RGL – Chapter 35

“What did you do just now, you were gone for so long?”

As soon as she came back, Xue Mian was unhappy. He had planned to eat with Su Min, but just as they started, she disappeared, and he couldn’t eat anymore.

Su Min smiled and said, “I just went to check on my uncle, he’s working in the kitchen.”

Liao Zhaodi asked, “Did you see him?”

“Yeah, I saw him, but he was pretty busy, so we didn’t talk much.” Su Min ate a few bites of food, but because of the hot weather, she didn’t have much of an appetite.

Seeing that she wasn’t eating much, Xue Mian called over the waiter and ordered a few bottles of soda.

The three of them drank the soda, and Xue Mian mentioned that he was going back to B City. He had planned to go back for the holiday anyway, but he wanted to help Su Min and the others sell popsicles, so he had delayed a few days. His grandfather had called several times urging him to come back, and now he had no choice.

He was also afraid of his grandfather’s cane if he kept staying at home.

Upon hearing that Xue Mian was leaving, Su Min felt a little reluctant. Although Xue Mian could be childish sometimes, these past few days helping to sell popsicles had been lively, and it had been fun. Sometimes she even forgot she was an adult and acted just like a kid, having fun with them.

Without thinking, she asked, “When will you come back?”

Xue Mian had been feeling unhappy about leaving, but when he heard Su Min’s question, his face immediately brightened, and he smiled, “Are you going to miss me?”

“Can’t you speak properly?” Su Min pouted, intentionally glaring at him. “Seriously, when are you coming back? If you come back early, you can come hang out with us.”

Xue Mian smiled so widely that his eyes turned into slits, and his curved lashes became even more noticeable.

“I’ll come back a week early. My parents probably won’t be home, only my grandparents will be there. I’ll go back to see them and stay for a while.”

Su Min nodded, raised her soda, and said, “Then this meal is for us to send you off. Wishing you a safe trip.”

Liao Zhaodi also raised her soda bottle. Although Xue Mian didn’t particularly like her, she felt that he wasn’t a bad person. At least he worked hard when it came to tasks.

“Such a sentimental farewell, it’s not like you’re going far,” Xue Mian awkwardly clinked their bottles together and drank a whole bottle of soda in one go.

After finishing the meal, Su Min went to pay, but Xue Mian quickly beat her to it.

“When you go out to eat with girls, how can you let the girls pay?”

Su Min thought to herself, when eating with a child, there’s no reason to make the child pay either.

This kid, he hasn’t even grown any facial hair yet, but he’s already learned to be a little chauvinistic.

The three of them left the restaurant, and Xue Mian went straight back home. Su Min and Liao Zhaodi watched him get into the car before heading back. As they walked farther, Su Min looked at the restaurant door, feeling a little regretful. She had planned to properly meet her future aunt, but she didn’t get the chance.

In the Liu family’s main room, Liu’s mother said to her daughter, “The person your aunt talked to you about, we all approve of him. He came to your restaurant last time, and he was very satisfied with you.”

Liu Li lowered her head and stayed silent.

The person her mother mentioned, she knew. He had eaten at the restaurant a few days ago and greeted her. He was 30 years old, worked at a state-owned factory, and although he was divorced, he was a legitimate city person. His ex-wife had left a daughter, so there wouldn’t be any problems with raising a son.

But…

“Mom, I’m already in a relationship.”

Liu’s mother, who had been giving her daughter a long lecture, immediately asked when she heard this, “What kind of relationship? Where is he from, what does his family do?”

“He’s also from the countryside, he works in the kitchen at the restaurant where I work, and he’s a good person.”

Liu’s mother frowned, “What’s his family environment like?”

“It’s okay, I guess.”

Liu’s mother knew her daughter too well. When she said “okay,” it usually meant not okay.

“I don’t approve of this relationship,” Liu’s mother said firmly.

Liu’s father also knocked the ash off his cigarette and said, “There are so many young girls in the village looking at city folks, but you, with this chance, are still looking at someone from the village.”

Liu’s mother also said, “Yes, Lili, listen to Mom’s advice. They say poverty-stricken couples face a lot of hardships. Talking about boyfriends or not, that’s all childish. When it comes to living life properly, you need to be with someone who has good conditions. If you marry the one your third aunt introduced to you, you’ll have a house in the city, and your household registration can be transferred there. Even though he has a daughter from his previous marriage, if you have a son later, that daughter won’t matter. I’m your mother, I don’t expect you to help the family after marriage, I just want you to live a good life.”

“Mom,” Liu Li said helplessly. She had been asked by Sun Hai to go to his house for dinner and meet his parents, but now she was supposed to be getting engaged to someone else. How could she explain to Sun Hai?

Liu’s mother continued, “Look around the nearby villages, which young man isn’t decent? A lot of people have come to propose, but you didn’t think any of them were good enough. How come now you’re choosing someone from the countryside? Anyway, you need to think carefully about your own marriage. Just don’t regret it later. Think about it, do you want to live in a doghouse, or do you want to live in a golden house?”

At that moment, a plump woman walked in from outside.

“Is Lili back?” she asked.

Liu Li stood up when she saw her. “Third Aunt.”

Third Aunt looked at Liu Li’s return and smiled broadly. “Ah, it really is you! I heard your mom say you were coming back today. How did it go? Did Gao Jianfeng meet you at the restaurant? What do you think of him?”

Liu Li lowered her head, recalling Gao Jianfeng’s appearance, and nodded. “He’s quite refined.”

“That’s right! He comes from a worker’s family, and he’s well-educated. I just got back from the town, and my neighbor said he’s very pleased with you and wants to settle down with you.”

“Isn’t this a bit too fast?” Liu Li hesitated. She hadn’t even cleared things up with Sun Hai yet, and she hadn’t decided on her feelings about this situation. How could it be settled so quickly?

Third Aunt said, “What’s so fast? It’s not fast at all. If you don’t settle it quickly, other girls will start talking to him. You’re good-looking, but our family’s background is like this, so you need to be proactive.”

Liu’s mother also chimed in, “Your third aunt is right. You’re already this old, and it’s better to settle things sooner rather than later.” In any case, she didn’t approve of the rural man mentioned earlier. If his family was well-off, he wouldn’t be working as a helper at the restaurant. He was probably from a poor family who couldn’t make ends meet. She wasn’t being elitist; she just didn’t want her daughter to suffer.

Seeing that Liu Li didn’t respond, Third Aunt thought for a moment and said, “How about you go to Gao Jianfeng’s house and take a look? You can check it out for yourself, and if you like it, then you can agree.”

Liu Li had been hesitating, her heart conflicted. When she heard she could go see for herself, she felt a little moved. Anyway, she could just go and see, and if it didn’t work out, she’d have an excuse to tell her family she didn’t approve. After all, Sun Hai didn’t know about this matter.

So, Third Aunt took Liu Li to the county town again.

Gao’s family was a working-class family. Gao Jianfeng’s parents had only him as their son, so his work arrangement was good, and he worked at the water plant. Their house was also in the water plant’s residential area.

“Look at this house. If you marry him, this is where you’ll live.”

Third Aunt spoke while showing Liu Li around.

Liu Li also took a discreet look at the residential area. She had seen these kinds of factory housing before when she was out shopping with her roommates during her days off, and she had envied it. She never thought she would one day be visiting a place like this.

After they went up to the third floor, Third Aunt knocked a few times on the door, and someone opened it.

Gao Jianfeng, tall and thin, stood at the door. When he saw Liu Li, his eyes lit up.

“Come in,” he eagerly invited her in.

Third Aunt smiled, “I’ll go check on your parents, you two have a good chat.” With that, she pushed Liu Li into the room and left.

Liu Li blushed and followed Gao Jianfeng into the room. She looked around the bright and tidy factory-style home, and it was clear that this place was different from the homes in the village.

“Aren’t your parents here?” Liu Li asked.

Gao Jianfeng poured her some water. “My parents live downstairs. They don’t live with us. After we get married, this house will be just for the two of us.”

Hearing the word “marriage,” Liu Li felt a little nervous.

Gao Jianfeng, being someone who had been married before, understood women’s thoughts. Seeing Liu Li’s shy appearance, he could tell she was starting to warm up to him. He quickly sat beside her and smiled, “I like you. I know your family’s situation. Our relatives are doing well, and after we get married, I’ll be able to help your family too. You’ve seen the conditions here. Once we get married, you’ll be in charge, and my parents will take care of the kids. Liu Li, if you agree, we can go register and get married. I’ll also help you transfer your household registration to the city.”

As he spoke, he slowly reached out and held Liu Li’s hand.

Liu Li struggled slightly, but when she realized she couldn’t pull away, she didn’t move anymore.

The past few days had been unbearably hot, and Su Min couldn’t take it anymore. She decided not to go out to sell popsicles, so she set up a stall in front of her house, selling popsicles and soda while doing homework with Liao Zhaodi. This way, the sales volume dropped a lot, but neither of them wanted to go out under the sun anymore.

The heat was so intense, they had even peeled a layer of skin in the past few days. Fortunately, they had earned some money last winter and this summer, so they weren’t short on money.

Su Min decided to give up selling popsicles in the future and look for something more profitable and comfortable to do instead.

Sun Qiufang was also unhappy about her daughter putting herself through such hardships. The family wasn’t poor, and there was no need for their precious daughter to suffer and earn money.

During dinner, Su Changrong said, “Why don’t you two stop selling popsicles and help out at the shop? I’ll give you fifteen yuan a month.”

Su Min couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Earning money from the family is boring.” Right now, everything was in a state of reconstruction, and it was such a great opportunity. If she wanted to earn money, of course, she would go out and do it.

It seemed that selling clothes might be an option, but the clothing designs made by the county factory were all the same. Even if she could sell them, they would be similar to what the shop already had. The key was, it was hard to even get good items.

And with the few hundred yuan she had, getting better quality clothes would be difficult.

Seeing her frown, Sun Qiufang smiled. “Alright, don’t frown. You’re just a child. Why are you in such a hurry to earn money? In the future, all of this, your dad and I will leave it to you.”

“Mom, I don’t want to rely on you.” Since she had been reborn, she didn’t want to live off her parents. That would be too shameful.

Sun Qiufang laughed when she heard that. “Rely on us? That’s a new term. Don’t worry, your dad and I are happy to be relied on by you.”

Su Changrong also laughed. “Our daughter’s words are always the sweetest.”

“Eat your meal.” Su Min lowered her head and began eating. She felt that ever since her parents’ life had improved, they had started to pamper her too much when it came to education.

Every child would want to be pampered. But the key was, she wasn’t a child. She wanted to earn money with her own abilities, so her family could have a house to live in. In the future, as cars became more common, she also wanted a car. Her parents were getting older, so they wouldn’t need to run the shop anymore and could travel. In her previous life, she had always heard of rich people traveling the world. Even if her parents didn’t travel the world, she hoped they could visit scenic spots in China. She wanted them to be able to just decide to go wherever they wanted.

The next day, taking advantage of the cool morning, Su Min finished her breakfast early and went to the factory area. She thought she could find some goods to sell, especially since some factories weren’t doing well.

Su Min was already very familiar with the factory area and knew where the various factories were located.

Many of the factories in the county town weren’t doing well. The textile factory where her parents used to work had laid off many people, and her parents were among the first batch. Some other factories had also closed down. What used to be a bustling area now looked very desolate.

Su Min remembered that in a few years, this area, once admired by so many people, would become increasingly abandoned. On the other side of the county town, a new city center would slowly develop.

“Lili, are you going to work today?”

Two people suddenly walked up in front of her.

Su Min looked up and saw a tall, thin man who was clearly from the water plant by his clothes. The woman beside him was very young, with thick eyebrows and big eyes. She was quite pretty.

Su Min froze for a moment. Wasn’t that Liu Li?

Her uncle had said yesterday that Liu Li had gone home because there was something going on in her family. Why was she here? And why did she seem so familiar with this man?

At the same time, Gao Jianfeng was still persuading Liu Li, “I think you should quit your job. After we get married, you can stay home, and I’ll find a job for you at the factory. That way, you’ll have a proper job. Why be a waitress at a place like that?”

Liu Li nodded, but her mind was in a mess.

She didn’t know what was wrong with her. Yesterday, she had stayed at Gao’s house. She didn’t dare to think about what would happen if Sun Hai found out about this.

When the two of them passed by Su Min, she was already in a daze.

It really was Liu Li. And from what she heard from the man, it seemed like they were going to get married. Did her uncle know about this? Was he kept in the dark, or was he silently heartbroken?

Su Min suddenly thought back to her previous life, where her uncle had been buried alone in the old family grave, with only coldness around the tombstone. Then she thought about this life, where her uncle would smile with joy after every harvest, and how he had such sincere happiness when mentioning Liu Li.

“Uncle.” Su Min bit her lip and turned to run toward the restaurant.

“Sun Hai, I want to talk to you about Liu Li.”

Li Meng had come to the kitchen early in the morning to find Sun Hai.

Sun Hai was helping Li Ayi wash vegetables, and when he saw Li Meng come to find him, he was momentarily stunned. He thought he had heard her mention something about Liu Li, and his heart sank. He instinctively stood up.

Li Ayi smiled and said, “You go ahead and talk. I can manage this little bit of work myself.”

The two of them walked outside the kitchen, and only then did Sun Hai urgently ask, “Li Meng, what happened to Liu Li? Did something happen at her home?”

“A few days ago, I saw a middle-aged man come to find Liu Li. From the sounds of it, it seemed like there was a marriage proposal or something,” Li Meng said seriously.

She had been thinking about this for several days, and ever since that man came to see Liu Li, Liu Li had seemed distracted, which made Li Meng realize that something was going on with Liu Li.

Once she understood this, Li Meng felt uncomfortable inside.

She had liked Sun Hai for a long time, but Sun Hai liked Liu Li, so there was nothing she could do. But after Liu Li and Sun Hai got together, it seemed like she wanted to have both, which was just too much.

“You must have misunderstood,” Sun Hai said instinctively. He didn’t believe Liu Li would hide something like this from him.

Seeing that he didn’t believe her, Li Meng became angry. “I saw it with my own eyes! I live in the same room as her. Other people saw it too. If you don’t believe me, you can go ask her yourself.”

The more she spoke, the angrier she got. Finally, she just walked off in a huff. If she was deceived, it was her own fault for not recognizing the good intentions.

Sun Hai didn’t believe that Liu Li would betray him. He only felt that recently, Liu Li had been distracted. Maybe she was facing some difficulties. Or perhaps her family was pressuring her to marry, and she didn’t know how to tell him about it?

As he thought about these possibilities, Sun Hai suddenly realized that he hadn’t been paying enough attention to Liu Li. Other than cooking for her, talking with her, and buying her things, he hadn’t really cared about her life and family.

He thought to himself that once lunch was over, he would go and ask Liu Li if something was wrong.

When Su Min arrived at the restaurant kitchen, the staff were already busy.

She called out for Sun Hai a few times from outside, but he just waved her off and told her to go back.

Seeing how busy it was inside, Su Min knew her uncle’s temperament. He probably wouldn’t come out.

She wanted to find Liu Li, but then remembered that this was her uncle’s matter. If she got involved and things went wrong, her uncle would be hurt. She realized it was better for her uncle to handle it himself.

She stood outside for a while before turning and leaving.

Around two in the afternoon, the restaurant became less crowded. Sun Hai, not even stopping to eat, went outside to look for Liu Li. After searching around, he found out that she had gone back to the dorm to rest.

Since the place was full of women, he couldn’t go there. He had no choice but to stay in the kitchen, planning to wait for Liu Li to return so he could find a chance to talk to her.

He waited until work started again, and only then did Liu Li come back, followed by a few female colleagues.

Sun Hai gave her a look, and she nodded, then joined the others to start working.

Watching Liu Li walk away, Sun Hai felt a bit dejected and even more worried. What could have happened to her? Why was she acting so strange?

“Liu Li, Sun Hai just called you, why didn’t you go over?” A chubby young girl walked up and whispered.

The fact that Sun Hai and Liu Li were in a relationship was no secret in the restaurant. Everyone knew. At first, they were surprised, but seeing how well they got along and how steady and thoughtful Sun Hai was, everyone figured they were a good match. So, most people just thought Liu Li was a sincere girl with no ulterior motives. Some even said Sun Hai was lucky to have found such a pretty girl. However, recently, things had been off between them, and everyone noticed. Especially when Sun Hai had called out to Liu Li earlier, but she didn’t respond. That was really strange.

“It’s nothing, we’re about to start work, so I couldn’t leave,” Liu Li answered dismissively, though her heart was in turmoil.

The whole morning, she had been thinking about her foolish behavior the previous day.

Yesterday, when she arrived at Gao Jianfeng’s house, she saw the house she had never stayed in before and listened to Gao Jianfeng talk about a beautiful future. She couldn’t resist and ended up staying the night at his place.

But today, after she left his house, she regretted it.

She knew Sun Hai was good to her, and she truly liked him. Although Sun Hai didn’t have money, he could endure hardship, and he always treated her well. Gao Jianfeng could never compare to that.

But now that things had happened, it was too late for regret, and she didn’t dare face Sun Hai. For now, she could only avoid him, hoping that with time, things would calm down.

Because of Liu Li’s deliberate avoidance, Sun Hai didn’t see her all day. When work finally ended, he left the kitchen earlier than usual, but by the time he got to the dining hall, Liu Li had already gone back to the dorm.

As he walked out the door, looking at the dim streetlights outside, Sun Hai suddenly felt a heavy sensation. It seemed that some things were truly starting to change.

“Uncle, you’re back.”

As soon as Sun Hai entered the house, Su Min got up from the table. She had no mood to do her homework today, nor had she gone to bed early. She had been waiting for her uncle to come home. She wasn’t like others who told “kind lies” to cover up things. If Liu Li wasn’t sincere with her uncle, she didn’t deserve to spend her life with him.

“Minzi, you’re still awake?” Sun Hai rubbed his tired face.

Sun Qiufang came out of the room with a fan in her hand, laughing, “Let her stay awake, she insisted on waiting for you to come back. Now she doesn’t listen to me or her dad; she only listens to you.”

Su Min grabbed Sun Hai’s hand, “Uncle, come with me. I have something to discuss with you.” Then she turned to Sun Qiufang and said, “Mom, don’t be jealous. I’m already a grown-up, I need to have my own secrets.”

Sun Qiufang waved her fan and laughed, “Okay, okay, go talk to your uncle.” After saying that, she went back into the room.

Once inside the room, Su Min closed the door behind her, looked at Sun Hai seriously, and said, “Uncle, tell me the truth, have you and Liu Li broken up?”

Sun Hai thought that Su Min was going to talk about business matters, so he didn’t immediately react when she mentioned Liu Li. After a moment, he furrowed his brows and said, “What do you mean ‘broken up’? We’re fine.”

Upon hearing his answer, Su Min was certain that her uncle was being kept in the dark.

She took a deep breath and cautiously said, “Uncle, I need to tell you something, but promise me, don’t get too upset.”

“Minzi, what are you talking about? You’re being so mysterious.”

“Uncle.” Su Min bit her lip nervously and said, “This morning, I saw Liu Li and a man in his thirties walking out of the factory. I overheard them talking about getting married.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Sun Hai took a sudden step back, his face turning pale.

“Minzi, are you sure you saw that correctly?” Even though he asked, deep down, Sun Hai was already starting to believe what Su Min was saying. If it had been before, he definitely wouldn’t have believed it. But after hearing Li Meng’s words this morning and seeing how Liu Li had been acting all day, it was hard for him not to believe.

Su Min was worried he wouldn’t believe her and quickly added, “Uncle, I’ve met Liu Li with my mom before. I have a good memory, and with the way Liu Li looks, I could never forget her.”

Sun Hai clenched his fists tightly.

Su Min knew that her uncle would be heartbroken. It was rare for him to meet a girl he liked, and she had shown that she liked him too. Who would have thought that a loving couple would betray each other?

“Uncle, I’m telling you this not to hurt you. I just don’t want you to be deceived. Please, don’t let this break you.”

“Minzi, I want to rest for a bit,” Sun Hai said weakly, sitting down on the bed.

Su Min watched him, feeling distressed. She didn’t want her uncle to be deceived, but seeing him so heartbroken after learning the truth made her feel guilty inside.

As she was about to leave, she looked back at Sun Hai. Seeing him with his hands covering his face, his shoulders shaking, her heart ached as well.

The whole night, Su Min couldn’t sleep.

The next morning, when she heard the door opening, she quickly got up and opened the door. Sure enough, she saw her uncle preparing to leave. “Uncle.”

Sun Hai’s face was not looking good either, but he forced a smile and said, “Minzi, don’t tell anyone about what happened yesterday, alright?”

Su Min nodded. This situation wasn’t something her uncle could be proud of, and she definitely wouldn’t go around spreading it.

After seeing Sun Hai leave, Su Min couldn’t help but wonder what was really on her uncle’s mind. Had he decided to break up with Liu Li, or was there something else going on?

Sun Hai left early, and the morning temperature wasn’t too high. His mind felt calmer as he walked.

He had thought about it the entire night and still didn’t believe Liu Li would betray him. Even if someone else had seen it with their own eyes, he wanted to hear it from Liu Li herself. He needed to hear it from her, not from anyone else.

When he arrived at the restaurant, Sun Hai went straight to the female workers’ dormitory.

He had made up his mind today—he had to see Liu Li.

He waited for quite a while, and eventually, he saw a few female workers walking out of the dormitory. Among them was Liu Li.

Liu Li saw Sun Hai too and instinctively tried to hide behind others. Sun Hai didn’t back away, and calmly walked toward her. “Liu Li, I need to talk to you.”

The other female workers, seeing how Liu Li was avoiding him, and remembering how the two hadn’t spoken much in the past few days, thought they were having a fight. They eagerly pushed Liu Li toward Sun Hai and walked away, smiling.

Only Sun Hai and Liu Li were left at the entrance. Liu Li lowered her head and said nothing.

Sun Hai gathered all his courage and asked, “Liu Li, did your family ask you to marry someone else?”

Liu Li looked up in surprise, her eyes showing a hint of panic.

“Who told you that?”

“So it’s true?” Sun Hai felt a tightness in his chest, his lips trembling. “What do you think about this?”

Seeing the pain in Sun Hai’s eyes, Liu Li lowered her head in guilt.

She couldn’t bring herself to tell him the truth and didn’t know how to answer him.

After a long pause, she said, “If I made a mistake, would you forgive me and treat me the same as before?”

Sun Hai had expected Liu Li to directly bring up breaking up with him, but instead, she said this. For a moment, he actually felt a bit relieved. “Liu Li, no matter what you’ve done, I’ll still treat you well.”

“Really?” Liu Li looked up with red eyes. When she saw Sun Hai’s pure and clean smile, she suddenly started crying.

Sun Hai immediately panicked. “Don’t cry. If something’s wrong, just tell me. I’m a man, I’ll help you solve it.”

But Liu Li shook her head vigorously. Even though Sun Hai said he would forgive her, she still didn’t dare tell him the truth. As long as she didn’t speak, no one would know. She would go back and tell her family that she was going to marry Sun Hai.

She knew very well that if she missed this opportunity, she might never meet someone who treated her this well again in her lifetime. “Sun Hai…”

After this morning’s incident, the two of them finally reconciled.

Some things went unsaid by Liu Li, and Sun Hai didn’t ask. He knew that everyone makes mistakes, but as long as they can turn back, they wouldn’t make the same mistake again. He believed that Liu Li was sincere, and she had just been confused for a moment.

At the restaurant, the others saw that the two were talking again, and even had lunch together. They knew they had made up.

A few young girls gathered together, talking about Sun Hai coming to the dormitory to comfort Liu Li.

“Who would’ve thought, Sun Hai is so honest, but his way of comforting people isn’t bad at all. Look, Liu Li didn’t want to talk to him before, but now, they’ve made up in just a short time.”

“What’s wrong, jealous? Why don’t you find someone too? Aren’t there a few young guys around?”

“Go away.”

Two of the girls started joking around.

Li Meng looked in Liu Li’s direction and bit her lip.

Su Min was worried about Sun Hai. She had felt down all day. She was concerned that her uncle, who had never been in a relationship before, might not handle a breakup well. She remembered hearing about some young men who couldn’t handle it and even considered doing something drastic.

Thinking of this made her regret telling her uncle the truth so bluntly. She should have found a more gentle way, guiding him little by little, rather than just saying everything outright like a fool.

That evening, Sun Hai came back later than usual, which made Su Min even more worried. She told Sun Qiufang that she was going out to look for him.

Sun Qiufang laughed, “What are you looking for? He’s probably out with his girlfriend, just like before.”

Su Min thought to herself, If his girlfriend is gone, then what’s the point?

As she was trying to figure out where to look for him, Sun Hai came back, a smile on his face.

“Uncle?”

When Su Min saw him come back, the stone in her heart finally fell.