Chapter 316: Looking for Trouble
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Jiang Chuan took Jiang Xia back to the production team to return the bicycle. Taking advantage of the encounter with Chen Xing today, he took the opportunity to ask about Jiang Xia and Jiang Gu’s schooling.
There is a Starlight Elementary School in Pushan Village. Only families with decent conditions in the village can afford to send their children there.
Only the male children and the eldest daughters of the Jiang family had attended school.
Jiang Gui’s family had three boys. The eldest was twenty-two years old. Old Master Jiang used his connections to send the eldest to the county cotton mill as a temporary worker. Although it was different from a formal job, it could still support the family.
The other two sons were 19 years old and had been married for more than a year. They had just given birth to a daughter, and the other was 10 years old and studying at a boarding elementary school in town.
Because Jiang Gui’s wife had given birth to many sons, her status in the Jiang family was much higher than the other two daughters-in-law.
She also had two daughters. Jiang Hong was about to get married when she was nineteen, and Jiang Cheng was fifteen years old, a few months older than Jiang Xia.
Jiang Gui was the most favored at home. All three of his sons had been sent to school since they were young. Even his two daughters had the opportunity to study in the old Jiang family, which valued sons over daughters.
The second son of the Jiang family was a little lacking. He only had one son. To get him a wife, they married off Jiang Qing.
Jiang Hong is a year older than Jiang Qing. In both appearance and character, she is overshadowed by Jiang Qing, which is why she hasn’t been married off yet. This situation further fueled the resentment of the Jiang Gui’s wife towards the third house and amplified her dislike for Jiang Qing.
If Old Madam Jiang hadn’t heeded the advice of the eldest house and insisted on marrying Jiang Qing off further away, which involved exchanging daughters with the Zhang family, she wouldn’t have cared if the second son could find a wife.
The second house has two daughters: the elder one is already married, while the younger one, who’s fifteen, works daily at home and has never had the opportunity to attend school.
In terms of status in the village, the old Jiang family is considered upper-middle-class. Thanks to the diligent efforts of Jiang Chuan’s family, they are well off, and both the first and secondary houses live comfortably.
However, the elderly Jiangs are harsh on Jiang Chuan, depriving him of food and clothing. The family looks malnourished, their faces sallow, and are thus not pleasant to look at.
On the contrary, Jiang Gui can eat two meals in one sitting. Every month, his household receives the most money. If Jiang Chuan had gotten any share, their three daughters wouldn’t have been neglected.
Now, things have changed. With Jiang Chuan’s family replacing the original occupants of the third house, they are doing better and are naturally keen on providing for their daughter.
Jiang Xia did well in her studies in modern times. Whether she attends elementary school or not isn’t the main concern; the priority is to arrange schooling for Jiang Gu.
Chen Xing has been particularly attentive to Jiang Chuan recently and is always ready to help.
He mentioned that getting the two children into school is straightforward. They only need a certificate from the team leader.
Next spring marks the start of a new academic year. With sufficient funds and the required documentation, they can send the two girls to school.
On the way home, Jiang Xia hesitantly asked Jiang Chuan, “Dad, do you think 1 still need to attend school? I might as well become a teacher.”
Jiang Chuan shrugged helplessly, “It’s your mother’s arrangement, and 1 don’t dare to oppose it. If Jiang Gu goes to school alone, won’t you be worried? What if she gets bullied in school? Your mom will be heartbroken.”
Jiang Xia retorted, “Considering our little girl’s strength, she is more likely to bully others. It’s more about ensuring she doesn’t hurt anyone.”
He replied, “Either way, you need to be there for her.”
Jiang Xia felt exasperated, thinking, “In other families, the dads get duped.
Why is it in our family that the daughter is the one getting duped?”
Upon arriving home and before Jiang Chuan could even sit down for tea, there was a series of aggressive knocks on the door. The force seemed strong enough to shatter their entrance.
The knocker shouted, “Jiang Chuan, don’t hide inside! I know you’re home! If you dared to snatch the land plot, come out and face me!”
Oh, it was Jiang Gui. He must have heard that the land now belonged to Jiang Chuan’s son-in-law, and he came to confront them.
Zhou Lan, thinking they were under attack, emerged from the kitchen wielding a rolling pin. Recognizing Jiang Gui, she was furious, “Coming here again and again, causing trouble! Does he think he can bully me? If I don’t break one of his arms today, I’ll take his surname!”
While Jiang Gui’s aggressive knocking didn’t scare Jiang Chuan, Zhou Lan’s outburst certainly startled him.