Outside, Su Jianguo’s thunderous snoring could still be heard.
Looking at Lü Hongmei in front of her, Su Yu suddenly raised her hand toward the door.
How did Lü Hongmei look sick now?
Although her face was pale, she certainly had plenty of strength.
“A-Yu, listen to me. There’s almost no money left at home. If you leave this time, when he comes back next time, he’ll definitely ask me for money again.”
She was the only one talking in the room.
Su Yu simply stood there and listened quietly.
“You married into such a good family. You can even afford such expensive cold medicine. You must have brought more money than this. Just give me some.”
As she spoke, tears suddenly streamed down her face.
She looked pitiful beyond words.
It was precisely because Lü Hongmei was always so weak and helpless that she had raised Su Jianguo into the crooked man he was today.
If he wasn’t stealing, he was robbing.
Now hardly anyone in the village dared to get close to their family.
“Mom, I’m already married. The money is all with Tang Chen. Where am I supposed to get so much money? Haven’t I already given enough to this family?”
Every time they borrowed money, they always promised to repay it.
But when had they ever returned a single cent?
In her previous life, Su Yu had always told herself that Lü Hongmei and Su Jianguo were her family.
If they made mistakes, she had to bear the consequences too.
But she no longer thought that way.
Every person was independent.
Why should she pay for someone else’s mistakes?
Her gaze was firm and resolute.
No matter what Lü Hongmei said today, she would not take out any money.
“A-Yu, are you really going to be so heartless? Your mother is about to starve to death, and you still won’t give me any money?”
She reached out and began patting Su Yu’s pockets.
All she felt was fabric.
“Impossible! Where’s your money? You must have hidden it. Give it to me. Raising you all these years wasn’t easy.”
Raise her?
How?
By throwing her outside in the freezing winter to sleep beside piles of firewood?
Or by giving her thin soup when she was nearly starving to death?
While Su Jianguo feasted happily, Su Yu had to sweep floors and wash dishes.
As a child, she had been skinny and frail.
Many villagers thought she wouldn’t survive.
Yet somehow, she had stubbornly lived until now.
“Mom, I really don’t have any money. Tang Chen put all the money away. He has his own plans for it.”
As she spoke, Su Yu took out a single ten-cent coin and handed it to Lü Hongmei.
“This is all I have left. Take it if you want.”
Looking at the lonely coin in her hand, Lü Hongmei still accepted it.
The moment she was distracted, Su Yu opened the door and left.
Walking along the field path, she was still breathing heavily.
She had never expected Lü Hongmei to become worse and worse.
Now she was openly demanding money.
When she was young, Lü Hongmei had never truly cared for her.
The fact that Su Yu had not completely cut ties with the family was already the limit of her patience.
After returning home, Su Yu remained depressed.
Only when facing little Tangtang did she manage to smile.
She was still too soft-hearted.
She should have confronted Lü Hongmei directly and had a proper argument with her.
When Tang Chen returned, he found Su Yu gluing a shoe sole with rice paste.
The light from the kerosene lamp was very dim.
She was holding the sole almost right up to her eyes, struggling to push the needle through.
It took all her strength just to pull it back out.
She was so focused that she didn’t notice Tang Chen had come home.
He placed his hoe behind the door and wiped the sweat from his body with a white towel.
Tangtang was holding a piece of charcoal and drawing on the wooden door.
“Tangtang, what are you drawing?”
She pointed with her tiny finger at the figures on the door.
“That’s Mommy, Daddy, and me.”
Looking at the smallest stick figure, Tang Chen couldn’t help rubbing her head affectionately.
“Tangtang drew really well.”
Hearing the praise, Tangtang became even more enthusiastic.
Meanwhile, Su Yu had already noticed Tang Chen’s return, but she didn’t react.
Tang Chen brought over a small stool and sat beside her.
The two of them were so close that his warm breath brushed against her neck.
The sensation made her uncomfortable.
She pushed his shoulder lightly.
“Move a little farther away. Your breath is tickling my neck.”
Her voice carried an unconscious softness.
From his angle, Tang Chen could clearly see her slender fair neck and a loose strand of hair by her cheek.
Without thinking, he tucked the strand behind her ear.
His fingers accidentally brushed her earlobe.
“Mmh…”
The unexpected sound that escaped her lips made Su Yu immediately cover her mouth.
How had she made such a noise?
Tang Chen’s gaze darkened.
Both of them froze.
Neither spoke.
Just then, Tangtang walked over, yawning.
“Mommy, I’m sleepy. Can I go to bed now?”
“Of course.”
Su Yu immediately picked Tangtang up as though she had found a lifeline and hurried back into the room.
Tang Chen sat alone in the main room, looking somewhat lonely.
He glanced at where Su Yu had been sitting.
Then his eyes fell on the unfinished shoe sole lying on the table.
Only then did he realize it was quite large.
Neither Tangtang nor Su Yu could wear something that size.
“Could this be for me?”
After a long while, Su Yu finally got Tangtang to sleep.
She peeked outside from the bedroom.
The kerosene lamp was still burning.
A figure moved back and forth inside.
“This fool. Didn’t he notice I left food for him in the kitchen?”
Today she had specially made braised eggplant with long beans.
She had even added a layer of pork lard.
Their family only had half a jar of lard left.
Normally, they only used it during holidays.
Knowing the production team had been busy today, she had made the meal specifically for Tang Chen.
After hesitating for a moment, Su Yu walked into the main room and tapped his shoulder.
He was holding the unfinished shoe sole in his hand.
Seeing this, Su Yu quickly snatched it back and hugged it to her chest.
“Um… I left food for you in the kitchen. Go eat.”
Afraid he still wouldn’t understand, she pointed directly toward the kitchen.
Suddenly, warmth covered her finger.
Tang Chen had grabbed her hand.
Their fingers interlocked.
“Eating alone has no flavor,” he said softly.
“I want you to keep me company.”