CHAPTER 191: 185 JIANG JINGHUAI’S FURY

Tian Sangsang furrowed her thick brows slightly in secret. In the face of a natural disaster, everyone was eating the same food. And she was complaining about it? This person really is...

Perhaps it was because pregnancy had made her irritable, and Lu Chi had just left her moments ago, saying he was busy and told her to find a place herself. Li Qiong’er was in no mood to like anything at the moment, especially when she saw the meek and submissive Tian Sangsang with her dark skin and plump figure. A malicious thought rose in her mind, and she flung the bowl into the air on a whim.

In just that brief moment, Tian Sangsang felt something fall and hit her arm. Right afterward, a liquid flowed out—it was hot, scorching her skin.

"What are you doing?" Tian Sangsang hissed, turning her head. Her arm was burning hot, sizzling like it was being set on fire.

"Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t see that." Li Qiong’er’s mood improved upon seeing this. Smiling, she asked, "Are you okay?"

Tian Sangsang didn’t pick up on any genuine apology in her words.

The slight curl of Li Qiong’er’s lips was brazenly showing her smugness. In such a miserable place, there was hardly any amusement left. This woman looked honest, clearly a rural peasant—there was no way she’d dare to retaliate. She would probably just swallow her anger and walk away quietly. There were plenty of weak people in this world; Li Qiong’er had seen them all.

If the other person had genuinely apologized, she wouldn’t have pursued it. But it was painfully clear that there was no sincerity.

Suppressing her fury, Tian Sangsang replied with a smile, "It’s fine, but next time, keep your eyes sharp. I’m a simple woman—getting scalded isn’t a big deal. However, the people around us are elderly, frail, or ill; they won’t be able to withstand this kind of chaos."

"Of course," Li Qiong’er nodded with exaggerated politeness, smiling brightly. She said, "My food’s gone, though. Could you get me another bowl?"

"Everyone only gets one bowl," Tian Sangsang stated firmly.

"Oh." Li Qiong’er let out a soft snort, glancing around. "I mean, you’re from the kitchen, aren’t you? It’s not like the higher-ups didn’t send food over, right? Why are you giving people food even pigs wouldn’t touch? But you—look at you—you’re much fatter than everyone else; doesn’t seem like you’re eating pig feed."

The innuendo was clear—was someone skimming food?

Tian Sangsang had never encountered such a uniquely "refreshing" personality, and she was about to retort when others who had overheard couldn’t hold back anymore.

"What do you mean, calling this pig feed we’re eating?"

"Yeah, your mouth is foul and your heart is even worse."

"How can anyone talk like that?"

"If you’re not eating pig feed, why are you here? Why come to us for help?"

"Everyone barely has enough to eat, and you’re just throwing it away."

"Never seen someone so wasteful with food."

"..."

The crowd started pointing fingers, their comments flying back and forth, and Li Qiong’er laughed in anger. How dare these ignorant people speak to her like this? Didn’t they know her husband Lu Chi was the one saving them? They were benefiting from the military’s rescue efforts yet had the audacity to treat a military spouse like this. Were these uncivilized villagers fit to accuse her?

The commotion must have startled the group nearby. Lu Chi, Jiang Jinghuai, Guan Kunling, and the others finished their tasks and hurried over.

Seeing Lu Chi arrive, Li Qiong’er immediately straightened her posture. She was about to pout and whine but froze when she caught sight of the tall and handsome man beside Lu Chi. His cold, star-like eyes radiated an unrelenting intensity, and she instinctively clutched Lu Chi’s arm nervously.

"What’s going on?" Jiang Jinghuai asked, his tone displeased. What kind of trouble was this?

A woman stepped up indignantly and said, "Comrade soldier, this lady is truly awful. This girl here kindly brought her a meal, and she called it pig food and flung it at her, covering her in hot food. That food was scalding, and the girl must be in pain—she’s pale! We’re all eating the same meal as you soldiers—how’s it pig food? Is this some kind of class privilege?"

As she spoke, she gestured to indicate who had flung the food and who had been splashed.

Jiang Jinghuai gave Tian Sangsang a cold glance and asked, "Are you stupid? Someone flings food at you, and you don’t fight back?"

"What?" Realizing the question was directed at her, Tian Sangsang froze, unsure of how to react.

Guan Kunling listened, then walked over to stand beside Tian Sangsang, her delicate face taut with anger.

"Let me borrow this," Jiang Jinghuai said in his deep voice. He bent down, picked up the spilled bowl of food from the ground, examined Tian Sangsang’s injured left hand, and—while everyone was still wondering what he was up to—hurled the food forcefully at Li Qiong’er’s left hand.

A bright gleam flashed through Guan Kunling’s eyes. Good work, brother-in-law!

"Ah!" The surrounding crowd gasped, their shocked cries mixing with Li Qiong’er’s even louder and more miserable scream.

Li Qiong’er clutched her hand, tears streaming down her face instantly.

"Qiong’er." Unable to tolerate it anymore, Lu Chi frowned and looked at Jiang Jinghuai. "That’s enough. She’s pregnant. Can’t you talk things over peacefully, Jinghuai? Did you really have to get physical?" He glanced at the dark-skinned woman nearby. Who was she? Why was Guan Kunling concerned about her, and even Jiang Jinghuai cared? He had heard Jiang Jinghuai had inexplicably gained a son recently—was that her child? Was Jiang Jinghuai blind enough to fancy a woman like her?

"So you think it’s fine for imperial officials to set fires but not for commoners to light lamps?" Jiang Jinghuai’s thin lips curved slightly in disdain as he scoffed coldly. "She’s pregnant, so what? The world isn’t short of pregnant women."

The military camp wasn’t a place for her to behave recklessly.

The logic was sound, and it resonated deeply with the civilians—they felt vindicated. There were countless hens laying eggs everywhere; why should she be more noble than the rest? They were all suffering. Why did the unreasonable pregnant woman deserve special treatment?

"Company commander, this is..." The soldiers below were stunned. The company commander was truly terrifying like this.

Fang Tongzhou knew this meant Jiang Jinghuai was genuinely furious. Jiang Jinghuai rarely lost his temper like this. His gaze complicated, Tongzhou looked at Tian Sangsang. It seemed Jiang Jinghuai really loved his sister-in-law. She’d only been scalded slightly—even if the Major’s wife was at fault, Jiang Jinghuai’s actions were far too bold, far too protective. And people said this wasn’t true love? Tongzhou realized he should treat his sister-in-law better in the future... especially since she was clearly someone Jiang Jinghuai treasured deeply.

Lu Chi’s face had gone ashen. Rage bubbled inside him, but in the end, he said nothing. He wasn’t a match for Jiang Jinghuai, and neither was Li Qiong’er.

"This bowl’s on me," Jiang Jinghuai said casually to Tian Sangsang. "Go and get another one for her."

Alright, boss, you’re the authority. What else could Tian Sangsang say? She was too stunned to speak, muttering internally as she stiffly walked away. She fetched another bowl of food and gave it to the woman.

"Jiang Jinghuai." Li Qiong’er wiped her tears, distraught and moping. She muttered, "Why are you so rude? This is clearly personal revenge!"

Jiang Jinghuai remained indifferent: "I remember you eating worse than pig feed over a decade ago. You said yourself you grew up on that. What happened? Forgotten now?"

Li Qiong’er’s face turned ghostly pale, and she began trembling uncontrollably.

"Sangsang, brother-in-law really takes care of you," Guan Kunling whispered as she pulled Tian Sangsang aside.

"You can’t always judge books by their covers," Tian Sangsang replied with a helpless shake of her head. She didn’t believe Jiang Jinghuai would stand up for a woman who had once assaulted him—unless he’d completely lost his senses.