Chapter 597: Gossip
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Zhang Chunxiang sat in a quiet corner, attempting to go unnoticed. Yet, when she met Su Wen’s eyes, she pretended indifference, turning away with a flicker of jealousy in her gaze.
“What’s going on today? Why is everyone gathered here?” Su Wen teased, attempting to lighten the atmosphere.
“Isn’t it because of the rain, making it hard to work in the garden?” Wang
Chunyan retorted, rolling her eyes at Su Wen. “Why are you hiding at home?
We could chat while working in the garden, but it’s rare to see you.”
Su Wen thought, “They must be curious to gossip.”
“It’s my fault,” Su Wen admitted, squeezing onto He Yulan’s bench and asking Su Xiu if there was any food at home.
Su Xiu agreed and soon found some melon seeds and peanuts. Su Wen had bought plenty of delicious and expensive food this time, but Su Xiu hesitated to share it with others. It wasn’t stinginess, life in the countryside was simply tough, and there were too many mouths to feed.
Su Xiu had purchased these melon seeds and peanuts in town. They were of good quality and reasonably priced, just what ordinary folks like them preferred. If she shared the chocolates Su Wen bought, they might not be accustomed to them! “Wenwen, you’re still the most generous.”
“Wenwen, you’re rich!”
“Rich.”
Amidst the chatter, He Yulan grabbed a handful of peanuts but didn’t eat them. Instead, she stared at Su Wen, who seemed hesitant to speak.
“Wenwen, where’s your husband?” someone asked.
“He’s back in the provincial capital, working hard to earn money,” Su Wen replied.
“I heard he’s working in a profitable factory. Is that true?” another villager inquired.
Su Wen folded her hands on her lap, her mind working on a plan. She glanced at Wang Chunyan, who finally caught on. No wonder these people had come to her house and dragged her along to find Su Wen—they wanted to leverage Zhou Hengyang’s connections to secure jobs in the factory.
“What’s so great about it? We want to make a living,” Su Wen replied casually.
“Wenwen, we find it hard to believe you. Your family has been thriving these past six months. Your husband must be making a fortune in the provincial capital. ”
“Exactly! If you didn’t have money, would you share these melon seeds and peanuts with us? Hehe…”
Su Wen suddenly stood up, her expression turning serious. “What? Is it wrong for me to share melon seeds and peanuts with you? Are you accusing me of being selfish just because I have some money?”
As Su Wen’s demeanour shifted, so did the villagers. “Who do you think you are? Whv be so arrogant? So what if you’re rich? We’re all from the same
village. Helping each other is normal.”
“Taking all the benefits for yourself…”
“Enough, stop bickering,” Wang Chunyan shouted, silencing everyone. “I was wondering why you all came to get me. So, this is what you planned for Wenwen’s family visit. Get out, leave now. Don’t irritate us further.”
With Wang Chunyan’s outburst, the three troublemakers were shamed into leaving. He Yulan remained behind, fuming. “These people are shameless!” she exclaimed, addressing Su Wen. “You have no idea. Everyone in the village has been talking behind your back recently.”
“What are they saying?” Su Wen asked, genuinely curious. “I haven’t been out much lately.”
“That’s it! Because you’ve been keeping to yourself, rumours have been spreading,” Wang Chunyan interjected, rolling her eyes at Su Wen. She then turned to He Yulan. “Yulan, tell Wen what everyone’s been saying.”
“They’re saying you’ve become arrogant after getting rich, that your money comes from illegal activities. Oh, and they’re saying you bully others too..”