Zhao Youcai said angrily, "Uncle Su, if you're still not willing to talk properly, then we'll go to the Women's Federation and the Public Security Bureau. I'm sure we can find a place where you're willing to have a proper conversation. How does that sound?"
Old Su's chest felt tight. The thought of paying out money was like a knife to his heart. Old Su, on the other hand, wanted to wail, but remembering what he had just said, she forcefully swallowed the cries back down. The suppressed outburst was stuck in her throat, making her chest feel tight and suffocated.
"Brigade Leader, then you tell us. How much should we give Erya?" Old Su was absolutely unwilling to return this job to Su Qing. It wasn't just an iron rice bowl; when Su Shengguo retired, his eldest grandson could take over.
Zhao Youcai and Wang Xuehong conferred for a moment, then spoke quietly to Su Qing. "Su Qing, my girl, look, how about we have your grandparents and uncle pay five hundred yuan to buy this job from you?"
With a look of complete trust and reliance, Su Qing nodded and whispered, "I'll leave it all up to the Brigade Leader and the Party Secretary. Thank you so much for today."
"Oh, child, don't thank us. You've suffered all these years." Seeing Su Qing's absolute trust, both Zhao Youcai and Wang Xuehong felt a pang of guilt. They hadn't done enough over the years, hadn't done enough to support this child.
Zhao Youcai then turned to Old Su. "Uncle Su, here's the deal. Your family will pay five hundred yuan to Su Qing, and that will be considered payment for buying the job. From now on, the job belongs to your Su Shengguo and will have nothing more to do with Su Qing."
"What? Five hundred yuan! That much!" Upon hearing the amount, Old Su let out a shriek and jumped up from the ground, wailing, "We don't have it! We don't! Our family doesn't have five hundred yuan! A wretched girl like her, does she really think she's made of gold and jade? Demanding five hundred yuan! She should take a good look at herself and see if she's even worth that much!"
Old Su's face darkened as well. "That's far too much."
Old Su lunged hatefully toward Su Qing. "You damn girl! Are you trying to drive your own grandparents to their graves? You unfilial brat! You'll face retribution for this!"
Before she could reach Su Qing, the aunts and mothers who had been shielding the girl stepped in and blocked the old woman. "Aunt Su, you're in the wrong here. You're hogging the girl's job but refuse to pay for it. Even a rich landlord has to pay his tenants in grain. You're going too far."
"Who are you calling a rich landlord? Who?" Old Su retorted furiously. "My family has been poor peasants for eight generations!"
"Enough! Just quiet down." Seeing Zhao Youcai and Wang Xuehong glaring over with dark expressions, Old Su snapped at his wife, "Get back here."
'The Old Su Family has been utterly disgraced today.'
"Hmph." Zhao Youcai's expression was grim. "You don't have the money, but Su Shengguo doesn't either? He's been earning thirty to forty yuan a month for six years. How could he not have saved five hundred yuan by now? What's more, this is an iron rice bowl for life. If he doesn't want it, then give it back to Su Qing. It was her father's job. If anyone was going to inherit it, it should have been her."
Su Qing silently gave Zhao Youcai a thumbs-up in her mind. 'Well said.'
At the same time, Su Qing felt a little exasperated with the original owner of her body. 'If the old Su Qing had just thought to fight back, with the Brigade Leader and Party Secretary to support her, there's no way she would have been tormented by the Old Su Family into her current state.'
'Having inherited the original's memories, Su Qing felt great sympathy for her but couldn't condone her actions. Even if you resent your own mother for abandoning you, you can't just give up on yourself.'
Choked speechless by Zhao Youcai's words, Old Su turned to glare at Su Qing again.
Zhao Youcai said, "Uncle Su, don't glare at the girl. Just give me one word: yes or no. If it's no, we'll see you at the Women's Federation and the Public Security Bureau."
"Fine!" Gritting his teeth and stomping his foot, Old Su knew he couldn't get out of it today. "Five hundred it is. But we'll need some time. We have to scrape the money together."
'I'll just agree for now,' Old Su thought. 'Whether we actually give her the money later is up to our family to decide. The important thing is to fool them for today. It's not like that girl Erya will actually dare to demand the money from me later, right?'
"What do you mean, 'need some time'?" Wang Xuehong said with a frown. "Settle the payment today. If you don't have it at home, have Victory go to the county and get it from Shengguo. This matter can't be delayed. Uncle Su, you've all tormented Su Qing into this state. Now that we're involved, we can't just see this through halfway, don't you agree?"
Old Su was choked with rage. 'Agree my ass!'
Taking a deep breath, Old Su said to his wife, "Go. Get five hundred yuan for Erya."
Back when Su Shengjun was alive, he gave the family ten yuan every month. Su Shengguo did the same after him. After so many years, the Old Su Family had naturally saved up no less than five hundred yuan. So, producing five hundred yuan was actually easy for them; they just didn't want to give it to Su Qing.
When the surrounding villagers heard Old Su's words, their mouths fell open in envy. So, the Old Su Family really was rich! Five hundred yuan! And they could produce it just like that.
Of course, some people also turned their eyes toward Su Qing.
A sixteen-year-old girl, soon to have her own house, with a huge sum of five hundred yuan in her hands... no matter how you looked at it, she was a prime candidate for a daughter-in-law.
Instantly, some people started getting ideas.
When Old Su heard they really had to produce five hundred yuan, she was instantly displeased. She was about to start wailing again but stopped when her husband shot her a glare. Grumbling and cursing under her breath, she had no choice but to head back into the house.
For a moment, the Old Su Family's courtyard fell silent, each person lost in their own thoughts. Su Tao stood behind Tian Aixiang, watching Su Qing with resentment and a growing unease. 'Su Qing has broken away from the Old Su Family just like that. So who's going to marry that fool now? It certainly can't be me. I'm going to marry into the county town! I'm supposed to find a husband who eats state-supplied grain! What do I do? Everyone knows about me and that fool being in the same room. What am I supposed to do now?'
Su Tao's hands clenched into tight fists. For a moment, her mind was a complete blank; she couldn't think of any way out.
Meanwhile, Shi's mother was hiding in a corner with Shitou. Hearing that the Old Su Family had so much money and was about to give five hundred yuan to Su Qing, her gaze began to wander over Su Qing once more. Then she glanced at Su Tao, her eyes darting back and forth as if she were weighing her options.
After a short while, Old Su returned with a wad of cash wrapped in a handkerchief. She was about to throw it at Su Qing, her mouth still spewing filth. "Here! Five hundred yuan, you damn plague-cursed girl—"
"Wait a moment," Zhao Youcai said. "Aunt Su, give the money to me first. I'll act as the intermediary, just in case there are disputes later about the amount being incorrect."
Hearing this, Old Su's hand, which had been about to throw the money, froze mid-air.