Chapter 16 – Warmhearted Family

As they reached the entrance of the house, Su Maomao darted out excitedly, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the items on the cart.

His thin, dark little hands reached out to touch the fabric.

“Little Aunt, are you going to make me clothes?”

“And there’s meat too!”

His originally dark little face broke out into a wide, beaming smile.

“Long live Little Aunt! Long live Little Aunt!”

“Come, help me carry things inside!” Su Nianzhi said.

Wang Guifang, who had been worried about her daughter, heard the commotion outside and immediately sprang up from the straw shed.

“Zhizhi!”

Then, seeing her little boy grinning from ear to ear, holding actual fabric in his hands — something their household hadn’t seen in years — she was stunned.

“Maomao, don’t go yet, let Grandma have a feel.”

“Grandma, it’s real cloth! Little Aunt bought a bunch and said she’ll make clothes for everyone in the family.”

Wang Guifang instinctively glanced at the goods piled on the cart outside the door.

Oh my, so much stuff. But it didn’t matter — as long as her daughter was happy.

After all, it was Zhizhi who found that deer in the first place, so the money from selling it was hers to use as she pleased.

She rubbed her eyes. There were oil, rice, and meat — all essentials her daughter had thoughtfully bought for the family.

She hadn’t even gotten anything for herself.

Holding Su Nianzhi’s hand with heartache, she said, “Child, why didn’t you buy yourself some treats with that money? I remember how much you used to love candy.”

Back in the apocalypse, Su Nianzhi had also been a pampered little princess dearly loved by her mother. Her nose tingled at the sudden warmth and she leaned into Wang Guifang’s shoulder.

“Mom, the family was dragged down by my illness for so long. I wanted to do something to help.”

Wang Guifang’s heart swelled with emotion. Her daughter was so thoughtful. Her rough hand gently patted Nianzhi’s hand, eyes full of tenderness.

“Don’t talk nonsense. How could you have dragged us down? Your dad and I are still strong. We could take care of you until you’re eighty.”

Su Nianzhi couldn’t help but giggle, rubbing her head affectionately on her mother’s shoulder.

“Then I’ll cling to you forever. You’re not allowed to get tired of me.”

Wang Guifang’s face crinkled with joy, her smile lighting up her wrinkled features.

“Little Aunt, me too! I won’t get married in the future — I’ll just take care of Little Aunt!” piped up Maomao.

Wang Guifang laughed and scolded, “You little rascal, talking about marriage at your age?”

“I won’t marry, I won’t marry!” he said, pulling a funny face.

The courtyard was full of warmth and laughter.

Once everything from the cart was unloaded, they shut the door, finally cutting off the prying gazes from outside.

Plenty of neighbors had been watching with envy — but there was nothing they could do about it. Not everyone had such a beautiful daughter or such a capable girl in the family.

Old Man Su sat cheerfully under the eaves, smoking his dry tobacco. He didn’t say much, but his eyes were filled with love as he watched his daughter.

“Dad, later I’ll take your measurements and have Mom make you a new set of clothes,” Su Nianzhi said.

As soon as she came close, Old Man Su quickly held his pipe far away and got up to move to the straw shed.

“I already have clothes. You make yours first.”

Wang Guifang shot him a glare. “If your daughter wants to make you clothes, then let her. Stop whining.”

Old Man Su didn’t get upset at all. He nodded repeatedly. “Okay, okay, I’ll listen to my Zhizhi.”

By evening, Su Nianzhi had cooked white rice and braised pork and even simmered a soup with large marrow bones.

Everyone in the family was still too weak physically.

Drinking more nourishing soups like this would help.

When Su Zhewen returned from working outside and stepped up to the door, the smell hit him so hard he thought he had the wrong house. He even stepped back to double-check.

Nope, it was their house.

After last night’s braised rabbit, he had been dreaming about it all night.

At dinner, he finally saw the mouthwatering braised pork he had longed for.

Su Nianzhi served each person a full bowl of rice.

Seeing that Wang Guifang and Old Man Su were reluctant to eat the meat, she waved her chopsticks and distributed the meat evenly into everyone’s bowl.

After dinner, she ladled out a bowl of soup for each person.

“Mom, let the bone soup simmer overnight. Tomorrow morning, we can have soup-soaked rice.”

Upon hearing that there’d be more delicious food tomorrow, Su Maomao finally set down his bowl with some reluctance.

That meal felt like a dream to everyone.

“Eldest Brother, go bring some food to the Wang family — to Grandma and the others,” Su Nianzhi said.

She had nearly forgotten about her maternal family — Wang Guifang’s side.

If it weren’t for their help, the Su family might’ve starved by now.

That was why Old Man Su had always sent over anything good they had.

“Dad, let Big Brother take the remaining slab of meat, half a bag of rice, and that wild chicken from yesterday too.”

Wang Guifang’s eyes turned red. Her husband and daughter were both so good.

They hadn’t forgotten their roots.

“Keep the chicken for Zhizhi to build up her strength. Send the rest over.”

Old Man Su had no objections.

“Then I’ll go to the village entrance and buy some fried snacks for Grandma, and get a few sweet pastries for the little cousins.”

“I’ll give you money,” said Wang Guifang.

Though she hated spending, her maternal family had been generous to them.

She wasn’t stingy when it came to repaying kindness.

“Mom, I’ve got money. I haven’t even given you the money from selling the deer yet.”

She pulled out a thick wad of cash.

“We sold the deer for 144 yuan, but the buyer added 50 more when he found out the antlers could be used for medicine — so, 194 in total.”

Wang Guifang stared at the money in shock. She thought they’d only get a few dozen yuan.

She didn’t expect this much.

Her daughter truly was their lucky star.

“And today’s shopping?” she asked.

“That was Zhizhi’s own earnings! Didn’t she tell you?” Su Zhewen said.

Su Nianzhi: ???
Second Brother, are you just throwing me under the bus?

Covering her face, Su Nianzhi told them everything that had happened at the mall earlier that day.

Everyone was stunned.

“Zhizhi, you really know how to treat illnesses?” Wang Guifang asked, not out of suspicion, but because her daughter had always been in poor health.

Could it be that years of illness had made her into a doctor?

Su Nianzhi still had the memories of this body’s original owner. “Mom, did you forget the old man who used to live in the cow shed? He was a famous doctor from Beijing.”

Wang Guifang thought about it and realized that was true.

In fact, Su Nianzhi had just felt sorry for him and given him some food. She had never actually studied medicine.

But then again — who would know the truth now?

That old man had already passed away.

In the end, Wang Guifang came to her own conclusion: Zhizhi was smart like her and pretty to boot — no wonder people liked her.

Meanwhile, Su Zhewen packed everything and set off for Wangjia Village Village.

It was only about a 20-minute walk from Yushui Village.

At his pace, he could go and come back in under an hour.

Along the way, he ran into meddlesome Aunt Liu — the biggest gossip in the village.

Half the rumors in the village came from her.

She had already noticed the Su family girl returning with a mountain of goods.

Now she saw the Su family’s eldest son carrying a heavy basket, clearly heading toward Wang Guifang’s maternal home.

She couldn’t help but mutter under her breath, “Tch, just started living a good life, and already sending everything to her mother’s side.”

Unable to hold it in, she wandered off to the drying yard where a bunch of village women were gossiping and chatting.

Spotting Aunt Ma also out for a stroll, she whispered, “Did you hear? Guifang’s family just got a bit of money, and she’s already sending it all to her mom’s side. You should’ve seen the basket the Su family boy was carrying — so full! I bet half the stuff that girl brought home ended up in Wangjia Village.”

And just like that, the rumor mill exploded.

Huang Lanying, who happened to be nearby, heard every word.

Her face darkened as she ran straight home.