121: Chaos Reigns

Su Hanyan was still looking for someone to vent her anger on when Su Jingrui conveniently presented himself at her doorstep.

Su Jingrui was in the midst of grumbling when he never expected Su Hanyan to actually dare to use a bowl to smash him...

By the time he saw it, it was too late. The bowl was coming straight for his forehead, and with a loud bang, he felt his head buzzing.

He was hit!

Now he was really in trouble!

Su Jingrui erupted in anger, releasing Lin Zhiqu from his mother Wei Guiqin's grip, dodging the feather duster, and coming straight for Su Hanyan!

"Dad! Did you see that? Look at how my brother and my mother usually treat me!" Su Hanyan yelled while dodging. She couldn't care less, grabbed a bowl from the table, and threw it at Su Jingrui.

Su Jingrui was like a firecracker, once lit he exploded. He chased Su Hanyan relentlessly.

Seeing Lin Zhiqu and her mother retreating to the corner, Su Hanyan sneered inwardly. She had deliberately sent them into the fray, causing chaos in the Su family! Now they wanted to avoid the storm they had stirred up, intending to save themselves?

No way!

Su Hanyan headed straight for Lin Zhiqu and her daughter, hiding behind them for a while.

[oh damn, this is so messy]

Su Jingrui swung the feather duster a few times, missing Su Hanyan and accidentally hitting Lin Zhiqu on the hand.

"Ah!" Lin Zhiqu immediately held her hand, tears streaming from her eyes.

"Are you okay, Zhiqu?" Su Jingrui asked anxiously.

"I'm fine."

"Move aside!"

Su Jingrui pulled Lin Zhiqu away and went after Su Hanyan.

Su Hanyan ran around Lin Zhiqu, determined not to let the feather duster touch her.

Su Dajiang angrily scolded his son, loudly ordering him to stop.

Su Jingrui seemed not to hear, relentlessly pursuing Su Hanyan with the feather duster.

Lin Zhiqu schemed and, as Su Hanyan approached, suddenly stuck her foot out, tripping Su Hanyan.

Su Hanyan lost her balance and fell. In that instant, she saw a smirk in Lin Zhiqu's eyes.

She gritted her teeth, grabbed Lin Zhiqu's thigh with both hands, and viciously pinched.

"Ah—" The intense pain made Lin Zhiqu's tears burst instantly.

Instinctively retaliating, Lin Zhiqu grabbed Su Hanyan's hair and pulled hard.

Su Hanyan winced and, standing up, slapped Lin Zhiqu's face hard.

One slap was not enough!

Two!

Three!

"Lin Zhiqu, you take advantage of me. You are really dark in your heart!" Su Hanyan angrily slapped and shouted, "Are you here to gang up on me? Think I'm easy to bully? Okay, come on! I don't care if life is difficult!"

The slaps resounded loudly. Lin Zhiqu, in pain, dared not fight back.

She had to appear so weak in public, the more she did, the more others would think she was innocent and pitiable!

She gritted her teeth and cried bitterly!

Establish a persona?

Alright!

Su Hanyan would let her establish this persona!

Right now, she didn't care about anything else, she just wanted to hit hard!

Seeing her daughter being beaten, Lin Zhiqu's heart ached as Su Hanyan unleashed her viciousness.

"Zhiqu, my foolish child..."

Su Jingrui was surprised once again by Su Hanyan's actions. When he remembered to hit Su Hanyan, his father's angry roar exploded in his ears.

"Are you and your eldest dead? You just stand there watching the show like idiots, not helping!" Su Dajiang was so angry his liver hurt, he thundered, "Is this still a family? Can we still have a peaceful meal? If we can't, then let's not eat at all!"

In his rage, he flipped the table in front of everyone with a loud crash.

[122: Clarification]

The noisy house suddenly became quiet, everyone looked at each other, and suddenly, Su Tong burst into tears.

"Don't bully my aunt... wuwu... Don't bully my aunt..."

"Eldest daughter-in-law, take the child away first!" Su Dajiang said with a sullen face.

Wu Jiaojiao hurriedly pulled Su Tong away. As soon as she went out, she saw a few more neighbors in the yard who stretched their necks to watch the excitement.

She didn't say anything, and hurried back to the house with the child.

Su Dajiang usually doesn't lose his temper, but when he loses his temper, he instantly shocks the whole family.

"Zhiqiu's parent! I'm sorry to embarrass you today. I didn't expect a happy meal to turn out like this! This time it's my fault for not treating you well. Let's have this meal another day!" Su Dajiang had to deal with household affairs, and now he had to clear out the irrelevant people.

Lin Zhiqiu's cheeks were swollen from being beaten, and they let her go without any explanation?

She was unwilling.

"Uncle Su... I... What did I do wrong?"

"Your mistake was that you shouldn't have opened your mouth to gossip at my dinner table!" Su Hanyan said, "Lin Zhiqiu, you threw a few unfounded words here and threw dirty water on me. Since you have opened your mouth, then make it clear! I can't suffer injustice like this?"

"Speak, speak clearly!" Su Dajiang wanted to listen to see who the problem was.

"This..." Lin Zhiqiu sobbed, "Actually, I heard a few colleagues talking about it. They said that Yanyan goes out every night and comes back to the dormitory very late! Then, today someone found out that she went to the male leader's house. She is quite familiar with the factory leader... The leader also stuffed something into her... Everyone said that the leader was getting a divorce... He and his wife are not harmonious, and they have been separated for some time..."

As for who the leader was, Qu Shan didn't tell her on the phone.

She didn't know!

"What were you doing at the leader's house in the middle of the night? What kind of leader was it?" Wei Guiqin asked angrily, "Why are you, a woman, running around in the middle of the night! And you ran to the male leader's house..."

Su Hanyan ignored Wei Guiqin, turned her eyes to Lin Zhiqiu and asked her: "Did you see it with your own eyes?"

"No...no."

"What are you talking about if you didn't see it?"

"It's not me who said it, it's what everyone said! I just heard..."

"Who has so much free time that he followed me?"

"Don't talk about others, talk about your problems!" Wei Guiqin urged.

"I went to the leader's house! I've been tutoring the son of Director Zhang in English these days! I have someone who can testify, and the situation is absolutely true!" Su Hanyan had no choice but to tell the truth.

"You? Tutoring someone in English? I'm afraid I'm deaf and heard it wrong?" Su Jingrui said with contempt, mocking her fiercely.

Not to mention Su Jingrui didn't believe it, the whole family didn't believe it...

If Su Hanyan's grades were so good that she could be a tutor, would she have only passed the junior college entrance examination and failed to get into university?

"Believe it or not!" Su Hanyan raised her eyebrows.

"Stop talking nonsense. If you have the guts, I will eat shit right in front of you!" Su Jingrui didn't believe it at all, so he said such a disgusting thing so rashly.

[please do, i'm looking forward to see you eat your shit]

"Then wait for your shit!" Su Hanyan turned her head and looked at her worried father. "Dad, I'll make a call and let our factory director tell you in person! I will clarify this matter for you! So as not to be gossiped by people with ulterior motives!"

So, she walked to the phone, picked up the receiver and dialed a number.

123: Debt Collector Reincarnated

On the other end of the phone, Zhang Hong's home was lively with several neighbors gathered to drink and eat.

When the phone rang, Zhang Hong called his son to answer it.

Zhang Tiancai picked up lazily, "Who's this?"

"It's me, Su Hanyan!"

"Teacher Su!" Zhang Tiancai's spirits lifted upon hearing Su Hanyan's voice, "I have good news for you. Tonight, our classmates are discussing tuition fees. I suggested 15 yuan every half month, and everyone agreed. Teacher Su, if you find a place tomorrow, I'll help collect the tuition fees in advance, alright?"

"Thank you! Tiancai, can I trouble you with something? Could you bring a few classmates with you tomorrow to help me find a place?"

"No problem!"

"Great! Is Grandma Zhang there? Let me talk to her."

"Hey... Su, what do you need Grandma Zhang for?"

"During the vacation, could you and Director Zhang remind Tiancai to study more? He's a promising candidate for university, don't let him miss the opportunity because of playing around!"

"Sure! Grandma will remember that! I'll tell Director Zhang, he's drinking with the neighbors right now..."

"Okay! Goodbye, Grandma!"

After hanging up, Su Hanyan turned to her father and said, "Dad, I didn't do anything shameful! Others deliberately slandered me! Did you hear what just happened?"

"I heard!" Su Dajiang sighed in relief. He never expected his daughter to be tutoring outside, "You didn't even tell the family! It's dangerous for a girl to go out tutoring late at night..."

"It's because I don't have money!" Su Hanyan firmly shifted the blame to Wei Guiqin, "All my money was forced to be handed over to the family... Now I'm at the age to get married soon, I have to earn money to dress up myself, right? No one cares about me, I have to cherish myself. Can't I just marry someone casually?"

"You dead girl, how dare you slander me?" Wei Guiqin gnashed her teeth, staring at Su Hanyan. They never got along well from the beginning.

In order to give birth to her, she almost lost her life and even lost her job. Since then, she has had a problem!

Every rainy day, her waist and legs ache terribly.

Because of her, she has suffered all her life, and now this ungrateful person still arranges her everywhere.

She is a debt collector who has entrusted her life!

"Enough!" Su Dajiang shouted, "You say two fewer words! Today's matter is clear, you all wrongly accused Yan Yan! Each and every one of you doesn't use your brain. You get addicted to bullying your own family?"

"Who knows if she conspired? How did she know English?" Su Jingrui was stubborn.

Su Hanyan lowered her eyes, her tone mournful, "I always wanted to make sure that people didn't look down on me! I'm Su Dajiang's daughter, and with a father so outstanding, I have to strive too! I worked hard behind the scenes, studying late at night, just hoping to shine one day! And now, I've achieved it!"

"Look! This is indeed my daughter!" Su Dajiang was moved to tears by his younger daughter's resolute spirit, "Such resilience, how many people can achieve it! Su Jingrui, especially you, always drifting aimlessly without seeking progress! From now on, learn from your sister. The mid-level technician exam is coming up, you bring it home for me. If you can't pass it, watch me not punish you!"

[the midlevel technician exam is likely a version of the ECT or the Electronics Technician Exam back then]

[124: Let Me Leave]

"Since things have cleared up, let's all disperse!" Su Dajiang also lost his appetite for dinner, especially since the tableware had all been "destroyed".

Seeing the host wanted to see off the guests, Lin Zhiqiu didn't feel it was appropriate to say anything more.

Tonight was truly a failure!

She was burning with anger inside, but had to smile through tears: "Sorry, Yanyan, I really didn't know you were tutoring..."

Su Hanyan's lips curled into a cold smile. "No need to pretend. I know exactly what you intended. There's no need for false apologies! Some people are blind in heart and mind, but not me!"

Lin Zhiqiu gritted her teeth, tears shimmering in her eyes!

Her face burned with pain, and she really wanted to rush up and fight Su Hanyan...

But she couldn't. She had to endure.

Su Hanyan's words were pointed, overturning the whole situation.

How could Wei Guiqin and Su Jingrui not hear it?

They just restrained themselves because of Su Dajiang and didn't dare say much.

"You've troubled the in-laws!" Mother Lin saw the situation was getting out of control and knew they couldn't stay long. "We'll leave now. We'll see you another day..."

Su Dajiang had Su Jingrui accompany the mother and daughter home, and instructed the eldest and Su Chuanjuan to clean up the mess in the house.

He then scolded Wei Guiqin, demanding she apologize to their daughter, Su Hanyan.

Wei Guiqin refused to apologize no matter what, causing another rift between the couple.

When Wei Guiqin got angry, she didn't say another word and went back to the bedroom, kicking off her shoes and covering her head with the blanket.

Su Hanyan knew Wei Guiqin would never apologize. After such a commotion, she was also tired.

Did it really matter if this family stayed together or not?

There were plenty of people she considered family; she only needed her father and Tangtang.

"No need for apologies!" Su Hanyan said directly. "What use is a forced apology? If this home can't accept me, then I'll leave! Let's each mind our own business, live and die according to our fate. No need for further contact."

As soon as she said this, everyone was stunned.

No one expected this usually quiet girl to say she wanted to cut off ties at this moment.

"Yanyan, what are you saying?" Su Jingheng spoke up. "How can this home not accept you? Would that not make Mom and Dad very sad? Wouldn't it make us, your older siblings, very sad?"

"Sad?" Su Hanyan smiled with a hint of melancholy in her smile. "Does Mom have a heart? She'd rather I leave soon! As for you, my dear older siblings, weren't you just standing by and watching earlier? It's always been your style to turn a blind eye when it's none of your business, big brother, isn't it?"

"I..." Su Jingheng was speechless, inwardly admitting he hadn't cared much about his little sister.

In his world, only his immediate family mattered, and he never bothered about his little sister's life.

"You're being heartless. If Mom didn't care, how could she have raised you this far? What's wrong with enduring a little suffering for the sake of this family? Now that you've grown up and feel you can take care of yourself, you're in such a hurry to leave? Have you ever thought about what happens when you get married? Will your family attend?" Su Chuanjuan joined in.

"You don't need to worry about that. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Who can predict the future?" Su Hanyan was determined to leave. These days of chaos were neither fun nor comforting.

"Hanyan." Su Dajiang's heart ached to hear his daughter wanted to cut off ties with the family. "Is this really what you want?"

"Yes, Dad!" Su Hanyan answered him very seriously. "You've seen for yourself that coming back to this home holds no meaning for me. Every time ends in a big fuss! Others are unhappy, and I'm even more unhappy! If you really care about me, Dad, don't stop me. Let me leave."

The female lead must be alone and beautiful, balancing career and love!

[125: Worth Reconsidering]

Su Dajiang fell silent.

He had been away in the third-tier cities for seven or eight years. During busy times, he couldn't return for an entire year. Over these years, he hadn't had the time to take care of his daughter properly or educate his son well, causing the family to drift apart. Although they appeared united on the surface, in reality, they were fractured inside.

Such an environment was indeed vexing.

"Fine!" After some contemplation, Su Dajiang agreed to her request. "I agree. If you want to live alone, then go ahead! But, where will an unmarried girl like you live?"

"That's easy." Su Hanyan had already thought it through when she called Zhang Tiancai. "I'll rent a place near the study center tomorrow. Once I find a place, I'll move."

"Can you wait until after the New Year to move?" Su Dajiang asked.

"Dad, there's no need." Su Hanyan smiled faintly. "Once I move, you're always welcome to visit. The door to my home will always be open for Dad!"

Su Dajiang felt a pang in his heart, and his eyes reddened.

Naturally, he wanted to protect his daughter and reunite the family, but he knew it would be difficult.

Perhaps the only way to prevent her from being wronged was to let her live life as she wished.

"Okay." He finally nodded in agreement.

"Thank you, Dad." Su Hanyan smiled.

"Are you all satisfied now?" Su Dajiang looked at his son and daughter with an inexplicable anger. "Do you think this kind of family atmosphere feels great? There's not a bit of affection between siblings, and you think it's so wonderful?"

Su Jingheng lowered his head slowly.

As the eldest, he did feel guilty.

Su Chuanjuan also regretted silently. If she had known this would be the outcome, it would have been better not to come back.

While Su Dajiang was lecturing his children, Su Jingrui returned from outside. As soon as he entered the door, he sensed that something was amiss.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Jingrui, apologize to your sister!" Su Dajiang said to his son. "She's your sister, the closest person to you in this world after your parents! Treating your sister like that isn't right!" He turned to Su Chuanjuan and said, "And, for this girl, I think it's necessary to reconsider."

Su Dajiang felt that Lin Zhiqiu was not quite right. On the surface, this girl seemed harmless, but every time she came to the house, she managed to stir up a storm with just a few words.

Such divisive factors were not conducive to unity, and he needed to consider them carefully!

If she were really married into the family one day, he couldn't let her tear the roof apart, could he?

Now Lin Zhiqiu was like Su Jingrui's Achilles' heel, untouchable by anyone. When he heard his father say he wanted to reconsider their relationship, he immediately thought it was because Su Hanyan had just badmouthed him behind his back.

He immediately pointed at Su Hanyan and accused, "Did you say something to Dad? What are you up to?"

Before he could finish his sentence, Su Dajiang grabbed a feather duster and hit his hand with it...

"Ah!" Su Jingrui screamed in pain. "It hurts! Dad, why did you hit so hard!"

"I'm teaching you a lesson for bullying your sister! You're grown up now, selfish and self-centered, only thinking about yourself! How many years has it been since I last hit you! Today, I'm going to teach you a good lesson!" Su Dajiang said, then pointed at Su Chuanjuan and her husband. "If you're willing to watch, then watch quietly! Don't plead for him! Pleading means you go out!"

With that, he sternly commanded, "Kneel down!"