Chapter 60: Disappointment

Chapter 60: Letdown

"This one’s on me," Miss Su said with a smile.

"That won’t do. Let’s keep things square."

Aunt Niu refused outright and took out half a yuan to hand to Miss Su.

"Hey, Auntie, you’re family to me. Are you pulling this with me?"

Miss Su turned and pressed the money back into Aunt Niu’s hand.

Not wanting to upset her and touched by her kindness, Aunt Niu chuckled and said, "Well, thanks then."

"Harm, you’ve helped me so much. Shouldn’t I treat you to a bowl of noodles?" Miss Su replied casually.

"In all my years, I’ve never met anyone as good at handling people as you, Miss Su," Aunt Niu praised, giving her highest commendation.

"Don’t sweet-talk me like that. If you raise me so high, what if one day I do something you don’t like? You’ll resent me for sure," Miss Su joked.

"Never! With your people skills, that day will never come."

*That’s not necessarily true. The hardest thing to predict is the human heart.*

But Miss Su genuinely cared for Aunt Niu. Since she’d woken up in this life, apart from her two children, Aunt Niu was the first person who had shown her kindness.

So, whenever she could, she wanted to return that warmth to Aunt Niu.

Meanwhile, after Ji Liangchuan got Niu Niu and Zai Zai settled at the tables outside the bookstore, he went to find his grandmother.

His grandmother, Ms. Zhou, hurried over and asked, "Chuan, where have you been? Your grandfather was worried sick and went searching for you."

Ji Liangchuan looked apologetically at his grandmother, regretting having worried them.

"I already told you I was going to play with my friends."

"You’ve been back here for so long, and I’ve never seen you reach out to other kids," Ms. Zhou frowned, clearly not buying it.

"It’s true, Grandma. Look, those two siblings sitting outside are my friends," Ji Liangchuan pointed at Zai Zai and Niu Niu.

Ms. Zhou looked and indeed saw two children around her grandson’s age.

"You’ve made friends? That makes Grandma so happy," Ms. Zhou said with a smile.

"Grandma, can I go to their house to play?" Ji Liangchuan asked.

"Of course. Which street in town do they live on?"

"In Shangyao Village," Ji Liangchuan replied.

In the village?

"No, it’s too far. Grandma wouldn’t rest easy."

"How is it far? Their mom said it only takes a little over an hour to walk there. We have a car—it’d take just over twenty minutes to drive there," Ji Liangchuan countered with his quick thinking.

Ms. Zhou had no comeback.

*Having a grandson too smart for his own good isn’t always a good thing. Can’t pull one over on him.*

"You don’t even know them, yet you’re ready to follow them to the village," Ms. Zhou said, exasperated. "You wouldn’t even realize if they were trying to kidnap you."

"Aunt Su isn’t like that. She’s really nice," Ji Liangchuan frowned, clearly unhappy with his grandmother’s words about Aunt Su.

Suddenly, he noticed Zai Zai and Niu Niu looking in his direction, so he turned back to Ms. Zhou and said, "My friends are waiting for me. Talk to you later."

With that, he ran into the store to fetch some storybooks—Niu Niu loved these.

When Ji Liangchuan brought the books to Zai Zai and Niu Niu, Niu Niu immediately leaned in and asked, "What were you and that old lady talking about for so long?"

Ji Liangchuan glanced at her and replied dejectedly, "That’s my grandma. I asked to visit your place, but she said it’s too far and won’t let me."

Zai Zai, who had been flipping through the books, looked up at Ji Liangchuan and said, "If Grandma says no, she’s got her reasons. We’re just kids—we gotta listen to the grown-ups."

Ji Liangchuan wanted to protest, *But then I can’t come play with you!*

But after a moment, he realized Zai Zai was right, which only made him feel even more disappointed.

"Don’t worry, Brother Chuan. Next time Mom brings us to town, we’ll come play with you," Niu Niu comforted him warmly.

Seeing Niu Niu’s sweet smile, Ji Liangchuan couldn’t help but nod.

After helping Aunt Niu sell most of the stall’s goods, Su He went to pick up the kids.

When she arrived at the bookstore, Zai Zai and Niu Niu, who’d been sitting outside, jumped up excitedly at the sight of her and called out, "Mom!"

Su He acknowledged them while scanning the surroundings, noticing sliced apples on the table.

"Who cut these apples?" she asked, surprised.

After all, in these times, families who could afford apples weren’t common.

"Brother Chuan’s grandma gave them to us," Niu Niu said, looking up.

*Oh, the protagonist’s grandma—no wonder.*

As the male lead, of course his family’s well-off. His family was supposedly from the military compound in the capital.

"Did you say thank you?" Su He asked the kids gently.

"We did," Zai Zai answered promptly.

"Aunt Su, you’re leaving now?" Ji Liangchuan asked, looking a little down.

"Yeah, we’re heading back to the village. The kids need their nap, and you should rest too," Su He replied with a smile.

Ji Liangchuan wanted to protest, but he just shut his mouth instead.

Just then, Ms. Zhou, Ji Liangchuan’s grandmother, stepped out.

"Hello, what should I call you?" Ms. Zhou greeted Su He warmly.

It was the first time since Su He came here that someone had greeted her properly.

*She’s clearly cultured.*

"My name is Su He. I’m their mom," Su He replied with a smile.

"I’m Chuan’s grandma. He hasn’t stopped talking about how great you are," Ms. Zhou said cheerfully, not a trace of judgment about Su He’s weight or her being from the countryside.

"Really? Liangchuan is also a good boy. My two kids played with him for just over an hour last time and have been looking forward to seeing him again," Su He replied with a smile.

That's how most parents are—once the topic of their children comes up, they can't stop talking.

Ms. Zhou sighed and said, "My Chuan has been back with me for over a month now. He's quiet and hardly plays with other kids. Your two children are the only friends he’s made since coming here."

"Well, my two kids are the same. Usually, they’re a bit quiet and reserved, but this is the first time I’ve seen them so eager to make friends," Su He added.

Ms. Zhou then asked around and was surprised to learn that she was actually from the city, just staying out here in the country with her two kids for a while.

Looking at how well Su He had adapted to life in the town and village, she didn’t seem at all like someone who had never lived in the countryside before.

"My Chuan has been saying he wants to visit your home. I just turned him down, and he’s been moping about it all day," Ms. Zhou sighed.

"He’s probably just having a hard time adjusting after leaving his parents and coming to this unfamiliar place.

Finally meeting playmates his age, he naturally wants to go play with Zai Zai and Niu Niu.

You're welcome to come by anytime. It’s just me and the two kids at home—no one else."

When Ms. Zhou heard this, she was astonished.

She wanted to ask if Su He didn’t live with her in-laws, but it seemed too personal, so she held back.

As it was getting late, Su He added, "My home is in Shangyao Village. If you take the main road from the village entrance, just walk straight to the end of the village—my house is at the far end.

There’s also a smaller path that connects to the main road, but unless you’re from the village, it’s hard to find."

Ms. Zhou was moved by her kindness and couldn't help but smile sincerely, replying, "Alright."