Chapter 72: Hard Work Is for Better Enjoyment
If Su He knew what Gu Chiyan was thinking, she’d definitely shout at him:
“Insult me! Go ahead and insult me all you want!”
At this moment, she was sleeping soundly, blissfully enjoying the luxury of having a whole heated brick bed (kang) to herself.
She could roll around however she wanted—it was amazing!
The next morning, she got up and immediately bought a Cantonese-style breakfast set from the Exchange. It was the most lavish breakfast she’d had since entering the book.
She had wanted to put on some music too, but was afraid someone might hear, so she gave up on the idea.
After breakfast, she went out into the courtyard to digest.
Next door, Old Man Ge was practicing Tai Chi. Su He followed along with a few moves—and then… burped.
As expected, exercising after eating wasn’t a good idea. She should be lying flat instead.
Old Man Ge finished his routine. “You’re not moving in with them?”
Su He grinned. “Old sir, I can’t bear to leave you! Just like how Mencius’ mother moved three times for his education, I, Su He, have chosen to live near good neighbors!”
Old Man Ge: “… Talking nonsense this early in the morning!”
Despite his words, there was a smile on his face.
Su He thought of the Huaxia currency and ration tickets Gu Chiyan had given her. She couldn’t just give them directly to Old Man Ge, so she decided to buy him some gifts instead.
She went back into the house and came out carrying two mesh bags. One contained two cans of milk powder and two packs of snacks. The other had a pair of cloth shoes and a set of blue work clothes.
“Sir, these are for you!”
These smaller items could be bought through the Exchange, while things like rice, flour, and oil had to be bought openly.
Old Man Ge refused to accept them. He kept saying, “We’re not related, and I haven’t done anything to deserve this.”
Su He tried everything to persuade him, even to the point of nearly losing her voice, but he still wouldn’t take the gifts. She was so frustrated she could scream—she’d never met anyone so stubborn!
Stubborn like a mule!
No wonder Gu Chiyan had hinted she shouldn’t reveal their connection. If this old man found out, he’d probably go full-on moral enforcer and try to separate them like some overzealous monk!
When she couldn’t get through to him, she said angrily, “Fine, don’t take them! I’ll give them to my grandfather instead! Hmph, he isn’t as petty as some old men I know!”
Old Man Ge’s heart turned a little sour at her words, tinged with melancholy.
He had no children of his own, let alone grandchildren.
If only he had a granddaughter like this bright little girl, his life would’ve been complete.
The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he felt. He scowled and snapped, “Yes, I am petty. Stop bothering me and go hang out with your real grandfather!”
Then he stormed inside and slammed the door behind him.
Su He: “…”
How did trying to give gifts turn into a problem?!
She comforted herself, “Respecting the elderly and caring for the young is a traditional virtue—why get angry over a cranky old man?”
If he didn’t want the gifts, fine—money saved!
After a bit of self-therapy, she perked back up.
She strolled over to the machinery factory. She’d been too busy lately to stop by and keep up appearances.
As soon as she arrived, Qian Huifang greeted her with a smile. “Xiao He, perfect timing. Just earlier, Director Luo from the commune called and asked you to return his call when you get a chance. I was going to tell you this evening, but you came early—better give him a ring now!”
Su He thanked her and called Director Luo’s office.
After some small talk, Director Luo got to the point: “Xiao Su, the fabric scrap seat cushions are all done. You can contact the textile factory to pick them up.”
Su He raised her eyebrows. That was fast.
But she quickly understood.
Director Luo had pinned all his hopes on the hair accessories project. Now that the seat cushions were done, he could focus on that, so naturally he rushed to finish the first job.
Su He immediately headed to the textile factory. Director Gao was even more enthusiastic than before.
The personnel changes in the factory were just gossip for most people.
But Director Gao was a sharp one. He pieced things together and realized—
All of this was Su He’s doing.
Tsk tsk, an outsider had managed to stir up such a commotion in the textile factory. Her methods had to be formidable!
So, he started treating Su He with more seriousness—and a healthy dose of caution.
After she explained her purpose, Director Gao picked up the phone and called the transport team. Then he smiled and said:
“You’re in luck—one of the small trucks is free. I’ve asked them to make a trip and bring the seat cushions back.”
Su He exchanged a few more polite words, then rode back to Huaihua Commune with the small truck.
Director Luo had assumed the earliest the textile factory could send someone was tomorrow, so he was surprised to see them arrive that same day.
He silently marveled at Su He’s efficiency—this young woman could really get things done!
But Su He didn’t let them start loading immediately. She spot-checked some of the cushions and, seeing the workmanship was solid, finally relaxed.
Her biggest worry was that the rush to finish would compromise the quality. This was the first official order between the commune and the textile factory—there couldn’t be any slip-ups.
Once she confirmed everything was up to standard, she gave the go-ahead to load the truck.
Director Luo smiled and said, “Xiao Su, the wild vegetables still need to be sun-dried a while longer, but we’ll definitely deliver them before the Dragon Boat Festival. I’ve already handed out the materials and patterns for the hair accessories—we’ll get started right away.”
Su He gave him a few more reminders, then headed back to the county with the truck.
Back at the textile factory, Director Gao was very pleased with the inspection.
Though he’d seen the sample before, seeing the finished products in bulk made him even more impressed—and more excited for the upcoming hair accessories.
By the time all this was done, it was already evening.
Back home, Su He bought a soaking tub from the Exchange, heated some water and added a few drops of essential oil, then settled in for a luxurious bath.
In one hand, she swirled a glass of red wine. In the other, she held a steak. She wore headphones and watched a perfectly bingeable drama on her tablet.
When it comes to enjoying life, Su He is second to none.
But she’s also a bit contradictory: while she loves comfort, she doesn’t shy away from hard work.
And in her own words: “Hard work is for better enjoyment!”
The next few days, Su He stayed just as busy.
Old Man Ge continued to huff and puff and scowl every time they met. His sharp tongue could almost choke someone to death.
Su He didn’t take it to heart. As the saying goes, “old people become like children.” A little immaturity was normal.
Then came Sunday morning.
Su Jinbao came running up early.
“Big sis! We’ve got a situation!”
Su He: “…What happened?”
“Someone’s been treating my dad to dinner every single day lately! He comes home drunk every night! My mom even fought with him over it!”
Su Jinbao had debated for two days about whether to tell Su He, since every time Su Yongshi came home drunk, he’d bring tasty snacks.
But in the end, Jinbao decided to be a loyal spy.
Su He frowned slightly. It wasn’t that she looked down on Su Yongshi, but honestly, he didn’t have the kind of value that made people want to treat him to meals every day.
Something about this felt fishy—it was probably Shen Ruyi stirring up trouble again.
