CHAPTER 260: 248 BETTER TO BREAK THAN TO BEND

Qin Lan shoved You Huixixi aside, grabbed the shattered glass on the table, and lunged at Tian Sangsang. "You made me bleed, so I’ll make you bleed too!" Her eyes now brimmed with madness, fixated solely on stabbing a wound into Tian Sangsang’s beautiful face. A single cut would satisfy her.

You Huixixi, though pushed to the side, still shouted, "Somebody stop her!"

Tian Sangsang, holding Meng Shuyan tightly, narrowly dodged the frenzied Qin Lan. As Qin Lan made another attempt to strike, a group of military wives pulled her back. "Qin Lan, calm down!" "Stop it!" "You’ll hurt someone!" They chimed in, one after another, trying to reason with her. While conflicts were common among them, it had never escalated to the point of wielding a weapon. This was outright hooliganism!

Little Meng Shuyan was pale with fright. Tian Sangsang patted his back reassuringly. "Son, go back inside, lock the door. Mommy has some things to take care of."

The little guy shook his head and clung tightly to her clothes.

"It’s okay, be good~" Tian Sangsang carried him inside their home, intending to shut the door. Back in the Tian Family Village, life had already been chaotic. Now, even here, peace was elusive. She feared these endless disturbances would leave a shadow over her innocent and lively son’s childhood.

"Then, Mommy, you be careful," Meng Shuyan peeked out and whispered cautiously.

"Got it."

Tian Sangsang walked slowly towards Qin Lan’s residence, her expression an ambiguous mix of mockery and amusement.

"You still have the gall to come back!" At the sight of her, Qin Lan reacted as if triggered, flailing and attempting to stab her once more. "You troublemaker! Why is it that only you can perfect rose essential oil? Let me tell you, I won’t give up!"

Tian Sangsang shook her head with a faint smile.

"What’s going on here? Stop this at once!" Political Commissioner Lin stormed in with a few soldiers, his face dark as he surveyed the messy scene. These women, always stirring up trouble! "Qin Lan, put that down!"

Hearing the stern warning from Political Commissioner Lin, Qin Lan immediately felt a pang of fear. She hastily dropped her improvised weapon and began wailing uncontrollably.

Between sobs, she cried out her accusations: "Political Commissioner Lin, you have to stand up for me! It’s all Tian Sangsang’s fault! She told me that distillation could produce rose essential oil, so I tried it. But it was all lies! I followed her instructions, and now my house is in a complete mess because of her!"

Blatantly shifting the blame for her own actions. Political Commissioner Lin, no fool, wouldn’t be swayed by her twisted words. How else would he have earned his position? He gave a knowing look. "Huixixi, take Qin Lan to get checked out, and the rest of you, disperse."

Then, turning to one of the soldiers beside him, he ordered, "Go notify Political Commissioner Tan and Squad Leader Luo to come here."

Finally, he called out, "Sangsang, step outside with me." His tone left no room for refusal.

Admittedly, although this incident wasn’t directly Tian Sangsang’s fault, it all stemmed from her. Pretty women often attracted trouble. Back when she wasn’t considered beautiful, life was so much simpler.

Political Commissioner Lin had fairly traditional views.

"Ah, sister-in-law, Qin Lan is just this kind of troublemaker. What she did has nothing to do with you. Sorry for scaring you. With Jinghuai away and you managing the child alone, it must have been hard on you."

Tian Sangsang assumed Political Commissioner Lin had come to investigate her responsibilities in this mess. His unexpected words left her puzzled. However, she was sure it wasn’t a speech of commendation either.

"Not hard at all. People like Qin Lan, I don’t take to heart. When she asked how to make rose essential oil, I told her the honest method. What she decided to do with that knowledge is beyond my control. Today her place ended up like this, and honestly, I bear some responsibility."

If she outright denied everything, Political Commissioner Lin might have reproached her further. But by openly admitting some fault, she subtly redirected his intended criticism. He changed his tone: "Sister-in-law, truly worthy of being a military wife, your mindset is admirably open. If you ever face difficulties being alone with the child, feel free to come to me or Huixixi for help. We’re neighbors, after all. Don’t keep everything bottled up. Share your problems so we can help."

"What difficulties?" Tian Sangsang was baffled but replied with a smile. "Thank you, Sir, for your concern. Yanyan and I are doing just fine—truly, no troubles at all. In fact, I’ve been going out quite a bit lately, planning to find a job so I won’t be too idle."

"Saying you’re fine, yet now talking about finding work!" Political Commissioner Lin’s expression turned into one of immediate surprise.

"How does job hunting equate to having difficulties?" Tian Sangsang sighed, exasperated. "Political Commissioner, every individual has their own sense of value. I want to work in order to realize mine. My worth isn’t limited to just supporting the family and raising my child. Jinghuai is striving outside, and I can’t solely rely on him. I want to shoulder some of the burden for his sake." Conveniently invoking Jiang Jinghuai always helped to shift perspectives better than nuancing explanations.

Thinking about work brought many reflections for Tian Sangsang. Back in school, unaware of life’s hardships, she had seen the world through rose-colored glasses. Even with its imperfections, the world seemed beautiful—youthful, energetic, and purposeful! Returning home occasionally, she’d hear about old classmates dropping out of school, getting married young, or becoming stay-at-home moms. It had been unfathomable to her—her eyes nearly bulging out of disbelief. How could anyone choose not to work? Wasn’t that boring beyond measure? Getting married so young? Unthinkable!

Later, after graduating and entering the workforce herself, she began to understand—just a little. Life wasn’t easy for anyone. What once seemed impossible became less shocking. She learned to view things from others’ perspectives and tried to empathize. Yet, in caring for others, she often risked neglecting herself. Thinking of others all the time—had they ever truly thought of her? Numbing herself with the mantra *"the hardships of life are universal"* left her feeling drained.

What if, just once, she put herself first? Stopped being overly understanding? Why spare others hurt and endure grievances herself? Sadness bottled up in her heart—who really understood? Parents didn’t. Friends didn’t. Even those she thought closest didn’t truly understand her.

It was a journey of personal growth.

Political Commissioner Lin deeply admired Tian Sangsang’s perspective. It was undeniably more mature than the small-minded disputes among the military wives. "So, sister-in-law, it turns out you’re seeking work. But misunderstandings left unaddressed can grow. Clearing things up and quelling rumors should be a priority, don’t you think?"

"I didn’t do the things I’m accused of, so I see no need to explain. Rumors without evidence will eventually die out on their own. Political Commissioner, this really isn’t worth worrying about—it’s a minor issue."

Political Commissioner Lin sighed, sensing her unbendable determination. Some people, he thought, needed to learn to soften their edges. "Fine. In two days, we’re having an educational meeting. You should attend as well." The current incident had blown out of proportion, leading not just to a disciplinary meeting but also an educational forum—especially targeting individuals like Qin Lan.

"Alright," Tian Sangsang replied politely.

(First published on Qidian Girls’ Network. Please support through legitimate subscriptions.)