Chapter 24: Breaking Ties
Zhang Ze and Mao Jinqian, who were respectively hiding in the dark, couldn’t tell if they should feel disappointed or relieved.
Disappointed that they had no opportunity to show their skills, relieved that the father and daughter ultimately didn’t go to the extent they had imagined.
Because they hadn’t received clear instructions, even though Xu Zixin and the other had already left, they still hadn’t moved a single step and continued hiding their figures in the dark.
……
Su Ning, staying in the room, was carefully putting away piece by piece the things left by Mom into the box and then into the space.
Compared to those stored by Mom in the bank safe, it was obvious she valued these here more.
When Su Jinglei was still alive, every year on her daughter’s birthday, she would personally bury a jar of Nu Er Hong in the courtyard.
Then prepare a gift with utmost care: either various jade carvings made by hand, or small paintings with portraits of her and her daughter, or various exquisite small embroidery pieces.
Seal them one by one and place them in this large box made of peach heartwood.
She would smilingly call it the Su Family tradition of loving daughters, just like what Father had done for her back then.
The wishes and expectations accumulated by hand would, together with the buried fine wine, serve as dowry to ensure the daughter a lifetime of happiness and bliss.
Xu Zixin, who had no heart, only knew how to put on a show on the surface and naturally wouldn’t understand the true intention behind Su Jinglei specially leaving this small courtyard to him.
“That’s good too…”
If Xu Zixin truly did as Mom hoped, continuing to prepare these for her, Su Ning now probably wouldn’t know what mood to face it with.
Just like now, these all contained only Mom’s love for her, pure without any admixture, and that was just fine.
“Dong dong dong~”
“Is anyone there? Is Comrade Xiao Su here?”
Startled awake by the sudden noise, Su Ning raised her hand to check her watch, glanced at the room, then turned and went out of the room.
Although the true intention at the time hadn’t worked out, she had no intention of regretting it either.
“Hey, isn’t she right here!”
Seeing the person coming out from inside the room, Director Li silently put down his suspended heart, greeted her, and then warmly introduced.
“This is the Tian Da Zhen I told you about who urgently needs help. Da Zhen, she is the owner of the house, Su Ning.”
On Tian Da Zhen’s wrinkled and weathered face was sorrow so thick it couldn’t be melted away, and only when looking at her did a light suddenly appear in her eyes.
Without a word, she tightly pulled the children and knelt heavily on the ground with a thud, her mouth clumsily repeating words of thanks over and over.
Her man had lost an arm in a factory accident, and this originally honest and simple man began drinking heavily every day, giving in to self-abandonment, and from then on became like a different person, beating and kicking her and the children.
For the children, she gritted her teeth and endured everyone’s strange looks to get divorced. If not for the Women’s Federation helping her find a temporary worker job, she and her three children probably wouldn’t have survived long ago.
Now they had even found a kind-hearted person for them, providing a place for the mother and three children to live, soon to have their own small home… Besides kowtowing, she really didn’t know how else to express her gratitude.
“Quick, quick, get up! Elder Sister, this isn’t done anymore, quick make the children all get up!”
Before she could even start speaking, she was surrounded by one adult and two children kowtowing. Su Ning was stunned for a moment before suddenly reacting and helping them up.
The mother and three children wore tattered clothes patched in ways no one knew where they started, and the youngest child didn’t even have shoes on, with his bare little feet all black and dirty.
She didn’t feel disgusted; on the contrary, looking at them, there was an indescribable sour feeling in her heart.
“I believe Director Li has already roughly mentioned my requirements to you…”
“Yes, Comrade Xiao Su, rest assured, we will definitely take good care of this house and not waste it at all. The rent will be handed over to Director Li in advance every year, definitely no delays!”
Five yuan a year in rent, for such a large house with its own gate and courtyard, it was already as cheap as it could be. Although the temporary worker salary wasn’t much, it was still eighteen yuan a month, and paying the annual rent was no problem at all.
Tian Da Zhen was sincerely grateful from the bottom of her heart. Divorce had made her suffer endless pointing and gossip, but it had also brought her much genuine kindness.
Not to mention her requirements were so normal and simple; even if they were really picky and difficult, she would still strive to fulfill them.
“Sister, Ya Ya and I will also help take care of the house!”
“Good, Sister believes you.”
Under Director Li’s witness, both parties signed the rental contract. As agreed, she provided the house proof and handed over the key, then Su Ning left first.
……
Xu Zixin and the other, who had returned home early, entered the room one after the other and closed the doors and windows tightly.
“Speak, what exactly have you been hiding from me? What good deeds have you been secretly doing behind my back?!”
Just thinking of Su Ning’s meaningful words and pointed look before they left made the fierce light in Xu Zixin’s eyes, thick enough to spill over, even more dangerous.
Qian Huiru, who had been on tenterhooks the whole way, trembled all over at his suddenly lowered voice, her fingertips unable to stop shaking slightly.
“I… I really didn’t do anything, don’t listen to that yatou Su Ning…”
“Speak!”
He threw down the shirt he had taken off, left only in a white vest. Xu Zixin’s tightly clenched fist had veins bulging all the way up his arm.
“Don’t play smart again. Since Ning Ning said that, she definitely has proof. At this point, how long do you think you can hide it from me?”
“I… accepted things from Qin Dagui…”
“How many times, what things!”
“Just three times, I swear!” Qian Huiru held her lower abdomen with both hands, imperceptibly stepping back a few steps before continuing softly, “A total of twenty thousand yuan, one box of small gold bars.”
“You really outdid yourself, Qian Huiru! Did I short you on food or clothing? My words, you don’t take them to heart at all, huh?!”
If not for some reason left, if not for seeing her still pregnant, very likely with the son he had longed for for many years!
Xu Zixin really had the urge to strangle her!
Think of how he had always been diligent and conscientious, never forming cliques or having any thought of taking bribes, all to leave no trace for anyone.
Over so many years, whether in personal conduct or work, who could pin even half a blemish on him?
Now it was all ruined by this stupid woman. Not only did she do stupid things, she didn’t even know to wipe her own ass clean, leaving a little tail without even knowing!
“Was that for my own sake? You don’t even think, in our early years, how much did our salaries add up to?
Not to mention what we sent back to Father and Mother every month during festivals, but you insisted on raising Su Ning richly. Have you calculated just her monthly expenses?
Raising such a big family, which part doesn’t need money? Is our bit enough?!”
Wasn’t her life aggrieved enough? As Qian Huiru thought of these years’ outward glory but inner embarrassment, her anger also rose bit by bit.
She had given so much, and even facing that dead yatou Su Ning, no matter how angry to half-death, she endured it. For what?
Wasn’t it for the big pie he painted: the Su Family’s several large houses, Su Jinglei’s dowry that couldn’t be spent even if turned into money…
The result?
Finally enduring to this day, nothing at all! She was about to go crazy, okay!
