The military wife was named Zhang Ping, and her husband was in the reconnaissance company. She usually got along well with Sister Wang. The child in her arms was listless, with a flushed little face, coughing nonstop.
“Sister Zhang,” Su Ci’s voice came softly, almost fragile, “what’s wrong with your Tie Dan?”
Zhang Ping didn’t expect Su Ci to speak to her first. She paused for a moment, then frowned as she answered.
“Ah, don’t mention it. He started running a fever last night. Even the medicine from the clinic isn’t working, and the cough keeps getting worse.”
Su Ci furrowed her beautifully shaped brows, her eyes filled with just the right amount of concern.
“Just giving fever medicine won’t do. Listening to that cough, it sounds like there’s fire in his lungs. He needs some anti-inflammatory medicine.”
“Anti-inflammatory medicine?” Zhang Ping gave a bitter laugh. “That stuff is worth more than gold. The clinic doesn’t have it. We’d have to report to the regiment, wait for a ship from the mainland… who knows when that would be.”
The other military wives around them all looked helpless. On this island, the worst thing was a sick child. A minor illness left untreated could become severe, and once it’s serious, all you could do is pray.
Su Ci fell silent for a moment.
Then, as if making a big decision, she turned and walked back into the courtyard, entering her room. When she came out again, she had a small brown glass bottle, shaped like an ink bottle, in her hand.
She walked up to Zhang Ping and handed her the little bottle.
“Sister-in-law, take this.”
Zhang Ping looked down. Inside the bottle was white powder, without any label.
“This is?”
“Anti-inflammatory medicine,” Su Ci said in a very low voice, tinged with reluctance.
“My health isn’t good. My family was afraid something would happen to me, and they barely got this from the big city. It was originally for saving my own life.”
As she spoke, she coughed twice, her face even paler.
“I can’t let Tie Dan’s illness drag on. Take this quickly and give him a little in warm water.”
“Remember, never say it came from me. This medicine’s origins are questionable. If anyone finds out, it’ll be trouble.”
Su Ci’s expression—wanting to save a life but afraid of bringing trouble—was real to the core.
Zhang Ping held the tiny bottle, her hands trembling.
This wasn’t just medicine—it was a lifesaving act of kindness!
She couldn’t hold back anymore, and tears streamed down her face.
“Su… Su… I…”
She stumbled forward, about to kneel.
Su Ci quickly caught her.
“Sister-in-law, what are you doing? Get up! We live in the same courtyard—I can’t just watch a child suffer!”
She steadied Zhang Ping while her gaze casually swept over the stunned Sister Wang, a faint curve appearing at the corner of her lips.
“Unlike some people, who speak sweetly but, when things get serious, do nothing but watch.”
Those words were clearly aimed at Sister Wang!
Zhang Ping wasn’t a fool. She wiped her tears, hugged the child and the medicine, and turned sharply to confront Sister Wang.
“Sister Wang! You just called Su Ci a spendthrift?”
“Open your eyes and look! Is this spending recklessly?”
“She’s giving her own lifesaving medicine to save my Tie Dan!”
“You say her behavior is questionable? I think your mouth is the problem! Always gossiping, always looking for attention. I think you’re just jealous!”
Zhang Ping exploded like a lit firecracker, releasing all the anger she’d held in since morning.
“Jealous that she’s prettier than you!”“Jealous that her husband is more accomplished than yours!”“Jealous that her life is better than yours, and she doesn’t have to prattle around like you to prove she exists!”
Her words were fast, sharp, and precise—cutting to the bone.
The courtyard was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Everyone was stunned by Zhang Ping’s sudden outburst.
Sister Wang’s face changed visibly, from pale to red, red to purple, finally settling on a dark liver color.
She pointed at Zhang Ping, her lips trembling, unable to utter a single word.
“You… you…”
Zhang Ping sneered, hugged the child, and turned to leave.
Passing by Su Ci, she nodded heavily, her eyes full of gratitude and respect.
With Zhang Ping leading, the other military wives who had received favors from Su Ci now felt emboldened.
“Exactly! Su Ci is beautiful and kind-hearted, unlike some people whose hearts are rotten!”“Anyone who badmouths Su Ci again will have to answer to me!”“Let’s disperse. Don’t crowd her—let Su Ci rest.”
The crowd scattered. Everyone’s gaze toward Su Ci changed from scrutiny to admiration and flattery.
Sister Wang was left standing alone, like a clown abandoned by the whole world.
She felt every gaze piercing her, her face burning. She wanted to say something cutting, but her mouth went dry—there was no ally.
She had lost. Completely.
Su Ci looked at Sister Wang’s lost expression with no hint of emotion. She walked slowly up to her, wearing the most innocent and kind smile.
“Sister Wang, don’t be angry.”
Her voice was gentle enough to make water drip from it.
“I know you have a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Deep down, you care about me, right?”
“We’re neighbors. If you ever have difficulties, come to me. Whatever I have, I’ll help.”
She even patted Sister Wang on the shoulder warmly.
Sister Wang stiffened as if stung by a scorpion. Seeing Su Ci’s innocent face, she felt a chill shoot from her feet to her head.
This woman… was terrifying!
She could kill and still sprinkle sugar on your heart!
“Wah!” Sister Wang could take no more, covering her face, and ran home crying.
A war without gunfire ended with Su Ci’s complete victory. She not only solidified her “beautiful, kind, weakly ill” persona but also, with a single bottle of medicine, won over everyone in the military housing.
“Sis, you’re amazing!” Lu Xiangnan looked at Su Ci, his eyes sparkling.
Lu Xiangbei looked at her with complete submission.
Su Ci smiled and ruffled Lu Xiangnan’s hair.
“Let’s go home. Our big meal is waiting.”
Back home, she closed the courtyard gate, isolating herself from the outside world. She pulled out a large oiled-paper package from a cloth bag.
Inside were over a dozen cleaned, plump abalones! Each larger than a child’s fist, glistening in the sunlight.
Lu Xiangnan and Lu Xiangdong’s eyes nearly popped out.
“This is… abalone? It looks amazing!”
“Xiangbei, boil some water,” Su Ci instructed, while she calmly took a small knife and scored crosshatch patterns on the abalones.
Her movements were elegant and skilled, more like sculpting art than cooking.
The three Lu siblings gathered around, watching as she prepared these rare ingredients into an extraordinary dish.
The courtyard was quiet except for the rustling leaves in the wind.
Su Ci glanced at the steam rising from the pot and then out at the endless blue sea. In her beautiful eyes flashed an ambition that didn’t belong to this era.
Merely eating well wasn’t enough. She wanted to turn this barren island into her goldmine.
“Xiangbei,” Su Ci suddenly said, her voice soft but strangely magnetic.
Lu Xiangbei, tending the fire, looked up.
“What’s up, sis?”
Su Ci held a prepared abalone, weighing it in her hand, a slight smile on her lips.
“Do you want to… become a ten-thousand-yuan household?”
“Ten-thousand… yuan household?” Lu Xiangbei’s mind buzzed as if struck by a hammer.
He was stunned, squatting by the stove, still holding the fire stick. He had never heard these words, but somehow, together, they sent his heart racing.
Ten thousand yuan! That was unimaginable wealth. Their combined savings of a little over a thousand yuan already felt enormous. Ten thousand… Could it bury him if stacked up?
Su Ci looked at his naive expression and smiled. She didn’t explain further. Some things are better shown in action than words.
The abalones were quickly blanched. Su Ci pulled out a bottle of top-grade oyster sauce and a small chunk of golden butter.
The pan heated, butter melted, releasing an aroma that made their souls tremble. Green onions and ginger sizzled, then in went the abalones, drizzled with oyster sauce, quickly stir-fried over high heat.
“Sizzle—”
The aroma exploded, mingling butter richness and oyster sauce saltiness, dominating the entire courtyard.
The neighbor mending nets next door shivered, breaking a line of rope.
“My goodness! What is the Lu family cooking now? That smell is overpowering!”
The Lu siblings were already dumbstruck, staring at Su Ci’s pan like statues, swallowing hard repeatedly.
Su Ci placed the cooked abalones on steaming, glistening white rice.
Finally, she poured the rich, savory sauce over the top generously.