She didn't believe Liu Yuelan, and now she doesn't even believe Su Qingzhi's words.
She stubbornly believed that those women were just trying to scare her and make her give in.
Su Qingzhi didn't care.
Anyway, I've said what I needed to say.
She never expected Zhu Xiuqin to listen, and she couldn't be bothered to explain any further.
Some people are destined to hit a wall before they wake up.
As she passed the village chief's house, she put down another bottle of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor).
This is the third time this month.
This time, she casually tore off the note on the bottle.
The note was originally pasted on the side of the bottle, with a few words scrawled on it in pencil.
"The usual."
She thought leaving a mark would let the village chief know who sent it.
But now, she doesn't want to leave any trace.
Riding my bicycle back to the family compound, I happened to see Liu Yuelan chatting with several women under a tree.
Liu Yuelan sat in the middle, a smile on her face, but her eyes kept glancing at Su Qingzhi.
Su Qingzhi ignored her and walked straight home.
She didn't hear a word of the laughter and chatter coming from behind her.
At that moment, all she could think about was getting hot food.
Pushing open the door, I found Shen Zhiyu already busy in the kitchen.
The lid was lifted a crack, and white steam billowed out, carrying a rich aroma.
Shen Zhiyu was wearing a blue apron and holding a spatula, stirring the cabbage in the pan.
His movements were skillful, and he controlled the heat perfectly; the vegetable leaves were bright green and not wilted at all.
Steaming hot white rice filled the air, and on the table sat twice-cooked pork and a plate of stir-fried cabbage.
Two dishes and a soup, simple yet all of them were Su Qingzhi's favorites.
During dinner that evening, Su Qingzhi casually mentioned what happened that morning.
She picked up a piece of meat and put it in her mouth, chewing as she spoke.
“I went to the cave dwelling today, and Zhu Xiuqin was still scolding Chunlan.”
When she mentioned that Su Qingzhi and Qiao Mingzhu were old friends, Shen Zhiyu was taken aback.
"You mean Su Qingzhi? Is she the educated youth from Shanghai who was sent down to the countryside the year before last?"
“I remember her file said she was an only child, and it didn’t mention any relatives.”
He put down his chopsticks and looked at Su Qingzhi intently.
How did you know about this relationship?
He had basically investigated all the households in this area who had been sent down to the countryside, but he never expected that he could be involved with his mother-in-law's side of the family.
He had a vague feeling that this matter was probably not so simple.
"I will speak with Village Chief Guan and ask him to look after the Xie family."
Shen Zhiyu responded.
He knew that the Xie family was in a difficult situation, and that Shen Cunpu was shouldering the burden of the whole family all by himself.
If we could receive more care and attention in the village, at least some of the pressure would be alleviated.
Shen Zhiyu is not one to meddle in other people's business, but he never refuses to help Su Qingzhi with anything she cares about.
Su Qingzhi gently pressed her face against his chest and whispered.
"Thank you, Ashuo."
Beneath her cheek was his steady heartbeat, each beat bringing her peace of mind.
She closed her eyes, as if trying to firmly remember this warmth in her heart.
Shen Zhiyu turned to the side, his forehead touching hers, and a smile played on his lips.
"Shall we get intimate one more time?"
His breath brushed past her ear, accompanied by teasing laughter.
Su Qingzhi was stunned for a moment, then looked up and glared at him, a faint blush rising on her face.
This person always manages to show that helpless smile at the very moments when he shouldn't be joking.
She gently pushed him away a little and whispered a reproachful tone.
"Here we go again, really... never a moment's peace."
But despite saying that, there was not a trace of blame in his tone.
She knew that his intimacy was never just desire, but also a silent affirmation.
Make sure she's there, make sure they're still together.
For the next few days, Su Qingzhi went to Guanshigou to see Su Qingzhi every day.
As soon as it was light, she went out with her bamboo basket slung over her shoulder.
Sometimes the basket contains stewed chicken soup, and sometimes it contains freshly steamed rice cakes.
Another time, it was a red date and longan paste that she made overnight.
She didn't want Su Qingzhi to suffer from hunger while recovering from her illness, and she didn't want her to endure loneliness and torment alone in that old house.
At first, Su Qingzhi was so thin that her cheekbones protruded and her eyes were sunken, which was heartbreaking to see.
Now her cheeks are gradually regaining color, she has more energy to speak, and she coughs less.
Every time Su Qingzhi saw her smiling as she accepted the bowls and chopsticks, she felt relieved and knew that all her hard work these past few days had been worthwhile.
When the two chatted, they often talked about Qiao Mingzhu's studies in Shanghai.
"Mingzhu wrote that the food in the school cafeteria is more plentiful than at home, and there is meat at every meal."
Su Qingzhi said with a smile, her eyes full of satisfaction.
Su Qingzhi nodded.
"That's good. It's a great blessing for girls to be able to study."
She paused, then asked softly.
Do you think there will be an opportunity in the future for other children to be able to afford to go to school?
Su Qingzhi gazed at the distant mountains and answered softly.
"Yes, we will. As long as we take it one step at a time, we will eventually achieve it."
Su Qingzhi knew that news of her serious illness had already spread to several surrounding villages.
If someone suddenly appears in front of others full of energy, it will inevitably attract gossip.
So she remained wearing her old cotton-padded coat, lying on the kang (a heated brick bed), occasionally coughing to pretend she hadn't fully recovered.
During this time, Su Qingzhi also brought some food to the two brothers of the Liu family.
She asked a villager who was going to the town market to bring her a bag of cured meat, two pounds of flour, and half a jar of lard.
The note simply stated...
"Don't refuse to give Chunsheng and Chunwang some tonics."
When the second son of the Liu family received the gifts, his eyes welled up with tears.
The two brothers took on the household chores at a young age, but they ate only wild vegetables mixed with chaff, and it was a luxury for them to see meat.
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