Chapter 13: Pretending to Be a Helpless Little Rabbit
Su Yongshi said impatiently, “I still have to go to work. Your second aunt is on the morning shift today and gets off at 3:30 in the afternoon. Stay at home and behave yourself.”
Su He looked obedient and sweet. “Second Uncle, I remember. Don’t worry!”
Su Yongshi was fuming inside.
A wolf pup pretending to be a helpless little rabbit—who was she trying to fool?
With a cold snort, he slammed the door on his way out.
As he walked out, he noticed a young man in a Zhongshan suit standing in the courtyard next door.
He muttered to himself, “Old Ge from next door is a weird loner who never talks to anyone. How come there’s a young man visiting him?”
Could he be a relative?
Under normal circumstances, Su Yongshi would’ve struck up a conversation—after all, the man looked quite respectable. But right now, he was so furious from dealing with Su He that he didn’t have the energy for small talk.
The young man’s name was Gu Chiyan—the same one who had been at the textile factory housing complex earlier… the “monkey-faced guy.”
These houses had terrible soundproofing, and since Su He and Su Yongshi hadn’t bothered to lower their voices, he had overheard most of their conversation.
He stood in silence for a moment, then smiled.
This little girl was interesting.
He didn’t think Su He had done anything wrong by swindling her own uncle. In fact, he thought she’d handled it beautifully.
But his curiosity only deepened. Why would such a clever and cunning girl jump into a river?
A yawn sounded from inside the house. Gu Chiyan knew that old man Ge had woken up, so he quickly turned and went inside.
Su He, unaware of all this, wandered around the house after Su Yongshi left.
The room was barely 30 square meters. A small kitchen had been partitioned off to the west, and with a dirt bed and a few cabinets, the place felt extremely cramped.
The only good thing was that there was a dry latrine in the courtyard. Crude, yes—but still better than sharing a toilet with several households.
Su He was exhausted and starving after everything she’d been through that morning. She took out some milk and bread from her space (inventory), ate, then collapsed into sleep.
When she woke up, she strolled around the courtyard.
Sniff sniff—why did it smell like someone was boiling traditional Chinese medicine? It seemed to be coming from the east side next door.
Was someone ill?
Su He was curious but didn’t want to pry into others’ private affairs.
She paced a few laps around the courtyard and suddenly remembered she still had to mail a letter to Luo Xiaoling. So she locked the door and headed to the post office.
Spending eight fen, she bought a stamp and mailed the letter.
By the time Su He returned to the flat, her second aunt, Cao Hongmei, was already home.
The moment she saw Su He, she started wiping away tears.
“Xiao He, your second aunt really let you down. I meant to set you up with a good match. Who would’ve guessed that Zhao Bin was a beast!
“If I had known what kind of person he was, I wouldn’t have introduced you two no matter what!
“When Jinbao gets out of school later, I’ll take you both to the State-Owned Mall and get you some fabric. And I’ll buy you some good food to make up for this.”
Su He thought, Seems like she doesn’t know about the bicycle yet.
Either she hadn’t seen Su Yongshi yet, or he was keeping it quiet.
With teary eyes, Su He choked out, “Second Aunt, you meant well. I don’t blame you. If anyone’s to blame, it’s my bad luck.”
Cao Hongmei thought to herself, Tch, this girl is really easy to fool.
She held Su He’s hand. “Such a sensible child! You being like this just makes me feel worse. I wish I could treat you like my own daughter.
“But a girl’s reputation is everything. Since Zhao Bin didn’t actually do anything to you, it’s best not to make a fuss. Don’t even tell your grandparents, alright?”
Su He nodded. “Okay, I’ll listen to you, Second Aunt.”
Cao Hongmei nearly laughed out loud. What a gullible girl.
A little while later, a young boy came running in. “Mom! Is Dad home? Did Grandma bring me snacks?”
It was Su Jinbao, the precious son of Su Yongshi and Cao Hongmei. He was a year younger than Su Xiaoman, just eight years old.
Cao Hongmei pretended to scold him with a slap. “What are you yelling for? Don’t you see your cousin Xiao He? Greet her!”
Su Jinbao gave Su He a sideways glance and grudgingly called her “sis.”
He had been spoiled rotten, especially by Old Madam Su. Even if he slapped someone, she’d praise him—“What a strong grandson!”
So Jinbao acted like a little emperor at home and never took Su He seriously.
After all, Grandma always said: granddaughters are money pits, only grandsons are the real treasures of the Su family.
Jinbao rummaged around in the kitchen for a while and pouted. “Mom, Dad said he’d bring me snacks. Why is there nothing?”
Cao Hongmei comforted him. “We’ll go to the co-op after dinner. I’ll buy you something tasty then.”
At that, Jinbao started hopping up and down in joy, then turned to Su He.
“You play war games with me, or when I go back to the countryside, I’ll tell Grandma and have her beat you!”
Su He smiled sweetly. “Okay.”
So while Cao Hongmei cooked, Su He played with Jinbao in the courtyard.
“Playing war” meant hitting each other with sticks while yelling “hiyah!” and “hoohah!”
Su He pointed with her stick. “Jinbao, look! What’s that?”
As soon as Jinbao turned to look, she smacked his butt with her stick.
He didn’t cry right away—he was too shocked. He never imagined Su He would dare hit him.
“Jinbao,” Su He said sweetly, “this is called strategy. Real soldiers do this. Learn this trick, and all your friends will think you’re amazing.”
Jinbao forgot the pain immediately. “Really?”
“Of course! You’ll look just like a general!”
He puffed out his little chest. “Teach me more!”
Su He’s smile grew warmer. “Sure. But a real general doesn’t cry or tattle. Can you handle that?”
Jinbao puffed up again. “Of course I can! If I can’t, I’m a puppy!”
Thus began a new chapter of warfare:
“Jinbao, there’s a bird in the sky!”
“Jinbao, your shoelace is untied!”
“Jinbao, you’ve got snot running!”
…
Poor little Jinbao was smacked a dozen times. But he had to hold back his tears—because he definitely didn’t want to be a “puppy.”
Eventually, he threw his stick and ran into the house.
Waaah! He was never playing with this cousin again!
Su He smiled sweetly, her eyes crescent moons. You little brat—you thought you could boss me around? Now you know what it feels like to get whipped by brains instead of brawn!
Standing at the window next door, Gu Chiyan finally looked away.
Old Man Ge walked in and was startled.
This guy was usually stone-faced. It was rare to see him smiling so… dreamily.
“The medicine’s done. Get out of here!”
Gu Chiyan took one last glance toward the house next door before striding off.
Not every question needed an answer. He figured that he and that clever girl named Su He probably wouldn’t cross paths again.
