The next day, Cheng You prepared to go to the department store to buy New Year's goods.
She ran into Chen Qin at the mall and brought up Pei Lanlan's situation.
He said, "Qiu Yingxun might not be able to marry Pei Lanlan after all."
"What makes you say that?"
Chen Qin then explained, "Pei Kesheng listened to your advice and took Pei Lanlan for a thorough examination at the hospital. They discovered residual hormones in her body."
Cheng You guessed, "What's going on with that?"
Chen Qin disliked gossiping, but the reason behind it involved Pei Kesheng's privacy.
He deliberated for a moment and said, "This is also a consequence of Pei Kesheng's actions. After his first wife died, he never remarried but kept a woman on the side. This woman has been with him since she was young, for about twenty years now. She's wasted her youth with him, yet Pei Kesheng never considered marrying her, always intending to leave his assets to his daughter."
This woman then took a wrong path and drugged Pei Lanlan.
Ten years like a single day, no one's body could withstand that.
Someone spent decades with you, only to end up with nothing. It's normal for them to feel unbalanced.
But if you have anger and resentment, direct it at Pei Kesheng. His daughter didn't provoke you.
Now, not only have decades of youth been wasted, but she also has to go to jail.
All her efforts were in vain.
"But I heard that Director Pei didn't cancel the engagement, only postponed it?"
Chen Qin tutted, "The invitations have already been sent out. They can't just cancel it, can they? That's why Qiu Yingxun's injury came at a good time, giving Pei Kesheng enough time to cancel the engagement."
Pei Lanlan's body still had room for recovery. In Pei Kesheng's eyes, his daughter deserved better and didn't need to be settled for with a scoundrel.
Hearing Chen Qin say this, Cheng You finally felt that Pei Kesheng wasn't completely foolish.
Neither of them noticed Zeng Xiuyun, hiding behind a shelf, staring at them with venomous eyes.
Her grandson was lying in the hospital, and these people were already plotting to break off the engagement!
Even a rabbit bites when cornered. Did they think they were easy to deal with!
Zeng Xiuyun was so angry that she abandoned her shopping and rushed back to find Qiu Yingxun.
Qiu Yingxun had paid such a high price to marry Pei Lanlan that even she, who was as fat as a pig, didn't care.
It was one thing that her grandson didn't mind you, but now you wanted to be picky.
"Yingxun, if you don't want to marry her, your grandma will find you someone better. But if you do want to marry her, we can't just let it go!"
Qiu Yingxun was dispirited and lacked the energy even to be angry.
Of course, he resented Pei Kesheng for wanting to break the engagement, but he was powerless.
"I originally thought that by marrying Pei Lanlan, I could control his daughter, and thus control him. In the future, all his possessions would be mine, wouldn't they?"
If only he had registered their marriage earlier, giving Pei Kesheng no chance to go back on his word.
Zeng Xiuyun looked at him thoughtfully. She knew that Qiu Yingxun still wanted to marry Pei Lanlan.
Although she didn't think highly of this future granddaughter-in-law, her grandson wanted to marry her.
"Actually, it's not impossible..."
Wanting to marry a wife wasn't that difficult.
Qiu Yingxun's eyes flickered, "Grandma, don't do anything rash."
Zeng Xiuyun waved her hands repeatedly, "How dare I act recklessly."
She just wanted to help her grandson get married.
In the days leading up to the Chinese New Year, Zeng Xiuyun spent her time chatting with people in the compound.
At first, Cheng You didn't pay much attention. Until one time, she overheard Zeng Xiuyun chatting with someone, saying, "They'll get married when Yingxun recovers. If they don't get married soon, it won't look good for the young lady to have a big belly."
"Oh, so the young lady is already pregnant?"
Zeng Xiuyun just smiled without answering, but her demeanor suggested she was confirming it.
Perhaps in a few days, the entire compound would know that Pei Lanlan was pregnant.
Cheng You walked over without hesitation and asked, "Old lady, who were you just talking about having a big belly?"
Zeng Xiuyun's smile froze. She hadn't expected Cheng You to catch her.
She quickly got up to leave, "I, I didn't say anything. I'm going home now."
Cheng You grabbed her arm, blocking her path.
"You haven't answered me yet. Who did you say was pregnant?"
Zeng Xiuyun didn't want to answer directly, but Cheng You was persistent, leaving her no escape.
The moment her arm was grabbed, she sat on the ground and started to throw a tantrum.
"She's hitting me! The military dependents in our compound are hitting me! They're trying to beat this old woman to death!"
Someone nearby chimed in, "Cheng You, she was just chatting. Don't make things difficult for her."
Cheng You smiled, "If you were just chatting, then it has nothing to do with me. And if that young lady is indeed pregnant, then I have even less standing to say anything. But if you're spreading rumors, I can't help but interfere."
Pei Lanlan was already at her lowest point of self-esteem, like a porcelain doll, ready to shatter at any moment.
If such rumors were to spread, it wouldn't be forcing her to marry Qiu Yingxun, but forcing her to her death.
Those military wives' faces darkened upon hearing Cheng You's words.
"We were just chatting, how did it turn into spreading rumors? You're making it sound too serious."
Cheng You smiled slightly and explained, "I'm not saying you're spreading rumors, I just want to clarify things."
With that said, she looked back at the old lady, "You still haven't answered my question."
Zeng Xiuyun was still wailing, trying to get away with it.
Cheng You looked at her coldly, "Spreading rumors can also lead to jail time. Considering you've already been to jail, I doubt you'd mind going in again, would you?"
Zeng Xiuyun suddenly shivered. Her previous experience of being arrested had left a shadow on her.
Thinking about it now still felt terrifying.
"Old lady, I'll ask you one more time, who did you just say was pregnant?"
Zeng Xiuyun mumbled, "I was talking nonsense. No one is pregnant."
Cheng You: "So you were lying just now?"
"Yes, I lied."
Cheng You was disgusted by her method of using rumors to force a young lady to comply.
"You're so eager to have the young lady marry your grandson. Does Qiu Yingxun have some hidden illness?"
Zeng Xiuyun's eyes widened, and she vehemently denied it, "Don't talk nonsense!"
Cheng You scoffed, "Otherwise, why are you in such a hurry? Could it be that Qiu Yingxun is impotent?"
"He only injured his brain, not his lower parts. You're not allowed to talk nonsense!"
Zeng Xiuyun was frantic. If these rumors spread, no one would be willing to marry Qiu Yingxun.
Cheng You bent down and stared at her with icy eyes, "Now you know what it feels like to be slandered? You care about Yingxun, but that young lady also has family who dote on her. Why should she be bullied like this by you! Old lady, remember this well, the karma you sow will eventually come back to you, even if it doesn't happen to you, it will happen to your descendants."