After arriving in town, Su Fu glared at Wang Mazi behind her.
“Scram.”
Wang Cheng: “…Sister Fu, since you’re going on a blind date, you should be gentler from now on.”
After saying that, he immediately ran off — faster than a rabbit.
Su Fu curled her lips. If Wang Mazi had run a second slower, he’d have turned into a pig head.
Daring to meddle in her business — clearly he hadn’t been beaten in too long and his courage had grown.
She bought a jin of ration-free fruit candies at the supply and marketing cooperative, then strolled toward the Public Security compound.
At the gate, Su Fu whistled at the auntie in the guard pavilion.
“Well well, Auntie Hu — reading the newspaper?”
Auntie Hu was around fifty, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, wearing a red armband.
“Good thing you’re not a man, or I’d report you for hooliganism.”
Su Fu laughed.“If I were a man, how would I dare act up in front of you? Here — have a candy to sweeten your mouth.”
She handed her a candy and quietly asked:
“Anything interesting happening in the compound lately?”
Auntie Hu slipped the candy into her pocket and began gossiping softly.
“That Xiao Zhang next door to your godfather — your godmother wanted to introduce him to you after graduation, remember? He got married three days ago.”
Su Fu had no impression. She came here often but never bothered remembering unimportant people.
“They’re newlyweds — what if the sister-in-law hears me?”
Auntie Hu waved her hand and lowered her voice.
“Newlyweds? They’ve already fought four times in two days.”
Su Fu clicked her tongue. “Why?”
Auntie Hu summarized briefly:
“The bride asked for nothing except introducing a partner for her brother back home. Xiao Zhang couldn’t arrange it, so they quarrel daily.”
Su Fu understood — marriage exchange was common in rural areas.
If families did that, it usually meant:
They didn’t value daughters,
Or they were extremely poor,
Or both.
Auntie Hu continued:
“She’s from Shangou village — so poor they take turns wearing underwear.
There’s even a family where several brothers want to marry one wife.
What respectable girl would marry into that?”
Su Fu let out a sound of surprise.“That family sure calculated carefully.”
She’d heard of younger brothers marrying widowed sisters-in-law, but never this.
That village must be extremely remote — even she hadn’t heard of it.
Auntie Hu chatted about other households for a while.
Though Su Fu’s reputation outside wasn’t great, people in the compound liked her.
After the old couple who treated her like a granddaughter moved away last year, only her godparents and Auntie Hu still talked to her much.
After over half an hour, Auntie Hu’s mouth foamed from talking.
“I only tell you — I wouldn’t say a word to anyone else.”
Su Fu smiled and handed her the enamel cup.
“My mouth is always tight.”
After a few more words, she left the pavilion and headed upstairs.
At this hour the building was quiet — people were either working or buying groceries.
Each doorway had a blackened patch from years of coal stove smoke.
She walked to the corridor’s end and knocked.
“Godmother, Fu-Fu is here.”
The door quickly opened. Liu Xiulian welcomed her inside with a smile.
“You came — why bring things?”
Su Fu placed the candy on the table.“Where are Da Dong and Xiao Xi?”
Liu Xiulian poured hot water, added two spoons of brown sugar, and brought out peach pastries and half a pomelo.
“Da Dong went fishing with the old man next door. Xiao Xi insisted on tagging along.”
They chatted casually before Su Fu mentioned the blind date.
Liu Xiulian frowned deeply.
“You’re still so young — why rush marriage?”
Su Fu sighed:
“They’ve bullied me for years. I’m worried they’ll realize it and demand dividing the household.”
Jobs were hard to find now. Cities were sending people back to the countryside.
If the family split, she’d have to work the fields — sun, heat, exhaustion. She refused that life.
Her father Su Yi once tried to escape farm labor by helping pregnant Liu Xiulian — maybe he could’ve gotten a job.
Unfortunately, luck failed him.
Liu Xiulian sighed too.
“I did hear of a job unloading goods at the textile factory — but that’s men’s labor. Not suitable for a girl.”
Su Fu was strong, but she didn’t want manual labor.
She studied so much to find an easy city job — like an office clerk.
Without connections, even workshop jobs were impossible. The so-called exams were basically pre-arranged hires.
“Godmother, I don’t oppose marriage. My dad hoped I’d marry into a good family.
I just wanted to ask — if you see someone suitable, keep an eye out.
Anything else is fine. Preferably from town, not uglier than my dad, and most importantly — clean.”
Liu Xiulian felt pity. Such a good girl, yet the Su family treated her terribly.
The year Su Yi died, the little girl ran here crying at midnight — shoes torn, feet bleeding.
Back then they nearly drove her to death over compensation money — what good match could they arrange now?
Unless the sun rose in the west, no one would believe it.
“Your Uncle Li should’ve been firmer and transferred you to our household back then.”
Su Fu knew her godparents were good people and had already done enough.
“Don’t say that — I still plan to have you live with me when I have children.”
Liu Xiulian tucked her hair behind her ear gently.
“Alright. I’ll accompany you then.”
When Su Fu arrived she brought half a jin of candy.When she left she was chewing an apple and holding a bag of pastries.
At noon Li Weiguo returned home and Liu Xiulian immediately told him everything.
“Fu-Fu’s life isn’t easy — you must think carefully for her.”
Li Weiguo thought of unmarried young men he knew — like a father judging sons-in-law, none looked good enough.
He frowned deeper, went to his room, and took out a notebook full of old comrades’ phone numbers.
The couple discussed candidates intensely — even when Da Dong and Xiao Xi came back they didn’t stand up.
Da Dong asked, “Mom, Dad, what’s going on?”
Liu Xiulian: “Your Sister Fu-Fu is going on a blind date—”
Before she finished, Da Dong joined the discussion.