Chapter 21: I Don’t Know, It Just Grows That Way

Under Su Luyun’s threat of “if you don’t pay me back, I’ll go find Ling Wenchuan,” Zhao Yuzhu could only grit her teeth and hand over the one hundred yuan she had saved! This made her heart ache terribly because it was hard-earned! She never expected it would be saved for Su Luyun!

Su Luyun counted them, exactly ten “Great Unity” bills, and seeing Zhao Yuzhu’s face, twisted with anger yet trying to maintain composure, she chuckled, “Yuzhu, you’re not angry, are you? I couldn’t help it. Times have changed. With Changdong like this, and me giving all the money to my mother-in-law, I have very little left, so I could only ask you!”

Zhao Yuzhu’s face turned green, and she forced a smile, “What’s there to be angry about? I borrowed it from you anyway, so it’s only right that I return it.”

“I like hearing that. No wonder we get along so well.”

Zhao Yuzhu cursed inwardly, “Who wants to get along with you! I only see you as foolish and easy to manipulate, allowing me to take advantage of you. Otherwise, with your rotten temper that needs constant coaxing and pampering, who would want to hang out with you!”

Because her heart truly ached for that hundred yuan, she immediately changed the subject and started sowing discord: “Cousin, look at yourself now, what has your life become? You used to spend lavishly, and now you even have to ask me for this hundred yuan. What will you do in the future? You’re a big spender, and a hundred yuan won’t last you long. Giving those three thousand yuan to your mother-in-law was too impulsive.”

“It was a bit impulsive. That was three thousand yuan, a third of a ten-thousand-yuan household! Just thinking about it makes my heart ache. How about you go help me get it back?”

Zhao Yuzhu choked. “If anyone’s going to ask for it back, it should be you! What standing do I, a cousin, have to help you get money back?” But she was also mocking her inwardly, thinking, Sure enough, she’s putting on a show of being rich when she’s not! If He Yuling hadn’t mentioned those three thousand yuan, she probably wouldn’t have given it to her mother-in-law! She was just forced to act, and with a burst of stubbornness, she stifled her pain and gave the money to her mother-in-law to show her sincerity!

“Even if I wanted it back, it wouldn’t be now. I just gave the money to my mother-in-law, and all the neighbors are praising me. Then I turn around and ask for it back? What would everyone think of me? Wouldn’t everything I did before be in vain?”

Su Luyun said while cracking two eggs into a bowl, then pouring in the boiled rice porridge and stirring. This was “Vermillion Bird Soup.” It was very nourishing, perfect for feeding Zhou Changdong.

“But I’m not in a hurry. Now that you’ve returned a hundred to me, even if I’m a big spender, it’s enough for now. And even if it’s not enough, don’t I have you, my cousin? I can just borrow from you then. It’s no big deal,” Su Luyun smiled.

Zhao Yuzhu’s eyes widened! She never expected that Su Luyun would actually set her sights on her! But then she thought, this behavior is very Su Luyun! Isn’t this just how she acts!

“If I had it, you wouldn’t even need to ask, Cousin, but Wenchuan hasn’t given me any money either. This hundred yuan I gave you is already what I managed to save with great difficulty!” Zhao Yuzhu secretly gritted her teeth.

Su Luyun casually said, “How long have you two been living on your own, and you’ve already saved a hundred yuan? It seems Wenchuan treats you well. Anyway, help me save up more; I’ll come to you when I need it.”

Help her save up more? How could she say such a thing so naturally! Zhao Yuzhu didn’t want to stay for another second. “It’s getting late, I need to go back and cook for the kids!” With that, she fled as if escaping.

Su Luyun glanced at her fleeing back, her eyes filled with disdain. Playing games with me, your grandma? You’re not worthy.

---

Closing the door, she carried the still-warm Vermillion Bird Soup into the room. She set it down and began to vent to Zhou Changdong: “My cousin has always been narrow-minded since she was little. When I had anything good, she always wanted it, but not openly. She’d use little tricks and schemes, thinking she was very clever and everyone else was a fool. In reality, I just didn’t bother to stoop to her level!”

“But now I’m not happy about it. Ever since your accident, she’s been trying to subtly persuade me to divorce you. Today was even worse; she even wanted me to claim your property!”

“You’re in this state, if I were still thinking about your money, what kind of person would I be?”

“Although I’m not perfect, I do have principles!”

“I told her to stop, but she kept going on and on. It made me so angry that I took back the hundred yuan I lent her before, which made that petty little woman’s face turn black!”

“You didn’t see how wonderfully expressive her face was!”

“…”

Su Luyun stirred the Vermillion Bird Soup to cool it, chatting with Zhou Changdong about what happened in the kitchen. The courtyard wasn’t very soundproof at the time, and the kitchen wasn’t far, so they hadn’t deliberately lowered their voices. Thus, Zhou Changdong, with his excellent hearing, could vaguely hear their conversation. Hearing his wife badmouth her cousin, Zhou Changdong had only one thought: “How could my wife be so adorable?”

Su Luyun, of course, saw this line of text. She immediately found it amusing. I’m complaining to you about this cousin’s hypocrisy and pretense because I want to give you a heads-up, to let you know that we’re fake friends, not because I’m trying to act cute! But being popular is big sister’s passive skill, I understand. ┐(ﾟ～ﾟ)┌

But Su Luyun soon noticed another line of text from Zhou Changdong: “I’m about to lose control again.” o(＞﹏＜)o

Su Luyun quickly reacted at this point, immediately grabbed a fruit canning jar, and said, “Changdong, do you need to pee? You drank two bowls of soup at noon, and now there’s another big bowl. Let me help you first.” As she spoke, she began to take off Zhou Changdong’s pants. As the saying goes, “first time a stranger, second time a friend.” After what happened this morning, she still felt a bit shy seeing him, but her acceptance had greatly increased!

With a slight blush, she gently held Zhou Changdong sideways, propping him with a pillow to prevent him from leaning back. Then she placed the jar underneath and helped guide his “undescribable” into the jar’s opening. And just like her sisters-in-law, she whistled, “Shhh shhh~”

Zhou Changdong was originally overjoyed to hear his wife’s words: “Wife, are we telepathic?” When he was in position, ready to let go, he heard his wife’s sound. Although the man couldn’t immediately “let go,” he still felt a bit shy: “Wife, what are you doing?”

Su Luyun, of course, sensed the embarrassed tone. She couldn’t let him realize she was directly responding. After he was done, she dutifully helped him shake it, even though she hadn’t eaten pork, she had heard pigs run; she heard men all do this, and honestly, shaking it did make it cleaner. She helped him put his pants back on, then carried the jar of warm “return-dragon soup” outside to pour it away.

After washing her hands, she came back, but Su Luyun’s face was still flushed. Looking at the man on the bed, she murmured softly, “I’ve always had everything handed to me and food placed in front of me my whole life. I’ve never served anyone like this before, except for you, you bad man!”

“Wife~”

Zhou Changdong was greatly relieved that he didn’t wet the bed again, and hearing his wife’s words moved him beyond words.

Su Luyun smiled triumphantly, answering his previous question, “My sister-in-law babies my nephew like this, and I thought I’d try it. I didn’t expect it to work for you too! I’ll ‘shhh shhh’ you like this from now on!”

Zhou Changdong was embarrassed: “I’m not a child.”

Su Xiaoyaojing’s tone was full of playful reproach: “But why is yours… why is it so big? My little nephew’s is just a little chick.”

Zhou Changdong’s face felt hot: “I don’t know, it just grows that way.”