Chapter 18

Zhou Qiang is the Old Youth here. He originally thought Su Ruo was thin and small, and having just come down to the countryside, he assumed that saying a couple of sentences would scare her, but he didn't expect Su Ruo to be so tough.

Although he was angry inside, he also didn't want to make a big deal out of it, after all, if this got out, they would be in the wrong.

Zhou Qiang blustered: "Don't put on airs, who forced you? You can sell this house if you want, or not sell it if you don't; no need to scare people with these words."

Li Shiru cursed Zhou Qiang in her heart: coward, but she also knew the house was doomed not to be bought, so she said with red-rimmed eyes: "Su Zhiqing, I just wanted to discuss this with you, I had no intention of forcing you; if you don't want to sell the house, forget it, don't take it out on others."

Then she burst into tears and ran off, as if Su Ruo were some unforgivable villain and she had suffered a tremendous injustice.

Seeing this, others looked at Su Ruo and also turned unfriendly, thinking she was simply too unfeeling.

Su Ruo ignored them, simply shut the door, and she would never again wrong herself because of others' opinions in this lifetime.

In the evening, Wu Qingqing, the female head of the Zhiqing Dian, came to call Su Ruo for dinner.

Wu Qingqing said: "We Old Youth want to give the New Youth a welcome dinner tonight, eat together and get acquainted."

Recalling her previous life, Su Ruo directly refused this unpleasant meal and told Wu Qingqing that from now on she would cook for herself.

Seeing Su Ruo refuse so bluntly, Wu Qingqing felt a bit uncomfortable but saw that Su Ruo was not easy to get along with, so she said nothing and turned to leave.

After tidying her room, to treat herself, Su Ruo specially made egg noodles, enjoyed with meat buns.

Su Ruo thought that if she could also fry some meat sauce it would be even better; with that thought she decided that, if the chance arose, she would definitely buy some meat—in this life she might miss out on anything else, but she would not shortchange her own appetite.

Su Ruo ate with relish, but the atmosphere at the Zhiqing Dian was not good.

The Old Youth said they were giving the New Youth a welcome meal, but what they prepared was not good: a few mixed-grain steamed buns, a large plate of scallions with only a few scattered egg bits, a plate of pickles, a plate of boiled cabbage—just barely an improvement in diet.

Moreover, the Old Youth all stared expectantly at the New Youth, hinting openly and covertly for them to bring out something.

In the end, having no choice, Li Zeyu reluctantly took out his last box of ham, and Xu Hao and Liu Zheng also produced half a roasted duck and a canned food bottle.

Chen Wei's family circumstances were poor; seeing everyone else produce something, she had no choice but, blushing, to take out a jar of pickled cucumbers from her bag, and as expected, she drew the Old Youth's contemptuous looks.

Although Chen Wei was thick-skinned, she also felt her face burning hot at that moment.

In her previous life, it was Su Ruo who bore those contemptuous glances, because Chen Wei at least produced a bottle of pickled cucumbers, whereas Su Ruo in her past life had brought out nothing.

It wasn't that Su Ruo didn't want to bring something; she had brought nothing when she went down to the countryside, so she couldn't produce anything.

Because of this, several Old Youth mocked Su Ruo as a freeloader; at that time Su Ruo was sensitive and insecure, and though she didn't dare retort, she blushed, lowered her head, wishing she could bury it under the table.

Precisely because of that unpleasant memory, when Wu Qingqing came again to invite her to eat, Su Ruo refused without a second thought, not wanting to take advantage of others nor be taken advantage of.

Isn't eating by herself enjoyable? Why go over just to invite trouble?

Seeing what Li Zeyu and the others had produced, a group of Old Youth instantly beamed with delight, after all they hadn't had meat in a long time.

When a few people heard Wu Qingqing say Su Ruo wouldn't come, they had no reaction, after all having one fewer person meant less competition for the meat.

During the meal, the Old Youth all wolfed down their food, picking only the meat dishes, as if afraid someone else would snatch it from them.

Li Zeyu and the others, who had just come down to the countryside and hadn't yet endured hardship, lost their appetite at the sight.

Li Shiru, upset over the house matter, ate a few bites of vegetables and then put down her chopsticks.

Chen Wei also wanted to eat meat, but recalling the Old Youth's look earlier, she dared not take any; each with their own thoughts, they finished the meal and returned to their rooms to rest.

Su Ruo also felt tired and wanted to go to bed, but after several days on the train and today trudging half a day under the blazing sun, she felt she had a smell all over.

So she insisted on boiling a pot of hot water, took a nice bath, and then went to bed.

Su Ruo lay in bed, covered with her newly made bedding, feeling all her pores relax—it was extremely comfortable.

Meanwhile, in the neighboring room, Li Shiru lying on the earthen kang felt utterly uncomfortable; four people shared the small kang, making it hard for her to turn over.

The room also had teeth-grinding and snoring, and the air was filled with a foul, unpleasant odor; all of this made her feel very miserable.

At that moment, Li Shiru could no longer hold back, she burst into tears; tears fell drop by drop, soon soaking her pillow. Thinking that she would have to endure such days every day, Li Shiru felt despair, and her resentment toward Su Ruo grew ever stronger.

Su Ruo slept exceptionally well until she was startled awake by a thunderous clap of thunder.

Su Ruo got up and looked out the window to see a raging storm outside, branches blown wildly, thunder mingling with lightning, making the sky flicker between light and dark, truly somewhat frightening.

Even having been reborn, Su Ruo couldn't help but feel alarmed at the sight.

As the rain fell, the temperature dropped sharply; a cold wind made Su Ruo shiver, she hurried back to her warm blankets, pulled them tighter, and instantly felt comfortable, and moreover felt she had foresight,

In this life, she finally didn't have to, as in her previous life, sleep under a soaked blanket and freeze until she fell ill.

Not knowing how long had passed, just as Su Ruo was drifting off to sleep, she was again awakened by urgent knocking: "Su Ruo, Su Ruo… open the door quickly!"

Su Ruo, disturbed in her sleep and in a foul mood, opened the door with some displeasure, seeing Li Shiru and Chen Wei outside, drenched to the skin, and furrowed her brows asking: "What's up?"

Li Shiru looked at her own miserable state, then at the obviously just-awakened Su Ruo, unharmed; her resentment instantly peaked: "Why am I so miserable while Su Ruo gets to sleep comfortably in her room!"

This house should have been hers, and she should be the one enjoying all this!

But Li Shiru still had to suppress her anger and said: "Our room is leaking; can we come to your room to shelter from the rain?"

Su Ruo knew Li Shiru was up to something again; her expression also turned cold, and she just stared at Li Shiru without speaking.

Li Shiru, seeing this, didn't mind and continued to act fragile: "Su Ruo, our room really is leaking badly; I really have no choice, so I came to beg you. Considering we both came down to the countryside together, could you take us in for the night? I ask for little—just give us a place to keep out the rain."

Li Shiru came today with the deliberate intention of disgusting Su Ruo; if Su Ruo took them in, she could then move into Su Ruo's room.

If Su Ruo refused, she would surely earn a reputation for being stingy and unfeeling.

If Su Ruo's earlier refusal could still be excused, then in this dire situation, if she still refused, the word would spread and she would surely be drowned in people's spit.

Li Shiru well knew how important reputation is for a woman in the countryside; that's why she deliberately braved the rain to make this trip, anyway she would not lose out either way.

Li Shiru even thought viciously: if she couldn't have a good time, then Su Ruo shouldn't expect to either.

(End of chapter)