Time-Travel: The Tragic Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character Makes a Comeback
CHAPTER 9: The 1970s Naive Supporting Girl (9)
“Xiao Chao is really smart. That’s exactly what your sister is thinking. It’s all our money anyway. Once we get it back, I’ll buy you new clothes and toys. Later, you can even go to school. It’s way better spending it on ourselves than letting those jerks benefit.”
Hearing this, a spark of hope lit up in Song Yuanchao’s eyes. “Sis, once we get the money, let’s buy a job first. That way you won’t have to go to the countryside anymore. Xiao Chao really doesn’t want to be separated from you ever again.”
He had secretly asked around. People who were sent to the countryside were those without jobs. As long as you had one, you could stay in the city. He did not want new clothes or toys. He just wanted his sister to stay.
Song Susu’s heart softened. She reached out and gently rubbed his dry, slightly rough hair. “Alright. Sister won’t leave you behind again. Wherever I go, I’ll take you with me.”
She would still have to go back to the countryside though. After all, the female lead’s family and that abusive man still needed to be dealt with.
—
As dinner time approached, Uncle Li’s wife, Wang Yanli, arrived.
She had specially brought dinner along, a pot of chicken soup, beef buns, and two stir fried dishes to go with them.
She was accompanied by their daughter, Li Huihui.
Compared to Uncle Li’s warm and kind manner, the mother and daughter were polite but distant, keeping a clear sense of formality with the siblings.
Wang Yanli was dressed neatly, her hair pulled up without a strand out of place. Glancing at the plainly dressed brother and sister, she spoke casually, “Your Uncle Li is busy and couldn’t come himself, so he asked me to bring you some food. Is there anything you want to eat tomorrow? I can bring it over.”
Song Susu nodded politely. “Thank you, Auntie. There’s a cafeteria behind the inpatient building. It’s quite convenient to get meals there, so you don’t have to make a special trip.”
Wang Yanli paused and looked at her a bit more closely. This girl used to be timid, barely daring to lift her head when speaking to her.
Today, she was surprisingly calm and composed.
After all, she was the orphaned child of her husband’s close friend. Wang Yanli was not so stingy over a few meals, so she said, “There’s no need to be so polite with your aunt. I’ll just prepare something simple. Yuanchao is still a patient, after all. He needs proper nutrition.”
Hearing this, Li Huihui curled her lips slightly. She had only come today because her mother dragged her along. Otherwise, she would not have bothered.
Would she have to come again tomorrow?
What was so good about hospitals anyway. They were full of germs. Staying home and watching TV was way better.
Song Susu could tell from her words that although the woman sounded distant, there was no ill intent behind it.
So she did not refuse again and simply nodded with a polite smile. “Then I’ll trouble you, Auntie.”
“You’re welcome. Go ahead and eat, you two. We’ll be heading off now,” Wang Yanli said.
She glanced at her daughter, and Li Huihui had no choice but to speak up. “Goodbye, Yuanchao. Goodbye, Susu.”
“Goodbye, Sister Huihui,” Song Yuanchao replied at once, well mannered and obedient.
Out of courtesy, Song Susu stood up and walked them to the door.
Seeing this, Wang Yanli felt even more surprised. In the past, this girl had been genuinely timid and withdrawn, never once taking the initiative to see them off like this.
Because she disliked that timid personality, she had always kept her distance from the girl as well.
Now, though, she found herself feeling a bit more favorable. Song Susu was wearing old clothes, her bangs nearly covering her eyes, yet her skin was very fair, and her features seemed more striking than before.
Wang Yanli sighed softly, thinking that she should buy them a couple of outfits later. The siblings were all alone in the hospital with no one to rely on. It really was pitiful.
“That’s enough, girl. No need to see us off. Go back and stay with your brother,” Wang Yanli said, her tone noticeably gentler.
Song Susu caught the change in her voice, stopped, and smiled. “Alright. Auntie, Sister Huihui, please be careful on your way back.”
Li Huihui was a little surprised too. She had not expected Song Susu to be this talkative today, almost like a different person. Without thinking, she replied, “Got it.”
After watching the two leave, Song Susu returned to the room and ate with her brother.
They were only halfway through their meal when the ward door was pushed open again.
This time, only Song Jianjun came by.
He looked worn out. He pulled something wrapped in newspaper from his bag, stepped forward, and handed it to Song Susu.
“This is 7000 yuan. I’ll stay here and watch Yuanchao. You go out and call Uncle Li.”
Seeing the money, Song Susu wiped her mouth and stood up.
She took it casually, opened the bundle, and flipped through the bills to make sure there were no fakes mixed in.
Song Jianjun’s face darkened completely. “There’s no fake money. It’s all real. The family only managed to scrape together 4000 yuan. The remaining 3000 yuan was borrowed.”
Song Susu rolled her eyes and ignored him.
The money belonged to her and her brother in the first place. They had taken it and hogged it, and now they still wanted to act righteous about it.
“Then I’ll go make the call. I’ll also grab some food for Yuanchao while I’m out. Yuanchao, keep an eye on Second Uncle. If anything happens, call the doctor,” Song Susu reminded him.
Song Yuanchao nodded obediently. “Got it, Sister. I won’t let him bully me.”
The siblings played off each other so smoothly that Song Jianjun’s face turned an ugly shade of green. Furious, he flung his sleeve and pushed the door open, heading straight into the corridor.
Song Susu could not care less. She wrapped the money back up in the newspaper, tossed it into a basket, covered it with a piece of cloth, slung it over her arm, and left.
After exiting the hospital, she found a secluded spot and transferred the money from the basket into the system’s built in storage space.
Then she took a casual stroll. When she returned, she was carrying a nylon mesh bag with a tin of malted milk powder and some seasonal fruit inside.
Seeing her come back, Song Jianjun hurried over in the corridor. “How did it go? What did Uncle Li say?”
Song Susu had not made any call at all. She did not even look at him. Walking straight into the ward, she replied, “He said what he said.”
Inside the room, she mixed a cup of malted milk powder for her brother, and another one for herself.
Song Yuanchao looked at his sister and said obediently, “Sis, the nurse came in to remove my IV. She chatted with me for a while. Nobody bullied me.”
“Good. Later, let’s give the nurse an apple,” Song Susu said.
Song Jianjun followed them in. Seeing how unhurried she looked, he wanted to scold her but held it in. Anxiety was practically written all over his face.
“Susu, I already gave you the money. No matter what, we’re still family. From now on, Second Uncle promises that no one will ever bully you and your brother again.”
“Family? Then how do you have the nerve to come empty handed? Not even a tin of malted milk powder? Stop trying to fool us.”
Song Susu cradled the cup of freshly mixed malted milk powder and took a sip. The faint scent of wheat and milk spread gently, warming her chest from the inside out.
Song Jianjun’s face darkened as he clenched his teeth. Buy what? All the money at home had been taken by her. Even if he scraped together everything on him, it would not be enough to buy anything.
“Susu, the family is practically living on air just to scrape together these 7000 yuan for you. How could Second Uncle still have money to buy things? The borrowed money has to be repaid slowly too. So what’s the situation on Uncle Li’s side? Can your younger uncle be released?”
Song Susu rolled her eyes.
Of course not. It would be best if he stayed in there for the rest of his life.
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