The air in the room felt frozen.
Only the dull patter of rain against the window could be heard.
Lu Xiangbei knelt on the floor.
His forehead pressed hard against the cold cement.
His whole body trembled.
It was exhaustion born of extreme fear, and the desperation of putting everything on the line.
He had only one younger brother.
If anything happened to him, he’d have no face left to live.
Su Ci stood before him, towering over the stubborn, mule-headed boy.
She didn’t reach out to help.
Not even a frown touched her beautiful brows.
“Get up.”
Her voice was cold, devoid of emotion.
“No one’s dead yet, why the mourning face?”
The words shattered the suffocatingly tragic atmosphere in the room.
Lu Xiangbei suddenly lifted his head.
His eyes red, like a frightened rabbit, staring blankly at Su Ci.
This woman…
How could her mouth be so sharp?
Su Ci ignored his gaze.
She turned to the bed, checking Lu Xiangdong’s forehead.
Under her palm, the searing heat was fading.
In its place was a fine layer of cold sweat.
His breathing, once rapid like bellows, had become smooth and long.
Spring water mixed with modern medicine.
This was a dimensional strike.
In an era where a simple fever could be fatal, this was a miracle.
“Go get a dry towel.”
Su Ci instructed.
Lu Xiangbei still knelt, dazed.
He couldn’t believe it.
Just a few minutes?
And… the fever’s gone?
“Deaf?”
Su Ci turned her head, looking at him with mild disdain.
“You want him to freeze in wet clothes and catch a fever again?”
Only then did Lu Xiangbei react.
He scrambled to his feet, trembling, and touched his brother’s forehead.
At that moment, his pupils widened.
Cool!
Really cool!
The burning heat from moments ago, like it had been washed away by a sudden downpour.
“He’s alive… he’s back…”
Lu Xiangbei muttered, tears spilling uncontrollably.
This time, tears of joy.
He turned sharply toward Su Ci.
That gaze—
Not even at the temple’s most sacred statues had he looked with such reverence.
This was a seizure!
In the neighboring unit, a child had died this way.
Even the clinic doctors said it was a matter of fate.
Yet his sister-in-law, with just a bowl of some “dark potion,”
had pulled his brother back from the brink?
“Sister-in-law…”
His voice hoarse.
“Don’t say soul.”
Su Ci interrupted, rubbing her temples tiredly.
“Hurry, wipe him down and change his clothes.”
“In the middle of the night, all this fuss… it could kill someone.”
She yawned, turning to leave.
As if saving a life just now wasn’t as important as not losing half an hour of sleep.
This was the poise of a master.
Lu Xiangbei watched her slender back, utterly shocked.
He had been foolish before.
Truly.
He had thought this woman only knew how to eat and act coquettishly.
Turns out, she was hiding her abilities!
A sweeping monk in disguise!
“Xiangnan! Quick! Find clean clothes for Xianger!”
Lu Xiangbei wiped his face and commanded his stunned younger sister.
The two children buzzed around the bed.
Su Ci didn’t care.
She returned to the sofa, wrapping herself in a blanket.
All that exertion just now, mixing the spring water, staying mentally alert—her delicate body was worn out.
Tired.
Wanted to sleep.
But she knew the matter wasn’t over.
Sure enough.
Within ten minutes, Lu Xiangbei returned after tending to his brother.
His usually wary and fierce eyes now looked as clear as rain-washed skies.
He didn’t speak.
Instead, he went straight to the corner, behind the cabinet where the rice bin was.
There, a loose brick in the wall.
He crouched down, pressing his fingers hard into the gap.
His nails bled, yet he didn’t notice.
“Click.”
The brick came out.
From the dark hole, he pulled a rusty tin biscuit box.
This box was buried deep.
The Lu family’s last reserve.
The thing Lu Xiangbei had guarded with his life.
When Su Ci first arrived, he wouldn’t have let it see the light, even starving, for fear the stepmother would take the money.
Now…
He held it like a treasure, walking step by step to Su Ci.
“Sister-in-law.”
He placed the box on the leather tea table he prized so much.
“What’s this?”
Su Ci glanced at the rusty tin, feigning ignorance.
“This is all the family savings that Big Brother and I have scraped together over the years.”
He took a deep breath and opened the lid.
A musty scent mixed with the ink of the bills wafted out.
Inside were tightly rolled “Great Unity” notes, miscellaneous small bills, coins, even neatly folded grain and cloth coupons.
Every piece wrinkled, stained with sweat.
Money saved from the tiniest corners of life.
From allowances Lu Ye sent back from life-and-death missions.
From Xiangbei scavenging on the beach, digging herbs in the mountains—blood, sweat, and toil.
“In total: one thousand two hundred thirty-five yuan and six mao.”
“Plus thirty pounds of grain coupons, five feet of cloth coupons.”
He dumped them on the tea table, pushing them toward Su Ci.
Then, this usually greedy little wolf cub, red-eyed, stared at Su Ci.
Word by word:
“Sister-in-law, if it weren’t for you just now, Xiangdong would be gone.”
“I don’t have much skill.”
“This money isn’t much, but it’s all here.”
“From now on…”
He gritted his teeth, making a major decision.
“From now on, you’re in charge of this house.”
“You take the money and spend it.”
“Eat the meat first.”
“I’ll do the hard work.”
“Even if you want the stars in the sky, I’ll find a way to get them for you.”
“As long as you don’t mind us being a burden… don’t leave.”
The last two words carried subtle humility and pleading.
He was truly afraid.
Afraid Su Ci would look down on this poor house, this mess, and just leave.
Before, he feared she would take the money.
Now, he feared she wouldn’t accept it.
Su Ci looked at the heap of coins.
Her heart was unmoved.
In the future, even in the modern era, this money was only worth a meal.
But in 1976,
It was a fortune.
And the total trust and dignity of a boy.
She extended a finger, nudging the money.
Pinched a greasy one-mao coin.
“Dirty.”
Su Ci frowned.
Lu Xiangbei’s heart leapt to his throat.
He wanted to wipe it but didn’t dare.
“But…”
She shifted her tone.
Slowly, she gathered the money together.
Like a shrewd capitalist tallying spoils.
“Since you’re so sincere,”
“I’ll reluctantly help manage it for you.”
She pulled a delicate lambskin wallet from her bag.
One by one, she placed the large bills inside.
Her movements were elegant, like arranging flowers.
“Remember.”
“I’m helping you manage the money.”
“Not here to starve you.”
“From now on, every month, I’ll issue pocket money according to points.”
“Want something? Want to eat? Trade your points.”
“Understand?”
Lu Xiangbei looked at the now-empty tin.
He didn’t feel sad.
Instead, a weight lifted from his chest.
He nodded heavily.
“Understood!”
“Sister-in-law, starting tomorrow, I’ll turn over every inch of the yard!”
“I’ll gather firewood at the beach!”
“I’ll earn so many points!”
Su Ci smiled, satisfied.
She tossed the wallet on the table.
This little wolf dog—
Completely tamed.
Not only would he not bite again,
He would become her sharpest tool in this era.
“Enough.”
“Money’s handed over, hearts are at ease.”
“Can I sleep now?”
Su Ci yawned, two drops of real tears at the corners of her eyes.
This time, she was truly exhausted.
“Yes! Yes!”
Lu Xiangbei quickly picked up the empty tin, like holding a royal decree.
“Sister-in-law, sleep!”
“I’ll guard Xiangdong, not a sound will be made!”
Su Ci stood.
Stepped a few paces.
Then seemed to remember something.
She reached into the drawer under the table (actually her space stash) and pulled out a package.
Tossed it to Lu Xiangbei.
“Catch.”
Instinctively, he did.
Soft.
By the light, he saw—
A bag of… milk powder?
All foreign text, with a large cow head on it.
“This…”
“Make some for Xiangdong to drink.”
Su Ci went back into the room without a word.
“After sweating, you need to replenish fluids.”
“This milk, even a dying person could revive from it.”
“Don’t skimp.”
“Drink it all, I have plenty more.”
“Bang.”
The door closed again, leaving a quiet room.
Lu Xiangbei held the heavy milk powder bag.
Through the plastic, he could almost smell the rich milk scent.
This…
They say in the supply store you needed a special ticket to buy it, over ten yuan a bag!
Sister-in-law just tossed it to him?
Without even blinking?
Lu Xiangbei felt his face flush.
He had just thought the thousand-some yuan was a lot.
Now, it seemed in her eyes, that was just pocket money for snacks.
That’s the scale of her thinking.
He took a deep breath, pressing the milk powder to his chest.
He silently vowed:
In this life,
If anyone dares lay a finger on sister-in-law,
Lu Xiangbei will stake his life to protect her.