Chapter 74: Chapter 74: The Original Female Protagonist Appears

The name that came out of Lu Xiao’s mouth made Su Tang freeze for a moment before the realization hit her.

The good days she’d been having lately had almost made her forget…

…that she was just a side character in this book.

Su Xinyao was the female lead.

“Tangtang? What’s wrong?”

Noticing Su Tang’s mood had suddenly turned cold and strange, Lu Xiao quickly asked, his voice laced with worry.

Su Tang snapped back to her senses, hurriedly suppressed her unease, and forced a smile.

“It’s nothing. I just suddenly heard that name and it sounded a little familiar? I can’t quite remember.”

She came up with a random excuse, not wanting Lu Xiao to notice anything was amiss.

The original book didn’t mention Su Xinyao much, so Su Tang didn’t know the situation for now and planned to wait and see.

Lu Xiao frowned and studied her face carefully. “Are you really okay? You look a little pale.”

“I’m really fine!”

Su Tang quickly changed the subject, giving him a little push.

“Maybe I was just too focused on listening to Master Li and got a little tired. You should go wash your face, you’re covered in dust! I’m going to make dinner.”

As she spoke, she turned and walked toward the stove, her movements a bit quick, as if trying to escape Lu Xiao’s probing gaze.

Seeing that she didn’t want to talk, Lu Xiao didn’t press her, but he made a mental note of it.

He knew Su Tang wasn’t the type to have her expression change for no reason.

He replied, “Alright, I’ll go wash up first. You rest for a bit before you cook. There’s no rush.”

With that, he went out to draw some water.

Su Tang stood by the stove, fire tongs in hand, but didn’t move for a long time.

Her mind was a mess. One moment, she saw Li Haixin’s honest yet stubborn face; the next, she saw the backs of Zhang Cui and Mai Sui as they fled.

But in the end, everything morphed into the two words “Su Xinyao,” searing her heart like a branding iron.

“Sigh…”

She let out a soft sigh.

’I’ll just deal with it as it comes!’

For now, Sister-in-law Zhang Cui’s situation was more important.

Li Haixin’s feelings seemed genuine.

Two days later, seeing that Zhang Cui looked a little better, Su Tang found some free time to visit her.

Zhang Cui’s home wasn’t large, but it was neat and clean.

Mai Sui was playing off to the side. When she saw Su Tang arrive, she called out in a clear, sweet voice, “Aunt Su!”

“Hey, what a good girl, Mai Sui.”

Su Tang smiled and patted her head, pressing a few pieces of fruit candy into her hand. “Auntie brought some candy for our Mai Sui to eat~”

Zhang Cui was mending an old piece of clothing. Seeing Su Tang, she quickly put down her needle and thread. “Come sit down, little sister.”

A cloud of worry still hung over her face.

Su Tang sat down next to her. Gazing at Mai Sui’s back, she began softly, “Sister-in-law, has Mai Sui… asked about Master Li these past couple of days?”

Zhang Cui shook her head, her voice low. “She hasn’t. I don’t bring it up, and she doesn’t make a fuss. It’s just… sometimes I see her staring longingly toward the cafeteria, and my heart…”

She couldn’t continue, her eyes turning a little red.

Li Haixin had always taken good care of them, always thinking of Mai Sui whenever there was something tasty to eat.

For Mai Sui, Li Haixin was probably a more responsible figure than Wang Jianfeng.

“Sister-in-law, don’t be sad.”

Su Tang patted her hand. “It’s a good thing that she’s so understanding. But some things, we adults have to consider more for the children’s sake, and for our own.”

Zhang Cui looked up, her eyes a bit lost.

Su Tang chose her words carefully. “That day… Master Li actually came to find Lu Xiao and me again later.”

Zhang Cui’s hand visibly stiffened.

“Sister-in-law, don’t worry, just hear me out.”

Su Tang quickly soothed her. “He didn’t mean anything by it. He was just feeling frustrated and needed someone to talk to. I heard everything he had to say.”

Su Tang recounted everything to Zhang Cui in detail: how anxious Li Haixin was that day, the promises he made, and how he was willing to “throw his pride away” to protect her and her daughter.

She especially emphasized his point that you live your life for yourself, not for others to see.

Zhang Cui listened with her head down, unconsciously twisting the corner of her clothes.

“Sister-in-law, we’ve all been on this base for so many years. We all know what kind of person Master Li is, don’t we?”

Seeing Zhang Cui wavering, Su Tang’s voice became even gentler.

“He’s a genuinely good person, simple and straightforward, without any hidden motives. He feels for you, raising Mai Sui on your own, and he adores Mai Sui for being so well-behaved. These feelings of his are real.”

She paused, looking at Zhang Cui. “Lu Xiao also said he sees how responsible Master Li is.”

“Sister-in-law, sometimes, when a person is too proud, they just end up making things harder for themselves and their child.”

“When there’s someone who truly cares for you, who wants to treat you well, and is willing to shoulder life’s burdens with you, why would you push him away?”

“Is it just because you’re afraid of some harmless gossip? Can that gossip feed you, clothe you, or shelter Mai Sui from the wind and rain?”

Su Tang’s words hammered at Zhang Cui’s heart, one by one.

She remembered how Li Haixin would always quietly add an extra scoop of food to her bowl in the cafeteria.

The time Mai Sui got sick, he was the one who helped push the cart to take her to the clinic in the middle of the night.

And that time it rained heavily and her roof was leaking, he was the first one to show up with a ladder to help fix it…

“I know… he’s a good man…”

Zhang Cui’s voice was choked with sobs. “But I… I’m not good enough for him… and I have a child… In the future…”

“Sister-in-law!”

Su Tang cut her off. “What do you mean, not good enough? A life together is about two people supporting each other. It’s about affection, not about who is worthy of whom! Mai Sui is such a wonderful child, and Master Li genuinely wants to dote on her like his own daughter! Just ask Mai Sui, is Uncle Li good to her?”

Mai Sui didn’t understand everything, but when she heard Uncle Li mentioned, she immediately turned her head and shouted, “Uncle Li is good!”

The child’s innocent words were like a ray of sunshine piercing the gloomiest corner of Zhang Cui’s heart.

Her tears finally couldn’t be held back. It wasn’t sadness, but a release of long-suppressed grievances and a little bit of… yielding.

Su Tang put an arm around her shoulder. “Sister-in-law, don’t be afraid. Master Li said he walks a straight path and isn’t afraid of what people say.”

“You and Mai Sui are the same! Let’s live our lives openly and honestly, just as we should.”

“Over time, everyone will see what’s what, as if looking into a clear mirror. Once you build a happy and fulfilling life for yourselves, all that gossip will naturally fade away!”

Zhang Cui leaned on Su Tang’s shoulder, crying silently, but her shoulders were no longer as tense as before.

After a long while, she wiped her face with her sleeve. Her voice was still a bit hoarse, but there was something different in her eyes. “I’ll… think about it some more.”

Su Tang knew that ’thinking about it’ meant she was giving way, which was a good thing! She smiled and said, “Okay, Sister-in-law, take your time. Life is long, there’s no hurry. The important thing is to find some peace of mind for Mai Sui, and for yourself.”

Seeing that Zhang Cui’s emotions had stabilized, Su Tang chatted with Mai Sui for a little while longer before leaving.

Walking out of the courtyard gate, she breathed a small sigh of relief.

At least there was some hope on Zhang Cui’s front.

But when she looked up and saw the base’s office building in the distance, Su Tang’s heart sank again.

’Su Xinyao… She’s really coming.’

’A confrontation with Su Xinyao is inevitable. For some reason, I just feel a deep sense of unease.’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep