Chapter 60: Chapter 60: The Landlord’s Daughter, Lin Jianqiu

Lu Xiao’s words warmed Su Tang’s heart, but she also understood the general situation.

This family compound looked like a blessed place for families to reunite.

But for people like her, with “problematic” backgrounds, wasn’t every step they took after first arriving like walking on pins and needles?

The pointing and whispering from when she first arrived still made her heart ache a little to think about.

Lu Xiao’s heart ached for her; he didn’t want her to suffer that kind of nastiness all over again.

And he couldn’t bear to see her put herself in the line of fire just to help someone else.

Su Tang understood how good he was to her.

But seeing Brother Jia looking so anxious, and thinking of his mixed expression of joy and worry, Su Tang understood that side of it, too.

As a woman herself, Su Tang understood the difficulties Chang Jia’s wife would face.

“It’s fine. Chang Jia is your friend. When his wife gets here, it’s not like I can just avoid her.”

Su Tang wrapped her arms around Lu Xiao’s neck and sat right down on his lap.

“Even if Chang Jia might not mind, this could still become a source of friction. I don’t want something like this to ruin a brotherhood you’ve had with him for so many years.”

Hearing Su Tang’s heartwarming words, Lu Xiao wrapped his arm around her waist.

“Well, thank you for being so considerate, darling.”

Lu Xiao’s lips curved into a smile as he thanked Su Tang.

But he also said that if she felt uncomfortable about it, she didn’t have to help.

Just doing the bare minimum would be enough. Chang Jia couldn’t say they hadn’t helped at all then.

“Okay.”

Su Tang agreed with a smile. Lu Xiao, smelling her pleasant scent, found his mind starting to wander.

’Before, when we couldn’t, I never thought about it. Now that we can, I can’t seem to stop thinking about it.’

’No wonder they say a woman’s tender embrace is a hero’s tomb.’

Su Tang went to work that afternoon. It was only after arriving at the hospital that she learned Zheng Jinxin had applied for advanced training and would be away for half a year.

“She probably lost too much face to stay here.”

“I never liked her anyway.”

As everyone chattered all at once, Su Tang learned the truth of the matter from their conversation.

Zheng Jinxin felt she was being treated differently, especially after the incident with Wang Jianfeng.

On top of that, with Su Tang and Lu Xiao’s relationship getting better and better, Zheng Jinxin didn’t have the face to stay.

So she just left.

The advanced training wouldn’t hurt her prospects. She was a smart person and knew how to make the right choice for herself.

Without Zheng Jinxin around, Su Tang actually felt much more relaxed and at ease.

After a comprehensive evaluation, the hospital administration made Su Tang a permanent employee.

She was now an official member of the hospital staff. Besides enjoying all the benefits and perks, she was also authorized to perform surgery.

For Su Tang, this was absolutely incredible news.

However, because of the previous incident, Doctor Wang was demoted to an intern and was even assigned to work under Su Tang.

It was a little awkward for both of them, but Doctor Wang really did need to follow Su Tang and get some proper practice.

The fact that he wasn’t fired meant the hospital still wanted to invest in Doctor Wang’s development.

And so, Su Tang became busier by the day. Sometimes, when she came home, Lu Xiao would see how exhausted she was and watch her collapse into sleep, not having the heart to bother her.

「A few days later, around noon on a rare, sunny day.」

Su Tang was on a day off, sitting in the cool shade under the eaves and mending Lu Xiao’s training clothes that had been worn through.

Suddenly, she heard a commotion at the courtyard gate—it was Chang Jia’s voice, along with another that was soft, delicate, and a little timid.

Su Tang put down her needle and thread and looked toward the gate.

The gate was pushed open, and Chang Jia appeared, shouldering a large bundle and grinning. “Su Tang.”

“I said we should go home first, but Jianqiu insisted on coming to visit you. Come on, Jianqiu, this is the Su Tang I told you about.”

He stepped aside, and a figure shuffled cautiously inside.

This was Chang Jia’s wife, Lin Jianqiu.

The young lady from the landlord family was almost exactly as she had imagined.

Lin Jianqiu wore a set of old-fashioned, light blue clothes that were washed pale but clearly made of fine material. Her hair was impeccably neat, pulled back in a round bun and fastened with a plain silver hairpin.

She had the oval face of a traditional, well-bred lady, with slender eyes. Her skin was very pale, so pale it seemed to lack color.

She clutched a small bundle tightly in her hands, her head lowered. Her eyes darted quickly around the yard with the wariness and anxiety of a small animal.

The most striking thing about Lin Jianqiu was her feet, clad in old-fashioned black cloth shoes she had made herself.

When she walked, her body swayed slightly, her steps small and choppy, as if her center of gravity was off. It was distressing to watch.

Those were the marks of feet that had once been bound and then released.

“Sister-in-law.”

Su Tang suppressed her thoughts and offered a gentle smile, stepping forward to greet her. “Come on inside and rest. It’s so hot out.”

Lin Jianqiu glanced up at Su Tang quickly before lowering her eyes again, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz. “I-I’m imposing, Miss Su.”

She instinctively started to curtsy, but then, as if realizing it wasn’t appropriate, she froze mid-motion, a flash of embarrassment on her face.

Su Tang saw this but said nothing, naturally reaching for the small bundle in her hands. “Let me take that, Sister-in-law. Brother Jia, hurry and put that big bundle down. Look at you, you’re covered in sweat.”

Her tone was natural and her movements were swift, trying her best to ease the awkward atmosphere.

Chang Jia chuckled and dropped the large bundle by the door, while Su Tang hurried to pour Lin Jianqiu a glass of water.

Lin Jianqiu sat stiffly on the edge of her chair, her back ramrod straight. She placed her hands on her knees, her fingers nervously twisting the corner of her clothes.

She secretly sized up Su Tang.

This legendary “capitalist missy” was wearing a simple floral blouse and blue cloth pants.

Her hair was tied back simply, revealing a clear forehead.

Her eyes were bright and clear, and she carried herself with an indescribable, crisp efficiency—completely different from the “delicate young lady” she had imagined.

This made her feel even more uncertain and deeply inadequate.

The couple stayed for a short while before leaving. As they left, they gave Su Tang some local specialty foods that Lin Jianqiu had brought specially for her.

Su Tang watched their retreating backs, lost in thought.

’Lin Jianqiu must have been the type who never stepped out of the house, right?’

’Otherwise, why would she be so timid around people?’

When Lu Xiao came home that evening, Su Tang made a point of stir-frying some of the local specialties for him.

“Chang Jia’s hometown is very remote. There’s no communication infrastructure there.”

“When the first literacy campaigns started, they never reached his village.”

Su Tang voiced her question, and Lu Xiao began to explain.

Because it was so isolated, many people there had no idea that the world outside had completely changed.

So when Lin Jianqiu was born, her feet were bound according to the old custom.

By the time they learned about the new society, it was far too late.

She was the last relic of a bygone era. Everyone looked down on her, but Chang Jia didn’t.

He married her, giving her the greatest source of confidence and support she had.

Theirs was also an arranged marriage, and they were childhood sweethearts, but Chang Jia was no Wang Jianfeng. That made Lin Jianqiu much luckier than Zhang Cui.

“She seems like someone with very proper manners and etiquette. She probably won’t be too difficult to get along with.”

Su Tang said this thoughtfully. Lu Xiao placed a piece of food into her bowl with his chopsticks and nodded slightly.

“Chang Jia’s character means his wife can’t be a bad person. Except she’s a bit… old-fashioned.”

Lu Xiao said after a moment of consideration.

Lin Jianqiu never went to school and can’t read, but she’s excellent with an abacus. Back in their hometown, she managed all the household affairs, inside and out, very well.

But Chang Jia did say that when it comes to certain things, she can’t change the etiquette she was taught since childhood.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep