Chapter 14: Showing Off
Su He walked into the house and saw Su Jinbao circling around Cao Hongmei, probably wanting to tattle but not wanting to be called a little puppy, torn between the two.
When he saw Su He come in, he gave a cold snort and ran out.
Su He helped Cao Hongmei with the chores while chatting with her:
“Second Aunt, who lives in the east and west courtyards? Are they all workers from the textile factory too?”
Cao Hongmei curled her lips:
“That couple on the west side works at the machinery factory. Their noses are so high in the air, like they look down on everyone.
It’s funny really—no matter how snooty they act, they’re still renting just like us!
As for that Old Ge on the east side—what a weirdo! Always acting like the world owes him something.
Sometimes when Jinbao makes a bit too much noise, he bangs on the wall like crazy. Serves him right for being alone with no one to talk to…”
Cao Hongmei was quick with her hands and soon had dinner ready—
Corn porridge and stir-fried cabbage.
“Xiao He, Second Aunt, originally wanted to make something nice for you. But we’ve already used up this month’s meat coupons.
Next time you come, I’ll definitely cook you a nice meat dish.”
Su He obviously didn’t take that promise seriously and just replied vaguely.
After dinner, Su Jinbao started whining about going to the supply store.
Cao Hongmei poked his forehead:
“You little glutton. Alright, let’s go!”
Su He knew why Cao Hongmei waited until after dinner to go to the supply store—it closed at 5:30 PM.
By going this late, she could use time as an excuse to buy fewer things.
Sure enough, when they arrived, the store clerk said impatiently:
“If you want to buy something, hurry up. We’re closing in ten minutes!”
It was actually only 5 PM, but store clerks in this era were notoriously arrogant, and no one dared argue with them.
Cao Hongmei quickly bought a pound of sugar cubes and two packs of sponge cake, and the clerk started shooing them out.
Cao Hongmei said with a regretful face:
“Xiao He, what a pity. Second Aunt wanted to buy you more, but there’s no time now.”
Su He didn’t bother exposing her lie. She had come mainly to check out the prices and product variety at this time anyway.
She gave a perfunctory response—after all, she would be coming here often. Let’s see how long this drama-loving aunt can keep up the act.
Su Yongshi didn’t come home that night.
According to Cao Hongmei, it was because he had swapped shifts with a coworker after taking yesterday off.
Su He found it funny—her dear second uncle probably just didn’t want to see her again any time soon.
*
The next morning, Cao Hongmei offered to take Su He to the bus station, but she politely declined.
Cao Hongmei was actually relieved. She handed Su He a mesh bag with one pack of sponge cake and half a pound of sugar cubes.
After hesitating for a moment, she gave her fifty cents:
“Xiao He, Second Aunt has to get to work, so I can’t see you off. Use this money for your bus fare.”
Su He found a quiet spot, purchased a burlap sack from the Exchange Market System, and stuffed it full.
When boarding the bus, she deliberately acted as if the sack was heavy and dragged it onto the bus with great effort.
There weren’t many passengers. The ticket seller wasn’t the same as yesterday.
Su He thought that was just perfect—less chance of small talk leading to a slip-up.
An hour and a half later, the bus arrived at Huaihua Commune.
Su He dragged the sack off the bus with “great effort” and handed a little kid two pieces of candy:
“Help me run over to the Cao household and tell them to bring the bicycle here.”
The child took off running.
Not long after, Wang Fengrong, Su Yongshi’s mother-in-law, came over pushing the bicycle.
“Xiao He, you’re back? How did the matchmaking go?”
Su He smiled shyly:
“Second Aunt told me not to talk about it too much. Oh, and my second uncle sold the bicycle to me—that’s why I asked you to bring it over.”
Wang Fengrong’s face froze:
“What? Yongshi sold you the bike? That bike was so hard to get! And where’d you get that much money?”
“I brought some money from the Shen family and hadn’t spent it yet. Buying a bike seemed like the right thing to do.
My second uncle was worried you wouldn’t believe me, so he even wrote a receipt!”
Su He pulled out the receipt and showed it to Wang Fengrong.
Even though she couldn’t read much, she recognized the characters for “150 yuan” and immediately believed it.
She thought to herself: Maybe those two just didn’t want to keep the bike at my place, so they sold it instead?
As for why Su He was willing to spend so much—what else could it be? Clearly, she had climbed the social ladder!
With her future secured, money was no longer a concern.
Su He said she brought the money from the Shen family, and Wang Fengrong didn’t doubt it for a second.
The Shen family were bigshots in the provincial capital. It made sense they’d give Su He some money to send her off.
Wang Fengrong was actually mad at Su Yongshi and his wife—they’d rather sell the bike than keep it at her house! What ingrates!
She forced a smile:
“Well, if that’s the case, go ahead and ride it back!”
Su He had already taken out a pack of sponge cake and handed it over:
“Grandma, my second uncle and aunt were too busy to bring you anything, so this is from me.”
Since Su He and Su Jinbao were the same generation, she followed his way of addressing their grandmother.
Wang Fengrong felt even worse now!
Even Su He remembered to buy something for her, but those two sold the bike and didn’t even bring back a piece of candy—how heartless!
After some polite back and forth, she accepted the cake.
As Su He left, Wang Fengrong held her hand:
“Xiao He, just treat Grandma as your real grandma and come visit often!”
Of course, there was a bit of flattery in that. In her eyes, Su He was about to marry into the Zhao family, a great match—and the cake certainly helped too.
Su He strapped the sack to the back of the bicycle and hummed a little tune all the way back to Huangxi Village.
At that moment, Old Madam Su was inside boasting to Old Madam Liu from next door:
“My Yongshi is something else! He arranged a match for Su He with the deputy factory director’s son.
I hear the boy is handsome and capable—Su He’s basically marrying into wealth!”
Old Madam Liu replied sourly:
“That Su He sure is lucky. Raised in the provincial capital, and now marrying into a good family.
Sister, you’re going to enjoy life from now on.”
Old Madam Su beamed like she had eaten honey!
Old Madam Liu’s daughter worked as a shop assistant in town, and everyone in the village always sucked up to her.
So seeing Su He walk in pushing a bicycle, Old Madam Su lit up with joy and hurried out to greet her.
When she saw the loaded sack on the bike’s back seat, she smiled even more brightly:
“Su He, did your fiancé give you all that stuff?”
