Su Jinle widened her eyes, instantly feeling that Chen Chunxin was a rare and good girl—what happened back then must have been a misunderstanding.
But she never expected Chen Chunxin’s next words to be: “I’ve already explained everything clearly to my parents at home. You won’t need to provide the betrothal gifts or a house. Just come live at my place, and we’ll build a life together. My dad runs a small general store, and I’ll hand it over to you. You can just mind the shop, and we’ll live well together…”
These words were too straightforward. Even though Chen Chunxin had mustered all her courage, she blushed with embarrassment. She pinched the hem of her clothes and looked at Su Yi’an.
The young man was tall and sturdy, and wearing a white shirt made him appear even more slender and clean. The Su siblings were both good-looking. During the blind date, she had taken a liking to Su Yi’an at first sight, which was why she had pestered her parents to finalize the marriage as soon as she returned home.
Who would have thought that something would happen to Su Yi’an here? Although his life was saved, he ended up becoming a cripple. How could her parents still be willing then?
So she came up with this idea. Her family had three daughters, and their conditions were quite ordinary. To find a live-in son-in-law, they had to look for someone with particularly poor circumstances. By comparison, Su Yi’an’s lameness didn’t seem as significant anymore.
Today, she had come behind her parents’ backs. She wanted to be brave for her own happiness. As long as Su Yi’an agreed, she could persuade her parents once she returned!
Before Su Yi’an could speak, Su Jinle’s face flushed with anger, and she even forgot to stutter: “What nonsense are you talking about? My brother will never be a live-in son-in-law! Take your things and leave right now. It was just one blind date—nothing was finalized. Don’t come here and ruin my brother’s reputation!”
This was the first time she had spoken such a long sentence in one breath, showing just how furious she was.
Chen Chunxin’s face flushed red and then paled. After all, she was a respectable young woman. She had only come here today because her parents had arranged another marriage for her, and she had no choice but to gather the courage to visit.
She had thought Su Yi’an would definitely agree, but she never expected to be rejected by this little girl first.
Instantly, she grew angry too: “I don’t even mind that your brother is a cripple. How am I ruining his reputation?”
Su Jinle clenched her fists: “Get out!”
Even angrier than she had been when facing Gu Jingxiu and Yang Muqing, she pushed Chen Chunxin straight toward the door and even threw out the pastries she had brought, exuding an imposing aura completely unlike her usual timid and fearful self.
Chen Chunxin couldn’t bear such humiliation. Stamping her foot, she said: “Then let your brother stay single for the rest of his life! I was even thinking that after we got married, we’d have two sons—one could take the Su surname. Let’s see if your family can ever find a wife!”
She felt she had already lowered her conditions to the bare minimum. If it weren’t for her lingering infatuation with Su Yi’an’s face, how could she ever marry a cripple!
With only the two siblings at home, the commotion grew quite loud. Chen Chunxin covered her face and ran away.
It was just a minor incident, but after the rain passed, gossip began spreading the very next day: “Both Su siblings’ marriages have fallen through. Will they ever find partners in the future?”
“I’d say they’re just too picky. One’s a cripple, the other stutters—they should be grateful if anyone wants them. Yet they’re still being choosy.”
“Old Su is almost in tears over a twenty-yuan performance bonus, and these two siblings are still freeloading at home. The Su family is about to become so poor they won’t even have food to eat!”
Lin Yun was so angry she wanted to go out and argue with people: “Why are their tongues so long? My own son and daughter aren’t eating their food!”
Su Weihua held her back: “Forget it, who would you even argue with?”
Indeed, the gossip was all spoken behind people’s backs. Who could she argue with? Could she possibly pick a fight with everyone in Jiashuyuan? Not to mention that Lin Yun’s temperament was exactly like Su Jinle’s—timid and weak. If she really made a scene, it would only give others something to laugh at.
Now, who knew how many people were waiting to see the Su family become a laughingstock? Especially since Su Jinle couldn’t even take a liking to Teacher Gu—did she really think she was some kind of young lady?
Su Jinle’s eyes were also red. She admitted that in her previous life, she had been too naive. Even though Gu Jingxiu had treated her as a substitute, at least she hadn’t worried about food or clothing, living quietly at home as a “mute nanny.” The most heartbreaking things had been Gu Jingxiu’s cold words and his condescending attitude.
But now she understood: money represented everything. When her brother was in the army, everyone said the Su family was truly blessed. When her brother was injured, people all threw stones, afraid they might ask to borrow money.
That night, Su Jinle spent a long, long time drawing her designs.
After the rain stopped, the weather grew even hotter. She didn’t wait until the afternoon but went out early in the morning with her bag slung over her shoulder, arriving at the spot where she had set up her stall the previous two days.
The egg-selling auntie was also there. When she saw Su Jinle, she immediately brightened up: “Girl, you’re so early today!”
Su Jinle smiled sheepishly: “Today, lots of things.”
She planned to sell two dresses, along with small items like hair ribbons, keychains, and small cloth bags.
The egg auntie leaned over to look and was stunned: “Goodness, did you go to Gongxiaoshe to stock up? You brought so many little things to sell? Hey, don’t even mention it—this little lamb is really cute. How much is this?”
Su Jinle was very generous: “For you, free.”
“No, no, I’m not someone who takes advantage of others,” the auntie waved her hands repeatedly. “Anyway, I’m not too busy selling eggs. Tell me how much it is, and when people come later, I’ll help you attract customers.”
Su Jinle thought for a moment: “This, fifty cents.”
The hair ribbons and keychains were fifty cents each, the small cloth bags eighty cents, and the two dresses were still priced at twenty yuan each, as before. However, today’s dresses weren’t one-piece dresses but matching sets.
The top was a short-sleeved blouse in a suit style, with two colorful cloth buttons and shoulder pads. The bottom was an A-line skirt, with the highlight being a large bow sewn onto the back waist of the skirt. In this era, it was practically at the forefront of fashion.
Su Jinle felt that today, she probably wouldn’t sell everything, especially the two dresses. Conservative young girls likely wouldn’t dare to buy them.