Dare to shirk responsibility? This adorable little one will tear down your military district!

Gu Changfeng strode to the stove and stood like a wall, completely blocking Lin Wanrou behind him.

Those eyes, accustomed to seeing life and death, were fixed on Li Aihong.

"What did you just say?"

Gu Changfeng's voice was not loud, and even a little hoarse, but it carried a chilling aura that made people feel uneasy.

Li Aihong was so intimidated by this aura that she took a half step back. She was used to running rampant in the compound, relying on her husband being the deputy political commissar, and usually no one dared to defer to her. But today, facing this living devil, she felt a chill run down her spine.

But with so many people watching, if she backed down, how would she ever get along in the compound again?

Li Aihong puffed out her chest, forcing up her false bravado: "What did I say? The eyes of the masses are discerning. A few pieces of broken tofu, without any meat, can be more fragrant than braised pork? What else could it be but opium poppies?"

The more she spoke, the more convinced she became of her point. Pointing to the pot, which had been scraped clean of even the soup, she said, "Commander Gu, you're a veteran yourself; you know the dangers of this stuff. To bring something this harmful into the army canteen just to win a competition—that shows a serious problem with your ideology!"

The wives of the soldiers around them began to whisper among themselves.

In those days, getting involved with opium was a fatal matter. At best, it meant being discharged from the military; at worst, it meant imprisonment or execution.

Zhao Tiezhu's lunchbox fell to the ground with a clatter. He had just eaten two large bowls; if it was really poisoned, wouldn't he be finished?

The soldiers looked at each other, their earlier sense of satisfaction completely gone, replaced only by terror.

Qian Mei, quick to change her tune, immediately crawled out from behind the stove, clutching a large iron ladle: "That's right! I knew it! The smell was off; it was unsettling. Lin Wanrou, tell me honestly, is this some kind of folk remedy you brought from the countryside?"

Lin Wanrou stood behind Gu Changfeng, her palms sweating profusely.

She never expected that cooking a meal would lead to such a huge accusation.

"No." Lin Wanrou stepped out from behind Gu Changfeng.

Her face was pale, but she stood ramrod straight: "I just used regular chili powder, salt, and Sichuan peppercorns. I didn't add anything else."

"Stubborn to the end?" Li Aihong sneered, her powdered face contorted slightly. "Ordinary chili powder can't taste like this! Unless you show us what it is!"

"Why should I give you the right to inspect me?" Gu Changfeng coldly cut him off. "Are you from the security department or the public security bureau? Without any evidence, you're just slandering a military family member with your bare words. Li Aihong, can you bear this responsibility?"

"Gu Changfeng! Stop protecting your own!" Li Aihong exclaimed anxiously, raising her voice, "I'm doing this for the safety of the troops! If you have nothing to hide, what are you afraid of during the inspection?"

"Show it to her."

Meng Yaya's voice suddenly rang out.

She sat on the windowsill, stuffed the sunflower seeds in her hand into her pocket, and swung her legs down to jump down.

The little girl walked up to Lin Wanrou, tilted her head back, and said innocently, "Mom, if you're upright, you have nothing to fear. Since Auntie Pang wants to see it, let her see it. Anyway, it's a family heirloom; ordinary people aren't worthy to see it."

The word "fat auntie" made Li Aihong's face tremble with anger.

Lin Wanrou took a deep breath, turned around and picked up the small glass bottle that hadn't been capped from the stove.

The bright red powder inside the bottle shimmered with an eerie luster under the light.

Those are top-grade ghost peppers grown in Meng Yaya's space. Irrigated with spiritual spring water, they are a hundred times spicier than ordinary peppers, and their aroma is extremely domineering.

"This is what you've been looking for." Lin Wanrou handed over the bottle.

Li Aihong snatched the bottle away.

"I want to see what kind of culprits are mixed in here." Qian Mei also came over, her face full of excitement as if she had caught someone red-handed.

Li Aihong didn't think much of it. She figured it was just ordinary powder with added ingredients, and you had to get close to smell it to tell the difference.

She held the bottle opening directly to her nose and took a deep breath.

next second.

An unexpected change occurred.

"Achoo—!!!"

Li Aihong let out a loud, earth-shattering sneeze.

Immediately afterward, she felt as if she had been electrocuted, and almost dropped the bottle in her hand. The domineering spiciness rushed from her nostrils to the top of her head, like a ball of fire exploding in her brain.

"Cough cough cough! Water! Water..."

Li Aihong bent over, her face instantly turning a deep purplish-red, tears and snot streaming down her face uncontrollably. Her throat felt like it had been scraped by a razor blade, burning with pain.

Qian Mei was nearby and was also affected by the lingering effects. She covered her mouth and coughed desperately, her eyes rolling back in her head.

"What...what kind of poison is this!" Qian Mei cried out while coughing.

Meng Yaya stood to the side, fanning herself with her little hands, looking completely innocent: "Oh dear, this is my grandma's family's secret extra-spicy chili powder, specially made to cure rheumatism and cold. Auntie Fat, why are you taking such a big gulp? This could kill a cow with its spiciness."

Seeing Li Aihong's disheveled appearance, Gu Changfeng's tense lips subtly relaxed into a slight smile.

He reached for the bottle, poured a little onto his fingertip, and tasted it.

Pure spiciness, ultimate aroma.

Apart from chili peppers and some special spices, it doesn't have the astringent taste or hallucinogenic effects of opium poppies.

"This is extra spicy chili powder." Gu Changfeng capped the bottle and casually tossed it to the quartermaster next to him. "If there's even the slightest bit of contraband in it, I, Gu Changfeng, will immediately take off my uniform and leave."

The quartermaster was an honest man. He took the bottle, smelled it, and sneezed from the pungent odor: "Reporting to the commander, this is indeed chili pepper, but... it's a bit too strong."

Li Aihong finally caught her breath. Her makeup was ruined, and her eyeliner was running down in dark lines, making her look like a female ghost.

She pointed at Lin Wanrou, her hand still trembling: "Even if... even if it's chili peppers, there must be something else added! Otherwise, how could it possibly be so alluring?"

Is it really that hard to acknowledge someone's excellence?

Gu Changfeng stepped forward, staring intently at Li Aihong: "Just because my wife cooks well, you're accusing her of breaking the law. Li Aihong, it seems you've been too idle in the compound these past few years. I'll personally go talk to the deputy political commissar and ask him how his family members' political awareness was cultivated."

Upon hearing that they needed to find the deputy political commissar, Li Aihong panicked completely.

Her man is very concerned about his image. If he finds out she made such a big fool of herself in the cafeteria, he'll definitely give her a piece of his mind when they get back.

"I...I was doing this for the good of the army..." Li Aihong's voice weakened, and her eyes darted away.

"Apologize," Gu Changfeng uttered.