Volume One, Chapter Four: You Like Stealing Jobs, Don’t You? Looks Like It Backfired

Su Laosan snapped back to his senses and hurriedly grabbed her in his arms.

“Xue, calm down!”

“Third Brother, let go of me. Just let me die! None of you believe me… I’ve lost my reputation—what’s the point of living any longer?”

“I believe you! Who said we didn’t?” Fu Zhilin said anxiously. “I know you’re not that kind of person!”

Su Ningxia watched as Su Tingxue cried and threatened to end her life, the arch of her brow lifting in amusement.

How extraordinary.

In her previous life, it had never occurred to her to play such a scene.

But of course, Su Tingxue was always the one who dared everything.

“Brother Zhilin… You really believe me?” Su Tingxue stopped struggling, her tear-filled eyes gazing at Fu Zhilin, whose eyes were bloodshot with concern.

“I do. And not just me—your Third Brother believes you too.”

Suddenly called out, Su Laosan nodded, still a little dazed. “Yes, yes, of course, I believe you too.”

“But…” Su Tingxue turned her gaze to Su Ningxia, sobbing uncontrollably, “But why did my sister push me? Was I not good enough?”

Su Laosan’s teeth ground together audibly as he shot a glare at Su Ningxia.

“Su Ningxia, are you satisfied now?!”

Fu Zhilin’s face darkened. “Xiaxia, do you have any idea how important a woman’s reputation is?”

Su Ningxia let out a soft, incredulous laugh.

Utterly hopeless.

She couldn’t be bothered to watch their act of brotherly affection any longer and walked away.

As she passed by Su Tingxue, she added in a pointed tone, “There was a wall right next to you, but you insisted on running toward Third Brother. You’re quite interesting, aren’t you?”

Su Tingxue’s face turned pale.

Seeing that Fu Zhilin and Su Laosan hadn’t caught on, she finally relaxed her tense nerves.

But within her, hatred only deepened.

Su Ningxia, just you wait.

Today’s humiliation—I will make you pay it back double!

…

When Su Ningxia returned to the Su family home, she found Li Xiu waiting for her at the gate.

Li Xiu was her closest friend, someone who had grown up racing through the village fields with her. She knew how much harder Su Ningxia’s life had become in the Su house over the years, and often came by to check on her, offering whatever support she could.

But this time was different.

“Xiaxia, I heard from the head teacher that you’re going to the countryside next month?” Li Xiu grabbed her hand anxiously the moment she saw her.

Li Xiu’s family was better off than the Sus’, a political family. It was no surprise she knew about such matters.

“Mmm,” Su Ningxia nodded.

“Oh my, you never wanted to go before! You always said you didn’t want to be too far from home, didn’t want to leave your brothers or your fiancé. Why the sudden change of heart?”

Su Ningxia smiled faintly. “Perhaps I’ve simply seen things more clearly now.”

Li Xiu didn’t pick up on the meaning behind her words and pressed on, “So you’re not taking the college entrance exam?”

“You can still take the exam in the countryside.”

Li Xiu looked at her, “Do your brothers and your fiancé, Fu Zhilin, know?”

Su Ningxia’s expression didn’t change. “They don’t need to.”

Nor do they deserve to.

“Xiu, keep this to yourself for now. Let’s talk about it again when the time is right.”

Li Xiu sighed and nodded. Thinking how soon she wouldn’t be able to visit Su Ningxia every day, she gave her a tight hug.

“When you’re gone, you have to come back and visit often.”

Fu Zhilin and Su Laosan returned just in time to overhear this.

“Go? Go where?” they asked in unison.

Li Xiu glanced at Su Ningxia.

“Nowhere special,” Su Ningxia replied casually. “I’m thinking of trying my luck in Lingshui, see if I can find a job.”

She paused, then deliberately added, “Why? Didn’t you want me to give the announcer’s job to Su Tingxue? Why ask now?”

Lingshui was the neighboring city, only an hour’s bus ride away. With her high school diploma, finding a job wouldn’t be difficult.

Fu Zhilin and Su Laosan didn’t doubt her explanation.

“It’s good that you finally understand! But don’t think that just because you’re leaving, we’ll forgive you for framing Xue earlier,” Su Laosan said with a scowl. “You used to be so kind—who would have thought you’d become so scheming and malicious?”

“Exactly,” Fu Zhilin agreed, his face equally grim. “Still, you did well this time—giving the job to Xue is an apology. With your education, you’ll find something better.”

How laughable.

Su Ningxia almost wanted to laugh aloud.

How ironic that the only praise she ever received from her fiancé was for giving up the job she had worked so hard to secure.

Hearing Fu Zhilin’s praise of Su Ningxia, Su Tingxue felt a pang of discomfort.

Tears welled up in her eyes once again, and she put on a look of self-blame.

“I suppose my sister didn’t mean what happened just now… It’s all my fault. I grew up in the countryside, with no skills and no education. If anyone would take me, I wouldn’t have to take the announcer’s job from her.”

Li Xiu, standing by, was furious.

She’d disliked Su Tingxue from the moment she met her. So-called “real daughter” or not, she hadn’t learned much in school but was full of manipulative schemes.

Yet none of them seemed to see through her divisive words! The whole family was hopeless!

“What’s the point of all this weeping and pretending?” she snapped. “Not only do you gain something without working for it, you stand here acting like a victim. Anyone who didn’t know better would think you’ve suffered some great injustice!”

“No wonder our Xiaxia went to sign up…”

“Xiu!” Su Ningxia quickly stopped her before she could reveal the plan about going to the countryside.

“It’s all my fault, Sister. Maybe you shouldn’t give me the announcer’s job after all. I don’t blame you for what happened before,” Su Tingxue sobbed, nearly unable to catch her breath.

“That job was yours by right,” she said, echoing Li Xiu’s words. “I don’t deserve it. Even if I can’t find work, I shouldn’t take yours…”

Su Laosan immediately put a comforting arm around her shoulders. “Xue, what are you saying? If you hadn’t grown up away from us, you wouldn’t be struggling to find work now. It’s Xiaxia who benefited from your resources all these years! Besides, she nearly ruined your reputation earlier. Giving up a job is the least she can do, isn’t it?”

Fu Zhilin chimed in, “Right. Xiaxia, you can easily find something else. You should let Xue be the announcer.”

Just then, Mother Su returned with a basket on her arm.

She was surprised to see the whole family gathered at the gate, and even more so to find Su Tingxue sobbing bitterly.

“What happened?”

Mother Su’s heart twisted with worry. “Has your sister been bullying you again?”

“Mom…” Su Tingxue looked at her with teary eyes.

At that, Mother Su lost all sense of judgment, fixing Su Ningxia with a cold, hard gaze.

“I leave for just a little while and you’re targeting your sister again? Your father and I worked so hard to raise you, gave you the best of everything, and this is how you repay us? You’re nothing but an ungrateful wretch!”

Such indiscriminate scolding had become routine over the past month.

In the past, she could never accept the growing partiality of her parents and brothers—she would argue, protest, fight for her rights.

But now…