RMM -Chapter 246 The “Third Party” Finally Exposed

“Why are you leaving? Why didn’t you stay for dinner?”

Shen Liang stepped out from the garden, smiling as she asked. She had heard Zhou Yun Zhen leave earlier while she was in the garden but hadn’t come out to see her off.

“She? She probably felt a bit uncomfortable in our home. If she wants to leave, then let her leave. Mom, what are you doing?”

Su Ruo quickly adjusted her expression, shrugged, and spoke casually, pretending nothing had happened.

Shen Liang didn’t pay it much mind and nodded. “I was just wandering around because I had nothing to do.”

“If you’re bored, you could just go out for a walk, or come sit with my mom,” Su Ruo said, walking over to Shen Liang and linking her arm around hers, pretending to complain.

“What? Am I in your way at home?” Shen Liang joked.

“Not at all! I’d love it if you stayed home every day to help me take care of Xi Zi. You know, you’re way more careful with him than I am, and he’d probably adore you for it.”

Su Ruo said the right things at the right moment to cheer up Shen Liang. She already knew that the most important person in Shen Liang’s heart right now was Xi Zi. To make her happy, talking about Xi Zi was guaranteed to work.

As expected, Shen Liang’s face brightened, and she couldn’t help but tap Su Ruo on the forehead. “You really know how to make people happy.”

“No, I’m just being honest. I’m just worried you’ll get bored staying home all the time. Even with a grandson, you can’t just sit still and dote on him all day, right? We need balance between work and rest.”

During this time, not only had Su Ruo stayed home without stepping out, but Shen Liang also barely left the house. Her heart was entirely focused on Xi Zi.

Su Ruo worried her mother-in-law might overexert herself. Although Xi Zi was just a baby, nonstop care could be exhausting, so she wanted her to go out sometimes, meet friends, and chat. After all, there was someone hired to help with Xi Zi; not everything had to be done personally.

Shen Liang understood Su Ruo’s intentions. She sighed helplessly. “Alright, I’ll have your mom come over tomorrow. She must be missing her grandson too.”

…Su Ruo was speechless. All she had said was meant to get her mother-in-law to go out more, not stay home chatting with visitors—so much for her subtle plan.

Seeing Su Ruo’s worried expression, Shen Liang couldn’t help but chuckle. She knew Su Ruo meant well, but it wasn’t really necessary. She wasn’t too old to move around, and looking after her grandson wouldn’t wear her out.

After this conversation with Shen Liang, Su Ruo went upstairs. Once back in her room, all her negative emotions surged.

She looked at her bed with a sullen face. The spot where Zhou Yun Zhen had just sat was messy, and it made Su Ruo feel unsettled—she couldn’t stand it.

Sighing, Su Ruo walked over and started changing the sheets. Technically, the bedding was new, but after Zhou Yun Zhen had sat there, she just didn’t want to use it anymore. Fine—she would wash it.

She knew her reaction was a bit over the top. Changing the sheets just because someone sat on them seemed a little pretentious. But she simply didn’t want to sleep on them. Pretentious or not, she couldn’t force herself to do something she disliked.

Was she picking up the commander’s cleanliness obsession? Su Ruo thought with a small laugh.

As she changed the sheets, she noticed her phone and paused. Picking it up, she unlocked it.

She wasn’t trying to see exactly what Zhou Yun Zhen had looked at. After all, there wasn’t anything worth seeing, and Zhou Yun Zhen may have already exited.

But to her shock, when Su Ruo opened the phone, it was her messages that were displayed.

How could it be the messages? Didn’t Zhou Yun Zhen say she was looking at photos?

Su Ruo’s expression darkened. If Zhou Yun Zhen had just clicked by mistake, she couldn’t believe it. How could looking at photos accidentally lead her to the messages?

Unless… she was specifically looking for them.

Su Ruo recalled Zhou Yun Zhen’s earlier reactions. Looking at photos? That was a lie. But why lie, why check messages, and why act so flustered and guilty?

Su Ruo frowned, staring at the open message. She had already sensed Zhou Yun Zhen was strange, but what exactly was going on? What did she want to see in the messages?

Her eyes moved, and she noticed the fourth conversation listed was with Yue Chen.

She and Xi Yue Chen hadn’t exchanged many messages—just a few routine conversations. Wait!

Su Ruo’s eyes widened, disbelief all over her face. This… this couldn’t be happening.

The reason Su Ruo was so flustered was simple: she had just considered one possible scenario.

Could Zhou Yun Zhen… be interested in… the commander?

No, it couldn’t be. That was absurd.

Su Ruo shook her head, trying to dismiss the thought, but it only grew stronger, occupying her mind and giving her a splitting headache.

She must be overthinking. Zhou Yun Zhen couldn’t possibly like the commander—they’d barely met! The commander even said he didn’t know her… how could it be possible?

But the more Su Ruo tried to deny it, the more she couldn’t help but think about it. Memories came flooding back, one by one. Events that didn’t seem significant at the time now aligned with today’s occurrences, revealing something off.

Zhou Yun Zhen had once casually inquired about the commander from her, called him “Commander Yue Chen” so intimately, and that awkwardness at Xi Zi’s full-month banquet a few days ago—she remembered it all.

That day, Zhou Yun Zhen had clearly approached the commander on purpose. Su Ruo didn’t know what was said, but it must have offended him, resulting in the awkward scene.

Su Ruo had been puzzled. Why would Zhou Yun Zhen actively get close to the commander? Normally, anyone—male or female—would instinctively step back when seeing him.

If… this hypothesis was correct, then all of Zhou Yun Zhen’s strange behaviors made sense, including looking at her phone today.

Su Ruo’s mood mirrored her face—utterly foul. Her mind was a mess, filled with confusion, anger, and disbelief.

How could this happen? It was impossible.

Yet no matter how she thought, all evidence pointed to one possibility: Zhou Yun Zhen was indeed making a move on the commander.

Damn. Really…

Su Ruo wanted to curse, but she swallowed it, trying to remain calm. Calm… yeah right, calm!

You, Zhou Yun Zhen, actually going after the commander—unbelievable. Su Ruo had never imagined another woman setting her sights on Xi Yue Chen. And today, she discovered not only that someone existed, but it was someone right beside her!

How could she not be furious? And pretending to be friends—so disgustingly hypocritical.

In an instant, Su Ruo felt complete revulsion toward Zhou Yun Zhen. So it had all been about the commander. No wonder she had schemed so carefully. If it weren’t for the phone incident today, Su Ruo might never have found out.

Wait… could Zhou Yun Zhen’s help at Old Qi’s house also have had ulterior motives?

In any case, Zhou Yun Zhen’s ill intentions were confirmed. Every time she got close to Su Ruo, it was for Xi Yue Chen. The first encounter didn’t matter—though that one really had been innocent.

Su Ruo grew angrier by the second. She mentally cursed Zhou Yun Zhen. “Friends”? She had genuinely considered her a friend, but Zhou Yun Zhen had only approached her to use her to get close to the commander.

Thinking back, it was disgusting. Every encounter, Zhou Yun Zhen’s gentle, charming smile—just an act. Every moment with her, she was calculating how to use Su Ruo to approach the commander.

Su Ruo exhaled, trying to calm down, but couldn’t. She even started blaming Xi Yue Chen.

“Xi Yue Chen! I thought you were just a blockhead, good at nothing but being a soldier. But you’re good at seducing women too? Even stuck in the army all day, you could make Zhou Yun Zhen completely infatuated? Impressive. I always thought you were a reliable man.”

And wasn’t it said he didn’t know Zhou Yun Zhen? If he didn’t, how could she take a liking to him? Cheating around and even lying to me?

Su Ruo picked up the phone to call Xi Yue Chen, to congratulate him—he really had talent, winning over Zhou Yun Zhen.

But the moment she dialed, she hung up. Right now, he wouldn’t answer—training or work. Even if the phone rang nonstop, he wouldn’t pick up.

Huff… infuriating!

Su Ruo felt suffocated, not knowing how to vent. If the commander wouldn’t answer, at least Zhou Yun Zhen would.

Should she call and curse him? Or mock and ridicule her?

Trying to meddle in a military marriage—do you know that’s a crime? You think you can charm a frozen iceberg like Xi Yue Chen with some tricks? And you even want to use me?

What, if you succeed, you’ll become Mrs. Xi in glory, and kick me back to my home? Then flaunt your victory in my face?

I spit on that! Don’t even think about it!

Just as she was about to call Zhou Yun Zhen, Su Ruo restrained herself again. Calm down, calm down. This woman is scheming; if she confronts her now, the “play” could be ruined. Better to pretend she doesn’t know and play along. After all, has she become a delicate, harmless young lady just by staying in a greenhouse too long?

Zhou Yun Zhen, daring to covet Su Ruo’s man, you really have audacity.

Su Ruo was still furious. The shock was too sudden, too intense—she couldn’t process it. Zhou Yun Zhen… you… want to steal her man? Just because you once helped my son, you think I’ll hand over my territory?

Is this woman crazy?

There are plenty of men on the streets. If you were desperate, you could find one. Was it necessary to commit such morally corrupt acts?

This hypocritical, shameless woman!

Su Ruo was utterly enraged. At this moment, she had no mercy. If she didn’t charge over and confront her, it was only by luck.