Chapter 103: Betrayed

Chapter 103: Chapter 103: Betrayed

"There are many families of fallen comrades like Aunt Zhao. There are also many elderly people who’ve lost their only child. And some comrades were injured on the battlefield and returned home after being discharged with a disability. Their lives aren’t necessarily easy."

Lu Zhengchuan sighed softly. "My resources are limited. I can only help them one at a time."

Su Wan tapped her chin. "Have you ever considered that the best way to truly help them is to get them jobs at a factory?"

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

"Wanwan, you want to open a factory?" That was Lu Zhengchuan’s first guess. "But the policies for opening a factory aren’t clear yet. I suggest waiting a while before opening one."

"We can’t open a factory, but we can hire people for ordinary work. I heard the yarn factory in the Capital has been putting out some piecework recently for city families without jobs to take on. It’s simple work, just sorting balls of yarn. If you get good at it, you can earn anywhere from a tenth of a yuan to one or two yuan a day. That’s a pretty substantial supplement to a family’s income."

"There’s also the match factory, pasting matchboxes."

"Could you arrange this kind of work for the families of those fallen comrades?" Su Wan knew Lu Zhengchuan was always thinking about the families he had once supported.

She respected him and supported him in helping others within his means.

"I could, but..."

"It’s just that they’re mostly old, weak, sick, or disabled. Even if they take on the work, they might not be able to do it well. If they make mistakes, the factory might not accept the finished products."

"Even if they’re old and not in the best health, there’s no way they can’t do such simple work. I’m not even as good at handiwork as my mom and the others." Su Wan knew this couldn’t be the main reason.

As expected, Lu Zhengchuan paused, not saying a word.

Su Wan waited quietly, giving him time to decide whether or not to tell her.

Gazing at her quiet, gentle face, his hesitation evaporated. He mustered his courage and said, "Actually, it’s because I tried something like this before. But after a while, the person I put in charge really let me down. They started giving more of the work to their own relatives, leaving very little for the comrades’ families. In the end, those families were lucky to earn a cent or two a day."

Su Wan understood. Lu Zhengchuan had been disappointed by people, to the point where he even doubted his own judgment, especially after being betrayed by someone he trusted.

"How about this? When Third Brother gets back, we can ask if he can handle it," Su Wan said, reaching out to take his hand and patting it comfortingly.

Lu Zhengchuan couldn’t resist burying his head in the crook of her neck.

Su Wan reached out and stroked his hair. Its coarse texture tickled her palm, a completely different feeling from her own fine, soft hair.

Her eyes were filled with curiosity and a sense of novelty.

Lu Zhengchuan lifted his head and took her hand away. "You’re not supposed to touch a man’s head."

"...Oh." Su Wan nodded. "So, what about what I just said?"

"Okay."

-

Su Jue didn’t get back until after ten at night. He was travel-worn, his clothes sweat-soaked and then dried, and the strong smell of sweat was impossible to hide.

Su Wan called out to him through the window, "Third Brother, I have something I want to talk to you about."

"Okay, let me take a quick shower first."

Su Wan nodded.

Su Jue took a quick shower, casually towel-dried his hair, and went to see Su Wan.

"Wanwan, Brother-in-law, why aren’t you two asleep yet?" Su Jue asked in surprise.

"I was reading. I took a nap during the day, so I’m not sleepy. I’ll go to sleep after we talk," Su Wan explained.

Su Jue nodded. "Mm, what’s up?"

"It’s like this..." Su Wan explained the situation with the comrades’ families. "Third Brother, would you have time to be in charge of this? It might be a bit of a bother for you."

"Just this little thing? And I can even make some money from it? Are you sure this is a ’bother’?" Hearing there was money to be made, Su Jue was, of course, all for it.

School was about to start, so he couldn’t travel far. He could only take on money-making jobs in the Capital.

"Wait a minute, Wanwan. You could get anyone to do this job. An opportunity like this would make anyone ecstatic. You’re not just trying to find a way to subsidize me, are you?" As he spoke, his gaze on the two of them grew more suspicious. He even shook his head and said, "No, I can’t accept. I can earn my own money. You don’t need to worry about me."

"Third Brother, you’re really overthinking it this time."

Su Wan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

She wanted to explain, but out of respect for Lu Zhengchuan, she looked to him, asking for his opinion. After all, the story of being betrayed by someone close was his private matter.

A warmth bloomed in Lu Zhengchuan’s heart.

He had lost his mother when he was young and had grown up living with his uncle and aunt. Because he was a boy, he had to endure any grievance he felt. If he was seen crying, he would be ridiculed. Not only would kids his age laugh at him, but adults would also tell him that boys shouldn’t cry, that crying was a sign of weakness.

He had been heartbroken by the betrayal of a close, discharged comrade, but he had never told anyone, chalking it up to his own poor judgment of character.

He never once mentioned being heartbroken.

But now, Wanwan was concerned about this small detail for his sake. It was the first time he had ever felt so truly cared for.

Lu Zhengchuan couldn’t help but pull Su Wan into his arms, his posture toward her becoming even more intimate.

"Go ahead and tell him."

Su Jue was happy to see the two of them so close. Although he didn’t understand what had moved Lu Zhengchuan, he didn’t pry, simply waiting for Su Wan’s explanation.

So, Su Wan told him about how Lu Zhengchuan had tried to organize this kind of work before, only to be betrayed.

"Third Brother, Zheng Chuan doesn’t trust outsiders right now, so I thought of you and recommended you to him. If you don’t want to do it, I’ll find someone else."

"So that’s how it is. In that case, I’ll do it." Su Jue hadn’t expected that Lu Zhengchuan had been betrayed before. Though he was sympathetic, men rarely exchanged comforting words with each other. He just reached out and patted Lu Zhengchuan’s shoulder.

"Brother-in-law, even brothers must keep clear accounts. I’ll show you the ledgers every month, so you know exactly where things stand."

"Even though we’re brothers and on good terms now, I can’t guarantee the future. So, you should manage what you need to manage. Don’t worry about hurting our relationship."

Lu Zhengchuan nodded, knowing his third brother was trying to reassure him.

Because of this, Su Jue went with Lu Zhengchuan early the next morning to meet and get in touch with the families of the comrades.

Su Wan had stayed up too late reading the previous night, so it was already nine in the morning when she got up.

"Wanwan, you’re up? Come and wash up. What do you want for breakfast? I’ll get it ready." Aunt Zhao, who was washing clothes in the courtyard, stood up the moment she heard Su Wan’s voice.

Su Wan nodded. As she walked over to wash her face, she saw that the basin Aunt Zhao was using contained Su Jue’s clothes and Lu Zhengchuan’s military uniform.

As for her white dress, it was already drying on the clothesline in the courtyard.

She could even smell the laundry powder in the air.

"Aunt Zhao, you’ve been busy since early this morning? I can just go out and buy some soft tofu pudding and steamed buns. You should rest after you finish the laundry."

Aunt Zhao came out of the kitchen with a smile.

"Wanwan, there’s no need for that. I can make steamed buns, and I know how to make soft tofu pudding too." And indeed, Aunt Zhao was holding a bowl of it.

"Last night you said you wanted soft tofu pudding and steamed buns, so I made them this morning. Battalion Commander Lu and that boy Su Jue also ate before they left."

"Wanwan, come and try it. Tell me how it tastes."