In her past life, Xu Suyu had never interacted with the Jiang family, and Han Shumo had never discussed Qin Wanqiu in front of her. So she’d had no idea there was any connection between Sun Rou and Qin Wanqiu.
But one thing she was absolutely certain of: Qin Wanqiu had never worked at Han Shumo’s hospital.
She remembered it clearly because after she and Han Shumo married, they lived in the military compound for a year before moving to the hospital’s family quarters.
It was during that year that the rumor spread — Qin Wanqiu had been caught fooling around with a man and sent back to her hometown by the Qin family. The next time Xu Suyu heard about her was the news that she had discovered she was pregnant back home and later died in childbirth, mother and child both gone.
But as for who the man was — and whose child she was carrying — Xu Suyu had no memory at all.
Her brows suddenly tightened.
Could it be…
No, impossible. Han Shumo was infertile.
He had told her so once; she hadn’t believed him and dragged him to the hospital for tests.
The results were real — he could not father children.
As Xu Suyu’s mind spiraled, the old general slammed his chopsticks on the table, his face darkening.
“Xiao Sun, you used to be sharp. How are you so sloppy now? Hospital positions are for saving lives — how can you randomly arrange someone into one?”
“Dad, I asked around. The hospital recently opened a recruitment slot. Local personnel can be assigned through the military’s approved cooperative medical channels. I thought… since Minister Liao owes us a favor anyway—”
Jiang Zhun immediately sneered,
“Liao Uncle owes Grandpa a favor. What does that have to do with you? So everything in this house is something you want to get your hands on, is that it?”
Sun Rou quickly shook her head, shrinking back.
“A-Zhun, that’s not what I meant. I just think the Qin family’s situation is poor. My niece living in such a household is too pitiful. Since our family has the ability, we should help her if we can…”
“If you have the ability, then YOU help. Why ask Grandpa to use his favors? Shameless.”
Sun Rou’s eyes reddened. She turned to Jiang Anbang.
“Anbang, you know I didn’t mean it that way. I just have a soft heart… I can’t bear seeing people suffer…”
Jiang Anbang patted her shoulder, comforting her.
“I know you mean well. Dad, she’s still family. It’s not a big deal. If you’re afraid something might go wrong if she works as a doctor, then give her an administrative post. Otherwise, once Minister Liao retires, this favor will be wasted.”
The old general shot him an unhappy look and was about to speak when Jiang Zhun cut in with a contemptuous snort.
“Grandpa, you arranged jobs for both of the Qin family’s sons. Have they thanked you once in all these years? And those ingrates still gossip about me outside. Anyway — you are NOT giving that rotten potato a job.”
Jiang Anbang frowned. “Jiang Zhun!”
“Enough! Everyone shut up!”
The old general rubbed his temples; the noise was giving him a headache.
Xu Suyu used the public chopsticks to place a piece of eggplant in Jiang Zhun’s bowl, and softly soothed him,
“A-Zhun, don’t make a fuss. I know you think job opportunities are precious and shouldn’t be given lightly to unrelated people, but you don’t have a candidate, and Auntie is simply trying to help her own family. It’s understandable.”
Meeting her calm, gentle eyes, Jiang Zhun let out a sudden short laugh.
“Who says I don’t have a candidate?”
He turned to the old general.
“Grandpa, if you don’t use Liao Uncle’s favor, people will keep eyeing it. Since that’s the case, use it — and give Sister a job.”
The old general’s eyes brightened. Right — his good granddaughter-in-law had just arrived in the capital and still didn’t have work.
Hearing this, Sun Rou quickly objected,
“Dad, Wanqiu is already 25 and truly needs this opportunity. And she graduated from Capital Medical University; it matches her field. But Comrade Xu is still young; she’ll have other chances…”
“I want this chance,” Jiang Zhun snapped back.
“Didn’t Comrade Jiang Anbang just say? If she can’t be a doctor, then she can work in admin.”
He turned to Xu Suyu. “Sister, you finished high school, right?”
Xu Suyu smiled lightly.
“I’m a graduate of Miancheng Medical University.”
The old general brightened instantly.
“Suyu, you studied medicine?”
“Yes. Grandpa didn’t ask earlier, and I hadn’t had the chance to say. My maternal family practiced medicine for generations, so I studied since childhood. After my grandfather passed when I was seventeen, I skipped a grade and got into Miancheng Medical University because of my grades…”
Before she finished, Sun Rou hurried to interrupt.
“Dad, Miancheng is only a small city. Wanqiu graduated from Capital Medical University—”
Jiang Zhun clicked his tongue.
“You just said Han Shumo and that rotten potato were classmates. Han Shumo got into the hospital on his own and can already stand on his own two feet there. And that rotten potato? Medical students are precious talent. If she had even a shred of ability, she would’ve gotten in long ago.”
Sun Rou’s heart twisted in resentment. Wanqiu had promised that if she secured the job for her, she would give her a third of her wages every month — not a small amount.
But earlier at noon, Xu Suyu had calmed Jiang Zhun before he went too far, so Sun Rou never got leverage to demand benefits from the old general. Infuriating.
The old general patted Xu Suyu’s arm.
“Suyu, do you want to work after the wedding?”
“Grandpa, a person should work.”
“All right, then Grandpa will arrange—”
“Dad,” Sun Rou interrupted again — one last attempt.
“Since you trust Comrade Xu so much, why not give both Wanqiu and Comrade Xu recommendation letters and let them take the exam? Let the one with real ability earn the position.”
Jiang Zhun snapped,
“Why? Grandpa giving his granddaughter-in-law a job — what business is it of a stepmother like you?”
“A-Zhun, it’s fine,” Xu Suyu held him back, then looked steadily at the old general.
“Grandpa, you were right just now — a doctor’s job concerns human lives. It should be earned by merit.”
“Good! You truly are my granddaughter-in-law — bold and capable!”
Sun Rou sneered inwardly. Even barefoot village doctors nowadays claimed to be from “generations of medical heritage.” If Xu Suyu were so capable, why hadn’t she been retained by her local hospital? Why come to the capital to marry?
And Miancheng Medical University… a small-town school. How could it compare to Capital Medical University?
Wanqiu was a properly trained Western medicine graduate — there was no way she would lose.
Tomorrow she would go see Wanqiu.
She must make sure Wanqiu slaps this arrogant little tramp’s face hard.