Chapter 6

Su Nian really loved how straightforward the Fu family was when it came to handling matters with money.

“Well… alright then! I’ve already returned the jade pendant to Auntie Fu. So Uncle, how much do you plan on giving me? You don’t even know—Fu Mingjun actually signed me up to be sent down to the countryside just so he could be with Su Yue!

From now on, I won’t be able to visit you anymore.

Sigh! Mingjun and I have been childhood sweethearts for so many years. If only he could go down to the countryside with me, that’d be perfect. But Auntie Fu said they’re going to get their marriage certificate first. I guess we’re just not meant to be.

I heard from the people at the educated youth office that the only placements left are with the Corps.

A lot of top officials send their unruly sons there—it has a cafeteria, dormitories, and even pays a salary. So I guess I’ll have to find a decent man of my own later!”

Upon hearing this, Fu’s father began to think.

Being sent down to the countryside wasn’t a bad idea!

If his son got a marriage certificate with Su Yue but didn’t go through with the wedding right away, he could send him off for some “tempering” in the countryside. Wouldn’t that kill two birds with one stone?

After planting the seed of that wicked idea, Su Nian took the 1,000 yuan that Fu’s father gave her and left the research institute.

Amazing—she was actually making money by calling off an engagement!

Counting with her fingers, she realized she now had over 7,900 yuan, making her a small-time rich girl. What was there to worry about anymore? Once she was in the countryside, she’d have two sandbags to mess with—life was going to be way too fun.

She wasn’t planning to sell the house. When property prices skyrocketed in the future, her little courtyard was bound to be worth a lot.

Nor did she plan to rent it out. Renting only brought in a dozen yuan a month, and people often messed up the houses they stayed in. She might not even get it back in good shape—what a headache!

Anyway, in just a few years, she’d be able to take the college entrance exam and return to the city.

In a back alley, she secretly tucked things away into her space. Today’s tasks were done.

She was absolutely exhausted. She had just transmigrated yesterday, and now she already had to deal with all this. She really needed to rest. The comrade at the educated youth office said they wouldn’t depart until next week, so she still had time.

When she returned home, the place was empty—not a single soul in sight.

Apparently, Su Daqiang, afraid of being investigated, had run off faster than a rabbit. Anyone who didn’t know better would’ve thought he was being chased by dogs!

She looked around at the valuables in the house: a Beijing-brand black-and-white TV, a Yan-brand sewing machine, a Phoenix-brand 28-inch bicycle, a Red Lantern-brand radio, a Seagull-brand camera, and a Tiger-brand flashlight.

The only things she found useful were the camera and the flashlight.

The rest? Sell them off. Even if she returned to the city in the future, she’d definitely buy better ones. Might as well cash out while they were still worth something.

She vaguely remembered hearing Auntie from next door saying yesterday that her kid was getting married but they didn’t have any ration tickets. She said they might as well ask Su Nian.

Sure enough, the moment Auntie heard Su Nian was looking to exchange things, her grin stretched all the way to her ears.

“Auntie just knew you were a good, sentimental girl. Don’t worry—I won’t shortchange you. All that stuff is nearly brand new, so I’ll pay you the original price for it. Fair enough?”

Ha!

That stuff had only been bought at the end of last year and barely used. The most valuable part was the ration tickets. Selling at original price was already a loss for her!

But she was in a hurry to go to the countryside, so whatever, she’d just let it go.

“I knew Auntie loved me the most. Alright, let’s do it your way. I’m heading off to the countryside soon, and I still need to find someone to trade me two thick quilts.”

Auntie quickly stopped her.

“Why didn’t you say so earlier? Auntie’s got some ready-made at home—just finished making them yesterday. One eight-jin quilt, one six-jin quilt—I’ll give them to you for ten yuan. How’s that?”

Such a black-hearted merchant!

Still, since she needed them urgently and didn’t have to fork out ration or fabric tickets, it was more or less fair.

So Su Nian took the two quilts and 500 yuan from Auntie, happily went home, and let Auntie’s family take away all the stuff.

With all the big-ticket items dealt with, she started locking up and exploring her house.

In the original host’s memory, her mother had told her something before she left, but it was too long ago, and the details were fuzzy. But Su Nian had read enough novels to know—this house definitely had some secrets.

She started checking each room.

First up was Su Daqiang’s room—the master bedroom—which he had shared with Wen Wan when she was still around.

The wardrobe was still there, probably because their new place was too small to fit it.

Su Nian went in and carefully examined everything. Sure enough, the sound was different when she knocked on certain parts of the wall. Looked like the entrance was hidden here.

After searching for a while, she finally found a pear-flower nail in a corner.

She twisted it, and a hidden panel in the wardrobe opened up. Grabbing her flashlight, she crawled inside.

The space wasn’t large—probably carved out of the wall—but neatly arranged with twenty boxes. When she opened them…

They were all filled with gleaming gold bars.

“Now this is hard currency!”

Su Nian may have been rich in her past life—a second-generation wealthy girl—but she had a special fondness for gold. Maybe it was because she had read so many apocalypse novels back then.

Within moments, those boxes were neatly stored on the shelves inside her space.

As for the rest of the house—other than furniture, there was nothing. That scheming Yao Xiaojun had taken even the kitchen supplies. Clearly, Su Nian hadn’t asked for nearly enough.

Meanwhile, the people she had just outsmarted were currently sitting at a dinner table.

On one side were Su Daqiang, Yao Xiaojun, Su Yue, and Su Gang; on the other were Fu Mingjun and his parents.

“Professor Fu,” said Su Daqiang, puffing up his chest for once, “Given the situation with the kids, shouldn’t we figure something out? If word gets out, this could be a legal issue!”

For once, he was actually standing up for his daughter.

Madam Fu scoffed disdainfully. “What else can we do? Climbing into a man’s bed before marriage—what kind of upbringing is that? If you ask me, just register the marriage and be done with it.”

Su Yue looked at Fu Mingjun in a panic, but that cowardly turtle didn’t say a single word.

She turned to Fu’s father with teary eyes. “Uncle Fu, you know what kind of person I am. I’m really not like that—it was all Mingjun’s fault…

And now I’ve already wronged my sister. If we don’t even have a proper wedding, my family’s reputation will…”

Fu’s father liked her, sure—but that didn’t mean he would completely indulge her.

“Yueyue, I understand everything you’re saying. But we also have to consider your sister’s feelings, right? You and Mingjun should go ahead and get the marriage certificate. We’ll talk about the rest later.

I once promised Nian Nian I’d give her 1,000 yuan for her wedding. But now… that won’t do.

I’ve already given that 1,000 yuan to her as compensation for the canceled engagement. I’m sure you understand, Brother Su. After all, it hasn’t been easy for Nian Nian either.”

Su Daqiang thought that was completely reasonable.

His daughter had been wronged—what was wrong with accepting some compensation?

But Yao Xiaojun and Su Yue weren’t having it. Why should their wedding money go to Su Nian? Still, not a single person at the table stood up for them.

Madam Fu assumed that Su Nian had told Fu’s father about the 1,000 yuan and didn’t dig any further.

Little did she know, Su Nian had actually gotten 1,000 yuan from each of them.