CHAPTER 8: 

The two exchanged looks before Li Chaoyang rubbed his nose and muttered, “Brother Mobai told me not to tell you… better if you don’t ask.”

Su Yuan understood instantly.
“How much did he chip in?”

The fan had indeed been second-hand, and the price was 130 yuan. Li Chaoyang raised one hand.

“Fifty yuan. Not much.”

At that moment, Su Yuan’s feelings were complicated. She pulled out five large bills from her shoulder bag and handed them over.

“Please give this back to him for me, and thank him.”

But Li Chaoyang refused, even taking two steps back.
“You should give it to him yourself. We’re too chicken to meddle in that.”

Sun Xiaohu nodded in agreement.

Helpless, Su Yuan put the fifty yuan back in her pocket.

Seeing this, Li Chaoyang leaned in excitedly.
“Jie, good news! Reliable sources say Brother Mobai did really well on his last mission. He’s about to be transferred to the Southwest Military Region — probably back in Beijing in a year.”

Su Yuan froze.
“You’ve been in contact with him?”

“No, it’s just internal news.”

Knowing he was safe, her heart finally settled.

She thought to herself: In the book, there’s no plot about him — maybe because he would settle down in the Southwest.

Actually… that was fine. It meant she could go to the Northeast with peace of mind.

Li Chaoyang, unaware of her thoughts, was still trying to play matchmaker.
“Why don’t you give Brother Mobai a call? He only has patience for you — me and Xiaohu, he can’t stand us.”

After a brief pause, Su Yuan agreed.

The guardhouse had an internal phone. She dialed his extension, but the person who picked up was the same one as last time.

She learned Fu Mobai was still away. The man on the other end seemed even more curious about her relationship with him.

Su Yuan didn’t explain much, just hung up, feeling a faint melancholy.

Once she left this time… they might never see each other again in this life.

—

Because of the heat, Zhang Lanjun couldn’t bear staying in her bedroom and was sitting in the main room by the fan. Seeing Su Yuan return empty-handed, she raised an eyebrow.
“Where’s your fan?”

Su Yuan lied that it had broken and needed a few days to be repaired.

The Su family all hated the heat — almost every room had a fan, except Zhao Xiaoxue’s.

Feeling sorry for her biological daughter, Zhang Lanjun suggested,
“Xiaoxue’s got a heat rash. When your fan’s fixed, why don’t you lend it to her for a few days? The department store’s out of stock right now. Once they get more in, I’ll buy you a new one.”

Since she’d be heading to the countryside soon, Su Yuan didn’t care — as long as her ears were spared the noise, she could agree to anything.

Seeing no objection, Zhang Lanjun actually smiled warmly.
“You two are sisters, and life’s a long road. No matter what, family comes first — don’t let a man ruin the harmony.”

But Su Yuan’s ears were far from at peace. The more she listened, the more her brows furrowed, and she cut her off directly:
“Mom, the fan still needs a few more days to be fixed. Xiaoxue’s heat rash can’t wait — why don’t you lend her yours instead?”

“……”

Zhang Lanjun wanted to refuse — her injured foot couldn’t stand the heat — but she couldn’t bring herself to tell the truth. Her face flushed bright red.

Su Yuan looked at her with a faint, knowing smile, as if to say: So this is all you are.

It stung.

Zhang Lanjun felt her chest tighten with anger once again.

….

Time moved along at its own pace, and in the blink of an eye, another week had passed.

That morning, Su Yuan received a telegram from Qingshan City. Only five words were written, yet they made her break into a smile, her heart surging with excitement.

In the past half month, she had made five phone calls to Qingshan City — and now, at last, the matter was coming to a close.

That evening, holding the telegram, she walked into the house pretending to be weighed down with worry.

Wen Yan, who had been waiting in the main hall to play along, called out in her loud voice, “Yuan Yuan, why are you crying? What happened?”

Her booming tone successfully drew everyone’s attention. Su Jianguo happened to be home; he set down his newspaper and asked, “You’ve been crying?”

Under their collective gaze, Su Yuan stepped forward, handed him the telegram, and sniffled. “Dad, I’m planning to go to the countryside. This is from my godmother. She wants me to take care of her.”

Su Jianguo blinked and took the telegram. On it were the words: [Gravely ill, thinking of Yuanyuan].

Sender: Ye Jie

Craning her neck, Zhang Lanjun happened to see the name — and her expression changed instantly.

She snatched the telegram for a closer look. After a long moment, she raised her head and glared at Su Jianguo. “Tell me! When you went to the Northeast the other day, did you meet her?”

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

Su Jianguo coughed sharply, trying to maintain his usual authority in front of the children.

But Zhang Lanjun wasn’t giving him any face. “How am I talking nonsense? If you hadn’t seen her, would she send you a telegram?”

Afraid she’d get too worked up and blurt out something she shouldn’t, Su Jianguo quickly changed the subject and turned to Su Yuan. “Explain to me — what’s going on here?”

“Ah? Oh.”

Su Yuan tucked away her curiosity and continued her act.

“A while ago, I called my godmother. She said she’s been sick often this year. Hearing that made me feel awful — there’s no one around to look after her. What if something happened? So, a few days ago, I went to the Revolutionary Committee to sign up. I want to join the educated youth program in Qingshan City to take care of her. I just didn’t expect to get this telegram today. I’m worried… she really might be in trouble.”

As she spoke, tears streamed down her face as if they cost nothing.

Zhang Lanjun’s eyes burned with jealousy.

Su Jianguo rubbed at his throbbing temples and said solemnly, “Going to the countryside is a serious matter. How could you make such a decision without consulting your family? As for Ye Jie, I’ll call to check on her. If she’s fine, you’re not going to Heilongjiang.”

She’d guessed he’d say this and wasn’t the least bit anxious.

“Dad, going to the countryside is an honorable duty. You can’t abuse your authority.”

“……”

His face darkened at the retort. Zhang Lanjun ground her teeth in anger. “If she wants to suffer in the countryside, then let her! But if she regrets it later, no one is to help her!”

The room fell into stunned silence.

Ye Jie was also the godmother to Su Jianguo’s brothers’ children, sending them New Year’s money every year.

Yet in this moment, Su Aimin and his wife chose to remain silent.

Su Aijun hesitated several times before plucking up the courage to say, “Yuanyuan is a filial child, she’s just acting out of worry. Mom, please don’t be angry.”

Zhang Lanjun shot him a glare, her temper flaring again, but thankfully Su Jianguo stepped in before she could erupt further.

“Yuanyuan, come with me to the study. We need to talk.”

“Alright.”

Following him into the study, Su Yuan’s palms began to sweat. Compared to Zhang Lanjun, her father’s mind was far more meticulous — not easy to deceive.

Once inside, Su Jianguo gestured for her to sit. He lit a cigarette, holding it between his fingers as he asked, “What else did you and Ye Jie talk about? What illness does she have? Is it serious?”

Without hesitation, Su Yuan replied, “Godmother’s heart isn’t in great shape. She gets tired easily, maybe from overwork… or from being upset. I’m not entirely sure.”

Su Jianguo looked up, his gaze fixed on her for a long time before speaking. “There’s something I’ve never told you. Ye Jie is my ex-wife. The reason your mother reacted so strongly is because she still has a knot in her heart. Don’t blame her.”

Su Yuan widened her eyes in apparent shock. “Godmother is…? She’s never told me that.”

That part was actually true — she had only learned about Ye Jie and Su Jianguo’s past from the novel’s plot.

In short, it was the old tale of a childhood sweetheart abandoned for another woman. And as for why the man never got his comeuppance? Because his parents knelt and wept, softening the kind-hearted wife’s heart.

Later, the man and his mistress got together, and even had his children call the ex-wife “godmother,” promising to support her in old age — deeply calculating indeed.

Piecing together the past, Su Yuan understood many things: how Zhang Lanjun, despite disliking Ye Jie, still let them call her godmother; how her face would darken at the mention of Ye Jie, yet she never stopped the children from writing letters to her — likely out of fear Ye Jie would expose the scandal from years ago.

Su Jianguo took a long drag on his cigarette and tried again to persuade her. “Yuanyuan, life away from home is far harder than you imagine. If you’re worried about Ye Jie, I can bring her to Beijing to recuperate.”

Not wanting to arouse suspicion, Su Yuan hesitated for only a moment before agreeing.

The next day, Su Jianguo took her to his office to call Ye Jie.

When the call connected, his first words were, “I heard you’re sick. What’s wrong?”

Listening from the side, Su Yuan couldn’t help feeling nervous. Even though they’d already coordinated their story, she still worried.

She couldn’t hear the voice on the other end, but she saw Su Jianguo’s furrowed brow gradually relax. “I’d like to bring you to Beijing. How do you feel about that?”

Whatever was said next must have been scathing, because his brows knitted together again. He quickly handed the receiver to Su Yuan.

“Su Jianguo, have you no shame? What would I go to Beijing for? If you’re not embarrassed, I certainly am!”

Hearing Ye Jie’s grumbling voice, Su Yuan chuckled softly.
“Godmother, it’s me, Yuan Yuan.”

The other end went silent for a moment before her tone turned instantly gentle.
“Oh, it’s Yuan Yuan. How come you’re with your father?”

Su Yuan replied, “I have good news — I’ll be heading to Qingshan City soon. Then we can see each other every day.”

At those words, Su Jianguo could no longer sit still. He grabbed the receiver from her.
“This child is going to the countryside as an educated youth for your sake. Don’t you have anything to say about that?”

Once Ye Jie realized it was him, she started yelling again.
“What do you want me to say? Wasn’t it you who promised to care for me in my old age? What, you’re backing out now?!”

Su Jianguo held the receiver away from his ear, his brows creasing in weariness, and quickly denied it.
“I’m not going back on my word. I just feel sorry for her — she’s so young, I’m afraid she’ll suffer out there.”

“With me around, how could she possibly suffer? How about this — don’t you still have three sons? Just send me one to take care of me. Once I’m better, I’ll let him go back. How’s that sound?”

The Su family’s three sons all had formal jobs and bright futures ahead of them. There was no way they’d abandon their careers to go north and care for someone.

Su Jianguo knew when to compromise, and he felt no pang of guilt.
“I also have a daughter named Xiaoxue. How about I send her to you instead?”

The other party refused outright.
“I don’t know her. I don’t want her. Don’t think you can fool me.”

Unable to talk her around, Su Jianguo finally gave in.

In the end, Su Yuan got her wish — she was going to the countryside.