After everyone finished their work, Jiang Shuya breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't take Lin Moxiao's car on her way back because she really didn't want to bother him anymore. Seeing that he had something to discuss with Wang Ziliang, she didn't delay and took the bus back to the mall to retrieve her electric scooter.

When they arrived at Xixia Village, it was dinnertime. Since Huang Minghao left, she hadn't eaten at home. When she came back from outings, she would usually feed herself before returning, so her mother-in-law naturally stopped leaving her food.

When her mother-in-law saw her return, she handed Tangtang to her and said, "Tangtang doesn't have much milk powder left. This girl drinks 800 milliliters a day and has a big appetite. Don't forget to buy more tomorrow."

"good"

She took the candy that was sucking on its hand, drooling, with two front teeth already grown in. It was mumbling as if it wanted to speak. Jiang Shuya carried it out of the yard to digest its food. The little girl in her arms was so happy that she danced around. When they reached the Wang family's gate, they saw two young women walking out with gloomy faces, their worries undiminished and their hearts full of troubles.

Both women knew Jiang Shuya; they were both from out of town and had married into the area around the same time. They were both in their early twenties. The taller one was called Li Xiaohua, and the shorter one was called Zheng Jia. Their husbands were both childhood friends of Huang Minghao, including Wang Xi. Both families lived by the river and were neighbors, so they visited each other frequently. Huang Minghao was a regular visitor to both families whenever he came back, and they had a very close relationship. Seeing Jiang Shuya carrying Tangtang while taking a walk, Li Xiaohua stopped and said, "Little Shuya, have you eaten?"

"Yes! You're looking for Wang Hongjuan?" Jiang Shuya asked.

"Yes?"

I previously asked Wang Hongjuan to help us find jobs at the mall. We've sold all the grapes at home, and the house is finished. We're feeling bored and want to get some work, so I came to inquire about the situation.

Li Xiaohua

"So, what's the situation? Has it been decided?" Jiang Shuya asked again.

"Sigh! There's no follow-up. I guess it's hopeless." Li Xiaohua was somewhat disappointed.

Zheng Jiaxin bluntly said, "I think she just doesn't want to help. You've asked her for help for months, and she always just gives you the runaround. Your requirements aren't high; even supermarket stockers are willing to do it. She's always making excuses. Why bother asking her for help?"

Li Xiaohua looked dejected and helpless. She sighed, "Yes! It seems we still have to rely on ourselves. I thought that since she has worked in the mall for a long time and knows many people, she would at least help keep an eye out for jobs. Have you forgotten that last time we went out to look for work together, we spent a whole day in the mall and asked around at so many places, but none of them said they were hiring? Later, when we went to ask at an agency, they wanted to charge a referral fee. The key point is that we had to go to the Jiangning Electronics Factory. Not only is it far away, but we won't be able to take care of our families at all."

"Do you really want to work in a shopping mall?" Jiang Shuya asked.

“Of course! We’ve been looking for half a year. The sales clerks at the mall have short working hours, pay for social insurance and housing fund, and can spend half their time at home taking care of the vineyard. Now that the Jiajiang Bridge is open, it’s even more convenient to get to the city. It only takes half an hour by electric bike…” Li Xiaohua became more and more excited as she spoke.

“But Wang Hongjuan said that most of the jobs in the mall are filled through internal referrals. It’s a one-person-one-position system. If a position is short-staffed, someone else will fill it before you know it. The pace is very fast, and there’s no time to think.” Zheng Jia looked on with envy, as if she admired the job.

However, they entrusted their trust to the wrong person. Perhaps Wang Hongjuan really didn't care that much, or perhaps she wasn't very popular.

"Leave your phone numbers to me, and I'll let you know as soon as I have any news."

Jiang Shuya returned

The two men's eyes lit up immediately. They exchanged a joyful glance, as if they had seen a glimmer of hope. They each saved the number and enthusiastically helped hold Tangtang, promising to treat her to a meal if things went well.

The three were chatting happily when a cold voice suddenly came from behind them: "How much money can you make working in a shopping mall? You're so happy. You're really short-sighted, like a frog in a well."

The speaker was Zhang Yongzhen, the wife of the Cao family. Unlike the first Cao family by the river, they were cousins ​​from the same branch of the family. She was also an outsider who married into the family in the same year as Li Xiaohua. It was said that she and Li Xiaohua were from the same hometown. Li Yongzhen's husband, Cao Gang, was also Huang Minghao's childhood friend. However, Li Yongzhen couldn't stand them eating, drinking, playing cards, and staying up all night. She forbade Cao Gang from associating with Huang Minghao and his group. The main reason was that Cao Gang was fat and had high blood pressure and heart disease at a young age. She really didn't dare to take the risk with him.

Later, the relationship between these childhood friends gradually faded. It's no problem for him to manage his own husband; after all, health comes first, and no one would say anything.

However, Zhang Yongzhen treated Li Xiaohua with utter contempt and disdain. In her previous life, Jiang Shuya had asked Li Xiaohua what she had done to offend her. It turned out that Li Xiaohua's sister-in-law, Tian, ​​lived next door to Cao Gang. When Li Xiaohua was pregnant, she often ate at her sister-in-law's house. Zhang Yongzhen was introduced to Cao Gang by Tian. The three of them were from the same hometown and often ate at Tian's house. Over time, Tian began to complain. Zhang Yongzhen, being someone who loved to take advantage, often brought braised food from home to Li Xiaohua's family's braised food shop. She would eat at her sister-in-law's house, but Zhang Yongzhen always came empty-handed. She was very shameless. Tian Shi warned her several times, but she still did as she pleased. She would show up on time for meals and act like she was at home. After a while, Tian Shi started cursing and venting her dissatisfaction. She claimed that she would only entertain Li Xiaohua from now on. Later, she and Li Xiaohua became pregnant at the same time. Li Xiaohua's son was born smoothly, but she lost her child. She vented all her resentment and anger on Li Xiaohua and treated her like an enemy whenever she saw her.

What puzzled Jiang Shuya even more was that she and Zhang Yongzhen had never crossed paths before, nor did they have any grudges against each other. However, every time they met, Zhang Yongzhen's eyes were like knives, as if she wanted to kill her. Her eyes were full of resentment, anger, and inexplicable deep hatred.

She was puzzled, confused, and couldn't recall ever offending her in any way.

At this point, Zheng Jia retorted without hesitation: "Who do you think you are? Bored and eavesdropping on other people's conversations, spewing nonsense."

Zhang Yongzhen threw the melon seeds in her hand at Zheng Jia's face, "Open your dog eyes and look! You're standing at my doorstep, and you think I'm afraid you'll hear you talking? Do you think I care about you country bumpkins?"

Jiang Shuya looked around and saw that the three of them were indeed standing at her door, almost inside the yard, but she was still dissatisfied with her words.

She then retorted, "We are village girls, what are you? Aren't you from the countryside? Do you think you're superior because you earn more than us?"

“Jiang Shuya, I didn’t provoke you, yet you still came to my door. You shameless slut, no wonder your Huang Minghao was drinking at my house before and said you were the most despicable woman he had ever met. You were always the one who rushed to get close to me and took the initiative to do those kinds of things. You’re shameless, ptooey!” Zhang Yongzhen said smugly.

Enraged, Jiang Shuya slapped Zhang Yongzhen twice.

Li Xiaohua, holding Tangtang, stared at her in astonishment.

When Jiang Shuya noticed that Zheng Jia and Li Xiaohua didn't show any expression when Zhang Yongzhen said these things, as if they already knew, she thought about it and realized that made sense. Huang Minghao often gathered at their house. Her heart grew colder and colder.

Zhang Yongzhen, who had been slapped twice, lunged forward, but Zheng Jia quickly blocked her.