In that instant, Han Jinghong’s face burned with embarrassment, but he didn’t leave. He was determined to get to know a man like Su Shuochi.

So he and his two men walked over to Su Shuochi. "Excuse me, Comrade Su, is there anything you need help with?"

"If you have time, take Zijie into town to buy some oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar."

"Su, should I buy some blankets and things? It looks like we’ll be staying at your place tonight."

"Yes, we’re staying here tonight. Use your judgment on what to buy. Also, get some candy to give to the children."

"You got it! I’ll make sure to fill the car to the brim," Song Zijie exclaimed, flailing his arms excitedly before turning to leave.

He had spent time in the countryside and knew exactly what the villagers liked. He would definitely make them see Su in a new light.

He’d brought a lot of money with him this time, and he, Song Zijie, knew exactly how to spend it to make Su look incredibly impressive.

Han Jinghong signaled for his two men to go with Song Zijie, while he himself stuck close to Su Shuochi, taking Song Zijie’s place.

He really envied Song Zijie for being able to understand the meaning behind the man’s every glance.

Su Shuochi gave Han Jinghong a profound look and asked, "What’s your name?"

"My name is Han Jinghong. I’m from Yunhe County."

"Han Jinghong? From the Han family? In that case, do you know Han Chenyu?"

’Han Chenyu? That’s the Family Head of our main branch in the Imperial City!’

Han Jinghong’s heart skipped a beat. He asked uncertainly, "He’s... he’s my grand-uncle... from my great-grandfather’s cousin’s side of the family. You... you know him?"

"Han Chenyu is my wife’s grand-nephew. According to our respective generations, you should call me Grand-uncle."

Han Jinghong was speechless.

’Is your wife’s generational standing really that incredible?’

But he didn’t dare to ask, nor did he want to call this man who looked about his own age "Grand-uncle."

He thought they looked about the same age; he’d heard from the villagers that this man was Su Ermei’s older brother.

And Su Ermei looked like she was in her thirties, while he himself was only twenty-two!

But there was one thing he was sure of: this man knew the Family Head of the main branch of the Han family.

’In his twenty-two years, he had only seen the Family Head once. If he became Brother Su’s subordinate, would he be able to see the Family Head more often?’

’If so, could he lead his branch of the family back to Yun City? Maybe even back to the Imperial City?’

’This was what his grandfather dreamed of. Although their branch of the Han family was doing reasonably well in Yunhe County...’

’...in Yun City they were a declining family. The lineage of his great-uncle in Yun City was becoming more and more unsuccessful.’

’They had forced his grandfather out of Yun City back then, but now their own family was clinging to the lowest rungs of Yun City’s elite, and in the last year, it was said they were about to lose everything!’

Su Shuochi, of course, had no idea Han Jinghong had thought so much in that one moment. He turned and gestured for his parents and sister to head toward the house.

Mr. Su and Su’s mother supported their daughter as they walked inside. Su Shuochi followed behind, with Han Jinghong walking beside him.

Just as Mr. Su pushed the door open, a woman blocked their way and roared, "Who are you? How dare you just barge into my house?"

Hearing the roar, Su Ermei instinctively froze. Seeing his daughter’s reaction, Mr. Su stepped forward to shield her.

Su’s mother, however, stepped in front of Mr. Su, glaring at the woman and letting out a cold sneer.

"Take a good look! This is the Su family home," she said angrily. "How is it ’barging in’ when we’re returning to our own house?"

This young woman was Third Madam Hu. She was the one who had lost a fight with the old woman from the Wang family that morning.

She had then gone to the old Hu residence to get people for revenge, but the timid Second Madam Hu had hidden in the back.

Su Ermei, on the other hand, was usually bold. Plus, having spent the last two years sucking up to her mother-in-law, she had rolled up her sleeves and beaten the old woman from the Wang family until she was bloody.

In the end, the police were called, and Third Madam Hu, the main culprit, had been hiding at home, too afraid to go out.

So she had no idea what had happened outside and didn’t recognize Mr. Su or Su’s mother. But she took great pleasure in bullying her sister-in-law, Su Ermei.

The moment she saw Su Ermei, she wasn’t afraid of anyone. Besides, she hadn’t yet seen Su Shuochi and Han Jinghong standing behind the others.

"The Su family? I’ve been living here ever since I married into the Hu Family. I’ve been here for three years! How did it suddenly become your house?"

Su’s mother retorted sarcastically, "Your house? I don’t believe for a second you don’t know this is the old Su family residence. Stop playing dumb. Pack your things and get out."

Hearing this woman tell her to get out, Third Madam Hu began to tremble with rage. She pointed a finger at Su’s mother and demanded,

"What right do you have to tell me to get out? Do you know who I am? My sister-in-law is the town mayor’s wife!"

"Your sister-in-law is the mayor’s wife, not you. Get out. Get out of my house now."

"Don’t think you Su family can be so unreasonable just because you have a little bit of dirty money. Your son is already a cripple. What’s there to be so arrogant about?"

"Let me tell you, the Hu Family’s son-in-law is the town mayor! We’ll see how you clean up this mess later!"

After speaking, Third Madam Hu turned to shut the main gate, but Su Shuochi kicked it open. His icy eyes fixed on her.

"I’m giving you ten minutes to pack your things. After that, whatever’s left won’t be yours anymore."

Third Madam Hu instinctively looked up. Before she could even get a good look at Su Shuochi, her gaze fell timidly on Han Jinghong, who stood beside him.

It was because he was wearing a flat-topped cap. In those days, villagers who hadn’t done anything wrong were still afraid of that kind of cap, let alone someone like her who had.

Her arrogance deflated in an instant. "C-can I call my mother-in-law to come and pack?"

"You may." Su Shuochi’s voice was low and calm, but a sharp glint flowed from his slightly narrowed eyes.

He exuded an inviolable fierceness that made Third Madam Hu feel as if she were in an ice cellar. Her heart went cold, her blood seemed to freeze, and a chill pierced her to the bone.

She scrambled out of the Su family’s main hall, not daring to even look back.

After leading her daughter inside, Su’s mother said, "Ermei, let’s clear a couple of chairs for your older brother."

"Mom, you and Sister sit down and rest for a bit. I’ll take care of this," he said in a gentle voice, rolling up his sleeves and moving two chairs for his parents.

Han Jinghong immediately followed suit, moving a chair for Su Ermei. "You should sit, too. You must be tired after crying all morning."

Su’s mother was indeed tired. As she sat down, she said to her son, "Your sister just told me everything."

"Didn’t the Hu family’s third daughter always want to marry you? You rejected her back then."

"But she never gave up. She was still single at twenty, and when she heard you’d been disabled, she refused to believe it."

"She even followed Ermei to our compound in Qing City. When she saw for herself that you were really disabled, she went home and married the forty-something-year-old town mayor as his second wife."

"Holding a grudge, that Hu San used her power and influence to pressure the Hu parents and brothers into ostracizing our Ermei."

"That’s why Ermei stopped contacting us. When she saw we had money again, she was only interested in getting things from us to please her mother-in-law."

"*Sob...* My poor, suffering daughter! Back when we were still in the village, when Chi still had his post, the old woman of the Hu Family treated Ermei better than her own daughter."

"Then, when she saw our family had fallen on hard times, she dared to bully our daughter so openly."

"They thought that after my son was disabled he’d never amount to anything again, so the Hu family got even bolder."

"Today, they actually tried to have our daughter dragged to the police station! I never would have thought that Hu San could be so cruel and vicious."

"I’m so incredibly glad my son wasn’t interested in that heartless monster back then."

Su Shuochi was speechless. ’What is all this drama?’

Han Jinghong was also speechless. ’Should an outsider like me be listening to this? But... I really want to hear more!’