RGL – Chapter 122

Li Yulan didn’t dare to say much on the side, afraid of offending Sun Qiufang. If that happened, Sun Qiufang might call the police on them. So she just stood quietly nearby, only breathing a sigh of relief once the old lady finally nodded and agreed to go home.

Even though they were going back, the dazzling variety of things she had seen at the mall and the life she experienced in the city over the past few days…

They only strengthened her determination to move to the city in the future.

Even if she and Changfu couldn’t come, Cancan could. Then she and Changfu could follow along and enjoy a good life. That would be far better than the eldest couple, living in loneliness and hardship.

Although Grandma Su was somewhat reluctant, at least she didn’t cause a scene before getting into the bus.

Only after seeing Li Yulan and the old lady get in the bus did Sun Qiufang finally breathe a sigh of relief.

That evening, Su Changrong and Su Can also returned. After hearing from Sun Qiufang what had happened with Grandma Su and Li Yulan at the mall, Su Changrong’s face turned ashen with shame. He held it in for a while before saying, “It’s just as well they’ve gone back.”

Su Can, however, didn’t ask a single question. He sat on the living room sofa watching TV, with a pile of snacks in front of him—all things Sun Qiufang usually kept at home.

Although Sun Qiufang didn’t want to talk about Grandma Su and the others anymore, seeing Su Can so carefree and indifferent made her unhappy.

The whole family was worried because of him, but he didn’t care about anyone. It seemed the old lady had worried for nothing. How could they expect a child like this, who lacked emotional warmth, to be filial in the future?

During dinner, Su Changrong spoke to Sun Qiufang about Su Can’s situation.

“The job’s been arranged. It’s at the food processing plant. It’ll be good for him to learn a trade there. He starts tomorrow morning. I’ll help take his luggage over.”

“Alright. Once you’re done, come back and watch the store. It’s hard for me to manage it alone,” Sun Qiufang said. She didn’t want her husband neglecting the household for these matters.

“I know.”

The next day, Su Changrong helped Su Can pack and took him to the food processing plant in the city.

On the way, Su Changrong reminded him again, “Be diligent, don’t slack off. Learn properly from the master. Don’t talk back to people, and—”

“I know, I know! You’re so annoying,” Su Can said impatiently.

Seeing his nephew talk like that, Su Changrong’s expression darkened. He no longer felt like saying anything more and silently led him to the factory.

Once Su Can entered the factory, the matter was finally put to rest.

Life at home returned to how it used to be, and Sun Qiufang felt much more at ease.

That evening, Ke Wan called again. She mentioned that she would host a small dinner at home this Saturday—a family gathering to formally acknowledge their bond.

After hanging up, Sun Qiufang said, “She’s even inviting people. How should we show our appreciation?” She felt uneasy about how sincerely Ke Wan treated her daughter and wasn’t sure how to reciprocate.

Su Min said, “It’s fine. Sister Wan just wants it to be a lively event. It’s nothing formal. I think it’ll just be a few of her friends.”

Hearing that, Sun Qiufang finally relaxed a little.

Still, she thought about going to the jewelry shop in the next couple of days to pick out a suitable piece. It would be a token of their daughter’s recognition of this new bond, to avoid any awkwardness or perceived lack of etiquette.

Over at the Wu family, Ke Wan was also discussing the upcoming gathering with Shu Jing and the others.

Ke Wan was an only child. While she had lived abroad, her parents had already passed away. Though she had relatives back home, they had never stayed in touch and weren’t very close. Instead, her bond with Shu Jing, a former classmate with whom she had spent many years, was much deeper—like family. So for this acknowledgment ceremony, she didn’t plan to invite relatives. It would just be her and Wu Zhe, Shu Jing and Zhang Ning, along with two of Wu Zhe’s elders to serve as witnesses.

Shu Jing was rather surprised at how attentive Ke Wan was toward Su Min.

She knew Ke Wan had a simple nature—unlike her and Zhang Ning—and wasn’t someone who easily got close to others. So seeing her act this way toward a young girl naturally came as a surprise.

Seeing Ke Wan still sitting at her vanity picking out jewelry to give Su Min, Shu Jing flopped onto the bed and said, “This girl may be nice, but you don’t have to go this far, do you? We’ve known each other for so many years, and you’ve never treated me this well.” She said it with mock jealousy.

Then she turned toward Zhang Ning, who was helping Ke Wan care for the baby. “Ning Ning, we’ve been friends for so long. Has she ever been this nice to you?”

Zhang Ning chuckled softly but didn’t respond.

Her relationship with Ke Wan wasn’t as close as Shu Jing’s. They met through Shu Jing, so she usually stayed out of their teasing banter.

As she continued searching, Ke Wan said, “It’s different. You don’t understand. I was in such pain and couldn’t move. That feeling of helplessness was overwhelming. So when I heard the doorbell, it was like seeing a ray of light in total darkness. At that moment, I barely had the strength to blow the whistle.”

Thinking back on that experience still filled Ke Wan with dread.

She couldn’t imagine what would’ve happened if Su Min hadn’t come. By the time someone else found her, would she still have been…

If Su Min saving her was just a coincidence, then everything she did afterward showed her character. Ke Wan believed this girl was worth building a relationship with.

Fate was strange like that. In the past, she never imagined she would grow so close to someone like Su Min.

Zhang Ning could relate. When she had been kidnapped by Zhang An, she too had felt despair. When Shu Jing pulled her out of the sack, the relief she felt was just like what Ke Wan described. But for Ke Wan, the bond went even deeper—there had also been the life of her unborn child involved.

She smiled and said, “Having a sister is a good thing. This younger sister of yours seems very promising. You’ve really gained something by acknowledging her.”

Shu Jing, though still a little puzzled, nodded along. “At least you’ll save money on clothes now. Hey, why don’t we get in on this ‘acknowledging family’ thing too?”

Ke Wan caught her teasing tone and laughed. “Stop being sarcastic and help me pick out a gift for Su Min. This is my first time giving her something. I can’t just be careless about it.”

“Yes, yes, Mrs. Wu,” Shu Jing laughed, getting up from the bed to help her choose.

Zhang Ning gently rocked the baby in her arms and started thinking of her own son. She missed him. After being away for a few days, she wondered how he was doing.

On Saturday, Su Min dressed herself up neatly and went along with Su Changrong and Sun Qiufang.

Sun Qiufang was relatively fine—after all, she had met Ke Wan before, so she only felt a bit uncomfortable, not entirely unfamiliar. It was Su Changrong who felt awkward, thinking their family’s conditions weren’t great—how did his daughter end up forming ties with a family like this?

This time, Ke Wan wanted to create a warm and friendly atmosphere, so instead of hosting a banquet at a hotel, she invited a chef to cook and held the meal at home.

Ke Wan’s relatives lived far away, so they couldn’t arrive on short notice. But Wu Zhe invited two elders from nearby to attend.

Although these elders were from the Wu family, they were usually well taken care of by them, so they didn’t object to Ke Wan recognizing a new family member. On the contrary, they warmly welcomed Su Min’s family.

When the banquet began, Ke Wan followed the city’s local custom and gave Su Min a bracelet, symbolizing a bond like siblings. Su Min glanced at it—it was an emerald-inlaid bracelet, the kind that couldn’t be bought in stores nowadays.

She didn’t expect Ke Wan to give such a valuable gift right away, which made her feel a bit uncomfortable. But refusing it would’ve embarrassed Ke Wan, so she could only smile and express her thanks.

Noticing the flicker of discomfort on Su Min’s face, Ke Wan smiled and said, “This was something our Ke family brought back when we went abroad. It’s an heirloom from the older generation. Now that we’ve acknowledged each other as family, you’re part of the Ke family too. From now on, I’m your sister—we’ll treat each other like real sisters.”

In two lifetimes, no one had ever said something like this to Su Min. Even though she’d been trying to stay rational, she couldn’t help but be moved—her eyes turned red. She pressed her lips together and nodded solemnly with a smile.

Shu Jing, nearby, grinned and said, “You’ve acknowledged the relationship—shouldn’t you call her ‘sister’ now?”

The two elders from the Wu family also encouraged her to address her properly.

Su Min looked at Ke Wan and smiled. “Sister.”

“Mm.” Ke Wan smiled and nodded, truly feeling like she had gained a younger sister, and with it, a sense of long-lost affection.

With the formal part over, everyone relaxed. The two Wu family elders, not able to chat with the younger crowd, went off to play mahjong with Su Changrong and Sun Qiufang after dinner. Shu Jing, being unable to sit still, pulled a few people to chat on the balcony.

Shu Jing knew that Su Min was currently in the clothing business and doing quite well. Although she only took on a small number of orders, it was enough to keep a student busy all year. The income was also impressive, so Shu Jing was quite interested in Su Min’s future plans.

Sipping her coffee, she asked, “Are you planning to stay around here in the future?”

Su Min smiled and shook her head. “Nothing’s certain yet—I want to apply to a university elsewhere.”

Ke Wan said with a smile, “Su Min has excellent grades. She’s at a key high school in the city—she’ll definitely get into a good university.”

Shu Jing asked curiously, “Which university are you aiming for?”

Su Min thought for a moment. She didn’t feel the need to be modest in front of them, so she replied directly, “I want to apply to a university in B City.”

“That’s great! If you get in, you can come hang out with me—we’re both in B City,” Shu Jing said, glancing at Ke Wan. “Is Wu Zhe planning to develop his career there too?”

Ke Wan shook her head with a smile. “No such plans for now. We’re thinking of moving back to S City when the child gets a bit older, or maybe to the south. He’s not into much, except doing business. You guys being in B City is enough. Oh right, that building Zheng Kai helped with last time turned out really well—he even said if there’s another opportunity, he hopes to collaborate again.”

Mentioning Zheng Kai brought a smile to Shu Jing’s face. “Don’t praise him too much—he’ll get cocky around me again.”

Zhang Ning chuckled and shook her head. These two had been bickering ever since they got married. But Zheng Kai always indulged Shu Jing, never argued back, and always acted like the one in the wrong—it only made Shu Jing more spirited.

Ke Wan knew what Shu Jing was like and just smiled. Then she turned to Su Min and said, “If you ever go to B City, reach out to them if you need anything—or even if you don’t. You’re my little sister now, so they have to look after you.”

Su Min quickly nodded and smiled, then said to Shu Jing and Zhang Ning, “I’ll be relying on you two then.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Just make us a couple of outfits when you’re free. By the way, your clothing business will definitely do better in B City than here. There’s a bigger market, and once word spreads, your brand will take off.”

Zhang Ning added suddenly, “Honestly, if there’s ever a chance, joining a fashion show in F Country would be ideal. That’s where many high-end brands show up every year—way more effective than any advertisement.”

The mention of a fashion show made Su Min feel a spark of excitement. But she knew she didn’t have the skills yet—she probably couldn’t even meet the basic entry requirements.

Still, just because the opportunity wasn’t there now didn’t mean she wouldn’t aim for it in the future. If she wanted to keep building her brand, Xiuse, she’d need to break into that circle someday.

Traditional clothing didn’t have to be limited to the domestic market. If Chinese tradition was brought to the international stage, it could definitely hold its own.

Of course, all of that would require the right opportunity—and more growth on her part.

That evening, after another meal together, Su Min and her parents finally left the Wu family’s home, escorted to the door by Wu Zhe and Ke Wan.

Watching them walk away, Ke Wan smiled and turned back inside.

Wu Zhe looked at how happy she was and smiled. “Got what you wanted, huh? Feeling satisfied now?”

Ke Wan looked at him and said, “Now that our baby has an aunt, of course I’m happy. It feels so nice to have one more relative. Sometimes blood ties are strange—whether or not there’s a blood connection doesn’t matter. As long as Su Min and I value this relationship, our bond won’t be any less than anyone else’s.”

Zhang Ning, standing at the door, heard this and looked thoughtful.

“Minzi, they’re treating us sincerely. You have to treat them sincerely too, alright?” Sun Qiufang said. “You didn’t have a real sister before, but now you do. Cherish it, okay? Don’t be like some people—always scheming and trying to take advantage.”

Though she trusted her daughter, Sun Qiufang still worried the relationship might change in the future. In her view, if people extended their hand in such goodwill, and their family ended up doing something to betray that, it’d be unforgivable.

Su Changrong wasn’t pleased hearing that. “I know what kind of person my daughter is. She’s not ungrateful, right, Minzi?”

Su Min quickly nodded. “I promise, Ke Wan is my real sister from now on.”

Although she felt she should be Ke Wan’s older sister, her body was younger, and she could only accept reality and be the younger one.

But having an older sister truly felt different.

It was a closeness that couldn’t compare to cousins or distant relatives—it was truly intimate.

Who would’ve thought that after two lifetimes, she’d gain a sister? It was something she never expected.

After this, Su Min began visiting the Wu family more often.

Every weekend, she made time to visit Ke Wan’s son, Wu Rui, bringing little gifts or sewing him adorable clothes.

Babies always warmed up to those who were kind to them. Though he was only a little over a month old, he seemed to already know who treated him well. He’d cry nonstop when others held him, but would quiet down immediately when Su Min picked him up and whispered to him.

Su Min had heard that one-month-old babies couldn’t see the world clearly—it was all blurry. But after a month, they would gradually begin to perceive their surroundings. So she often looked him in the eye, hoping he’d remember her face.

Looking at little Ruirui’s cute, chubby face, Su Min couldn’t help but think of Doudou, still in the county.

She’d heard that Doudou could walk on his own now. She wondered when her uncle and his family would come visit.

As it turned out, just as Su Min was thinking about Sun Hai and the others, Su Changrong received a call from Sun Hai—they were coming to the city.

Last time, Sun Hai had wanted to come check out store locations with them but couldn’t make it. Now, with the year-end approaching, he didn’t want to wait until the new year like everyone else. So he decided to bring the whole family to the city—both to check out shops and visit Su Changrong’s family.

After receiving the notice, Sun Qiufang quickly got the guest room ready. Though there was only one spare room, Sun Hai could sleep on the sofa in the living room just fine.