Chapter 209: Chapter 209: A Gold Necklace Chapter 209: Chapter 209: A Gold Necklace “I get it, day in and day out, all you care about is your wife and your daughter. I truly wasted all those years raising you,” Zhang Guihua grumbled unhappily.
“Oh, Mom, what are you talking about? When have I ever forgotten your birthday? Haven’t I always remembered it perfectly?” Jiang Changhai saw his mother was feeling jealous and coaxed her with a playful grin.
Zhang Guihua thought about it and it was true, so her expression eased a bit, “Alright, alright, I know. I’ll make it for your wife in a while.”
But the very next second, what Jiang Changhai said made her even more angry, “Mom, I’m going to the town later to buy some meat and a big fat fish. Let’s have a nice dinner tonight.”
When Zhang Guihua heard this, she exploded again, “It’s just a small birthday, why make it so wasteful? Just boil a couple of eggs, isn’t that how we always celebrate birthdays in our family? Is your wife so precious? Can’t our family make room for her?”
“Mom, look at you, we were having a nice chat, why get angry again?” Jiang Changhai said helplessly.
Living together had this downside, wanting to celebrate his wife’s birthday properly but having to endure a scolding from his mom.
“You ask why I’m angry?!”
Zhang Guihua’s eyes widened like a fighting rooster’s, and her mouth fired off like a machine gun, “Eldest, I know you’ve got a bit of money, but this is not the way to spend it. If you splurge and blow all your money, getting used to such extravagant habits, how will you live in the future?”
Jiang Changhai knew his mother said these things for his sake, but he didn’t dare say he could make money.
His parents were both timid and feared trouble. They had warned him before, not to engage in any speculative dealings.
So he resorted to his ultimate tactic, being utterly unreasonable and sweet-talking, “Mom, you’re being too serious. It’s just buying some meat and fish, it won’t cost much. Besides, when I buy it, it’s not just for my wife to eat on her own, you and Dad have also worked hard all year. It’s not excessive for us to eat something nice now to reward ourselves, right?”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Guihua’s expression softened.
With three students to provide for and many mouths to feed at home, they hadn’t had much to eat all year.
Seeing his mother wavering, Jiang Changhai further coaxed, “Mom, it’s not only my wife who gets to celebrate her birthday. It just so happened I got some money when it came up on my wife’s birthday. It’s just a coincidence. When you and Dad have your birthdays next year, I’ll prepare a feast for you two just . How does that sound?”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Guihua’s face immediately brightened with a smile, “You really mean that? When your dad and I have our birthdays next year, it can’t be less than what you’re doing for your wife!”
“When have I ever deceived you? Just wait and see, I assure you’ll be pleased,” Jiang Changhai said, arching his eyebrows, still in a carefree and playful tone.
But Zhang Guihua was utterly convinced and chuckled, “I knew you cared the most. In a bit, I’ll boil an extra egg for you to eat.”
Jiang Changhai laughed along, “Alright, Mom, I’ll also bring you back a pound of brown sugar on my way.”
Three eggs, just right for one each in their family.
After breakfast, Jiang Changhai headed straight to the town’s Supply and Marketing Cooperative, buying fish, pork, a pound of brown sugar, and a bottle of sorghum liquor.
His dad enjoyed a good drink, but they were so tight on food at home that buying alcohol was out of the question.
Now that he had money, he naturally wanted to honor his father by letting him drink something high quality.
Of course, the most important thing was the gift he had been planning for a long time to give his wife—a gold necklace that the salesperson Xiao Zhou helped him bring from the department store in the county.