Marriage in the 1970s: The Political Commissar's Contract Wife

It really was her! The motive for drugging her seems to have been found—was she rejected and turned to hate? Or is there some other, more complex reason?

If she wasn't hiding something, why did she rush to leave immediately after he was drugged?

"Why did she suddenly go back? Did she say what the reason was?" Fang Chu pressed, trying to find more evidence.

Wang Chun thought for a moment and said, "I heard that her mother back home accidentally broke her leg and there was no one to take care of her, so she rushed back."

The reason sounded perfectly reasonable and irrefutable. But considering what had happened before, to Fang Chu it sounded more like a meticulously planned, perfect excuse to get away with it.

He stared at the distant, hazy sky, his eyes cold. This Shen Xing was far more shrewd and difficult to deal with than he had imagined.

Seeing Fang Chu's serious expression, Wang Chun's curiosity gnawed at him like a kitten's paws, and he couldn't help but ask, "Political Commissar Fang, why are you asking about her? Did she get into some trouble?"

Fang Chu naturally wouldn't tell her the truth, but vaguely glossed over the question: "It's nothing, just asking. Were you... familiar with her before?"

"We're not exactly close," Wang Chun shook his head. "We've only washed clothes together a few times by the pond and exchanged a few words."

"So what do you think of her personality?" Fang Chu tried to get more information from an outsider's perspective.

Wang Chun tilted his head and thought for a moment, a look of confusion on his face: "I can't really explain it... Anyway, my sister-in-law specifically told me to stay away from her."

This caught Fang Chu's attention: "Oh? Why would your sister-in-law say that?"

Wang Chun pursed her lips, mimicking her sister-in-law's earnest tone: "My sister-in-law said that Shen Xing, though seemingly quiet, is actually more cunning than a honeycomb briquette! She said I'm just a simple-minded idiot; if I'm with her, I'm afraid she'll sell me out, and I'd happily help her count the money!"

"Hehe..." Fang Chu couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this, nodding and speaking with a rare teasing tone, "Your sister-in-law has a good eye for people. Indeed, listening to your sister-in-law is the right thing to do."

Wang Chun was taken aback at first, then realized that Fang Chu was indirectly agreeing with her calling her an "idiot," and immediately stomped her foot in anger, her face turning red: "Fang Chu! You're insulting me!"

Fang Chu ignored her outburst; he had more important matters to attend to. His smile faded, and he asked seriously, "Are your brother and sister-in-law home right now?"

"Yeah, I'm here! It's the first day of the Lunar New Year, where can I go?" Wang Chun was still fuming about being called an "idiot" earlier.

"Okay." Fang Chu nodded, glanced towards the bedroom, and whispered, "Keep an eye on things here and don't go in and disturb Qingqing's sleep. I have something to do and need to talk to your brother."

After saying that, he didn't linger any longer and turned to stride towards Wang Jianguo's country.

Wang Chun was left standing there, waving her fist at his retreating figure and muttering to herself, "Hmph! All he does is boss people around! He even called me an idiot. I'll tell on him when Xiaxia wakes up..."

When Fang Chu arrived at Wang Jianguo's house, Wang Jianguo was cleaning up the debris from last night's firecrackers in the yard, a cigarette dangling from his lips. Seeing him enter, Wang Jianguo raised an eyebrow in surprise: "Hey, Political Commissar Fang, what brings you here? Don't you have to stay home with your precious little darling?"

Fang Chu ignored his teasing and said seriously, "Brother Wang, is your wife home? I need to ask her about something."

Upon hearing this, Wang Jianguo frowned even more, his tone wary with a hint of possessiveness: "What do you want with my wife?" Coming to inquire about something on the first day of the Lunar New Year, and looking for his wife no less—something just didn't sound right.

"I'm inquiring about someone," Fang Chu said succinctly.

At this moment, Zhao Lili came out of the house upon hearing the noise, her hands still covered in dough: "Political Commissar Fang is here? Who are you asking about?"

"Sister-in-law," Fang Chu turned to her and gave her her name directly, "Shen Xing."

"Shen Xing?" Zhao Lili was taken aback for a moment, then realized, "Her? Didn't she go back to her hometown a long time ago? What happened?"

Fang Chu stared intently at Zhao Lili's expression: "Sister-in-law, do you know exactly why she went back back then?"

"Didn't they say that her mother accidentally broke her leg in her hometown and had no one to take care of her, so she rushed back?" Zhao Lili said, referring to the most widely circulated story at the time, but there seemed to be a hint of doubt in her eyes.

Fang Chu nodded; this excuse was indeed watertight.

He then asked the most crucial question: "Sister-in-law, what do you think of Shen Xing as a person...?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Lili's face revealed a meaningful expression. She wiped the flour off her hands and said with certainty, "She... is very shrewd."

"Shrewd?" Fang Chu needed more specific evidence. "Sister-in-law, could you elaborate? How exactly are you shrewd?"

Zhao Lili glanced at Fang Chu, then at her husband who was also listening intently, and lowered her voice:

"Don't blame me for being blunt. When you refused her offer to give you shoes, it wasn't a pleasant scene; you basically humiliated her completely. Normally, a young woman who suffers such humiliation would either cry and whine or hate you. But what did she do?"

Zhao Lili paused, her tone carrying a mixture of admiration and apprehension:

"From then on, she never mentioned you, Fang Chu, in public, not even a single word of 'no.' Instead, she kept 'explaining' for you in her words and actions. She said things like, 'Commissar Fang is young and holds a high position, so it's only natural that he has strong principles,' 'I was too rash and didn't think that much,' 'My brother idolizes him, and I was just curious and wanted to find an excuse to get to know him. I absolutely had no other thoughts and have always regarded him as an older brother.'"

Zhao Lili imitated that affected tone, then snorted coldly:

"Hmph! Only those who aren't thinking straight would believe her nonsense! They actually think she's some kind of innocent, sensible, and kind girl who endures injustice and compromises! On the contrary, they think you, Fang Chu, are cold-hearted, heartless, and lack social skills, taking this young girl's 'kindness' for granted!"

As Fang Chu listened, he felt a chill rise from the soles of his feet.

This Shen Xing is too good at exploiting human weaknesses and the power of public opinion.

She successfully portrayed herself as an innocent, misunderstood admirer, while placing him in an unapproachable position.

He immediately seized on another key point and pressed, "Sister-in-law, did she attend later events, such as the day Company Commander Qu got married?"

"No!" Zhao Lili answered decisively. "She's very shrewd! Ever since you rejected her, she and her brother Shen Shan have never shown up in any public place where you might appear! They've completely avoided suspicion! So those who believe her lies think she's really 'afraid' of you, and they feel even more sorry for her."

now it's right!