As Su Mingqiang walked out of the subdistrict office, he breathed a long sigh of relief.
Having won over the people at the neighborhood committee, the next step is the most crucial one.
Thinking it over, Su Mingqiang gritted his teeth, silently cheered himself up, and headed straight for his father Su Jianguo's house.
At this time, Su Jian was in the country.
After Su Jianguo left in the morning.
Because Su Yuzhen didn't go on a hunger strike today and behaved very well in the morning, Wang Xiulan didn't lock her youngest daughter, Su Yuzhen, in the room as Su Jianguo had suggested.
Instead, she had her younger daughter join her older daughter, Su Yufen, in making clothes for Da Mao and Er Mao.
The raw material was a piece of clothing that Su Mingfu had outgrown; after alterations, it was just the right size for the two children.
That's how it is these days; everyone's very frugal and rarely buys new clothes.
Inside the main house.
Su Yuzhen sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), holding a needle in her hand, mechanically repeating the action of threading the needle.
She seemed a little absent-minded, as if she was thinking about something.
"Yuzhen, you've gone astray again."
Su Yufen gently reminded her and reached out to take the fabric from her sister's hand.
Su Yuzhen shuddered suddenly, the needle piercing her index finger, from which a drop of bright red blood oozed out.
She subconsciously put her finger in her mouth.
"What are you thinking about? You've been distracted all morning."
Su Yufen sighed and picked up the fabric to continue sewing.
"This is Mingfu's last piece of clothing that he had made small. It would fit Da Mao and Er Mao perfectly. Don't waste it."
"I...I need to go to the outhouse."
Su Yuzhen suddenly stood up, threw her work onto the kang (a heated brick bed), and quickly walked out of the room without waiting for her elder sister's response.
The yard was quiet, with only a few hens scratching for food in the corner.
Su Yuzhen didn't go to the outhouse. Instead, she looked around to make sure her mother and older sister were busy, then tiptoed back to her room.
She closed the door and immediately rushed to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), pulling out a blue cloth bundle from under the mattress.
This was something she had secretly prepared last night; it contained a few changes of clothes and her saved allowance.
"Hong Kong...to Hong Kong..."
Su Yuzhen murmured, recalling the place Zhang Qiang had promised her last night.
She bit her lower lip and then pulled out a lipstick and a small mirror from her pillowcase, which she had secretly taken from her older sister.
The girl in the mirror had bright eyes and her cheeks were flushed with excitement.
Su Yuzhen carefully applied lipstick, pursed her lips, and imagined Zhang Qiang's expression when he saw her.
He will definitely compliment her on her beauty, and he'll pick her up and spin her around like in the movies...
Suddenly, footsteps came from outside the door. Su Yuzhen hurriedly stuffed the things back into the bundle and pushed it deep into the kang (heated brick bed).
The sound of the doorknob turning almost stopped her heart.
"Yuzhen? Are you inside?"
Wang Xiulan's voice came through the door.
"Come out and help Mom peel garlic."
"They're here!"
Su Yuzhen took a deep breath, quickly wiped her mouth in front of the mirror, and then wiped it with the back of her hand to make sure no trace was left before opening the door.
Wang Xiulan stood at the door, her brows slightly furrowed.
Why close the door in broad daylight?
Her gaze lingered on her daughter's face for a moment.
Why are your lips so red?
"But...it might be hot."
Su Yuzhen lowered her head and quickly squeezed past her mother.
"I'll go peel the garlic."
In the kitchen, Su Yufen, who had just finished altering her clothes, was stir-frying vegetables in front of the stove, while Da Mao and Er Mao were playing with pebbles in the corner.
Su Yuzhen squatted on a small stool by the door, mechanically peeling garlic cloves.
"tonight..."
She silently recited it in her heart, and Zhang Qiang's roguish smile appeared before her eyes.
If she could escape this home, she could live the happy life she imagined.
"Yuzhen! Garlic!"
Su Yufen's voice interrupted her reverie.
Su Yuzhen then realized that she had crushed the peeled garlic cloves into a pulp. She hurriedly stood up, but accidentally kicked over a small stool, making a loud noise.
What's wrong with you today?
Wang Xiulan peeked out from the inner room.
"He's distracted and absent-minded."
"I...I have a headache."
Su Yuzhen rubbed her temples, taking the opportunity to avoid her mother's probing gaze.
"Can I go back inside and lie down for a while?"
Wang Xiulan sighed.
"Go ahead, I'll call you when it's time to eat."
Su Yuzhen felt as if she had been granted a pardon. She quickly walked back to her room, closed the door, and immediately rushed into the kang (heated brick bed) to pull out her bundle.
She carefully examined the items inside.
Two shirts, a pair of pants, underwear, five yuan and thirty cents, a lipstick, and a small mirror.
Feeling that the money was a bit short, Su Yuzhen wondered if she should steal some from her mother.
Suddenly, the sound of the courtyard gate being pushed open came from outside.
This startled Su Yuzhen, who thought it was her father, Su Jianguo, returning home.
Su Yuzhen hurriedly stuffed the bundle back into the kang hole and peered out the window.
A familiar figure was sneaking into the yard—it was her older brother, Su Mingqiang!
Su Mingqiang was hunched over, his eyes constantly scanning his surroundings, as cautious as a mouse stealing food.
Su Yuzhen frowned. This was the first time her eldest brother had returned since their father had kicked him out of the house and removed him from the family register.
Su Mingqiang stood in the middle of the courtyard, clearly hesitant about whether to continue walking forward.
Finally, he mustered his courage and called out in a low voice.
"Mother? Yufen? Is anyone home?"
His voice betrayed a clear sense of guilt.
He was genuinely afraid that if Su Jianguo saw him, he would immediately slap him across the face.
Wang Xiulan came out of the kitchen, her hands still covered in flour.
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