Although her two older brothers occasionally bullied her, they generally gave in to her.
Needless to say, her eldest sister, Su Yufen, always volunteered to do all the work and never let her lift a finger.
But today, everything has changed.
Her father seemed like a different person, suddenly becoming strict with her.
Not only did he force her to do those dirty and tiring housework, but he also ate braised pork in front of her, leaving her not a single bite!
"You old codger."
Su Yuzhen cursed again, this time her voice filled with more resentment than anger.
She rolled over, and her stomach growled again.
I'm so hungry, so incredibly hungry. I didn't eat dinner, and it's already past midnight. My stomach feels like it's on fire.
In the east wing, the third brother, Su Mingfu, was also awake.
He sat cross-legged on the kang (a heated brick bed), flipping through the textbooks he had brought home that day by moonlight, his ears perked up, listening to the sounds coming from the courtyard.
"My little sister is really something."
He shook his head and continued reading.
He was more concerned about repeating a grade than about Su Yuzhen's situation.
My father suddenly granted me permission to repeat a grade today; it's like a windfall!
"I must study hard and not let my father down."
Su Mingfu secretly made up his mind.
He knew from a young age that studying was the only way to change his destiny. Last year, when he failed his college entrance exam, he almost committed suicide by jumping into a river.
Now the opportunity has come again, and he must seize it.
I was just thinking about it.
A muffled thud suddenly came from the courtyard, as if someone had fallen.
Su Mingfu quickly put down his book and leaned out the window to look outside.
Under the moonlight, Su Yuzhen was lying on the ground in a disheveled state, with an enamel basin rolling around beside her.
She struggled to her feet and limped toward the kitchen.
"This is.."
Su Mingfu was taken aback, then understood.
My little sister was so hungry she couldn't stand it anymore, so she went to the kitchen to find something to eat.
However, Su Mingfu remembered clearly that he and his second brother had eaten all the leftovers in the kitchen; there was nothing left to eat.
After a while, Su Yuzhen came out of the kitchen, seemingly carrying something in her hand.
Su Mingfu squinted and looked closely, discovering it was a dry cornbread.
That's what Wang Xiulan saved to feed the chickens tomorrow.
Su Yuzhen was seen wolfing down the hard, rock-hard pancake, choking and stretching her neck.
Without water, she could only chew dry food, and tears welled up in her eyes again.
Su Mingfu felt a pang of sadness at the sight and was about to go out and pour her a bowl of water.
Suddenly, I saw my father's figure appear at the entrance of the main room!
Su Jianguo, wearing a coat and holding a feather duster, quietly walked up behind Su Yuzhen.
"Is it tasty?"
He suddenly spoke, his voice exceptionally clear in the quiet night.
"ah!"
Su Yuzhen screamed in fright, dropping the pancake in her hand to the ground.
She turned around and saw her father; her face turned deathly pale instantly.
"Father. It's me."
"He got up in the middle of the night to steal food and then cursed at his parents."
Su Jianguo said coldly, lightly tapping his palm with the feather duster in his hand.
"It seems today's lesson wasn't enough."
Su Yuzhen burst into tears and turned to run away.
Su Jianguo grabbed her arm with such force that she cried out in pain.
Kneel down!
The loud shout startled the entire courtyard.
The lights in the east and west wing rooms came on one after another, and the children ran into the courtyard in a panic.
Su Yuzhen was kneeling on the cold ground, tears streaming down her face.
Su Jianguo stood in front of her, holding a feather duster, his face frighteningly gloomy.
"Dad! My little sister is still young."
Su Yufen was the first to rush forward to plead for mercy.
"Shut up!"
Su Jianguo glared at her, and Su Yufen immediately fell silent, shrinking behind Su Mingfu.
Wang Xiulan also came out, and upon seeing this scene, tears immediately streamed down her face.
"My dear, the child knows he was wrong..."
"Did you see what she was eating just now?"
Su Jianguo pointed to the cornbread on the ground.
"Chicken feed! My daughter, Su Jianguo's daughter, what, can't you afford to live? You've fallen so low as to steal chicken feed?"
As he spoke, Su Jianguo picked up a feather duster and started whipping Su Yuzhen's hand.
After a few swipes of the feather duster, Su Yuzhen's little hands were beaten until they looked like little pig trotters.
The children watching were trembling with fear and dared not speak.
Finally, after being scolded by Su Jianguo, they all returned to their rooms.
.
The next morning.
Su Jianguo went straight to the steel rolling mill without even having breakfast.
At the entrance of the steel rolling mill.
He took out his pocket watch and looked at it. It was 6:45, still some time before he had to go to work.
At the factory gate, several night shift workers were dragging their tired bodies out, and they all nodded and greeted him when they saw him.
"Master Su, you're here so early today?"
Old Ma, the gatekeeper, poked his head out of the guard post.
Su Jianguo handed him a Daqianmen cigarette.
"Old Ma, has the factory manager arrived yet?"
"Not yet, it'll be 7:30."
Old Ma took the cigarette and sniffed it under his nose.
"Do you need to speak with the factory manager?"
"I need to ask for leave."
Su Jianguo subconsciously patted his bulging pocket, which contained all his savings: 13,000 yuan in cash and a bankbook.
The money was wrapped in several layers of cloth and placed close to my chest; I could feel its heavy weight.
Old Ma looked surprised upon hearing this.
"Oh, even you, old workhorse, are taking a day off? The sun must have risen in the west!"
Su Jianguo smiled but did not answer.
In his past life, he was indeed a well-known "workhorse" in the factory, never taking a day off in thirty years. What was his fate in the end?
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