Back to the 1970s: Building My Fortune Through Time Trading

Chapter 204: Sons Should Be Raised Frugally

He followed Su Xiaoxiao to the bedroom door but only stood at the entrance without going inside.

The bedroom of an unmarried girl, logically and emotionally, he shouldn’t enter casually.

What does Comrade Su want to give him?

He heard that girls like to personally make gloves or scarves for the ones they like, he wondered if Comrade Su wanted to...

Just as he was thinking about this, he saw Su Xiaoxiao come out of the room, holding a wad of money.

She shoved the money into his hand and said, "Comrade Zhou, I’ve always wanted to return this money to you. Now it’s returned to its rightful owner. As for the matchmaking, let’s forget it. I’m still young and not in a hurry to get married."

Zhou Cheng panicked. Generally, when someone says this during a matchmaking, it usually means they’re not interested in him.

His mother forced him on so many blind dates, and he always refused them. This was the first time he was rejected by a girl, and his heart sank to the bottom.

But even so, he still maintained the composure a man should have.

Returning the money to Su Xiaoxiao, he said, "Comrade Su, since these things were given to you, they’re yours. You should keep them."

He thought about how she wasn’t interested in him, and he should accept it, but for some reason, he felt rooted to the spot, unable to move.

After all, she was the only girl he ever had feelings for, and despite feeling dejected, he also felt a little unwilling.

Su Xiaoxiao looked up at him, puzzled by his hesitant expression: "Comrade Zhou, do you have something else to say?"

Zhou Cheng took a deep breath, gathered his courage, and asked, "Comrade Su, can I ask why?"

"What do you mean?"

Su Xiaoxiao was a bit confused.

"It’s just..."

Zhou Cheng bit his lip, "Why aren’t you interested in me?"

Su Xiaoxiao didn’t expect him to ask that, puzzled: "I didn’t say I wasn’t interested in you?"

Upon hearing this, the spark in Zhou Cheng’s eyes reignited: "Then why did you say to forget the matchmaking?"

"I just feel that I’m still young, getting married too early."

Although people in this era generally got married early, as a new-era woman, Su Xiaoxiao really couldn’t accept getting married while she was still practically a child.

And after marriage comes the issue of having children, just the thought of it was overwhelming.

So, before she was fully prepared, she only wanted to focus on her career, letting everything else follow nature’s course.

"Is that the only reason?"

Zhou Cheng’s eyes immediately brightened a lot.

Su Xiaoxiao nodded, and his face instantly showed a smile, "Does that mean I still have a chance?"

As he spoke, the tense expression on his face relaxed, and with bright eyes full of spirit, he fixed his gaze on Su Xiaoxiao: "Comrade Su, if you ever decide to get married, please consider me first. I will try my best."

After finishing, without waiting for Su Xiaoxiao to respond, he left with his ears reddened.

As soon as he left, Liu Cuilan came in smiling.

"Third daughter, how was your matchmaking with young Comrade Zhou?"

Su Xiaoxiao saw her mother approach with gossip written all over her face, and shook her head: "Not great, Mom, please don’t arrange anymore matchmakings for me. I’m still young, not considering it now."

Liu Cuilan glared: "How can you say you’re still young? When I was your age, your elder brother was already a year old."

"In any case, I just want to make money now, nothing else at the moment."

Su Xiaoxiao spoke firmly, and Liu Cuilan could only sigh: "Okay, do whatever you want. Anyway, even if you become an old maid at home, we don’t lack what you eat here."

She then said regretfully, "Young Zhou is really a good guy, such a shame."

Just when Su Xiaoxiao was about to say something, the smell of burning came from outside: "Mom, what’s cooking in your pot? It seems burnt."

Liu Cuilan suddenly realized she was simmering the rice porridge.

If Zhou Cheng hadn’t come for the matchmaking today, she wouldn’t have simmered it.

Immediately, she rushed into the small kitchen with a yell.

At dinner time, Su Wenbing and Su Fusheng stared at the blackened porridge in front of them with wide eyes.

Su Fusheng looked at Su Xiaoxiao and Xu Zhaodi’s bowls beside them, then at his and his big brother’s bowls, bewildered: "Mom, why is what’s in our bowls different from what’s in Third Sister and Zhaodi’s bowls?"

Su Xiaoxiao thought to herself, it’s obviously different; your bowls are the ones Mom doesn’t want to waste, all the burnt ones are given to you.

Perhaps because there was only one daughter, Liu Cuilan was always more partial to Su Xiaoxiao since childhood.

All the good food and fun things were given to this daughter first, even the youngest and fifth children had to wait in line.

Su Xiaoxiao said nothing and took a big gulp of porridge.

The sweet rice fragrance spread in her mouth, and Su Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but drink another mouthful.

The porridge now was indeed very delicious.

While drinking, Liu Cuilan said, "Of course, the portion you both have, I specially prepared it, thinking of giving you a good boost after your hard work."

Liu Cuilan said with a straight face, showing no awareness of her two sons’ suffering.

In her eyes, daughters are meant to be spoiled; sons are young lads, and shouldn’t be indulged too much.

Upon hearing their mother’s words, Su Wenbing tentatively picked up a spoon, tasted a bit, and his face twisted: "The flavor is quite unique."

Su Fusheng, curious: "Really?"

Then he decisively scooped a large spoonful into his mouth, enduring the taste for less than two seconds before his face twisted and he went out to spit it out.

"Is it really that bad? Isn’t it just that the heat was too high?"

Seeing her two sons’ reactions, Liu Cuilan curiously scooped a spoonful, then silently took both bowls of porridge to feed the pigs.

Although she always believed sons should be raised tough, she didn’t intend to poison them.

Fortunately, though the porridge was not pleasing, the dishes were quite good.

The two young brothers hadn’t seen so much meat on the dining table for a long time, and they each picked dishes until their chopsticks almost started weaving shadows.

The family was happily eating when suddenly a loud "bang bang bang" knocking sound came from outside, making a considerable commotion.

The door board was shaking violently; this force didn’t seem like knocking but more like smashing.

The two young brothers were startled, their chopsticks almost fell to the ground.

"Who’s outside?"

Liu Cuilan suppressed her anger and raised her voice, shouting toward the outside.

"Bang bang bang!" The pounding continued relentlessly without any intention of stopping.

Su Xiaoxiao frowned.

At this time, who would come? And banging on the door persistently without speaking; either they have ill intentions or hold a grudge against her family.

Otherwise, what decent folks knock door this way? Who would you scare at night?

Sure enough, after a while, a familiar sharp voice came from outside.

"Sister-in-law, open the door, it’s me."

Zhang Guifang’s voice came through the door, full of energy, clear even inside the house.

Su Wenbing and Su Fusheng immediately looked at their mother.

Whether or not to let their second aunt in was up to their mom to decide.

Liu Cuilan’s face sank, she said, "Open the door, I’ll see what she’s here for at this hour."