After Sending the Book
Lin Shan suddenly stopped in his tracks. He had heard about this book but had never read it, so he was especially eager. Hearing Su Su say this, he felt like he couldn’t back out, but he couldn’t bring himself to admit that he liked it either—after all, he had previously said some dismissive things to her.
Su Su laughed internally. Serves you right for being so tsundere. You like the female lead, huh? Now I’ve got you right where I want you.
Books aren’t just for reading, after all. Su Su knew that in the story, the female lead had gained him as a loyal follower with a single tattered extracurricular book. If it worked for her, why not for Su Su? Although she couldn’t remember all the details from the book, her analytical mind and careful reflection helped her piece together a few key scenes, which proved invaluable.
She said, “Wait here; I’ll go grab some gifts for you.” With that, she headed to the backyard.
Mother Lin seized the moment to lecture her sons, saying, “Your sister-in-law truly treats you well. You don’t even know how expensive books are these days. Make sure you help her with chores in the future and don’t give her a hard time, understand?”
“Yes, we understand,” Lin Jiang quickly agreed. Although he seemed like a stubborn boy at heart, he was easy to please—just a bit of food could win him over completely.
Lin Hai, on the other hand, was straightforward and dependable. He didn’t question orders, just listened to his elder brother and helped wherever needed. Though rough around the edges, his earnestness made him endearing, which is why Su Su had a soft spot for him, even though he wasn’t much younger than her.
Su Su returned with some books and a pen. Since she had brought several pens and notebooks for herself, she didn’t mind giving some away. As for Lin Hai, a growing boy without even a decent outfit to his name, Su Su decided to use some fabric she’d initially set aside for Lin Chuan to make him some clothes.
She had originally intended to make Lin Chuan a set of casual clothes and mail them to him, but he had insisted he wouldn’t wear them, saying he had no use for civilian attire in the military. Since he didn’t want them, Su Su thought it would be better to use the fabric for Lin Hai instead, leaving the sewing to Mother Lin.
Gathering her three gifts, Su Su dashed back to the front yard. The bitter cold made her realize how merciless nature could be. She now understood why Lin Chuan had been so meticulous in his preparations—she didn’t even want to go to the front yard to eat. It was much easier to just steam some dumplings in the morning and be done with it.
When she reached the front yard, the three boys were still in the main house. She handed a pen and notebook to Lin Jiang, saying, “These are for your studies.”
“A brand-new pen?” Lin Jiang’s eyes widened. His teacher had recently asked the students to use fountain pens, but his family had spent so much money on his elder brother’s wedding that he hadn’t dared to ask for one. He hadn’t expected his new sister-in-law to give him one. Now, he wouldn’t have to feel embarrassed in front of his classmates. And the two new notebooks? They were so beautiful and completely unused.
“Study hard, okay?” Su Su said.
“Thank you, Sister-in-law.” Lin Jiang was genuinely overjoyed.
Su Su smiled at his enthusiasm, then handed a pristine book to Lin Shan. “This is for you. Take good care of it.”
Lin Shan’s hands trembled as he accepted the book. He had never owned an extracurricular book before, especially not a famous one. He carefully held it with both hands and murmured, “Okay.”
Finally, Su Su handed the fabric to Lin Hai. “This is for you. Use it to make a nice set of clothes.”
“How can you give him such an expensive gift?” Mother Lin protested.
Su Su handed the fabric to her with a smile. “He’s grown up now and should dress well. It’ll also help him find a wife.”
Lin Hai froze. It was true that he was old enough to marry, but his family’s focus on his elder brother meant little attention had been paid to him. Su Su was probably the first person to hope he could dress nicely and find a wife.
Mother Lin thought about it and nodded. “Alright, since it’s your idea, I’ll make him a set of clothes.”
Everyone wanted to wear something new for the New Year. While Lin Jiang and Lin Shan were envious, neither would have traded their own gifts for the fabric.
“Thank you, Sister-in-law,” Lin Hai finally said. Mother Lin added, “Take your sister-in-law home. The road is slippery in the dark.”
“Okay.” Lin Hai agreed and escorted Su Su back home. He even offered to heat her kang bed.
“There’s no need,” Su Su said. “I already heated it earlier.” She had warmed a pot of water to enjoy a proper bath once she was alone.
After Lin Hai left, Su Su locked the door, drew the curtains, and quickly bathed. The conditions here were far from ideal, so she finished quickly and climbed into bed.
Winter was so cold that she barely wanted to leave her room. After her classes, she would heat the kang, wrap herself in a blanket, and stay put. Still, staying home all the time was boring, so she passed the time reading and thinking about Lin Chuan.
Though they had spent little time together, she missed him dearly. But when she thought about the letter he had sent her, she nearly spat in frustration. He had been gone so long and only sent a single line! She had secretly read it ahead of time, and it left her fuming for three days.
What kind of man writes such a brief letter to his wife?
Determined to make him suffer as she had, she drafted a reply. “Dear Chuanzi, ever since you left…” Her words flowed like poetry, filled with affection and longing, a letter so heartfelt it could move mountains.
Satisfied, she decided this would surely stir Lin Chuan’s emotions. Let’s see if he can stay cool now. Hmph.
Since she disliked going to the commune, she asked Lin Hai to mail the letter for her and withdraw her wages from the post office. At that time, money couldn’t be withdrawn without an introduction letter, so Lin Hai had to visit the village office to get one before heading to the commune.
Though there wasn’t much to buy for the New Year due to limited funds, Su Su noticed how festive the atmosphere became. Everyone was busy preparing, and people treated each other with more warmth and civility, avoiding arguments to ensure good luck for the New Year.
Even in class, everyone wore smiles, occasionally discussing their New Year plans together.
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