At Grandma Gu's house, it was lunchtime. Eight family members crowded around a small table, drinking thin porridge.
Gu Hai's cousin, Gu Wang, gossiped smugly while eating, "Gu Hai really has no taste. He turned down the daughter of Director Sun and got together with a scrap collector instead. I bet Director Sun won't help him anymore. For the rest of his life, Gu Hai will just be a penniless nobody!"
Grandma Gu looked equally pleased, her expression sharp and mean. "Serves him right! Who told him to be such an unfilial brat? People like him deserve to stay at the bottom of society! He should have been drowned at birth—just like his shameless mother!"
"If my eldest son had listened to me back then and married my niece, how could he have been killed by that wretched woman?"
"That vile woman got my son killed and ran off with his compensation money. Luckily, I acted quickly and brought all of you to the capital overnight. That's how we managed to seize those three rooms from my eldest son."
"That woman and the brats she gave birth to should all just die!"
Grandma Gu's words were met with agreement from the entire family.
While eating pickled vegetables, Gu's second aunt said to Gu Wang, "Son, since Gu Hai has no sense, you must seize this opportunity. Win over Sun Xiaoping in one go. Then Director Sun can arrange a job for you, and you'll have a stable 'iron rice bowl'!"
"That's right, Wang. Our family barely gets by on your uncle's martyr's pension. But if you marry the police chief's daughter, we'll finally have some prestige!"
Hearing this, Gu Wang was fired up with excitement. He thumped his chest and declared, "Don't worry—I'll definitely work hard to give our family a better life!"
---
At the recycling station, Gu Hai spent most of the day feeling uneasy and on edge.
As the end of the workday approached, the sun still hung high in the sky.
Su Yun finished her test papers half-heartedly, stuffed them into Gu Hai's arms without a word, and began packing her books and stationery into her shoulder bag.
After slinging the bag over her shoulder, she bent down to pick up the two large watermelons wrapped in old newspapers. But Gu Hai rushed ahead and grabbed them first, his handsome face full of a flattering smile.
"Xiaoyun, I'll carry these!"
Su Yun glanced at him indifferently. "No need."
She had originally planned to give him one of the watermelons, but now she felt there was no need.
As she spoke, she snatched the watermelons back from him and signaled for him to lock the gate of the recycling station.
Then she said, "Gu Hai, you should go home. Your younger siblings must be waiting. I'll calculate your tutoring fee and settle it with you later."
Gu Hai's expression stiffened, clearly sensing danger. "Xiaoyun, didn't I already say? I won't charge you for tutoring anymore. We're going to get married after we graduate from university…"
"Stop talking nonsense!" Su Yun snapped. "What I said was that if you still don't have a girlfriend by then, I might consider getting engaged to you. But from what I see, you're not lacking in options. By the time you graduate, your kid might already be a few years old!"
She deliberately mocked him.
Gu Hai felt utterly wronged. He had never dated anyone—how could she be so unreasonable?
"Xiaoyun, listen to me. Sun Xiaoping is Uncle Sun's daughter. We lived in the same building as kids. I've always treated her like a child…"
"Oh really? When you were kids, she played your bride. You sure know how to twist things!"
After saying that, Su Yun rolled her eyes at him and walked away, carrying the watermelons.
Gu Hai was filled with regret. He wished he could go back in time and kick his younger self for playing those childish games!
Why did he have to play house of all things?
He muttered a few curses at himself and quickly chased after her, smiling apologetically like a servant. "Xiaoyun, don't be angry. I promise I'll never have any contact with Sun Xiaoping again!"
Su Yun laughed as she walked. "That's funny. Who you associate with has nothing to do with me."
Gu Hai panicked. "Of course it does! You're my girlfriend!"
"Don't make things up! We're just business partners! Gu Hai, I'm telling you—if you keep following me, I'll end our partnership. Try me if you don't believe it!"
Her tone was firm and decisive. Gu Hai stopped in his tracks, not daring to follow any further.
---
Panting, Su Yun returned to the courtyard. As soon as she arrived, she saw Widow He and He Hua standing at the entrance, handing out wedding candies. Widow He even stuffed two pieces into Su Yun's hands.
He Hua, unusually friendly, didn't mock her. Instead, she smiled and said, "Su Yun, I'm getting married to Guangzong in three days. You must come to the wedding banquet!"
Su Yun was slightly surprised.
She hadn't expected He Hua to marry into the Jiang family so soon.
She hesitated, wanting to offer some advice, but then thought that He Hua and Jiang Guangzong were actually quite well matched. It was probably better for them to be together than to trouble others separately.
So Su Yun simply said, "Congratulations."
He Hua's eyes sparkled with pride. "Su Yun, I'm sorry—I took your match. You're not angry with me, are you?"
Su Yun replied sincerely, "Not at all. Take him if you want. I'm not just unbothered—I'm grateful. On your wedding day, I'll definitely give you a big red envelope."
With that, she smiled politely and walked away with the watermelons.
He Hua's face immediately darkened. She snorted at Su Yun's retreating figure.
She thought to herself that once she married into the Jiang family, she would have Deputy Factory Director Jiang drive Su Wenshan out of the steel factory. Then she would see if Su Yun could still smile!
---
When Su Yun got home, she found that both Chen Xiue and Su Wenshan were already back.
Chen Xiue sat on the heated brick bed, her face full of anger. Su Wenshan crouched in the corner near the sewing machine, smoking a pipe with his head lowered.
After setting down the watermelons and rubbing her sore hands, Su Yun asked curiously, "Dad, Mom, why are you both home so early today?"
At that, Chen Xiue gritted her teeth and pointed at Su Wenshan. "Ask your father!"
Su Wenshan shrank back and said nothing.
Sensing something was wrong, Su Yun quickly asked, "Mom, what happened?"
Chen Xiue took a few deep breaths before saying, "Your father has really outdone himself today—he didn't even go to work! He left the house this morning and just wandered around the alley. If I hadn't forgotten my lunchbox and come back midway, I wouldn't have known he could do something like this!"
Su Yun immediately looked at Su Wenshan in shock. "Dad, why didn't you go to work? Are you still not fully recovered?"
Su Wenshan shook his head silently.
Chen Xiue glared at him. "You stubborn mule! Let's see how long you can keep this up! I knew something was wrong when you came back last night. Tomorrow I'm going straight to your factory director's office to find out what mistake you made that you're hiding like this!"
Only then did Su Wenshan sigh and say, "Don't go. I didn't make any mistake."
"If you didn't make a mistake, why would you be afraid to go to work? Su Wenshan, we've been married for so many years—do you think I don't know you?"
Faced with her repeated questioning, Su Wenshan fell silent again. He lowered his head and continued smoking without saying another word.