Chapter 24 The cooked duck flew away

Cheng Jiajia was startled by a loud bang in the yard when she had just finished eating dinner.

Soon, the heart-wrenching wails of Aunt Chang from across the street could be heard: "Good heavens, is this any way for a person to live?! How could our family have married such a heartless daughter-in-law!"

Cheng Jiajia jumped, "What's wrong? What's wrong?"

Yu Junsheng also looked up from the bowl, his face completely bewildered.

Cheng Jiajia's mind raced, realizing that something exciting was going on at the Zheng family's house. She quickly picked up her rice bowl, ran to the window, and pulled back the curtains to look outside.

How could she miss out on such a wonderful opportunity?

Yu Junsheng also brought over his bowl, and the two heads huddled together, whispering and pointing.

"Tsk tsk, their family is like a stage play every day."

Cheng Jiajia nodded seriously. You know what, it's true. Ever since the day of the wedding, the Zheng family has been putting on one show after another, just like a stage where one act ends and another begins.

However, it did benefit the audience, as they had free shows to watch every day, which were even more exciting than those on the stage.

"I wonder what's going on this time?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Chang Dafeng sat on the ground across from him, slapping her thigh and wailing, “You little whore, you heartless slut! How dare you leave the job to your brother from your maternal family? Once you’re in the Zheng family, the job belongs to the Zheng family. How dare you give the job to your maternal family without our permission?”

Cheng Jiajia suddenly realized that Jiang Qiubai had transferred the food factory job to his younger brother. This was probably why Jiang Qiubai could tolerate washing Aunt Chang's gold-stained clothes.

But she's too good to her younger brother from her own family. Jobs are so hard to find these days, and she just gives him one without a second thought. She even has to endure humiliation and hardship at her in-laws' house because of it. It's hard to judge her!

Yu Junsheng gave a mocking smile. In his dream life, a similar scene unfolded when Jiang Qiubai married him. Since it had already happened, and Jiang Qiubai was now crying in front of him about her family's poor circumstances and her parents' hardships, he couldn't say anything, no matter how unhappy he was. After all, it was a job she brought from her family; saying too much would make it seem like he was after the Jiang family. Considering his own decent salary and extra income, which was enough to support two people, he didn't dwell on it.

But this time, the Zheng family won't let her off easily.

If he wasn't mistaken, Zheng Haicheng had been smug ever since Jiang Qiubai walked in, and he could guess what Zheng was up to. Now that the duck that was about to be eaten had flown away, how could he be happy? How could Chang Dafeng be happy?

This is going to be quite a mess!

"Oh my, Aunt Chang, really? Your daughter-in-law got a job with her younger brother?" Aunt Cao asked in surprise, poking her head out of the house.

Wow, a real job, given to her brother from her own family like that, how generous!

Aunt Cao looked on with envy. Why didn't she have an older brother or sister who could transfer jobs to her? Oh dear, what a loss!

“I’m not lying or slandering her. Everyone saw her brother take over the factory job! Tell me, tell me, she’s only been married into my family for a few days, and she’s already letting her brother take over the job. Did this family plan this all along?” After saying that, she glared fiercely at Jiang Qiubai, who was standing to the side with a face ashen as an ashes. Her triangular eyes were full of meanness, and she was completely different from the kind mother-in-law she had been a few days ago.

Yu Junsheng was right; Aunt Chang was furious.

She almost fainted when she heard that Jiang Qiubai's younger brother had taken over the food factory job early in the morning!

This is absolutely devastating news!

She kept cursing and swearing, going from Jiang Qiubai to the thirty-eighth generation of the Jiang family ancestors.

Everyone gasped when they heard Aunt Chang's tearful account.

"Wow, that's incredibly calculating!"

At this point, everyone values ​​this highly. The qualities of the person you meet on a blind date are different depending on whether you have a job or not.

"Isn't this just marriage fraud?" someone blurted out. If you say you have a job when you go on a blind date, then meet someone with better prospects, and then after marriage you give your job to your family, isn't that cheating them?

Chang Dafeng was even angrier upon hearing this, and she roared, "You little slut, are you trying to trick me into marriage because you can't get married? I've been so good to you, I even bought you eggs when you came to visit, and you ungrateful bastard, you actually helped your own family scheme against your husband's family! You little bitch, your conscience has been eaten by a dog! Even if I fed a dog, it would wag its tail at me, but you little slut, you eat and drink from my family's food and drink, and you even conspired with outsiders to scheme against my family, you are a complete ingrate!"

It would have been fine if the eggs hadn't been mentioned, but as soon as they were, the people in the courtyard who had attended Zheng Haiyang's wedding banquet looked strange, wondering if Chang Dafeng had also served these rotten eggs to her future daughter-in-law.

You know what, it's really possible, given Chang Dafeng's personality.

In that case, it's really hard to say who is more cunning.

For a moment, everyone looked at Jiang Qiubai with a bit more sympathy, though only a little. After all, someone who could silently leave the job to her family and scheme against her husband's family was probably no saint.

Cheng Jiajia had also heard about this, and looked at Chang Dafeng with a complicated expression, "Uh, I really envy Aunt Chang's thick skin."

This thing is so thick, she felt ashamed of herself!

Yu Junsheng remained calm. "The title of 'Number One Shrew in the Compound' and 'Unrivaled in Taking Advantage of Every Thing in the Compound' didn't come from nowhere." After all, if this person could do something like exchanging moldy peanuts for children's candy, what else could possibly stump her?

Chang Dafeng didn't think she was being scheming. So what if the eggs were rotten?

Didn't you pay for the rotten eggs?

Are rotten eggs inedible?

Jiang Qiubai ate several bites and was still perfectly fine.

And that braised pork with soybeans, she ate it with gusto, why didn't we treat her to a proper meal at home?

Chang Dafeng felt that her family had suffered all kinds of injustice.

Their whole family dotes on this woman, isn't it all for this job?

She waited and waited, and finally the job she had been longing for came home. She was happily waiting to complete the handover procedures for Haicheng. Who would have thought that the Jiang family was plotting something like this behind her back?

If Hu Mei hadn't mentioned it, they would still be completely in the dark.

Seeing that little bitch with her head down and not saying a word, Chang Dafeng was furious. It was as if she had bullied her, when she was the one who had been tricked and suffered a loss!

She roared fiercely, "You go back and get it back! I'm telling you, if you don't want to come back, then don't come back at all. Our Zheng family can't afford a daughter-in-law like you who betrays us! Haiyang, if you don't come back, we're getting a divorce!" She had lost her job, and not only was there no income for the family, but she also had to support someone for free. She wasn't going to do something so unprofitable!

Jiang Qiubai's heart skipped a beat, and her face turned pale. She looked to her man for help, hoping he would speak up for her, but she found that her Haiyang brother also had a dark face and was looking at her unhappily.

Jiang Qiubai felt a chill run down her spine. She knew that Haiyang was blaming her too, but she really couldn't do anything about it!

Did her parents have it easy raising her? If her brother doesn't have a job, how will he get married? How will the Jiang family continue its lineage?

If she isn't given a job, wouldn't she become a sinner against the Jiang family?

She had no choice!

Why can't Haiyang understand her difficulties?

Jiang Qiubai opened his mouth and mumbled softly, "Mom, my brother has already taken over that job, so we can't get it back."

Zheng Haiyang's face was dark and sullen. "Tomorrow is your return visit to your parents' home. I'll accompany you."

Zheng Haiyang was also angry, but he still had his rationality. He knew that the most urgent thing now was to go to the Jiang family and get his job back. There was still room for maneuver. Once the Jiang family's son had established himself in the factory, what would become of their Haicheng?

Tomorrow is the third day after the wedding, which is the day for Jiang Qiubai to return to her parents' home. She dares not say she won't go back, otherwise her family will make trouble for her.

She thought that perhaps Haiyang was just accompanying her on her homecoming visit and wouldn't mention work.

Jiang Qiubai followed Zheng Haiyang back to the house cautiously, like a timid young wife, completely lacking the high spirits she had when she first got married.

...

Although the excitement had subsided, quite a few people in the courtyard were still gossiping about it.

However, most people were gloating, laughing at how Aunt Chang, who was usually the most calculating, ended up with a daughter-in-law who was even more calculating than her. They wondered who would suffer more in the future.

Cheng Jiajia and her husband were discussing this matter while washing their feet that evening.

There's nothing we can do about it; entertainment options are scarce these days, so we can only listen to gossip to pass the time.

Yu Junsheng chuckled to himself, "Just you wait, those two will be back before noon tomorrow!"

Cheng Jiajia raised an eyebrow, "Looks like you're quite experienced!"

Yu Junsheng's face darkened instantly. He grabbed his young wife's fair cheek, shoved her onto the kang (heated brick bed), and pressed her down, feigning ferocity. "Let's see if I have any experience!" he said. He certainly did have experience; the Jiang family was no good. Every time he went, they'd skin him alive. Ugh, he couldn't think about it!

Cheng Jiajia chuckled and dodged, giving him a soft push, "What are you doing? You're so heavy, get off me!"

Both of them were young and vigorous, and had just tasted the sweetness of the flesh. How could they not have some thoughts? As they made a ruckus, their breaths became erratic, and the temperature in the room gradually rose.

You know, men really do have a knack for things without a teacher. Just one day before, Yu Junsheng was a shy young man who would blush easily, but after one night of transformation, he dared to take the initiative to get into bed with Cheng Jiajia the next day.

However, this person seemed to want to prove himself and was much more assertive than yesterday, but unfortunately he was still suppressed by Cheng Jiajia's force.

Yu Junsheng: "!!!"

Yu Junsheng was full of questions. He had taken the initiative this time, so why was he being pinned down by his wife?

Wait, no, how come his wife is so strong?!

Cheng Jiajia: Hehe!

Needless to say, Cheng Jiajia had another wonderful night that evening.

After they finished, Cheng Jiajia nestled in Yu Junsheng's arms, the two of them cuddling together and chatting idly, their minds wandering.

No wonder there are so many children these days. People have no entertainment activities, and at night they can only do what they do on the kang (heated brick bed). There are no contraceptive measures, so of course there are many children.

Thinking of this, Cheng Jiajia suddenly sat up with a start. Yu Junsheng was startled and quickly asked with concern, "Wife, what's wrong?"

Cheng Jiajia touched her lower abdomen, looking a little conflicted, and said, "Junsheng, we haven't used protection these past few times, could I already be pregnant?"

Yu Junsheng's eyelids twitched. "No, no way?"

Yu Junsheng had never really thought about it. He and his wife had just gotten married and hadn't even enjoyed their honeymoon for two days yet, so he didn't want to have a child so soon.

What will he do when his wife is busy comforting the crying baby every day?

Cheng Jiajia felt the same way; she and Yu Junsheng hadn't had enough of their life as a couple yet, and she didn't want to become a mother so soon.

For a moment, both of them felt heavy-hearted.

Seeing that he was in a low mood, Cheng Jiajia snuggled back into his arms and comforted him, "It's only happened a few times, it's not like you're just lucky to get infected."

She had been too startled and forgot that the original owner of this body had suffered a lot on the journey from the neighboring province to Beicheng, and her body was also weakened. She hadn't had her period for the two months since she transmigrated, so it probably wouldn't be so easy for her to get pregnant.

"But we'll have to be careful in the future. We'll think about having children after I find a job!"

Cheng Jiajia thought about it more. Yu Junsheng's current salary is 27.5, which is more than enough to support the two of them. If they had a child, they could also afford to raise one, but they wouldn't be able to live as comfortably as they do now.

Moreover, the child's household registration follows the mother's. If the child is born now, neither the mother nor the child will have a share of commercial grain, and they will need to buy grain at high prices, which will be quite expensive, and they will definitely live a frugal life.

But she didn't want to wrong herself and Yu Junsheng, nor did she want to wrong her child.

I'll have another child after I find a job. Then I'll have one more person's salary, and our family will be better off. The child won't suffer from financial hardship.

Yu Junsheng was starting to regret it. "Honey, I wish I hadn't switched jobs with that person back then."

Cheng Jiajia was a little surprised, "Didn't you find the job at the scrap yard yourself?"

She also thought this person was very farsighted, as he actually found a job at a popular spot in period dramas that was a favorite among the main characters. Wouldn't that allow him to snag a bargain before all the other main characters?

Yu Junsheng's lips twitched. "No..." What do you mean by getting ahead of the main character and picking up the scraps? His wife really dares to dream!

When his mother was seriously ill, he was supposed to take over her job as an accountant at the machinery factory, but unexpectedly, someone else took her place, and the leader asked him to go to the forging workshop.

The forging workshop was full of muscular men, but he, with his frail scholarly physique, was no match for the hammer. So, in a fit of anger, he switched jobs to work at the scrap metal recycling station.

Cheng Jiajia was furious. She felt that those people were really despicable. They were clearly taking advantage of the fact that Yu Junsheng's father was gone, his only mother was seriously ill, and he had no one else at home, so they were bullying him.

Yu Junsheng buried his head in Cheng Jiajia's neck, looking a little disappointed. "At the time, I thought the job at the scrap metal recycling station was pretty good. The pay was decent, and I could earn some extra income in my spare time. But now, looking at it from a long-term perspective, I can see the downsides."

Working at the scrap yard is leisurely, but the wages and benefits can't compare to those at the machine factory. Even if there's extra income, it can't be spent openly. Wages are almost transparent now; everyone roughly knows how much you earn. If your expenses significantly exceed your salary, it's obviously suspicious. Things were better before, but the situation will be more serious in the next few years. One slip-up and you'll be reported, so you have to be careful.

If he were still working at the machine factory, even as a workshop worker, his wages would increase faster, and he would have a source of income, so he wouldn't have to worry about money.

Cheng Jiajia felt a little sorry for this person. He had just graduated from high school and was only eighteen years old when he faced the death of his only relative and being replaced at work. She didn't know how he got through it.

She patted his head and comforted him, "You can't think like that. If you had really gone to the forging workshop back then, would your body have been able to handle it? You might have gotten sick from that kind of labor intensity."

Nothing is more important than your own body.

Yu Junsheng felt as if a feather had gently brushed against his heart, leaving him with a ticklish, indescribable feeling.

This was the first time anyone had said such a thing to him since his mother passed away.

When word got out that he had changed jobs, everyone in the courtyard laughed at him, looking at him like he was a fool. Even Aunt Hao couldn't understand it and tried to persuade him several times. In that dream, Jiang Qiubai also looked down on his job at the scrap metal recycling station, always mentioning it with disdain.

But Cheng Jiajia could understand him.

Yu Junsheng couldn't help but kiss her, "Wife, how can you be so good to me!" He felt once again very glad that he had chosen Cheng Jiajia.

He also resolved that once he found a job for his wife, he would try to use his connections to improve his own job, as he wanted to provide his wife with a better life.

...

The Zheng family in the west wing across the street, also a newlywed couple, didn't have the same warmth as Cheng Jiajia and her husband.

After what just happened, Zheng Haiyang felt disgusted with Jiang Qiubai, but it didn't stop him from sleeping with her at all. Besides, this guy always only cared about his own comfort in these kinds of situations, and he didn't care what Jiang Qiubai did. The first two times, he could at least pretend for the sake of work, but now that the cooked duck had flown away, there was no point in pretending anymore; he directly exposed his true nature.

He was feeling very uncomfortable, so he was very forceful in bed, and his movements were a bit rough, causing Jiang Qiubai to break out in a cold sweat from the pain.

Jiang Qiubai silently shed tears of grievance, but she dared not utter a sound.

Her top priority right now is to have a child so that she can gain a foothold in her husband's family.

She knew that leaving her job to her parents' home without a word had angered her mother-in-law and husband. She also knew that she wouldn't be able to get her job back if she went back to her parents' home tomorrow.

The only way to solve her predicament is to get pregnant as soon as possible.

The fact that Haiyang is still willing to do this kind of thing with me shows that he still cares about me.

What if I anger him again and he refuses to even sit on the kang (heated brick bed) with me?

Where would you go to give birth?

Jiang Qiubai could only grit her teeth and endure all of Haiyang Ge's rudeness.

After a long while, Zheng Haiyang fell into a deep sleep to the side. Jiang Qiubai was also exhausted and her body ached terribly. She struggled to pull the blanket over herself, slowly closed her eyes, and shed a tear.

God, please let her get pregnant soon, preferably with a boy. That way, her mother-in-law and Haiyang will be happy, and they will forgive her.

Jiang Qiubai, filled with anticipation for the future, quickly drifted off to sleep.

This time, she dreamed again of that person burying the wooden box.

This time, the surrounding fog dissipated somewhat, making it easier to see. She saw a pair of hands slowly opening the wooden box, revealing a dazzling luster.

Jiang Qiubai woke up instantly.