Ding! Detected one bag of Ming Dynasty copper coins. Minor flaws. Recycling price: 300 yuan. Would you like to sell it?
Hearing that price, Su Yun's delicate brows lifted slightly, though her expression remained calm.
After standing up, she looked expressionlessly at Gouzi and Su Wenbing, both of whom were staring at her expectantly.
"With just a sack of junk like this, what valuable things could you possibly exchange for? Just weigh it."
Su Wenbing was stunned.
"Huh?"
Su Yun rolled her eyes at him and snapped irritably:
"What 'huh'? Your sack of scrap isn't worth much. If you don't believe me, take it somewhere else and sell it. I'm not forcing you."
Su Wenbing immediately looked miserable.
Gouzi clicked his tongue and scolded him without mercy.
"Wenbing, what's wrong with you? How did you misjudge things just like Ermao? I was bragging earlier, thinking Comrade Xiao Su could trade all our stuff for watermelons, and in the end, you brought back a pile of useless junk!"
Then he waved his hand.
"Alright, stop standing there. Hurry up and weigh it. Comrade Xiao Su is busy—she has to work and study. Let's not waste her time."
As he spoke, Gouzi quickly dumped the sack of scrap onto the scale.
In the end, Su Yun settled the payment for Su Wenbing at eighty cents, deducting a large amount without the slightest guilt.
Su Wenbing held the money, still sighing over how badly he had misjudged things.
Meanwhile, Gouzi rubbed his hands together and shamelessly leaned closer to Su Yun.
"Comrade Xiao Su, about those watermelons… can I buy some from you with cash?"
Su Yun looked at him, and suddenly her eyes lit up. Her attitude improved noticeably compared to before.
"Of course. If you're buying, I'll give you the price of twenty cents per jin. How much do you want?"
The moment she finished speaking, Gu Hai silently stepped in between them, blocking her from Gouzi. His handsome face was full of displeasure.
Without hesitation, Su Yun pushed Gu Hai aside and continued staring eagerly at Gouzi.
Gouzi grinned in delight and shamelessly made a huge request.
"I want ten thousand jin. Is that possible?"
"Yes," Su Yun replied readily, her bright eyes gleaming with calculation. "How about this—I get off work at five-thirty this evening. Come back then, and we'll discuss the details of the deal."
Then she added:
"Also, I have several boxes of watches here. Please make another trip for me and deliver them to the People's Hospital for my cousin, Su Xiu."
Gouzi felt deeply honored to be entrusted with the task.
"No problem! Comrade Xiao Su, you're too kind. Brother Hai really has good taste, hahaha…"
After laughing, Gouzi tucked away the watches Su Yun handed him, then excitedly dragged Su Wenbing out of the recycling station.
---
After they left, Gu Hai folded his arms across his chest, lips pressed tightly together. Wearing a deeply wounded expression, he stared pitifully at Su Yun.
After washing her hands, Su Yun finally noticed he was sulking.
She casually asked:
"What's wrong with you?"
Gu Hai replied sourly:
"Xiao Yun, just now, you pushed me aside just to talk to Gouzi!"
Su Yun: "...That's it?"
She said helplessly:
"I only treated him warmly because I happened to need his help with something. What's the big deal?"
How could it not be a big deal?
He was jealous!
Gu Hai curled his lips downward and bluntly attacked Gouzi.
"He's just a street punk. What help could he possibly be to you?"
Su Yun looked at him in surprise.
"You… how do you know that?"
She had never told him.
Gu Hai put on a serious expression.
"Xiao Yun, I'll tell you the truth. I've known for a long time that Gouzi isn't a good person. He spends all day loafing around and fighting people—that alone isn't even the main issue. The key point is that he's actually a gang leader!"
He continued solemnly:
"I heard his Qinglong Gang is rotten from top to bottom. They don't just fight and stir up trouble—they even take money to do jobs for people, and they frequently cause major incidents. Since childhood, Gouzi has been in and out of the police station countless times!"
Then he warned her firmly:
"A person like him—if you ever meet him again, stay at least three meters away from him!"
At the words "take money to do jobs for people," Su Yun's eyes grew even brighter.
But when she heard that Gouzi had entered the police station countless times, she immediately frowned.
Then she quickly warned Gu Hai:
"In that case, you shouldn't keep hanging around him either. Even though he really is warmhearted, you're someone who plans to take the university entrance exam. If he drags you down and it affects your political background review, that'll be troublesome!"
Gu Hai nodded eagerly.
"Mm! I'll listen to you!"
At that moment, Gu Hai felt happier than ever.
He almost wanted to grab Gouzi immediately and shout:
I have a girlfriend, and you don't—you're just a single dog!
---
Meanwhile, the completely clueless Gouzi was pedaling his bicycle beneath the blazing sun, heading toward the People's Hospital.
Not long after, he successfully met up with Su Xiu.
Over the past few days at the hospital, with the help of the first nurse acting as a middleman, Su Xiu had sold a total of nine watches.
With each resale, she earned a profit, making ninety yuan altogether.
Not only had she repaid Su Yun's loan, but she even had money left over to buy Su Yonghe a chicken-leg rice meal to help him recover his strength.
Inside the hospital ward, Su Xiu finally wore a rare smile as she sat at the foot of the bed peeling an apple.
Zhao Manfen held the chicken-leg rice meal and fed Su Yonghe while impatiently glancing toward the doorway.
After waiting a long time without seeing Zhou Ziyang arrive, she finally turned anxiously to Su Xiu.
"Xiu'er, why don't you hurry back to work at the Public Security Bureau? Your father is already awake now. I can take care of him alone. If you keep missing work, what if someone takes advantage of the situation and seduces Xiao Zhou away?"
At those words, Su Xiu's smile disappeared.
She answered stubbornly, despite meaning otherwise:
"Mom, don't talk nonsense. Zhou Ziyang and I are only revolutionary comrades. Don't ruin his reputation."
"What do you mean ruin his reputation?"
Zhao Manfen's face darkened.
"Xiao Zhou talks to me happily every day. Do you think I can't tell he likes you?"
Then she continued seriously:
"Xiu'er, you don't understand. A man's eyes when he looks at a woman—he can't hide it. Xiao Zhou definitely likes you. You must seize this opportunity. I refuse to lose to Chen Xiue!"
She pointed emphatically.
"He's such a good son-in-law. If you let him slip away, I won't forgive you!"
Lying half-reclined on the bed, Su Yonghe weakly nodded.
"Xiu'er… your mother is right."
In their eyes, Zhou Ziyang truly was an excellent match.
But for Su Xiu, Zhou Ziyang was too good.
It made her feel inferior without even realizing it, and she didn't dare entertain even the slightest hope.
Thinking of this, Su Xiu quietly sighed.
---
At the same time, Zhou Ziyang—who had originally planned to visit the hospital and curry favor—received a call from a colleague just before leaving.
He learned that He Qiang had been caught.
Immediately, Zhou Ziyang jumped on his bicycle and sped toward the coal mine residential district.
Under the blazing midday sun, a crowd of curious neighbors had already gathered outside He Qiang's home.
Two police officers stood guard at the door, preventing unrelated people from entering.
When Zhou Ziyang arrived, his sharp brows furrowed.
He raised his voice and addressed the crowd:
"Everyone, disperse. The son of this family is a murderer. The victim is still lying in the hospital receiving treatment. If you insist on staying here to watch the excitement, fine—but if He Qiang seeks revenge on you later, don't blame me for not warning you first!"
Hearing that, the neighbors' expressions changed instantly.
Who would dare stay and watch the house of a murderer?
Soon, everyone scattered.
Only then did the young police officer guarding the entrance speak to Zhou Ziyang.
"Brother Zhou, that guy He Qiang was really good at hiding. We all thought he had escaped before. Who knew he had actually been hiding inside his family's coal pile? If his younger sister hadn't panicked while delivering him food, we really would've been fooled by him!"