WN:TRMSHADSW 13

The next day, Jiang Heng took Su Jin to the supply and marketing cooperative.
As soon as they reached the entrance, groups of village women had already gathered, rushing inside to buy goods.

“Liu, you’ve come?”
“Mm, the cooperative just got new stock today. Of course, I have to buy some things to store at home, and get some quilt fillings too.”
“Quilt fillings? My family is in short supply too.”

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go inside quickly, or everything will be gone. The village wives are all clever when it comes to shopping.”
“Exactly! Otherwise, we’ll only see what’s left over!”

After a brief greeting, several women who knew each other quickened their steps and headed straight for the sales clerk.

Su Jin was curious about everything new. She looked around, taking in the cooperative from every angle.

Jiang Heng knew that after scolding his wife last night, her mood was probably still sour. He reached out to take her hand, but she firmly brushed it away.

Seeing this, Jiang Heng leaned closer. “Still mad at me, huh?”
Su Jin tilted her head, tears glimmering in her eyes, feeling deeply aggrieved. He had even pushed her hand away last night! At the very least, she couldn’t forgive him for five minutes!

Realizing his mistake, Jiang Heng gently stroked her head. “Let’s go buy the things first. You can punish me when we get back, okay?”
Su Jin didn’t look at him and just sniffled. “Let’s go inside and shop first.”
She walked straight into the store, leaving Jiang Heng behind.

As soon as Jiang Heng and Su Jin entered, they drew quite a few eyes. A handsome man and a beautiful woman always attracted attention.

“Oh, isn’t this Team Leader Jiang?”
The speaker was a middle-aged woman, her hair neatly done, wearing tidy clothes with four square pockets and a stiff collar, her outfit clearly of higher quality than the other village women. She had a round face, slightly plump figure, ordinary features, but her gaze swept up and down in a way that made people uncomfortable.

Although she greeted Jiang Heng, she actually examined Su Jin from head to toe, finally giving her a sideways glance that carried a hint of disdain.

Su Jin, unwilling to be intimidated, rolled her eyes in return.

“You… little girl, how dare you look at people like that.”
Then she turned her criticism to Jiang Heng. “And look at this wife you married—what kind of look is that?”
Her tone carried a sense of superiority, and she didn’t hide her dislike of Su Jin.

“Hah—”
Su Jin’s natural nobility and strong aura immediately intimidated the woman. She looked at her with her beautiful eyes as if Su Jin were a worthless object. That middle-aged woman might be able to act haughty in the rural countryside, but she had never seen someone like Su Jin with such a commanding presence.

Jiang Heng said, “Sister Zhao, you must have misread her expression.”
Zhao Lanhua gritted her teeth, pouting. “Misread? Who knows if your wife, with no family background, has any upbringing at all!”

Her words were sharp and confrontational. Jiang Heng’s face darkened immediately. “Sister Zhao, you’re slapping a bunch of labels on my wife without her saying a single word. Do you know her upbringing better than I do?
Compared to your daughter, my wife has far better manners. No wonder someone like you can’t adapt to civilized society.”

Jiang Heng hadn’t wanted to argue with this shameless woman, but when it came to his wife, a man had to stand firm.

Li Chunhua’s finger trembled with anger, her face tight with fury. She hated it when people brought up her daughter, whom the village had labeled a “loose girl.” For her, it was a humiliation beyond measure, as if the village were stamping her face into the dirt and spitting on it.

The quarrel drew the attention of many in the cooperative. Hands paused mid-air, all eyes full of gossip.

Everyone in the village knew that Li Chunhua’s husband, Zhao Zhengwen, had once had the chance to become the production team leader. Li Chunhua had always strutted around like a crab on land, chin high, nose up, bragging at her parents’ home about her husband’s impending promotion.

But after the flood, Jiang Heng became the team leader instead, much to her chagrin. Since then, Li Chunhua had often targeted Jiang Heng, believing this young man had stolen her husband’s position.

Zhao Zhengwen, unable to become team leader, nursed a grudge against the young man. He tried to sabotage Jiang Heng by organizing his cronies to disobey his orders, thinking that if they could show Jiang Heng as incapable, he could take the position for himself.

But his plan failed. Jiang Heng not only disciplined the disobedient workers but also increased the team’s total grain output. Despite his youth, he won the villagers’ respect and achieved results.

Zhao Zhengwen was furious, still hoping to regain status as team leader. He smoked at home furiously, deep frown lines wrinkling his forehead. Li Chunhua schemed too, hoping to match her daughter with Jiang Heng since her husband had failed. But her daughter, Zhao Xinxin, ended up running off with a local troublemaker instead. The situation made her fume even while drinking water.

Now, everyone in the village could see it clearly: the Zhao couple’s eyes burned with jealousy toward Jiang Heng.

Su Jin waved her hand. “Excuse me, auntie, could you move? I still have things to buy!”
Li Chunhua, eager to pick a fight, snapped, “So what if I’m standing here? Just because your family runs this cooperative, you expect me to move?”

Su Jin snorted. “Fine, then stay right at the door. The best dogs in the house guard the yard like that.”

Li Chunhua’s eyes widened instantly, and she shouted sharply, “Who are you calling a dog?”

Su Jin gave a contemptuous smile and spread her hands nonchalantly. “I didn’t name anyone, but your reaction speed does rival that of a biting dog.”

“Ha ha ha ha ha…”
The women watching nearby laughed uproariously, their laughter stabbing at Li Chunhua’s heart like needles.

“Shut up!”
She screamed at them, her hands flailing as she tried to slap Su Jin, her sharp nails aiming at Su Jin’s fair face.