Su Fu’s room was the largest in the Su family house, and she lived there alone.
Inside were a two-meter bed, a large wooden wardrobe, and several stacked boxes with peeling paint.
Yellowed newspapers were pasted all over the walls, and in the center hung a portrait of a kind-looking elderly person.
Beside the window stood a dressing table. On it were a mirror, a thermos, an enamel cup, and a small flowerpot filled with soil.
That flowerpot had been left behind by Su Fu’s mother. There used to be a small cactus planted in it.
Unfortunately, the Su family threw it into the latrine. By the time she found it again, the cactus was already dead.
The Su family was large and thriving.
Wang Xiaojiao had given birth to four sons and one daughter: Su Yi, Su Er, Su San, Su Si, and Su Meimei.
Except for Su Yi, the other sons each had three or four children after marriage.
Altogether, there were more than a dozen people living in the household.
Su Yi was Su Fu’s father — and quite a “remarkable” person.
Most eldest sons ran the household honestly and worked like oxen.
Su Yi was different. He was notorious for being lazy, sly, and avoiding real work.
Su Fu’s mother was from the neighboring village, also gluttonous and lazy — truly a match made in heaven with Su Yi.
Unfortunately, when giving birth to Su Fu, she suffered massive bleeding and died before finishing her postpartum month.
Su Yi raised Su Fu alone until she was five, but he also died in an accident.
Su Fu had been strong since childhood, and after years of being taught all sorts of strange ideas by Su Yi, she wasn’t considered normal by others.
Without parents protecting her, if she didn’t act crazy, this family would have long since squeezed her dry and sold her to an old bachelor.
Thinking of this, Su Fu remembered what Su Yi said before dying:
Life is worthless — one rotten life.
Work hard to live well for yourself.No one matters more than you.
His biggest regret was that he didn’t get to eat his fill before he died.
“Ah…” Su Fu sighed.
She wondered if her parents had received the paper money she secretly burned for them these past years…
They probably had — otherwise those unreliable two would definitely have come to her in dreams.
Wang Xiaojiao kept muttering:
“The damn girl still wants fair skin and beauty? Men work in the fields every day — how would they stay pale…”
Su Er was sneaking food:“She studied in the city and still didn’t find a boyfriend. Look at little sister — still in middle school and already found a good husband.”
Wang Xiaojiao:“How can that brat compare to Meimei? Tomorrow I’ll go to town and marry her off quickly.”
Su Er:“Don’t pick someone with good conditions. Why should she live a good life…”
Wang Xiaojiao:“I know. That girl likes pretty boys…”
Su Er:“After she sleeps, we’ll hold a meeting and get her married within three days…”
Mother and son plotted for a long time.
Su Fu burped in satisfaction — eavesdropping really improved her appetite.
She wasn’t against marriage, but the man had to be at least as good as her father.
Su Yi had very fair skin, was tall, handsome, clean, and could cook and do housework.
Aside from being poor, he had no flaws.
The village men? She truly looked down on them.
Some high-school classmates barely met the standard, but…
After only two months of school she chased a teacher around campus with a dung ladle and became famous.
Ah… saying more only brought tears.
When Su Fu woke up, the Su family house was completely empty.
Working in the fields? Impossible.She studied through high school just to avoid farm labor.
After washing up, she went to the kitchen. There were two wild-vegetable pancakes in the pot.
With cheeks puffed full, she stared at the chicken coop:
“Sooner or later I’ll slaughter you all.”
Luckily Wang Xiaojiao had left early — otherwise she’d have a heart attack hearing that.
Wang Xiaojiao cried miserably:
“Daughter… blah blah… that crazy girl… blah blah…”
Su Meimei naturally knew Su Fu’s temperament. Before marriage she suffered greatly too.
“Mom, you said that brat likes pretty boys?”
Wang Xiaojiao nodded.“Exactly. With her reputation, who within ten villages would dare marry her?”
Su Meimei actually knew someone.
A distant relative of the neighbor aunt lived in Shangou (“Mountain Gully”) village.
The entire village couldn’t even scrape together two pairs of underwear without holes.
That family was even poorer — they took turns wearing pants.
All lazy men too, eating bran mixed with wild vegetables every meal.
The neighbor once cursed that they wanted to bring home a wife for several brothers to share.
Su Meimei had cursed along at the time.But now she thought — wasn’t that tailor-made for Su Fu?
And the youngest son supposedly looked delicate — a real pretty boy.
Wang Xiaojiao hesitated:“Su Fu isn’t stupid. Would she agree to marry into a mountain gully?”
Su Meimei smiled confidently:“First we do this… then that…”
After hearing the plan, Wang Xiaojiao revealed a lewd grin.That girl had harmed the family for years — time to teach her a lesson.
Su Fu sneezed.
“Achoo — which plague-ridden idiot is cursing me…”
She rubbed her nose and took money from Wang Mazi.
After counting, it was half of last month’s.
“Mazi, you—”
Wang Mazi quickly raised his hands:“I didn’t skim! The crackdown is strict this month. The brothers are scared.”
They secretly raised pigs deep in the mountains and sold them on the black market.
Su Fu didn’t manage things, but she invested some startup money back then.
Su Fu frowned:“Return my capital. I’m quitting.”
Wang Mazi didn’t quite understand, but one less partner meant more profit.
“You chose to withdraw — don’t cause trouble later.”
Su Fu nodded. Once she decided something, she never regretted it.
“Be careful. If something happens to you…”
Wang Mazi’s real name was Wang Cheng, same age as Su Fu.
His father died a few years ago, leaving him to support his young sister and elderly mother.
After thinking a long time, he asked:
“By the way, Sister Fu, are you really going on a blind date?”
Su Fu stored the money:“What’s wrong with blind dates? Am I supposed to stay single forever?”
Wang Cheng laughed lazily:“Everyone within ten villages knows your ‘glorious achievements’. You probably can’t get married.”
Su Fu punched him:“With this face, I can’t marry?”
She wasn’t bragging — no girl within ten villages looked better.
Wang Mazi studied her seriously: bright big eyes, long eyelashes, high nose bridge, fair rosy skin.
He swallowed.“I take back what I said.”
Su Fu ignored him:“Bring me the money later. I’m leaving.”
Wang Mazi followed:“I’m going to town too. Let’s go together…”
Su Fu had business in town — and wanted to gather information.
Because Su Meimei was the most vicious person in the Su family.