Su Nanyue was awakened by Su Wanning. Being roused from her sleep left her feeling irritable, her expression visibly sour.
Su Wanning caught a glimpse of envy in her eyes as she took in Su Nanyue’s languid, just-awakened appearance.
Yet her voice remained gentle as she said, “Yue Yue, why didn’t you tell me you were coming to see Big Brother? You have no idea how worried I was when I realized you were gone.”
Su Nanyue rubbed her face, fully awake now, and climbed down from the kang. She grabbed the clothes nearby, draped them over her shoulders, and walked over to sit on a stool.
Only then did she lift her gaze, giving Su Wanning a faint, almost mocking glance. “Are you really worried about me?” she asked with a hint of sarcasm.
Su Wanning frowned slightly, sensing something off about Su Nanyue’s attitude.
But she didn’t dwell on it, adopting the tone of a caring older sister. “Of course I am. You’ve never traveled far before, and you brought Da Bao and Xiao Bao with you. How could I not be worried?”
She sighed, then added with a look of relief, “Thank goodness you’re alright.”
Su Nanyue let out a light, derisive snort. “Is that so? I would’ve thought you’d be disappointed to see me doing just fine.”
Su Wanning stared at her in disbelief. “Yue Yue, how can you think of me that way? Don’t you know how much I care about you?”
“When you were homeless, I took you in. Later, when you drugged Brother Jiang Yan and… did what you did, I was the one who persuaded everyone to let him marry you.”
Her voice trembled with feigned hurt. “And when you gave birth to Da Bao and Xiao Bao, and your in-laws gave you a hard time, I always spoke up for you.”
Choking up, as if deeply wronged, she continued, “After everything I’ve done for you, for you to say such things—you’ve really hurt me.”
Su Wanning had repeated these words countless times over the years.
The original host had been moved to tears each time, allowing herself to be manipulated again and again.
She’d even listened to Su Wanning during the teacher qualification exam, writing Su Wanning’s name on her own test paper.
In the end, Su Wanning became an elementary school teacher.
While the original host was left to toil in the fields for work points.
Recalling this, Su Nanyue inwardly cursed, “Idiot.”
Her gaze turned cold as she looked at Su Wanning. “Just say it. What do you want me to do this time?”
Su Wanning, oblivious to the chill in her eyes, felt a surge of hope and hurriedly said, “Big Brother is upset with us for not telling him about your pregnancy and the children. He says he’s going to report it to Jiang Che’s superiors. Please talk to him and convince him not to, okay?”
Jiang Che had worked hard to become Deputy Battalion Commander.
If Jiang Yan really went through with this, his superiors would surely think poorly of Jiang Che.
Su Nanyue watched the calculation in her eyes with scorn.
She knew it—whenever Su Wanning started with this kind of talk, it never meant anything good.
“I can’t help with this,” Su Nanyue stated flatly. “As you said, he only married me because I drugged him.”
Su Wanning hadn’t expected to be refused. Frowning, she insisted, “How is that possible? He’s doing this for you. If you talk to him, he’ll listen.”
Staring intently at Su Nanyue, a thought occurred to her. “Are you… unwilling to help?”
Su Nanyue nodded. “Yes, I am unwilling.”
“You…” Su Wanning grew frantic. “Why? Don’t forget, if it weren’t for me, you would’ve died that winter.”
Jiang Che, who had been waiting in the main room, overheard their conversation and couldn’t help but step toward the doorway.
Jiang Che glared angrily at Su Nanyue. “Su Nanyue, how can you be so selfish? It’s bad enough that you’ve thrown the whole household into chaos, but now you want to drive a wedge between me and my brother too?”
“Don’t forget, no matter what happens, my brother and I are bound by blood. Even if our bones break, they’re still connected.”
“He’s angry with me now, but once he comes to his senses, you’ll be the first person he blames.”
Su Wanning also looked at Su Nanyue with displeasure.
Su Nanyue was amused by the couple’s behavior.
She actually laughed out loud, her words cutting deep as she looked at Jiang Che. “If things are really as you say, then why are you so anxious?”
She scoffed lightly and turned to Su Wanning. “Elder sister, you did save my life, but it wasn’t out of the kindness of your heart, was it?”
“If I remember correctly, I had over five hundred yuan on me at the time. You should know very well where that money went!”
“Not to mention your respectable teaching job. If I hadn’t written your name on my exam paper, would you have passed?”
A flicker of panic crossed Su Wanning’s eyes. Suddenly, she widened her eyes in disbelief. “You remember everything?”
Back then, Su Nanyue had collapsed from high fever at her doorstep. She had woken her up, initially wanting her to move away so she wouldn’t die there.
Unexpectedly, Su Nanyue had pulled money from her pocket, begging her to save her.
It was only for the money that Su Wanning had helped her inside. Seeing how casually she carried ten-yuan notes, Su Wanning and Shen Shufang had searched her clothes while she was unconscious with fever.
They eventually found five hundred yuan.
She had been ecstatic—that was five hundred yuan in 1968!
She and Shen Shufang had hidden the money immediately, leaving the feverish Su Nanyue to fend for herself.
Miraculously, Su Nanyue had survived. Fortunately, when she woke up, she remembered nothing and never asked about the five hundred yuan again.
Su Wanning had tested her a few times initially, but after confirming Su Nanyue had truly forgotten the past and the money, she acted as if nothing had happened, fully embracing the role of her savior.
Over the years, she had exploited Su Nanyue numerous times under the pretense of being her lifesaver.
It had always worked, and gradually, she had forgotten the truth, genuinely believing herself to be Su Nanyue’s benefactor.
Su Nanyue looked at her. “Yes, I remember everything.”
“You took my money but left me to burn with fever, abandoning me to live or die. You schemed to marry me off to someone you didn’t want, and in the end, you framed my children as bastards.”
She said quietly, “Su Wanning, aren’t you afraid of retribution for all you’ve done?”
Jiang Che stood nearby, also looking at Su Wanning in disbelief. “Is what she said true?”
Did she take Su Nanyue in for the money, not out of kindness as she claimed?
Su Wanning flustered, quickly saying to Jiang Che, “I’ll explain this to you later. Don’t forget why we came here.”
Jiang Che understood everything now. It seemed she really had taken Su Nanyue’s money, and her teaching position was indeed obtained because of Su Nanyue.
He found this side of Su Wanning somewhat unfamiliar.
But now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. He looked at Su Nanyue. “What will it take for you to agree to help?”
He knew Jiang Yan too well—if he said he would go to their superiors, he would definitely do it.
Su Nanyue watched the two coldly. “I won’t help.”
Not to mention that a large part of the original host’s miserable life over the past few years was caused by them.
Just the fact that Jiang Jingzhou had caused the original host’s death was enough for her to never forgive them, let alone help them.
She couldn’t wait for them to meet with misfortune.
Jiang Che hadn’t expected Su Nanyue to be so stubborn. His expression darkened.
“Su Nanyue, I advise you to think carefully before answering. Don’t forget, you stole money from the family when you left.”
He threatened directly, “If you don’t agree, don’t blame me for having Mom and Dad call the police.”
Su Nanyue sneered coldly. It seemed Wang Xiu Lan hadn’t mentioned the confession she owed.
She was just about to say “Go ahead and call the police” when a cold voice suddenly came from outside the door, “Jiang Che!”
Jiang Che turned abruptly and saw Jiang Yan standing behind him. He immediately grew uneasy. “Brother, when did you get back?”