Jiang Ruyu was at a loss for words when she heard her say that. Liu Xiangxiang's family, both her maternal and paternal, were top-notch. She was like a well-bred young lady who had never seen the hardships of life, which made people envious.

Now that someone from such a privileged background is saying they envy her, she feels a bit like laughing and crying at the same time.

"If you really want to do something on your own, then wait a few more years. The policies are still unclear right now, and your family definitely won't agree to you doing this," Jiang Ruyu could only say.

Liu Xiangxiang also knew that neither her parents, in-laws, nor her husband would support her becoming a self-employed individual. They would think it was shameful; it's not like she couldn't afford to eat, so why would she become a self-employed individual?

"You're right. Then you should work hard and pave the way for me. When the time comes, I'll go out and make my own way like you."

"Okay, let's not talk about that anymore. Come here and I'll tell you about the situation in the warehouse..."

It took the two of them most of the day to complete the handover, and at that time, no one knew that Jiang Ruyu had quit.

Jiang Ruyi, who works as a ticket seller at a movie theater, is not doing very well.

Four years have passed, then five, and she finally saw how ruthless Gu Changzheng's parents were. They kicked them both out, leaving them with nothing but a job.

In recent years, she hasn't even been allowed to see her children.

That year, she told Gu Changzheng that she was pregnant. She really thought she was pregnant because her period was two months late. But then, just two days after returning to her rented apartment, she had her period as if she were having a major hemorrhage. Gu Changzheng knew she wasn't pregnant and his face turned very pale, but he held back and didn't say anything.

Over the years, she and Gu Changzheng had their ups and downs, but they just made do with each other. During this time, she gave birth to two more daughters. Gu Changzheng didn't say it, but he secretly resented that she hadn't given birth to a son.

He still believed that if Jiang Ruyi gave birth to enough sons, his father would definitely soften and let them go back.

However, no, Gu Wei was determined to teach his son a lesson this time, and he would not lend a hand unless his son's life was in danger.

To make a living, the couple had to go to work every day. Neither of them were the type to settle down and live a stable life. The repetitive daily routine made their already bad tempers even worse, and they would have a small argument every three days and a big argument every five days.

They would fight every now and then, and despite all that, neither of them got a divorce. I don't know what they were thinking.

Jiang Ruyi felt that even if she got divorced, she might not be able to find someone better than Gu Changzheng. Besides, she still held onto the hope that her son was still with her father-in-law, and that once he grew up, he would be her support.

Gu Changzheng didn't get a divorce simply because if he did, it would mean he was wrong. He hadn't followed his family's wishes to join the army for Jiang Ruyi, and now he was in such a sorry state that he couldn't even go home. If he got a divorce, it would only prove that he was completely wrong.

The two people with ulterior motives made do with each other. When the college entrance examination was reinstated, they were overjoyed, thinking that as long as they got into university, they could make their families' college entrance examinations the same, and maybe they could go back home.

However, one of them was just a good-for-nothing who only knew how to fool around, and the other was a spoiled young lady who only knew how to compare herself to others. When had they ever studied properly? They didn't even have a basic foundation, and they wanted to get into university through self-study...

After failing to get results in several exams, both of them were devastated and finally had to give up.

Originally, the two of them earned a combined fifty or sixty yuan, which was enough for a family of four if they were frugal. However, neither Jiang Ruyi nor Gu Changzheng were the type to endure hardship.

They could buy whatever they wanted to eat, and they had to buy meat every day. Later, they had two more children. Even though they were daughters, they couldn't let them starve. They had to raise them, and their lives became even more difficult.

In recent years, Jiang Ruyi had secretly gone back, but every time she saw how well Jiang Ruyu was doing, how good Zheng Yang was to her, and how happy and content their family was. The more she saw this, the more unbalanced she felt, and she wished she could shatter the smile on Jiang Ruyu's face.

However, her experiences over the past few years have taught her that she cannot act impulsively now. If she does something rash, her father-in-law will no longer save her. She can only endure the hardship, clinging to Gu Changzheng's words, and wait for his son to grow up. With her father-in-law paving the way, dealing with Jiang Ruyu's family will be a piece of cake.

Jiang Ruyu's work arrangements were finalized, and the supply of goods was also secured. Zheng Yang had a friend act as a go-between to order pig heads, pig tails, pig intestines, pig stomachs, and pig tails from the slaughterhouse. The initial order was for two sets per day, and they would discuss further if that wasn't enough.

Jiang Ruyu also asked her uncle to buy some potatoes and lotus roots grown in the village's fishponds. She also ordered some dried tofu, bean curd sheets, and kelp.

When August 18th arrived, it was an auspicious day according to the Chinese almanac, suitable for all activities.

The custom-made plaque at the entrance is engraved with "Jiang Ji Braised Meat Shop". It is painted in red and edged with gold. The character "福" (good fortune) hangs at the entrance. The windows are decorated with paper-cut designs of noodles, dumplings, wontons and braised meat by Jiang Ruyu. You can tell at a glance what they sell inside.

Jiang Ruyu had three rooms. Two of them were used as a main hall with a few tables. Only the kitchen was partitioned off. A gate was opened at the southernmost end, and a passage for serving dishes was opened in the middle. A rectangular sliding window was used to block the way. In addition, a large window was opened in the outer wall of the kitchen, which was intended for selling braised meat.

When the time comes, those who want to buy braised meat can just wait here for a while and then take it away. The people inside are the customers who want to dine in.

On the opening day, Jiang Hui also came. Han Ling stayed at home taking care of several children, but Zheng Dali insisted on coming, saying it was to "hold the fort."

Jiang Jianguo also came. He didn't agree with his niece doing this. He was getting old and wanted the younger generation to be stable. This business seemed unstable at first glance.

My uncle and aunt's husband also came. My aunt's husband has finally made it through the tough times. My cousin Liu Xuewen and my cousin Xiangqiao have both been admitted to university. My cousin has also gotten married and had children. My aunt's husband will retire in a few years.

Several elders came, and it just so happened that this day was a Sunday that was specially chosen. At 8:18, the auspicious time arrived, and two strings of firecrackers went off with a bang, immediately attracting a lot of people.

Actually, there are already several shops on West Street, mostly repair shops and barbershops, which are all permitted by policy, but Jiang Ruyu and his family are the first to run a catering business.

However, I heard that there is a Yuebin Restaurant two miles away that has been open for several months and is doing very well.

As soon as Jiang Ruyu set off the firecrackers, the braised meat inside was immediately served. She had gotten up in the early morning to braise it because it was too hot to keep it fresh, and she was afraid it would spoil. She could only make it fresh and sell it immediately, as it wouldn't keep even overnight.