I can never have another son!"
"Then marry a divorced man with a son; you won't lack someone to take care of you." Zhu Yan felt that money was the most important thing now.
Cheng Tao leaned against the headboard, lost in despair, utterly dejected.
Zhao Yunlin had been imprisoned, and now she could only hope to find a quality man in the military for a second marriage.
If she couldn't have children, it was a drawback. Who would want to marry her?
Cheng Tao's sorrow welled up, and the more she thought about it, the sadder she became, and she couldn't help but cry again.
Zhu Yan was about to offer some comfort when she saw the door open.
She immediately put on a smile. "Mom, you've come at the perfect time. Cheng Tao just found out she can't have children. Quickly comfort her. Crying like this isn't good for her wound recovery."
The old lady glared at her. "Did you tell her?"
"Of course not me. She already knew when I arrived."
Cheng Tao, enduring the pain, threw herself into the old lady's arms and sobbed, "Grandma, what will I do in the future?"
The old lady looked wistful, unsure how to comfort her.
"It's okay. Fortunately, you still have your daughter. As long as she's alright, that's what matters."