RGL – Chapter 113

Upon hearing what had happened, Sun Hai’s expression changed instantly. He looked at Sun Bing with disapproval. “Brother, how can you treat the kids like this? Things at home haven’t gotten that bad, have they?”

“We’re not even their real children—they must’ve picked us up somewhere,” Sun Qiang said angrily.

“Don’t talk nonsense,” Grandma Sun lightly patted his arm.

“It’s true! They made my sister drop out before she even finished middle school just so she could work and earn money for them. Even my tuition fees were paid by her. Now that I’ve graduated, they saw that construction sites pay well and want to send me off to work at one.”

The more Sun Qiang spoke, the wider his eyes grew with anger.

After being criticized by his brother and children, Sun Bing felt miserable and said nothing, lowering his head in silence. After a while, he finally spoke, “Yanyan, Qiangzi, don’t be mad at me and your mom anymore. I came here today to tell you that I’ve decided to return to the countryside and start farming our land again. I don’t want to keep living in the city.”

Everyone in the room looked at him in shock.

They had assumed he came to make the siblings apologize, but they didn’t expect him to say something like this.

Sun Yan was a little skeptical. “Mom would agree to that?”

“If she doesn’t, I’ll just go back by myself. We don’t have a lot of land, so I can manage it on my own.”

Just the thought of country life made Sun Bing feel a hundred times more at ease than living in the city. No superiors to deal with—he could do whatever he wanted.

Hearing his plans, Sun Yan and Sun Qiang started to believe him.

Sun Qiufang asked, “Big Brother, why the sudden change? Are you really going back?”

Even though she didn’t particularly like her brother and sister-in-law, she still hoped the family would live well. Back then, she had opposed them moving to the city, but they had insisted. Now, after everything they’ve been through, they wanted to go back. Who knew if that was the right decision?

Sun Bing nodded. “Yes, I’m going back. Like it or not, I don’t have what it takes to make it in the city, and I’m not going to pretend I do. Life, lived slowly and steadily, will get better eventually.”

Now that he had come to terms with everything, he felt much more at peace. He had worn himself out trying to compete with his siblings, like he was fighting a daily battle. But now he realized—he had a house, he had land, what more did he need?

It hadn’t even been that many years since they came to the city. Back then, he dreamed of having his own land. Now, it was like he’d been blinded, chasing after city life that turned out to be even more difficult than village life.

Seeing how sincere her father looked, Sun Yan bit her lip and said, “Dad, it’s good if you go back. Once I earn more money, I’ll send some to you. We’ll build a big house in the village.”

Su Min, who had been silent the whole time, finally relaxed upon hearing her uncle really planned to go back. She had worried that they would stubbornly stick it out in the city. She thought for a moment, then said, “Uncle, when you go back, maybe you could raise sheep on the hills or lease a hilltop to grow fruit trees. Those things sell well nowadays. Even in the countryside, we can take advantage of what we have and live a good life.”

“I like that idea,” Grandma Sun said cheerfully. “You and Guihua are just working odd jobs in the city. The pay isn’t good, and you don’t even have a house. I’ve been worried sick. If you go back and do like Minzi said—plant fruit, raise pigs and sheep—how could life not get better?”

Sun Bing hadn’t thought of those options before, but after hearing Su Min describe it, he could picture the scene, and it made him feel happy inside. That’s right—why was he forcing himself to do things in the city that didn’t suit him? All he knew was farming and living off the land. He might as well go back to the village and grow and raise what he could. At least then, he wouldn’t live worse than his siblings.

He smiled and said, “I heard you can even lease out fish ponds. Now that you mention it, there’s actually a lot of ways to make money in the village. Why didn’t I see it before?” He turned to Sun Yan and Sun Qiang. “Yanyan, Qiangzi, when you come back, there’ll be plenty of food at home.”

Sun Yan sniffled and said with grievance, “Dad, Qiangzi and I never really turned our backs on you. We just couldn’t accept how cold our family had become. Don’t worry—when you go back to the village, Qiangzi and I will visit you when we can. I’ll also save up capital so we can start something together. As long as we all work hard, life will definitely get better.”

Sun Qiang added, “Dad, I’ll go back with you. I won’t join the army or go work anymore. Let’s raise pigs and sheep together.”

Sun Bing shook his head. “You’ll go to the army first. Train there for a while. Don’t end up like your old man, who’s never left the county in his whole life.”

He had lived a mediocre life and didn’t want his son to follow in his footsteps.

Grandma Sun was delighted to see her son finally come around and her grandson reconcile with him. “This is good. Our family needs to stick together—only then will life become sweeter.”

With everything cleared up, Sun Yan and Sun Qiang stopped being angry with Sun Bing. After thanking Sun Qiufang, they left with their father.

Sun Qiang still needed to go through the village committee to join the army, so he had to go back with Sun Bing. Sun Yan decided to spend a day with them before returning, in case it became hard to meet later.

After the father and children left, Sun Qiufang felt a weight lift off her shoulders.

That night, she curled up on the bed with Su Min to chat.

“Your uncle finally came around. I thought this would drag on for years.”

Su Min also felt happy. Because of her rebirth, Sun Yan and Sun Qiang had nearly ended up as unloved children. Now that her uncle had come to his senses and planned to return and develop his life in the countryside, everything was finally moving in a good direction.

“I just don’t know how Aunt will take it. If Uncle goes back alone, can she really make it here by herself?”

Mentioning Zhang Guihua made Sun Qiufang sigh. “With her temper, she’ll probably hold out stubbornly. But that’s her choice. Maybe once your uncle goes back and things improve, she’ll follow.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

Su Min nodded.

Back at Sun Bing’s home, when Zhang Guihua saw the children return, her expression was as unpleasant as ever. She glared at Sun Bing and sulked in silence. Since the incident where Sun Yan and Sun Qiang left to stay with the Li family, she no longer dared to be as aggressive as before. She simply pretended not to see them, pulled the curtain shut, and went to bed.

Seeing her act that way, neither Sun Yan nor Sun Qiang tried to comfort her. They washed up and went to rest.

Lying on the bed, Sun Bing sighed and said, “Guihua, I’m going back to the village tomorrow. Why don’t you come with us?”

Zhang Guihua turned her back to him and said coldly, “If you want to leave, go by yourself.”

That hurt Sun Bing deeply. He had hoped his wife would return with him, but now he could see it wasn’t going to happen.

He didn’t drag things out. The next day, he went to the guesthouse, resigned, and collected his wages. After returning home, he and the children packed up and left.

Sun Yan didn’t go back with them. Instead, she returned to the city by herself. Now that everyone at home was working hard, she planned to earn more money so she could invest in whatever the family needed in the future.

Hearing that Sun Yan had returned to the city, Sun Qiufang also prepared to leave. Sun Hai was headed there too, and the supermarket needed someone to take over. Since she wasn’t good at recruiting, she planned to get Su Changrong to handle it.

Su Min, hearing they were returning to the city, rushed to pack up her desk—she didn’t want to forget her blueprints.

Halfway through packing, she heard Grandma Sun shout from downstairs, “Minzi! There’s a phone call for you. It’s your classmate!”

“Xiao Min.”

The moment Su Min answered the phone, she heard Xue Mian’s voice. She was pleasantly surprised and smiled. “Xue Mian! So it’s you! How’d you know my uncle’s number?”

“I called your home, and your dad gave it to me,” Xue Mian said happily on the other end. “Xiao Min, are you in An County? Let’s hang out. I’m here too, staying at my aunt’s.”

Su Min immediately agreed with a laugh. After settling the time and place, she went upstairs to tell Sun Qiufang.

“That’s fine, but don’t stay home alone these few days. Stay at your uncle’s. I’ll feel more at ease.”

“Mom, I can take care of myself.”

“Listen to me,” Sun Qiufang said firmly.

She spoiled her child in many ways, but safety wasn’t something to compromise on.

Su Min had no choice but to agree.

Since it was late, Sun Qiufang didn’t rush back to the city that night. During dinner, she helped Su Min move her things downstairs so she could stay at Sun Hai’s place. That way, she could catch the bus more easily in the morning.

When Grandma Sun heard Su Min would stay a few more days, she was overjoyed. “Stay longer. We’ve got plenty of space.”

Li Meng added with a smile, “Exactly. Doudou’s been crying ever since he heard you were leaving. Neither Sun Hai nor I could calm him down.”

“Is that true, Doudou?” Su Min picked him up and kissed his chubby face.

“Sister…big,” Doudou giggled.

Su Min’s eyes lit up. “Doudou, what did you just say? Say it again.”

“Sister big.”

Su Min smiled and corrected him. “It’s big sister.”

“big sister!” Doudou got it right this time.

“So smart!” Su Min beamed and kissed him again and again.

Li Meng, seeing her child being so sweet, laughed. “At least he didn’t inherit Sun Hai’s stoic personality.”

Grandma Sun chimed in, “He’s just like our Xiao Hai when he was little—smart as a whip. He only turned quiet when he grew up.”

Sun Qiufang caught Li Meng’s eye, and both women laughed and nodded in agreement.

The next morning, Sun Qiufang got up early and headed to the city. Su Min left too—first taking her mom to the bus station, then going to the county’s only small park.

There weren’t many people that morning, and the pavilion was empty. Su Min sipped soy milk while reading a book.

Suddenly, darkness fell over her eyes—someone had covered them from behind.

“Guess who?”

The roughness of the hand on her face surprised her—she thought, When did this kid’s soft hands get so rough?

“Xue Xiaobai, if you don’t let go, I’m going to spill soy milk all over you!”

The hands were removed immediately. Xue Mian walked around and sat in front of her, his slightly tanned face looking displeased. “How’d you guess so fast?”

Su Min smiled, set her soy milk down, and closed her book. “You think I’m like you? You’re how old now, still covering people’s eyes? Besides, your voice—it’s changed so much I’d never forget it.”

Xue Mian frowned. “What do you mean, changed? This is the sound of a man maturing. Once this voice change ends, I’ll be a real man.”

Su Min didn’t reply, just studied him quietly. She wondered if his cheerful mood meant he had done well on his exams.

Seeing she didn’t respond like she used to, Xue Mian waved a hand in front of her face. “Hey, what are you thinking about?”

“What are your plans for the future?” Su Min asked casually.

Her question made Xue Mian smile. “Why do you want to know?”

His eyes sparkled as he looked at her.

Feeling awkward, Su Min quickly clarified, “I’m just worried about how your exams went.”

“Oh, that.” Xue Mian looked a bit disappointed. He picked up her book and flipped through it. “I plan to study abroad. I’ve already applied to a business school in the U.S.”

“Abroad?” Su Min froze.

She had just wanted to ask about his exam results but didn’t expect this. Knowing he was leaving the country made her feel a bit heavy-hearted.

Seeing that she didn’t try to stop him or say anything to make him stay, Xue Mian felt even worse. He deliberately said, “I might be there for a long time. Who knows when I’ll be back. Write to me if you can.”

Su Min nodded, calming herself before saying, “It’s a good thing. We should see more of the world. Staying in one place is a waste.”

Xue Mian forced a smile. “What about you? Will you go abroad someday?”

He knew Su Min had the grades for it.

Su Min shook her head. “Maybe someday. But not now. I don’t want to leave home yet.” To her, dreams were important—but family mattered more.

They both grew a little melancholic after that.

At lunch, Xue Mian didn’t go home. He took Su Min to a small restaurant near their school.

“I used to eat here all the time. I couldn’t forget the taste, even after I left. I came back last time and ate here again, but it just didn’t taste the same alone.”

Su Min laughed. “Didn’t know you were the sentimental type.”

“I’m being serious,” he frowned.

“Okay, okay, I’ll stop. Eat more now—once you’re abroad, you won’t get this again.”

Hearing her talk about him leaving so casually only made Xue Mian more frustrated. He had been planning their future, steeling himself for the separation—yet she didn’t even seem a little sad. He knew she didn’t like him, but couldn’t she at least show some reluctance?

Otherwise, it really did feel like he was the only one playing a one-man show.