Hearing Su Tang say that, Zhang Cui shook her head with a helpless smile.
"Lu Xiao is the one who hit the jackpot by marrying you."
Honestly, no matter how great Lu Xiao was, he couldn’t compare to Su Tang.
Su Tang was poised and graceful, and handled everything with tact. How was that not better than an ice block?
Of course, this was just Zhang Cui looking at Su Tang through rose-colored glasses, treating her like her own flesh-and-blood sister.
"You just love to say what I want to hear, Sister-in-law. I’m sure it has nothing to do with wanting to eat my fried cakes."
"Am I that kind of person? The things you say."
Su Tang pushed the door open and had Zhang Cui sit down with Mai Sui in her arms. Then, she rolled up her sleeves and headed into the kitchen.
Zhang Cui wasn’t one to say things she didn’t an. She genuinely thought Su Tang was wonderful.
"Brother Lu’s parents are the ones with the real eye for talent. They picked you, one in a million."
Su Tang smiled without a word at Zhang Cui’s comnt, her hands moving deftly as she washed the ripe jujubes and removed their pits.
Luckily, she loved to watch cooking shows in her spare ti.
Making a few snacks was a piece of cake for her.
"By the way, did anyone at the hospital give you a hard ti today?"
Zhang Cui asked while feeding Mai Sui so warm water.
Su Tang shook her head. "No, the people at the hospital aren’t like Hu Lili. They’re actually quite easy to get along with."
’Whatever trouble Yuan Danqin caused was nothing. For , it was a walk in the park.’
’I want to work at the hospital long-term. At least until I find a way back ho, I have to ensure I can survive.’
Tis were turbulent, so Su Tang hadn’t touched a single cent of the money Mr. Su had given her.
She was just waiting for things to stabilize so she could use that money to start over.
’I know what the future holds, so I have to save this money.’
"Oh, Zhang Cui is here too?"
The two were talking while Su Tang kneaded dough, when they heard Sister Li’s voice from outside.
Sister Li was carrying a small basket, inside which were duck eggs still dotted with dirt.
"Sister Li, what can I do for you?"
Su Tang poked her head out of the kitchen, looking at Sister Li.
Sister Li never paid a visit without a reason, so her coming over must an sothing important.
Seeing Su Tang, Sister Li put the basket in her hand on the table and spoke with a smile.
"Oh, it’s nothing much. I just wanted to ask if you had any of that chili sauce you made last ti."
Sister Li looked a little embarrassed as she said this.
When Su Tang first arrived at the family compound, she had listened to Hu Lili and treated Su Tang like an enemy, never giving her so much as a pleasant look.
But she never expected Su Tang to repay her animosity with kindness, always sharing whatever nice things she got.
Sister Li felt that her past actions had been truly shaful.
Everyone said Su Tang had the incurable airs of a pampered young lady, but as far as Sister Li could see, that wasn’t true at all.
Su Tang wasn’t a scher. She was sincere, and Sister Li liked that.
"I do, Sister Li."
"There’s still a little less than half a jar left from last ti. If you don’t mind, would you like to take so to try?"
After speaking, Su Tang wiped her hands and went to get the chili sauce for Sister Li.
Lu Xiao loved this stuff too, but he had been so busy recently that he sotis ate dinner at the cafeteria.
If it sat any longer, the chili sauce would spoil.
There was nothing wrong with sharing it with Sister Li; it was ant for building goodwill anyway.
"Oh, that’s wonderful!"
Sister Li’s eyes lit up, and she quickly pushed the basket forward.
"How can I take your good stuff for free? Look, I’ve saved up so duck eggs at ho. They’re fresh, just collected. I’ll trade you for so chili sauce. They’re from my own ducks—good stuff."
In an era of scarce resources, even chicken eggs were a rarity, so a few duck eggs were extrely precious.
Just as Su Tang was about to refuse, a few more heads poked in at the doorway.
"Wow, Sister Li, you sure are quick on the draw."
It was Aunt Wang from next door, also carrying a small cloth bag.
"Xiao Su, that chili sauce you sent over last ti was incredible with noodles. I heard you still have so? We just stead a batch of buns from the new wheat harvest. They’re wonderfully soft. How about a trade?"
" too! Doctor Su!"
Another young wife squeezed in, holding a small bowl. "My mother-in-law’s pickled vegetables! The best dried radishes, perfectly crisp. I’d like to trade for a taste of your chili sauce too."
In an instant, the doorway of the small house beca lively.
One person was holding a few potatoes, another a bunch of green vegetables, and soone else had brought ho-dried mushrooms.
Everyone was chattering, their appetites all whetted by the chili sauce that Sister Li and Aunt Wang had praised to the heavens.
They were too embarrassed to take Su Tang’s things for free, so they all brought their own surplus local produce to barter.
Su Tang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the scene before her, but a warmth blood in her heart.
This was life in the family compound—simple and direct.
Not everyone in this era was like Hu Lili, unreasonable and always looking for trouble.
The jujube fried cakes would have to wait. The small jar of chili sauce wasn’t even enough to divide among them now.
She quickly greeted everyone, "Co in and sit, don’t all stand at the door."
"I don’t have much chili sauce left, only enough for two or three people. If you all like it, I’ll make so more and deliver it to each of you."
"As for your things, I won’t take them. We’re all neighbors. It’s just a little chili sauce; there’s no need to be so formal."
Hearing Su Tang say this, everyone couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed.
But as soon as they heard she would make more, they instantly cheered up again.
It wasn’t that they couldn’t make chili sauce themselves. The thing was, Su Tang’s tasted exactly like the kind you could buy in a store.
It was even tastier than the store-bought kind. After eating hers, their own homade versions tasted worlds apart.
They really couldn’t imagine how a pampered young lady like her had acquired such skill.
"No, that won’t work. Don’t chili peppers cost money? And it’s not like we brought anything precious. Please, take it."
"That’s right, Su Tang. Just take them. We’d feel bad otherwise."
There was no way they would agree to Su Tang refusing their goods.
They piled the things they brought directly in the living room, saying Su Tang should just co find them when the chili sauce was ready.
On the edge of the crowd, a figure slipped away quietly. Her lips curled into a sneer as she turned and walked briskly toward the managent office.
In the end, Zhang Cui and Mai Sui never got their jujube fried cakes. Zhang Cui pretended to be upset, saying that Su Tang was only paying attention to the outsiders.
Seeing Zhang Cui’s pout, Su Tang laughed and teased her, promising to make the cakes later and deliver them personally as an apology.
That evening when Lu Xiao returned, he was a little surprised to see the living room piled with all sorts of local produce.
"You bought these?"
But a closer look revealed these weren’t things you could buy at the supply depot.
Su Tang was stir-frying vegetables and casually replied, "The wives in the compound gave them to ."
Hearing this, Lu Xiao’s expression turned grim. Accepting gifts at a ti like this was not a good thing.
But before Lu Xiao could ask more, Su Tang explained, "The wives wanted to eat my chili sauce but felt bad taking it for free, so they brought things to trade with ."
"I told them not to, but it was too chaotic. I don’t even know who put what here."
Su Tang sounded exasperated. Everyone had been so enthusiastic; how could she have refused?
Lu Xiao walked to the kitchen, looking at Su Tang’s figure, his gaze unreadable.
In his mind, a pampered young lady like her should have been incapable of enduring hardship and surviving in the Northwest.
Yet, Su Tang had not only persevered, but she had also found a job on her own rits.
Now, she had caused many people in the family compound to change their opinion of her.
’Her charisma is hard to ignore,’ Lu Xiao suddenly thought. ’Even if it weren’t for , even if she had never co to the Northwest... she could live a free and easy life on her own terms, because no hardship could ever break her.’
"Su Tang."
"Hm?"
"It’s nothing."
Lu Xiao seed to want to say sothing but stopped. After a glance at Su Tang, he turned and went into the inner room.
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