"Ow—"
Susu tried to take a step but a piercing pain shot through her ankle.
Lu Xiaoting bent down to take a closer look, then simply picked her up, "Fortunately, it's not a bone injury, I'll rub some medicinal oil on it for you when we get back."
Susu nodded, noticing the glances from the surrounding people, she suddenly felt a little embarrassed.
She buried her face into the man's shoulder, out of sight, out of mind.
Lu Xiaoting felt the warmth on his shoulder, a suspicious hint of red flushing his normally impassive face, and he quickened his pace.
"Auntie, what happened to you?"
Xiao Yu, who had been eagerly waiting at the door on a small stool, dashed over, worry written all over his little face.
Father Lu, Mrs. Lu, and her two cousins, who heard the commotion, also surrounded them with concern.
Susu hurried to reassure the anxious group, "It's okay, it's okay, I just twisted it a bit, it's nothing serious."
"Ah, just be careful it's not a bone injury."
Mrs. Lu quickly wiped her hands on her apron, anxiously examining her daughter-in-law's ankle.
"It didn't hurt the bone, I'll rub some medicinal liquor on it later."
Lu Xiaoting set her down on the kang bed and, after a word of caution, went out to get the medicinal liquor.
Susu looked around at her worried family, feeling both touched and amused, "Dad, Mom, Xian Yue, my little sister, I'm really fine."
Xiao Yu, climbing onto the kang, blew gently, "Auntie, let Xiao Yu blow on it, it won't hurt anymore."
"Thank you, Xiao Yu."
Seeing that it really wasn't a bone injury, everyone went back out to continue their tasks.
Only the family of three remained inside.
Lu Xiaoting poured the medicinal liquor on his hands, rubbed them together, and said in a deep voice, "It might hurt a bit, just bear with it."
Susu's lips quivered, and she nodded vigorously, as if bracing for the inevitable, "Bring it on!"
Xiao Yu, tensely holding his aunt's hand, kept his eyes fixed without blinking.
"Ow—"
Susu felt a sharp pain in her ankle as it was rubbed, and she couldn't help but cry out.
"Bear with it, wife, I have to rub it hard for it to work, otherwise it'll be swollen tomorrow," Lu Xiaoting said, increasing the pressure of his movements.
"Ah— it hurts, it hurts, it hurts—"
Susu teared up from the pain, wanting to pull her foot away, but the man gripped it tightly, making it impossible to withdraw.
"Wife, just bear with it, it'll be over soon."
"Huff, huff— Xiao Yu keeps blowing, Auntie won't hurt."
…
Susu felt as if she had lost half her life, lying on the kang with a sniffle.
Lu Xiaoting cleared his throat, "Wife, move it around, see if it still hurts."
Susu glared at the man but obediently moved her ankle, and indeed, it didn't hurt anymore.
"Aunt Liu, Xian Yue—"
Aunt Liu Fen entered, carrying things in her hands.
"Mom, why are you here?"
Xian Yue hurried forward to meet her, "Second Aunt, my mom is here."
Mrs. Lu frowned, "Sister-in-law, why did you just come without saying anything, bringing things with you, everything's already here at home."
Aunt Liu Fen, beamed, setting down the vegetables and a piece of pork on the table: "Hey, I just came to see how Xian Yue was doing and picked up a few things on the way. It's not like she's not eating and drinking plenty at her aunt's place, so what's the big deal if I bring something over?"
Mrs. Lu scowled, feigning anger, and admonished her elder sister-in-law not to do it again.
Aunt Liu Fen, still smiling, waved her hand dismissively and then turned to inquire, "I heard Susu's voice right at the door, what was going on?"
"She twisted her ankle, my second son is in the room applying the rub."
...
Susu covered her face with her hands, burying her head deep into the pillow, as she heard the conversation between her aunt and her mother-in-law from inside the room.
Seeing his wife's behavior, Lu Xiao's brows were filled with a smile. He lifted Xiao Yu into his arms, "Come on, Xiao Yu, let's go outside, and let your aunt get some good rest."
"Okay."
Xiao Yu nodded obediently, like a little adult, and did not forget to ensure that Susu would rest well.
Susu, without lifting her head, waved with one hand from beneath the blanket.
Aunt Liu Fen sat for a while before she decided to leave. Mrs. Lu insisted she stay for dinner before going, but she refused, insisting on leaving in a hurried frenzy.
Before she left, she reminded her cousin Xian Yue to work hard at her second aunt's home and be more proactive.
*****
"Sister Su."
Susu brought Xiao Sun into the house and introduced him to her mother-in-law, "Mom, this is Xiao Sun, the one I told you about."
"Oh my, Xiao Sun, I must thank you for helping out my Susu that day."
Mrs. Lu quickly put down the vegetables she was holding, her face filled with excitement and happiness, "To think that you're so young and yet so brave."
Xiao Sun, somewhat embarrassed by Mrs. Lu's enthusiasm, replied, "Auntie, I'm not that young anymore, I'm already 16."
"What? Only 16, and yet such a sensible child, taking on family responsibilities so early."
"I had no choice, my parents passed away early, and my grandparents are old."
Xiao Sun dismissed it with a wave of his hand, indicating that he would certainly work hard.
Susu listened with a bittersweet feeling. At such a young age, taking on the weight of a family, the hardships must be unimaginable to others.
"Don't worry, take it slow. As long as you work hard, I will not let you down. For every pound of vegetables, I'll add five cents, and for every pound of meat, fifteen cents."
Xiao Sun's eyes shone bright, and he nodded, "Hmm, Sister Su, I will definitely work hard."
"Good! Keep it up!"
...
Susu set off with Xiao Sun, carrying their first batch of marinated goods.
Also accompanying them, unable to sit still, was Lu Xiaoting. Susu looked at the man eagerly offering to carry the basket, her mood naturally light.
However, fearing the man might scare off customers, upon reaching the cinema, Susu sent him to wait on the side of the road.
Xiao Sun, not feeling shy at all, followed Sister Su's lead in calling out for customers, even taking the initiative to approach people to promote their wares.
As Xiao Sun put it himself, "What's there to be embarrassed about? If they don't buy, I just move on; if they do, all the better."
With the two of them calling out for sales, a whole basket of marinated goods quickly sold out.
Susu gave Xiao Sun a thumbs up, full of praise, "Well done!"
Xiao Sun scratched his head shyly, feeling somewhat reluctant to stop, "So, Sister Su, what do we do next? Are we heading back?"
"It's still early; we can go back, get more goods, and sell them again."
Susu glanced at her watch, then looked up at Xiao Sun, "So, do you want to go sell by yourself for a while, or stick with me?"
Xiao Sun hesitated, but then said, "Sister Su, I want to try selling on my own."
"Alright!"
Susu nodded, "Then head to the area near the bus station to sell. Later in the afternoon, you can come to my place for more goods."
Not even half a day had passed before all their goods were sold out. The newly recruited Xiao Sun was showing great potential, bringing a smile to Susu's face that she couldn't suppress.
Lu Xiaoting looked at his wife brimming with joy, his face too, sporting a smile. He asked softly, "Honey, does your foot still hurt? Do you need me to carry you?"
The thought of the stares from passersby the day before made Susu shake her head immediately; she didn't want to be gawked at like a monkey again.
"Okay, but if you're uncomfortable, you must tell me," Lu Xiaoting said, a touch disappointed.
Xiao Sun watched the couple, silently falling a few steps behind, and proceeded as if invisible.
"Honey, be careful!"