Everyone’s gaze shifted from Lin Wan Yi to Sister in law Wang standing rigidly at the courtyard gate. In those eyes, there was curiosity, surprise, and even more, the schadenfreude of watching a good show.
Sister in law Wang’s face visibly turned from pale to livid, and then flushed with the color of pig liver. She felt like a clown stripped bare, nailed to the spot for public viewing.
"Ha, some people just can’t stand seeing others do well."
"Isn’t that right, they have no abilities themselves, so they assume everyone else’s success is due to trickery."
The whispers from the crowd pierced her ears like red-hot needles.
She couldn’t hold it any longer, shoving the person blocking her, and nearly fled the scene in a panic.
"Bang!"
Sister in law Wang kicked open the door to her house, hurling the empty water bucket in her hand to the ground with a harsh clang.
Her husband, Mr. Li, reading the newspaper at the table, was startled, looking up to see his wife with disheveled hair and a face full of tear streaks.
"Who did you argue with this time?"
"Argue? I wish I could!" Sister in law Wang slapped her thigh, plopping onto the ground, wailing, "I can’t live like this! Now the whole courtyard is laughing at me! Li Aiguo, if you don’t do something, your wife is going to be bullied to death!"
Mr. Li frowned, putting down the newspaper: "What on earth happened? Explain clearly!"
Sister in law Wang sobbed as she dramatically recounted the "great humiliation" she suffered in front of Lin Wan Yi’s house earlier that morning.
In her account, Sister in law Zhang was bribed by a bag of rock sugar and became Lin Wan Yi’s lackey; Li Xiujuan, even more, was bewitched by the "miracle medicine," becoming her sycophant.
"...She’s just a vixen! Just a few days here, and she’s already ensnared the hearts of everyone in the courtyard! Using some city trinkets to fool those ignorant women into a frenzy! Now look, everyone sides with her, and I’m made out to be the villain!"
She cried hysterically, as if enduring the greatest of injustices.
Mr. Li listened, initially somewhat impatient, until he heard the word "miracle medicine."
"Wait!" he interrupted Sister in law Wang’s lament, leaning forward, eyes gleaming, "What did you just say? Old Zhou from Li Xiujuan’s family had his back twisted for over half a month, and it got better with just one application? Even better than the infirmary’s safflower oil?"
"Yes! That crazy Li Xiujuan was shouting all over the courtyard, afraid no one would notice!" Sister in law Wang said resentfully.
Mr. Li rubbed his hands together, his expression shifting from impatience to pure greed.
He’d been sitting in the office for years, and his back wasn’t in great shape either. If he could get his hands on it, for his own use or to curry favor with the logistics department heads... that would be a huge favor!
"Where did she get this stuff from? Is there any left?"
Sister in law Wang, seeing her husband’s calculating look, was infuriated, slapping his arm hard.
"You’re still thinking of taking advantage? Have you lost your mind? Is that vixen’s stuff free? Today she used medicinal wine to bribe Li Xiujuan, tomorrow she could use something else to turn the whole courtyard into her followers! By then, everyone will be supporting her, and our family? We’d become outcasts in the courtyard!"
This finally snapped Mr. Li to reality.
His expression changed, indeed, if everyone befriended the new group leader’s wife, but his family was isolated, it wouldn’t sound good if word got out.
Sister in law Wang saw he was listening, immediately leaning closer, lowering her voice like a snake hissing its venom.
"Honey, what is it that you do? You are a logistics officer! Who doesn’t rely on you in this housing compound to get through the winter?"
Her voice carried a chilling allure.
"Winter’s honeycomb briquettes, the newly distributed quilts, the batch of Northeast rice that just arrived in the warehouse... which doesn’t pass through your hands? So what if her husband is a group leader? Group leaders need to eat, need to stay warm! You just have to... follow the rules."
She deliberately emphasized "following the rules."
"Aren’t there a few quilts in that batch that were rained on? Isn’t the coal in that batch mixed with good and bad? We’re not taking more, just prioritizing those ’substandard’ ones for the most ’needy’ people, who can say a word against it?"
"Gu Yanshen..."
Mr. Li chewed over this name, and the greed and hesitation on his face were instantly replaced by sinister determination.
He could never forget his cousin Li Changfu, who was the deputy director at the Feng City transit station.
Gu Yanshen, without saying a word, directly reported him to the military discipline inspection commission.
At that time, he felt Gu Yanshen was cold and unyielding, devoid of any humanity.
And now, while he was impeccably just, his wife was in the courtyard using fancy items to create a clique?
What hypocrisy!
Old grudges and new grievances grew in Mr. Li’s heart like wild grass.
He stood up with a start, slamming a fist on the table, jolting the newspaper and teacup.
"Well! Well, Gu Yanshen! Isn’t he the one who follows rules to the letter? Fine! From today, I’ll make sure to teach him the rules of our logistics department!"
Mr. Li’s eyes gleamed with the pleasure of impending revenge, an insidious and thorough plan rapidly forming in his mind.
He wouldn’t refuse or withhold anything. He would simply "handle things formally."
He turned to the large wooden box at the foot of the bed, unlocking the brass lock with a key.
Inside, several booklets were neatly arranged.
He took out one of the booklets with a dark green cover, flipping to the latest page.
It was a registry for the next batch of winter supplies.
His finger traced down the list quickly stopping at one name—"Third Regiment Leader, Gu Yanshen."
Behind that column was a clear notation: One grade-one new cotton quilt, fifty pounds of special smokeless coal.
This was the standard allocation for regiment-level cadres, without a flaw to pick.
Sister in law Wang also leaned in to look, a pleased expression on her face.
Mr. Li took the pen from the table, twisted off the cap, and dipped it in ink.
Rather than crossing out the existing allocation, he added a line in the narrow "remarks" column, in his small, neat handwriting.
"Warehouse B is damp, the quality of materials is poor, prioritize allocation."
After all this, he blew on the ink to dry it, closing the register book with a snap.
He turned his head, showing Sister in law Wang a grin of yellowed teeth stained by smoke, smiling like a jackal ready for a feast.
"Just wait. When the cold wave comes next month, let’s see how that precious city wife of his will manage with a moldy quilt, burning smoky coal, while pretending to be some ’immortal’ that everyone envies!"