Chapter 412: Being Exploited

Su Jianguo woke up. Su Yan told him everything that had happened since then, including her two-month trip to the capital.

However, she did not mention a single word regarding Kong Xiangrou, because she knew how important his mother was to her father.

Now, she only hoped her father could recover his health with a stable state of mind.

Su Jianguo hadn't expected that he had been unconscious for so long, let alone that his daughter had gone to the capital alone for such an extended period.

"Yan Yan, you've worked hard."

Su Yan shook her head vigorously. Looking at her awakened father, she felt that everything she had done was worth it.

Zhou Li waited until he felt that the conversation between father and daughter had reached its natural conclusion before pushing the door open and walking in.

Su Yan introduced Zhou Li to Su Jianguo and informed him that the medicine that had woken him up was provided by the Zhou family.

With this, Su Jianguo felt quite at ease regarding Zhou Li.

In the afternoon, the hospital room became lively.

Not only did Su Jianxin's family and Gu Qingfeng's group come, but even Wu Qi and the neighbors from the compound who were on good terms with the Su family all showed up.

Before today, they had even thought Su Jianguo might never wake up; they hadn't expected a miracle to occur.

Gu Qingfeng even held Su Jianguo's hand, his eyes reddening.

After so many years of friendship, he was truly afraid that his good friend would just sleep away forever.

While the hospital room was filled with laughter and joy, Su Yan found an excuse to step outside.

Standing on the other side of the corridor, she felt the silence.

Her father was awake; now she could focus on her own affairs with peace of mind.

Even if the road to revenge was filled with thorns, she would absolutely never give up.

Over the next few days, Su Jianguo practiced walking constantly.

Because he had been unconscious for too long, the muscles in his legs had somewhat atrophied, so he needed to recover slowly.

Fortunately, the recovery didn't take too long. Four days later, after the doctor's final checkup confirmed that all his physical indicators were completely normal, Su Yan processed his discharge papers.

Time had reached the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month, with only four days left until New Year's Eve.

When Su Jianguo returned home, almost everyone in the compound came to visit. The pastries and fruits placed in the house were piled high.

"Zhou Li, stew chicken soup tonight."

Su Yan gave her instructions as usual.

Zhou Li, who had already walked to the door, froze mid-step, a look of terror appearing on his face.

They had clearly agreed that he would eat and stay at Su Jianxin's house, but the reality was quite different.

Aside from when they were at the hospital, Su Yan had practically ordered him to prepare almost all the meals at home.

As the young master of the prestigious Zhou family, he had never touched a drop of water in the kitchen, aside from his demon-exorcising cultivation.

Every time he cooked was a desperate disaster for him.

Yet, Su Yan was not picky about food at all; no matter how unpalatable his cooking was, she could always eat it.

He had originally planned very well to use his proximity to Su Yan to develop their relationship. But now, seeing Su Yan made him want to run away instinctively, let alone talk about romance.

"Heh, hehe. Senior Sister Su, I don't know how to make chicken soup!"

Zhou Li attempted to struggle.

Su Yan said unhurriedly, "It's fine. You can ask Auntie Liu in the front courtyard how to make it. But chicken soup alone isn't nutritionally balanced, so stir-fry some green vegetables as well."

Zhou Li felt terrible. "Senior Sister Su, actually, I already promised Uncle Su that I would go to his house for dinner today. How about we all go over there to eat?"

He had paid his way, after all; at most, he would just pay a bit more.

Su Yan refused. "My dad's legs aren't convenient for movement, so he shouldn't be walking around. Actually, I'm making you cook for your own good. If one day you end up wandering in the wilderness, you won't starve yourself to death because you don't know how to do anything."

Zhou Li's mouth twitched incessantly. He was one hundred percent certain that such a day would never come.

"What? You're unwilling?" Su Yan tilted her head, looking at him.

Zhou Li denied it against his conscience. "How could I be? I'll go do it right now!"

Su Yan watched Zhou Li walk stiffly toward the kitchen, suppressing a hint of schadenfreude in her eyes.

"Yan Yan, I don't think Xiao Li is the type of person to do such things, and he is a guest. Isn't it a bit much to make him work like this?"

Su Jianguo came to her side, having clearly overheard their conversation.

Su Yan turned around, revealing a bright smile.

"Dad, no one knows everything from the start. There's nothing wrong with letting him practice. Let me help you inside."

Hearing her say this, Su Jianguo stopped worrying. Zhou Li was a friend she had brought back, so she naturally knew the limits.

The twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Su Yan rarely took Zhou Li out shopping.

For the first time, Zhou Li experienced the preciousness of "freedom."

During these past days, he had been by Su Yan's side—at first, it was just the back-and-forth between the hospital and the compound. Later, after Su Jianguo was discharged, Su Yan spent every day by her father's side, leaving him feeling incredibly bored in the compound.

Now, looking at the shops, streets, and the bustling crowds of the county town, he felt an extraordinary sense of familiarity.

"Su Yan, what should we buy first?"

They had specifically come out to prepare for the New Year, so there were many things to purchase.

Su Yan casually pulled a slip of paper from her Universe Bag, which was densely covered in writing.

It took Zhou Li two minutes to read it from top to bottom.

"There's quite a lot, but it's fine. We can hire a cart to haul it back later."

In his eyes, these were all things that could be solved with money.

This time, Su Yan agreed very readily. "Alright, you decide."

Zhou Li's smile brightened. "Then let's go to the supply and marketing cooperative first."

"Buying things doesn't require two people. I'll wait for you at the teahouse ahead. Once you've bought everything on the list, we'll meet at the teahouse," Su Yan said lazily.

Zhou Li:...

Did she not think this was inappropriate?

He was a guest!

"Senior Sister Su, I just arrived here and am not familiar with anything. If you don't have other business, why don't you come with me?"

He had the illusion that he had come here just to be Su Yan's errand boy, a relationship he absolutely did not want.

Su Yan smiled slightly. "This county town isn't big; everything is easy to find. Besides, you have a mouth to ask the people around you. I've been so tired lately that I just want to rest properly, alright?"

Her tone was exceptionally kind—so kind that if Zhou Li said no, it would feel as if he were doing her a disservice.

"Alright then."

Zhou Li accepted his fate. Perhaps this was a test from the heavens.

"See you at the teahouse." Su Yan waved gracefully and walked toward the nearby teahouse.

Zhou Li sighed and stopped a random passerby to ask for directions to the supply and marketing cooperative.

With such a dense list of items, if he didn't hurry, he probably wouldn't finish the shopping even by nightfall.

(End of Chapter)