After celebrating the second day of the Lunar New Year with the Pan Family and eating steaming hot dumplings, Su Qing gathered the various holiday treats Fu Yuzhen had prepared—fried dough twists, fried atballs, sticky bean buns, and more—and got ready to head back to Lihua Village.
"Su Qing!" The path from the Pan Family’s workers’ dormitory back to Lihua Village passed by the supply and marketing co-op. Su Qing had just gotten close to it when a pleasantly surprised voice suddenly called out nearby.
Su Qing turned to look and couldn’t help but frown.
The person was none other than Wu Tao, her cousin Su i’s boyfriend.
The mont Wu Tao saw Su Qing, he felt a tickle of excitent. He hurried forward a few steps and said with a wide grin, "Well, look at you! I never expected to run into you today."
He hadn’t seen Su Qing since she had taught Su i a lesson at the state-run restaurant, but he couldn’t get her out of his mind. Lately, he often dread of her beautiful eyes. In those dreams, her eyes would be full of laughter as they looked at him, and it made Wu Tao completely smitten.
He knew Su Qing lived in Lihua Village and had thought about going there to find her. However, for one thing, they weren’t even friends. For another, he vividly rembered how Su Qing had handled Su i last ti and was afraid he’d get the sa treatnt if he showed up.
He’d also heard that the people of Lihua Village were a tight-knit bunch. What if they misunderstood his intentions and gave him a beating? Besides, he was still dating Su i. He hadn’t grown tired of her yet, so he had to be sowhat discreet to avoid suspicion. So, Wu Tao never went to Lihua Village, just hoping he might one day have a chance encounter with Su Qing.
And now, unbelievably, he’d actually run into her during the New Year holiday.
Wu Tao excitedly rushed up to Su Qing, flashing her a brilliant smile.
Su Qing gave Wu Tao a cool look. "I don’t know you. Please move."
Seeing how cold she was, Wu Tao quickly said, "Su Qing, co on. We’ve t a few tis, and I’m your cousin’s boyfriend. You can’t say we don’t know each other."
"But I *don’t* know you," Su Qing said, raising an eyebrow. "Now, please get out of my way, or I won’t be so polite."
"Su Qing, look, we’re practically family. We should be open with each other, right?" Wu Tao had finally gotten Su Qing alone, without Su i playing the third wheel. He was determined to make a good impression so he might have a chance with her later. He quickly put on a smile and said, "What Su i did last ti was wrong. And even though we’re not married yet, I’m basically your future brother-in-law. There’s no grudge that sisters can’t get over. How about I treat you to a al today? Consider it an apology on Su i’s behalf. What do you say?"
Wu Tao upped the ante. "My parents both work at the textile factory and have so influence there. We’re going to be relatives, after all. If you want, I can have them get you a job at the factory. You could beco a worker here in the county town."
Sothing about Wu Tao’s smile and his words made Su Qing feel he had ill intentions. She pressed her lips together, ready to kick him, when a gentle young man’s voice called out from a short distance away, "Su Qing."
Su Qing turned her head. It was An Zhihan.
An Zhihan was in a wheelchair, being pushed by A Feng. Standing beside them were the two old won she had helped the other day.
"An Zhihan, are you out for a stroll?" Su Qing had a good impression of An Zhihan. Despite his disability, he had a calm disposition. He had been very kind to her when they last t, even telling Fang Lutian to give her a high price for her ginseng.
"I am." An Zhihan gestured for A Feng to push him over to Su Qing’s side. He glanced at Wu Tao, then asked her, "Is there a problem?"
"Just a small nuisance. I was about to take care of it. One kick is all it would take." In Su Qing’s eyes, Wu Tao was utterly insignificant. If An Zhihan hadn’t called out to her, she would have already sent him flying with a kick.
Hearing this, Wu Tao’s chest tightened. ’So I’m just a ’nuisance’ in her eyes! Is she really planning to kick ? And who is this guy?’
Wu Tao didn’t take her threat seriously. ’A girl like her wouldn’t dare kick soone in public,’ he thought. ’And besides, even if she did, what’s a little kick going to do? Send flying?’ But this other man...
Wu Tao glared at An Zhihan, cursing inwardly. ’He’s just a pretty boy. A crippled pretty boy, at that.’
Hearing Su Qing’s words, the corners of An Zhihan’s mouth curved into a smile. He made a "please, proceed" gesture toward her, inviting her to continue.
"You..." Seeing An Zhihan’s gesture, Wu Tao was about to explode with anger. ’They’re completely ignoring ! What, is she really going to kick ?’
But before Wu Tao could say another word, Su Qing’s foot shot out.
Wu Tao felt a sharp pain in his stomach, and then his entire body flew backward, landing on the ground with a THUD.
"Ouch!" Wu Tao’s butt and stomach both ached. He clutched his stomach, staring at Su Qing in disbelief. "You actually kicked ?"
"What? You’re allowed to block my path, but I’m not allowed to kick you for it?" Su Qing gave Wu Tao a cool glance. "I told you I wouldn’t be polite if you didn’t move. Since you were asking to be kicked, I obliged."
"You!" Wu Tao clutched his stomach, so infuriated by her words that he could only point at her, speechless.
Seeing how cleanly Su Qing had kicked Wu Tao, An Zhihan’s lips curved again. Old Mrs. An, standing beside him, noticed his expression and turned to look at Su Qing.
It was the first ti in years she had seen An Zhihan smile.
Even though she was able to spend the New Year with her grandson, he had remained distant. His emotions—joy, anger, sorrow—never showed on his face. This was the first ti she had seen him smile. It was a faint smile, but it was enough to fill Old Mrs. An with pleasant surprise.
Old Mrs. An was even more surprised to learn that An Zhihan actually knew Su Qing. The other day, she had gone to Hongji Hall after leaving the hospital. Although she hadn’t managed to persuade Old Mr. Gong to treat An Zhihan, she had learned from other employees there that Su Qing seed to be on very good terms with him. They said Su Qing often went into the mountains and had sold many dicinal herbs to Old Mr. Gong.
That was why, for the past two days, Old Mrs. An had been wondering how she could introduce Su Qing and An Zhihan. ’If they could get to know each other,’ she thought, ’and I could ask Su Qing to put in a good word, maybe Old Mr. Gong would agree to examine An Zhihan?’
While Old Mrs. An was secretly considering the possibility, Wu Tao was fuming, practically angered to death by Su Qing and An Zhihan.
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