Chapter 13

Both of them entered the pool, and Lin Yu said with a smile:

“Brother Shen, that’s the captain’s daughter I mentioned last time. Isn’t she prettier than Liu Caixia?”

Xie Beishen lazily leaned against the stone where she had just been sitting, the corner of his lips carrying a faint smile:

“No need to look for Black Dog anymore. Also, how much do you know about the captain’s family?”

Although Lin Yu was puzzled about why Brother Shen didn’t want to look for Black Dog anymore, he didn’t ask. Even if he asked, Brother Shen wouldn’t tell him anyway. He thought for a moment and said:

“The captain’s eldest son is serving in the army. Maybe because of that, their living conditions are a bit better than other families. The second son and youngest daughter are twins, and they don’t work with us, so you don’t see them much. A while ago, I heard from Zhang Feng, a fellow educated youth, that the captain’s daughter is seeing Ma Zhiming…”

He suddenly stopped speaking, something striking him. His eyes lit up and he exclaimed excitedly:

“Ah! I remember now—the one who fought that night was Su Heng. No wonder the figure looked so familiar. It must be him! Brother Shen, did you notice?”

Xie Beishen said, “Keep talking.”

So Lin Yu sank into the water and continued:

“I heard from Zhang Feng, Ma Zhiming’s dormmate, that the two are courting. He even bragged to Zhang Feng about how his girlfriend gives him all kinds of good food. Zhang Feng even asked if Ma Zhiming just liked Su Wanwan’s looks, otherwise how could he be interested in some village girl who didn’t even finish primary school.”

“Today, when I saw Su Wanwan, I realized that brat Ma Zhiming definitely just fancies her looks. She really is beautiful.”

Xie Beishen’s deep eyes darkened. It felt as if something was stuck in his chest, making him extremely uncomfortable.

In the end, it all came down to Su Wanwan having a boyfriend yet still messing with him—kissing him, pretending not to know him, and today again pressing her lips against his chest. Her tricks at seduction were really something; he had almost fallen for them.

Even he didn’t realize the restrained anger hidden in the arch of his brow.

Lin Yu was still talking when Xie Beishen cut him off, his tone icy:

“Enough.”

Lin Yu swallowed back his words. He looked up and saw that Brother Shen was unhappy. Just a moment ago, wasn’t he still fine?

—

Su Wanwan happily went down the mountain. This was her happiest day in the half month since she had transmigrated. Surely Heaven arranged for her to come here just so she could meet Xie Beishen.

She decided she would pursue him quickly this time. She didn’t want regrets again.

As she walked, she asked, “Brother, when did Xie Beishen come to the countryside? Where is he from? When can he return to the city? He—”

Su Heng suddenly stopped walking: “Why are you asking so much? What do you want from him?”

Su Wanwan realized she had indeed asked too many questions: “Just curious.”

Su Heng knew that girls her age in the village often already had suitors or were married. Her close friend had already married. His tone grew serious:

“All those educated youths will return to the city someday. You can’t fall for them. You’ll just end up suffering.”

Of course Su Wanwan knew what her brother was worried about—it was the same thing Ma Zhiming thought. Once they returned to the city, who would care about a countryside wife?

But she just liked Xie Beishen.

She couldn’t promise her brother anything. She was determined to pursue Xie Beishen. Even if she failed, she wouldn’t have the same regrets as in her past life. At least she would have tried.

So she only nodded: “I know, Second Brother. But do you know more about him?”

Su Heng continued walking: “He’s been here about half a year. That’s all I know.”

Su Wanwan still had questions but didn’t dare ask further. She didn’t want her brother ruining her chances before she even started.

—

When they returned home, Mother Su beamed when she saw her son bring back so many fish:

“Go take one each to your grandpa’s and your maternal grandpa’s houses.”

Thinking of his paternal grandparents, Su Heng felt a pang of frustration, but he didn’t refuse. His mother said again:

“Go to your maternal grandpa’s first.”

So Su Heng picked three fish—the two largest for his maternal grandpa, and the smallest for his paternal grandparents. He put them in the basket and set off. If he went to his grandparents’ first, they’d take all three.

After delivering to his maternal grandpa, he went to his paternal grandparents’.

The two elders lived with his uncle’s family. Su Heng carried the basket to his uncle’s house and handed the fish to his grandmother.

Yang Guixiang took the fish with a smile and shouted toward the house:

“Chunhua, hurry up and come kill the fish. You expect this old woman to serve you?”

Su Heng watched his grandmother change faces in a second. One moment she was all smiles, her wrinkles almost pinching mosquitoes to death, the next moment she looked like she wanted to flay someone alive. Carrying his basket, he said, “Grandma, I’m heading home.”

Yang Guixiang grabbed his arm: “How many fish did you catch?”

Su Heng answered without blinking: “Two.”

“Then why didn’t you bring both? Bao’er is still growing, he needs nourishment. Tonight, you shouldn’t eat them either—bring the rest tomorrow morning.”

Su Heng was already used to this. It was always Bao’er, Bao’er needs this, Bao’er needs that. Weren’t they her grandchildren too?

“Grandma, today I brought you a fish weighing more than three jin. It’s more than enough for one meal. At noon we already ate at home.”

Yang Guixiang frowned: “Why bring it so late then? Only thinking about yourselves. Tomorrow is your father’s birthday—we’ll all come to your house to eat. Tell your mother to make something good.”

“Alright.”

Su Heng finally went home, feeling stifled. He shouldn’t have agreed to bring the fish at all.

When he got back, Su Wanwan noticed something was off with him and asked. He told her about giving the fish to their grandmother.

From the memories of her original body, Su Wanwan recalled her biased grandparents.

Grandfather’s name was Su Mao, grandmother’s Yang Guixiang. They had two sons: the elder Su Jianwei and the younger Su Jianjun.

Her uncle Su Jianwei and his wife Jin Hua had three daughters and one son. The daughters had all married, only the youngest son was still in middle school.

Before the family split, the three siblings (Wanwan and her brothers) were skinny like monkeys, hungry every day.

Mother Su saw how plump and well-fed her uncle’s children were compared to her own, and feared her children might starve to death in the Su household. So she quarreled with Father Su until they finally split off.

The grandparents, biased toward the elder branch, agreed but made them move out with nothing but clothes. No house, no property, and they had to pay one yuan a month in support.

Mother Su only cared that they could split. They moved into her maternal family’s old house.

After that, the three siblings could finally eat their fill.

Later, it was the eldest brother sending money from the army that allowed them to build a house.

But even then, the grandparents demanded more—raising the support fee from one yuan a month to five. Every visit meant they raided the place, taking food and supplies without care for how the younger family would live.

Mother Su even hid food at her own family’s house, only bringing it back bit by bit, to avoid them.

Su Wanwan muttered: “Isn’t that just bandits raiding a house?”

No wonder they had no decent chairs or furniture at home. Even pots and pans were scarce. Probably no one in the village was poorer.

“Exactly. But Father always insists on filial piety. Our uncle once saved his life, so he uses that as an excuse.” Su Heng sighed. “And Father is the village captain—what can he do? He just puts up with it.”

Thinking about tomorrow’s “bandits’ visit,” Su Wanwan whispered a plan to her brother.

Su Heng’s eyes lit up: “Sis, do you really think that’ll work?”

Su Wanwan smiled: “As long as you’ve got the thick skin, we’ll fight magic with magic.”

Su Heng’s tone turned firm: “Alright. As long as Grandma stops raiding the house like a bandit, we’ll do it. The day after tomorrow, we’ll act together.”