"Mrs. Daya really has a way with jokes. But speaking of working in the county, it’s the elder sister-in-law who’s blessed. A ticket seller’s job is so easy that people in the county would fight tooth and nail for it and still can’t get it. I’m so envious I can’t even begin to describe it."
Zhou Jiaojiao naturally took a seat among them as she spoke. Shirley almost rolled her eyes to the sky, but Xifeng nudged her with an elbow, and she held it back.
Shen Meng was cracking sunflower seeds with her head down, not wanting to engage with her. Out of respect for a pregnant woman, she didn’t want to trouble Zhou Jiaojiao during her pregnancy. She told herself inwardly, tolerate her three times. If she still causes trouble, then she’ll fight back, of course not against her but make Lu Jiaxuan suffer instead.
Wu Xianglan came over with Lu Jiahe to pick up some grain. From afar, she saw a group sitting together. She originally wanted to greet Shen Meng, but when she saw Zhou Jiaojiao sitting next to her, she immediately turned her head away. At this time, she definitely couldn’t let Jiaxuan’s wife see her getting along well with the elder sister-in-law. Otherwise, she would become suspicious. If the notification letter had to be hidden in a different place, then all her efforts would be for naught.
Shen Meng watched her hurry to the side and pretended not to notice. However, she took mental note, glanced at Zhou Jiaojiao and thought to herself, dimwit, still thinks about taking my job? After the New Year, I’ll make sure you don’t have a fart to your name.
"You’ve got your own iron rice bowl now, you’re already better off than so many people. Why envy your elder sister-in-law? In the future, we’re not the same kind of people anymore. Hey, Jiaojiao, if the textile factory has any cheap fabric in the future, you’ve got to keep us in mind, okay?"
Wang Lianhua didn’t care about anything else; she just wanted some cheap fabric to make some new clothes for Daqing’s children. Her daughter Yaoyao was a girl, and she was still wearing clothes from when Daqing was young. It was too pitiful.
"That’s easy to say. I’ve heard that the textile factory often has defective fabric that’s very cheap. These are for the insiders to grab. If it goes to the Cooperative Society, it’s also the insiders who get first dibs. It’s not easy for the common people to get cheap fabric."
"Then you’ve got to remember me, okay!"
Wang Lianhua had just finished talking when Shirley stood up.
"Sorry, sisters, I won’t chat too much. It’s so cold today, I better go and collect the grain to take home. Thanks to Jiaojiao’s blessing, I’ve been getting full work points every time. In a while, when the pig is slaughtered, I’m sure I’ll get a good share of meat. Tonight I need to cook a decent meal for my two kids."
After she finished, she greeted Shen Meng before leaving.
Lu Changhong and Lu Zhenping were talking on the side. They saw their mother almost slip and fall with her walking stick, which scared them terribly. They hurriedly ran over to her. Shirley, who was in line, saw it and reached out to help, but she also slipped, and Grandma Chang fell right on top of her.
"Ouch!"
"Sss~"
"Mom, are you okay? Agh, I told you I was here to collect the grain. Why did you have to rush over here!"
"I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m okay. Mrs. Daya, I’m so sorry, I fell on you. How is it, did you get hurt?"
After Lu Changhong helped Grandma Chang up, he then remembered to check on Shirley.
"Mrs. Daya, did you get hurt? Is everything alright?"
Shirley stood up, patted herself off, and realizing she wasn’t in pain, she quickly said cheerfully, "No problem, not a thing. I’m dressed warmly, so even if I fall, it doesn’t hurt. I’m fine!"
"Mom, why did you come over? Is there something at home?"
"No, no, nothing. I just wanted to join in the fun. Staying at home every day is suffocating me, having no one to talk to. I didn’t expect that it would lead to a fall."
Shirley saw that Grandma Chang was fine, and not wanting to hinder their mother-son conversation, she quickly headed back to the queue. But over there, a pair of gloomy eyes stared at her, then shifted to Daya and Xiao Ya playing with a group of children, feeling bitter resentment in her heart.
After the divorce, life at home has become a complete mess: no one to wash the clothes, no one to cook meals, the house is a filthy mess, and no one’s there to clean it up. My old mom can’t handle the work after just two days, and Dezi cries non-stop every day. Only then did I realize that a woman is indeed indispensable in a household.
But I have absolutely no feelings for Shirley. So old and ugly, who would have a liking for her? I just think that something I don’t want shouldn’t end up being someone else’s.
Shen Meng hasn’t worked for the last half of the year. Lu Zhenping came over with his bicycle to pick up the rations. Out of the seven burlap bags he carried, he filled only five, and one of those wasn’t even full. This made onlookers want to laugh but they dared not, prompting Shen Meng to cluck her tongue several times.
What’s there to laugh at? Have you not seen Lai Zi? His whole family didn’t receive much grain. After the New Year, they’ll probably starve to death.
"Xifeng, Jinghao, from now on, ask your men to help deliver the grain to Mrs. Daya. I’m worried about the way Lai Zi looks at her; I fear he might cause her trouble when everyone is busy cooking at home."
"Don’t worry, elder sister-in-law. I’ve already told Jiasheng, and there are quite a few people in the village keeping an eye on Lai Zi. During the New Year, if he dares to start trouble, no one will let him off the hook."
"Exactly, you don’t need to worry. Now that Shirley and he are divorced, he can’t just come over and beat someone up. If he really dares to do that, we definitely won’t let him get away with it!"
As they murmured among themselves, Zhou Jiaojiao coughed twice to interrupt them.
"You can’t say things like that. After all, Daya and Xiao Ya still call him dad. They are his biological daughters. You can’t keep the children from recognizing their father. If word gets out, it’ll be hard for the girls in the future."
What nonsense!!
A man who knows nothing but domestic violence, and he expects the kids to call him Dad? Has Zhou Jiaojiao lost her mind, speaking up for Lai Zi? Didn’t we agree during the divorce that the two girls would have nothing to do with the Xu Family?
"Father? What father? Who’s father? Didn’t he scorn Daya and Xiao Ya as a loss-making burden? Anyone who wants them to recognize Lai Zi as their father has a sick mind. I can’t understand this at all. They look down on girls, yet they still think about getting married. When it’s time to get a wife, they don’t despise their wife for being a woman. Feudalism, a malignant tumor! Whoever harbors such thoughts should be reported and taken out for public criticism."
Xifeng was furious as she spoke. Her mother-in-law always said that the girls in the family were a loss, and every time she heard it, she was itching with anger. If her husband weren’t always holding her back, she’d definitely have a good fight with that old thing.
"Sister-in-law, Ming Kai is sleepy. Are you going to take him home to sleep?"
"Ah, coming."
The little one dived into Shen Meng’s arms, affectionately nuzzling, "Mom~."
The soft and tender voice made hearts melt. She rubbed the little one’s head.
"Sleepy, huh? Didn’t you want to watch the pig slaughtering with the other kids? Not going to watch?"
"No, baby wants to sleep!"
Hearing this, Zhou Jiaojiao’s brows immediately knitted together, "Sister-in-law, you really spoil him too much. Such a big child, still ’baby.’ Don’t spoil him rotten."
"Baby is sleepy, and Mom will take baby home to sleep. Tonight, Mom will make something delicious for baby. Baby is Mama’s good baby. We’re not listening to bad words, let’s not dirty my baby’s little ears."
Zhou Jiaojiao: "....."