Chapter 10

Su Gang, in a rare gesture, took out a lunchbox and shoved it into Su Nian’s hands.
“This is my lunch for today. You’re about to go suffer out there, so I’ll give it to you.”

It was braised pork that his master had specially prepared for him, and honestly, he was a little reluctant to part with it.
To Su Gang, giving money away wasn’t a big deal—it’s just something you spend—but giving away visible, delicious braised pork? That hurt his heart.

Off to the side, Su Yue was so angry she slapped Fu Mingjun.
“Look at your dad—what’s that supposed to mean? If he doesn’t like me, why let you marry me? He gave the food to Su Nian. What are we supposed to eat on the trip?”

Fu’s mother shot her a disdainful look.
“So petty. You’re fighting over a bit of food? Here, take this money. Just buy boxed meals on the way.”

Truth be told, Fu’s mother wasn’t happy either. The food Fu’s father had given away was the best she had carefully prepared, worried that her son might suffer. Who’d have thought he’d just hand it all away as a favor?
And on top of that, that little tramp Su Nian looked just like Wen Wan after her glow-up—same face, same tricks. Just there to seduce people.

Fu Mingjun didn’t care. He wasn’t going to starve. His family was well-off, after all. Let it go. Su Yue making a fuss only made her seem unrefined in his eyes.

Su Nian, knowing it wouldn’t be right to just take and not give, pulled out two embroidered pouches from her pocket. One read Peace, the other Joy. She had bought them from a seamstress for one yuan.

“Dad, these are for you and my little brother. Just something to remember me by—and a small blessing too.”

Then she rubbed her eyes as she boarded the train, as if taking one more step would make her cry.

Su Da Qiang was so moved he forgot to ask about the house or the work quota. Right there at the busy train station, he started sobbing from the heart:
“Nian Nian! Take care of yourself! If you need anything, just tell your dad!”

Su Yue, with red-rimmed eyes, stepped up behind him.
“Dad, I’m going to the countryside too… Could you… maybe give me a little money?”

That manipulative side of Su Da Qiang flared up again. His own daughter had only thought about giving him something before she left. Meanwhile, Su Yue was here just asking for things. She’s clearly not his biological daughter!

“Money? What money? Didn’t your mom give you any? And besides, your father-in-law is a professor—he earns way more than me!”

Su Yue was completely shut down. She couldn’t understand why everyone acted like she had all the advantages. Aside from the hundred yuan from her mom, she had nothing!
Even the new clothes she bought back home had been snatched up by Su Nian.

She wanted to say more, but Fu Mingjun was already calling her from the train window. Frustrated, she had no choice but to leave.
Yao Xiaojun cried her heart out in the background, but her biological daughter didn’t even glance back.

How ridiculous.

On the train, Su Nian had already mailed most of her things ahead—just two duvets as a formality. Everything else she’d put into her space (the one only she could access).

Even so, she still had two suitcases with her.
They looked heavy, but were mostly for show. The cloth bags actually held more, but the suitcases looked nicer.

She stored them overhead, with the food bag under the table, and kept a small crossbody pouch on her for easy, discreet access to her “space.”

Once she sat down, the girl across from her had an oval face—fair and classically pretty by the era’s standards. But unfortunately, they were enemies.

“You?! Why are you here?” Qiao Qiqi shrieked.

Qiao Qiqi had been Su Nian’s classmate, and the two had never gotten along.
At home, Su Nian used to act meek because of her mother’s background, but outside, she had a totally different face.

In some ways, she resembled her modern-day “young mistress” self.

Qiao Qiqi often used her good grades to bully Su Nian, sometimes even with the help of teachers and classmates.

But Su Nian, having read part of the original novel, knew Qiao Qiqi had a thing for second male lead Fu Tingchuan.
Unfortunately for her, he had zero interest in marriage and poured everything into his career—even sacrificing himself for it later.
Poor Qiao Qiqi ended up waiting and waiting, until she became an old maid.

“Qiao Qiqi, if you can be here, why can’t I? We’re all going to the same farming corps in Heilongjiang, aren’t we? What’s so strange?”

Sure enough, the train car was full of other “sent-down youth” like them—at least a dozen.
Su Nian, Su Yue, Fu Mingjun, and Qiao Qiqi were all in this group.

“You’re going to the farm too? Don’t tell me you’re regretting it because Fu Mingjun chose someone else, and now you’re chasing after Fu Tingchuan? Don’t even think about it. He’d never like you!”

Qiao Qiqi glared daggers at her, twin braids hanging over her chest.

“Qiao Qiqi, judging by your expression, you’re the one here for Fu Tingchuan, aren’t you? But does your ‘Tingchuan-ge’ even know how you feel?

Wow—an unmarried woman fixated on a man… what a fine upbringing you must’ve had!”

Everyone nearby perked up. Who doesn’t love a juicy drama? Especially one that sounds like two women fighting over a man.

Qiao Qiqi panicked.
Back then, women were expected to be modest and self-restrained. If word got out that she had a crush, her reputation would be ruined. If things with Fu Tingchuan didn’t work out, she’d have trouble getting married at all.

Just then, Su Yue chimed in from across the aisle:
“Sister, you can’t think like that. Qiqi’s just being kind and warning you, after all. Don’t forget, you were engaged to Mingjun. Fu Tingchuan is his uncle. People will call you shameless if you chase him.”

It sounded like she was helping Su Nian, but she was really egging the crowd on to criticize her.

Su Nian wasn’t having it.
She took the orange peels and sunflower seed shells from her snack bag and dumped them right on Su Yue’s head.

“You, the one who climbed into your stepsister’s fiancé’s bed—aren’t you afraid of being called shameless?
And who told you I was ever engaged to Fu Mingjun?

Your mother, that homewrecker, must’ve joined our family late. Let me inform you: Fu Tingchuan was my fiancé.”

Su Nian wanted everyone to see Su Yue for what she really was—an illegitimate daughter of a mistress who climbed into her own sister’s fiancé’s bed. Who would want to side with someone like that?

Unless… they were the same kind of person.

Sure enough, Qiao Qiqi, who was just about to team up with Su Yue, suddenly went quiet.
Even the onlookers started whispering and throwing side-eyes.

Su Yue turned to Fu Mingjun in disbelief.
“What’s going on? Wasn’t Su Nian your fiancée? How did it become your military uncle, Fu Tingchuan?”

Her in-laws were always praising Fu Tingchuan for his talents and his rapid promotion to regiment commander.
How could that kind of man be engaged to Su Nian?

No way. She wasn’t accepting it.

Su Nian, unbothered, opened her lunchbox.
Looking at the beautifully presented meat and vegetables Fu’s mother had made, she said with a sigh of delight:

“Wow, this looks so delicious—just seeing it makes me hungry. I haven’t had breakfast yet, so I’ll just dig in. You all carry on.”