Volume One, Chapter Seven: Squeezing Every Ounce of Her Usefulness

Su Ningxia temporarily stored her belongings in the staff dormitory.

Aunt Chunyang sent a message through someone, saying that there was a lead on selling her job. Without delay, she went to the agreed location. The buyer was a young woman with good looks and bearing, clearly from a well-off family, so she didn’t haggle about the price—she bought it straightforwardly.

After the buyer and Aunt Chunyang left, Su Ningxia was just about to return to the broadcasting station with the money when suddenly, her arm was gripped tightly. Startled, she turned and found herself face-to-face with Second Brother Su, his gentle features framed by the white coat of the health clinic.

“Xiaxia, didn’t you say you’d give the job to our little sister? Why did you sell it?” he demanded.

Su Ningxia shook off his grasp, her voice cold and mocking. “Su Tingxue has already been blacklisted by the broadcasting station—she’s banned from entering. The leadership is well aware of her abilities; she’s simply not fit for the job there.”

“So, what’s wrong with me selling it? Second Brother, if you’re going to be biased, at least use your brains,” Su Ningxia retorted.

She had pondered this over two lifetimes and still couldn’t understand. Was there really something like blood kinship that made the Su family change so drastically after Su Tingxue returned?

Second Brother Su stood stunned.

Indeed… Little Xue had offended the leadership, so she could never work at the broadcasting station again… He knew this perfectly well, yet instinctively felt as though Su Ningxia had acted out of spite.

But before, he had never been like this. Even when confronted with the facts, he would never have believed Su Ningxia capable of hurting anyone.

Now, Second Brother Su began to reflect on his own behavior, and glanced at his younger sister, whose expression had grown cold and distant.

This sister… seemed different from before.

When Su Ningxia returned to the staff dormitory, she saw Su Oldest Brother standing at the entrance, immaculate in his military uniform.

Why was he here? It could only be to reprimand her or treat her like a workhorse—never anything good.

Su Ningxia sneered coldly, walking past him as though he were a stranger.

Su Oldest Brother’s hand, raised to greet her, froze awkwardly in mid-air.

“Xiaxia.” He recovered and strode over to block her path, his thick black brows furrowed. “I heard from Third Brother that you’re not coming home anymore. At first I didn’t believe it, but it seems you really plan to sever ties with the family.”

His voice was gruff, and paired with his dark face, he looked intimidating. In the past, Su Ningxia had always feared this eldest brother—so stern and rigid.

But now, Su Ningxia looked at him without a trace of fear, as though he were a complete stranger. “Wasn’t it them who drove me out?”

She laughed coldly. “Of course, they’re experts at shifting blame.”

“Xiaxia!” Su Oldest Brother instinctively wanted to scold her, but remembering the purpose of his visit, he softened his tone a little.

“How about this—come with me to dine with our commander tonight, and then come home with me. With me there, no one will dare say anything.”

Su Ningxia’s heart skipped a beat.

Yes. In her previous life, she had saved a commander who suddenly fell ill. It was also Oldest Brother who asked her to attend a dinner with the commander. Without much thought, she had agreed.

At the dinner, thinking of her brother’s ambitions, she had willingly exchanged her life-saving deed for his promotion…

This time, she would not play the fool again!

“Dinner? You mean you want to use my life-saving deed to curry favor and earn a promotion with your commander?” Su Ningxia exposed him coldly.

Su Oldest Brother was momentarily speechless, his rugged face flushed with embarrassment.

“Whoever wants to go can go. I won’t,” Su Ningxia declared, turning toward the dormitory.

“Su Ningxia!” Oldest Brother bellowed, gripping her wrist with startling force. “The Su family has raised you all these years—don’t you owe us this much? I’m telling you, you’re going, whether you want to or not!”

“I won’t!” Su Ningxia said, word by word. She lifted her eyes to meet his directly. In the past, her respect and fear for this brother had always been mingled, and she’d never dared look him in the eye.

Her cold gaze made him falter, and he let go of her arm. He saw the red marks where he’d grabbed her, but paid them no mind.

He pressed on, “Xiaxia, you’re getting more and more unreasonable. You won’t even help your brother with a simple favor?”

Just then, Third Brother Su and Su Tingxue appeared from nowhere. Third Brother complained, “That’s right, Xiaxia. If not for Little Xue telling me you saved the commander, I’d never have known our family had such a connection!”

“When Oldest Brother gets promoted and his stipend increases, the whole family will have a better life!”

“Ever since Little Xue came back, you’ve grown distant. Are you jealous of her? She’s suffered all her life, while you’ve enjoyed comfort at home. As her elder sister, you should be understanding.”

“I’ll make the decision—you’ll go with Oldest Brother tonight.”

Su Ningxia pressed her lips together.

She looked at Oldest Brother and saw no trace of familial affection in his eyes—only a desperate yearning for promotion.

Why had she risked half her life for people like these?

“Big Brother, Second Brother, what are you talking about?” Su Tingxue asked innocently, edging closer to Oldest Brother. “Why are you taking Sister to dinner, and not me?”

She was anxious, afraid she might miss out on some good fortune.

Oldest Brother reached out and gently rubbed her head. “Little Xue is still young. She shouldn’t be involved in such things.”

Third Brother pulled a cotton snow bunny from his pocket and handed it to Su Tingxue. “Tingxue, this is from Third Brother.”

“It’s the last one left. Xiaxia, you used to have plenty of these. You won’t blame me for giving it to your sister, will you?”

What else could she say?

Su Ningxia remembered the military banquets of her previous life. Oldest Brother had forced her to offer wine to Ma Guoqiang, insisting she drink three cups in a row!

As for the snow bunny, Third Brother had only bought one, intending it for Su Tingxue all along.

It was all a calculated effort to undermine her spirit, to make her obedient and compliant. If she caused a scene, they would continue to criticize her and shield Su Tingxue.

Clutching her textbooks, Su Ningxia turned her back and walked into the dormitory.

Oldest Brother, dissatisfied, remarked, “She’s more and more out of line.”

“She’s always running off now—does she even care about this family?”

There were subsidies for those who went to the countryside, and each month brought an extra few dozen yuan. Especially girls like Su Ningxia—young, educated, and attractive—were in high demand for rural assignments.

The neighborhood committee had arranged a dormitory for her, with a monthly rent of five yuan. The conditions were good—spacious, and far better than being crammed in the Su family compound.

Su Ningxia considered that she still needed to retrieve her belongings. When she arrived at the Su family compound, she overheard voices of dissatisfaction inside.

“Su Ningxia actually sold her job! That was a position at the broadcasting station—so respectable, so prestigious! If only it had gone to our Little Xue…”

Her mother’s complaints echoed. Beside her was Su Tingxue, sobbing.

“Mom, it’s all my fault—I’m not capable enough! It’s not Sister’s fault!”

“I’m so useless, not as good as Sister in anything. Maybe I should just pack up and leave home!”

Su Tingxue rose, preparing to fetch her luggage.

Her brothers immediately rushed to stop her, especially Oldest Brother, who comforted her, “Don’t worry, Little Xue. Your brother will find you a good job. Once I’m promoted tonight, I’ll get you a clerical position in the military!”