Su Qing and Wang Cuifen escorted Su Xue, who was pregnant, back to the Su family as cautiously as if they were transporting hazardous materials, terrified that something might happen to her in public.
By the time they returned, Xie Jianhua had lived up to expectations and achieved impressive results.
"A total of 231 yuan, 5 mao, and 2 fen was recovered. The family’s bicycle, thermos, and other items can cover another 200 yuan. We’re still short by 100, but that’ll be paid in a couple of days. I’ve listed all the items and funds in detail and had Su Youjin sign and fingerprint the document."
The most expensive item was the bicycle, which had cost 160 yuan to purchase, plus a bicycle voucher.
The 500-yuan betrothal gift had been provided by the Xie family, so Xie Jianhua naturally handed the recovered money and items to Wang Cuifen.
In an undivided household, the children’s wages were typically handed over to the parents, who managed the family finances. That was how most families operated in those days.
But Wang Cuifen didn’t take the money. Instead, she directed, "This money was fought for as Su Qing’s dowry—let her keep it herself. As for big-ticket items like the bicycle, it’s inconvenient to leave them at the Su family’s place. Let’s move them to our house today."
"Thank you, Auntie Wang. I won’t stand on ceremony, then." Su Qing smiled, her eyes curving into crescents.
The money consisted of both bills and coins, down to the last cent. Xie Jianhua must have gone to great lengths to scrape together that much.
Su Qing shot Xie Jianhua an appreciative glance and reached for the money—only to find that she couldn’t pull it free!
Their eyes locked as their hands engaged in a silent tug-of-war.
Afraid of tearing the money, neither dared to yank too hard, leaving them at an impasse.
Oh, so he’s being stingy now, huh? Su Qing flashed Xie Jianhua a forced smile before turning to Wang Cuifen with an instant look of pitiful grievance. "Auntie Wang~"
The moment Su Qing called out to her, Wang Cuifen immediately caught onto their little struggle. She smacked her son’s hand, snatched the money, and stuffed it into Su Qing’s palm.
"Take it. It’s just 200 yuan—no need to be polite with me."
After handing over the money, Wang Cuifen shot her son a glare that screamed, "Useless! I gave you a chance to make a good impression, and you still messed it up."
Xie Jianhua stared in disbelief at his reddened hand, utterly dumbfounded.
He had assumed Wang Cuifen’s earlier friendliness toward Su Qing was just a tactic to divide and conquer—win one over, isolate the other. But she was actually serious?
He’d been schemed against by the Su family! They’d tricked him so badly. How could Wang Cuifen still be fooled by them?
When Su Qing stepped away to wash her hands, Xie Jianhua finally seized the chance to explain to Wang Cuifen what had happened at the Su family’s place the previous night.
"That dinner invitation was a setup. Not only did they get me drunk, but they also drugged me!" The words "drugged me" came out through gritted teeth.
As a simple young man untainted by melodramatic TV shows or novels, the Su family’s antics had shattered his worldview, leaving him with a terrible impression of the entire household.
"Su Xue was the mastermind, but Su Qing definitely isn’t innocent either," Xie Jianhua speculated. "She might’ve been dragged into it, but who’s to say she didn’t play along willingly?"
Su Xue wanted to make him an unwitting father, while Su Qing could use him to avoid being sent to the countryside as an educated youth.
Judging by Su Qing’s behavior, she was no naive fool. Just look at today’s drama—the biggest winner wasn’t Su Xue, but Su Qing.
Of course, Xie Jianhua was the undisputed victim in all this.
As the aggrieved party, he found it hard to view either of the Su sisters favorably. Marriage was unavoidable, but earning even his basic trust would be an uphill battle.
Yet after his long speech, all he got from Wang Cuifen was an eye roll.
"You’re being tedious."
Xie Jianhua sighed. "Mom, appearances can be deceiving. You don’t even know her—"
Before he could finish, Wang Cuifen clamped a hand over his mouth.
"Shut up, you’re really being insufferable. Su Qing is as good as they come—I know her better than you do. If she hears you talking like this and gets upset, I’ll sew your mouth shut myself."
When Su Qing returned from washing her hands, she was met with Wang Cuifen’s beaming smile and Xie Jianhua’s resentful glare.
"Let’s go. You’ll have lunch at our place today," Wang Cuifen said warmly. "Spend the day with me. You can go back to the Su family to sleep tonight, but don’t worry—it’s just for one night. I’ll come fetch you first thing tomorrow."
If not for the wedding banquet being scheduled for the next day, Wang Cuifen would’ve insisted Su Qing stay with them that very night. Letting her return to the Su family alone felt disrespectful and unsafe.
With supplies scarce and everything requiring ration coupons—especially for meat, sugar, and the like—preparations had to be made months in advance, either by saving up or trading with others.
Pulling together a last-minute banquet the next day was no small feat, and Wang Cuifen refused to cut corners. The moment they got home, Xie Jianhua was sent off to barter for more coupons.
Meanwhile, Wang Cuifen gave Su Qing a thorough introduction to the household, determined to make her feel at ease.
"Our place has three rooms too, but since my husband is a war veteran and we got assigned housing early, our place has better orientation and bigger rooms—one of ours is easily twice the size of your family’s. Once we’re done with today’s errands, I’ll have someone partition a room for you right here, next to the window. It’ll get plenty of light. After that, I’ll have a new bed custom-made for you..."
A new room, a new bed, new furniture—Wang Cuifen’s promises for that tiny space painted a grand picture.
Su Qing was moved. "Auntie Wang, you’re too good to me." Almost suspiciously good.
If she hadn’t guessed that Wang Cuifen was a reincarnator, Su Qing might’ve suspected her of running some kind of scam.
Work, residency permits, housing—Wang Cuifen had taken care of everything Su Qing should’ve had to fight for herself, proving more reliable than Su Qing’s own birth mother.
"It’s nothing," Wang Cuifen said offhandedly. "We’d have to clear out a room for the wedding sooner or later. It’s just happening earlier than planned, otherwise I’d have had it ready by now."
Just as Su Qing began to think Wang Cuifen was simply kindhearted, the older woman leaned in with hopeful eyes and said bluntly, "I’m treating you well now, so you’ll have to take care of me when I’m old."
The straightforward request made Su Qing laugh.
But it was an easy promise to make—she couldn’t just take advantage without giving something in return.
Su Qing immediately vowed, "Of course! I’ll take care of you. I’ll buy you a big house, thick gold bracelets, a nice car, and take you out for all the best food..."
"Good, good. You’re a sweet girl, and I believe every word."
Wang Cuifen didn’t see this as some far-off fantasy. Beaming, she looped an arm around Su Qing’s shoulders and whispered conspiratorially, "I won’t take advantage of you either—I’ve got plenty of savings tucked away. All my private funds will go to you. Just you."
"Really?"
"As real as gold. No one will ever come before you in my eyes."
