Chapter 5: The Vicious Female Supporting Character in the 1980s (5)

Zhou Xiufang took quite a hard hit this time. According to Chen Feng, the bump had grown even bigger on the way to the hospital. Even the doctor was stunned when they saw it.

She had originally only asked for two days of sick leave, but then extended it by another three days, saying her whole body felt unwell and that she needed to rest at home for observation.

No one knew what Zhou Xiufang or the Zhou family had said, but when Su Qin returned from work that day, she saw Father Zhou standing in the hallway with a dark expression on his face, along with Liu Mei and Father Su.

When Father Zhou saw Su Qin come back, his face grew even gloomier.

“Uncle Zhou,” Su Qin greeted him with a smile, “have you eaten yet?”

As the saying goes, you don’t hit a smiling face. Father Zhou replied stiffly, “Not yet. Did you just got off work?”

“Mm.” Su Qin nodded.

Liu Mei spoke up from the side, “A few days ago, didn’t Zhiyuan’s aunt get hurt while working with you? Now she’s running a fever too. She’s really suffering.”

By bringing this up, wasn’t she clearly trying to push the blame onto Su Qin?

These days, Su Qin was becoming less and less liked, and Liu Mei had played no small role in that. If Su Qin gained any footing in the household and Father Su ended up leaving her the house and his position, then what would happen?

Sure enough, as soon as Liu Mei said that, Father Zhou’s expression became even darker.

With Su Yue as a comparison, Su Qin was clearly far from being good enough for his son. Not only did she cause trouble, but she also deliberately targeted their family.

Why hadn’t he realized before that Su Qin was so lacking in manners?

“Fever?” Su Qin looked worried, frowned, and asked in confusion, “I really don’t know what was wrong with Aunt Zhou that day. The pillar behind me was so big, yet she ran straight into it. It made a loud ‘bang’ that really startled me.”

“She ran into it herself?” Uncle Zhou was surprised and clearly unaware of the truth.

“That’s right. Didn’t she tell you?” Su Qin asked, puzzled. “Maybe she thought I was moving too slowly. She kept saying I wasn’t doing the job properly and seemed to be in a hurry. In the end, she ran into the pillar herself.”

Father Zhou: “……”

What Zhou Xiufang told him was that Su Qin had made her run into the pillar. But from the sound of it, she was just annoyed at Su Qin’s slow pace, got impatient, didn’t watch where she was going, and crashed into it herself?

That really did sound like something Zhou Xiufang would do.

Father Su asked, “She ran into it herself?”

“Of course. Dad, you didn’t know?” Su Qin looked at Liu Mei. “Aunt Mei, you didn’t know either? You didn’t tell my dad? Everyone in the workshop knows.”

Being suddenly called out, Liu Mei’s expression froze. She instinctively denied, “I really didn’t know.”

After she spoke, facing Father Su’s unhappy gaze, her eyes showed clear awkwardness.

Su Qin’s last sentence was said to shut Liu Mei down completely. How could someone working in the same workshop not know? When Father Zhou came to scold Su Qin just now, Liu Mei didn’t explain anything but instead smiled apologetically by default. Of course Father Su would take issue with that.

Since it wasn’t Su Qin’s fault, Father Zhou naturally couldn’t continue blaming her and left with an excuse.

Su Qin took off her shoes and went straight to her room. From inside, she could faintly hear Father Su questioning Liu Mei. Liu Mei spoke softly, apologizing and insisting that she truly didn’t know anything and that she wasn’t one to gossip.

Father Su said a few more words but didn’t argue further for Su Qin. The living room quickly quieted down.

Su Qin hung her shoulder bag and sneered slightly.

They say that once you lose your birth mother, it’s like going bankrupt in the family. And once there’s a stepmother, your biological father turns into a stepfather too. It couldn’t be more accurate.

Father Su had made up his mind to marry Su Qin off quickly and free up space at home.

The matter of Liu Mei setting Su Qin up didn’t even last through the night. At dinner, while eating, Father Su said to Su Qin, “You’ve been working for quite a while now and haven’t contributed a cent to the household. Starting next month, you’ll pay forty yuan a month for food.”

Father Su didn’t think there was anything wrong with this. In fact, he believed Su Qin was being ungrateful. “Other people start handing over their entire wages to their parents as soon as they start working, to ease the family’s burden. I haven’t seen a single cent from you.”

While eating, Su Qin said, “I know. After they hand over the money, their parents save it for them to use as dowry or betrothal gifts in the future.”

She was just a temporary worker. Her salary wasn’t much to begin with. After handing over forty yuan, she would have barely anything left.

Father Su said righteously, “That’s for boys. Girls become part of another family after they get married. Should we raise you for free?”

“Even if I’m a girl, those others have biological parents. Our family isn’t like that.” Su Qin finished her last bite, slowly scooped up soup, and said, “Grandma said before she passed away that my mom left money before she died. That money is more than enough to raise me. It was my mom who raised me. Unfortunately, I’ll have to wait for my next life to repay her.”

After saying that, she drank her soup and looked at Liu Mei. “Isn’t that right, Aunt Mei?”

Liu Mei sensed Su Qin’s deeper meaning and a flicker of panic crossed her face. She kept her head down, forced a smile, and tried to smooth things over. “Just do what you want. It doesn’t matter.”

Su Qin put down her spoon and grew serious. “That’s not right. If word gets out, people will say I’m unfilial and ignorant. It was my mom who raised me. I’m not refusing to give money to the family. But if my mom knew, she’d be so angry she’d jump out of her grave.”

In the original story, Liu Mei spread rumors about this, making outsiders think the original Su Qin wasn’t someone who could live a stable life and was ungrateful. Good families didn’t want to marry her.

Su Qin knew full well that when Father Su got together with Liu Mei, even though there was no wedding, there was a betrothal gift. And the betrothal gift came from the money left by Li Wen. So what if she didn’t pay food expenses? That was justified.

Mentioning the deceased made Liu Mei feel guilty and uneasy. “Don’t worry. No one will say anything.”

Father Su was about to say something when Su Qin cut him off. “Dad, Aunt Mei didn’t ask me to pay food expenses. You’re my biological father, yet you’re not even as good to me as Aunt Mei. What are you doing?”

This matter had been stirred up by Liu Mei behind his back. Su Qin’s words completely shut Father Su up.

Late at night, just as Su Qin finished her studies and was about to sleep, she still heard tossing and turning from the next room. Most likely, Liu Mei hadn’t fallen asleep all night.

Was she too angry to sleep?

*

Su Qin saw Zhou Zhiyuan again two days later.

She had to get up early to go to the bookstore. As soon as she stepped out, she saw Zhou Zhiyuan sitting on the sofa chatting with Father Su. Father Su was all smiles, clearly very happy.

Liu Mei, afraid that Su Qin wouldn’t notice, cheerfully praised Su Yue again.

According to her, Su Yue submitted an article to a magazine through Zhou Zhiyuan. It was already favored by the editor-in-chief, who praised it highly. If all went well, it would be published next month, and she’d even receive a manuscript fee.

Su Yue met Zhou Zhiyuan because she often submitted manuscripts to the magazine through him. Over time, the two became close.

In Zhou Zhiyuan’s eyes, Su Yue was a girl who shared his interests, kept learning, was independent and self-reliant, and wanted to earn money through writing to support herself.

Su Yue had also published a short article last year, though it didn’t attract much attention.

According to the plot of the original novel, after graduating, Su Yue entered the magazine agency where Zhou Zhiyuan worked. They went to work and got off work together, belonged to the same social circle, and truly seemed like a perfect match.

As Su Qin stepped out of her room, Zhou Zhiyuan’s hand instinctively clenched on his knee. When Liu Mei mentioned Su Yue’s matter, he either didn’t respond or changed the subject, looking clearly uncomfortable.

“Dad, I’m heading out for a bit.” Su Qin didn’t pay him any mind. Before she even finished speaking, she was already changing her shoes and heading out the door.

Although the textbooks she picked up from the recycling station were quite complete, math had always been Su Qin’s weak subject. She had to rely on doing lots of practice problems. But buying practice books and textbooks was too expensive, so whenever she had time, she would go to the bookstore.

Su Qin had just walked a short distance from the dormitory building when Zhou Zhiyuan caught up to her.

Catching a glimpse of his figure from the corner of her eye, Su Qin didn’t stop walking. On the contrary, she picked up her pace.

“Xiao Qin.” Zhou Zhiyuan ran ahead of her.

Su Qin didn’t stop her steps and didn’t even glance at him. “What is it?”

Her tone was too distant, making Zhou Zhiyuan feel uneasy. He stepped in front of her and blocked her path. Pressing his lips together, he asked, “Do we really have to be like this?”

He and Su Qin had grown up together like childhood sweethearts and were inseparable. He had always treated her like a younger sister and cared for her deeply. Although he had been troubled when Su Qin made a fuss, suddenly becoming strangers caused him several sleepless nights.

“Are you sick or something?” Su Qin looked disgusted, her tone mocking. “What? You want to have your cake and eat it too? Does Su Yue know?”

“That’s not what I meant.” Zhou Zhiyuan hurriedly tried to explain.

Su Qin’s expression remained cold. “Then what do you mean? Didn’t I already say it? Just seeing you two makes me sick. Stay out of my sight and disappear from in front of me. Don’t you understand human language?”

“Don’t talk to me like that.” Zhou Zhiyuan looked pained.

“Then how should I talk to you?” Su Qin found it laughable, and her tone suddenly changed. “How about I give you a choice? Break up with Su Yue and we continue our engagement. We pretend like nothing ever happened.”

Zhou Zhiyuan opened his mouth. His eyes showed hesitation. In the end, he stayed silent.

Even though she already knew the answer, seeing him hesitate made Su Qin unwilling to stay even one second longer. She stepped around him and walked away quickly.

Zhou Zhiyuan instinctively followed her. Su Qin turned around and pointed at him, warning him word by word, “If you bother me again, I’ll tell Su Yue. She used her own skills to snatch a man. She better use her own skills to keep him under control. Don’t come out here acting crazy.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhiyuan stood there looking dejected.

Su Qin had become much sharper with her words. But being completely estranged from her was not what Zhou Zhiyuan wanted. His heart felt like it was being twisted in pain.

But a voice kept telling him over and over that the one he loved the most was Su Yue. What he was doing was right. This was the path he should take.

*

Su Qin walked all the way to the bookstore and went straight to the high school textbook section with practiced ease.

Her previously good mood had been completely ruined by Zhou Zhiyuan, that scumbag. After doing a few problems, she was still feeling irritated. So she took out a piece of scratch paper and began doodling.

Su Qin had a habit of drawing to cheer herself up whenever she was feeling upset. It helped calm her down.

With just a few strokes, a lively little rabbit appeared on the paper. She originally drew an angry rabbit, but later thought she should draw something happier. So she started drawing a rabbit looking for its mother.

The little white rabbit looked for its mother and saw a bear. Then it saw a frog. The frog was looking after its baby. Then a giraffe appeared…

Just drawing animals felt a bit monotonous, so Su Qin added backgrounds.

In the end, the little white rabbit found its mother. It turned out the mother rabbit had gone to buy ice cream for the little rabbit. But she hadn’t been able to get any. The little rabbit looked up and said that as long as it was with its mother, it didn’t matter if there was no ice cream.

Su Qin added some dialogue. Her expression gradually softened.

“Young lady, can I take a look at your drawing?” A gentle and cultured male voice suddenly sounded beside Su Qin’s ear.

Su Qin looked up. At some point, a middle-aged man wearing glasses had appeared beside her. He was slightly chubby and looked to be in his forties. He was smiling at her politely as he asked.

She didn’t understand, but still handed over the piece of scratch paper.

“Thank you.” Chen Guoliang smiled as he took it. He adjusted his glasses and stared at the drawing carefully.

The current literary market could be described as thriving with a hundred flowers in bloom. Youth magazines, story collections, children’s magazines, science magazines—various kinds of periodicals were springing up like mushrooms after the rain.

Their magazine was planning to publish a children’s magazine aimed at enriching the spiritual world of children in the country and providing educational enlightenment.

Chen Guoliang was the chief editor of this new department. Everything was ready, but he always felt that the content was still lacking something.

Some of the submitted articles were decent, but the illustrations done by the art editor just didn’t give him the feeling he was looking for.

“Have you studied art before?” Chen Guoliang asked Su Qin.

Su Qin nodded.

Saying she hadn’t would be too much. She had been an art student. Her previous part-time jobs included drawing illustrations for comics or novels and helping her professor with artwork.

“I thought so.” Chen Guoliang looked at Su Qin’s sketch and commented, “Your drawings are very direct. There aren’t any unnecessary lines. They give people a soft and comfortable feeling. They’re perfect for children to look at.”

Su Qin didn’t say anything, afraid of revealing more.

Her professor was a well-known figure in the field of children’s art and had published several bestselling children’s comic books. She had been influenced by this and had worked in this field before. Even her future thesis would focus on this subject.

Chen Guoliang then saw the drawing of The Little Bear Who Loved to Read, and his eyes lit up. He immediately asked, “Can you draw other similar works?”

Perhaps realizing his question was a bit abrupt, he explained, “Our magazine is going to publish a children’s magazine. I want to use your work. Don’t worry, once it’s approved, I’ll pay you.”

As soon as she heard there was money involved, Su Qin immediately thought of the illustration jobs from her past life and agreed, “Sure.”

Chen Guoliang explained in detail their theme and related information. Finally, he asked, “How long do you think you’ll need to hand in a draft?”

Su Qin said, “Three days.”

“Is three days enough?” Chen Guoliang hesitated for a moment.

“It’s fine.” If she didn’t already have a packed schedule, she could finish even sooner.

Chen Guoliang wanted to say something more. But seeing that Su Qin didn’t think it was a problem, he didn’t push. “When the time comes, I can come to your house to pick it up. Or you can give me an address that’s convenient. Is that okay?”

He remembered that Su Qin was not much older than his own daughter, so he treated her like a child and wanted to show his sincerity. He thus proactively suggested coming to pick it up in person, and if there were any problems, they could sit down and talk about it later.

“I work at the canning factory. You can find me there,” Su Qin didn’t want to give her address to the Su family.

“You work at the canning factory?” Chen Guoliang was surprised, and he glanced at the high school sophomore math book she was holding. He had assumed she was a high school student.

Su Qin: “I didn’t pass the college entrance exam, but I plan to retake it next year.”

Chen Guoliang thought it was a pity and could only encourage her. He looked at the draft again and said, “Can I take this back to look at it again?”

“Sure, but I need the draft paper. I have to do some more problems later.” Su Qin took the draft back, tore off the pages quickly, and handed them to him.

When he saw her tear it, Chen Guoliang, who was of a much older age, felt his heart tighten. He was anxious, afraid she would tear it up by mistake.

Before leaving, Chen Guoliang left the address and contact number of the magazine agency.

Su Qin took it, and that unpleasant feeling arose again.

Wasn’t this the magazine agency where Zhou Zhiyuan worked?

It was truly relentless!

Su Qin was not someone who liked to seek out trouble. She had come to the bookstore to relax, and she didn’t want her mood ruined. She picked up her book and started solving problems again.

Immersed in her own world, Su Qin didn’t notice someone secretly watching her from a distance.

Cheng Wenfeng had taken Zhang Linlin’s high school textbooks last time, promising to bring two more copies of a youth magazine next month. She had been understanding and said she could wait until he got his salary next month.

He had come to the bookstore both yesterday and the day before but hadn’t seen Su Qin, so he didn’t buy any magazines.

Today, he came hoping for a stroke of luck, and he actually saw her.

She was still quietly sitting in the corner, doing problems, looking so focused and gentle.

Cheng Wenfeng couldn’t help but look at her, his body seemed stuck in place. His heart was racing, and whenever he saw her, he felt tense and warm all over.

“What’s going on?”

A stern voice suddenly scolded from behind Cheng Wenfeng. Two male staff members walked in, followed by a female staff member.

She pointed at Cheng Wenfeng: “It’s him. He’s been standing here for a long time, looking suspicious. I saw him the last two days too.”

Cheng Wenfeng looked over, his brows furrowed in a way that seemed threatening, and his fierce look made the female staff member pale. She shrank her neck and stopped speaking.

The male staff members saw Cheng Wenfeng’s dark expression and immediately sensed that he was not someone to mess with. They became a little nervous and mustered up the courage to say, “I’m telling you, this is a bookstore. You… you better not cause any trouble.”

If this were a normal misunderstanding, it wouldn’t have mattered much. But since Su Qin was here, Cheng Wenfeng’s face darkened like a fried pancake, his dark eyes full of rare anger.

The two male staff members stopped in their tracks, instinctively swallowing.

“Hey,”

Just when the situation was getting tense, Cheng Wenfeng’s shoulder was lightly tapped. Su Qin’s smiling face appeared in front of him, her voice soft and sweet, “Have you been waiting for me for a long time?”