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As soon as he came in, Zhao Yumei quickly stood up.
“How was it? I was standing a bit far so I couldn’t see clearly—she looks okay, right? She’s got decent height. Sure, she’s a country girl and not that pretty, but with some grooming, she’ll pass.”
Su Jianshe sat down on the stool, took a gulp from the enamel mug, then looked at Zhao Yumei.
“I’m thinking… maybe we shouldn’t marry her off to that cripple just yet. She’s smart—apparently got into college this year, but someone from the county stole her spot. Isn’t our Xiaohan taking the college entrance exam next year? If we keep Su Ying here for a year, and Xiaohan doesn’t get in, we can just let her take Su Ying’s spot.”
Zhao Yumei’s expression changed instantly. She shot up and glared at him furiously.
“Su Jianshe! What makes you think my Xiaohan can’t get into college? So now you want to say your daughter is better? That she’s smarter than Xiaohan?”
Su Jianshe quickly stood up to placate her.
“Come on, don’t think like that. She’s nothing compared to Xiaohan. Sure, she’s my biological daughter, but Xiaohan—she’s the one I’ve doted on all these years. She’s the one I love most. I’m just saying—it’s good to have options. If Su Ying scores higher than Xiaohan, wouldn’t that just give Xiaohan another choice?”
Zhao Yumei shoved him away.
“Hmph! So deep down you do think she’ll score better. Xiaohan’s teachers praise her all the time—she’s a top student! And you think some country bumpkin can outdo her?”
“No, no, of course not,” Su Jianshe said, wrapping an arm around her to calm her down, agreeing with everything she said.
In truth, he also didn’t think Su Ying could outperform Su Xiaohan. He just figured that since Su Ying had already been accepted into college, keeping her around could serve as a backup plan for Xiaohan.
But since Zhao Yumei was clearly against it, he dropped the subject.
“Fine, we’ll go with your plan. But are they really willing to marry off their son to a rural girl? What if instead of helping us, they blame us and cut ties?”
Zhao Yumei cast him a sideways glance.
“What other options do you have? Don’t worry. My father already asked—they said if we can help solve that older veteran’s personal ‘problem,’ the state-run factory will definitely give us a batch of fabric under the table.”
The textile factory had been underperforming for years, and higher-ups were considering replacing the director. Su Jianshe had been worrying about this. Zhao Yumei had heard that the army was trying to find a wife for a disabled, older veteran. She had been working connections to get in.
But every girl who heard the man was paralyzed and bedridden had run away in fear.
Then, just when they were desperate, Chen Shuyun brought Su Ying to town.
After resting for a while at the guesthouse, Su Ying and Chen Shuyun went out and shared a bowl of hot noodle soup. After they finished eating, Su Ying walked Chen Shuyun back to the guesthouse and said she wanted to explore the area.
Walking down the streets of Jiangcheng, the air was filled with the ringing of bicycle bells. People wore plain blue work uniforms, while some young folks were fashionably dressed—still bearing the honest, simple vibe of the era.
This was a time full of opportunity. Su Ying had once been a doctor. Her 28 years of life had been devoted to medicine. Though now in dire straits, if she wanted to survive in Jiangcheng, the first step was to find a job.
She couldn’t get into a major hospital—those jobs required official credentials and were tightly controlled. Without a diploma or paperwork, there was little chance.
A pharmaceutical factory, however—maybe that was an option.
After asking around, she learned that there was a pharmaceutical factory in Jiangcheng, about a dozen kilometers to the north.
She checked the public bus stops and found that there was a tram that went there. But she didn’t have time to go today, so she stayed nearby instead. If she was going to live in the city, she couldn’t keep staying at the guesthouse forever—she’d have to rent a place.
That afternoon, when Su Jianshe arrived at the guesthouse, Su Ying still hadn’t returned. Chen Shuyun saw him and quietly pulled the curtain shut. Then, with her head down, she slowly began unbuttoning her clothes.
Su Jianshe immediately jumped up, flustered.
“Chen Shuyun, what are you doing?”
Chen Shuyun looked up at him, eyes blank and voice barely above a whisper.
“You used to… when you came home, you always wanted to first… I know it’s just a guesthouse, but it’s been seven years… You must’ve had a hard time. I don’t mind.”
Su Jianshe’s mouth twitched, and he froze for a moment before coughing awkwardly.
“Put your clothes back on. I’m not… interested. Back then, I… I guess I felt guilty toward you. That’s why I tried to make up for it. And besides, Yumei hadn’t accepted me yet. I still had needs. But now I’m with Yumei. And look at you—dark, old, and thin—I really don’t want to sleep with you.”
He turned away sharply.
“Anyway, I’m not in the mood. Didn’t we say we’re taking Su Ying to the hospital? You still have the mind for this kind of thing?”
Chen Shuyun’s face flushed red with embarrassment. She didn’t dare look up.
“Yingying isn’t back yet. Just… sit and wait. I’ll go get some hot water.”
She rushed out, flustered. Su Jianshe’s eyes were filled with annoyance. He walked over, yanked the curtain open again, and glanced around the room at the large bundles they had brought.
No proper luggage—just big cloth wraps. He figured there couldn’t be anything valuable inside—just old clothes.
About half an hour later, Su Ying returned. Su Jianshe, already impatient and wary that Chen Shuyun might do something again, immediately stood up and scolded her.
“Where did you go? This is Jiangcheng, not your tiny Shangyang Village! What if you got lost? Don’t you care that your mother’s worried sick?”
Su Ying paused at the door, stunned by the outburst. She noticed her mother’s uncomfortable expression and figured maybe they had been anxiously waiting, so she didn’t respond to him.
Su Jianshe straightened his clothes and walked out.
“Let’s go to the hospital. If we don’t leave now, they’ll be off duty soon.”
Su Ying glanced at him, then turned to Chen Shuyun.
“Mom, I can go alone. You stay here at the guesthouse. The hospital isn’t far. I’ll be back soon.”
Chen Shuyun grabbed a long-sleeve top for Su Ying to wear.
“No, I’m going with you.”
Su Ying more or less knew the situation with her head injury. She didn’t want her mom to worry, but Chen Shuyun insisted. No matter what, she was coming. Su Ying had no choice but to bring her along.
Outside, Su Jianshe pushed his bicycle and said to Chen Shuyun:
“I’ll take Su Ying on the bike. You can walk. Just follow this road, then turn left, and then…”
“No need,” Su Ying cut in. “My mom and I will take the tram. It’s Route 7, right?”
Su Jianshe looked at her in surprise. He was sure this daughter of his had never been to the city before—how did she know about trams, or their routes?
“Changjiang County has trams?”
Su Ying ignored him. Chen Shuyun, trying to ease the tension, quickly answered:
“No way, our county doesn’t have trams. Just donkey carts and ox carts. A tram… what’s that again?”