Chapter 12

In the next two days, Su Yue noticeably toned it down.

Though she’d still occasionally throw death glares at Su Nian when Fu Mingjun wasn’t looking, she stopped picking fights. Instead, she started acting all gentle, chatting with people around her and apologizing sweetly.

Su Nian saw through it and couldn’t be bothered.

After all, she was the original novel’s female lead. The moment she sensed her interests threatened, she immediately switched tactics. Too bad Su Nian no longer cared about Fu Mingjun at all—let her play her little games.

Su Nian still ate when she wanted and drank when she pleased.

Meanwhile, up in Heilongjiang, Fu Tingchuan got a call from Fu Mingjun’s dad.

“Tingchuan ah, I’ve sent Mingjun and his wife down to the countryside too. They’ll be in your corps. As his uncle, make sure you look after your big nephew and niece-in-law, alright?”

Fu Tingchuan’s face remained stone cold.

“Your son, your responsibility. What kind of uncle am I? Back when my mom passed, you think I forgot what your wife said? I, Fu Tingchuan, have nothing to do with the Fu family anymore.”

There was a moment of silence on the other end. Back then, those words from Fu Tingchuan’s stepmother were exactly what he’d instructed.

Who would’ve thought a rebellious kid, abandoned by his own family, would grow into someone this capable?

“Tingchuan, we’re still family at the end of the day. Not exactly close blood, sure, but we still share the same surname. Don’t hold grudges against your big brother. It’s been so many years—come visit your father sometime.”

Fu Tingchuan hung up the phone right then.

Father?

As far as Fu Tingchuan was concerned, his father died the same year his mother did. And now they had the nerve to come pulling the family card?

But what puzzled him more was—

If they were already married, why would they still come down as zhiqing? What’s that little girl up to?

He’d only heard that Fu Mingjun had married a Su family girl. He assumed it was the girl he had an engagement with. The thought made him a little annoyed.

But it was his mother’s decision. And besides, he hadn’t exactly been nice to that girl either. Still, he couldn’t help wanting to take a look.

“Xiao Jiang, get the list ready. I’ll personally go to the train station the day after tomorrow to pick up this batch of zhiqing. They’re from the south, probably not used to our weather.”

Orderly Xiao Jiang was stunned.

Didn’t the colonel say in the meeting that he wasn’t going? All it took was one phone call to change his mind?

“What are you still standing there for? Go prep!”

“Yes, sir!” Xiao Jiang didn’t get it, but orders were orders.

As soon as Fu Tingchuan got the list, his eyes locked onto two names: Su Nian and Fu Mingjun. Even next to each other, the names looked wrong together.

“Tch, such a mismatch.”

He completely ignored the name that came right after—Su Yue—or more accurately, he didn’t register any other names beyond Su Nian’s.

The next two days crawled by for Su Nian. She felt like if she stayed on the train any longer, she’d turn into a pickled veggie.

Everyone had looked all clean and proper when they first boarded, but now, they were like laborers from a construction site—smelly and grimy!

When she heard the conductor say they were two hours from the final stop, she couldn’t take it anymore and slipped into her space to clean up.

Luckily, a lot of passengers had already gotten off, and she only had two locked trunks and a shoulder bag. Even if she took longer in the restroom, she wasn’t worried about her stuff.

As soon as she shut the bathroom door, Su Nian nearly passed out from the stench.

It was like standing in a fermented tofu factory. Disgusting. Thank goodness she was fast—she locked the door and disappeared into her space.

The spring-fed spa in there was amazing—only problem, the water was undrinkable.

She’d tried it before. Couldn’t even swallow a sip without gagging. So, it was strictly for bathing.

Using her fancy new soap, she scrubbed her body and washed her hair several times until she no longer reeked. Then she picked out a long-sleeve dress and a chic little jacket.

Cute but warm—she’d found the outfit in Wen Wan’s closet.

With brand-new leather shoes, half-up hair, and a cream-colored bow, she figured it’d make a perfect first impression on Fu Tingchuan.

Once she was ready and mentally prepped, she exited the space.

She literally ran out of the bathroom.

When Qiao Qiqi and Su Yue saw her come back with a new outfit, their eyes turned venomous.

“We came here to endure hardship,” Qiao said, her tone sharp. “Dressed like that, won’t the corps think you’re some capitalist’s spoiled daughter?”

Su Nian flicked her hair.

“Wow, big accusation. You’re telling me the clothes and shoes sold in state-owned stores are capitalist? Are you saying our country’s policy has a problem?

If that’s the case, wouldn’t the Revolutionary Committee be working overtime?”

Qiao Qiqi wasn’t like Su Yue who tried to find excuses—she just went off: “Su Nian, you’ve got no shame! Dressing like that—trying to seduce someone, aren’t you?”

Su Nian casually pulled down her luggage from the rack.

“You really have a dirty mouth. You’re unmarried—maybe think before you talk? Otherwise, people will start questioning your upbringing.

I just like looking nice. What woman doesn’t?

If you had the money and ration coupons, wouldn’t you buy pretty clothes? Don’t lie. I saw your luggage—plenty of skirts in there.”

The few other remaining girls all nodded.

It’s not that they didn’t want to look nice. It’s just they couldn’t afford to. But liking pretty clothes didn’t mean they were trying to seduce anyone!

The train slowly pulled into the station, and Su Nian stepped off with ease.

She stood out sharply from the rest—everyone else looked haggard, lugging bags, with dusty, tired faces.

At the station exit, Xiao Jiang held a wooden sign high: “Nongken Corps Zhiqing.” Not far away, a tall man in military uniform leaned against a jeep.

No one could tell what he was thinking under those sunglasses.

Soon, the eight zhiqing had all gathered. Xiao Jiang led them over.

“Reporting, Colonel! All eight present. Ready for roll call!”

Fu Tingchuan glanced down at the list, scanning name by name. Su Nian stood out like a sore thumb, that face exactly the same as when she was a kid. He couldn’t pretend not to recognize her even if he tried.

For reasons even he didn’t fully understand, he walked straight up to her.

When he leaned down, he said quietly:

“Welcome, my dear niece-in-law.”

That was when Su Nian knew for sure—this was Fu Mingjun’s uncle, Fu Tingchuan. The same one who used to bully the original Su Nian as a kid.

“Sorry to disappoint you, Colonel Fu,” she said with a sweet smile, “but you’ve got the wrong person. That one’s your niece-in-law.”