Chapter 180: A Favor to Ask
Wu Tao’s face was a mask of fury. "Don’t ask. Today was just the worst."
"Did someone beat you up, or did you fall?" Mrs. Wu asked, full of concern as she helped Wu Tao onto the sofa. "Where are you hurt?"
As she spoke, she ordered Mr. Wu, "Quick, bring over the Jingwanhong."
"No, no, I’ll be fine after I rest a bit." Wu Tao had fallen on his rear, and he was too embarrassed to let his mother see. As for Su Qing’s kick, he was wearing thick winter clothes, and she had controlled her strength. So, while it had sent him flying, it hadn’t actually injured him.
"Oh dear, what on earth happened? How did you go out for a bit and come back hurt?" The Wu Family had three children. With their two daughters married off, only Wu Tao, their youngest son, remained. Naturally, Mrs. Wu doted on him completely.
Speaking of his injury, Wu Tao couldn’t help but grind his teeth. He recounted how he had run into Su Qing and been sent flying by her kick. Of course, he made sure to portray himself as a well-meaning mediator, claiming he only wanted to help the two Su cousins resolve their conflict.
Just as he expected, Mrs. Wu was instantly enraged. "You were being so kind, and she kicked you? What is wrong with her? If you ask me, none of the girls from the Su Family are any good. I never cared for that Su Mei; you can read her scheming thoughts all over her face. And her cousin is no better, throwing your kindness back in your face. Tao, dear, I think you should just break things off with that Su girl. Mom will find someone to introduce you to a better match."
But Wu Tao was still interested in Su Mei. Besides, she had been stringing him along, never letting him get the upper hand. How could he give up so easily? Hearing his mother’s words, he quickly said, "Mom, I know what I’m doing."
Mrs. Wu always thought of her son as a simple, good-natured boy. She sighed. "Oh, you. You just don’t understand how wicked people can be."
Wu Tao just chuckled.
The thought of Su Qing kicking her son made Mrs. Wu seethe. "This won’t do. You can’t just take a kick like that for nothing. We have to go to the Old Su Family and demand justice, no matter what."
When Wu Tao heard this, he quickly said, "Mom, just forget it. She’s just a teenage girl. As a grown man, I’m not going to stoop to her level. Let’s just say I was being nosy today and leave it at that."
Though Su Qing had kicked him, Wu Tao was now harboring thoughts about her. He narrowed his eyes, a hint of malice flashing in their depths. He would definitely not forget this kick.
Mrs. Wu sighed. "Oh, Tao, you’re just too kind. You can’t be so nice all the time, or people will walk all over you."
Wu Tao smiled and wheedled, "Mom, with you and Dad looking out for me, who would dare bully me?"
"That’s true," Mrs. Wu nodded, still fuming about Su Qing. "It’s that wretched girl. She really doesn’t know what’s good for her."
"That’s enough. Our son has his own plans," Mr. Wu said from the side. "You stay out of it."
"Hmph. He’s my son, can’t I be upset for him?"
"Fine, fine."
"Hmph." Mrs. Wu took a sip of water to cool her temper.
’Su Qing... When I get the chance, I’ll have to have a proper ’talk’ with that wretched girl. She bit the hand that was trying to help her. Does she think our Wu Family is a bunch of pushovers?’
After returning from Xiyuan County, Su Qing settled into a quiet routine at home, cooking delicious food every day. Taking advantage of the New Year holiday, she prepared many of the meats from her dimensional space. The rich, overpowering aroma wafted through the entire courtyard. Next door at the Old Su Family’s home, they smelled these tantalizing scents every day, and their expressions grew darker by the hour. Thanks to a series of recent events, their New Year was turning out to be absolutely miserable.
However, no one dared to cause trouble for Su Qing anymore.
This continued until the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, when visitors arrived at Su Qing’s home: Old Mrs. An and Mrs. Lin.
"Grandma An, Granny Lin, please, come in." Seeing Old Mrs. An and Mrs. Lin, Su Qing smiled and ushered them inside.
Mrs. Lin smiled and handed Su Qing the items she was carrying. "This is a thank-you gift for you from Old Mrs. An."
"It was no trouble at all. You’re being too kind," Su Qing said with a smile.
Old Mrs. An smiled warmly. "Miss Su Qing, this is just a small token of this old woman’s gratitude. Please, accept it. I came today not only to thank you, but also to ask for a favor."
"Oh, from me?" Su Qing was taken aback. She looked at Old Mrs. An in surprise, wondering what on earth she could possibly be asked to do.
When An Zhihan introduced Old Mrs. An to her the other day, Su Qing had realized she must also be the grandmother of An Zhiwei and An Zhiqian. Su Qing had clashed with the two siblings back in Laxian County. An Zhiwei had even sent people into the mountains after her, intending to do her harm.
But Su Qing believed in holding the right people accountable and wasn’t the type to take her anger out on others. Furthermore, Old Mrs. An had been nothing but kind to her, so Su Qing had a good impression of the elderly woman.
It was just...
Su Qing thought it over, but she couldn’t imagine what a powerful family like the An Family could possibly need from an ordinary person like herself.
"Yes." Old Mrs. An smiled and nodded. "I didn’t bring Zhi Han with me today. After all, you’re a young woman living alone, and I was afraid it might affect your reputation if people saw him visiting. Besides, the favor I want to ask is related to Zhi Han, which is why I don’t want him to know about it."
Su Qing smiled. "Grandma An, I’m just an ordinary girl with no special abilities. But if there’s any way I can help you, I will certainly do my best."
Old Mrs. An sighed. "Miss Su Qing, I’m sure you noticed the other day that there’s something of a rift between Zhi Han and me."
"Grandma An, please, just call me Su Qing," she said. "To be honest, I did sense something. You wouldn’t let me tell An Zhihan that you had fainted, and while I don’t know why, I’m sure you had your reasons. As for the distance between you and him... I can tell you’re not an unreasonable person. If there’s been some kind of misunderstanding, perhaps you should try explaining things to him clearly, so he doesn’t get the wrong idea."
"It’s not a misunderstanding." Old Mrs. An let out a long, helpless sigh. "Zhi Han has every right to hate me. His grandfather and I are the ones who wronged him. We’re the reason he has suffered so much all these years."
Su Qing didn’t know the An Family’s history, so she said nothing, simply waiting for Old Mrs. An to continue.
"Old Mistress, you had no other choice back then," Mrs. Lin chimed in, looking pained.
Old Mrs. An shook her head. "If my husband and I had been fairer back then, things never would have gotten to this point."
Su Qing silently poured a glass of water for both Old Mrs. An and Mrs. Lin.
Old Mrs. An accepted the glass of water, gave Su Qing a nod, and continued, "My husband and I have three sons. Zhi Han’s father is our youngest, and Zhi Han is our youngest grandson."