Chapter 125

Chapter 125: Can’t Be Kind
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Sheng Nian was not sure if he believed his friend. Cao Jun often appeared carefree and enjoyed messing around, but his rough exterior belied an inner subtlety few witnessed. Even his jokes, while funny and endearing, concealed a deeper meaning behind them.
“Who are you calling sister-in-law, and what do you mean by saying you want to gain approval to be a live-in son-in-law?” Sheng Nian changed topics.
Cao Jun gained a bashful look, and he twiddled his thumbs. “This… I took a fancy to Su Xue and asked her out, but she rejected me.”
“Haha…” Sheng Nian laughed coldly.
Only someone as thick-skinned as Cao Jun would admit something embarrassing so openly. Still, he would credit him for keeping it a secret as long as he had. Not once had he heard a peep from the school’s rumor mill, so no one else must know of his failure. No. It was more likely that Su Xue had told him not to spread the word about the incident. Otherwise, with Cao Jun’s personality, he would have broadcast it to the whole school by now.
“Su Xue must dislike you, don’t you think?”
Cao Jun hissed like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. “That’s not true,” he denied, “Why would Su Xue dislike me?”
“You’re rowdy. It would be strange if she didn’t harbor any dislike towards you.”
“How am I rowdy?” Cao Jun smirked, not an ounce of shame marring his confidence. “I’m frank; unlike you, I say whatever is on my mind. Humph!” His harrumph certainly bore a deeper meaning, but Sheng Nian could not figure it out.
Sheng Nian decided he would not argue with Cao Jun.
“What kind of person is my sister-in-law to be? Is she as scary as the rumors
Sheng Nian paused to gather his thoughts. “No,” he began, “She’s different from the rumors… completely different.” “Why do you say so?”
“You’ll know when you meet her for yourself.”
“How can I advance if I don’t know the situation well enough?” “It’d be best if you did not appear before her as you are now.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re dumb!” Sheng Nian glanced at Cao Jun with disdain. “You wouldn’t know what to say or how to act. You’d be so far out of depth that it wouldn’t even be funny.” Su Wen had left a deep impression on Sheng Nian. It was not a bad one, however. Sheng Nian now knew he could return to the city without worry.
No one would dare to bully Fifth Sister with someone like Su Wen supporting her. Since Su Wen was willing to go so far as to deliver a bicycle to her sisters in person, it showed she cared about them and would ensure they could continue their education without trouble.
“But I’m willing to take on her name!”
Sheng Nian choked and almost lost his footing.
“You… Are you saying you’re going to marry into her family? Your parents had you at an advanced age, and you’re their only son. Even if you were willing to marry into her family, how would you convince your parents? Would your father stand by and allow it? Would your sister remain silent?” Sheng Nian could not help but feel that Cao Jun was being delusional.
“Su Xue said…”
“She said that to reject you! Can’t you tell?”
Cao Jun was hopeless!
Su Wen enjoyed the warm summer breeze that tugged at her dress as she rode her bicycle. She was not putting in much effort, yet she covered more than twice the distance in half the time it took to reach the school. It was a little after lunch when she returned to the village. By then, most villagers were either napping the afternoon away or gathered under mulberry trees, chatting amid the constant rustle of leaves.
The topic of their discussion was Sun Dahai and Su Wen’s families.
When she heard Sun Dahai was in so much pain that he could not sleep, Zhu Yueju cursed Su Wen and her daughter-in-law, who had returned to her mother’s house.
“Do you think matters will be resolved peacefully?”
“Of course not!”
“They’re probably in big trouble this time. Su Wen isn’t easy to bully!” An older man smoking on a pipe muttered with narrowed eyes. “I’m almost 80% sure Su Wen was forced into a corner. Why else would she have broken Sun Dahai’s arm?”
“Truer words haven’t been said in a while. Even a dog will lash out if startled or cornered. Sun Yunyun snatched Zhou Hengyang’s letter to Su Wen when she heard a large sum of money was involved. Who would take her actions lying down?”
“I agree. If she isn’t more assertive, she’ll find it impossible to find a son-in-law to bring home..”