In the next few days, people did come over with things in hand, but Cheng Su followed Qi Taiguo’s suggestion. She went to school for classes during the day and stayed behind closed doors when she returned. Even if someone came over, she had her sister-in-law block them, claiming she was unwell and needed to nurture her pregnancy.
After a few days like this, everyone knew Cheng Su was deliberately avoiding them, and rumors quietly spread around the compound, saying she was putting on airs or something like that.
Hualing heard about it too—her husband Chen Shouwang was on the list, so naturally, those women who also found themselves in similar situations banded together to criticize Cheng Su.
Some of the nastier ones even said things about how she couldn’t even give birth properly; even though Hualing was a mother herself, she couldn’t stand it and retorted back, leading to several small arguments. So later, when she saw Cheng Su, she made some sarcastic remarks.
"You managed to stay clear of the mess, but now many people in the compound say you’re too stuck-up, not nice," she said coolly.
Cheng Su replied, "Let them talk. If they have what it takes, they could put on airs too, instead of coming to my house every few days with things in hand, trying to curry favor!"
Hualing laughed with a puff, secretly admiring Cheng Su’s relaxed perspective. If it had been her, she might have cursed back on the spot.
"You’ve got a big heart!" Hualing sighed.
"What else can I do?" Cheng Su also sighed and said, "We’re all neighbors who see each other often. If everyone comes to me with gifts asking for favors, who can I really help? It’s not something I can decide. Not to mention them, even you—you have close access, haven’t I ever mentioned to Qi Taiguo to remove Chen Shouwang’s name?"
Hualing remained silent.
"New replaces old, it’s not just about changing names on a list, but rather the power behind it, right? The army needs fresh blood, and so does the country. This isn’t something a single person can influence. Once one person bends the rules, there will be more to follow. If we don’t replace the old and weak, how will the combat power improve?" Cheng Su sighed, "I don’t know what others would do, but our Old Qi definitely won’t abuse power. All he thinks about is how to ensure the country’s vitality and strength."


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