Chapter 81: Eating Sunflower Seeds While Watching Grandma Cry
Director Tang was a man of action. As soon as he heard the situation, he led a team to Xu Family Village.
Of course, they didn’t go on foot—Director Tang had someone bring out the only jeep from the station, even though it was a beat-up old thing. Normally, he was reluctant to use it because gas was expensive.
But it was already past 3 p.m. If they rode bikes, it would be dark by the time they arrived.
Su He said to Su Yongguo, “Dad, you ride your bike back. I’ll ride in the jeep with Director Tang—it’ll save time.”
Su Yongguo: “…Alright.” He wanted to ride in the jeep too!
He didn’t know if he’d ever get the chance to sit in a jeep in this lifetime.
Su He didn’t notice her father’s inner turmoil. She rode in the jeep to the scene of the incident.
Director Tang carefully examined the site and came to the same conclusion as Su He.
He sighed, “You hunt geese every day, but today the goose pecked your eye out. If it weren’t for your sharp eye, Little Su, I would’ve disgraced this uniform!”
Su He chuckled, “Director Tang, even deities get drowsy sometimes! Not to mention someone deliberately tried to mislead the investigation. Even if I hadn’t spoken up, I bet you’d have noticed something fishy eventually.”
Director Tang gave a bitter smile and didn’t respond.
This incident was a wake-up call. You could never assume things at face value. What might seem like a minor oversight to them could be a complete disaster for those involved.
After returning, Director Tang wrote a self-reflection and requested disciplinary action—though that came later.
He dropped Su He off at the village entrance in the jeep, then told her, “Little Su, even though the Agricultural Supply Station is partly to blame, your uncle can’t be entirely excused either. He’ll probably get around three years.
But if you can get a letter of forgiveness from the Agricultural Station, he might be spared criminal punishment and only face civil liability.”
Director Tang didn’t think Su He could get that letter. He’d only met Professor Qu once, but could tell he was a stubborn, solitary man. Getting a letter of forgiveness from him might be harder than climbing to the heavens.
Su He thanked Director Tang and invited him home for a visit, but he politely declined.
Just as he left, Su He saw Su Yongguo pedaling back on his bike.
Su Yongguo grumbled inwardly. Two wheels just couldn’t compare to four—he was pedaling hard enough to spark fire, but still never caught sight of that jeep!
Oh right, his daughter had mentioned letting him drive a tractor. Why hadn’t that happened yet?
Once the situation with his brother-in-law was settled, he’d have to remind her…
When the father and daughter got back to Old Man Zhao’s house, the old man was cooking.
He didn’t really feel like eating, but knowing Su He and her dad must be hungry, and that his grandson Gou Dan still needed to eat, he pulled himself together and made a meal.
Luckily, Su He had brought food, or they wouldn’t have had anything decent to serve.
As soon as Old Man Zhao saw Su He walk in, he asked anxiously, “Su He, how’d it go? Did the station agree?”
Su He nodded, “They already re-investigated the scene. It’s confirmed the cattle were startled by a dog. As for the specifics, they’ll interrogate Fan Zhen, the guy guarding the test field.”
Old Man Zhao was overjoyed. “Then—then your uncle will be okay?”
Su He shook her head. “Fan Zhen is partly responsible, but my uncle can’t avoid blame either. Unless the Agricultural Station gives a forgiveness letter, he’ll still probably get around three years.”
Old Man Zhao had already suspected this outcome. He sighed, “Three years is still better than the ten or eight they originally said! Su He, it’s all thanks to you. You must be starving—go rest, dinner’s almost ready!”
Su He offered to help, but Old Man Zhao wouldn’t hear of it. Instead, he made Su Yongguo tend the fire.
Su Yongguo: “…”
Apparently, a son-in-law still can’t compare to a granddaughter.
Su He went into the east room and had barely spoken with Old Madam Zhao when a small boy came in crying.
“Grandma, Er Gou said my mom is going to divorce my dad, and that she doesn’t want me anymore. Is it true?”
Old Madam Zhao’s eyes welled up with tears as she comforted him, “Don’t listen to that nonsense. Grandma’s not well, so your mom just went back to care for her for a few days. She’ll be back soon.”
The boy—Zhao Chengtai, nicknamed Gou Dan—was about the same age as Su Jinbao, and he was Zhao Daniu’s son.
But Gou Dan cried even harder.
“Grandma, you’re lying! Everyone says my dad’s going to jail, and my mom doesn’t want me anymore! Waaahhh…”
No matter how Old Madam Zhao tried to console him, he wouldn’t stop wailing for his dad and mom.
Already grieving, Old Madam Zhao couldn’t hold it in anymore either and burst into sobs. Su He pulled out a bag of sunflower seeds from her satchel, sat on a stool, and calmly cracked seeds while watching the pair cry it out.
Trying to console them wouldn’t help. Once they were cried out, they’d stop on their own.
Seeing Su He like that, Old Madam Zhao found it… hard to keep crying.
Even Gou Dan stopped crying and stared longingly at the sunflower seeds in Su He’s hand.
Su He finally said to him:
“First: Just because someone says something doesn’t mean it’s true. Don’t believe every rumor you hear.
Second: Even if your dad goes to jail and your mom leaves you, it’s not your fault.
Third: Besides your parents, you’ve got grandparents, an aunt and uncle, and lots of people who love you. You’re no less than anyone else.
And finally: Crying doesn’t solve anything. If little boys cry all the time, they won’t be able to find a wife!”
Old Madam Zhao wiped her tears and muttered, “He’s still young. He doesn’t understand any of that…”
Su He smiled. “Grandma, how do you know he doesn’t understand if you don’t say it?”
Adults always assumed kids didn’t understand and kept everything from them. But that wasn’t necessarily the best choice.
Just because you don’t say it doesn’t mean others won’t. Better to give the child the truth so he can form the right understanding.
Sometimes, children are much stronger than adults think.
Just as she was thinking this, she heard Gou Dan say:
“I can find a wife! Su He from the back courtyard said she’ll marry me when we grow up!”
Su He: “…”
Well, whether he got the point or not, at least he wasn’t crying anymore.
At that moment, Su Yongguo brought over the dinner table, and Old Man Zhao served the food:
Cornbread and pork stewed with potatoes.
It was just one dish, but Old Man Zhao had put all the pork belly Su He brought into it, making it rich and appetizing.
Gou Dan’s face was covered in oil as he ate, completely forgetting about his parents.
After dinner, Gou Dan lay in Old Madam Zhao’s lap cracking sunflower seeds.
Su He noticed Old Madam Zhao rubbing her leg and glared at Gou Dan.
“Can’t you see your grandma’s leg hurts? Get up!”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. My legs are worthless anyway. Let him lean on them.”
Su He thought, Her grandma spoils this kid way too much!
Fortunately, Gou Dan was still somewhat sensible. As soon as Su He said that, he moved aside.
Su He sat on the edge of the kang and helped massage Old Madam Zhao’s legs while asking,
“Grandma, what’s wrong with your legs? Haven’t you been to the hospital?”
“I’ve been. Took lots of medicine too, but nothing helps.
At first, I could still walk even though it hurt. Now even moving is hard. I’m just a burden… might as well be dead…”
And she started crying again.
Su He: …Her grandma must be made of water.
Su Yongguo, as the son-in-law, didn’t know how to comfort her. He just awkwardly said,
“The old doctor who treated Ruyi before was amazing. Too bad I haven’t been able to find out where he moved. If we could find him, maybe he could fix Mom’s legs.”
Old Man Zhao sighed, “I asked around too. I heard that miracle doctor… passed away years ago.”
