“Big sister, do you still remember me?” Feng Xiuhua said cheerfully.
Aunt Liu curled her lips. “How could I forget? Such a cruel mother—sending her own twelve-year-old daughter to another family as a child bride. I’ve never seen a woman so heartless in all these villages.”
Feng Xiuhua showed no sign of shame. “What are you talking about? Back then we couldn’t survive, so we sent San Nizi out to at least give her a way to live. You don’t understand anything.”
Aunt Liu sneered twice. “Everyone else had seven or eight children and still managed to raise them. Who would willingly give away their own flesh and blood, let outsiders beat and order them around? I remember clearly when your family sold your daughter. Is Xiao Lin even your biological child? How ruthless.”
Feng Xiuhua’s expression changed instantly. “Of course San Nizi is my biological daughter! She came out of my belly. I can do whatever I want with her. It’s none of your business!”
Aunt Liu rolled her eyes. “A biological daughter you didn’t raise, you didn’t nurture—she doesn’t owe you anything by birth. You ignored her for years, never once came to see her, and now that you heard Xiao Lin’s husband is promising, you suddenly come running to curry favor?”
Feng Xiuhua looked confused.
Aunt Liu had already started taking things out of the bags—malted milk powder, canned syrup fruit, even a tin of biscuits and a pack of cigarettes.
All good items. Feng Xiuhua’s eyes lit up greedily.
“Xiao Lin, everyone in the village has seen your craftsmanship. Old Zheng’s family and the Ruan family all want you to make clothes for their grandchildren. These are for you and Xiao Qin—don’t be polite, Auntie is just thanking you.”
Feng Xiuhua was completely confused. She had just arrived in Yujiacun and didn’t know that her daughter’s “new husband” was now a highly sought-after figure in the village.
Lin Su glanced at Qin Zhoucheng. They exchanged a look—she could see faint impatience in his eyes.
“Auntie, please take these back,” Lin Su said. “He may be responsible for recruitment, but factories have rules and procedures. If you do this, you’ll be putting him in a difficult position.”
“Xiao Lin, that’s not how it is. This isn’t bribery—it’s just normal social courtesy. You’ve helped Auntie before, this is just a thank-you,” Aunt Liu said quickly.
Lin Su looked at Qin Zhoucheng, unsure how to refuse without offending her.
“Aunt Liu, take them back,” Qin Zhoucheng said calmly. “We can’t accept these. If this sets a precedent, the whole village will come. There are only a few positions—besides the exam, there’s no other way in. If you want, wait for future expansion hiring.”
That kind of expansion might take years. Aunt Liu clearly couldn’t afford to wait.
Seeing this, Qin Zhoucheng decided to clarify further.
“The exam is based on junior high school level. Two subjects—Chinese and math. After entering, if the children are willing, they can study at night school. The factory also lacks management staff. If they enter training programs, they may have a chance to become supervisors in the future.”
Aunt Liu’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
She immediately pushed her son forward. “Xiao Qin, take a look—this is our Jianshe. Honest, obedient, hardworking. Jianshe, remember, once you get into the factory, you must listen to Comrade Xiao Qin—he’s a big leader!”
“That still depends on whether he can pass the exam,” Qin Zhoucheng said flatly. “There are no backdoors.”
Although disappointed, Aunt Liu knew better than to push further. She insisted on leaving the gifts anyway.
“What do we do? Did we just take on a big problem?” Lin Su whispered.
Feng Xiuhua, who had been watching the whole time, suddenly spoke again while still fiddling with the items.
“San Nizi, if you don’t want these, I’ll take them back. Your brother is getting married—he can use them as gifts for his in-laws.”
“Don’t touch that!” Lin Su immediately grabbed the things back. “These were given to us. They must be returned to Aunt Liu properly. Otherwise people will say my husband is corrupt!”
Feng Xiuhua clicked her tongue. “Not even willing to give your own mother a tin of malted milk powder? I really wasted giving birth to you. I won’t take that—I’ll take yours instead. That wasn’t given by outsiders, right?”
“If you touch anything in this house again, get out!” Lin Su said sharply.
She snatched everything back and locked it away in the cabinet in front of her.
Feng Xiuhua was furious. “You’ve got some success now and you forget your family? Your brother still can’t find a wife! I heard this new husband of yours is capable and can arrange jobs. You didn’t even give us a proper bride price, but if you get your brother a formal job, we can forget about the bride price!”
Qin Zhoucheng’s face turned cold.
“Formal jobs are not my decision. I can’t agree to that. You’ve come all this way, so take this twenty yuan first for travel expenses.”
“Only twenty? You’re too stingy! Bride price should be at least six hundred!” Feng Xiuhua snapped.
“This is just reimbursement, not a bride price. The actual bride price will be handled separately,” he replied evenly.
Feng Xiuhua squinted, ready to take the money—
But Lin Su snatched it first and stuffed it into her own pocket.
“No bride price, no travel money. Go back to where you came from. We’re not giving you anything.”
“You’re asking for a beating! I’m your mother! I raised you, fed you—your husband is so capable and you won’t even get your brother a job or give your mother twenty yuan? You little…” she began to curse.
But suddenly, her voice stopped.
Because she saw Qin Zhoucheng’s expression darken completely.
He was tall—nearly 1.9 meters—with sharp, deep-set features. When he stood up, he was extremely imposing. And when his face turned cold, the downward curve of his lips looked intimidating.
Feng Xiuhua instinctively felt fear, thinking he might hit her.
“You are Lin Su’s biological mother,” Qin Zhoucheng said slowly. “I don’t want to say anything too harsh. If you’re here to visit, you’re welcome. But if you’re here just to upset her and say unpleasant things, don’t blame me for being impolite.”
His voice was calm, but every word was firm and structured.
Behind him, Lin Su looked at his tall, steady back and froze slightly.
And he had just called her—
“Susu.”
Just a fake marriage, just a convenient arrangement to deal with the village secretary, just a way to secure housing without a letter of introduction…
But she hadn’t expected this man—this marriage of convenience husband—to be standing in front of her, protecting her so seriously and so clearly.