Early the next morning, Zhang Chunxue tidied up the house, gave Zhong Xiaoxiao a few instructions, locked the gate, and went straight to the town.
She had an idea in mind and wanted to find a suitable job for Zhou Mingli.
But in this small country town, where are the good jobs?
Either they went to the dock to carry heavy bags, or worked as laborers in the kiln factory. That kind of work would exhaust men, let alone Zhou Mingli, a woman.
Or you can do odd jobs in a factory, which is purely odd jobs. The wages are pitifully low, and you have to please people all day long, and there are a lot of rules.
Zhang Chunxue wandered around for the whole morning and asked several people, but was not satisfied with any of them.
When she reached the door of a small restaurant, she peeked in and saw the proprietress was counting the bill, so she went in to talk to her.
"Boss, are you still hiring?"
The proprietress looked up and sized her up: "We're hiring a waiter, someone who's quick and willing to endure hardship."
Zhang Chunxue pressed on, "How are the wages calculated?"
The proprietress quoted a figure, and Zhang Chunxue frowned as soon as she heard it. "Isn't that a bit too low? I'm always on the go, and this is all I get?"
The lady boss was unhappy: "It's up to you if you want to do it or not, this is the only price in town!"
Zhang Chunxue wanted to push for more: "Can you give me a little more? My daughter-in-law..."
Before she could finish her words, a familiar voice suddenly came from the side.
"Haruyuki...sister-in-law, why...are you here?"
When Zhang Chunxue turned around, it was Song Xingzhi.
Seeing her exhausted look and hearing her arguing with the restaurant owner about wages, Song Xingzhi frowned slightly: "Are you looking for a job? I can help arrange it for you."
Zhang Chunxue was stunned for a moment, then waved her hands, a slightly hurried smile on her face: "I'm not looking for a job, I'm looking for a job for my second daughter-in-law Zhou Mingli."
Song Xingzhi raised his eyebrows in surprise.
Zhang Chunxue did not hide it from him and briefly explained Zhong Chengren's infidelity and Zhou Mingli's current situation.
"You saw it yesterday, too. My second son, that bastard, had someone else outside. Mingli is such a simple-minded kid. She's so miserable. She feels like she's not good enough at anything. She's almost wilted."
"I thought, she's still young, she can't just stay at home like this forever. If she can find a job outside and have some money, she'll have more confidence, be more energetic, and regain some confidence."
"In the future... no matter what she wants, whether it's a divorce or a reconciliation, at least she can stand on her own feet and won't have to rely on others to make a living."
Song Xingzhi looked at her quietly: "Sister-in-law Chunxue, you are really a very good person."
Zhang Chunxue was stunned by his words, her cheeks flushing red. "Clerk Song, please don't say that! What good am I?! It's all because of my unfilial son Chengren. He treated Mingli badly and hurt her heart. As his mother, I didn't raise him well, and I'm ashamed. What I did... is what I should have done. It's what I should have done."
Song Xingzhi simply smiled gently, "Sister Chunxue, don't take this too seriously. I happen to have some connections regarding Comrade Mingli's work, so I'll keep an eye out for you later."
Zhang Chunxue's heart tightened when she heard this, and she quickly waved her hands again, "How can I do that? Secretary Song, this...this is too much trouble for you!"
Song Xingzhi shook his head, his tone still unhurried: "It's not a big deal, it's just a piece of cake for me. Besides, I'm really happy to be able to help you, sister-in-law."
Zhang Chunxue looked at his clear and gentle eyes, and her heart was beating wildly as if there was a little rabbit in her heart.
Many words came to her lips, but she swallowed them back.
She took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down, as if to hide her inexplicable panic, and quickly changed the subject: "By the way, Secretary Song, why are you in town today? Are you here to do some business?"
Seeing that she had changed the subject, Song Xingzhi didn't point it out and continued, "Well, I came to town to take care of some personal business. I just finished it and was about to return to the village."
As he spoke, his eyes fell on Zhang Chunxue, and he asked with a hint of inquiry: "Sister-in-law, if you are also returning to the village, why don't we go together?"
The heat on Zhang Chunxue's cheeks had not completely faded. After hearing what he said, her heart began to beat again.
Walking with a grown man, especially a man like Song Xingzhi... If someone saw this, there would probably be gossip about it.
But then I thought, it was broad daylight and I was on my way, so it wouldn't be a big deal to have a companion.
Besides, she really wanted to go back early, thinking about Xiaoxiao and Yuanyuan at home.
She calmed herself down and nodded slightly.
Song Xingzhi seemed to have not expected that she would agree so readily. He was slightly stunned for a moment, but soon his heart was filled with joy again.
The two of them walked out of the small restaurant, one in front and one behind.
The early summer wind, carrying the fragrance of grass and soil in the fields, gently brushed across my cheeks, blowing away some of the previous embarrassment and making me feel refreshed.
They walked side by side on the path back to the village. At first they were silent, but gradually they started talking.
Song Xingzhi spoke first, his voice still gentle: "Sister-in-law, what did you do with Zhong Chengren?"
Zhang Chunxue sighed. She did not hide it from Song Xingzhi and told him everything about how she drove that evil son Zhong Chengren out of the house.
Song Xingzhi listened quietly, frowning slightly, and waited until she finished speaking before sighing softly.
He was silent for a moment, then changed the subject and asked softly, "Sister-in-law Chunxue, you've raised four children by yourself over the years. It must have been very hard, right?"
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