A delicate beauty takes a place in a marriage, while a cold, rough man seduces her every night.

Xiao Jingye curled his knuckles tightly at his sides.

He struggled to suppress the anger surging in his chest and tried his best to keep his voice steady: "May I see that whistleblower letter?"

"No, the whistleblower materials are kept confidential throughout the entire process, and outsiders have no right to access them."

After finishing speaking, Officer Li looked up at him and asked in a low voice, "Are you her husband?"

"Yes." Xiao Jingye nodded.

Officer Li hesitated for a moment, slightly lowered his eyes, and deliberately lowered his voice, offering a private suggestion:

"The letter listed two charges: first, that he had an improper private life, seduced married men, and had a chaotic relationship with women; second, that he physically punished students at school and had a serious lack of professional ethics."

"This is pure malicious slander!"

A fierce glint flashed in Xiao Jingye's eyes, but his tone was firm and resolute: "I am her husband, and I know best that she is of impeccable character and moral integrity. She is patient and kind to her students, and dedicated to her work. Everyone in the surrounding area knows that she is a responsible and good teacher. These accusations are all deliberate slander!"

Officer Li sighed helplessly, "There's no use telling me this. I'm just a grassroots officer, I only follow the rules. Once a report is filed with the real name, regardless of the authenticity of the evidence, the person involved will be implicated. She has almost no chance of turning things around, and will most likely have to leave the teaching profession forever."

Xiao Jinye felt a chill run down his spine.

Is there really no cost to reporting someone?

A stranger can easily destroy a person's passion, hard work, and future prospects with just a fabricated report, without any evidence or verification.

The falsely accused had no way to prove their innocence and were thus nailed to the pillory of shame.

Wouldn't this mean that anyone who harbors jealousy or personal grudges could arbitrarily make false accusations and frame others, and arbitrarily destroy their lives?

How heartbroken and desperate would his beloved wife be if she knew about this?

Xiao Jingye dared not think about it; just thinking about it made his heart ache.

He clenched his fist, his gaze serious, and asked, "Is the whistleblower's surname Yu?"

Secretary Li shook his head slightly.

You guessed wrong.

He wasn't about to let this opportunity slip by, staring intently at Officer Li's face, his eyes sharp and urgent: "Your surname is Chen, and your name is Chen Xiaomeng, right?"

Officer Li paused for a moment, his eyebrows twitched slightly, and he deliberately avoided the question: "Don't make wild guesses. I won't reveal the whistleblower's information."

It really is her.

Xiao Jingye's pupils contracted sharply, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and a chill ran through his heart.

He forced himself to calm down, concealing the sharpness in his eyes, and nodded to Officer Li: "Sorry to bother you."

He then went out and closed the door behind him.

-

Xiao Jingye walked out of the Education Bureau compound and bought a pack of cigarettes at a roadside convenience store.

His brows furrowed deeply, his gaze fixed on the void, as he leaned against the motorcycle, a cigarette between his fingers, lost in thought.

The staff member Li just now was just a staff member; she really couldn't make any decisions, nor did she have the ability to turn the tide for Qingyan.

With a flick of the knuckles, the ashes fell silently.

The morning light gilded his cold, hard profile, highlighting his high nose, thin lips, and handsome, charming features. Dressed in a shirt and jeans, he looked as young and dashing as a carefree college student.

Several female students from the county high school walked past him, all with their heads down and faces flushed.

Xiao Jingye lazily tilted his head back and exhaled a smoke ring towards the sky.

He didn't care about public school positions or teacher certifications; he was determined to clear his wife's name and get justice.

This matter absolutely cannot be left like this!

He finished his cigarette, stubbed it out with his foot, and nimbly hopped onto his motorcycle.

It was already afternoon when we arrived in the city.

He first went to the warehouse to count and pack the wild game he had just harvested the day before, and then rode his bicycle to deliver it to the state-run restaurant.

It wasn't peak dining time yet, and the kitchen was quiet. When Chef Xu saw him arrive, he greeted him with a smile.

Xiao Jingye took two packs of cigarettes from his pocket, stuffed them into Lao Xu's pocket, and lit one for him.

"Uncle Xu, you mentioned last time that a leader from the Education Bureau often eats here and has a particular fondness for wild game?"

Old Xu took off his chef's hat and tucked it under his arm, slowly exhaling a puff of smoke: "That's a big shot, Deputy Director Zhang of the Education Bureau."

"Last time he specifically asked me where the wild game came from, because his whole family loves to eat it. His wife is pregnant recently, and the family cherishes her terribly. Most of the wild ginseng and astragalus you sent a while ago were packed up and taken away by him, specifically for the pregnant woman to nourish and regulate her body."

Xiao Jingye pressed further in a deep voice, "When does he usually come here to eat?"

Old Xu loosened his belt, casually puffed on a cigarette, and replied, "It's been a while since I've dined in at the restaurant, but I did order a stewed chicken with codonopsis root. It's still cooking in the kitchen, and I'll have to send someone over later."

Xiao Jingye pursed his lips, his eyes flashing: "Uncle Xu, I'll deliver it to you in a bit."

"You need someone's help with something?" Old Xu saw right through him.

"Yes," Xiao Jingye replied calmly.

Through the swirling smoke, Old Xu smiled helplessly and pointed at him, saying, "You little rascal..."

A moment later, the kitchen staff poured the simmered chicken soup into a large insulated container.

Old Xu solemnly handed it to him: "Go ahead, this leader is very important, be careful in your work, don't mess it up for me."

Xiao Jingye accepted it with both hands: "You can rest assured that I can handle things well."

-

As school let out in the evening, a light rain began to fall, and the autumn wind was chilly.

Qingyan didn't bring an umbrella, so she took a hooded jacket that she usually wore during her lunch break from the office, wrapped Duoduo up tightly, and slowly rode her bicycle home.

Duo Duo peeked out from under her coat with her round eyes and asked softly, "Sister-in-law, are you cold?"

The little one has even learned to care about people.

Qingyan smiled and said, "I'm not cold. You should wrap yourself up tighter and make sure you don't get wet in the rain."

Duoduo nestled quietly for a moment, then suddenly asked out of the blue, "Sister-in-law, what does marriage mean?"

Qiao Qingyan slowly pedaled her bicycle and explained softly, "Marriage is about two people who like each other becoming a family and spending their days together, just like your brother and I."

"Will my sister-in-law and brother have a baby?"

Qingyan gave a soft "hmm," and a blush rose to her cheeks.

Duo Duo's curiosity grew even stronger, and she craned her little head to ask, "Sister-in-law, when are you having a baby?"

"I don't know," Qingyan said softly, with a hint of shyness.

"You don't know?" Duoduo tilted her head, her eyes full of confusion. "Why wouldn't you know?"

Embarrassed by the question, Qiao Qingyan replied in a muffled voice, "I just don't know. Go back and ask your brother."

The country lanes were muddy and slippery after the rain, making it difficult for Qiao Qingyan to ride her bicycle steadily. So she simply took a detour and rode on the smooth main road instead.

Halfway through my bicycle ride, a piercing horn suddenly blared from behind me.

Qingyan quickly turned around and glanced at it; it turned out to be a car!

She quickly steered the car to the side of the road to let the car pass.

To her surprise, the other party stopped right next to her, and Qingyan also braked to stop.

The front and rear windows rolled down together, revealing several repulsive faces.

"Qingyan, it's raining so hard, how come you don't even have an umbrella?" It was her eldest aunt, Qiao Liping, who spoke, her tone tinged with sarcasm.

Sitting next to her was Qingyan's cousin-in-law, who was also Qiao Liping's daughter-in-law. The cousin echoed:

"The umbrella isn't expensive, is it? Xiao Jingye rides a motorcycle, how come he can't even afford to buy you an umbrella?"

Inside the front window, Chen Xiaomeng was wearing an expensive wool coat, her face was powdered, and she wore bright red lipstick, giving off a gaudy and vulgar vibe.

Duo Duo immediately recognized the woman who had kicked her last time. She ripped off the clothes from her head, pointed at her, and shouted, "Old witch!"

Chen Xiaomeng's eye twitched violently, a flash of malice passing through her.

Just as she was about to reprimand the idiot, she changed her mind and, mindful of her current respectable status, smoothed a stray hair behind her ear and sighed magnanimously, "This child really has no manners at all."

"However, considering you're an idiot, I won't hold it against you."

Duo Duo, as if her tail had been stepped on, straightened her back and retorted loudly, "I'm not stupid!"

Qingyan reached back and patted her reassuringly, a slight smile playing on her lips, and looked up into the car:

"Those who constantly criticize a child—whoever does it knows in their heart who lacks manners!"

Chen Xiaomeng, with her thick skin honed over the years, ignored her retort and spoke with feigned gentleness:

"Didn't Jinye come to pick you up? The roads are so slippery in the rain, and you're riding your bike with a noisy kid in tow. Why don't you ride in our car and have your brother-in-law take you home?"

At this moment, Jiang Runsheng, who was in the driver's seat, leaned out and his gaze fell on Qiao Qingyan:

"Qingyan, get in the car, I'll give you a ride."