Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Reported for Exchanging Chili Sauce

While they were eating, Lu Xiao said he had received a mission and had to leave tomorrow. He probably wouldn’t be back for about a week.

Hearing this, Su Tang broke a coarse-grain bun in half. “So sudden?”

Lu Xiao hummed in affirmation. “A mission can’t wait. I’ve already spoken to Director Li and asked him to look after you.”

In reality, Su Tang could handle most things just fine on her own.

But Lu Xiao was worried her background might bring her unnecessary trouble.

That was why Lu Xiao had made a special point of visiting Director Li to ask for his help if the need arose.

“I’m not a child, but… thank you anyway.”

Before she could finish saying thank you, Lu Xiao looked up at her.

His expression seemed to say that he didn’t want to hear the words “thank you.”

“Lu Xiao, you’re wonderful.”

Su Tang changed her phrasing. As Lu Xiao tasted the soft, sweet congee, it somehow reminded him of her accent.

’Do all southerners talk like this?’

’Always saying thank you.’

“If you run into any trouble you can’t handle, just lie low and wait for me to get back.”

After giving his instructions, Lu Xiao looked at Su Tang, still a bit worried.

Su Tang shooed him off to wash the dishes while she went to pack the things he would need.

’I wonder what kind of mission it is, and if it’s dangerous.’

With Lu Xiao away on his mission, it felt a little strange for Su Tang to be all alone.

Nevertheless, after getting off work from the hospital, she immediately set about preparing the chili peppers she needed.

She had traded the pile of things the other wives had given her with a local old farmer for a large batch of good chili peppers.

Once it was ready, Su Tang went door-to-door delivering the chili sauce.

Su Tang didn’t think much of it, figuring people were just appreciating her cooking skills.

However, less than two days later, a nasty undercurrent began to stir in the family compound.

It started with people pointing and whispering about her behind her back.

“Tsk, have you heard? That chili sauce from Doctor Su isn’t a gift—you have to trade for it!”

“Well, now, isn’t that just a form of business? Trading goods for goods, how’s that any different from going to the market?”

“Exactly. She’s a capitalist’s daughter from Shanghai, after all. Doing business to make money is in her bones!”

“This sets a terrible example! This is a military family compound. We’re supposed to be about dedication, unity, and mutual support, and she’s over here running a business?”

Su Tang was at the hospital during the day, so she didn’t hear the gossip. Seeing how busy she was, Zhang Cui decided not to add to her worries by mentioning it.

But she never imagined the rumors would spread so fiercely, with more embellishments added along the way.

“I heard she traded for all sorts of good things! Chicken eggs, duck eggs, even fine-grain flour!”

“Exactly! And how much can that chili sauce possibly cost to make? Isn’t she just taking advantage of everyone?”

Gloating voices also began to surface, especially from those who had never liked Su Tang and were jealous of her good looks and growing popularity.

“Hmph, I knew it. The true nature of a capitalist’s daughter was bound to be exposed sooner or later!”

“Acting all high and mighty, but isn’t she just trying to find ways to line her own pockets?”

“This is great. Let’s see how she gets out of this! She’s just waiting to be punished!”

“Serves her right! That’s what she gets for trying to be the center of attention! For showing off!”

Sure enough, one afternoon on Su Tang’s day off, there was a knock on her courtyard gate.

They were holding small notebooks, clearly having received a complaint.

The moment the gate opened, even more nosy onlookers gathered outside.

“Comrade Su Tang.”

Mr. Zhao’s tone was calm enough, but it was tinged with the seriousness of official business.

“We’ve received a report from residents stating that you have been using homemade chili sauce to trade for items with other military families in the compound, engaging in a form of covert bartering. Is there any truth to this?”

As soon as he said this, the surroundings fell silent, and all eyes fixed on Su Tang.

Faced with this sudden inquiry, Su Tang glanced at the expressions of the people around her but didn’t say much.

She only frowned slightly, her face showing no hint of panic.

She didn’t even try to defend herself immediately, calmly inviting Mr. Zhao and Comrade Wang from the Security Section into the house.

“Hello, Mr. Zhao, Comrade Wang.”

“Yes, that’s true. People did bring some of their surplus vegetables, chicken eggs, duck eggs, and so on, to trade for a little of my homemade chili sauce.”

Her frank admission surprised both Mr. Zhao and Comrade Wang, and it also stunned the people outside who were waiting to see her look flustered.

“I don’t consider this ’covert bartering’ or ’engaging in capitalism’.”

Su Tang glanced around at the crowd outside before her gaze finally settled on Mr. Zhao.

“I made the chili sauce from scratch in my spare time. I traded for the peppers with a local elderly man, rendered the oil myself, and mixed the seasonings. People thought it was delicious and wanted to try it. That’s a sign they appreciate my skill.”

“The things they brought were all grown in their own gardens or laid by their own chickens and ducks—things they either had in surplus or couldn’t bear to eat themselves. In essence, it’s just neighbors sharing a bit of what they have, helping each other out. ’You give me a handful of vegetables, I’ll give you a spoonful of sauce.’ It’s about strengthening our bonds and diversifying our dinner tables.”

“How is this fundamentally different from folks in the countryside giving each other fruits and vegetables?”

“If this is considered ’engaging in capitalism,’ then if anyone in our compound makes something delicious and shares it with their neighbors, should that also be considered ’speculation and profiteering’?”

Su Tang’s tone carried a perfectly measured counter-question; it wasn’t sharp, but it pointed directly to the heart of the matter.

After saying this, Su Tang spotted a figure in blue outside the crowd. She finally understood where this unwarranted trouble had come from.

She looked at Mr. Zhao, her gaze frank. “Mr. Zhao, the cost of my chili sauce is just the peppers, oil, salt, and a few spices. I only make a small amount. It’s purely a personal hobby; I never thought of profiting from it.”

“The items people brought are of very little value; it’s purely a reflection of neighborly affection. If such simple sharing between neighbors is going to be slapped with a negative label, won’t that just discourage everyone from helping one another?”

After taking a deep breath, Su Tang said with a forlorn air, “I don’t know who reported me, but I truly never expected that mutual support could be so misconstrued.”

“Prejudice in the human heart truly is an immovable mountain.”

Seeing Su Tang’s sorrowful expression, Aunt Wang stepped forward to comfort her. “Xiao Su, don’t think like that. The person who reported you simply has malicious intentions.”

“That’s right, Su Tang! If you’ve done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear. I’d like to see which shameless bastard went and reported you.”

Zhang Cui hurried over with Sister Li. After a sweeping glance, she put a stop to the whispers.

“Mr. Zhao, we have regulations, but that doesn’t mean you can just randomly slap labels on people, right?”

“Whoever reported her, tell her to step forward. We’ll hash this out face-to-face.”

’They’re always finding ways to bother Su Tang. It’s just endless, isn’t it?’

The stern expressions on the faces of Mr. Zhao and Comrade Wang gradually softened, and they exchanged a glance.

“Where is the chili sauce? And the items that were brought?”

They had to see for themselves whether things were really as Su Tang had said before they could make a decision.

They wouldn’t let a guilty person off the hook, but they couldn’t wrongly accuse a good comrade, either.

“In here.”

On her way to the kitchen, Su Tang grabbed half an onion and squeezed it in her hand.

By the time she came back out, tears were streaming uncontrollably from her eyes.

’Today, I have to change their opinion of me, no matter what.’

’If you don’t solve one problem, it only leads to endless more.’

Mr. Zhao cleared his throat, his tone now significantly milder.

“Comrade Su Tang, we understand your situation. Neighbors sharing homegrown food to foster good relationships is a good thing in itself.”

“But you must be mindful of your methods and maintain the proper boundaries to avoid causing unnecessary misunderstandings. As for the issue raised in the complaint, we will investigate it further. We will not wrongly accuse a good comrade.”

With that said, Mr. Zhao left with his colleague.

Tears were streaming down Su Tang’s face, and Zhang Cui’s heart ached at the sight.

“Which son of a bitch reported this? Dares to do it but won’t take responsibility, is that it? If you don’t step forward now, just wait until I find out who you are. You’ll be sorry!”

With her hands on her hips, Zhang Cui glared at the onlookers. Meeting her gaze, they all began to scatter.

Seeing that everyone was about to leave, Su Tang strode forward and grabbed a man standing outside. “Hu Jianjun, you’re the one who reported me, aren’t you?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep