When Su Daifu heard Su Yun’s name, his expression immediately changed.
“That little wretch—what did she do now? Did she do something to upset you, in-law?”
Qin Aiguo let out a cold chuckle.
“She didn’t do much. She just tricked a hundred yuan out of me.”
As he spoke, he deliberately glanced at Su Daifu.
“That’s the betrothal money I promised Qin Xiao for Su Zhen…”
“What?!”
Su Daifu was completely stunned.
“That wretch! How dare she do that? Does she have a death wish?!”
There was not even a hint of treating Su Yun as his daughter in his tone.
Every word was “wretch.”
Without question—if Su Yun were standing in front of him now, she would definitely be severely dealt with.
And that was exactly what Qin Aiguo wanted.
He didn’t even need to deal with Su Yun himself.
The Su family couple alone would be enough to ruin her.
However…
Seeing Su Daifu and his wife already eager to rush out and tear Su Yun apart, Qin Aiguo narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice, whispering something to him.
After leaving the Su family home, Qin Aiguo walked back in a very pleasant mood.
Passing by the Fourth Team, he suddenly remembered he hadn’t visited his secret lover for a while, so he turned and went to Widow Ma’s house…
Inside a small hut by the fish pond.
Su Zhen lay in Qin Xiao’s arms with a satisfied expression.
“Brother Xiao, we already got the marriage certificate. When are you going to bring me home?”
Her face was still slightly swollen from being slapped yesterday, so she had stayed indoors all day.
Only after the swelling eased did she sneak out at night to find Qin Xiao.
After the two of them had indulged in their usual affair in their secret place, they finally began talking.
“What, you’re getting impatient?” Qin Xiao smirked.
Su Zhen touched her flat stomach.
“I’ve been with you for half a month. You’re so… strong. What if I get pregnant? What then?”
Qin Xiao paused—then it did seem reasonable.
He stroked her belly.
“Don’t worry. I’ll go back and talk to my father again. I’ll get him to agree as soon as possible.”
“Brother Xiao, you’re so good to me.”
Su Zhen leaned up and kissed his face.
Qin Xiao chuckled, then flipped her beneath him again.
Satisfied, he finally left the hut.
On his way home, he ran into Qin Aiguo, who had just come out of Widow Ma’s house, also looking thoroughly satisfied.
The moment father and son met, Qin Xiao froze slightly.
Because his father also had that same expression—clearly the face of a man after indulgence.
“Dad…”
He could only greet him awkwardly.
“What were you doing?” he asked, glancing behind him.
That was the direction of Widow Ma’s house.
Qin Aiguo glanced at him coldly.
“What, only you’re allowed to mess around in the woods with Su Zhen, but your father can’t enjoy himself too?”
“No, Dad, I just… Mom—”
Qin Xiao was confused.
His father had always treated his mother well.
Why would he sneak around behind her back?
“I treat your mother badly?” Qin Aiguo sneered.
“I never beat her, never scolded her. I just go out occasionally for some fun. What’s there to make a fuss about?”
After hearing this, Qin Xiao thought for a moment and found it reasonable.
Yes—his mother already lived better than most women in the village.
So he quickly let it go.
One could only say—father and son truly were alike.
Not only did Qin Xiao forget about it, but when he returned home and his mother Xu Dongmei asked, he even covered for his father.
“I went with Dad to the Fifth Team to see Su Zhen’s parents.”
Xu Dongmei never doubted her children.
Or rather, she never doubted anything said by the children she had with Qin Aiguo.
She nodded.
Then turned to Qin Aiguo.
“You’ve worked hard, dear.”
“It’s all my fault for being useless and not handling things properly, making you worry so much.”
Her tone was full of self-blame.
Even though she was older now, she was still quite beautiful.
Otherwise, Qin Aiguo wouldn’t have taken a liking to her after she became widowed and tried every means to marry her.
She had even given birth to three sons and one daughter for him.
Looking at her submissive expression, Qin Aiguo felt pleased.
He held her hand and said many comforting words.
Qin Xiao watched quietly from the side and silently remembered it all.
He also wanted to learn from his father—to enjoy the same kind of “blessed life.”
Meanwhile, Su Yun finally got to eat white rice that didn’t scratch her throat. She was extremely satisfied.
After eating, she continued boiling medicine.
As usual, one bowl for her, one for Xiao Yuan.
She drank hers in one go.
Then quickly stuffed a White Rabbit candy into her mouth.
Seeing her hurried manner, Xiao Yuan—who rarely smiled—showed a faint smile.
“You can drink slowly.”
“Nope. If I drink slowly, the bitterness spreads.”
Su Yun had her own theory.
“Taste buds need reaction time. If we’re fast enough and swallow the bitterness before they realize it’s bitter, then it’s too late for them to react.”
She was very confident in her logic.
Xiao Yuan felt she was impressive.
It was also the first time he wanted to understand her more.
“You should drink yours too.”
Su Yun motioned for him to finish his bowl.
Xiao Yuan looked at the pitch-black medicine and slowly drank it all.
He was slow—but steady.
Still finishing it in one go.
Su Yun looked surprised.
“Not bitter?”
“Like you said, if you hold your breath, you won’t feel it,” Xiao Yuan replied calmly, putting down the bowl.
She gave him a thumbs-up.
“Nice!”
Before he could react, she leaned over and stuffed another White Rabbit candy into his mouth.
Their lips brushed her fingertips.
A warm, soft touch made him freeze for a moment.
He looked at her blankly.
Su Yun smiled brightly.
“At this moment, the taste buds have caught up. We give them a little sweetness to comfort them, and they’ll be happy all day.”
Xiao Yuan looked at her curved eyes.
Something flickered in his gaze.
This girl was not even twenty.
Thin, fragile, her cheeks slightly sunken, her injuries on her forehead and neck still frightening to look at.
Yet her smile was pure and warm, like sunlight.
As if nothing in the world could defeat her.
The frozen darkness in his heart began to loosen.
As if a ray of light was trying to shine in…
He clearly felt the change within him.
The next morning, Su Yun got up early, cooked rice porridge, and prepared to go up the mountain with a basket.
Two days ago, she had found a large soapberry tree.
She planned to pick some to make soap for washing clothes.
“Can you stay home alone?” she asked.
“I—”
Before Xiao Yuan could finish, the courtyard gate was suddenly kicked open.