Chapter 110: Who to Choose?

Chapter 110: Chapter 110: Who to Choose?

Father Su glanced at his wife. Seeing she had no intention of speaking, and feeling quite tired himself, he simply lowered his head and dug into his food.

The atmosphere at home was fairly harmonious, no different from usual.

Mother Su was the first to finish eating. She glanced at Second Su, who was picking chili peppers out of his wife’s bowl, and then at Eldest Su, who was getting thoroughly exasperated while supervising his two boisterous children.

Mother Su was quite satisfied with both of her daughters-in-law.

They didn’t bicker, and the relationship between the sisters-in-law was quite close.

"...I have something to announce today." Mother Su set down her bowl and chopsticks. Father Su immediately took them and placed them on the dining table, ready to wash them later.

In the Su family, each small family unit washed their own dishes. Even the two young grandchildren knew how to do chores.

"Mom, what is it?" Eldest Su asked casually while lecturing his daughter. "Qianqian, don’t pick out the garlic shoots. They’re good for you. We rarely get to eat them as it is, and now that we finally have some, you want to throw them away?"

"But Daddy, they don’t taste good," Su Qian whined, hugging her father’s arm.

Eldest Su was unmoved. "They’re good for your body. Just eat them this once..."

"My little brother isn’t eating them either."

Su An was just about to toss his garlic shoots when his sister sold him out. His little lips puckered, and he looked like he was about to burst into tears from indignation.

Mother Su ignored their squabbling and continued, "Wanwan called this morning. She told me something, and I want to discuss it with all of you."

"What? Wanwan called?"

"How is Wanwan doing in the Capital?"

Eldest Su and his wife, along with Second Su and his, who had been preoccupied until now, all looked up and chimed in with rapid-fire questions.

"She’s doing great. Are you two still worried she can’t make a good life for herself?" Mother Su looked at her two sons with disdain. "Wanwan is much more capable than her two older brothers."

"Mom, even if Wanwan is successful, she’s still our little sister. I’m happy for her." Eldest Su wasn’t the least bit upset by the scolding. He was easygoing about everything and didn’t get fixated on things; as long as the family was doing well, that was all that mattered.

Second Su nodded in agreement. "That’s right, Mom. We’re just asking so we can stop worrying."

Second Su’s temperament was a bit more gentle and considerate.

"Alright, alright. I know you all worry about Wanwan, and she worries about you too." Although Mother Su didn’t say it out loud, she was happy to see her children get along so well.

She didn’t beat around the bush and announced the news.

"Wanwan said she has a job opportunity available. It’s to be a truck driver at the clam factory in the city."

"You two discuss it and see who should go."

"A truck driver?"

Eldest Su was astonished. "Wanwan is that capable? She managed to find an ’iron rice bowl’ job in the city, and such a good one at that!"

At that time, the universally acknowledged good jobs were driver, salesperson, and film projectionist.

These were jobs that even city folk were extremely envious of. For such an opportunity to suddenly fall into their laps, both brothers felt like they were dreaming.

Second Su pinched his own cheek. "Am I dreaming?"

Second Sister-in-law Su reached out and pinched his waist, making Second Su grimace in pain.

Second Sister-in-law Su smiled. "Does it hurt?"

"It hurts!" Second Su nodded dumbly.

"If it hurts, then it must be real."

Mother Su looked at her two sons and tapped her hand on the table. "Have you decided? Who is going?"

"Mom, it wouldn’t be fair no matter which of us goes." Eldest Su scratched his head and spoke bluntly. "Whether it’s me or Second Bro, we both have our own families and we’re both short on cash. Neither of us wants to give up such a great job."

"Besides, our households were split long ago. Apart from the money we give you and Dad for filial piety, our wages don’t go into a shared family pot."

"So this job is a massive fortune for us. It’d be impossible to say I’m not tempted."

It was because his older brother was so straightforward that the two of them had such a good relationship.

He nodded along. "Mom, to be honest, I definitely want the job too. You can see my wife is about to have a baby, and I want her to recover well after giving birth. With just the income from the fields, we don’t make much in a year."

"But..."

Second Su paused, then changed his tone. "This job is from Wanwan. I definitely can’t make things difficult for her. So, Mom, you decide. Whoever you say goes, goes."

"Eldest Sister-in-law Su, Second Sister-in-law Su, you want me to decide too?" Mother Su raised an eyebrow.

Although Eldest Sister-in-law Su and Second Sister-in-law Su had their own selfish wishes, they had lived together harmoniously for so long that their first thought wasn’t about eliminating the competition, but rather seeing who would win the prize.

That’s right.

It was like winning the lottery.

Such a good job.

In truth, no matter who got it, it was a huge win for the Old Su Family.

"Fine. Since you all trust me, I won’t let you down," Mother Su said. "I’ve decided to have you both learn to drive. Whoever learns faster and can pass the test for a provisional driver’s license gets the job."

This was something Mother Su had already considered. She didn’t want to show favoritism to either of her sons, so this was the only way to convince both sides and avoid a bitter fight between brothers.

Eldest Su nodded. "Mom, that’s a good idea. Second Bro, what do you think?"

All Second Su wanted was a fair chance to compete. Hearing this, he nodded gently. "Okay, Big Bro. I’ll work hard and won’t go easy on you."

"Hahaha, we both have to work hard. This opportunity to learn to drive is rare. Even if one of us doesn’t get the job, learning to drive means we could operate a tractor in the village. A learned skill will always be useful." Eldest Su was quite philosophical about it.

He believed that what is fated to be will be, and one shouldn’t force what isn’t.

Second Su, on the other hand, was used to giving everything his all, so he wouldn’t let himself or his wife and child down.

"Good, then it’s settled."

"However, I hope that whoever gets this job in the end will be grateful to your little sister. Even if something goes wrong with the job later, you cannot blame her. This is all your own choice."

"A person must take responsibility for their own choices." Mother Su’s expression was stern. Her words seemed directed at the two brothers, but they were also meant for her two daughters-in-law.

Her sons were her own, and she could manage them. Her daughters-in-law were not. As long as they didn’t cause her trouble, she wouldn’t interfere in their lives.

They were all adults. It was time to learn to be grown-ups.

"Mom, don’t worry! We don’t have enough time to thank Wanwan, how could we possibly complain?" Second Su said anxiously.

"Exactly. If I complained about something this good, you wouldn’t have to say anything—I’d slap myself first," Eldest Su said with a laugh.

Seeing that the two brothers could still laugh, Mother Su felt relieved.

"Alright, I’ll reply to Wanwan. You two figure out how to find a driver’s manual and start studying."

「Back with Su Wan.」

For lunch, she ate the meal Aunt Zhao had prepared before leaving in the morning: hot and sour shredded potatoes, salt-fried pork, and freshly steamed rice that was ready to eat as soon as it was done.

She figured she would eat lunch and then continue studying in the afternoon.

She would also look into the matter she’d promised He Rong.

This "research" kept Su Wan at her desk for nearly three hours. When she finally came to her senses, a sharp pain suddenly shot through her lower back and abdomen.