Outside the door, An ZhiAng awkwardly touched his nose when he saw Su Ying push out her bicycle.
Su Ying raised her eyebrows, "Fourth Brother, it's not too late. You just got back and must be tired. Don't send me back. I can go home myself."
"I'll still send you back. Grandma has spoken, if I don't safely send you home, I can't explain myself." An ZhiAng wanted to flick her nose but suddenly realized they were not kids anymore.
In his heart, he was also cursing, why didn't she say earlier that she didn't want him to send her. They were already outside.
"Then should I...give you a ride?" Su Ying looked at his arm still in a sling.
"Look down on me? With one arm I can still give you a ride back." An ZhiAng felt mocked and said unconvinced, "What? You don't dare to sit?"
"It's not that I don't dare. It's just that I don't feel assured to let the injured Fourth Brother carry me."
In the end, it was still Su Ying giving An ZhiAng a ride.
She was very beautiful but not very tall, probably because of malnutrition during the time she was sent down.
After all, in his opinion, Zhi Xia was like this too. That's why she grew a bit taller after coming back.
The Su Family house was a two-story building with a garden, more luxurious than the old An Family mansion that burned down in a fire.
Su Ying stopped at the door and invited An ZhiAng in to sit for a while.
He was going to refuse at first but remembered Elder Su was also inside so he should go in and greet him. That's why he nodded.
But when he went in, he realized there were a few other people and Su Ying's expression instantly changed.
"Elder Su, you have guests?" The woman in front of him had brought a man. He looked somewhat familiar but couldn't remember where he had seen her.
"Zhi Ang you came!" Elder Su originally had a dark expression but it softened when An ZhiAng arrived. He introduced, "This is Ying's aunt and her nephew."
The Su Family aunt vaguely remembered An ZhiAng and asked in confusion, "Zhi Ang? The An Family kid?"
She was the daughter of Elder Su's younger sister, Su Family's niece.
When misfortune befell the Su Family long ago, they had severed ties decisively. Now that she knew he didn't have long to live, they were all cozying up to him again.
Elder Su nodded and the aunt's expression instantly became rigid.
"Xiao Ran brought her boyfriend back. It's late, I won't keep you. Hurry home." Elder Su looked to be in very poor health, coughing as he spoke.
Su Ying hurriedly went over to pour him water.
The Su Family aunt looked at An ZhiAng and Su Ying with an ugly expression, clearly unhappy, before pulling her nephew to leave unwillingly.
They had just left when Elder Su started coughing more severely, only catching his breath after half a day. "Zhi Ang, I was just rambling earlier. Don't take offense."
As he spoke, his throat sounded obstructed.
An ZhiAng could guess what the problem probably was and shook his head unmindfully. "It's nothing. Elder Su, may I help with anything?"
He had heard from Elder and Madame that Su Ying's situation was probably not good but didn't expect that with Elder Su still around, people were already coercing their way into the house.
Elder Su sighed. "This child Ying has tough luck. If you get the chance, help her more."
Unless he married Su Ying, how else could he help?
It was mere coincidence he bumped into them today. With his life in danger, it wasn't only this one aunt hoping for the Su Family property, there were also relatives on her uncle's side. When ties were severed decisively back then, now that they knew he didn't have long to live, they were all cozying up.
Elder Su told Su Ying to host An ZhiAng while he just dealt with his elder niece and was extremely tired, wanting to rest in his room.
Su Ying poured water for An ZhiAng and sat to the side. "Sorry you had to see the farce today. Also, thanks for not exposing Grandpa earlier."
An ZhiAng pulled his mouth taut, covering up by drinking water but still couldn't help asking, "Has Elder Su seen a doctor?"
"He's seen one. Now relying on medicine to sustain him. Doctor said at most two more months." Perhaps having mentally prepared long ago, Su Ying was very calm.
Time would always make one grow up. She had seen off her parents and grandma. Having gone through a lot in the countryside these years, she was no longer that little girl trailing behind them without a care in the world.
An ZhiAng wanted to comfort her but didn't know what to say.
Silence filled the air for some time before Su Ying spoke again. "I thought a lot about what you said last time, Fourth Brother. You're twenty-six now. I know you want freedom but you can't stay unmarried forever. Madame and the others won't agree either. And I need a connection to the An Family to preserve my reputation, or perhaps we can cooperate. After marrying me, I can give you complete freedom. You can also avoid the pestering to get married and don't need to be responsible for me. In the future when you find someone you like, I can agree to a divorce..."
An ZhiAng smiled. "If you can even agree to this, why must it be me?"
"Probably because Fourth Brother is the one who least wants to marry me." Su Ying gave a self-deprecating laugh. "You saw it too. Today was just my aunt. There's still my uncle, my auntie, all wanting me to marry their relatives, not because they want to marry me but my family property, to swallow the bereft household. And not just them, at my tailor shop on the street, when working overtime and going home late, hoodlums have blocked the doors before."
The world had never been friendly to girls.
Even when bullied, others would only say she was indecent. Su Ying had seen too much ugliness.
Reporting to the police was useless too because no harm was done. At most they would be berated.
An ZhiAng sucked in a breath. "Still, you don't have to harm your own marriage. Su Ying, marriage is a major event, not kids playing house like we used to. With Elder Su still around, you should use this time to find a like-minded partner."
At least An ZhiAng, though not wanting marriage now, never thought of it as a joke.
"If Fourth Brother doesn't want to agree then forget I mentioned it." Su Ying figured he truly didn't like her.
In the room, Elder Su opened the door a crack, frowning deeper the more he eavesdropped.
He hurried back to bed and coughed violently. "Ying..."
"Grandpa..." Hearing that, Su Ying immediately got up to go over, An ZhiAng following quickly behind.
"Throat's badly obstructed. Haven't had medicine today. Go boil medicine for me." Elder Su took Chinese medicine to nourish himself.
"Didn't I just brew it for you before leaving? Why didn't you drink it?" Su Ying instantly panicked.
"Didn't see the fire. Brewed dry then that annoying aunt came." Elder Su said.
Su Ying hurriedly left. Elder Su called for An ZhiAng again. "Zhi Ang, please help pour me water."
Only after An ZhiAng brought over the water did he ask, "Does Elder Su have anything to say to me?"
