Su Hua hesitated for a moment, but decided to tell the truth.
"It's like this, Aunt Chen. I was admitted to the University of Shanghai Normal University. I wanted to tell Dad the good news so that he can be happy too."
After Su Hua finished speaking, there was silence on the other end of the phone for a moment, followed by a perfunctory voice of congratulations: "So that's what I was wondering why you called me so suddenly. Xiaohua, you're amazing! This is the first time I've seen someone close to me get into college. When your father comes back, I'll definitely tell him the news."
Su Hua felt a little uncomfortable with his stepmother's words.
In fact, she didn't expect her stepmother to find a way to ask someone to pass a message to her father Su Kang, but her stepmother didn't even say a polite word. She just perfunctorily said that she would tell Su Kang when he came back, which still made Su Hua feel extremely lost.
Su Hua reluctantly said "hmm", said thank you to his stepmother Aunt Chen, then exchanged a few polite words before hanging up the phone.
After paying the phone bill, Su Hua left the canteen and went to the canteen of the Railway Bureau next door to buy food for Su Changyi, and then returned.
At this time, Su Changyi was already getting impatient. When he saw Su Hua coming back, he couldn't stop complaining: "Why did it take you so long to go out and make a phone call? Look at what time it is now? !! It's been two whole hours. If you don't come back, I almost thought you were kidnapped by human traffickers!"
Su Hua handed the lunch box to Su Changyi and explained with pursed lips: "Dad is out for maintenance and not at work. No one answered the phone when I called, so I waited a little longer."
Su Changyi took the food and opened it while saying, "That's my guess. When I was in Inner Mongolia, I called our dad, and it took several calls before he answered. Most of the time, it was that woman named Chen who answered. When you called the other day, was that woman the one who answered as well?"
Su Hua nodded: "She took it."
"Isn't that girl very good at putting you off? No matter what you say, she'll just agree to it. But in reality, she's just saying yes. No matter what she promises, she won't keep it."
Su Changyi said, "Last year, I contracted brucellosis in Inner Mongolia. I owed the production team 15 yuan for medical treatment. I called western Sichuan, hoping to ask my father for some money to pay off the debt. It was this woman named Chen who answered the phone. She promised me something special and told my father to wire the money to me, but she never said anything. I waited and waited in Inner Mongolia, but the money didn't come. I called again, but my father defended her, saying he was so busy that he'd forgotten and told me not to take it personally."
"When they later sent me money, they only gave me exactly fifteen dollars, no more, no less. They didn't care at all about whether I was healthy after I recovered from my illness or whether I needed nutritional supplements."
At this point, Su Changyi's face was filled with resentment and dissatisfaction. His eyes were bloodshot, and he said angrily, "All Dad cares about now is the wife he'll marry and the daughter she'll give him. He doesn't even care about us siblings. No matter what you ask him for help with, he won't help you. He won't care."
How could Su Hua not know?
The fact that Su Kang left her, who was only twelve years old, in Shanghai to fend for herself speaks volumes.
Su Hua never expected Su Kang to love her, especially when she said quietly, "I know, I don't have anything to ask him for help."
"Then why did you call him?" Su Changyi took a mouthful of rice and said vaguely, "It's not enough to waste phone bills."
Su Hua said slowly: "I called him because I was admitted to university. I think as a father, he has the right to know."
Su Changyi was stunned when he heard this, the chopsticks in his hand hovered in the air, and complicated emotions surged in his heart in an instant.
With a "click", the tofu on the chopsticks fell back into the lunch box, and the sound brought Su Changyi back to his senses.
He came back to his senses, forced a smile, and said, "Xiaohua, you're amazing. It's your responsibility that you were able to get into university. I'm happy for you."
After saying that, he lowered his head and ate some rice, but his eyes were red.
He was jealous of Su Hua, but she was his biological sister. As a brother, he should be happy that his biological sister could be admitted to university. He shouldn't be jealous.
Su Changyi's reaction was not what Su Hua expected.
After not seeing each other for many years, Su Hua still had a deep impression of Su Changyi, as she still bullied her brother when they were children.
She thought that Su Changyi would be unhappy when he heard the news that she was admitted to university.
She was even worried that Su Changyi would hit her because of his complaining and manic behavior after returning to the city.
Therefore, when she came back for the first time, she didn't dare tell him the news, for fear that it would upset him and drive him crazy.
Thinking of this, Su Hua felt a little ashamed.
After so many years, not only has she changed, but Su Changyi has also changed a lot, and he even has more brotherly feelings towards her.
Su Hua looked at him and said softly, "Second brother, don't be discouraged. Failing the college entrance examination is not the end. There are 360 professions, and every profession has its problems. There will always be a way out."
Su Changyi swallowed the food in his mouth and waved his hand, saying, "Xiaohua, don't comfort me. I know my own strengths and weaknesses. In terms of tenacity, I'm not as good as you. But it's not easy for you to get here. You must seize the opportunity in the future."
Su Hua nodded: "I know."
At this time, Su Changyi seemed to remember something. He put down the chopsticks in his hand and placed them on the lunch box. Then he stood up and walked to the bed. He turned the pillow over and took out a torn wallet from the pillow.
He walked over to Su Hua with his wallet, pulled out a wad of crumpled bills, counted out half, and handed it to Su Hua: "Xiao Hua, take these few dollars. Studying definitely costs money. I'm fine. I spent a few years in Inner Mongolia and didn't learn anything. In the first few years, I owed money to the production team every year. In the last few years, I could only save a little every year. Unfortunately, I got sick last year, and that little surplus was gone. This is all I can give you. Don't despise it."
Su Hua shook her head, wanting to refuse, but Su Changyi stuffed the money into her hands and said, "Take it. This is a gift from your brother. Our father doesn't care about us, so we brothers and sisters should take care of each other."
Su Hua clenched the money in his hand, and his voice was choked with sobs: "Thank you, second brother."
"Why thank you? We're siblings, so there's nothing wrong with that." Su Changyi scratched his head. "Actually, I should say sorry. My brother and I were young and ignorant, and we were spoiled by our family. We were full of bad habits, and we took advantage of our parents' indifference to you to bully you all day long. We did a lot of awful things to you. After all these years, I always feel regretful when I think about it. I don't expect you to reconcile with me, but we are blood relatives, siblings after all. If anything goes wrong, we just need to look after each other."
Su Hua sniffed, looked at Su Changyi seriously and said, "Second brother, you're right. Our father doesn't care about us. We brothers and sisters should take care of each other. What happened in the past is in the past. When you grow up, I will still treat you as my brother."
Su Changyi nodded: "Of course. I was ignorant when I was young, but now I'm so old, how can I still be as stupid as before?"
Su Hua nodded: "Hey, second brother, have dinner. I'm going back to work."
"Why are you back to work? Didn't you have a day off yesterday?" Su Changyi asked. "By the way, I was busy eating just now and didn't ask you yet. Have you eaten yet?"
"No." Su Hua shook his head: "But I'll go back to the office to eat. My admission letter was delivered to the vegetable market, and our boss was so happy that he said he would save some meat dishes to cook for me to celebrate."
Su Changyi said, "That will have to be in the evening. It's not even noon yet."
"I had breakfast late this morning, so I'm not very hungry now," said Su Hua.
Su Changyi said, "Okay, whatever you want. You're in good health, and you know what's going on."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
