"As long as you understand. Some things really can’t be helped." Su Mei suppressed the anger she felt toward Su Qing and heaved a theatrical sigh. Then she turned to Wu Tao with a smile and said, "Let’s go. We can look around somewhere else."

’As for Su Qing’s situation, I’ll ask Mom and Dad when I get home,’ Su Mei decided. ’Something must have happened at the old residence. How could Su Qing just suddenly split from the family? Would Grandma even allow that?’

"Let me buy you some candy." Wu Tao was interested in Su Mei, so he was being quite generous.

"Oh, I couldn’t possibly." Su Mei put on an embarrassed expression.

"It’s nothing." Wu Tao chuckled and bought a pound of fruit drops, and even got Su Mei half a pound of White Rabbit candies.

After Su Mei and Wu Tao left, the sales clerk watched them go, pursed her lips, and quietly started gossiping with a coworker about what had just happened.

Meanwhile, Su Qing left the supply and marketing cooperative, planning to head back to the village. She hadn’t gone far when a woman in her thirties brushed past her. Su Qing didn’t pay it any mind, but then a hesitant voice called out from behind her, "Qingqing? Su Qing? Are you Su Qing?"

Hm?

Su Qing never expected someone to call her name on a street in the county town. She turned to look. It seemed to be the woman who had just brushed past her. And... she actually looked a little familiar.

Su Qing quickly rummaged through the original owner’s memories and actually managed to dig something up. This woman seemed to be Fu Yuzhen, one of Li Wan’s good friends from her time in the county town.

"Aunt Fu?" Su Qing called out tentatively.

"Qingqing, it really is you!" Seeing that Su Qing recognized her, Fu Yuzhen excitedly stepped forward and grabbed Su Qing’s hands. But when she got a clear look at the scar on Su Qing’s left cheek, her eyes immediately turned red. Angrily, she asked, "Qingqing, what happened to the scar on your face? What’s going on?"

Then, she added with self-reproach, "It’s my fault. I’ve neglected you all these years."

From what she knew of Fu Yuzhen through the original owner’s memories, Su Qing had a rather good impression of this "Aunt Fu." Back when Li Wan lived in the county town, she and Fu Yuzhen had been best friends, and Fu Yuzhen had genuinely doted on Su Qing. Later, after Su Shengjun got into trouble, Fu Yuzhen had even made a special trip to comfort Li Wan. Later still, when Li Wan abandoned Su Qing and never returned, and Su Qing was taken back by the people from the old residence, Fu Yuzhen had visited Su Qing several times. She also brought snacks and candies to the Old Su Family, hoping they would treat Su Qing well.

But at the time, the original Su Qing had resented being abandoned. This resentment extended to Fu Yuzhen, who was close to Li Wan, and she refused to see her at all. Fu Yuzhen tried visiting several times but only managed to see her once. On that occasion, the girl told her not to come back and that she didn’t want to see her. Coupled with the sweet-talking of the Old Su Family, Fu Yuzhen was led to believe that they were treating the original Su Qing decently. Later, Fu Yuzhen moved out of the region and would occasionally mail local specialties to the girl.

Unfortunately, Fu Yuzhen had no idea that the original Su Qing never got to eat or use any of the things she sent. Instead, Su Tao had flaunted them right in her face.

Come to think of it, the original Su Qing and Fu Yuzhen hadn’t seen each other in nearly six years.

"Aunt Fu, please don’t say that. I was the one who was immature back then. Because of what happened with my mother, I took it out on you," Su Qing said quickly.

"Child, it’s not your fault," Fu Yuzhen said hurriedly. She frowned and added, "Didn’t the Old Su Family promise they would treat you well? Have they been mistreating you all these years?"

As she spoke, anger surged in Fu Yuzhen’s heart. Just looking at the scar on Su Qing’s face, her thin frame, and her clothes covered in patches, it was obvious that Su Qing must have had a very hard life these past years.

’And I was so careless,’ she thought. She had believed the words of the Old Su Family back then and been fooled by Su Shengguo’s family. On top of that, her husband was transferred for a few years, so she had followed him to another region and had only just returned a few days ago. Because of all that, she hadn’t managed to personally check on Su Qing even once in all these years. If only she had at least asked someone to go see her!

The more Fu Yuzhen thought about it, the more she blamed herself. She and Li Wan had been so close, yet she had failed to take care of her only daughter.

"It’s all in the past. I’ve already separated from the Old Su Family now," Su Qing said to Fu Yuzhen with a faint smile.

"No, this matter can’t just be dropped like that! How could they treat you this way for all these years? You’re their biological granddaughter, after all." Fu Yuzhen couldn’t stomach the injustice and wanted to go settle the score with the Old Su Family.

"There’s no need, Aunt Fu." Seeing her reaction, Su Qing quickly said, "The brigade leader and party secretary in our village have already helped me get justice. Now, aside from paying some support fees every year according to the separation agreement, I have nothing more to do with the Old Su Family."

With that, Su Qing gave Fu Yuzhen a rough summary of how the family had been divided two days prior.

’I don’t intend to let Aunt Fu get involved in the Old Su Family’s affairs,’ Su Qing thought. ’If I want to deal with them, I can do it myself.’

Fu Yuzhen’s heart ached as she stroked Su Qing’s hair, which was still quite dry and sallow. "Child, you’ve suffered these past few years."

"It’s already in the past," Su Qing said with a light smile. "I’m not suffering now."

’From now on, I’ll be the one making others suffer!’

"That’s good." Fu Yuzhen nodded. "If you need anything in the future, just tell Aunt Fu. I watched you grow up, so you don’t have to be so formal with me."

"Thank you, Aunt Fu." Su Qing appreciated Fu Yuzhen’s kindness.

"What’s there to thank me for? Don’t be so formal from now on." Fu Yuzhen glanced at the scar on Su Qing’s left cheek, decided against going to the supply and marketing cooperative, and pulled Su Qing along by the hand. "Come on, let’s go to the hospital first."

"Huh? We don’t have to, Aunt Fu." For a moment, Su Qing didn’t understand why Fu Yuzhen suddenly wanted to go to the hospital.

"No, you’ll listen to Aunt Fu. We’re going to the hospital to have that scar on your face looked at. We’ll see if the doctor has any way to treat it." ’Even if Su Qing doesn’t say it, I know that scar has something to do with the Old Su Family,’ Fu Yuzhen fumed internally. ’Su Qing was such a pretty little girl. To be left with a scar like this on her face... what will she do when it’s time to find a partner?’

Since Fu Yuzhen was insistent, Su Qing thought it over. ’I’ll need to treat this scar eventually, and I’ll need a good explanation for how it gets better. It can’t just heal on its own for no reason.’ So, she went with Fu Yuzhen to the county hospital.

After a round of examinations, the doctor who saw Su Qing spoke with some regret, "This scar is quite old, and it wasn’t cared for properly back then. It’s almost impossible to heal it completely. Even surgery offers no guarantee of a cure."

Su Qing wasn’t surprised by the doctor’s words at all, but Fu Yuzhen grew anxious the moment she heard them. "Doctor, please, try to think of something else. Our girl is only sixteen. She has her whole life ahead of her. She can’t go through it with a scar like this."