"How do you know so much?" Su Ruyi asked curiously.
Wang Huiting replied, "My friend Zhang Yao's uncle lives in the provincial capital. She stays there every winter and summer vacation, and she told me all about it. Plus, I read every issue of Life News—it covers lots of provincial affairs. Weren't you asking about the plastic factory earlier? I know where it is!"
"I'm going to the provincial capital on business…"
"I definitely won't interfere with your work. I can take care of myself and won't wander off."
Su Ruyi said, "I'll ask for you tomorrow, but I can't guarantee the outcome."
Wang Huiting nearly squealed with excitement but managed to restrain herself:
"That's more than enough!"
The next day, Su Ruyi discussed it with Li Mei, who understood the situation immediately.
"Wang Huiting, you're being unreasonable again!" Li Mei shot Wang Huiting a stern look before turning to Su Ruyi. "She's always like this—full of wild ideas. You're going for serious business; don't indulge her."
Li Mei knew Su Ruyi was going to thank the Zhang family. In principle, she and her daughter should have gone along to express their gratitude in person, but Li Mei understood the Zhangs were influential people who might not want to see them. Thus, she hadn't mentioned it, only preparing some gifts as a token of appreciation.
Wang Huiting pouted silently, gazing pleadingly at Su Ruyi.
"I'll be staying in the provincial capital for a few nights. Let Tingting accompany me."
Li Mei considered that Su Ruyi traveling alone might be unsafe and suggested, "Then let Zhenzhen go with you. She studies in the provincial capital and knows her way around. She even has classmates from there. Tingting would just cause trouble with her antics."
"Mom! I'm not that unreliable!" Wang Huiting protested, unable to stay quiet.
"I know you too well—always thinking about having fun."
"That's not true!"
Wang Huiting was indignant but dared not reveal her real motive for going to the provincial capital.
She was planning for her future, scouting for job opportunities there—not going for fun.
But she knew if she admitted it, she'd be scolded even more harshly.
"But isn't Sister supposed to help you at Grandma Zhou's place?"
Grandma Zhou was a childless elderly widow who had taken a bad fall and was in poor health, requiring care.
Over the years, Grandma Zhou had often supported their family and had even been the matchmaker for Li Mei and Tong Aihua.
After Tong Aihua drowned, she had used her connections to help them extensively.
Li Mei had frequently cared for her before, but now that she was working, she had assigned Wang Huizhen to take over.
Wang Huizhen was meticulous and had helped care for her younger sisters since childhood, so Li Mei trusted her. Wang Huiting, however, was another story.
Li Mei felt torn, wondering if she could manage both responsibilities.
Su Ruyi interjected, "Let Tingting come with me. I need to buy some clothes in the provincial capital, and Tingting has a good eye—she can help me choose."
At this, Wang Huiting perked up immediately, declaring confidently:
"I'm definitely better at that than my sister! I know exactly what's fashionable in the provincial capital right now!"
Wang Huiting loved beauty. Though their family had limited means, she always managed to make herself look pretty.
For instance, she never simply tied her hair in a plain ponytail. Instead, she accessorized with hairbands made from fabric scraps and styled it in various braids.
She also adorned her clothes with small decorations and made subtle alterations to make them more striking—all while staying within the bounds of a student's appropriate attire.
With only a few pieces of clothing, she somehow managed to create numerous stylish outfits.
Li Mei had often criticized her for this, feeling it was inappropriate and that she wasn't focusing her mind on proper matters.
But now things were different. Su Ruyi was going to the Zhang family and needed to dress more presentably.
Li Mei didn't know much about the specific circumstances of the Zhang family, but she vaguely understood they were quite distinguished.
She also knew Su Ruyi had a marriage arrangement. Although it hadn't been formally established back then, it was still a promise—a glimmer of hope.
Wasn't a woman's lifelong goal to marry into a good family? Li Mei hoped Su Ruyi could marry into that family, so Tong Yunyun might also benefit in the future.
Although Su Ruyi's clothes weren't bad—they were made of good fabric—their styles were somewhat outdated for the provincial capital. Visiting someone's home dressed like that might invite scorn.
That's why Li Mei didn't say anything this time. Instead, she pulled Wang Huiting aside for a long talk, urging her to behave properly and stuffing fifty yuan into her hand.
"Keep the money safe and don't spend it recklessly. Stay close to your eldest sister and keep your wits about you."
This was Wang Huiting's first time holding so much money, and her hands trembled slightly.
"Mom, I'll account for everything when I get back."
Throughout the journey, Wang Huiting fidgeted constantly, touching here and there.
"What are you doing?"
Wang Huiting glanced around, acting furtive.
"It's my first time carrying this much money. I'm worried about thieves."
She had distributed five ten-yuan bills across different parts of her clothing, thinking that even if she were robbed, not all would be lost at once.
Zhang Yao had said there were many thieves in the provincial capital. One year, she took her New Year's money to go shopping, only to discover later that her pocket had been slit open with a knife and all the money was gone.
Su Ruyi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "You're being way too obvious. Thieves will spot right away that you're carrying a lot of money."
Wang Huiting immediately froze, nervously looking left and right.
"What should I do then, Sister Ruyi? Maybe you should hold it for me?"
"Better you keep it yourself. If we accidentally get separated, having money on hand will keep you calm. Let's just be careful—no need to be so anxious."
Reminded by Wang Huiting, Su Ruyi also grew more vigilant of the people around her.
Although she knew there were many thieves nowadays, she had grown accustomed to a safe environment and could easily let her guard down.
When they arrived at the station, Tong Dahua was already waiting there.
As soon as the bus pulled in, Tong Dahua rushed aboard and secured three seats in the back row.
In those days, there was no concept of overloading—seats were all about scrambling for them. Otherwise, you'd have to stand or find something to sit on.
Su Ruyi let Wang Huiting take the window seat while she sat between the two.
After settling in, she took out her backpack and retrieved the boiled eggs and flatbread Li Mei had prepared.
"Auntie, have something to eat."
Tong Dahua quickly pushed them away. "I've already eaten. You have them."
Su Ruyi took out a piece of flatbread and stuffed it directly into Tong Dahua's mouth.
"If you keep being so polite with us, I'll start treating you the same way."
Tong Dahua gave an embarrassed laugh. "I'm not being polite—I just don't eat when traveling by bus. I get motion sickness."
Su Ruyi didn't believe her and shoved the remaining eggs and flatbread into her arms.
When Li Mei gave her these items earlier, she had said that Tong Dahua must have left in the morning without eating much. She was the type who hated troubling others, and coupled with dealing with stingy people, one could imagine how she was treated.
Tong Dahua had failed to complete her "mission" this time, and it was likely she hadn't even had a proper, worry-free meal the night before.
Tong Dahua couldn't out-stubborn Su Ruyi and eventually accepted the package.
Just before reaching the provincial capital, Tong Dahua got off the bus. As the doors closed, Su Ruyi tossed a parcel through the window to her.
"Auntie, try my mother's cooking. You must eat all of it, or you'll be looking down on me and my mother!"
The bus drove off immediately, leaving Tong Dahua no chance to return it.
When she opened the parcel, Tong Dahua's eyes welled up with tears.
It was filled to the brim with longans, dried mangoes, cured meat, sausages, dried fish, several bricks of brown sugar, and a large bag of fruit candies.
Upon returning to the village, someone spotted Tong Dahua and greeted her:
"Dahua, back from your parents' place again?"
"Yes, just checking in. My second brother's eldest niece is visiting." Not wanting to chat further, Tong Dahua hurried home.
Those watching her leave shook their heads and muttered behind her back.
"Never seen anyone visit their parents so often. With her own family in that state, she's always subsidizing them. What a waste of the Zhang family raising her all these years."
"Exactly! She always goes loaded with packages and comes back empty-handed. Who knows what she's thinking, always so eager."
Someone sighed at this: "No matter what, they're still her birth parents. With her in-laws gone, she cherishes the time she has with her own parents more."
"Earlier I saw her carrying a big bag—maybe she's changed her ways this time?"
"Impossible! Probably just clothes for her to take home and wash. After all these years, you should know how it is by now."
When Tong Dahua arrived home, a tall figure came running out of the house, waving arms excitedly and babbling loudly.
Tong Dahua smiled at him, rummaged in her bag, and pulled out a pack of candies:
"Shitou, look what Mom brought back."
Zhang Shitou's eyes lit up, hopping and shouting: "Candy! Candy!"
"You're back. What made you think of buying candy today?"
Zhang Dagui, supporting his disabled body with both hands, emerged from the house and stared in surprise at the large bag of candy.
"My niece gave it all." Tong Dahua smiled and opened her backpack to show him.
Zhang Dagui was astonished at the amount of food inside: "This is too much!"
"Let's have a proper feast tonight."
"Are we really going to eat all this?" Zhang Dagui asked uncertainly.
The pigs and chickens they raised weren't for their own consumption—they only had meat during festivals. Usually, such items were given away as gifts.
Tong Dahua gritted her teeth: "We're eating it! My niece said this is a gift from her and her mother."
At noon, delicious aromas wafted from Tong Dahua's home. When the children returned, they cheered at the sight of the food on the table, exclaiming it felt like New Year.
After Su Ruyi and Wang Huiting reached the provincial capital, they first went looking for food.
Though Wang Huiting had only been there once before, she navigated effortlessly to the bus stop, knowing which bus to take without checking the route signs.
When boarding, the bus entrance was extremely crowded, people pressed tightly together.
Su Ruyi immediately sensed something amiss. She shoved aside two men trying to press against her and Wang Huiting, forcing them back with sheer strength to clear a path onto the bus. A stream of complaints followed, which Su Ruyi simply ignored.
Not long after the bus started moving, Su Ruyi noticed the man who had seemed suspicious earlier was now pulling out a pair of tweezers and reaching toward the cloth bag of a middle-aged woman beside him.
"Everyone, watch your wallets!" Su Ruyi shouted loudly.
Her warning made all the passengers instinctively check their pockets. The middle-aged woman quickly pulled her bag—which had been pushed behind her in the crowded bus—to her chest.
The thief swiftly retracted his tweezers. Though he hadn't been caught in the act, it would now be difficult for him to try again.
After Su Ruyi's intervention, everyone on the bus became highly vigilant.
The thief glanced at Su Ruyi briefly before calmly adjusting the coat draped over his arm.
When they reached their stop, Wang Huiting hurriedly pulled Su Ruyi off the bus, her heart pounding.
"Ruyi, you were way too bold just now! These thieves usually work in gangs—they're not people to mess with. I read in the newspaper about someone who tried to stop a theft and got stabbed multiple times in retaliation! Thank goodness they got off earlier and didn't confront us."
The thieves were clearly experienced professionals. Even the bus conductor and driver seemed aware of their activities but didn't dare intervene.
Su Ruyi knew perfectly well that in the past, she might not have dared to get involved either, fearing it would bring trouble upon herself.
"That auntie who almost got robbed was carrying a thermal flask. Wasn't our bus route passing by the hospital?"
Wang Huiting immediately understood. The woman was plainly dressed and likely had a sick family member at home. If she'd lost her money too…
"Thank goodness we're alright," Wang Huiting said with relief. "Ruyi, the noodle shop I mentioned is just ahead…"
But Su Ruyi suddenly stopped walking. "You might have spoken too soon."
"Huh?"
Before Wang Huiting could ask for clarification, she saw four men approaching from both directions. Two of them had been on the bus earlier, and their intentions were clearly hostile.