Then, she slowly realized—yes, even if they broke up, someone like Wang Chunhua wouldn't appreciate it.
They would only think that since the game was from your family, you should secretly send her a few instead of doing some kind of "fair distribution" in front of everyone at the village entrance.
In their eyes, this practice is not fairness, but showing off; not generosity, but pretense.
Instead, they'll think you're foolish, that you don't understand social etiquette, and even suspect that you're deliberately trying to elevate yourself while belittling others.
Since you're bound to get criticized no matter what you do, why bother making things difficult for yourself?
She nodded, her expression gradually calming down, and said softly, "Ningning, you have to be careful in the village. These people are sweeter than honey when they're being sweet-talking, but they can turn on you faster than a knife. They're really not good people, especially someone like Wang Chunhua, who's shallow and has a black heart."
"I know."
Su Qingzhi responded softly and nodded.
Suddenly, she turned her head and looked at Su Yicen, who was sitting next to her eating fish. Her eyes were slightly serious as she said, "Big brother, you should stay away from Su Yueyue lately."
Su Yicen was chewing on a piece of tender fish, with some still in her mouth, when she heard this and was suddenly stunned, almost choking.
He swallowed his food, looked up, and asked with a puzzled expression, "Huh? Why? I don't really interact with her, we don't talk much, why are you suddenly telling me to avoid her?"
Zhu Xiuqin immediately glared at her son, her tone becoming stern: "Your sister told you to be careful, so just do as she says! Why are you asking so many 'whys'? When has she ever harmed you? Why aren't you listening?"
Su Yicen shrank back, not daring to say anything more, but her eyes still held a hint of doubt.
Su Qingzhi was both annoyed and amused, knowing that if she didn't explain things clearly, her older brother would definitely continue to blindly rush forward.
So she sighed and voiced her long-held suspicion: "Mom, today I noticed that Su Yueyue's gaze towards my older brother was strange. It wasn't ordinary politeness, nor was it the concern between relatives; it was something... tinged with calculation."
She paused, then continued, "We donated everything we owned, so on the surface we're completely clean. But she must really think we're hiding some money, otherwise how could we live so comfortably? A while ago she was in a hurry to distance herself from us, afraid of getting involved with any bad luck; but now that things have calmed down, she's suddenly become very attentive, bringing us food one minute and asking about our well-being the next. Is it really just because she regrets it? Is it just because she had a change of heart? I don't believe it."
Su Yicen didn't think too much about it at first, just considering it as a matter of courtesy between relatives.
But upon hearing his sister's words, the image of Su Yueyue's gaze at him that day flashed through his mind—smiling, yet always lingering a few seconds longer when avoiding others, and deliberately touching his fingertips with the hand that handed him something.
He suddenly snapped out of his daze, his expression changing slightly, and stared at Su Qingzhi, asking, "You mean... she wants to deliberately get involved with me and force me to marry her? Is that her goal?"
"It's not impossible."
Su Qingzhi sighed, lowering her voice, "You're considered young, strong, and good-looking in the village, and you're not married. You're a good 'choice' for her. She doesn't like the other families in the village; Lin Jingzhou has been sent to the Northwest and won't be back for a while. She can't stay at Wang Chunhua's house forever, can she? She'll have to get married sooner or later."
She paused, then calmly analyzed, "That's exactly what she's after—as long as she can get into our family, she'll have no worries about the future. Even if we really have nothing left, we're still the former county magistrate's mansion, and our reputation remains. Besides, to outsiders, although our family is down on its luck, even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. Do you think she wouldn't be tempted?"
Zhu Xiuqin and Su Yicen exchanged a glance, both of them looking serious.
Indeed, to outsiders, their house looked completely empty; everything had been donated, even the old house had been sold.
But someone like Su Yueyue simply wouldn't believe that a once wealthy family could truly fall into poverty.
She's convinced you've hidden gold bars and silver notes, but you just don't want to show them.
If we don't seize this opportunity to gain some benefits, when will we?
Su Qingzhi continued, "First, she tried to curry favor with Su Qianfan, hoping to use him to connect with our family's network, but she failed. Later, she took the opportunity of delivering medicine to act very considerate, hoping to make him think that she was a caring person and thus win him over. Unfortunately, that act was exposed on the spot, and she lost face completely, making it difficult for her to get close to Su Qianfan again."
At this point, her tone turned colder: "So now, the most direct and effective way is to get close to the eldest brother. You are the eldest son in the family, and if you get married in the future, the family property will have to go through your hands no matter what. As long as she can cause some shady trouble—like being alone at night, being disheveled, or spreading some rumors—she will have a reason to force you into marriage."
“Once she marries into the family, she can openly claim a share of the inheritance. Even if we don’t have any money now, she will spread the word everywhere and force us to hand over our belongings. At that time, public opinion will be overwhelming, and there will be no way to back down.”
That was all Su Qingzhi could think of.
As for how many hidden schemes Su Yueyue might have in her heart, or whether she had any more insidious plans, she dared not say.
But she knew that when people become greedy, they can devour others.
Su Yueyue had already quietly opened her mouth.
"What a troublemaker."
Yin Hua couldn't help but sigh, her brows furrowed, her fingers tapping the table unconsciously. Her tone was full of helplessness and worry. "This girl seems uncomfortable if she doesn't cause trouble every day. She always thinks she's incredibly smart and that no one can control her."
Su Qingzhi looked at her elder brother with a calm and serious gaze, and said softly, "Brother, this is just my guess. We don't know yet whether she really intends to do this. But you need to be careful and not let her take advantage of any loopholes. She is good at pretending to be innocent. Once she succeeds, she will press on relentlessly, and by then it will be too late to stop her."
"Don't worry."
Su Yicen spoke calmly, stood up, dusted off her sleeves, and said with a firm look in her eyes, "I know what I'm doing. If she dares to play any tricks, I'll be the first to object. Not to mention her, I won't allow anyone else to lay a finger on this family."
Su Qingzhi understood that all she could do was offer a reminder.
No amount of persuasion could change the decision for my older brother.
No one knows when Su Yueyue will suddenly make her move; it might be openly, or it might be a trap set in secret.
All they can do is take precautions in advance, like a door knocker guarding a gate, never letting go no matter how strong the wind and rain.
As long as the older brother remains wary, Su Yueyue has no chance.
No matter how well she acts, how well she cries, or how well she stirs up trouble, as long as Su Yicen doesn't give in, she will ultimately be unable to cause any trouble.
"Ningning, don't worry about these things all the time."
Zhu Xiuqin felt a pang of sadness. Looking at her daughter's increasingly gaunt face, her eyes reddened slightly. "You're supporting two people now, so you have to take good care of yourself. You can't afford to make any mistakes. Your father and your older brother are both strong and capable men who can protect themselves. But what about you? You're always worrying about this and that, and you can't even sleep peacefully. It hurts me to see that."
"Mom, we are family."
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