RGL – Chapter 36

“Uncle, you and Liu Li?”

Su Min followed Sun Hai into the house and asked.

Sun Hai smiled and said, “It’s all fine now. She even said today that she wants to marry me. Although her family has arranged a match for her, she plans to go back and make things clear with them, and then bring me home to meet her parents.”

“Uncle, you don’t blame her?”

Su Min looked at Sun Hai in surprise. No matter how she thought about it, she hadn’t expected this outcome. She had thought Liu Li was planning to abandon her uncle, and that he would be heartbroken. But to her surprise, after just one day, things had turned out completely differently.

Sun Hai sighed and said, “Minzi, I’ve never liked anyone before, but I think that since I like her, I should be even more tolerant. She knows she was wrong and says she’ll be devoted to me from now on, and won’t just listen to her family anymore.”

To love someone is to be tolerant — Su Min felt she didn’t have the broad heart her uncle did. If her future partner ever cheated, even emotionally, she felt it would be unforgivable.

If you truly love someone, you shouldn’t do things that hurt them.

Her uncle was giving his whole heart to someone else; whether Liu Li would truly cherish it, Su Min didn’t know.

Although her impression of Liu Li had already dropped sharply — to the point of some dislike — she didn’t say anything about it in front of Sun Hai.

She wanted her uncle to live well, but it wasn’t her place to make decisions for him.

Her uncle’s life should be decided by him.

To avoid any future rifts within the family, Sun Hai instructed Su Min not to tell anyone about this, no matter what happened.

Su Min nodded seriously, promising she would keep it absolutely secret.

In the corridor of the restaurant dormitory, Li Meng was hanging clothes to dry while watching Liu Li, who was also drying clothes nearby.

“Liu Li, you and Sun Hai made up?”

Liu Li said, “We never actually fought.”

“Then what about that man from before?” Li Meng blocked her way.

“You know?” Liu Li widened her eyes and stared at Li Meng. She had thought no one knew about it. In an instant, she realized something and turned to Li Meng, “Was it you who told Sun Hai?”

“It was me,” Li Meng said, biting her lip as she looked at Liu Li. “Did you really think you could keep it from Sun Hai? Liu Li, I never thought you were this kind of person. You always seemed so gentle and kind, but the things you did were downright disgraceful.”

“Li Meng, don’t talk nonsense.” Liu Li took a step back, feeling guilty.

“I’m talking nonsense?” Li Meng sneered. “Even my aunt noticed — she said the way you walk now is totally different from before. I was already suspicious. You used to come home at night or early morning, never in between. After doing something so shameful, you still have the nerve to patch things up with Sun Hai.”

“You—you’re making it up. Sun Hai said he’d forgive me! He even said he wanted to marry me!”

“Who knows how long that’ll last,” Li Meng said disdainfully, then turned and went back into the dormitory.

Liu Li stood frozen, her whole body trembling. She hadn’t expected that her biggest secret had already been seen through. What if the news got out? Would Sun Hai still forgive her then?

Ever since realizing that Li Meng knew her secret, Liu Li had been constantly on edge.

She kept worrying that Li Meng would betray her and tell Sun Hai. For several days, she made sure Sun Hai and Li Meng had no chance to be alone together.

Luckily, Li Meng didn’t say or do anything.

It wasn’t until Friday, when Li Meng asked for a day off and left, that Liu Li finally relaxed.

At lunch, Liu Li discussed her plan with Sun Hai: “I want to go home tomorrow to talk to my third aunt. She works during the week, and only has time tomorrow. She’s the one who makes all the big decisions at home. If she can help me persuade my parents, they’ll agree to us being together.”

Since the secret could no longer be hidden forever, Liu Li decided that the best way forward was to hurry up and marry Sun Hai. Once they were married, everything would be settled. She had even prepared what she would say to convince her parents to approve of the marriage.

Sun Hai said, “Don’t worry. I may be working odd jobs now, but I’ve saved up some money. I’m planning to open a small business in a few months. After that, we can settle down in the city.”

Hearing this, Liu Li wasn’t entirely convinced.

Sun Hai’s monthly income from helping in the kitchen wasn’t much — even less than what she earned.

She knew Sun Hai was only saying this to reassure her, fearing her parents wouldn’t approve.

Li Meng returned in the afternoon and resumed her night shift. When she looked at Liu Li, it was as if nothing had happened. Seeing her act so normal, Liu Li felt reassured.

She thought, even if Li Meng knew something, she had no proof. Even if she spoke up, no one would believe her — they would just think she was being malicious.

Early the next morning, Liu Li left the dormitory, planning to take a bus home.

But before she could reach the station, she was stopped by Gao Jianfeng.

When Liu Li saw him, her expression immediately turned very ugly. “What are you doing here?”

“Lili, I came to talk about our marriage,” Gao Jianfeng said with a bright smile.

“I don’t want to marry you. I already have someone,” Liu Li said quickly, trying to move past him.

But Gao Jianfeng grabbed her arm. “Lili, but you and I have already—”

“Don’t say it!” Liu Li covered her ears. “I’m begging you. That was just a moment of confusion. I don’t want to marry you.”

Seeing how agitated she was, Gao Jianfeng quickly tried to soothe her. “Okay, okay, we won’t get married. But still… I should at least compensate you. Lili, let me buy you something, okay? I’ll just buy you a few things. If after that you don’t want anything to do with me, I promise I won’t bother you again. How about that?”

Liu Li had originally thought that Gao Jianfeng would pester her, but to her surprise, he said that instead. She immediately felt a wave of relief, though there was a slight sense of disappointment as well.

After thinking for a moment and worrying that Gao Jianfeng might come looking for her again and expose everything, she simply nodded, “Alright then, let’s buy some things today, but after that, we can’t see each other anymore.”

Gao Jianfeng nodded happily. “Okay.”

Sun Hai was feeling a bit anxious, thinking about the talk he was supposed to have today regarding their relationship. He was distracted several times throughout the morning.

Even at lunchtime, he seemed absent-minded.

“Sun Hai!”

Li Meng hurried in through the back door of the kitchen. Seeing a few senior chefs around, she quickly called out to Sun Hai, “Come outside for a moment, I need to tell you something.”

Seeing how urgent she looked, Sun Hai put down his lunch box and followed her out.

“What’s wrong?”

“Come with me to a place. You’ll understand once you get there,” Li Meng said anxiously.

Sun Hai frowned when he heard that, not really wanting to go. In the past few days, Liu Li had also told him not to get too close to Li Meng. He figured Liu Li simply didn’t want him getting close to other women, so he agreed.

Seeing Sun Hai still standing there hesitating, Li Meng grew frustrated. “Stop overthinking it. Come on, I’m taking you to find Liu Li!”

Sun Hai was stunned. “Find Liu Li? But she went back home.” Liu Li had told him just last night that she was going home today.

Li Meng frowned, “That’s what she said. I’m taking you to see for yourself. If you don’t go, you’ll regret it.” Seeing that Sun Hai was still frozen in place, she simply grabbed his arm and dragged him toward the main street.

The whole way, Sun Hai’s mind was a complete mess.

Clearly, Liu Li had said she was going home — why was Li Meng insisting on finding her? Could it be that Liu Li hadn’t actually gone back? Where had she gone, and why would she lie to him?

The two of them ran through the sweltering heat all the way to the residential compound by the water plant.

After what felt like forever, they finally reached the area.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Sun Hai turned to the panting Li Meng and asked, “Why did you bring me here?”

“To find Liu Li,” Li Meng said, pulling him into one of the dormitory buildings. She seemed very familiar with the place, quickly finding the door to Gao Jianfeng’s unit.

She knocked.

A moment later, a male voice came from inside.

Before Sun Hai could react, the door opened. A tall, thin man stood there. “Who are you?”

“We’re here to see Liu Li,” Li Meng said bluntly.

“Oh, you’re Lili’s friends? Come in, come in — Lili’s just finishing up washing the dishes,” the man said, inviting them inside.

Hearing that Liu Li was indeed inside, Sun Hai felt his mind go completely blank.

Then, seeing Liu Li come out from one of the rooms wearing an apron, he thought he must be hallucinating.

“Lili, you’re really here?”

“Sun Hai?! Why are you here?!” Liu Li’s face turned deathly pale.

Sun Hai stared at Liu Li, at the gold necklace around her neck, the earrings on her ears, and even the ring on her finger. A wave of bitter self-mockery welled up in his heart.

“Weren’t you supposed to go home? Why are you here?”

“Sun Hai, listen to me—” Liu Li rushed over, wanting to explain.

Sun Hai gave a bitter smile. “Explain what? Explain why you lied to me? Explain why you’re in another man’s house?”

Liu Li lowered her head, her body swaying as if she might collapse.

She hadn’t expected to end up back at Gao Jianfeng’s place. They had agreed to just buy a few things and then she would head home. But Gao Jianfeng had bought her so much gold jewelry — she had felt guilty and wanted to refuse, but he insisted she wear it. Even the store clerk had said it suited her.

She had never worn such glittering jewelry before, and she didn’t know how to react. So when Gao Jianfeng pulled her to go back to his place, she hadn’t resisted — and somehow, she just ended up there.

Gao Jianfeng spoke up, “Lili is about to marry me. Who are you to talk to her like that?”

“I’m nobody,” Sun Hai said with a sneer, looking at Liu Li and Gao Jianfeng. “Congratulations to you both.”

Then he turned and walked out the door.

Liu Li wanted to chase after him, but Li Meng blocked her way.

“It was you! Why did you bring Sun Hai here?” Liu Li glared furiously at Li Meng.

“So what if it was me? If you couldn’t resist temptation, do you think anyone else forced you into another man’s house?” Li Meng looked at her coldly. “Liu Li, just because you did wrong, you think Sun Hai is obligated to forgive you? From now on, you won’t have any chance left!”

After saying this, Li Meng turned and ran out the door.

Gao Jianfeng grabbed Liu Li’s hand. “Lili, marry me. I don’t care what happened before — I still want to marry you. I’ll find you a proper job, make you a real city woman, let you wear gold and live in a nice house. I’ll make other women envy you.”

But Liu Li just crouched on the floor and burst into tears.

Meanwhile, Su Min noticed that her little uncle hadn’t been going to work at the restaurant for days. At first, she thought he was on vacation. But after a few days, and seeing how downcast he looked, she realized something was wrong.

Even Sun Qiufang noticed it and, thinking he was just struggling at work, casually asked during dinner one night.

“I don’t want to go anymore. I’ve learned pretty much everything I need. I want to find a place to open my own shop,” Sun Hai said, keeping his head down.

Sun Qiufang said, “Have you talked to Liu Li about it? If you’re opening a shop, it’s better to do it after you get married. That way, the two of you can help each other.”

Sun Hai was silent for a while, then lifted his head and said, “Sis, Liu Li and I broke up.”

“What? Broke up?” Sun Qiufang was so shocked she almost dropped her chopsticks.

Su Min and Su Changrong also looked at Sun Hai in surprise. Just a few days ago he was talking about wanting to get married — how could they have broken up in such a short time? Were young people nowadays really this casual about relationships?

“How did you break up? Did you two have a fight? Young people shouldn’t be impulsive. If you had a quarrel, just talk it out calmly. It’s nothing serious. Or… did you bully her?” Sun Qiufang asked, though she herself found it unlikely. She knew her younger brother’s temperament better than anyone.

Sun Hai sighed, his face looking tired. “We just weren’t a good match. Sis, don’t ask anymore. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Alright, alright, I won’t ask.” Sun Qiufang quickly said. This was the first time she’d seen Sun Hai act this way.

Su Min, observing Sun Hai, also guessed that something serious must have happened with Liu Li — something big enough to leave such a mark on him. But she didn’t ask anything either. At times like this, pressing for answers would only add more pressure; it was better to let things take their natural course.

A few days passed, but Sun Hai still seemed down. He ate less than usual and didn’t have the energy he once did.

Sun Qiufang could tell something was seriously wrong, although she didn’t know the exact situation. She asked Su Min a few times, but Su Min just pretended not to know anything.

After seeing Sun Hai so dispirited for several days, Su Min finally couldn’t hold it in anymore.

At noon, after Sun Qiufang brought food to Su Changrong, Su Min said, “Little Uncle, no matter what happened, you can’t let yourself down. Have you forgotten why you came to the city in the first place? Why you gave up your dream of going to university? Grandma is still at home waiting to hear good news from you, and my mom is worried about you too. Little Uncle, you can’t let yourself down.”

Hearing this, Sun Hai gripped his chopsticks tightly, his shoulders trembling as he bowed his head.

Su Min felt heartbroken too. “Little Uncle, you’re the best uncle in my heart. I’m still waiting for the day you make lots of money and buy me lots of things, so everyone will envy me for having such a capable uncle.”

Sun Hai wiped his face and looked at Su Min with red eyes. “Minzi, I know. Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”

Minzi was right — he wasn’t alone. His family was still there, caring for him, hoping for him to succeed. He couldn’t stay like this forever.

Meanwhile, at the restaurant, rumors were flying because Sun Hai hadn’t shown up for several days.

“Did Sun Hai quit?”

When Li Meng heard the news, she was shocked. She hadn’t managed to catch up with Sun Hai that day and didn’t know where he had gone. She came back to the restaurant to find him, only to discover he hadn’t returned at all.

Aunt Li sighed when she saw Li Meng’s reaction. “Mengmeng, I think you should give up those thoughts. Sun Hai is a good guy, but not good enough to be worth you being so stubborn over.”

Li Meng pouted, sitting on a small stool. “If Liu Li had truly cared about him, I would have given up. But Liu Li wasn’t sincere at all. Why shouldn’t I go after him? I like Sun Hai. He’s steady and treats people well. A man like him would make life better and better. Auntie, I’m not afraid of hardship. I just want a good man.” Her voice choked a little. “Auntie, you know my situation. I don’t have parents, and my uncles don’t want to take care of me. If I don’t take the initiative, they would have married me off long ago. No matter what, I’ve set my heart on Sun Hai. He and Liu Li are impossible now, so why can’t I pursue him?”

“You’re so stubborn,” Aunt Li shook her head. Li Meng’s personality was just too stubborn. Young men all preferred girls who were gentle and pretty, like Liu Li.

After sitting for a while, Li Meng suddenly said, “Auntie, do you know where Sun Hai lives? I want to find him.”

“He did tell me once, but you, a young girl, going to a man’s home to look for him — isn’t that a bit inappropriate? People might gossip.”

“I’m not doing anything shameful, so why should I be afraid of gossip?”

“Alright, it’s your choice,” Aunt Li said, shaking her head. She wasn’t too optimistic about it.

During these days, Sun Hai had been busy looking for a shopfront. Finally, he found one that was suitable. Though it was a bit rundown, with some renovations — painting the outside walls, like Minzi suggested — it would look decent enough.

The tables and chairs inside could also be arranged nicely.

When Sun Qiufang heard they had found a shop, she left the restaurant in the afternoon to go with Sun Hai to handle the paperwork. Sun Hai was too straightforward and bad at bargaining, so she had to help him negotiate.

Su Changrong teased, “Xiao Hai isn’t a child anymore. You’re treating him like one.”

“As long as he’s unmarried, he’s still a child to me.” The two siblings were nearly ten years apart, and Sun Qiufang had practically raised Sun Hai. In her heart, he would always be someone who needed taking care of.

After Sun Hai and Sun Qiufang went out, Su Min stayed behind at the restaurant to help Su Changrong.

They had also started setting up stalls outside, and one person alone couldn’t manage everything. Su Changrong thought that if business stayed good in the second half of the year, they could expand the shop and hire more help.

Su Min agreed with the plan too.

Right now, they weren’t in a rush to buy a house. It was better to build up the business first; once they had money, buying a house would be easy.

“Excuse me, is there someone named Sun Hai here?”

A girl’s voice came from outside.

Su Min turned around and saw a round-faced girl at the door, who looked strangely familiar.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Li Meng, a coworker of Sun Hai’s at the restaurant. I’m here to find him. Does he live around here?” Li Meng stood at the doorway without stepping inside. She had been searching for a while without finding Sun Hai. Aunt Li only knew that he lived nearby, but not the exact location. Someone had told her to try asking at this shop, and that’s how she ended up here.

Hearing that she was a colleague of her little uncle, Su Min finally remembered — she had indeed seen this girl at the restaurant a couple of times, though she hadn’t paid much attention back then and now couldn’t recall clearly.

She smiled and came out, saying, “Sun Hai is my little uncle. He’s gone out. Do you need something from him?”

Upon hearing that Su Min was a relative, Li Meng immediately got a bit nervous. She glanced at Su Changrong, who was also looking over, but decided to talk to Su Min. “He hasn’t been to the restaurant for a few days. I came to look for him.”

Su Min glanced back at Su Changrong. Thinking that it would be better if her father didn’t find out too much about her uncle’s situation at the restaurant, she simply pulled Li Meng outside.

“My little uncle doesn’t work at the restaurant anymore. What did you need him for?”

Hearing that Sun Hai had indeed left, Li Meng felt a bit downhearted. “Where’s he working now? When will he be back? How’s he doing lately?”

Seeing how concerned Li Meng was, Su Min grew curious. “Are you very close with my little uncle?”

“We’re coworkers. How has he been feeling recently?”

Su Min nodded. “He’s alright. You know about what happened with him? What about him and Liu Li?”

Li Meng was a little surprised that Su Min knew about Liu Li, but after thinking for a moment, she said, “Liu Li is marrying someone else. That’s why I came to check on Sun Hai. He and Liu Li used to be pretty close.”

Liu Li is getting married to someone else? Su Min wasn’t really surprised — she had already guessed something like that. But the fact that Li Meng came looking for her little uncle, and even came straight to his home, wasn’t something an ordinary colleague would do. Could it be that she liked her little uncle?

Su Min curiously looked Li Meng up and down. She had a round, pleasant face. Although she wasn’t as pretty as Liu Li, she had a likable appearance and seemed like someone straightforward and impulsive.

Given what had happened with Liu Li, Su Min didn’t rush to judge whether Li Meng was a good person or not. She said, “My little uncle is doing fine now. It’s better if you don’t mention these things to him again — he doesn’t want others to know. As for the restaurant, he won’t be going back. If you have something important to tell him, I can pass on a message for you.”

“Forget it, it’s nothing. I’ll come back and find him another time,” Li Meng said. Hearing that Sun Hai was alright, she felt somewhat relieved. Though she had schemed to break up Sun Hai and Liu Li for selfish reasons, she hadn’t wanted Sun Hai to be hurt because of it.

Watching Li Meng leave absentmindedly, Su Min finally went back inside.

Su Changrong said, “Was that the girl you mentioned before, the one dating your little uncle?”

“No, she’s just a coworker.”

“Your little uncle’s doing well, huh? There are even other girls coming to find him. It’s just like the saying — an untended field, once plowed, draws plenty of suitors,” Su Changrong said with a sigh.

Su Min pressed her lips together, looking helplessly at her father. If her little uncle had heard that, he would have been heartbroken.

It wasn’t that people were fighting over him — he had been abandoned.

After a good while, Sun Hai and Sun Qiufang finally returned.

Sun Qiufang had a huge smile on her face — clearly things had gone very well.

She took a big gulp of cool boiled water and said with a smile, “The shop is really good. We can put up a shed outside and use it as a kitchen, and inside there’s room for seven or eight tables. The rent’s not expensive either. When the time comes, we’ll hang a sign at the street entrance, and even people from downtown will be able to see it.”

Su Changrong laughed, “That’s great! Get it cleaned up quickly, and set up the tables and chairs.” Then he said to Sun Hai, “I used to know a few carpenters from when I worked with carts. I’ll contact them for you and get them to help you build the furniture quickly. Business will pick up in the second half of the year — once September comes and the weather cools down, more people will be coming out to eat.”

Su Min also chimed in with an idea, “We should make some flyers and go promote them around the factory areas and schools. That way, even more people will come.”

Hearing that, Su Changrong smiled and patted her head. “My daughter is smarter than me. She always comes up with good ideas. That’s a great plan. We can also leave some flyers at our shop and hand them out to people who come by.”

Su Min laughed, “My dad is smart too.”

“You little rascal, teasing your dad now,” Su Changrong said, rubbing her head and messing up her ponytail into a complete mess.

Sun Qiufang scolded him a few times before he finally let go.

While her parents were busy chatting, Su Min pulled Sun Hai outside and told him about Li Meng coming to look for him.

Sun Hai asked, “Did she say what she wanted?”

Su Min shook her head. “No, but she seemed pretty concerned about you.”

“Then just leave it,” Sun Hai said. After everything he had been through lately, he didn’t want to think about the past anymore. He just wanted to focus on running his business well and helping his family live better.

Seeing that her little uncle was standing back up again, Su Min felt relieved and didn’t dwell on the matter anymore.

Especially because the next day, Xue Mian came looking for her — and she barely had any free time to think about anything else.

Xue Mian had said he would come back a week early, but he hadn’t shown up at all. Su Min figured he must have returned but just hadn’t come to find her. She didn’t expect that he would actually come back three days before school started — and he was completely sunburnt.

When he got out of the car, Su Min almost didn’t recognize him.

Looking at Xue Mian, who was now darker than she was, Su Min covered her mouth and burst into laughter.

“Quit laughing. This is what a real man looks like. Don’t you know?” Xue Mian frowned and said, “We’re going to my aunt’s place for dinner today. My aunt said she wants you to come over too.”

Su Min immediately stopped laughing. “Going to your aunt’s house? That doesn’t seem very appropriate.”

“It’s fine. My uncle’s been saying for a long time that you should come over. You’re my only friend around here.”

Su Min thought about it. They had helped her family a lot before, and it would seem a little ungrateful not to go. She nodded and said, “Alright, I’ll just tell my parents and get ready.”

“You don’t need to prepare anything. We’re just going to hang out,” Xue Mian said, pulling her toward the car.

On the way, Xue Mian complained to Su Min about the utterly miserable summer he had endured.

Normally, based on past years, when he went home for the summer, all he had to do was stay with his grandparents. But this time, as soon as he got home, his father was there too — and without saying a word, he dragged him off to the army base. Every day he had to train alongside the new recruits. His skin peeled from the sun in just a few days, and the training went on for nearly two months.

Talking about it, Xue Mian looked like he was about to cry.

Su Min laughed and said, “Getting some sun is good — looks more manly! I heard that soldiers’ arms are as tough as steel. Is that true?”

“That’s all nonsense,” Xue Mian said without thinking. Then, seeing Su Min’s fascinated look, he cautiously asked, “You like soldiers?”

“Hehe, I admire them a lot,” Su Min replied.

Xue Mian twisted his mouth to the side.

His aunt’s family lived in the municipal complex. As they arrived, Su Min immediately noticed that this neighborhood was different from others — there were guards checking everyone entering and exiting.

“What does your uncle do? Living in a place like this… is he part of the government?”

“I never told you, did I? My uncle is the county magistrate.”

County magistrate?

Su Min’s eyes widened. She really hadn’t known that Xue Mian’s uncle held such a position, and she never imagined someone around her would have ties to a figure like that.

Thinking about meeting a county magistrate soon, Su Min suddenly felt nervous all over.

Across two lifetimes, she had never come across someone so high up.

Even when they got out of the car, Su Min still hadn’t calmed down.

“Maybe I should just go home and come back tomorrow. I’m not ready for this. What should I even say later?” she stammered.

Xue Mian tugged her arm. “Don’t even think about leaving. You’re already here! You don’t have to say anything. You’re my friend, just here to hang out — it’s not like you’re his subordinate. What are you so scared of?”

Su Min thought about it and realized he had a point. She was just a middle school student visiting a classmate’s house — what did it matter what the parents did?

Thinking this way, she suddenly felt much calmer. She nodded earnestly. “You’re right.”

Xue Mian took out the key and opened the door. As soon as they stepped in, a warm-looking woman came out from the kitchen. Su Min immediately greeted her, “Hello, Auntie.”

“Ah, you must be Su Min. I’m Mian Mian’s aunt,” Xu Nian said warmly, smiling as she had Xue Mian lead Su Min inside to sit down, then went back to the kitchen to bring out some fruit and snacks.

The Zhao family’s home wasn’t particularly large. Based on the houses Su Min had seen before, this was just an ordinary two-bedroom apartment — but in these times, that was already quite impressive.

Su Min quickly noticed that Xue Mian’s aunt, Xu Nian, was a very cultured woman. Even the snacks she prepared were exquisitely made, making Su Min even more curious about Xue Mian’s family background.

A little while later, Xue Mian’s uncle — County Magistrate Zhao — came home.

Magistrate Zhao looked to be in his forties and had a very imposing appearance. But as soon as he entered, he went straight over and picked Xue Mian up off the couch, hefting him like a sack — making Su Min realize that he probably wasn’t as stern as he looked.

Xue Mian struggled, pulling at his clothes in protest. “Uncle, my friend is here!”

Magistrate Zhao laughed heartily. “I heard from your dad that you’ve bulked up over the summer, so I wanted to check. But you’re still the same! Looks like your dad exaggerated. Though you sure got a lot darker.”

Hearing this, Xue Mian’s face scrunched up miserably. But since his skin was now darker, the expression looked a little silly, making Magistrate Zhao laugh even harder.

Xu Nian came out of the kitchen carrying some tea. Seeing her husband acting so carelessly, she frowned and kicked his foot lightly. “Mian Mian’s classmate is here, behave.”

“It’s fine. They’re just kids, why be so uptight?”

Su Min thought it was a good moment to flatter him a little. “At first, I thought Uncle looked really strict. But now I can see he’s actually very kind and approachable.”

Sure enough, Magistrate Zhao laughed. “See? Kids like me just fine.”

Xu Nian had no choice but to sit beside Xue Mian and urge Su Min to eat.

Seeing that Su Min was polite yet not overly stiff, she grew even fonder of her and said with a smile, “Mian Mian talks about you all the time. We’ve been telling him to invite you over for ages, but he kept feeling shy. He also says you study very seriously and are always ranked first or second in your class.”

Su Min smiled and said, “Xue Mian’s grades are actually a bit better than mine.”

Xue Mian nodded. “That’s true.”

Xu Nian pinched his ear. “You sure have a thick skin. You could at least be a little modest. Look at your classmate — you’re the same age, yet she looks so much more mature.”

“Aiya, Auntie, I just escaped from my dad’s clutches. Please go easy on me!” Xue Mian pleaded dramatically.

Xu Nian was surprised to see him behaving so obediently. Normally, if she so much as pinched this kid’s ear, he would almost tear the ceiling down. But today he was unusually quiet. She glanced at Su Min, who sat quietly and properly, and thought to herself, Sure enough, you become who you’re around. Stay with good classmates, and you naturally get better too.

She stood up with a smile and said, “I’ll go make dinner. You two chat for a while.”

After saying that, she went into the kitchen.

Xue Mian had originally wanted to pull Su Min into his room to show her his drawings, but County Magistrate Zhao called him over.

“I heard your family runs a shop. How’s business?” Zhao asked.

Su Min immediately realized this was a kind of informal inquiry into the people’s situation. She smiled and said, “It’s going well. My parents say that with the government’s good policies nowadays, doing business is easier, and as long as we work hard, life will only get better.”

Magistrate Zhao smiled and nodded. “There are indeed more businesses springing up in the county.”

Su Min added, “Actually, our family has always been grateful for your help. Without it, we might not have been able to settle down yet.”

Magistrate Zhao waved his hand dismissively. “That was your parents’ own effort. They’re contributing to the economy, which helps the county. They should be supported.”

Hearing this, Su Min dropped the subject and didn’t push further.

Instead, Xue Mian, off to the side, said, “By the way, now that your family’s in the city, why don’t you buy a house instead of renting?”

“Where are you supposed to buy houses nowadays? Most homes are still allocated by work units. Families barely have enough space for themselves — there’s no extra housing to sell. And the suburban houses are too far from the city, not convenient for business. In the area we’re renting, people aren’t willing to sell either — they’re saving those homes for their own families.”

Hearing this, Magistrate Zhao frowned slightly. “Not enough housing allocations?”

Su Min nodded. “Xue Mian knows too — when we were selling popsicles at the factory dormitories, we saw big families squeezed into a single room. They’d cook right in the hallways — it was so crowded. Honestly, our rented place is better.”

“You mean the rooms with three beds and just some curtains between them?” Xue Mian chimed in, recalling what Su Min had mentioned. He had never seen people live like that before, but it seemed common in that area.

Magistrate Zhao said thoughtfully, “Right now, housing is allocated to workers by factories. There are too many city workers and limited resources — it’s hard to meet everyone’s needs.”

After saying that, Magistrate Zhao felt a little regretful — he realized he was talking to two kids as if they were adults, discussing serious issues.

He was about to get up and let them go play when Su Min, seemingly casually, said, “If the city expanded and more housing were built, people could buy their own homes and wouldn’t have to rely on the factories. It would also lighten the burden on the government. A lot of families have saved up for generations but still have nowhere to buy a home.”

Magistrate Zhao’s heart stirred. He glanced at Su Min, who was staring at the television, and then walked thoughtfully into his study.

Su Min took a discreet look at him before calmly turning her gaze back to the TV. She had deliberately brought it up — even though, in a few years, the city would indeed expand and many residential areas would be built, it would take time. If it could happen earlier, things might improve sooner. She wasn’t sure if what she said would have any effect, but even a tiny chance was worth trying.

After eating lunch at the Zhao household, Su Min stayed a while longer, watching TV with Xue Mian. Once the weather cooled in the afternoon, she decided it was time to head home. Xue Mian, acting like a gentleman, insisted on escorting her back.

“Did Mian Mian’s classmate leave?” Xu Nian asked as she walked into the room, seeing Magistrate Zhao reading through some documents.

“Yeah, she left,” Magistrate Zhao said with a smile. “It’s the first time I’ve seen Mian Mian value someone so much — he insisted on personally sending her home.” She walked over and glanced at the materials in Zhao’s hands. “What are you thinking about?”

Magistrate Zhao sighed. “The policies now encourage privatization and support letting some people get rich first to drive others’ prosperity. I think we really need to start in the cities. But I’m realizing that many people are still too dependent on public resources. Like Mian Mian’s classmate said — several generations living crammed into one room. Food and clothing are no longer major issues, but housing… that’s still a big problem. In the countryside, at least people can build their own homes, but in the city, it all depends on government housing allocations.”

Xu Nian listened and understood that he was under a lot of pressure. It wasn’t just about political achievements — it was a matter of people’s livelihoods.

“Maybe you can discuss it with the county officials,” she suggested. “If there’s a problem, just work hard to solve it.”

County Magistrate Zhao shook his head with a smile. “I’ve seen too much before, to the point where I lost sight of the real issues. It’s time to truly focus on solving problems.” As he spoke, he warmly took Xu Nian’s hand in his own.

After that visit to County Magistrate Zhao’s home, Su Min didn’t go back in the following days. Although everyone had been very friendly, she still felt a little out of place.

On the day school started, Sun Hai’s restaurant also happened to open for business.

Su Min couldn’t help but grumble a little, “Uncle, you really know how to pick the timing.”