Volume One, Chapter Fourteen: Strong and Powerful Arms

“Thank you, Brother Gu…”

Song Niannian’s heart pounded like a drum as she caught the scent of soap pods on Gu Hanxiao’s handkerchief, her eyes shimmering with admiration.

Gu Hanxiao noticed her feelings but, unwilling to entangle himself in emotional debts, replied coldly, “No need. I would help anyone in that situation.”

“...”

However, to Su Nuan’s ears, those words took on a different meaning.

She admitted that Gu Hanxiao was mature and had a broad perspective, always willing to help those in difficulty equally. But a handkerchief was a personal item, even carrying a hint of intimacy. Giving it to a girl meant something, and Su Nuan was sure Gu Hanxiao knew that well.

Moreover, when she had been coughing up blood before, Gu Hanxiao hadn’t offered a handkerchief, which was enough for Su Nuan to understand that, to him, only Song Niannian was special.

Su Nuan was also almost certain that Gu Hanxiao disliked her not because he saw her as a hypocritical gold digger trying to cling to power, but because he liked Song Niannian. He feared that if he gained influence in the Gu family, he might bully Song Niannian, which was why he repeatedly warned Su Nuan.

Unfortunately, Gu Hanxiao didn’t know that Song Niannian was nothing like her quiet and timid appearance. Like her mother, Feng Lan, she was ambitious and ruthless in pursuit of her goals. The very act Song Niannian was now performing in front of the Gu family—a self-victimizing act—was a well-rehearsed tactic she and Feng Lan had used to win favor in the Su family.

In her previous life, Su Nuan had helped the wicked, not only hurting her mother but also ruining her own reputation. Now, reborn, she would never let Song Niannian succeed again.

Ha, pretending to be a fragile victim? What a common act!

With this thought, Su Nuan wiped away tears from the corner of her eye and deliberately spoke with feigned misery, “Niannian, please don’t be like this. I know it’s not your fault, and I have never blamed you. I only blame myself for being weak. You are better and more ambitious than I am, so Dad gave you my school spot and my monthly quota as an extra subsidy. I have nothing to say.”

In the 1970s, resources were scarce, and everything was rationed, especially in backward places like the garrison town. The Gu family didn’t need to ask to know how miserable Su Nuan’s life must have been without her ration.

As soon as Su Nuan’s words were spoken, the Gu family’s gaze toward Song Niannian shifted to one of contempt and anger.

Song Niannian was even more upset because Su Nuan’s words were undeniable truths she couldn’t refute; she could only lower her head and admit guilt.

This also indirectly confirmed that Su Nuan was telling the truth.

For a moment, the Gu family’s hearts softened toward Su Nuan even more. Even Gu Hanxiao, usually cold-faced, showed a flicker of sympathy.

Zhang Ping and Gu Jinghuai hadn’t endured much hardship and perhaps couldn’t fully empathize with Su Nuan, but Gu Hanxiao and Grandmother Gu had experienced life with insufficient rations, scraping bark in summer and wearing urea bags in winter.

Especially Grandmother Gu, as the family matriarch, she would rather starve herself than let the younger generation go hungry. She couldn’t understand Su Xunan’s favoritism and was even angry about it.

Gu Jinghuai, like a worm in her gut, accurately criticized, “Why only cut Su Nuan’s ration? Isn’t your father just being generous with other people’s resources? Why doesn’t he give up his own share?”

“Exactly, children need proper nutrition to grow. How can you treat them unequally? Su Xunan is really unreasonable,” Zhang Ping said disdainfully, loosening her grip on Song Niannian’s hand.

“...”

Just moments ago, Song Niannian was still basking in the Gu family’s doting care, but all of that vanished in smoke because of Su Nuan’s words. She never imagined that even after self-harm, she still couldn’t defeat Su Nuan!

The more Song Niannian thought about it, the more frustrated she became. In her anger, she spat a mouthful of blood and fainted with her eyes rolling back.

Grandmother Gu hurriedly asked Gu Hanxiao to carry her to the hospital, but Gu Hanxiao refused, citing his own discomfort.

This surprised Su Nuan greatly.

In the end, Gu Jinghuai, reluctantly, carried Song Niannian to the city hospital to handle the matter. Fortunately, the blood was due to suffocation, and once expelled, there was no threat to her life. However, the facial injuries would take at least a month to heal fully.

This made Song Niannian, already insecure about her looks, feel worse than dead. She feared humiliation and worried that Gu Hanxiao would find her ugly, so after returning from the hospital, she hid away most days, rarely stepping outside unless necessary.

In contrast, Su Nuan went out frequently.

Unlike Song Niannian’s desperate desire to finish high school, Su Nuan declined Grandmother Gu’s offer to find her a school spot that day. Although she knew the national college entrance exam would be reinstated in two years, allowing her to maximize her chances by attending high school then, she had a photographic memory and could quickly grasp concepts. Self-study was far more efficient than sitting in class memorizing.

Therefore, Su Nuan planned to spend the next two years self-studying while working to earn money. By then, she would be well-prepared for the exam and financially capable of lifting her mother out of poverty in Pengcheng. The thought of buying several large villas in the special economic zone in the future made her beam with joy.

Su Nuan was a woman of action: once she planned her future, she immediately took steps. She asked Grandmother Gu to use her connections to arrange a temporary job for her in the school library. This allowed her to review past entrance exam papers and exercises, as well as access books on sewing and fashion design.

She loved dressing up and sewing, so during the day she studied the fashion styles of Pengcheng and the Greater Bay Area in the library, and at night she borrowed Grandmother Gu’s sewing machine to alter the ill-fitting clothes she had brought with her over the years.

Pengcheng bordered the Greater Bay Area, and the local fashion was influenced accordingly. Floral shirts, plaid dresses, and stylish leather jackets had become staples for local women. Even Zhang Ping, in her forties, owned several floral dresses in her wardrobe.

For Su Nuan, who had been criticized for wearing even the simplest polyester clothes in the garrison town, Pengcheng was truly a paradise for women seeking freedom and beauty!

Excited, Su Nuan stayed up all night altering the clothes she brought.

Pleated skirts with cinched waists, stand-up collar shirts adorned with flowers, even improved versions of Mary Jane shoes… Zhang Ping was dazzled by her handiwork. Envious of Su Nuan’s skills, she wanted to have a dress made for herself, so she took the initiative to invite Su Nuan to the movies on the weekend.

Maintaining good relations with the Gu family was all benefit and no harm, so Su Nuan gladly accepted.

This made Song Niannian furious with jealousy. In her rage, she accidentally snapped off a budding rose in the flower bed.

Su Nuan caught sight of it, opened the window, and kindly reminded, “Niannian, that’s a flower Grandmother Gu worked hard to cultivate.”

“?!”

Only after Su Nuan’s reminder did Song Niannian realize her grave mistake.

The flowers were grown by Grandmother Gu as a gift for Gu Hanxiao’s deceased parents, meant to be placed on their graves. Destroying such things was not only disrespectful but could bring bad luck.

She was already upset enough, but Su Nuan seemed to pour salt on her wound, saying, “Ah, Niannian, could it be that you’re upset because Aunt Zhang isn’t taking you to the movies? You can’t blame Aunt Zhang, though. After all, you said… your appearance would scare passersby.”

“.....”

Seeing Su Nuan wink smugly, Song Niannian’s chest heaved with anger as she snorted and said, “Ha, that’s true. But no matter how scary I am, I’m nothing compared to Su Nuan’s destructive power over men. I hear there are always hooligans at the Pengcheng cinema. Su Nuan, be careful. After all… Gu brother can’t always appear in time to protect your purity.”

Su Nuan’s expression darkened. “As long as certain people don’t play dirty tricks, I’ll be perfectly safe. At the same time, I advise some people not to get too cheeky, or… I’ll make sure they learn what death really means!”

Though Su Nuan usually smiled charmingly, her facial features were more angular than most women’s, and when her face turned serious and cold, it was imposing.

Song Niannian was startled, stepping back several paces. “Su Nuan, what are you saying… talking about death and stuff, it’s scary.”

“What really happened on the train, I believe you know well enough,” Su Nuan said coldly. Then, seeing someone approaching, she immediately softened her gaze, turned around, and flashed a sweet smile.

“Aunt Zhang, I’m ready. Let’s go.”

Grinning, Su Nuan linked arms with Zhang Ping and playfully squeezed her fingers while swinging her hand. But the next moment, she suddenly sensed something was off.

Zhang Ping’s arm wasn’t as strong or sturdy as she remembered, nor were her fingertips calloused.

So this person was…?