The calmness in Lu Si’s eyes was gone. In its place churned a violent, black storm.
“Get out.”
Just a single word, yet it carried the murderous aura of someone who had crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood.
Zhao Gang’s legs went weak with fright. He nearly dropped to his knees.
He was just a factory worker—he had never seen eyes like that, the eyes of someone who had truly killed before.
Su Yan was also startled, but relying on their family connection, she still tried to push through.
“Brother-in-law, I’m only thinking about my sister! The way you’re dragging her down—”
“Dragging her down?”
The smiling expression on Su Ci’s face suddenly vanished.
She walked around the table and stopped directly in front of Su Yan.
She was half a head taller than her sister, and with her full presence unleashed, Su Yan found herself unable to even raise her head.
“Su Yan, put away those filthy little thoughts of yours,” Su Ci said coldly, her voice like ice. “You think I don’t know why you came today? To show off your worker boyfriend? To laugh at me for marrying a cripple?”
Su Ci let out a cold laugh, her eyes sweeping contemptuously over the shrinking Zhao Gang.
“Him? A coward who doesn’t even dare look people in the eye—he thinks he can compare with my Old Lu?”
“Even sitting in a wheelchair, Lu Si’s medals could bury the both of you! The country supports him, the people respect him. His allowance is an honor bought with his life! And that ‘Brother Gang’ of yours—besides making you carry his washbasin, what else can he give you?”
Su Ci turned and walked back to Lu Si’s side.
Right in front of everyone, she bent down and gently took hold of the hand he had clenched tightly in anger. One by one, she pried open his fingers and interlocked them with her own.
She lifted her head, her gaze bright and unwavering, her voice clear as it echoed through the courtyard.
“And as for what you said about me living like a widow…”
The corner of Su Ci’s lips curled into a deeply mocking smile.
“I have money to spend, a big house to live in, no in-laws to serve, and no farm work to do. My husband is handsome, doesn’t hit me, and listens to everything I say. Do you know how many people out there would line up for a life like this?”
“As long as I don’t have to spend my days bent over in the fields, even if he were disabled—hell, even if he were the King of Hell himself—he’d still be my good husband! As for you, go hug your washbasin and enjoy your ‘happy life.’”
“And now—take your trash and get out of my house!”
Su Ci grabbed the two boxes of peach pastries from the table and tossed them straight into Su Yan’s arms.
“Out! Or I’ll call the guards and report you for trespassing and harassing a war hero!”
Su Yan was completely stunned by the barrage of insults. Her face shifted between green and pale.
Zhao Gang felt so humiliated he wished the ground would swallow him whole. Not wanting to stay a second longer, he dragged Su Yan away in embarrassment.
The courtyard fell silent again.
Only the rustling of leaves in the wind could be heard.
Like a victorious general, Su Ci stood at the doorway with her hands on her hips.
Only after confirming the two troublemakers were truly gone did she finally let out a long breath.
“Whew… that was exhausting. Even scolding people is hard work.”
She turned around and met Lu Si’s deep, complicated gaze.
Lu Si looked at her. His Adam’s apple bobbed several times. The darkness in his eyes seemed to have been completely swept away by her words, replaced by a warmth he had never felt before.
“Come here,” Lu Si said, his voice slightly hoarse.
Su Ci blinked and walked over. “What? Want me to peel oranges again?”
Lu Si reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer.
Tilting his head back, he looked at the woman who always claimed to be greedy and lustful, yet repeatedly stood in front of him like a hen protecting her chicks.
“Su Ci.”
“Mm?”
“If you don’t want to peel oranges in the future, just say so,” Lu Si said softly, an awkward gentleness hidden in his tone. “You don’t need to put on a show for others.”
Su Ci froze for a moment—then burst out laughing.
She reached out and pinched his handsome face, grinning like a sly little fox.
“Who said I was acting? Captain Lu, the oranges you peel really are sweet. For the rest of your life, you can just be my personal orange peeler.”
Lu Si didn’t dodge. He let her mess around with his face as she pleased.
Silently, he thought to himself:
As long as you don’t leave, forget peeling oranges—even if you wanted the stars from the sky, I’d find a way to get them for you.
Looking at the faint redness creeping up Lu Si’s ears, Su Ci happily calculated in her heart.
Who said this was living like a widow?
This was clearly the joy of raising and training someone!
As long as she clung tightly to this golden thigh—and with her sharp tongue—living as a carefree freeloader in the 1970s was simply too perfect.
“I’m hungry!” Su Ci clapped her hands. “To celebrate chasing away those flies, let’s have a good meal tonight! I saw the supply cooperative selling shrimp. How about braised shrimp in oil?”
Lu Si looked at her sparkling eyes, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.
“You’ve got the money,” he said.
“Your call.”