Chapter 223: Heading South

Chapter 223: Heading South

Su An's statement about going south with her classmates wasn't just a casual remark to appease Wang Xiaocui.

Chu Shuyu, a 33-year-old divorced woman, is a self-employed entrepreneur running a shoe store and a clothing store in City A, and she is also a student at the A City Sports School!

While at school, Su An was lucky enough to become her desk mate. After learning about her background, Su An intentionally got closer, calling her "sister" and quickly forming a bond with her!

Upon discovering that Su An was also a divorced woman, Chu Shuyu became more sincere towards her.

In this era, divorced women were seen as a disgrace, looked down upon, and subjected to scornful glances. Many women would rather die in their in-laws' homes than get a divorce.

Chu Shuyu was tricked into marriage during her youth when she was sent to the countryside as a sent-down youth. She was unwilling and resentful, being forced into marriage. It was only after overhearing a conversation between her husband and mother-in-law that she learned the truth!

Already resentful, knowing she had been tricked made her even more so. After the national college entrance exams were restored, her in-laws, fearing she might run away, treated her even more harshly, locking her in a cellar for an entire year, hoping she would bear a child to tie her down!

But Chu Shuyu had a fiery temperament. She aborted two pregnancies, which eventually damaged her body and affected her fertility. Seeing her stubbornness and her refusal to bear children, her in-laws, concerned about their son's lineage, finally let her go!

Returning to the city without a job, having missed the college entrance exams, and being a divorced woman who couldn't bear children, she endured the harsh realities of life; even her own family couldn't accept her.

After the reform and opening up, she gambled her life to venture south, facing life and death several times, which led to her current success!

Her daring nature also made her one of the first ten-thousand-yuan earners in City A!

Having traveled to Guangzhou and Dongguan several times, Chu Shuyu naturally developed her own methods.

Firstly, she would never carry cash; losing cash was a minor issue, but carrying so much money could cost her life.

She had already wired the money through the post office, with herself as the recipient. She timed it so that the money would arrive when she reached the south. Once she found quality goods, she would withdraw the money, significantly reducing the risk compared to carrying it herself.

Without hesitation, Su An also wired her money through the post office!

This bold move earned Su An some respect from Chu Shuyu!

Although Su An repeatedly assured her that everything would be fine, and Ren San was also going along, providing some company, Wang Xiaocui still seemed deeply worried!

She stayed up all night making egg crepes and other snacks for the journey, preparing them for the two to take on the train.

Su An had asked Chu Shuyu, and with the round-trip travel time, they estimated they would be away for at least ten days!

Given the cold weather, she only packed two sets of undergarments for changing. If they got smelly, so be it; sometimes, smelling bad could also be a form of protection!

They had bought morning tickets well in advance, so they had seats. Ren San, being small and looking like a half-grown boy, could have traveled without a ticket, but considering the long journey, Su An didn't want to save on this expense and bought him a seat as well!

"Su An!!"

Su An turned around to see a slightly plump, somewhat rustic-looking woman waving at her from the waiting room.

"Shuyu sister??"

Su An was somewhat surprised. During their school days, Chu Shuyu had been a stylish woman with permed hair, wearing a high-neck sweater and leather boots. Now, she looked like an ordinary village woman who blended into the crowd.

Her dusty work jacket and her once beautiful, thick curly hair were now messily braided into a common style, casually tossed behind her!

"An An, are they coming along too?" Chu Shuyu asked, looking at Wang Xiaocui and Ren San.

"Shuyu sister, this is my mom, and this is my brother, Ren San. My mom is here to see me off at the station and will head back later. My brother wants to come along to explore the south!"

"Don't worry, my brother is very obedient and well-mannered. I'll make sure to take good care of him!"

Bringing a young girl along, Chu Shuyu was a bit reluctant, but hearing Su An say it wouldn't be a bother, she didn't say more.

Knowing that her daughter was being taken on this trip by someone who owned two shops on the street next to the department store, Wang Xiaocui, who had little experience, handed Chu Shuyu the egg pancakes she had made earlier, smiling ingratiatingly.

"Sister, this trip is troubling you, these are homemade, please don't turn them down!"

"No, no, An An and I are classmates, and we get along well. Since I'm going anyway, having her with me means I have company. There's no trouble at all. When you're out, you have to be careful!"

Chu Shuyu meant that since she was going on this trip anyway, Su An accompanying her wasn't a bother. When you're out, you have to rely on yourself, and if something really happened, she wouldn't be able to help much!

But Wang Xiaocui didn't catch that, and kept pushing the oil-paper bag towards Chu Shuyu, like a patient's family member trying to slip a red envelope to a surgeon, not feeling at ease until it was accepted.

"Please take it, don't refuse it!"

Faced with such relentless enthusiasm, Chu Shuyu couldn't resist, "Oh, I can't accept this, really, you're too kind, I'll take it, thank you, big sister!"

Su An called Chu Shuyu sister, while Wang Xiaocui called her sister, and Chu Shuyu called Wang Xiaocui big sister. Su An was just two months shy of 19, Chu Shuyu was 33, and Wang Xiaocui was 42. The generations were mixed up, but no one minded!

Seeing Chu Shuyu accept the items, Wang Xiaocui finally felt relieved.

Feeling a bit guilty for taking the gifts without offering anything in return, Chu Shuyu, in front of Wang Xiaocui, sat Su An down and took out a simple set of makeup tools from an old bag. She applied a mud-colored foundation on Su An's face and neck, thickened her eyebrows, and changed the color of her lips.

After this makeover, Su An's original beauty was instantly reduced by more than half.

Wang Xiaocui breathed a sigh of relief in her heart; her eggs and pancakes weren't wasted!

"Mom, you can go back now. If you're worried about me, I'll send you a quick telegram when I get there, and you can check at the post office in a few days!"

"Alright, alright, be safe out there, don't argue with others, safety is the most important. Keep an eye on your luggage, don't lose it, but even if you do, it's okay, people are the most important, have a safe trip..."

Wang Xiaocui agreed verbally but didn't leave, continuing to chatter on the side until everyone boarded the train and it started moving, she was still waving from below.

Chu Shuyu, looking out the window at Wang Xiaocui chasing the train, couldn't help but sigh, "Your mom really loves you!"

Su An wanted to reply that all mothers love their children, but thinking of Chu Shuyu's family situation, she could only dryly say, "Hehe, yes, she still treats me like a child!"