Chapter 18: Self-Criticism, One Radish, One Hole (Fifth Update)…

Chapter 18: Every Mistake Has Its Consequences (Fifth Installment)...

"Use this loudspeaker first, then go to the broadcasting station," said the member of the Revolutionary Committee. "You’ll still get your turn at the broadcasting station."

Shi Guilan thought to herself—was it really about wanting to go to the broadcasting station? No, she just didn’t want to stand here in front of everyone and make a public confession.

"Quick, read your public confession now," the Revolutionary Committee member urged Shi Guilan.

Shi Guilan dragged her feet, dreading the idea of standing there and reading it aloud. The street was crowded with passersby, especially at this hour when many were out buying groceries. Not every household cooked early—some preferred having breakfast first before shopping, giving them more time.

"I..." Shi Guilan saw the stern gazes fixed on her and had no choice but to steel herself and proceed.

"Hold the loudspeaker," the staff member reminded her again.

Shi Guilan seethed inwardly. Being forced to read her public confession here was bad enough, but now she had to do it with a loudspeaker. And the confession had a length requirement—it couldn’t be just a few hundred words; it had to be two thousand.

She had spent the entire previous night writing it, checking for mistakes and ensuring she didn’t portray herself too poorly. She rationalized every misstep, even claiming that Song Fenglan’s poor class background and improper behavior were why she had spoken out—she was only trying to help them.

And so, Shi Guilan began speaking into the loudspeaker.

She hadn’t spoken for long before someone lobbed rotten vegetables at her. Soon after, others bombarded her with rotten eggs.

Outnumbered and outraged, Shi Guilan silently cursed them. But this wasn’t the time or place for that. She had to keep her eyes on her script and mumble through it.

"We must resolutely resist the bourgeoisie. Just because a bourgeois young lady marries a soldier doesn’t mean we should overlook their mistakes. *Their existence* is the mistake," Shi Guilan declared. "We..."

Since she was already being bombarded with rotten food, she decided to double down. Shi Guilan didn’t believe she was in the wrong—Song Fenglan was. Song Fenglan should never have married Qin Yizhou in the first place.

But the bourgeois young ladies in this area weren’t just Song Fenglan—there were others too. These women had long been looked down upon and criticized by Shi Guilan. Now, hearing her words, they felt she wasn’t just targeting Song Fenglan but all of them, fanning their fury.

No matter how hard they tried to fit in, no matter how much they contributed, a single sentence from Shi Guilan dismissed all their efforts.

Rotting produce matted her hair and clothes, reeking horribly. Yet she had to stand there and finish her speech. Her jaw clenched, but she forced herself to endure.

"You clearly haven’t admitted your mistakes at all!"

"None of us are as good as you at making waves."

"With a wife like you, your husband’s *fame* sure spreads far!"

...

Not far away, Staff Officer Xu looked on, helpless. His face was stormier than Shi Guilan’s. He hadn’t wanted to come, but a gut feeling dragged him there. And now, he saw the problem firsthand.

Staff Officer Xu never expected so many people to dislike his wife. Nor did he expect her public confession to differ from what she had written the night before. He had warned her—sometimes, she had to lower her head to resolve things smoothly. But Shi Guilan clearly had no intention of doing so.

Shi Guilan relied on being Staff Officer Xu’s wife. She knew they wouldn’t punish her too harshly or expel her from the residential compound. After all, their children needed her care. Without her, who would look after them? Others couldn’t constantly help Staff Officer Xu with the mountain of chores waiting.

Those kids were a nightmare when they acted up. Even if they were well-behaved, there were still clothes to wash, meals to prepare—endless tasks requiring someone’s attention.

Staff Officer Xu wouldn’t divorce her over something so trivial. So Shi Guilan paid no mind to anyone else.

Qin Yizhou had left for the military base. After breakfast, Song Fenglan took Qin Zihang out for a walk and happened to see Shi Guilan speaking through the loudspeaker.

"Incorrigible, through and through," Song Fenglan sneered. Shi Guilan truly had nerve—even now, she refused to genuinely admit her mistakes.

"Is it like a dog that can’t stop eating filth?" Qin Zihang asked.

"Yes, exactly—a dog that can’t stop eating filth," Song Fenglan replied. "With people like her, there’s no point holding back."

Staff Officer Xu heard the words spoken by Song Fenglan and her son, who were less than two meters away. He had never met Song Fenglan before—this was his first time seeing her. His first thought was: how could such a stunning woman exist in this world? Then he wondered if this unfamiliar face with a child might be Qin Yizhou's wife and son.

With such a gorgeous wife, no wonder Qin Yizhou cared so deeply for her.

Staff Officer Xu then recalled Shi Guilan’s cousin, who couldn’t hold a candle to Song Fenglan in looks. He knew Shi Guilan had wanted to marry her cousin off to Qin Yizhou. He had assumed that once his wife learned Qin Yizhou was married, she would give up. Who could have guessed she was plotting to break up Qin Yizhou's marriage and make him marry her cousin instead?

Qin Yizhou and his wife already had a son—how dare Shi Guilan harass them like this? Did she really think someone would divorce just for her cousin’s sake?

Her cousin’s status wasn’t even particularly noble—there was no guarantee she could elevate Qin Yizhou’s position.

Staff Officer Xu didn’t linger on looking at Song Fenglan. While appreciation for beauty is universal, he was a married man and shouldn’t stare too much.

"The big bad guy needs to be taught a lesson," Qin Zihang’s voice was childishly sweet. "If she isn’t taught, she’ll keep making mistakes."

"That's right," Song Fenglan nodded. "Don’t learn from her, understand?"

Rotten to the core—such people are easily caught in their own misdeeds.

Before, others hadn’t gone after Shi Guilan simply because she was Staff Officer Xu’s wife.

"She’s just a dog relying on its master’s power," Song Fenglan remarked.

"Dogs are cute," Qin Zihang frowned slightly. "Dogs aren’t this bad."

"Right, even dogs aren’t this bad," Song Fenglan agreed. "She’s relying on her husband. But no matter who you rely on, you still need to behave properly. You can’t walk all over people for no reason or trample on their dignity when they’ve done nothing wrong, understand?"

"I didn’t bully her—she bullied me and Mommy. She’s just a mega-ultra-bad guy," Qin Zihang declared.

"Good—you should hate her," Auntie Fatty chimed in as she walked over. She had heard Shi Guilan was giving a public apology here and had hurried over, leaving her work to see it for herself.

Out of the corner of her eye, Auntie Fatty spotted Staff Officer Xu nearby. Unsure if he had greeted Song Fenglan, she said directly, "Well look who's here—Staff Officer Xu."

Song Fenglan followed Auntie Fatty’s gaze to Staff Officer Xu. "So this is the famous Staff Officer Xu?"

"Yes, you two haven’t met before, have you?" Auntie Fatty said.

"No, we were just talking about his wife, and he didn’t say a word. I thought he was just a passer-by," Song Fenglan remarked.

"..." Staff Officer Xu hadn’t expected her to say that, but it was true—he hadn’t spoken and had just stood there listening to their conversation.

"Is he the big bad guy’s enabler?" Qin Zihang looked up at Auntie Fatty and asked.

Staff Officer Xu felt he shouldn’t have come here today, shouldn’t have stood in this spot. If he hadn’t been here, hadn’t heard Song Fenglan and her son’s words, how much better it would have been.

"My apologies," Staff Officer Xu said, now that his identity had been exposed. He couldn’t pretend he hadn’t been noticed. He was sure others had seen him, but since he hadn’t spoken, they had acted like he wasn’t there.

Some of those who had thrown rotten vegetable scraps at Shi Guilan had spoken words meant for his ears—though they didn’t directly criticize him, they lamented his misfortune. Having a wife like Shi Guilan, Staff Officer Xu must've drawn the worst lot in life.

"If you really feel sorry, then keep your wife in line," Song Fenglan raised an eyebrow. "Don’t look the other way just because she gave you children. She’s used your influence to bully me and my son—and others too. Who knows how many people she’s bullied before? Don’t call it a misunderstanding, as if she only targeted us. If that were true, why would others file complaints against her?"

Song Fenglan wasn’t afraid of Staff Officer Xu thinking she was the one who filed complaints against Shi Guilan. She simply wanted him to know that Shi Guilan had offended far more people than just her.

"..." Staff Officer Xu thought how perceptive Song Fenglan was. Just last night, Shi Guilan had insisted it was Song Fenglan who reported her, and he had believed his wife’s reasoning. Before Song Fenglan came to the base, there'd been no problems—but the minute she showed up, trouble started.

Before Staff Officer Xu even met Song Fenglan, he already thought she was a formidable person who wouldn’t take things lying down, and now he was even more convinced of it.

"Mom, let’s stand farther away," Qin Zihang tugged at Song Fenglan, wanting to move back. "What if he punches you later?"

Staff Officer Xu winced—there was no way he would punch Song Fenglan.

"Hurry, hurry, they’re all slimy worms," Qin Zihang said.

"They’re birds of a feather," Song Fenglan corrected. "Not worms." *[Note: A Chinese idiom meaning “of the same kind.”]*

"But worms can burrow into holes," Qin Zihang didn’t think he was wrong. He even wiggled his fingers like a worm burrowing. "Like this—they can hide really well."

"Worms digging holes lets air into the soil," Song Fenglan explained. "That makes the land more fertile, so more fruits and vegetables can grow."

"Oh, then they’re not even good enough to be worms!" Qin Zihang nodded in understanding.

Staff Officer Xu felt he should indeed stand farther away. It was clear Song Fenglan and her son had no intention of forgiving Shi Guilan, nor would they give him any friendly looks. As a grown-ass man, he couldn’t exactly scold a woman and a child for speaking out of turn—he could only keep his mouth shut and say little.

Otherwise, someone would soon accuse him of bullying women and children.

Staff Officer Xu thought Shi Guilan really had it coming—she had kicked a steel plate. Did she really think Qin Yizhou’s wife would be easy to mess with?

"That’s true," Song Fenglan mused. Someone like Shi Guilan was a net drain on society and truly didn’t deserve to be compared to worms.

"Your son really knows how to talk," Auntie Fatty remarked, bless his heart. "Sharp as a tack."

"Him? He has his moments," Song Fenglan said.

Shi Guilan was under a microscope—people were afraid she’d try to run away mid-confession script. But she had no intention of fleeing. She knew even if she ran now, they’d just drag her back, and she’d have to do it all over again.

In the past, it wasn’t like no one had tried to escape—Shi Guilan had done it herself. She had even kicked others hard and secretly taken silver or jewelry from people’s homes during raids.

When Shi Guilan spotted Staff Officer Xu outside the crowd, she gripped the paper in her hands tightly, wondering how long her husband had been there. As she read from her confession script, her mind was in turmoil—she had no idea how much he had already heard.

Staff Officer Xu didn’t rush to shield her, letting others pelt her with rotten vegetables and eggs like a common criminal.

When Shi Guilan finally finished her confession under the tree, Staff Officer Xu still didn’t approach. He simply watched as she was led away to the broadcasting room.

In earlier years, people had been criticized simply for being bourgeois. But now, Shi Guilan was being denounced because she had bullied other military wives and been caught red-handed.

Staff Officer Xu had to let people get it out of their system. Though reforms were coming, he still had to report for duty at the base.

Once he arrived, he was hauled in by Political Commissar Zhao, who wanted to discuss Shi Guilan’s case. The family quarters had always been peaceful, but Shi Guilan’s pettiness had stirred the pot.

This wasn’t Qin Yizhou’s wife’s fault. If Shi Guilan had just lived quietly, none of this would have happened.

"Yizhou is married now—he has a wife and child," Political Commissar Zhao said. "Your wife, your wife’s cousin—none of you should keep fixating on him. There are plenty of unmarried young men in the army. Fish in another pond."

"This…"

"Some things, you need to understand clearly," Political Commissar Zhao said. "Don’t always expect others to roll over for you their whole lives."

Political Commissar Zhao didn’t mention how policies might gradually loosen. He figured Xu wasn’t stupid—he’d connect the dots himself.

Staff Officer Xu opened his mouth but ultimately didn’t defend his wife. He had done so in front of Qin Yizhou before, only to have his nose rubbed in it. He didn’t want to be humiliated again—some things shouldn’t happen a second time.

If he had to say anything, he would just promise to wrangle his own people.

Song Fenglan took Qin Zihang to buy poster-sized paper. Since she had decided to continue studying aircraft manufacturing in the future, she needed to start preparing now, to let people know she had talent in this field. With memories from her past life, she had cutting-edge blueprints and knowledge in her mind. These things could revolutionize the industry.

This could be her ticket in.

Song Fenglan looked down at her son. For her son’s future and to stop people like Shi Guilan from bullying him, she had to grow stronger. Even if things straightened out by next year, there was still a gap of time.

"Mom," Qin Zihang said, tilting his head as he noticed his mother looking down, "let me carry it."

"No need. These papers are long, and there are lots of sheets. They’d be a hassle to carry," Song Fenglan replied. Though the stack wasn’t thick, the weight added up when bundled together.

She had the shop assistant tie the papers up with two ropes so she could carry them on her back, leaving her hands free to hold her son’s.

On their way, they ran into people from the residential compound who greeted them warmly. They’d seen what Song Fenglan was capable of—regardless of who reported Shi Guilan, the Revolutionary Committee had taken action against her. Shi Guilan had accused Song Fenglan of bringing misfortune to the Fang family’s child, and several people had heard it. Some hesitated to report it, while those who did anonymously wondered if the committee would suppress the matter, given Song Fenglan’s questionable class status.

Song Fenglan didn’t care what others thought of her. She knew she had to make herself more valuable—not just “the regiment leader’s wife.” She had her own name and identity. There was nothing wrong with leaning on a husband, but that wasn’t her.

"You can call me Zi Hang or Hangbao," Qin Zihang told those who greeted him. "My auntie calls me Hangbao."

At Gao Xiuxiu’s home, she had learned about Shi Guilan’s report the day before and attended the struggle session today. Gao Xiuxiu thought Shi Guilan had crossed a line—her own family hadn’t blamed Song Fenglan for their child’s misfortune, so why did Shi Guilan have to stir trouble?

It put their family in a tough spot, as if they were targeting Song Fenglan.

Gao Xiuxiu had no intention of causing trouble for Song Fenglan. Just then, Auntie Fatty passed by, and Gao Xiuxiu waved her over.

"What’s Staff Officer Xu’s wife’s problem? We never thought Qin the Regiment Leader’s wife brought misfortune to our child," Gao Xiuxiu whispered. "It was my mother-in-law’s negligence—many things could’ve been avoided if she’d been more careful."

"Don’t blame yourselves. You know how Staff Officer Xu’s wife is," Auntie Fatty said, glancing around. "She gets off on pushing people around, acting like her political consciousness is superior while looking down on everyone else."

She held up her pinky in disdain. "She’s always been like this. She wanted her cousin to marry Qin the Regiment Leader, but it didn’t happen, so she’s had it out for his wife ever since."

"Did Qin the Regiment Leader’s wife report her?" Gao Xiuxiu asked.

"No," Auntie Fatty replied. "She wouldn’t stoop to that. Shi Guilan has offended plenty on her own. Yesterday, I spoke with Qin the Regiment Leader’s wife about it, and she said someone was using her to take Shi Guilan down."

"Using her?" Gao Xiuxiu fell silent.

"Exactly. Someone leveraged Qin the Regiment Leader’s wife to target Staff Officer Xu’s family," Auntie Fatty explained. "Think about it—folks like me don’t dare make enemies to escalate things. But with Qin the Regiment Leader’s wife here, others saw an opportunity to push her forward. She’s got thick skin, though—she even praised the anonymous whistleblower for being clever."

Gao Xiuxiu had never interacted with Song Fenglan and didn’t know what she was like, but she knew Auntie Fatty usually disliked beautiful women. Now, Auntie Fatty wasn’t criticizing Song Fenglan but praising her, which felt unusual. They had often gossiped about such matters privately. Gao Xiuxiu rarely saw Auntie Fatty speak so highly of a pretty woman. She had seen Song Fenglan before—her face was strikingly beautiful.

Many women in the residential compound had weathered hardships, their skin darkened by the sun, and few retained such beauty.

"Whether Qin the Regiment Leader’s wife reported it or not, people will associate her with it," Gao Xiuxiu said. "She’ll end up taking the heat."

"Probably," Auntie Fatty agreed. "There’s nothing we can do about it. She can handle it—no skin off our backs."

Auntie Fatty had interacted with Song Fenglan more often and thought her far too clever to need others’ concern.

On their way home, Song Fenglan said to Qin Zihang, "I’ll make you a toy plane."

"A plane?" Qin Zihang asked curiously. "Made of wood?"

"Not just wood," Song Fenglan replied, gently ruffling his hair. With things the way they were, she had to prove what she could do.

Once, she had seen a TV show where the plot was relatively restrained—the dad was a specialist branded a capitalist during the Cultural Revolution, though he continued his work. When college entrance exams resumed, his child was still barred from applying to certain sensitive majors, even after his rehabilitation.

Now, Song Fenglan faced a similar dilemma. Just being an officer’s wife didn’t open doors.

With no broken machines or spare parts at home, scrounging up parts was near impossible.

"A plane that can fly in the sky," Song Fenglan said.

"Can we have it tomorrow?" Qin Zihang asked.

"One day we will," Song Fenglan replied.

"Can it be a bigger plane? Can I ride on it?" Qin Zihang looked at his small frame. "I'm tiny."

"A big plane—you can ride on it," Song Fenglan said. "But that’ll have to wait."

"How long is later?" Qin Zihang asked. "Until it gets dark? And then really, really dark?"

Kids don’t get time. Even if adults tell them it'll take a few hours, they don't understand. Auntie Yu always told Qin Zihang to wait until it got dark, and then wait till it got really, really dark. Qin Zihang remembered—first dark, then really dark, and even when the stars and moon came out, it still wasn’t enough. He had to wait till they hid behind the clouds and then came out again.

"Mom, are the stars and moon shy? They keep hiding behind the clouds. What should we do?" Qin Zihang asked. "Can we yank the clouds away?"

"Sure," Song Fenglan said. "We can use something to scatter the clouds."

"But will the stars and moon break?" Qin Zihang had endless questions.

"..." Song Fenglan was drowning in questions—children really asked too many things.

"Mom, you haven’t said whether the stars and moon will break yet," Qin Zihang insisted.

"No," Song Fenglan replied. "Stars explode, collapse, and turn into supernovas."

"Like fireworks?" Qin Zihang asked.

"Giant fireworks way out in space," Song Fenglan mused. Judging by those space pictures, stellar explosions must look quite beautiful. "Someday we’ll grab a telescope, and you can see for yourself."

"Do I need glasses?" Qin Zihang asked.

"Not like glasses—a telescope," Song Fenglan corrected. "You can look through it with your eyes."

Soon, Song Fenglan and her son reached their doorstep. Just as they arrived, Zhang Xiaohu came barreling out.

"Zi Hang, Zi Hang, where’s your little dog?" Zhang Xiaohu wanted to see the puppy. "I’ve missed him like crazy!"

Zhang Xiaohu had peeked over many times, but the door was always closed. He’d yelled a bunch of times, but no one answered. He didn’t dare just run inside. If that doggy door wasn’t stuffed shut—he could have crawled through it.

"Fu Wangwang’s in there," Qin Zihang answered.

"Lemme see him, lemme see him!" Zhang Xiaohu said. "My parents refuse to get a dog. I’ve bugged them forever, but they still won’t agree. So I can only come to your house. Your parents spoil you so much."

"Parents spoil their kids, of course they’re good to us. And we’ll be good to them too when we grow up," Qin Zihang said.

"But we’re so small," Zhang Xiaohu said. "How can we be good to them? When I grow up, I won’t let Dad keep a dog either!"

"Come inside first," Song Fenglan said as she opened the door. She carefully took off the stack of papers she was carrying, afraid they might bump against the doorframe and tear.

Zhang Xiaohu hurried in but stopped after a few steps, suddenly on his best behavior.

"Did your mom tell you to walk slowly?" Song Fenglan bit back a laugh as Zhang Xiaohu tugged at his clothes.

"Gotta walk slow at other folks’ places," Zhang Xiaohu said sheepishly, scratching his head. "You won’t ban me, right, Auntie?"

"Drop by anytime," Song Fenglan said. "You and Zi Hang can play together."

She’d fretted that her son wouldn’t have any playmates after moving here. She couldn’t bear the thought of him stuck home alone—how miserable! Song Fenglan had observed Auntie Fatty and her husband. Though they were straight-shooters who put their foot in it sometimes, overall, they weren’t so bad once you get 'em.

"Puppies have teeth, so be careful not to get bitten," Song Fenglan warned the two children. "Puppies carry lots of germs and viruses, even rabies. Rabies drives people mad."

"Really?" Zhang Xiaohu made a face at Song Fenglan, rolling his eyes and sticking out his tongue while slightly crouching and taking a couple of steps with his hands slightly bent.

"Worse than that," Song Fenglan said. "You'd go around lashing out, biting anyone in sight, and if you get hurt, it spreads. Then it’s not just you—it spreads."

"Then I'll behave," Zhang Xiaohu said, his face snapping back to normal.

The puppy was still small, and Song Fenglan and Qin Yizhou hadn’t tied it up. They let it run loose in the yard. The yard was spacious, giving the puppy plenty of room. The pup was still skittish and hid when Qin Zihang and Zhang Xiaohu approached.

"Fu Wangwang," Qin Zihang called, squatting on the ground.

"Fu Wangwang," Zhang Xiaohu echoed.

After a while, Mrs. Zhao stopped by. Since Song Fenglan and her son had just arrived a few days ago, Mrs. Zhao wanted to check in and see what kind of work Song Fenglan could do.

Jobs were scarce, and some military wives were still waiting for assignments, as they hadn’t been given any yet.

This time, Song Fenglan had just arrived when Shi Guilan targeted her. Mrs. Zhao felt they needed to take a stance. Considering Song Fenglan's relatively high level of education, they could slot her right in.

Mrs. Zhao brought a few apples with her, and Song Fenglan poured her a glass of water.

"What's this...?" Mrs. Zhao noticed the large sheets of white paper on the table.

"For drafting designs," Song Fenglan replied.

"Designing clothes?" Mrs. Zhao had heard that Song Fenglan made beautiful clothes and could even embroider them.

If Song Fenglan hadn't regained her memories from her past life, she might have just stuck to embroidery and clothing design, never venturing into aircraft design. She wondered if fate had restored her memories to guide her back to the right path—not just settling for being a middle school teacher or content with designing a few clothes.

In the original storyline, Song Fenglan and Qin Yizhou would separate, and she would later achieve some success in her career. But since she wasn’t the protagonist—just a minor character—the author wouldn’t spend much ink on her.

"That too," Song Fenglan said, avoiding mentioning aircraft design in front of Mrs. Zhao, as it might invite ridicule.

The Song family was an old, well-off family that had once produced a pilot, who died young on a mission before the new nation was even established. Many members of the Song family had sacrificed themselves during the war, giving everything for the country. But because they were capitalists, they faced persecution during those political years.

In those chaotic times, some people were spies for multiple sides, working both sides. Such individuals were hard to explain and easily implicated during those political years.

Song Fenglan had thought it over. Her family had also produced scientists, and she’d devoured books as a child. The Song family had a dedicated library containing books from all eras and regions. Keeping those books safe wasn’t easy, as many were lost during the war.

"I’m here to see how you’re settling in and to ask if you'd like a job," Mrs. Zhao said. "I heard you used to be a teacher?"

"Yes, a middle school teacher," Song Fenglan nodded.

"They’re short on teachers at the middle school," Mrs. Zhao said. "It’s summer break now, but you can start when the new term begins."

"Are many gunning for this job?" Song Fenglan asked.

"Some are," Mrs. Zhao admitted. "But they’d need the right qualifications. How’s that supposed to work? Someone who only graduated from middle school teaching middle school students? That doesn’t make sense. I heard you graduated from high school. Though you didn’t attend university, you taught middle school in the capital, so you’ve got the chops."

"Alright, I can give it a try," Song Fenglan said. "I’m just not sure if the students here will adapt to my teaching style."

She didn’t outright refuse—this job could serve as a backup plan. Since Mrs. Zhao had personally come to offer it, she couldn’t decline. No matter how many people wanted the position, if Song Fenglan succeeded in joining the local aircraft research institute, she wouldn’t need to teach.

But if she failed, she could still fall back on teaching, avoiding Qin Yizhou’s handouts. Even if he gave her an allowance every month, Song Fenglan preferred earning her own income—it would give her more breathing room and allow her son to live more comfortably.

Before, Song Fenglan hadn’t understood why mothers would do so much for their children. But now that she was a mother herself, she realized it was instinctive to always put the child first.

"Xu’s wife—we’ve already spoken to her, and she’s reflected on her actions," Mrs. Zhao said. "Let’s drop it, for my sake."

"Alright," said Song Fenglan. "I'm not one to hold grudges. As long as she doesn't come spouting off nonsense in front of me or badmouth me behind my back, fine, I won't hold it against her. But if she pulls any underhanded moves behind the scenes, I'm no saint—I won't just take it lying down."

Song Fenglan made her stance clear. "I can't keep giving face every single time. How many layers does this 'face' have? One inside, one outside, and a bunch in between? Use one layer, tear it off, and keep using the rest?"

Mrs. Zhao knew Song Fenglan would be displeased. She had expected Song Fenglan to at least pretend in front of her, but Song Fenglan didn’t bother.

"Just this once," Mrs. Zhao said awkwardly. She couldn’t exactly ask Song Fenglan to keep giving her face in the future—after all, it was Staff Officer Xu’s wife who caused the problem, not her. How could she vouch for Staff Officer Xu’s wife?

This time, Mrs. Zhao had wanted Shi Guilan to come and apologize to Song Fenglan, but Shi Guilan was unwilling. The so-called "self-criticism" Shi Guilan had given was shoddy and unconvincing. Mrs. Zhao didn’t expect a genuine apology from her.

An insincere apology—who would accept that?

If it were her, Mrs. Zhao wouldn’t accept it either. An apology had to be heartfelt, not some perfunctory act. If Shi Guilan just showed up and called it an apology, that would only add fuel to the fire and make things worse.

Rather than stoking the flames, it was better to quickly help Song Fenglan find a job—that could at least count as some form of compensation. Though, to be fair, it wasn’t really compensation. Song Fenglan was fairly educated, having graduated from high school, and she didn’t absolutely need this job.

"Of course, the first time, I’ll give some face," Song Fenglan said, unafraid of displeasing Mrs. Zhao. If she acted too meek now, she’d only invite more bullying later.

Mrs. Zhao wasn’t a fool. A quick glance told her Song Fenglan was no pushover. And really, offering someone a job didn’t mean they had to take it. Song Fenglan had savings from her previous job, and Qin Yizhou had money too. With just one child, even if Song Fenglan didn’t work now, their family would still get by comfortably.

Song Fenglan walked Mrs. Zhao out, leaving it at that for now. After seeing her off, Song Fenglan glanced at Qin Zihang and Zhang Xiaohu playing in the yard.

"It’s just like the little dog on my clothes!"

"Where are your clothes?"

"Washed. If I don’t wash them, they’ll stink."

"If you wash them too much, they’ll tear."

"Will they tear?"

"Yeah, and then they’ll have ugly patches. Really, really ugly."

"But if I don’t wash them, they’ll feel gross."

"If you wash them, they’ll tear."

"No, they won’t! They won’t tear!"

Qin Zihang didn’t know how to respond. After a pause, he said, "If they tear, just don’t wear them. Wear the ones that aren’t torn."

"You still have to wear the torn ones," Zhang Xiaohu said. "My mom says I’ll just tear my clothes again later."

"Zhang Xiaohu!" Auntie Fatty called from next door. It wasn’t like she never washed her youngest son’s clothes—he just loved playing in the mud and coming home looking like a mud pie. Of course she had to wash them. But once, when she scrubbed a little too hard, his clothes tore—though that was because they were old and the fabric wasn’t great to begin with.

"Shh!" Zhang Xiaohu hushed Qin Zihang, crouching lower before deciding to plop flat on the ground to avoid his mother’s notice.

Song Fenglan watched Zhang Xiaohu’s swift, decisive movements and sighed. The ground was muddy—he was going to get filthy again.

She glanced at her own child. At least her little one stayed relatively clean. She didn’t stop Qin Zihang from playing with Zhang Xiaohu—the boy was full of energy, lively and adorable. Though, of course, her own child was even cuter. She was partial to her own son.

"Zhang Xiaohu!" Auntie Fatty came over from next door. If she let Zhang Xiaohu keep talking, she’d end up looking like some lazy housewife.

Hearing his mother’s voice again—and now so close—Zhang Xiaohu scrambled to his feet and darted behind Song Fenglan.

"You still know how to hide?" Auntie Fatty really wanted to grab a bamboo strip and give her little son a few whacks. "With that mouth of yours yapping away, anyone who doesn’t know better would think I’m your stepmother who never bothers to bathe you or wash your clothes."

Auntie Fatty glared at her little son, then turned to Song Fenglan and said, "This little rascal runs around everywhere, drenched in sweat. Getting him to take a bath is like torture, and he doesn’t even care about getting smelly."

"Stay clean, stay healthy," Qin Zihang said. "Only puppies and kittens are afraid of baths."

"Meow," Zhang Xiaohu meowed.

"‘Meow-meow,’ oh so you really think you’re a cat?" Auntie Fatty walked over to Song Fenglan and dragged her little son over. "You little troublemaker, always causing your auntie trouble."

Meanwhile, after reading her self-criticism at the broadcasting station, Shi Guilan asked her colleagues at the Revolutionary Committee, "Can I see that anonymous letter? Do you have any leads? Who wrote it? Was it Song Fenglan?"