Su Qiu reacted quickly, pulling Su Li back and shoving her aside. Su Jiazhong’s slap missed completely.
Su Qiu’s face turned cold. She stepped forward, spat on the ground, and cursed at Su Jiazhong: “You only know how to act tough toward your daughters. Why were you so cowardly at the Public Security Bureau just now? Useless coward!”
Su Jiazhong was so enraged that his vision darkened. He shouted: “I’m going to beat you to death, you disrespectful thing!”
Su Qiu grabbed her sister and ran toward the entrance of the Public Security Bureau.
Su Li could no longer hold back her tears and cried out: “Just beat us to death then! We don’t have a father like you!”
“You two wretches, get lost! Having you is nothing but trouble. From now on, I’ll pretend I never had daughters like you. Don’t ever come to my door again!”
After saying that, Su Jiazhong flicked his sleeve and left.
Liu Xiangyu raised the corners of her mouth and cursed: “What use are two useless girls like you? At critical times, only my Tingting and Baoming are reliable. Remember your father’s words—don’t come begging at our door even if you’re starving.”
Su Qiu rolled her eyes and retorted: “Please. You still don’t even know whose house you’re living in. You two wicked people are truly a perfect match.”
“You—! You little wretch only knows how to run her mouth. Just wait until you go down to the countryside. You’ll work yourself to death there.”
Liu Xiangyu stormed off in anger.
Su Li grabbed her sister’s hand, her eyes red from crying, and said: “Xiao Qiu, they don’t care about you, but your sister does. Don’t be afraid.”
“Sis, I have so much money. How could I not survive? When I go down there, I’ll eat well and get myself healthy and plump. Don’t worry.”
Su Qiu smiled as she spoke, and Su Li also broke into a tearful smile. “Healthy is good, but ‘plump’ is a bit much. Being strong and healthy is enough.”
“Anyway, that family is impossible to go back to. Come home with me. You’re going down to the countryside the day after tomorrow, and I’ll send you off.”
Su Qiu had never planned to return. Things had already been completely broken off, and all her belongings from that house had already been stored in her dimension space.
Su Qiu followed her sister home.
Her brother-in-law was named Zhao Song, a quiet and honest man who wore glasses.
The mother-in-law, along with a younger sister-in-law and the brother-in-law’s child, a family of three, were living in a dormitory apartment of less than 20 square meters.
When they entered, the whole family was already inside, making it so crowded there was barely space to stand.
Su Qiu scanned the room. Everything had been arranged tightly packed, leaving no personal space at all.
The Zhao family’s mother-in-law had already been irritated from taking care of the granddaughter all morning. Seeing her daughter-in-law return with her younger sister from her maiden family, her face immediately darkened.
“Su Li, hurry up and cook. The child is starving so much her voice is hoarse.”
Su Li quickly took the child from her mother-in-law’s arms.
The little girl was whimpering, her eyes swollen from crying, and she immediately buried her head into her mother’s chest when she saw her.
Su Li’s heart softened instantly. She hugged and kissed her daughter, coaxing: “Niuniu, be good. Your auntie is here today.”
Su Qiu felt that everywhere she went, she only encountered strange people.
As a grandmother, she refused to feed her hungry granddaughter and let her cry until she lost her voice, just waiting for the mother to come back and cook.
Su Qiu took the child from her sister’s arms and said: “Sis, it’s getting late. Let’s take you and Niuniu out to eat.”
Su Li frowned, about to tell her sister to save money.
Before she could speak, the mother-in-law immediately smiled and said: “That’s great, little auntie! Our whole family hasn’t eaten yet either. Let’s go to a state-owned restaurant.”
Su Li frowned. Her sister only said to bring Niuniu, not them. She quickly signaled her husband with her eyes.
Zhao Song opened his mouth and called: “Mom…”
But the mother-in-law completely ignored him and went outside shouting for her daughter.
“Yanli! Come back and get ready. We’re going out to eat!”
Her daughter-in-law’s younger sister was usually soft-tempered and would always bring something when she visited. Today she came empty-handed.
Since they were working and earning wages anyway, what was wrong with treating them to a meal?
Su Qiu looked at these shameless people, amused the child in her arms, and quietly shifted her gaze.
She no longer bothered with the group who was clearly trying to tag along for a free meal.
One-year-old Zhao Niuniu had a thin little face, dry yellowish hair, and big beautiful eyes. She held tightly onto her aunt’s clothes without any fear.
She liked this aunt because she always brought her delicious food when she visited.
Zhao Yanli, fifteen years old, rushed back from next door after hearing they were going out to eat. Without even greeting Su Qiu, she ran off to change into a dress.
After getting ready, the group arrived at the state-owned restaurant.
The Zhao family’s mother-in-law immediately ordered several rich dishes without hesitation: braised pork with preserved vegetables, braised pork belly, pickled fish, and a soy-sauce roast duck.
The server looked at their clothing and expression and became suspicious. They might be trying to eat without paying.
She did not even write down the order and said directly: “Big customers today, but we need to see your meat tickets first. Just yesterday someone tried to eat without paying and was sent to the Public Security Bureau.”
The Zhao family’s faces stiffened. Zhao Song awkwardly tugged at his clothes and whispered: “Mom, let’s order some vegetable dishes.”
They barely had two catties of meat tickets in total. How could the sister-in-law possibly have so many tickets?
The mother-in-law’s face turned dark. She looked at Su Qiu and said: “Little auntie, didn’t you invite us to eat? Did you bring meat tickets?”
Su Qiu looked up innocently and blinked. “Ah? I don’t have any tickets. I haven’t eaten properly for days. Weren’t you the ones insisting on coming and treating yourselves?”
“You!” the mother-in-law snapped angrily. “You really have a shameless face!”
She had thought the girl would be too embarrassed to actually let them pay. At most, she expected a bowl of noodles. She never expected Su Qiu to make them pay.
“Let’s go, Yanli. This is bad luck. How did we end up with such relatives…”
Yanli smelled the meat dishes and was reluctant, but she knew they had not brought any money, so she left angrily with her mother.
Zhao Song looked embarrassed. He reached into his pocket, pulled out 50 cents, and quietly handed it to Su Li, saying: “Li Li, take your little sister and Niuniu to eat. I’m going back first.”
After saying that, he ran after his mother and sister.
Su Li held the 50 cents, feeling awkward, but she knew this was all the money her husband had left.
He earned 26 yuan a month, gave 20 to his mother, and only kept 6 for himself and the child. It was never enough.
Su Qiu watched them leave and saw her sister holding the 50 cents. She took out several tickets from her pocket and handed them to the server.
She ordered a plate of braised pork, two bowls of shredded chicken pickled vegetable noodles, a bowl of steamed egg custard, and some cold dishes.
Su Li quickly stopped her. “Xiao Qiu, it’s just the three of us. We can’t possibly finish all this. A half bowl of noodles is enough for me and Niuniu. We don’t need meat or egg custard.”
Su Qiu comforted her: “Sis, I’m going down to the countryside soon. I might not even get to eat meat there. I just want to eat.”
Su Li’s eyes turned red again. She wanted to speak, but the departure to the countryside had already been decided. Her sister was leaving tomorrow, and she could not bear it.
Seeing her sister becoming emotional again, Su Qiu quickly changed the topic while holding her niece.
“Sis, your mother-in-law’s family only bullies you because you’re easy to push around. You need to be firmer.”
Su Li looked helpless. “Xiao Qiu, that’s just how life is. Our mother died early, and our father is unreliable. We don’t have anyone to back us up.
Besides, your brother-in-law treats me well. It’s just that my mother-in-law and sister-in-law talk too much. If we endure them for a couple of years, once your brother-in-law’s unit assigns housing, we’ll move out.”
Hearing this, Su Qiu did not say more. She nodded. “Alright then.”