Time-Travel: The Tragic Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character Makes a Comeback
CHAPTER 23: The 1970s Naive Supporting Girl (23)
An hour later, Jiang Xiaoli and Jiang Xiaodong came back.
They looked disheveled and worn out. Stepping inside, they saw the sister and brother casually eating boiled eggs, a familiar bundle of bed sheets beside them tied up into a fat, bulging sack.
Jiang Xiaoli’s temples twitched with anger as she flung the 126 yuan in her hand.
“Here’s your filthy money! You two get out of here!”
“Shut your mouth! You’ve taken so many of my sister’s things and still have the nerve to shout and act crazy? I’m disgusted!”
Song Yuanchao grabbed an eggshell from the table and threw it at Jiang Xiaoli.
Song Susu glanced at the scattered money on the floor and raised an eyebrow. “Pick it up and organize it. If there’s even a speck of dirt stuck on it, I don’t want it.”
Jiang Xiaodong’s face darkened, but he had no choice. He bent down, picked up the money, dusted it off, and neatly handed it over.
“All the money is here. Count it if you want. Once that’s done, please leave.”
Song Susu didn’t take it immediately. She spoke slowly, almost teasingly, “Whoever borrowed it should return it.”
Jiang Xiaodong’s face darkened further, but since he couldn’t win, he turned to his sister and whispered, “Alright, Xiaoli, there’s no point arguing. Just give them the money and get them to leave quickly.”
After all, his little sister could make more money in a month than this, so it was better to get rid of these troublemakers fast.
Jiang Xiaoli gritted her teeth, tried to control her anger, and handed the money over. “Here, it’s all paid back. From now on, I’ll pretend I don’t know you, you ungrateful wretch.”
Song Susu laughed, snatched the money, and joked, “The thief cries ‘stop thief’? Not only are you ungrateful, you’re a thief too. No wonder you’ve never made a fortune.”
“You—”
Jiang Xiaoli, after seething with anger, suddenly realized something. She rushed back to her room to check.
Her room was a mess, the pillow from her bed tossed on the floor. The handkerchief that had held the medal was on the ground, trampled into a blackened mess.
Her head felt like it exploded. She ran out into the courtyard and yelled,
“Song Susu! Who told you to touch my things—”
Song Susu pulled the medal out of her pocket and deliberately shook it at her.
“Thief, trying to steal my stuff? Dream on.”
“Ah—give it back!”
Jiang Xiaoli lunged forward to grab it. Money and everything else could be given to this little bitch, but this one thing she would not part with.
Just the night before, she had a dream. In it, she unexpectedly received this medal, and a very wealthy family took her in as a goddaughter. From that moment, she would have no worries about food or clothes, could run a big business, and eventually marry into a wealthy family.
When she woke, her heart was still racing with excitement. Growing up poor, she had dreamed of living a life like that.
Song Susu always kept her stuff to herself, but Jiang Xiaoli naturally knew what she had in her hands.
Besides the money, there were some gold and silver pieces in a little wooden box, and she had spotted a medal before.
Although she wasn't sure if it was true, she had a feeling it was, because Song Susu's father was a soldier.
That very afternoon, she couldn’t wait and sneaked over to the educated youth settlement while Song Susu wasn’t around. She found the medal exactly like in her dream. Excited, she took it back immediately, thinking it was safer to have it in her possession.
After all, Song Susu was soft-hearted. Whatever she said, Song Susu would listen. Later, she could just say a few nice words to get it back.
The medal in her dream had felt so real. For the past couple of days, she had kept it under her pillow, hoping to dream again and figure out how to approach those important people.
And today, that little bitch Song Susu had discovered it and taken it.
She hadn’t even seen what happened next in the dream, so there was no way she was giving it back!
Slap!
Song Susu sent her sprawling with a single slap. Jiang Xiaoli fell to the ground, ignoring the blood from her nose, and scrambled to grab it again.
“Give it back to me!”
Seeing her like this, Song Susu guessed that she knew the importance of the medal.
Sure enough, Jiang Xiaoli knew everything!
Since that was the case, she deserved to be beaten!
Song Susu grabbed her by the neck, slapped her twice, then pressed her down and landed two punches on her stomach.
“You deserve every bit of this!”
Jiang Xiaoli’s face turned pale from the pain. She couldn’t even make a sound, clutching her stomach, too weak to get up for a long while.
Song Susu didn’t leave. She crouched by her ear and said, “Jiang Xiaoli, this is karma. If you had even a shred of kindness, it wouldn’t have come to this. Don’t think you can turn the tables this time.”
With that, Song Susu grabbed her things and left with her brother for the brigade office.
All the items the Jiang family had used, Song Susu didn’t plan to keep. Even the malted milk powder, snow cream, and other things she had scavenged from Jiang Xiaoli, she gave to the brigade leader’s greedy wife.
As expected, the brigade leader’s family was more than pleased.
Song Susu deliberately mentioned that her family had arranged a job for her and that she might be returning to the city in a few days. The brigade leader didn’t suspect anything. After all, Song Susu had come in as a rich young girl, and no one knew how much the Jiang family had exploited her. He was quietly happy.
Song Susu was a woman, didn’t do much work, and with more educated youths arriving next month, her leaving would free up a bed. The brigade leader was delighted and treated the siblings even more kindly.
He even arranged a clean room for them, saying it wasn’t easy for Song Susu’s brother to come all the way there. Since they were leaving soon, they didn’t need to work immediately.
Song Susu was naturally satisfied. The educated youth settlement was crowded, with everyone crammed into shared dorms. Bringing her brother along wouldn’t work, and she wouldn’t be used to it either.
The brigade leader’s place had a neat, square courtyard with seven or eight rooms. The houses were clean and bright, and staying there felt safe, sparing them from the Jiang family going feral and coming to cause trouble.
That very night, Song Susu borrowed some paper and a pen from the brigade leader’s household and wrote an anonymous report, accusing the Jiang family of speculation and profiteering.
As for evidence, a proper investigation would definitely turn something up.
After all, Jiang Xiaoli had just bled over a hundred yuan. If that money was borrowed, she would have to hurry and earn it back. During this period, she would surely be running to the black market again and again.
Song Susu had taken the money, yes, but she didn't say she wouldn't report it.
Song Susu's miserable life in her past life was partly due to her own cowardice, but the Jiang family also played a part.
If Jiang Xiaoli hadn't deliberately taken the medal to exploit her, Song Susu, though weak-willed, might have taken a different path, instead of being left in the village to marry an abusive man and be beaten to death.
The Jiang family enjoyed great fortune by taking advantage of others in their past life; this time, they won't escape punishment. They'll pay for everything; they deserve what they got.
Meanwhile, the Jiang family, unaware of everything, was enraged.
Jiang Xiaodong and Jiang Xiaoli sent their unconscious eldest brother to the hospital. When they returned home to get money from their mother for medical fees, they discovered their mother and sister-in-law tied up. Jiang Jian’e had gone a full day without food and was on the verge of collapse.
After hearing from her second son about what Song Susu and her brother had done, she exploded in fury. She stormed into the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and was about to go hack Song Susu to death.
Thankfully, Jiang Xiaoli stopped her.
Her cheeks were swollen, and the hatred in her usually shrewd eyes was unmistakable. “Mom, don’t worry. I’ll make sure our family gets revenge for this.”
Song Susu.
You brought this on yourself. Last time, I could pull you out of that old bachelor Lao’s hands. This time, I can send you right back where you belong.
You can forget about returning to the City. Just rot in this village for the rest of your life!
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