Chapter 96: Pacified

Chapter 96: Chapter 96: Pacified

After dealing with his overprotective brother-in-law, Lu Zhengchuan took a quick shower and returned to their room to sleep.

Su Wan was already asleep. He went to her side, wrapped an arm around her waist, and closed his eyes. But just as the sky began to lighten at dawn, he was forced to wake up.

The bed was too small. He could only keep half his body on it. Even Lu Zhengchuan, a man accustomed to surviving in harsh conditions, hadn’t rested well.

He glanced at the sky, went to the main room to grab two stools, arranged them simply, and closed his eyes to sleep for another hour.

When Su Wan woke up, she saw two stools next to the bed that hadn’t been put away, with a thin sheet spread over them.

She glanced at the crumpled sheets beside her and instantly understood what had happened.

Supporting her belly, she got out of bed. After getting dressed, she stepped out of the room just in time to see Lu Zhengchuan and Su Jue squatting by the drainage ditch near the entrance, washing up.

Hearing the noise, they both turned around.

"Wanwan, you’re awake?" Su Jue said. "For breakfast, I had Xiao Zhang go buy steamed buns, fried dough sticks, and soy milk. You definitely wouldn’t like the fermented mung bean milk they have here, so I told him not to get any." He had arranged everything thoughtfully, just the way Su Wan liked it.

Su Wan nodded. "Thank you, Third Brother."

"Thank me for what? It’s nothing," Su Jue said with a pout. "We spent so many years in the county town looking after each other, steaming rice and packing pickled vegetables. Are you going to become a stranger just because you’re married?"

His tone made their close bond perfectly clear.

Su Wan laughed at his words. "Alright, Third Brother. I take back my ’thank you’ then."

"That’s more like it." Su Jue’s lips curved up in a satisfied smile.

Lu Zhengchuan, who had been watching from the side, spoke up. "Third Brother, is there anything special you’d like to eat? I can go get it."

"No need. Xiao Zhang already went to buy things, so don’t waste your money. You’re Wanwan’s husband; you don’t need to worry about me. Just take good care of her." Su Jue was clearly drawing a line between them.

’It was understandable, though,’ Su Wan thought. ’After all, he and Lu Zhengchuan had barely spent any time together. There was no reason for them to have a close bond.’

Seeing the atmosphere grow a little awkward, Su Wan took the initiative. "Third Brother, Lu Zhengchuan takes very good care of me. To keep from crowding me last night, he slept on two stools. You can’t pick on him."

Su Jue glanced at Lu Zhengchuan in surprise, apparently not expecting him to be so thoughtful and considerate.

His expression softened with clear satisfaction. "...So that’s why a couple of stools were missing from the main room."

"Alright, you two finish washing up. I’m going to go organize the ledgers."

Lu Zhengchuan walked over to Su Wan and helped her over to wash up, a smile playing on his lips. "Wanwan, you stood up for me."

"You’re my husband. Who else would I stand up for?"

With just that one sentence, Lu Zhengchuan was completely won over.

His steps were still light even after breakfast, as he set off for the military base to meet with his superiors.

Su Wan also had things to do.

"Third Brother, this is a letter Mr. Xu asked me to give you." ’At this point, how could I not realize my good friend has fallen for my brother?’

Su Jue’s brow furrowed slightly upon hearing this. "Wanwan, don’t help deliver her letters anymore."

"Third Brother, do you have no feelings for Mr. Xu?" This was the first time in years Su Wan had seen him react with such aversion. After all, plenty of young women had pursued him back in his school days. Even when he rejected them, he was always able to do so with a pleasant smile.

"Feelings?" Su Jue scoffed. "What feelings could there be? We’re just poor country folk. Mr. Xu is from Shanghai, and her parents are both highly-educated intellectuals. We’re people from two different worlds. If there’s no possibility from the start, why even begin?" He was speaking honestly with Su Wan; he wouldn’t have said this to anyone else.

Su Wan instinctively tried to persuade him. "If you put it that way, doesn’t that mean I’m not good enough for Lu Zhengchuan either?"

"That’s completely different. It’s fine for a man to marry down; it doesn’t cause too many problems as long as the woman is a good person."

"But if a woman marries down, her quality of life gets dragged down endlessly. If the man she marries has limited abilities, he can never improve their circumstances. Why would she give up a perfectly good life to come suffer with me?" Su Jue couldn’t help but let out a derisive snort. "I don’t need anyone to suffer alongside me. If I did that, I’d look down on myself."

"Besides, my only goal is to work hard, make a good living, and be able to provide a good life for the woman I love. If I truly loved her, I’d want to give her something better, not drag her down into the mud with me."

Su Wan fell silent. Her brother’s words had actually convinced her.

"I won’t bring any more letters, Third Brother. But what about this one? What are you going to do with it?" ’If he doesn’t want it,’ Su Wan thought, ’I’ll just mail it back and call Xu Yan to explain everything clearly.’

Su Jue glanced at the letter, then surprisingly reached out and took it. "Since it’s already here, I’ll take it. But don’t let it happen again."

"Alright."

"But... Third Brother, I already gave Xu Yan the address here..." Su Wan admitted.

Su Jue was silent for a moment. "It’s fine. I’ll just make things clear with her myself."

"Okay," Su Wan nodded.

Su Jue changed the subject from Xu Yan. "Wanwan, I’m going to sell that batch of goods you brought. Do you want to come?"

"Yes!"

Su Wan went out with Su Jue.

Zhang Shun and Wei Hong lived in the same alley, and at Su Jue’s call, they pedaled over on their tricycles to help.

The group went to sell their goods at the North Gate Market. It was one of the first planned markets to appear, mostly for selling vegetables and live poultry like chickens, ducks, fish, and geese.

To sell things there, you had to pay a deposit first to get a designated stall. Su Jue had already taken care of these minor details.

The four of them arrived at their stall and immediately laid out the goods unique to the Southwest. Passersby couldn’t help but stop and look.

"Fabric? You’re actually selling fabric? Do you need ration tickets?"

"Nope."

The moment they heard no tickets were needed, the women who were already interested became visibly excited. In those days, everyone wanted fabric, but it was impossible to buy without ration tickets. Naturally, a supply that didn’t require them would cause a frenzy.

"Don’t rush! Everyone, please form a line."

"There’s plenty, no need to rush!"

"I’ll take ten bolts!"

"I want six bolts!"

"Just two bolts for me."

In a single morning, all the fabric was sold out. The food items went just as quickly. Since nothing required ration tickets, selling out was not an issue at all.

"Qiangqiang, what are you doing standing here?" A woman carrying a handbag walked up to Gao Qiang, who was dressed in a white blouse, and curiously followed her gaze.

Gao Qiang’s eyes were filled with scorn. She linked her arm with the woman’s. "Auntie, I just saw an acquaintance. If you’re not busy, mind if I go over and say hello?"

"Of course not, dear. I’m not busy at all. I was just coming out to buy some treats for you anyway," Zhong Liu said with a cheerful laugh.

Gao Qiang hugged her arm, acting cute. "Auntie, I knew you were the best."

As they spoke, Gao Qiang pulled Zhong Liu right up to Su Wan’s stall.

"Su Wan? You’re actually out here selling things? It was bad enough when you were doing it in the military family compound, but now you’re a full-blown private business owner?" Gao Qiang covered her mouth with a snide laugh. "If Battalion Commander Lu’s superiors were to see this, it would be absolutely mortifying for him."