On her way home, as soon as Gu Shunhua stepped through the door, she saw Feng Xian’er and Chen Lu sitting inside.
Feng Xian’er had a stern face. The moment she saw Gu Shunhua enter, she gave a mocking smile and said, “Oh, look who’s back?”
Gu Shunhua replied with a calm expression, “Aunt, have you eaten yet?”
Have you eaten?—it was the standard greeting, even when meeting someone at a public latrine, you’d still ask that first.
But Feng Xian’er immediately snapped, “Eat? Eat what? Our house doesn’t have any spare ribs to go with rice—how is anyone supposed to eat?!”
Hearing that, Gu Shunhua lifted her gaze and said, “Then don’t eat. That’s fine too.”
That line almost made Feng Xian’er choke on her own breath. She started coughing violently.
These past few days, Chen Cuiyue had felt a heaviness in her chest, like something was blocking her breath. But today, after Chen Lu came by and talked to her, everything suddenly seemed brighter—the sky looked bluer, the stove warmer, and even the broken tiles in the courtyard seemed more pleasant to the eye.
Chen Lu really was a good child. Such a good child shouldn’t be wronged!
So when she heard what Gu Shunhua said, she immediately scolded, “Shunhua, how can you talk like that? You’re getting more and more out of line!”
Then she turned to Feng Xian’er, trying to smooth things over. “She’s still young—just says whatever comes to her mind. I’ll talk to her later.”
But Feng Xian’er was clearly not satisfied with a vague promise to “talk to her later.” She felt utterly wronged!
Chen Lu, sitting to the side, said nothing. She simply observed everything in silence.
She had come today and spoken with Chen Cuiyue, and it was clear the woman had reverted to her usual self—spoiling her with no sense of principle, treating her well, giving her the best of everything. Chen Lu had finally felt at ease.
But the moment she laid eyes on Gu Shunhua again, that sense of security vanished. Something about her wasn’t right.
She was no longer the same character from the book. She had broken free from the script—completely different from the version in the story.
A chill crept up Chen Lu’s spine. She remembered the real Gu Shunhua, Ren Jingnian’s wife—she had seen her once.
Just once—but she knew she was not someone easy to deal with.
That woman had weathered every storm alongside Ren Jingnian, held more shares in the company than he did, and secretly owned Zui Mei Lou. A woman like that… she clearly had means.
The memory made Chen Lu shiver involuntarily.
Something was wrong. How had this Gu Shunhua changed so much?
Gu Shunhua sensed Chen Lu’s gaze and gave her a faint glance in return, a flicker of suspicion rising in her own heart.
What was with this girl? She didn’t seem like the others.
At least in this moment, she sat there observing everyone as if she were outside the scene itself—like she were…
Gu Shunhua couldn’t quite place the feeling. It was like Chen Lu was watching a play?
As if she were secretly studying her, calculating her every move.
Did she know something?
Gu Shunhua suddenly thought of the books she had accidentally bought—books that once belonged to Yan Chongli—and a jolt ran through her.
It felt as if some unseen force was pulling at her, dragging her toward the very plot she was trying to escape.
Just then, Chen Cuiyue spotted the fritters in Gu Shunhua’s hands. “Those are from Old Madam Tong, aren’t they? She really does make those well. Heat them up and let your aunt and Chen Lu have a taste—”
She had barely finished her sentence when Gu Yuehua barged in.
As he lifted the heavy curtain at the door, a gust of wind followed him in, carrying a blast of cold air.
Everyone inside shivered and hurried to pull their clothes tighter.
After lowering the curtain, Gu Yuehua looked around and spotted the fritters in Gu Shunhua’s hands. “Hey! Where’d you get those? They look delicious. Sis, give me some, give me!”
Before Gu Shunhua could even respond, the fritters were already snatched from her hands.
“These are perfect for kids,” Gu Yuehua said, holding them up proudly. “So I’m confiscating them!”
With that, he walked straight into the outer room.
Chen Cuiyue was dizzy with frustration. She had to do something. She saw that Feng Xian’er was angry, Chen Lu looked sullen—this was getting out of hand. If she didn’t take control, she felt like she might just drop dead from the tension.
She snapped, “This is ridiculous! It’s just food, and you’re acting like you’ve never seen a snack in your life! Do you only have eyes for a bit of fritters? People will think you’ve never eaten before!”
Gu Shunhua nodded, calm and composed. “Mom, it’s just a few fritters—meant for kids. A grown man, craving them like this, throwing a tantrum over food… if word gets out, won’t people laugh their heads off? What a disgrace!”
Her words were pointed, but her gaze swept intentionally toward Feng Xian’er and Chen Lu.
Yes. She meant exactly who they thought she did.
Chen Lu, who had been deep in thought about everything that felt off, hadn’t even heard what Gu Yuehua had said. But the moment she heard Gu Shunhua’s remark, she assumed it was directed at her—and immediately seized the opportunity.
“Sis, how can you say that? Who said anything about snatching food from a child? Who’s craving anything?!”
She stomped her foot. “Gu Mama, look at her! I didn’t even say anything and she’s talking about me like that!”
Chen Cuiyue was startled. “She wasn’t talking about you! She didn’t say your name. My goodness, child—why are you putting the blame on yourself?”
Gu Shunhua turned to her, voice mild: “Chen Lu, I wasn’t talking about you. I had no idea you were thinking about the fritters too. If I accidentally insulted you, I truly apologize. I meant to scold Yuehua. If I’d known you were craving them and wanted to compete with the kids, I’d have at least saved you some face—you’re family, after all.”
Chen Lu had intended to stir trouble and get Chen Cuiyue to scold Gu Shunhua. Now that things had backfired, her temper flared. Even she couldn’t suppress the anger anymore.
Gu Shunhua was just too good at this. Chen Lu was starting to regret it all. She had only written Gu Shunhua as a petty and greedy woman with a bit of a small-town temper—and now she had created this mess of a situation that was coming back to bite her.
She was supposed to be the master of this world. So why was she being toyed with by Gu Shunhua like this?
And worst of all, Chen Cuiyue was still trying to smooth things over. “Chen Lu, don’t be mad. Your sister wasn’t talking about you. You misunderstood!”
Misunderstood?
Misunderstood your damn self!
Chen Lu’s fury only burned hotter.
Feng Xian’er, too, felt stifled and annoyed. But she remembered the ribs. That matter had to be brought up.
Of course she knew about the braised spare ribs with potatoes at the Gu house—Gu Quanfu’s cooking was excellent. And she hadn’t gotten a bite.
Just thinking about it made her uncomfortable. Her mouth watered at the thought—she hadn’t even tasted the ribs!
She decided to be direct. “Shunhua, let’s not pretend. It’s not like we’re dying for a bite to eat or anything, but about those ribs—we bought pork belly, and you—”
Before she could finish, Gu Shunhua cut in, “Mom, would you look at Aunt? Now that’s what I call manners. She bought pork belly for us and didn’t ask for anything in return. Not like certain people who are always thinking about eating, stirring up drama over a bit of food, constantly competing with family over a few bites. If word gets out, what a joke it would be!”
Chen Cuiyue nodded, sighing, “Isn’t that the truth? Yuehua’s behavior really is out of line!”
Feng Xian’er had been just about to say more about the ribs when her mouth was effectively shut by Gu Shunhua’s quick pivot. She was left stunned.
Chen Lu furrowed her brow. She glanced at Chen Cuiyue—this foolish woman, who had clearly been on her side, didn’t even understand what was really going on. She was siding with Gu Shunhua. Infuriating!
Gu Shunhua added, “Yuehua, that greedy little brat… honestly, it’s one thing when it’s our own household. But if he acts like that at a relative’s place, it would be truly embarrassing. We’ve got to keep him in check!”
Feng Xian’er still wanted to argue. She hesitated—she really didn’t want to let the rib issue go. But at that moment, Gu Quanfu stepped inside.
As he entered, he said cheerfully, “Oh, my sister-in-law’s here! Chen Lu too! Have you eaten?”
Those words—Have you eaten?—hit like a slap in the face.
Feng Xian’er fumed. “We were just talking about food…”
But Gu Quanfu ignored her and turned to Gu Shunhua. “Where are the kids?”
Gu Shunhua smiled. “Playing with Yuehua out back. Oh, right, Dad, Mom—since you’re both here, I wanted to bring something up.”
Gu Quanfu asked, “What is it?”
Chen Lu immediately went on high alert.
Something about the current Gu Shunhua wasn’t right. She had to be careful and see what she was up to now.
Gu Shunhua began to talk about her plan to turn the temporary post-quake shelter into a real house.
She had barely finished when Feng Xian’er exploded: “Shunhua’s already a married woman—how can she use land from her maiden home to build a house? That’s against the rules!”
She sneered, triumphant. Revenge at last!
Hearing those words, Gu Shunhua didn’t even bother to respond—nor did she spare Feng Xian’er a glance.
What nonsense. After all the petty advantages she’d squeezed from their family over the years, now she had the audacity to posture like some sanctimonious outsider? She could go cool off wherever she liked. What right did she have to speak?
Her mother, Chen Cuiyue, furrowed her brow and thought aloud, “If you can manage to build something, that wouldn’t be a bad thing—it’d save you and the children from being cramped. But I’m just worried the neighbors won’t be pleased. And besides, the Su family has been eyeing that plot too.”
Her words were indecisive. Deep down, she wanted her daughter to have a home of her own, but Feng Xian’er’s arguments had swayed her.
Gu Shunhua caught on instantly. She had been waiting for this. “Mom, you don’t need to worry about the neighbors—I’ll talk to them one by one. As for the Su family, if I’ve decided to build, then I have a way.”
Chen Cuiyue hesitated again and, almost instinctively, glanced at Chen Lu.
Chen Lu gave Gu Shunhua a sidelong glance and said, “If you ask me, this still depends on what the Housing Bureau says. If they don’t approve it and make you stop halfway through, what then? It’s not that simple. Auntie, you really ought to talk some sense into Sister—this kind of thing isn’t something we can just jump into. Our family isn’t that well-off. Building a house is no small matter!”
Chen Cuiyue quickly echoed her: “Yes, yes, exactly—it’s no small matter!”
Gu Shunhua arched a brow, amused. Was this for real? Her own mother hanging on to Chen Lu’s every word as if she were under some kind of spell? Or was this all just playing out exactly like it had in that book?
She replied calmly, “No need to trouble yourself, Cousin. I’ve already spoken with Comrade Hu at the Housing Bureau. He said as long as the neighbors agree, they have no objections.”
Chen Cuiyue perked up at that. “Well, then… that’s good. Go ahead and build!”
But Chen Lu quickly interjected, “Even if you can build, the problem is—”
Before she could finish, Gu Quanfu cleared his throat.
At that sound, Chen Lu clammed up.
Old-school households followed strict rules. She had no choice but to stay quiet for now.
Gu Quanfu sipped his tea slowly and then said, “I was about to bring this up myself. When Shunhua went to the countryside, it was to take the place of Chen Lu. That girl spent all those years suffering out there, and now she’s come back with two children. Life is hard. We don’t know what lies ahead, but as her parents, we ought to think more about her and help her get settled.”
Chen Cuiyue grew flustered and said, “That’s old history—why bring that up now? Let’s just talk about the current situation. No need to drag the past into it.”
But Gu Quanfu’s face had already hardened. “If we don’t mention the past, then how did things come to this? How did Shunhua end up in Inner Mongolia for eight bitter years? How did she end up divorced with two kids?”
At that, Chen Cuiyue fell silent, a little ashamed.
Chen Lu’s expression tightened.
What was happening here? How had Gu Shunhua suddenly turned things around? She was back, had registered the household, and now she was even going to build a house?
That couldn’t happen.
That plot of land would be worth quite a bit in compensation someday. She couldn’t let Gu Shunhua claim it.
Better to let the Su family take advantage of it than let her benefit.
She quickly said, “Building a house isn’t easy. Sister has two kids to take care of—it’s not something that’ll be done in a day or two. I think it’d be better if Uncle and Auntie built it instead, and let Sister live there for now.”
Gu Shunhua gave her a cool glance.
This Chen Lu wasn’t simple. She was quick-witted, that was for sure. In just a few words, she had subtly shifted the entire nature of the arrangement.
Gu Shunhua had done all the legwork—talked to the Housing Bureau, gone door to door collecting signatures, was planning to help build it herself—but now she was being turned into a temporary guest?
Look at that mouth on her.
But she didn’t reply. Her gaze dropped slightly, and she waited in silence.
There were things in this world that you had to fight tooth and nail for. But there were also things that, if people weren’t willing to give, there was no use in forcing it.
The room fell quiet. The only sound was the kettle on the coal stove bubbling away, releasing puffs of steam.
Chen Cuiyue got up and poured the hot water into a thermos.
A stream of scalding water gushed out with a hissing whoosh, steam rising in long white ribbons.
Chen Lu smiled to herself. She thought she had made an excellent point—and no one had objected.
But just then, Gu Yuehua spoke up: “What’s with all the fuss?”
Everyone turned to look at him.
Gu Yuehua grinned and said, “We’re all one family. What’s with all this scheming? No need for fancy talk. If my sister wants to build, I’ll help her haul bricks and beams! If any neighbors don’t agree, I’ll go talk to them myself! I don’t believe for a second that building a house should stir up so much drama!”
His tone was casual, almost careless—but by the end, there was a hint of fierceness in his words. That youthful boldness, unafraid of anything.
Gu Quanfu set down his tea mug and looked at his son. Finally, he spoke: “At last—someone’s said something sensible.”
At those words, the expressions of everyone else in the room darkened—except for Gu Yuehua and Gu Shunhua.
Gu Quanfu continued, “We have three children in this family. Two proper rooms, and one makeshift room we built ourselves. That makes three. Now Shunhua doesn’t want anything from us—she just wants to rebuild the temporary shelter out front. That shelter may be in our hands now, but it doesn’t truly belong to us. The Su family’s been eyeing it too. If someone’s got the ability to secure that spot, it’s theirs. And if Shunhua manages it, then that spot is hers. No one in this family had better try any underhanded tricks.”
At the word “underhanded”, Chen Lu’s face flushed bright red. She lowered her head, utterly humiliated.
She had always known this uncle didn’t think highly of her. Now she was certain.
She bit her lip. What nonsense. Just a courtyard full of old fogeys—who did he think he was to look down on her?
Chen Cuiyue thought it over and realized he had a point. That shelter wasn’t really theirs. In this courtyard, their family didn’t carry nearly as much weight as the Su family. If the Sus wanted it, they’d never be able to fight them off. If Shunhua could win it for herself, well, let her. It wasn’t something they could interfere with.
If her daughter could claim a place to live, at least it would ease the burden on their own home.
She glanced at the two sweet-faced children—how precious they were!
With that thought in mind, she said no more.
Feng Xian’er narrowed her eyes and gave a drawn-out sneer. “Well, well. Looks like Sister and Brother-in-law are out here handing out houses now? That’s something new.”
Gu Quanfu looked at her and said slowly, “I’m already raising your little brother’s child. What’s the harm in helping my own daughter too?”
That one line was enough to stir up a hornet’s nest.
Feng Xian’er burst into tears, clutching her face and wailing. The old neighbors came to intervene, and eventually, the whole family dispersed, leaving the house finally quiet again.
Chen Cuiyue wept until she was soaked with tears. She felt like her husband’s words had shamed her to the bone—what was the point of living anymore?
While she cried, Gu Shunhua took the children to sleep in the outer room. Gu Yuehua slipped off to the back. Only Gu Quanfu remained, sitting in silence. If she wants to cry, let her cry, he thought, I’ve said my piece.
Eventually, even Chen Cuiyue realized her crying was pointless. With a sigh, she fell silent too.
The next morning, life resumed as usual. Meals had to be made, but her face stayed sullen. The whole house felt heavy, and no one wanted to speak.
Gu Shunhua ignored it all. She figured it was about time her mother had a reality check.
Even her father couldn’t take it anymore—wasn’t that saying something?
If her mother could wake up and change, that would be a blessing. If not, she wouldn’t force it. She would do what needed to be done for her own peace of mind. When the time came, she’d fulfill her duty—care for her mother in old age, see her off properly. That would be enough.
She dressed the two children in thick cotton jackets and topped them with little red wool hats before taking them out.
The kids hadn’t really been out since arriving in the capital. She took them on a stroll through Dashilan, showed them the old city gate at Qianmen, then stopped by the post office to send the books to Ren Jingnian.
After mailing the package, she visited Wang Xinrui’s house.
Wang Xinrui was overjoyed to see the children. So was her mother—after all, she only had one daughter, still unmarried, and was eagerly hoping for grandchildren.
When they left the Wang household, Gu Shunhua made another stop—this time at the Educated Youth Office to ask about job placements. But as expected, there were none. They simply told her to go home and wait for further notice.
She wasn’t worried. Even if there had been a job opening, she wouldn’t have time for it now. The priority was still figuring out how to get the house built. For that, she needed the right moment to speak with the neighbors.
And so things dragged on until the third day, when she received a telegram from the post office.
It was from Ren Jingnian. Just two words: “Call back.”
Gu Shunhua immediately rushed to the post office to make a call. It took nearly an hour before the line connected.
The moment the call went through, Ren Jingnian said, “Gao Jun’s transport team is scheduled to arrive in the capital tomorrow. I’ve checked the map— they’ll pass through Fengtai Station. That’s near your place. Get ready to receive the coal.”
Gu Shunhua’s heart leapt. “Okay, I’ll find two carts to haul it!”
Ren Jingnian paused, then added, “It’s already been sent. One ton.”
Gu Shunhua was stunned. “What?”
Ren Jingnian replied, “I got it at the internal rate. Twenty-three yuan per ton, delivered to the capital. It’ll arrive tomorrow.”
“So fast?” she asked in disbelief.
She had thought it might take ages—but it was already done.
Overjoyed, she realized: this meant her housing plan was secure! With a full ton of coal, she could keep enough for herself and even share some with the neighbors. When it came time to build, who could possibly object?
Author’s Note:
Regarding coal prices: In 1979, the average commercial coal price set by the central government was 23 yuan per ton, with an ex-factory price of 21 yuan. By 1990, it had risen to 61 yuan, and by 2010, to around 450 yuan.
A ton of coal may sound like a lot, but it amounts to just a few hundred honeycomb briquettes. If you burn seven or eight a day, it’ll last about a winter.
So by that calculation, heating a home with coal in the 1980s would cost a few dozen yuan per season—a fairly normal expense.