Chapter 25: Doubts

Weian paid no mind to Xie Hongfei, who stood there looking utterly dejected; she was busy at the post office, sending packages to Su Yuning and Su Xining.

Speaking of sending packages, one must mention the four wooden crates she had salvaged from Jiang Huairen’s small courtyard. Because Su Yuping had been sharing a room with her for the past few days, she hadn't dared to organize her spatial storage in the middle of the night, only managing to do so yesterday after Su Yuping had returned home.

Of the four crates, the two larger ones were filled with antiques, calligraphy, and paintings. Ceramics and jade pieces made up the bulk of the collection, occupying nearly two-thirds of the space. The remaining third was split between the "four treasures of the study" and various scrolls. Weian, lacking expertise in such items, set them aside for now, intending to liquidate them in a few years to invest in property in the capital or Shanghai.

The two smaller rosewood crates were her primary focus, as they were packed with gold, silver, and jewelry. One crate, in particular, was filled with heavy gold bars—both large and small—totaling over two hundred pieces, a sight that made her eyes practically sparkle with greed. The other crate contained exquisite gold and silver ornaments, though her personal favorites were two ice-jade bracelets. She had to exert tremendous self-control to keep from putting them on right then and there.

But that is a digression.

The items she sent to Su Yuning and her younger brother were two unmarked military coats she had retrieved from her storage, along with handmade cotton-padded jackets and trousers. Aside from these, she tucked five yuan into each of the two envelopes, telling them it was from her salary and urging them to eat well and not be stingy with their spending. She also informed them that she had started working and was making inquiries about job opportunities, promising to notify them the moment she heard anything.

As for how they would react to the letter, or whether they would return once they had jobs, Weian didn't bother to speculate. She believed that if the opportunity to return presented itself, the siblings wouldn't be foolish enough to refuse.

...

On the day before their trip to the Kuang family in Fucheng, Weian finally produced a speech draft that satisfied Li Kunshan. She had finally grasped what he was looking for: two words—authenticity. A kind of authenticity devoid of any flowery rhetoric. As for the previous drafts that hadn't passed muster... well, the less said about those, the better.

However, a new idea had taken root in Weian's mind, which she planned to implement after returning from the Kuang family. She had a slightly mischievous streak; she wanted to see the look of utter shock on Li Kunshan’s face.

"Two boxes of powdered milk, a box of chocolate, and cigarettes. Even though old Mr. Kuang is no longer with us, his eldest son is a heavy smoker. Bring this liquor, too; I remember old Ms. Liang always had a good tolerance, and I’d like to have a drink with her," Qu Xiurong said, neatly packing the gifts one by one. She wouldn't even let Weian sneak an apple out of her storage to add to the pile; she and Su Yuping had decided on the contents with just a few words between them.

"Third one, don't forget your umbrella. And Haibo, don't you dare fall asleep on the bus," Su Yuping nagged incessantly. Du Haibo agreed to everything with good humor, while Weian laughed, "Sister, I bet the little one in your belly is going to be a real worrier."

Su Yuping was having none of it. "Are you saying I nag too much? Fine, fine, I won't worry about your business anymore. Mom, let her go by herself. And Haibo, you go ahead and drive your truck."

Weian immediately begged for mercy, grabbing her arm and shaking it. "Oh, my wonderful second sister, I misspoke. Please, spare me this once. I promise I’ll never say my nephew is like you again."

"Su Weian!" Su Yuping cried out in frustration. "You stand right there! If you have any guts, don't run!"

Weian dashed to the door, sticking her tongue out at Su Yuping. She was a girl, after all—where would she get "guts"?

"You two take good care of yourselves at home. Haibo, Weian, and I will be back in two or three days," Qu Xiurong said, handing the luggage to Du Haibo. She was still a bit uneasy, mostly because Su Yuping was eight months pregnant and still insisting on going to work.

Su Yuping gave her mother a carefree push. "Go, go! Dad and I can finally have two days of peace and quiet." She was actually planning to send some things to her elder sister and second brother as soon as they left; with her mother and sister around, she was worried they might start asking too many prying questions.

Without further delay, the three of them caught the first morning bus to Fucheng. At this rate, they would arrive by around nine in the morning.

"Mom, could you tell me more about the Kuang family or Auntie Liang?"

Weian's memories of the Kuang family were stuck in the time from over a decade ago, before Liang Suhua had left the provincial capital with her children. She remembered that the Kuang family used to live just a street away, and she recalled that for a long time during her childhood, she had been a little tagalong for Kuang Yunxiao and his younger brother. But the rest of the memories had faded, especially those concerning Kuang Yunxiao.

Oh, that’s right—Xie Hongfei used to love trailing after the Kuang brothers, too. The Xie family had moved into the neighborhood later, and because Xie Hongfei was timid, he often became a target for the other boys. Kuang Yunxiao, who wasn't afraid of anything, would always step in to defend him. Later, when Liang Suhua moved away with her children, Weian had been fine—she was charming and always willing to share her snacks, so she remained the popular little girl she had always been. But Xie Hongfei had retreated back into the state of being bullied until he could only cry.

Yes, that was around the time Ye Aihua became her inseparable best friend, and it was through her that Ye Aihua and Xie Hongfei had gradually become acquainted. That lasted until the three of them went to school together, from primary through high school.

"After your Auntie Liang moved to Fucheng, she continued working at the Armed Forces Department." Although it was mid-September, the bus—lacking air conditioning and packed with passengers—was stuffy. Qu Xiurong wiped the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief and, under the guise of wiping her nose, took a deep, discreet breath before continuing in a low voice.

"Your Auntie Liang has three sons. The eldest works at the Fucheng Daily, the second is Kuang Yunxiao, and the third is two years older than you—a posthumous child of your Auntie Liang and Uncle Kuang."

"Earlier, your Auntie Liang had also given birth to a daughter, but she didn't survive. That’s why she was always so envious of me having three daughters; she told me more than once that she wanted me to 'spare' her one."

At this, a smile appeared on Qu Xiurong’s face. "And it seems she got her wish. Our family actually ended up giving her one of our daughters."

Weian grimaced. "You and Dad were certainly generous. But why couldn't it have been my eldest or second sister? Why me? I’m seven years younger than Kuang Yunxiao!"

If they were talking about age, wouldn't Su Yuning, who was the same age as Kuang Yunxiao, or Su Yuping, who was only four years his junior, have been a better fit? Weian was truly puzzled as to why she was the one betrothed to him.