RGL – Chapter 60

“This girl is really immature,” she muttered. “Just a bit of provocation, and she’s already turned against her own mother. I don’t believe a girl her age can live well on her own out there.”

“Sooner or later, she’ll come back on her own.”

Sun Yanyan had run out and wandered the streets for a long time until she was freezing all over. Only then did she squat down on the ground and begin to cry.

It was a cold winter night, and the streets were deserted and bitterly cold.

Sun Yanyan was also afraid. Seeing that there weren’t many people around, she quickly grabbed her bundle and headed toward Sun Hai’s house.

Sun Hai and his family had just finished dinner and were getting ready to rest when they heard a knock at the door. Thinking something might have happened with Sun Qiufang’s family, they quickly went to open it.

“Yanyan?” Sun Hai was shocked to see Sun Yanyan standing outside with her cheeks flushed red from the cold. But at least this time, the girl hadn’t scribbled all over her face with makeup.

“Second Uncle,” Sun Yanyan said, her voice choked with sobs.

The commotion of her entering the house woke up Grandma Sun, who was a light sleeper. When she came out and saw it was Sun Yanyan, and that her face was red from the cold, she anxiously asked, “How did you come here alone at this time of night? What if you freeze out there?”

“I quit my job at the restaurant, and my mom won’t let me stay at home anymore. I have nowhere else to go.”

“How could your mom be so heartless? Kicking you out in the middle of winter like this.”

Grandma Sun held her granddaughter’s hand with heartache and anger. She was furious with her eldest daughter-in-law. It was one thing to treat outsiders like this, but how could she treat her own daughter this way?

Li Meng also came out of the room. Seeing Sun Yanyan like this, she quickly told Sun Hai to go make some soup noodles to warm her up. She herself went to get the bedding ready so Sun Yanyan could stay the night.

Although there were three rooms in the house, one had always been empty without a bed. Grandma Sun quickly said, “Let her sleep in my room. My bed is big enough for both of us.”

Li Meng didn’t say much.

She wasn’t particularly fond of this niece either. But for the sake of her mother-in-law and husband, she kept up appearances. Since Grandma Sun said there was no need to prepare another room, she just supported her waist and went back to rest.

After eating the soup noodles, Sun Yanyan felt much warmer and her strength returned. Once she had finished, she told Grandma Sun and the others what had happened.

Grandma Sun said, “You did the right thing. Working at a garment factory means you can learn a trade. If you have a skill, you won’t starve no matter where you go.”

Sun Hai sighed, “But about big brother and sister-in-law… who knows how they’re feeling now. With Yanyan running off like this, they’re probably worried.”

“If they were truly worried, they wouldn’t have kicked me out,” Sun Yanyan said. “Uncle, please don’t drive me away. I’ll just stay here until after the New Year. Once I start working at the factory, I’ll move into the dorms.”

Sun Hai frowned, “Why are you saying such polite things to me? You can stay as long as you want. No one’s kicking you out.”

The next day, Sun Qiufang and Su Min also learned about what had happened to Sun Yanyan.

Sun Qiufang didn’t say much. By now, she really didn’t want to meddle in Zhang Guihua’s business anymore. She just told Sun Yanyan to stay here peacefully and start fresh at the factory after the New Year.

Sun Hai also found time to visit Sun Bing at his workplace and told him that Sun Yanyan was staying with him.

“She really is a handful,” Sun Bing said, full of complaints. “Your sister-in-law already told me — it was all for her own good. But she insisted on going to that clothing factory. It doesn’t even pay well.”

“Brother, how can you say that? Yanyan is going to the factory to learn a trade.”

Sun Bing tilted his head, looking unhappy. “Your sister-in-law said that Yanyan is in the restaurant, meeting lots of people. It’ll be easier to find a good match for her in the future. If you let her work in the garment factory, how will she find a partner later?”

So it turns out this was all about finding a wealthy son-in-law.

Sun Hai was so annoyed by this couple’s way of thinking that he didn’t want to say anything more. The message was already delivered; let things take their course.

“By the way, are you and your wife going back to your hometown for the New Year?”

Before leaving, Sun Hai asked about this again. His whole family was staying in the city this year. Mengmeng was pregnant, and he didn’t want to trouble anyone, but his mother was old and always thought about home. If the eldest brother’s family went back, he’d have to take their mother back for the New Year.

Sun Bing said, “I still have to ask your sister-in-law.”

Hearing that Sun Bing still had to ask Zhang Guihua about this, Sun Hai stomped his foot in anger, pointed at Sun Bing without saying a word, and then walked off.

After the Little New Year, business at the supermarket was better than usual.

Su Changrong, having gained experience, stocked up early on a large batch of New Year goods—every kind of gift imaginable. Many people used to visit several places to buy things before the New Year, but now, to save trouble, many just came to Rongfang Supermarket to get everything in one go.

So from the Little New Year onward, the supermarket was bustling nonstop. Su Changrong and Sun Qiufang had to help out every day.

They were busy until the twenty-ninth day of the lunar month when things finally quieted down a bit. Although they wanted to make money, the store’s workers needed to go home for the New Year. So Su Changrong gave them three days of holiday and planned to reopen on the third day of the New Year.

On the night of the twenty-ninth, Su Changrong told Sun Qiufang he planned to go back to their hometown for lunch the next day, then rush back to the city for the New Year’s Eve dinner and the New Year’s countdown.

This plan was agreed upon beforehand, so Sun Qiufang didn’t object. Other festivals were one thing, but for the big New Year’s celebration, it wouldn’t do not to go home.

Moreover, Sun Hai’s family also wasn’t planning to go back this year, so it wouldn’t be lonely here.

Li Meng’s belly was big now, and the roads at home were rough. Traveling back and forth by car would be too bumpy. Sun Hai was worried, so they simply decided not to go home for the New Year.

As for Grandma Sun, after being persuaded by her son and daughter, she also didn’t go back. The eldest son’s family was too troublesome, and she was still upset about that. Now that her granddaughter was here and the younger son and daughter-in-law were by her side, going back wouldn’t mean seeing anyone, so she might as well stay.

“I’ll have lunch on New Year’s Eve with Sun Hai and the others. When you come back, the three of us will have the New Year’s Eve dinner together.”

“You all are lucky, celebrating the New Year together,” Su Changrong sighed. Although things weren’t good between Qiufang and Sun Bing, at least there was a brother. His own brothers acted like enemies when they met.

“Do you think Changgui will go back this year?”

Suddenly, Su Changrong remembered this. Last year, Changgui had a serious fight with his family, so maybe he wouldn’t go back this year.

Sun Qiufang thought for a moment and said, “Changgui has no problem with going back. It’s Gao Hong who probably won’t agree. Not to mention what happened before, now that her family has trouble, she probably isn’t in the mood to go.”

“I’m not so sure about that.”

At this moment, Su Changgui and Gao Hong were arguing fiercely over whether to go back for the New Year.

“Bang!”

Gao Hong angrily smashed a bowl. “I’m not going back for the New Year. Absolutely not. Don’t you remember what happened last year? And yet you want me to go back. Su Changgui, don’t forget, you wrote me a promise that you would never return to that family again.”

“What promise?” Su Changgui pretended not to understand.

“Don’t tell me you don’t keep your word! I’ll go get it and show you!” Gao Hong said as she tried to go inside.

“No need.” Su Changgui stood up. “You know very well how that promise came about. Gao Hong, why can’t you see the situation now? Your dad’s like that, and none of your relatives dare associate with you. Who are you trying to fool with this attitude? You don’t want to go home for the New Year? Fine, I’ll take Shao Yun back to meet my parents.”

Su Changgui’s expression was calm, not like angry words, but truly telling Gao Hong that if she didn’t go back, someone else would.

Gao Hong was so angry her heart ached. She clutched her chest with red eyes and said, “Su Changgui, you’re shameless! You have a family, yet you dare to get involved with another woman. I’m going to report you to the school!”

“Go ahead and report me. With your father’s problems, I have no future anyway. I owe the Gao family everything, and I’ve paid it all back. Don’t think you can act all high and mighty in front of me.”

Su Changgui looked completely indifferent, no longer showing the worry or fear he once had.

Seeing this, Gao Hong was at a loss and just sat on the sofa crying.

Seeing Gao Hong cry, Su Wenwen got up and tugged on Su Changgui’s sleeve, hitting his arm hard. “Dad, how can you treat Mom like this? You have no conscience. It was my grandfather who helped you, and that’s why you live well now. Otherwise, you’d still be living in some remote corner.”

In anger, she blurted out the nagging words her mother usually said to Gao Hong.

Hearing this, Su Changgui’s eyes reddened with anger. He grabbed Su Wenwen roughly and threw her off, causing her to fall to the ground.

“Ah—” Su Wenwen cried out and started to sob sitting on the floor.

Seeing her beloved daughter hurt, Gao Hong hurried over, holding her to check for injuries. Then she yelled at Su Changgui, “How can you hit a child? Su Changgui, this is your own daughter. How can you treat her like this? You’ll get what’s coming to you.”

Su Changgui sneered, “My daughter? Ask her if she even considers me a father. Over the years, in this family, I don’t even have as much status as her. Every time I punish her, your parents scold me. Who’s the daughter and who’s the father? They already treat me like a man and a dad. Fine. Today, I’m telling you, if you don’t want to go home for the New Year or don’t want this life anymore, then we’ll get a divorce!”

Listening to Su Changgui bringing up old grudges and repeatedly mentioning divorce, Gao Hong angrily pointed at the door and shouted, “Su Changgui, get out, get out of here!”

Su Changgui sneered, “Me get out? Gao Hong, don’t you forget, this house was originally assigned to me by the school. You can go back to the place your dad bought for you, but you’ll need to get the keys from the county government first.”

Back when Gao Long got into trouble, that house was confiscated as recovered stolen property.

Gao Hong naturally knew all this but had chosen to deliberately forget. Hearing Su Changgui mention it made her realize she really had nothing left.

The house her parents lived in was also allocated by the county. If her father had retired normally, they could have stayed there until he passed away. But now that her dad was gone, that house would be taken back soon. Her mother would be left homeless. She had even planned to bring her mother over to live with her.

Thinking about the hardships coming their way, Gao Hong’s fierce spirit faded away.

This house belonged to Su Changgui, and if they divorced, she would lose everything. Then she and her daughter would truly have nowhere to live. On top of that, her work supervisors had recently spoken to her several times, hinting that her job performance wasn’t good.

This was something that had never happened before.

Maybe soon she would be laid off. The thought of life after losing her job made Gao Hong’s mind go blank.

Seeing her dazed expression, Su Changgui glanced at her disdainfully and then went into the room.

That night Gao Hong didn’t return to her own room but squeezed into Su Wenwen’s small room.

After Wenwen fell asleep, she stayed awake the entire night.

She thought about everything that had happened over the years, the glorious days before her father’s downfall, the relatives who stopped visiting, those who used to treat her father with respect but later criticized him, plus the changes in Su Changgui. Gao Hong understood clearly that her good days were over.

Now her father was gone, her mother was old, and her daughter was young. She was the only one holding the family together.

Su Changgui slept very well that night. Despite his career being threatened by Gao Long’s troubles, he was good at managing relations. Though he couldn’t keep the vice principal position, with his qualifications, he could still work as a regular teacher. So he wasn’t worried about losing his job.

The next morning, he prepared to wash up and get ready to go back to his hometown for the New Year.

As soon as he stepped out the door, he heard cooking sounds from the kitchen.

Just as he was about to enter, Gao Hong came out. Seeing Su Changgui, she forced a smile and said, “Let’s eat first, then go back.”

Su Changgui curled his lips slightly but said nothing, heading to wash up.

Gao Hong pinched her arm hard, telling herself, “Endure it, endure it.”

Meanwhile, Su Changrong finished breakfast and, carrying the New Year gifts prepared by Sun Qiufang, went straight to the station.

Before leaving, Sun Qiufang reminded him not to forget to visit Su Lan’s place and give the children some lucky money.

At the station, Su Changrong unexpectedly ran into Su Changgui. Though their relationship was poor, they were still brothers. Su Changrong greeted him, Su Changgui responded briefly, and the two sat together discussing the year’s events.

Gao Hong sat with Su Wenwen silently on the side, not saying a word.

Su Changrong glanced at the mother and daughter, who quietly closed their eyes and didn’t even look their way, surprised by the change.

Last year’s conflict was fierce. Grandma Su and Grandpa Su thought their third son wouldn’t come home for the New Year.

Grandpa Su shook his head and sighed, muttering to Grandma Su a few times, “They just had to say those harsh words back then. It’s been a year now, I wonder if the third daughter-in-law has calmed down.”

Grandma Su pursed her lips, “I still say, that daughter-in-law is terrible. She’s not my true ancestor. If I had known she’d be like this, I wouldn’t have agreed to Changgui marrying her. So what if she’s rich? She’s not as generous as a rural woman. I didn’t blame her for having a daughter, but she comes and curses me as a mother-in-law for not teaching her son right.”

Since Gao Hong demanded repayment during last year’s New Year and said many harsh things, Grandma Su disliked her deeply. Even if she came from a wealthy family, the old Su family hadn’t benefited from her at all, yet everyone treated her like royalty. If it had been before, Grandma Su might have tolerated it, but she never expected a fuss over just 200 yuan during the New Year, with Gao Hong cursing her son. She couldn’t hold back and scolded her. Though she later regretted it, over time she didn’t mind so much. After all, what mother-in-law hasn’t scolded a daughter-in-law?

Grandma Su thought she was actually mild. If she hadn’t scared herself into treating the third daughter-in-law like a treasure, she wouldn’t have endured so much. Now she saw the third daughter-in-law was just like any other daughter-in-law — nothing special. After scolding, nothing bad happened.

Sometimes that’s how it is: you worry about what might happen before something happens, but after it happens, you realize it’s not so bad and stop caring so much.

Li Yulan saw the old couple wandering in the main room and went from the bedroom to the front gate stall looking for Su Changfu. “If the third son comes back this year, do you think we should pay back that money?”

“Pay back what? No way!” Su Changfu said firmly. “For just 200 yuan, the neighbors around are laughing at us. I haven’t been in a good mood all year.”

“That’s true,” Li Yulan agreed. She didn’t want to pay either. Though the family was now making money, 200 yuan was still money. Su Changgui and his wife were city folks; that money meant little to them, but it caused such trouble before. If they paid it back, their family would be at a loss.