RGL – Chapter 111

Right now, Su Min wasn’t nervous about herself; instead, she was worried about Xue Mian’s exam situation.

Thinking about how Xue Mian had previously sworn he’d get into a good school made her uneasy. She wanted to write him a letter after the college entrance exams, but she was also afraid that if he didn’t do well, bringing it up would only make him feel worse.

Still, Su Min didn’t have much time to worry about it—she was soon too busy with her own final exams.

For this term’s finals, Su Min had set herself the goal of ranking in the top ten. After all, the schools she had her eye on were all quite competitive. If she couldn’t even get into the top ten in her class, then she could kiss those hopes goodbye.

After two straight days of exams, Su Min felt completely drained, like all the energy had been sucked out of her. She even looked noticeably thinner.

Sun Qiufang felt terrible for her and decided she needed a good meal to recover. While they were eating dinner, Sun Qiufang kept putting food into her daughter’s bowl as she casually brought up her idea of going back to the county town.

“Oh right, you’re on break now. Let’s go back to the county and visit your grandmother. It’s been months since we last saw her.”

Su Min had originally planned to focus on taking over work responsibilities during the break, but when she heard her mother’s plan, she didn’t have the heart to decline. It had indeed been a long time since she last saw her grandmother. It was time to visit.

She nodded in agreement, mentally calculating how many days they could stay. She planned to use the evenings to work on designs anyway, so there was no rush—she could take her time sketching. Once she completed a design, Sun Yan could gather the workers to begin production right away, so nothing would be delayed.

The next day, Sun Qiufang was busy packing at home and went to the store to help Su Changrong with the bookkeeping. She planned to take Su Min home for a couple of days after that.

Su Min didn’t stay idle either. Taking advantage of her school break, she went to the store to check on its sales.

When she arrived, Sun Yan was helping a customer try on clothes. Su Min saw Zhaodi sitting nearby and went over to tell her they’d be going back to the county soon. “You haven’t been back in a while either. Are you really not going?”

Liao Zhaodi shook her head. “I’m not going. I already said before, going back now doesn’t make any sense. Besides, if I go back, it’ll just tangle everything up again. Su Min, I’ve figured things out lately. I used to have food and shelter over there, but it still wasn’t as good as drinking thin porridge here. I’m never going back.”

Su Min sighed. “Alright, as long as you’re happy. I was just casually asking.”

Just then, Sun Yan had finished helping the customer and came over. Hearing that Su Min was going back to the county, she said, “When are you two leaving? I’ll go with you. Zhaodi can watch the store for a day. I’ll just stay one night and come back the next day.”

Su Min said, “Why the rush?”

Sun Yan sighed. “It’s not that I want to go back, but Qiangzi wrote me a letter. He said the high school entrance exams are over. He probably didn’t do well and wants me to come home to discuss his future.”

Hearing this reminded Su Min that her younger cousin had just finished his exams.

If things hadn’t gotten delayed, he would’ve been the same age as her now.

“What’s Qiangzi planning? He can’t just keep drifting like this.”

“That’s exactly what I’m worried about,” Sun Yan said, frowning. “My mom keeps saying once he finishes high school, he should start working and making money. Honestly, I’ve suffered enough myself—I don’t want him to go through the same thing. I hope he can do something meaningful instead of following in my footsteps. But Qiangzi says he can’t keep studying anymore, so that path’s a dead end.”

Just talking about her younger brother made Sun Yan feel suffocated.

He had been a good student—smart, too. But coming to the city delayed his education by a year. Then, when he got into school, he was bullied by classmates and ignored by teachers who favored their regular students. He never felt accepted as a transfer student. Then he had to take exams back in their hometown, where the environment didn’t suit him. So the results were predictable.

Even now, their parents still didn’t think they had done anything wrong. They just blamed Qiangzi for not working hard enough.

Seeing her cousin so upset, Su Min thought for a moment and said, “Qiangzi’s already seventeen. Why not send him to the army?”

She figured that a boy his age, with no clear path in life, could easily go astray. If he couldn’t continue studying, military service might be a good alternative. She’d heard that the military also taught useful skills, and even if he didn’t make a career out of it, the experience itself would be valuable.

Of course, it had to be Qiangzi’s decision.

“Ask him what he thinks. If he’s open to it, maybe someone can help arrange it. The country recruits every year. Since he’s a junior high graduate, it’s a good time.”

Sun Yan fell into deep thought. She had suffered enough and didn’t want her brother to walk the same path. The military would be tough, but at least it was respectable. A soldier wouldn’t be looked down on.

She decided to ask him about it once she got home. If he agreed, they’d have to act fast.

The next morning, Sun Yan traveled back to the county with Sun Qiufang and Su Min.

Since Sun Qiufang and Zhang Guihua would argue the moment they met, she didn’t go with Sun Yan to her house. She simply handed her some money to buy things for Qiangzi.

Sun Yan tried to decline. “Auntie, I really can’t accept this. You and Uncle have already done so much for us. I’d feel awful taking more.”

“What’s there to feel bad about? No matter how bad things are between me and your parents, I’d never hold it against you two. By the way, take Qiangzi to visit your grandma if you have time. She must miss you.”

Hearing that, Sun Yan looked down in embarrassment.

Ever since her younger aunt had gone into premature labor, she hadn’t dared visit her second uncle’s home. She hadn’t seen her grandmother since. She did miss her, but remembering what happened with her aunt—and thinking about how adorable little Doudou was and how he had almost been harmed—made her feel ashamed.

She couldn’t say all this out loud, so she just nodded. “I’ll find time to visit Grandma and Doudou.”

After parting ways, Sun Qiufang took Su Min back home.

She was still thinking about her nephew Qiangzi and sighed to herself. Two perfectly good kids—Yanyan was already worrying about the family at such a young age. They had parents, but it was like they were orphans.

When she heard Su Min suggest Qiangzi join the military, she thought it wasn’t a bad idea. “He might get his act together there. Better than staying home and getting dragged down by your Aunt.”

Su Min said, “Who knows how it’ll turn out. His parents still have the final say.”

“Maybe not. Yanyan seems like someone with her own ideas. And Qiangzi’s graduated now—he must have his own thoughts too.”

Su Min thought it over and agreed. Still, she hoped her aunt wouldn’t continue to act so extreme. With loving parents, a home should feel complete.

In her past life, her aunt hadn’t been provoked by their family, so she hadn’t been so unreasonable. She hadn’t treated Sun Yan and Qiangzi this way.

Meanwhile, Sun Yan was walking home, wondering how she’d bring this up with her parents.

She resented them, but after so many years, they were still her parents. She didn’t want a big fight.

But when it came to Qiangzi, she was determined to stand firm.

She’d come to realize that her mother was obsessed—completely focused on money and status. She didn’t care about anything else.

Qiangzi’s situation was probably going to be tough.

It was almost noon when she got home.

Sun Yan found the house empty. Seeing the time, she started cooking. A while later, Qiangzi came back, looking exhausted. When he saw her, his face lit up with a smile. “Sis, you’re back!”

Sun Yan was also happy to see him. As she carried the dishes inside, she asked about what had been going on at home.

“What were you doing just now? School’s out—you should be resting at home. I told you not to be messing around.”

“I wasn’t messing around. I was working.”

Qiangzi helped bring in the pot of rice and plopped down on a stool. “I started yesterday.”

Hearing that, Sun Yan’s face changed. “What’s going on? You just got out for break—who told you to start working?”

“It’s fine. I didn’t do well on the exams.”

He looked a little embarrassed. The results hadn’t been announced yet, but he already knew he hadn’t done well. Thinking about how his sister—barely older than him—had been working to support him, and how he had repaid her with such poor performance, made him feel awful. But there was nothing he could do—he simply couldn’t focus on studying anymore.

“What do you mean ‘it’s fine’? Whether you did well or not, we wait for the results! Is the family so desperate for money that you have to work the moment exams are over? It’s like they’ve fallen into a money trap.”

Sun Yan was heartbroken. Most parents cherished their kids. But in their family, it was like she and Qiangzi were just money-making tools.

If they were dirt poor, she wouldn’t mind working alongside him. But with everyone in the family earning money, why couldn’t they support just one child’s education?

As they ate, she brought up the idea of joining the military.

“There, if you work hard and behave well, you might end up with a bright future. Look, I’m not mad that you didn’t do well at school—we started behind, that’s not your fault. But if you get into the army and still mess around, then I’ll be mad.”

Qiangzi had never considered the military before. He was focused on earning money to ease the burden on his family and his sister. But now that it was brought up, he found himself a little intrigued.

Becoming a soldier… it felt like something far off but full of promise.

Meanwhile, Sun Qiufang and Su Min were eating at Sun Hai’s place.

Sun Hai’s store had expanded. He’d taken over the upstairs space and installed a staircase between the two floors, making it look spacious and bright.

He didn’t cook himself anymore—he had hired chefs and spent his time sourcing new snacks and dishes.

“Xiao Hai, your shop is really something,” said Sun Qiufang, pleased by her younger brother’s success.

Li Meng laughed, “Sis, don’t praise him. He’s already getting carried away. A few days ago, he was talking about opening a branch. I told him he should stabilize this one first.”

Sun Hai ladled her some soup and said with a grin, “You were the one who kept saying we should move to the city. Now that I want to, you’re against it. Aren’t you being unreasonable?”

Li Meng gave an awkward laugh. She had wanted to move just to avoid Liu Li. Now that things had settled, she wasn’t in a hurry anymore.

She pouted and turned to feed little Doudou, who was crawling on the floor nearby.

Watching the two of them, Sun Qiufang thought to herself how sweet their married life seemed. She smiled and said, “So, you’re really planning to move to the city?”

Sun Hai turned from his wife and child to nod at his sister. “Yes. Now that Doudou is older, I want to take the family to the city. Business is easier now, and I want to take advantage of that while I still can. When Doudou grows up, I don’t want him to suffer like we did.”

In the end, it was all for the child.

Sun Qiufang could relate. She and her husband had also moved for the sake of their daughter. “That sounds good. Since your brother-in-law and I have already settled in the city, it’ll be nice to have family close by. If you need help, just say the word.”

“Don’t worry, Sis. I’ve got a family of my own now. I can handle things. You can relax.”

Sun Qiufang took it as a polite response and didn’t press further.

After lunch, she and Su Min went back to their home to tidy up for the night.

Li Meng, after wrapping up things at the supermarket, came to help.

Grandma Sun usually visited and helped clean, often bringing the baby along. So the house wasn’t hard to get in order. Once the bedding was laid out, Li Meng laughed, “You’re only staying two days—you might as well stay with us and save the trouble.”

Sun Qiufang smiled and shook her head. “We live so close—it’s no big deal. Besides, if the house isn’t cleaned properly, I won’t feel comfortable staying elsewhere.”

While they cleaned the living room, Li Meng brought up the supermarket.

She had only taken on the job temporarily, but since Sun Hai now planned to move to the city, they’d soon be unable to manage the store. It was time to find a reliable replacement.

Sun Qiufang had already thought of this when Sun Hai mentioned his plans, so she wasn’t surprised. She smiled, “Your brother-in-law already has someone in mind. He’ll find someone once he gets back.”

Hearing that reassured Li Meng. She had helped manage the store partly out of personal interest—she wanted to gain experience and have her own career. If she suddenly dropped everything, she’d worry about upsetting her sister-in-law.

After everything was sorted, Sun Qiufang went downstairs with Li Meng to keep Grandma Sun company, while Su Min returned to her room to work on her designs.

Because of Xue Mian, the first outfit she designed was for his mother.

In the photo, his mother was beautiful. Xue Mian’s delicate features were clearly inherited from her. The only issue was the pride evident in her expression.

Some people are proud because of their privileged background, while others look down on others because of their talents.

Su Min felt Xue Mian’s mother had both types of pride.

Ke Wan had previously explained that most clients interested in these custom orders liked cheongsam-inspired designs. So Su Min followed that theme. However, with someone like Xue Mian’s mother, whose looks were graceful but whose temperament was proud, it was hard to capture the soft, elegant charm of a cheongsam.

Su Min sketched several designs before finally finding a spark of inspiration.