PWE – Chapter 174

“Qin Xiaoling!” Fang Qiaoyu’s brows furrowed sharply, and her eyes blazed with anger as she glared at Qin Xiaoling.

Qin Xiaoling smiled lightly, looking at Fang Qiaoyu with disdain. “What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong? Aren’t you a woman of considerable age? And didn’t you just bully a child?”

“What do you know?!” Fang Qiaoyu ground her teeth, her eyes bulging with fury, looking terrifying. “You’re just a bootlicker of the Zhan family. Of course, you’re going to side with them! Do you even know what really happened? You—”

“Of course I know,” Qin Xiaoling interrupted, smirking. “You deliberately ran into Zhaozhao to extort him and even yanked his arm hard, didn’t you? Tsk, I have to say, sister-in-law, your heart is smaller than a needle’s point, bullying a child like that. And poor Commander Qi—married to a woman like you. Truly pitiful, really pitiful.”

In the past, Qin Xiaoling wouldn’t have dared speak to Fang Qiaoyu like this. But now, with Yan Wang—Xiao Wange—behind her, she felt that confronting Fang Qiaoyu was like standing on the side of justice, helping Xiao Wange teach her a lesson. So, naturally, she seized the chance to speak out.

“Qin Xiaoling!” Fang Qiaoyu was so furious she could barely contain herself. She raised her hand, aiming to slap Qin Xiaoling across the face.

But Qin Xiaoling easily dodged.

Looking at Fang Qiaoyu’s raised hand, Qin Xiaoling’s expression turned cold. “Sister-in-law, even if my husband’s rank is lower than yours, you have no right to hit me. If you hit me today, I will report you to the military district! And when I do, not only will you be punished, your husband will be punished as well!”

Fang Qiaoyu froze. The words “military district” and “punishment” struck at the core of her fears. She didn’t dare escalate things further. If she reported it to the military district, the leaders would definitely expel her.

Clenching her teeth, Fang Qiaoyu drew in a deep breath. “Qin Xiaoling, just you wait. A bootlicker like you—I’ll find a chance to deal with you sooner or later!” Without waiting for a reply, she turned and stomped upstairs.

Qin Xiaoling pursed her lips, looking at Fang Qiaoyu’s retreating back with contempt. “Wait all you want. You think I’m afraid of you? You’re no longer the eldest lady of the Zhu family. What right do you have to act all high and mighty?”

Once she had been the Zhu family’s eldest lady; people might have feared her because of her backing. But now she was just a poor outcast kicked out by the Zhu family. Who would fear someone like that?

Fang Qiaoyu heard this on the stairs and felt her anger flare, itching to turn around and give Qin Xiaoling a piece of her mind. But she forced herself to take a few deep breaths, suppressing the rage.

She continued upstairs, determined to return every humiliation she had suffered today. She would, without fail!

Qin Xiaoling snorted disdainfully at Fang Qiaoyu’s back. “Serves you right.”

…

By evening, Xiao Wange was helping Zhaozhao change into a thicker jacket; the temperature had dropped a bit since the morning, and the cotton jacket he wore earlier was now too thin.

Just as she was dressing Zhaozhao, Zhan Zeyan returned.

He was covered in mud, as if he had rolled through it.

Stopping at the doorway, he looked at the mother and son. “I heard Fang Qiaoyu bullied our child today?”

He had taken his soldiers to the mountains for training early that morning and only just returned. Hearing what happened, he immediately rushed home.

Xiao Wange glanced at him. Seeing him covered in mud, she knew he had been training outside. Feeling both pity and concern for his hard work, she said, “Yes. This morning Fang Qiaoyu ran into Zhaozhao, then falsely accused him of colliding with her. She even yanked his arm hard. But Madam He reported her to the military district. I heard the leaders gave her a severe reprimand.”

Zhan Zeyan wanted to enter but noticed how dirty he was and stopped himself.

Frowning slightly, he said firmly, “That Fang Qiaoyu is getting more and more outrageous—bullying even a child! She’s a constant risk in our residential area. I think… we need to find a way to get her out!”

Xiao Wange didn’t respond. She finished dressing Zhaozhao and straightened his collar.

Zhan Zeyan lingered at the doorway for a few more seconds, then turned toward the kitchen. “I’ll heat some water and take a shower. You and Zhaozhao go to Hou Dayong’s house first, get some fun there.”

Zhaozhao smiled at his father. “Mom and I will wait for you, then we’ll go together.”

Xiao Wange patted his head. “There’s hot water in the pot; go wash up first, then we’ll go together.”

She and Zhaozhao had bathed in the afternoon, so the remaining hot water would be enough for Zhan Zeyan.

He glanced at them and nodded. “Alright, I’ll be quick.”

He quickly went into the kitchen.

Xiao Wange and Zhaozhao sat on the sofa waiting.

Zhan Zeyan indeed was fast—he was done in under five minutes.

Seeing him emerge in clean clothes, Xiao Wange clicked her tongue. “You were so dirty. Did you really get clean that fast?”

“Want to check?” Zhan Zeyan teased, giving her a playful glance.

Xiao Wange rolled her eyes and pulled Zhaozhao up. “No one wants to check you. If you’re uncomfortable because you’re not clean, that’s your problem, not mine.”

Zhan Zeyan smiled.

As they walked toward the door together, he leaned close to her ear. “We’ll share a bed tonight. If I’m not fully clean, you’ll get smeared. Are you really okay with that, wife?”

Xiao Wange turned her head, narrowing her eyes at him. He seemed to be getting more shameless by the day. If his soldiers saw him like this, who knows what they’d think?

She lightly pushed him. “I’ll use a spell tonight. If I want, you won’t touch me. So if you want to smear me, you better see if I allow it.”

Zhan Zeyan: “…My wife’s magic is too strong. Honestly, I’m a little hurt. If I’m not careful, I’ll end up getting managed by her magic.”

…

When the three of them arrived at Hou Dayong’s house, the sofa was already occupied by several people.