Chapter 32: Providing the Evidence of Crime

Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Providing the Evidence of Crime

"I know." Su Wan’s happiness was written all over her face. "It’s perfect. I was just about to ask Xiao Li to help me buy a bit more pottery clay..."

A wave of jealousy washed over Lu Zhengchuan. She kept mentioning Xiao Li, but since he’d been the one to bring him up, he could only grit his teeth and bear it.

As she slept that night, Su Wan vaguely felt hot. She instinctively tried to turn over but was blocked halfway. The interruption jolted her mostly awake. Turning her head, she saw Lu Zhengchuan lying behind her.

He was on his side, his body positioned as though holding her in an embrace.

No wonder it was so hot. A man’s body was like a furnace, and it was summer besides.

Su Wan thought about buying an electric fan. The family compound had electricity, it was just that the rates were expensive.

She settled onto her back and fell asleep again.

In the moment before she closed her eyes, she failed to notice Lu Zhengchuan’s eyes opening in the darkness.

Lu Zhengchuan had woken up the moment she started to turn. He was accustomed to sleeping lightly and never truly let his guard down, even in the safety of the family compound.

He watched Su Wan in the darkness for an unknown length of time. When he saw her brow furrow and sweat bead on her forehead, he picked up a cattail-leaf fan and began to fan her gently.

He only stopped fanning when her brow smoothed out.

When Su Wan woke to the sound of the bugle call, she found the space beside her was already empty.

"Sister-in-law, the Battalion Commander had me bring you breakfast," Xiao Li’s voice called from outside the door.

Su Wan had just finished washing up. She went to open the courtyard gate and immediately saw Zhang Yun standing next to Xiao Li.

When Zhang Yun saw her, she called out hesitantly, "Sister-in-law..."

"What are you doing here?" Su Wan asked.

Xiao Li, oblivious to the awkward atmosphere between them, explained with a smile, "Sister-in-law, Comrade Zhang Yun’s punishment is over. I saw her coming out of the office and just brought her along."

Su Wan shot him a speechless glance. ’Is he expecting me to reward him for this?’

"Come in," Su Wan said, opening the door to let them both inside.

Xiao Li placed the breakfast he’d brought on the dining table.

Su Wan glanced at the portions. "Is Lu Zhengchuan coming home to eat?"

"The Battalion Commander is in a meeting with the leadership, so he might not be back. He said you shouldn’t wait for him, Sister-in-law."

Su Wan raised an eyebrow. "So with this much food, was one portion intended for Zhang Yun all along?"

Xiao Li was a straightforward person and blurted out, "The Battalion Commander mentioned to me that Comrade Zhang Yun would probably be released today, so I figured I’d buy an extra portion. If it goes uneaten, I’ll have it."

’Lu Zhengchuan didn’t say a word about Zhang Yun last night,’ Su Wan thought.

"Alright, I understand. Thank you, Xiao Li."

"Why don’t you stay and have some?"

"No thanks, Sister-in-law, I already ate at the mess hall." Xiao Li waved dismissively with a smile and left without lingering.

Su Wan sat down at the table. A moment later, Zhang Yun entered, having washed her hands. She glanced at Su Wan with pleading eyes before taking the seat across from her.

"Sister-in-law, may I have some breakfast?" Zhang Yun asked, her voice laced with apprehension.

Su Wan nodded. "Go ahead."

Zhang Yun picked up a steamed bun, took a bite, and peeked cautiously at Su Wan.

Su Wan didn’t look at her. Her gaze lowered, she calmly ate her meat congee and steamed egg custard.

"Sister-in-law, I’m sorry," Zhang Yun said, finally breaking the silence after a moment of internal struggle.

Su Wan looked up. "Oh? And what are you sorry for?"

Zhang Yun’s cheeks flushed. "I shouldn’t have disliked you, or helped Zheng Zhizhi."

’For her to say that, something must have happened that I don’t know about.’

"What happened to you these last few days? Why the sudden change of heart?" Su Wan asked bluntly.

Zhang Yun was initially too embarrassed to talk, but she didn’t know anyone else in the unit. Even her only relative, her cousin, was angry and refusing to speak to her.

It wasn’t in her nature to keep things bottled up, but who would have thought that the only person she could possibly confide in now was Su Wan, the very woman she used to despise.

Zhang Yun’s face was flushed, her words growing more indignant as she spoke. "Sister-in-law, I’ve been such a fool."

Su Wan shot her a sidelong glance. ’So you finally figured that out.’

"Zheng Zhizhi was just using me the whole time." Zhang Yun bit into her steamed bun as if she were tearing into Zheng Zhizhi’s flesh. "She was the one who hinted I should do all those things, but when it came time to report to the leadership, she denied it all."

"And the worst part is, I can’t find any proof."

The more she spoke, the angrier Zhang Yun became. "And because of that, the military can’t officially charge her."

"Sister-in-law... I’m so sorry."

"The money and gifts she stole... did the blame for that fall on you, too?" Su Wan hazarded a guess.

"Yes!" Zhang Yun couldn’t even lift her head. She could already imagine the aftermath: Zheng Zhizhi’s reputation might be slightly tarnished, but most people would probably think she, Zhang Yun, was the stupid one who misled Zheng Zhizhi into believing her cousin was interested in her.

She would be the one who gets torn to shreds, while Zheng Zhizhi would come out looking like the innocent victim.

Compared to the issue of money and valuables, the crime of swapping letters seemed almost trivial.

Su Wan heard all this, completely unsurprised.

"Lift your head. This is enough to defeat you? No wonder Zheng Zhizhi tricked you so easily," Su Wan said calmly.

Zhang Yun looked up, surprised. "Sister-in-law, aren’t you angry?"

"What’s the use in being angry?"

"...But I’m still furious." Zhang Yun didn’t have Su Wan’s composure. She used to think Su Wan’s unflappable demeanor was just an act—a pretense of being strong, proud, and putting on airs.

Looking back, she realized those thoughts hadn’t formed in a vacuum; Zheng Zhizhi had been there, whispering provocations.

"What’s there to worry about? I knew what you two were up to back in the village. Did you really think I’d come here unprepared?"

Zhang Yun’s heart leaped. "Sister-in-law, what do you mean by that?"

She suddenly felt a dangerous aura emanating from Su Wan.

It was as if everything she and Zheng Zhizhi had done was well within Su Wan’s predictions.

Su Wan finished the last of her breakfast. "Just wait and see."

She turned and went into the bedroom for a moment, then headed for the command office.

Zhang Yun followed, partly out of concern for the pregnant woman, and partly out of curiosity to see what she was about to do.

Upon seeing Commander Ji, Su Wan handed over the evidence she had prepared. "Commander, this is proof that Zheng Zhizhi and her family sold the items Lu Zhengchuan sent home on the black market."

Commander Ji looked down at the documents. They detailed the location of the black market in Yang County, Yang Province, the name of a contact there, and a record of Zheng Hai’s frequent visits.

If they went to the black market and arrested the contact, they could verify the truth of her claims.

It even included records of the buyers to whom Zheng Hai had sold the clothes and other items.

Naturally, Su Wan had gleaned all this evidence from her prophetic dreams.

It was absolutely genuine.

"Comrade Su Wan, this evidence has come at the perfect time. Our soldiers were unable to find any physical evidence at the Zheng Family’s home, aside from the money."

This, in fact, was the real reason the military had been unable to press charges against Zheng Zhizhi.

As for Zhang Yun’s fear that she would have to take the fall, that stemmed from her worry that the Zheng family would successfully spin the narrative back in the village to clear Zheng Zhizhi’s name.

"Commander, there’s one more thing," Su Wan said, having stewed on this for a long time. "There’s a rumor going around the Sunshine Team that Lu Zhengchuan didn’t marry Zheng Zhizhi because her family demanded an exorbitant bride price, so he married me instead. I hope the military can help clarify the truth, because Lu Zhengchuan never once went to the Zheng Family to propose marriage."