"It's no big deal, why all the thank you? You've grown up and become so polite."
Brother Lou went over there to call his men to make arrangements, while Su Ti sat to the side with Li Baichuan and Bian Cheng, waiting.
Many people were secretly watching them, and a small group in the middle had particularly intense gazes.
"Is that Suti? How come she's changed so much? Wasn't she incredibly arrogant before, always looking down on everyone?"
"It looks like her. Wasn't she sent to the countryside? I heard that those who went to the countryside were tortured beyond recognition. She doesn't look like it."
"What kind of family does she come from? Even if she goes to the countryside, it's just for fun. She'll definitely be back soon. I don't know what got into her head when she signed up to go to the countryside."
The group was talking amongst themselves, which reminded the silent members of the group of people of how Suti used to fawn over them.
Who can blame her for coming from a wealthy family? But why isn't she looking for them now? It's been so long since they last met, has she forgotten about them?
The group looked at each other and, in unison, went forward to greet them.
"Suti, do you still remember us?" The group thought about how they used to have a pretty good relationship.
Even if she has a bad memory, she can't possibly forget them all, right?
"Long time no see." Suti thought he would see these people again.
Those who can just wander around here are all pampered at home; many of them probably have jobs now.
Even if they don't have jobs, their siblings won't be sent to the countryside.
"Long time no see! We thought you'd forgotten us. When did you get back? Why didn't you come visit us?"
Suti's former "plastic" friends immediately surrounded her enthusiastically.
First, I looked at the watch on Suti's wrist, and then I carefully observed her clothes, from head to toe, even the hair tie on her head.
They could tell that Suti was still very favored at home; it seemed the Guo family hadn't fallen from power.
“After all, I’ve been sent to the countryside, and I’m different from everyone else now.” Looking at these people, Suti could think of his former, thoughtless self.
That was a past she couldn't bear to look at. Now, when she looked at them, she could clearly see the envy and sarcasm in their eyes.
"How is it different? We've always been good friends." It's unclear whether Suti left a deep impression on them or they were just too confident.
He used the same old tactics with Suti and the others, saying sweet words but his eyes were full of contempt.
“Good friends, that’s right. I remember when I was ten years old, my family gave me lucky money during Chinese New Year. Then, as soon as I came here, you guys coaxed me away, saying that we were good friends.”
“When I was twelve, my mom bought me a new pair of leather shoes. You guys said they looked bad on me and coaxed me to take them off.”
"Then you guys discussed selling it; we were good friends back then."
“When I was fifteen, I went to high school and my family bought me a bicycle. Then you guys stole it. When I found out, you even said you helped me find it.”
"I am really grateful to you, but you coaxed me not to tell my family and continued to say that we are good friends."
"Later, when I went to the countryside, you all comforted me, saying that I did the right thing, that it was a good thing, and that you were my good friends and would never harm me."
"Yes, you are indeed my good friends. I am so lucky to have such good friends."
Suti spoke each word exceptionally clearly, so that not only could they hear him, but everyone else gathered there looked over.
"Sutti, it's been so long, why do you still remember it? You were just a kid and didn't know any better. Besides, I was just teasing you back then."
"What do you mean by stealing? You wore your shoes out yourself, and then you took them off because you were afraid of getting scolded when you got home."
"And your bicycle was stolen, and we helped you get it back, but you think we stole it."
"You can't blame it on us. And the rural assignment is a policy from above; who dares to say it's not a good thing?"
The people who have managed to stay here for so many years must have quick reflexes. Even if there are misunderstandings and they feel wronged, they dare not speak up.
“Yes, you’re all right. Didn’t I say we’re good friends?” Suti looked at them with a half-smile.
Suti's straightforward admission only fueled the suspicions of those around him, who began to look at them with even more strange expressions.
"Suti, you've changed so much. Is it because life in the countryside was tough and you were traumatized?"
The women over there were furious when Su Ti exposed their shortcomings. How could she be so awful and ruin their reputation?
"What do you mean by saying that life in the countryside is hard? I did it to build a better life in the countryside. I was following the call of the organization. I feel very honored to be an educated youth."
"How can you say I'm being provoked? You can't think like that. If people didn't know better, they'd think you were dissatisfied with the policies from above."
It's just flattery, Suti skillfully flattered them.
“We didn’t mean that. Don’t always misunderstand us. We were actually quite happy to see each other after so long.”
“But listen to what you’re saying. We really misjudged you. And didn’t you say it was an honor to go to the countryside? Then why are you staying in Shanghai now?”
"What's the point of saying such nice things? Everyone knows each other, so stop being so sarcastic."
Those people could tell that Suti had really changed. They guessed that life in the countryside was tough for him, and now he had become quite unreasonable.
“I thought you would know I was coming here without looking for you, which means I saw through you. You were the ones who came looking for trouble first.”
"In this circle, isn't it true that you come together if you get along and part ways if you don't? You come up here claiming to be my good friends, but do you think I'd accept that?"
"Now you're accusing me of being sarcastic and weird. If you don't come looking for me, I can't find anyone to be sarcastic and weird."
"You guys probably don't understand the principle that 'the one who starts it is the one who's despicable,' otherwise you wouldn't have done something like this. And what business is it of yours why I'm in Shanghai?"
This was the first time Suti spoke without holding back, bluntly confronting people, knowing that everyone has a different way of getting along.
These people are not suited to euphemisms or elaborate schemes; they are better off being straightforward and clear-cut.
She wasn't afraid of them. As they said, these people had grown up together, and everyone knew each other.
"Sutti, you...you've really changed." That was the only sentence they kept repeating.
They dared not curse or cause trouble. They knew Su Ti's identity; they knew they couldn't afford to offend her the first time she came here with her brother.
They couldn't tolerate Su Lin's groups at all; they used to fawn over Su Lin but still tried to find loopholes.
But they could never climb into those people's circles.
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