Volume 1, Chapter 38: She Will Not Let Su Wan Off

"Principal, Secretary, I truly have no intentions in that regard at this time." Huo Xiaohan glanced at Su Wan. He sat with his hands resting on his knees, his back as straight as a pine, speaking with cold, resolute determination.

He did not know how Su Wan had conducted herself at the Song residence over the past two weeks to make both Principal Song and Secretary Yang so fond of her, to the point where they spoke on her behalf and tried so hard to play matchmaker. It was as if missing out on a partner as good as Su Wan would be his greatest loss. However, he was well aware that Su Wan’s goal in attending school was to climb the social ladder by finding a young, handsome male student from a prestigious family.

"Comrade Su Wan and I are not a good match."

His stern and unwavering tone made his stance clear to Principal Song. Realizing that further persuasion would be futile, the principal gave Secretary Yang a regretful look, signaling for her to drop the subject. Since neither party was interested, they could not force the match.

Secretary Yang understood this as well, though she remained deeply curious why Huo Xiaohan had helped Su Wan finish her fatty meat the first time they met—a gesture that naturally invited speculation. But with both of them present, pressing the issue would only be awkward. She flashed a bright smile, revealing her white teeth. "Alright, alright. Old Song and I were just so happy that Wenbo is getting married soon, and thinking you two were a good fit, we wanted to bridge the gap and help cultivate a beautiful union. I suppose I was just being impatient. Come, come, Xiao Huo, Su Wan, let’s eat."

Things had reached a point where it was unlikely Xiao Huo would ever visit the Song house again.

"The soup is finished; I'll go to the kitchen to refill it," Su Wan said, taking the opportunity to rise and escape the delicate and awkward situation.

Huo Xiaohan quickly finished his meal, set down his bowl and chopsticks, and said to the principal and the secretary with an expressionless face, "Principal, Secretary, I have matters to attend to, so I won't stay any longer. Please, enjoy your meal."

With that, he stood up and strode toward the door before the others could even attempt to persuade him to stay.

Upon hearing Brother Huo firmly declare that he would not pursue Su Wan, Su Xiaohui finally felt relieved. However, the jealousy and resentment in her eyes grew as wildly as weeds. The Song family treated Su Wan so well—a level of favor she had never even enjoyed at the Huo household. She had to find a way to make Su Wan leave the Song family. The Songs were intellectuals with connections to every social circle; if they were introducing Brother Huo to Su Wan today, who was to say they wouldn’t introduce her to a doctor, an official, or an accountant tomorrow? She could not allow Su Wan to marry so well; she deserved to be driven back to the countryside, married off to some ugly, destitute bachelor, and left to toil in the fields for the rest of her life.

After finishing her meal at the Song house, Su Xiaohui did not return to the Huo residence. Instead, she headed straight for the post office, using the money she had on her to buy stationery, envelopes, and stamps. When she had first entered Su Wan’s room, she had rummaged through her belongings and found a letter from the Song family’s former nanny, Aunt Wang, noting down her home address. If the original nanny could return to the Song family early, they would certainly not need two nannies, and they would surely force Su Wan to leave.

She crouched on the stone steps under the shade of a tree to write the letter to Aunt Wang. She told her that Su Wan’s grades were too poor and she had no school to attend in Beijing. However, she was good at cooking, and the entire Song family liked her so much that they not only wanted to introduce her to a partner but also intended to keep her on as a long-term employee. She was certain that upon reading this, Aunt Wang would buy a train ticket to Beijing without a moment’s delay.

Su Xiaohui curled her lips into a smirk as she dropped the finished letter into the green mailbox. Just as she turned to leave, she stepped on the foot of a passerby.

"You country bumpkin! Are you blind? Can you even afford to pay for these purple crystal sandals if you ruin them? You’ve dirtied my clean socks!"

Fang Yu had just heard that Huo Xiaohan had no interest in her, and she was bursting with suppressed rage. On her way to complain to a friend, she had been stepped on by a peasant. Seeing the black footprint on her clean sock, Fang Yu shoved Su Xiaohui hard and let out a string of curses. Noticing Su Xiaohui’s swollen face, she added with disgust, "Walking around with a pig’s head like that—are you trying to scare people to death? Serves you right for getting beaten."

Fang Yu did not recognize Su Xiaohui, but Su Xiaohui recognized her instantly. Indeed, Fang Yu’s character was exactly as Secretary Yang had described: she played the part of a gentle lady when visiting the Huo house, but her true nature was vile.

"I’m sorry, Sister Fang Yu, I didn’t see you," Su Xiaohui said, recalling what she had heard at the Song house. Her eyes darted as she adopted a pitiful and weak demeanor.

"So it’s you, the illiterate country girl." Fang Yu scanned Su Xiaohui’s face, her anger intensifying. "I haven't even gone looking for you yet! It’s all your fault that my matchmaking was ruined. You did it on purpose, didn't you? Look in a mirror, you pig—do you think you’re worth anything?"

Fang Yu shoved her again, her voice menacing. "You dirtied my socks, so you pay me. If you don't pay, you’re not going anywhere today."

"Sister Fang Yu, you’ve misunderstood me. Actually, my sister was the one meant to be matched with Brother Huo. At first, my sister relied on her looks and looked down on Brother Huo for being older. Our family had no choice but to have me write the letters to him. Later, once she learned the Huo family had power and influence in Beijing, she kept trying every way she could to get back together with him." Su Xiaohui, her frail body pushed to the ground, spoke with a pitiful, aggrieved tone.

"When I went to my sister's employer's house to find her today, Brother Huo was there. That’s when I realized her employer is a leader at Brother Huo’s military academy. My sister specifically became a nanny at Principal Song’s house just to use that connection to get close to Brother Huo and force him to marry her."

Fang Yu’s face darkened. The person she had encountered at the mall was actually so close to Colonel Huo. She knew it—when Director Huo had come by today to say there was no spark, it must have been because that bitch Su Wan had told the Huo family about the incident at the mall. She had been on two or three dates before, and the men had always been very satisfied with her; it was always her who found the others lacking. How could Colonel Huo possibly find her unappealing?

And that wasn't all. Her father had arranged for her to attend Lizhi High School; once school started, she would be a colleague of Director Huo, who would also be her superior. If the other teachers at school found out about this, how could she stay there? With the male teachers already distancing themselves from her, how would she ever find a husband?

"You two sisters are born sluts—one poisons people, the other hooks men. Your sister is working as a nanny at the school leaders' and faculty residential compound nearby, isn't she?" Fang Yu pointed at Su Xiaohui, her face flushed with rage, wishing she could tear Su Wan apart. If she didn't send someone to teach Su Wan a lesson, she would never be able to swallow this humiliation.

"Yes... but there are sentries at the gate. Outsiders can't get in," Su Xiaohui said, shivering. Originally, she had also been blocked, but when she said she was Su Wan’s sister, the sentry had actually remembered Su Wan well and let her in after she registered. While she appeared terrified on the surface, a cruel smile played at the corner of her mouth. She couldn't deal with Su Wan herself, so she would let Fang Yu do it. Given Fang Yu’s family background and her savage temper, she certainly wouldn't let Su Wan off easily. This was perfect. Her heart was overflowing with joy.

Fang Yu had no time for Su Xiaohui now, especially with people on the street watching. She couldn't do anything to Su Xiaohui for the moment; her mind was entirely consumed by how to deal with that bitch, Su Wan. It must have been her who told the story about the mall, ruining her matchmaking and trying to steal Colonel Huo—she would make her pay!

With a face full of malice, Fang Yu glared at Su Xiaohui and headed home.

That evening, after Su Wan had finished cleaning the Song residence, she took her Chinese textbook to the balcony, as usual, to study by the moonlight. Although the college entrance exam was not as fiercely competitive as it would be in later generations, it was no longer as simple as it had been when it was first reinstated, becoming more difficult each year.

The school Uncle Huo had transferred her to was one of the top five key high schools in the city. Su Wan had specifically inquired about this "Lizhi High School" while out buying groceries. The families of the students there were all high-ranking officials or intellectuals, so the academic environment was much more intense than at an average school. Although she had already studied the material in the textbooks, she could not afford to be careless. She had promised Uncle Huo she would keep up with the school's pace, and this might be her only chance.

Thus, she poured in the diligence and drive of a repeat student, studying whenever she had a free moment. She memorized vocabulary and formulas and copied out lessons—especially copying, as in her past life, the prevalence of computers and smartphones had made her forget how to write many characters even though she could read them. If she reached the Chinese exam and couldn't write the characters for her essay, it would be a disaster. She could not afford such low-level mistakes.

Fortunately, the Song family was small. Secretary Yang’s two sons worked in other provinces, and her daughter had married away as well. Song Wenbo was also currently applying for housing at the hospital. This kept her days relatively quiet, and the only reason the elderly couple had hired a nanny was their inability to cook.

"Su Wan, go inside; don't ruin your eyes, and there are too many mosquitoes on the balcony," Secretary Yang said, feeling a pang of sympathy as she came out to use the restroom and saw Su Wan studying.

"Auntie, it's fine. The moon is very bright tonight, I can see," Su Wan replied, turning to smile at Secretary Yang while scratching the mosquito bites on her arm.

"Be obedient. Look at all these bites on your arms and legs," Secretary Yang said sternly. She pulled Su Wan back into the room, knocked on Song Wenbo’s door, and took the desk lamp he had used when he was a student. As she left, she didn't forget to say to the startled, sleepy Song Wenbo, "Look at that—your sister Su Wan studies so diligently. If you had that kind of drive, you would have surely gotten into a military academy."

A drowsy and bewildered Song Wenbo couldn't understand why she was talking about the college entrance exam when he was about to get married.

"Keep this lamp by your bedside and study inside your mosquito net from now on," Secretary Yang said, plugging in the lamp and turning it on for Su Wan.

"Auntie, it's really not necessary. That's such a waste of electricity," Su Wan said, moved. Electricity was expensive, and she was just a nanny. "I can just use a kerosene lamp."

"That's too hot; you won't be able to study properly." Secretary Yang felt guilty for not telling Su Wan about the matchmaking beforehand and for failing to make the match. "I'm sorry about what happened with Xiao Huo the other day; I was too impatient. Seeing how hard you study, I just wanted to find you a good partner so you wouldn't have to struggle so much. It's truly not easy for a child from the countryside to come to the capital to study."

Secretary Yang sighed. She had thought about it for several nights. Ever since Xiao Huo had come to cook at the Huo house, he hadn't returned to the Song residence. But from the way he had helped Su Wan with the fatty meat, it was clear he had initially been interested. Something must have happened after Su Wan cooked for the old Mrs. Huo that changed his mind.

"How is your transfer coming along?" Secretary Yang asked, sitting by the bed.

"It should be almost done," Su Wan replied, planning to find time to ask Uncle Huo so she could focus on her preparations.

"That's good. Which high school are your relatives planning to transfer you to?" Secretary Yang asked, unable to sleep and happy to chat. She truly liked this child from the bottom of her heart.

"Lizhi High School," Su Wan answered clearly.

"Everyone who gets into Lizhi High School is a top student; it seems your grades must be quite good," Secretary Yang praised, surprised. The school was famous for its strict discipline and high academic quality; every year, countless students fought to get in, and it was hard to get in even through connections.

Su Wan thought of the original owner’s single-digit scores and gave an embarrassed smile, her four front teeth white as snow, making her lips look bright and rosy. It was clear Uncle Huo had truly cared for her, trying to send her to such a good school despite her previous grades, sincerely hoping she would study hard and get into college.

"I believe Xiao Huo's aunt is the grade-level director at Lizhi High School. If you and Xiao Huo had worked out, she would have surely taken extra care of you in your studies. If you had married him before the exam, you would have even received bonus points. But... alas..." Secretary Yang sighed again, finding the failed match a pity. For others, it might not matter, but for a college candidate, bonus points were an invaluable blessing.

"Auntie, I'm not thinking about anything else; I just want to rely on my own efforts to get into college," Su Wan said, maintaining her innocent and naive demeanor.

"Then, when you first saw Xiao Huo here and you put the fatty meat in his bowl, what were you thinking?" Secretary Yang couldn't help but ask. If not for that, she wouldn't have tried so hard to play matchmaker.

Su Wan froze, a flash of surprise crossing her clear eyes. She hadn't expected Secretary Yang to have seen that. No wonder she had been so insistent.

"Auntie, it's just that I’ve felt nauseous whenever I eat fatty meat since I was a child, and I couldn't let it go to waste. Colonel Huo is a kind person; he saw I was in a difficult spot and helped me. There was really nothing else to it—I didn't mean to make you misunderstand." Su Wan blinked her clear, dark eyes, appearing perfectly innocent.

Was it really that simple? But now that both had clearly refused, there was nothing more she could do. It would be hard to get Xiao Huo to visit the Song house again.

"Then it seems I overthought it. I won't keep you from your studies anymore. Sleep when you're tired." Secretary Yang stood up, closed the door, and left.

The next day, Su Wan went out early to buy groceries as usual. On her way back, she stopped at a newsstand to buy a newspaper for Principal Song. Just as she reached the stand, she heard people discussing the news: "This student named Su Wan, who got single-digit scores on her exams, actually wants to transfer to a school in Beijing. Which school would accept her? This is the capital, after all."