Back to the 1980s: Transmigrated as the Bigshot's Pampered Wife-Chapter 33: Bro’s Not Short on Cash

"We’re sorry, we didn’t look after you all properly," Uncle Dong said self-reproachfully.

"Oh, how could we possibly blame you? You have a big family of your own, and things aren’t easy for anyone. Thankfully, that’s all in the past now."

"Shuo Ci, you’re really something! You actually have all this food at home." Dong Qihua was a simple, straightforward guy.

"My parents grew the vegetables, my mom raised the chicken, a friend gave us the rabbit, and the pork offal was incredibly cheap. I’m laid up and useless—what kind of ability is that?"

Even though things were looking up, Su Shuochi didn’t want to draw attention to himself. After all, he hadn’t come by all this food through conventional means.

’An explanation is just a cover-up.’ Unfortunately, Dong Qihua didn’t get it. "Shuo Ci, you absolutely can’t lose hope! I’ll help you find a Divine Doctor even better than Divine Doctor Jiang—"

"Can’t you keep your mouth shut while you’re eating? This spicy diced rabbit is delicious," Father Dong said, giving his son a sharp rap on the head.

"Ouch! Dad, can’t you spare me some dignity? We’re at someone else’s house," Dong Qihua groaned, clutching his forehead.

"Haha, Qi Hua’s dad is right. This braised pork is so rich but not greasy, it’s delicious. Have a taste."

"Wow, Aunt Su, your cooking is amazing! I’ve known Shuo Ci for so long, but I’ve never had a chance to taste it."

Dong Qihua took one bite of the spicy diced rabbit and was instantly distracted.

"When we first moved into the compound, Chi was already injured. We were scared out of our wits, so how could we possibly be in the mood to cook?"

Father Dong thought his son was being tactless and quickly tried to smooth things over. "Su Shuochi is doing much better now, which is wonderful. You two shouldn’t worry anymore."

"That’s right. Please, eat up. Their family’s fortunes are only going to rise from here..."

Mr. Gu excitedly chattered on, telling everyone about Mr. Su and Su’s mother’s plan to open a food stall.

He concluded, "I used to think Jiaojiao was just spouting nonsense, but now that I’ve tasted what her mother-in-law can cook... forget a food stall, they could open a full-blown restaurant and it would be a hit."

"Brother Su, you really can quit your jobs and set up a stall." After all, Uncle Dong knew a bit more about the policies than others.

"Really?"

"Really. You can go and resign this afternoon," Uncle Dong said with certainty.

Mr. Su: ...

He glanced at his son and daughter-in-law. ’Should I tell Uncle Dong we’ve already resigned?’

"Uncle Dong, my parents already quit their jobs this morning," Gu Jiaojiao said with a giggle. "We’re planning to go set up our stall in front of the largest steel mill in Qing City this afternoon."

Uncle Dong: ...

’Look at you all, you’re really something else. No wonder you can afford to have ten dishes for a single meal. With that kind of decisiveness, how could you possibly worry about not living well!’

"Do you have enough rooms?" Uncle Dong then asked the crucial question.

"Enough. It’s just enough. We have three rooms upstairs," Su Shuochi said at once.

’Even if it wasn’t enough, it would have to be. He didn’t want his wife’s family staying at someone else’s home.’

Hearing his niece’s husband answer without a moment’s hesitation, as if he were afraid the Gu Family might refuse to stay, Uncle Dong felt relieved.

Every dish on the table was delicious. Everyone ate with relish, offering a few words of praise from time to time.

The Su family chatted and laughed about everyday matters, enjoying their meal in blissful harmony.

At the Dong residence, after Dong Qihua and his father left, everyone could finally eat without worry, the tense atmosphere dissipating.

The Sheng Family, however, was not happy. When Mr. Sheng saw that his daughter didn’t even come back for lunch, he knew she was hiding from the Gu Family.

He was scowling, and his two sons looked grim as well. Mrs. Sheng felt even worse; Gu Jiaojiao had just risked her life to save her the day before.

’And yet, she was too proud to go and check on her. Jiaojiao had been frail and delicate since she was a child; who knew if she had fallen ill.’

’And to make matters worse, her nemesis had actually driven the Gu Family over to the Su family’s house. She wondered if the Su family even had enough rice to make congee.’

Mrs. Sheng was too proud to send rice over herself, so she just stewed in her own anxiety. Naturally, she had no appetite.

Mr. Sheng and his sons assumed she was worried about Xingxing, but they all knew there was nothing to worry about if Xingxing was having a meal with Song Zijin.

Sheng Xinglian didn’t want to go home for lunch precisely because she was afraid the Gu Family would show up and try to cling to her for support.

’She knew the Gu Family’s fate was sealed. In this lifetime, she had personally witnessed them on the brink of death.’

After class, she heard from people in the compound that the Dong family’s stepmother had sent the Gu Family over to the Su family.

This made Sheng Xinglian incredibly excited. ’That bitch Gu Jiaojiao has been like a completely different person since she got married.’

’She doesn’t listen to me anymore, and she didn’t even use her wedding gift money to buy me a dress. In that case, she can’t blame me for luring the Gu Family to her.’

’Before the Gu Family members die, they can still drag Gu Jiaojiao down with them. It would be best if they could drag that bitch straight to hell.’

Her mood soaring, Sheng Xinglian invited Song Zijin to lunch. There was a small restaurant just across the street from their school.

Song Zijin was waiting at the school gate when Sheng Xinglian ran up to him. "Zijin, what do you feel like eating? It’s my treat today."

"Lian’er, where would you get money from? Let me treat you. Order whatever you want. I’m loaded."

Song Zijin took Sheng Xinglian’s hand, putting on the swagger of a man who was rolling in dough.

"I know you have money, Zijin, but it’s not like it just grows on trees. I couldn’t possibly order whatever I want."

’Sheng Xinglian was inwardly bursting with joy.’ She bit her lip lightly and skipped happily to keep pace with Song Zijin.

Her smile was demure, her gait poised. Her public bearing was flawless.

"Lian’er, you can not only eat whatever you want, but you can buy whatever you want too. Haha... I’ll get you anything you desire."

Song Zijin boasted, but as he held Sheng Xinglian’s slightly rough hand, his mind drifted to Gu Jiaojiao’s small, slender, porcelain-white hands.

’Holding Jiaojiao’s hand felt like having the softest feather in the world brush against his heart, making his very soul shiver.’

He instinctively caressed Sheng Xinglian’s palm. The faint calluses there sent him into a daze.

’The ripple of feeling in his heart instantly vanished. Jiaojiao was married now; she no longer belonged to him. The most beautiful memory they shared was just holding her small hand.’

’If she hadn’t become so unreasonable and changed beyond recognition later on, he probably wouldn’t have given up on her.’

’But with Lian’er, they had done more than just hold hands. They had kissed, he had touched her everywhere he was supposed to, and all that was left was the final step.’

As these irritable thoughts ran through Song Zijin’s mind, he squeezed Sheng Xinglian’s hand until it throbbed with pain.

Sheng Xinglian said piteously, "Zijin~ What are you thinking about? You’re hurting Lian’er~"

"What else would I be thinking about? Just about how I want to eat you up~ You’re so delicious~"

Song Zijin said this perfunctorily, using the moment to let go of Sheng Xinglian’s rough hand. There was that feeling again.

’The last couple of times he’d seen Lian’er, the force that drew him to her had weakened. Now, looking at her, she seemed nothing special.’

"Zijin, you’re so naughty~ There are so many people here. Zijin~ It wouldn’t be good if anyone overheard."

"Then how about we go to the woods behind your school?" Song Zijin asked casually.

"Okay~"

Song Zijin: ...

"You must be hungry, Lian’er. Let’s eat first, then we’ll go. I can’t let you go hungry."

Sheng Xinglian was moved beyond measure, her eyes fixed adoringly on the man she loved.

’Especially since this was the man who, in the near future, would become the wealthiest person in all of Qing City.’

A wave of adoration and obsession washed over her, as if he were the only person in the entire world.

With that infatuated look on her face, a bit of drool even trickling from the corner of her mouth, Song Zijin would never have witnessed such a sight in the past.

’No, he had seen it before. It was just that back then, he had found that glistening drool to be adorable. He had even...’

’Oh God! How disgusting.’