Chapter 167 Short of Money
"If Wenhua were as lively as Zhongshun, I would have less to worry about."
She had barely finished speaking when she slapped her thigh again.
"Alright, alright, stop gossiping and hurry up and eat! The food won't taste good if it gets cold!"
As he spoke, he deftly untied the coarse cloth bag in his hand.
Several steaming aluminum lunch boxes landed on the table with a thud.
As soon as the lid was lifted, a rich aroma immediately wafted out.
"This is for the three of you, plenty of it!"
She added with a smile as she set out the lunchboxes.
"Xiaomei and I have already eaten, so you should start eating while it's still hot!"
Shen Cuifen looked down and was momentarily stunned.
Good heavens!
Zou Qiuyue really killed the chicken, and stewed it until it was glossy and oily.
There were also several steamed buns placed next to it.
She looked up and said with a hint of surprise.
"Qiuya, are you really going to kill the chicken? Why are you arguing with a child! How long have you raised this chicken? It's so precious..."
As she spoke, her gaze fell back on the layer of chicken oil in the bowl, her heart pounding.
These days, no family is well-off.
We have to be selective about the days we can eat meat, so how could we dare to kill a chicken casually?
"I originally intended to kill this chicken to nourish Old Song."
Zou Qiuyue waved her hand dismissively.
"I was just worried that the two of us wouldn't be able to finish it, and it wouldn't be fresh if it left for too long. Now that you're here, you'll help me share the load and save me from wasting food!"
"Besides, it's rare for our family to have such a lively time. If we don't eat something good, how can we call it a proper family gathering?"
As she spoke, she served them soup.
With a spoon, he scooped up a bowl of chicken legs and handed it to Shen Zhongshun.
"Aunt Qiuya wasn't lying to you, was she? The biggest leg is for you!"
Her eyes curved into crescent moons.
Shen Zhongshun swallowed hard, stretched out his hand, and caught it quickly.
"Aunt Qiuya, you're amazing! Compared to you, even my mom is a bit lacking!"
He took a big bite of chicken leg meat, praising it indistinctly.
The two women burst into laughter at these words.
"Oh, you little rascal, your sweet talk is enough to make honey!"
Zou Qiuyue shook her head with a smile, her eyes full of joy.
Zou Qiuyue and Song Xiaomei, mother and daughter, were chatting about everyday things.
Shen Cuifen ate her rice while listening intently.
Fragments of memory kept replaying in my mind.
She remembered that Song Xiaomei's husband wanted her to quit her job this year and become a nanny.
Song Lei was munching on a steamed bun when he suddenly looked up.
"Xiaomei, don't you only have weekends off? How come you're free today?"
He was still chewing on a steamed bun, his cheeks bulging, and his speech was muffled but clear.
Song Xiaomei's fingers tightened slightly as she gripped the chopsticks.
She lowered her eyes, not daring to look at the crowd.
"I... am planning to resign."
After he said that, the room suddenly fell silent for a few seconds.
"What?!"
Shen Cuifen suddenly stood up, her hand trembled, and she almost overturned the soup bowl.
My mind went blank, followed by a wave of panic.
Zou Qiuyue turned around in surprise, looked at Shen Cuifen, and for a moment forgot to speak.
Song Xiaomei was also stunned. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
It's just a matter of resigning, why such a big reaction?
Shen Cuifen realized she had lost her composure and forced a smile.
"Ah...it was too hot just now, I burned my lips."
She reached up and touched her lips, then pretended to breathe out a puff of air.
The words sounded awkward, but no one questioned them further, and everyone believed them.
Zou Qiuyue nodded and sighed.
"Drink slowly, be careful it's hot."
Song Lei continued eating his steamed bun and didn't ask any more questions.
Song Xiaomei also looked away and lowered her head to fiddle with the rice in her bowl.
The atmosphere eased slightly.
Only Shen Zhongshun lowered his head, took a bite of the steamed bun, and glanced up at his mother.
He felt that something was off about what had just happened.
Mom said it was hot, but he didn't feel it was hot at all.
Moreover, the soup was served in the same pot, and everyone's bowls were together.
Why is she the only one getting a perm?
The more he thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed.
Zou Qiuyue smiled and reminded Shen Cuifen.
Eat slowly.
He also casually put a piece of potato into Chen Cuifen's bowl.
"Don't just listen to us, the food's getting cold."
After saying that, she turned to Song Xiaomei and asked in a low voice.
"Xiaomei, are you...making a move?"
Song Xiaomei blushed and gently shook her head.
"No...it's not because of that."
Zou Qiuyue frowned and widened her eyes.
"Did you do something wrong and get kicked out?"
Something's not right!
Her son-in-law is the class monitor.
Even if he makes a small mistake, the factory will turn a blind eye because of his reputation.
Why would they really let someone go?
Song Xiaomei quickly waved her hand, her face turning even redder.
"No, no! Mom, it's really not like that. I didn't do anything wrong. It's...it was my own choice to leave."
Zou Qiuyue was so anxious that she kept stamping her feet.
"Then why? Tell me! Keeping it all bottled up inside is driving me crazy!"
Song Lei also put down his chopsticks, looked up at her, his eyes full of doubt and worry.
Shen Cuifen didn't stop talking, but her ears were already perked up.
Song Xiaomei grabbed her mother's hand tightly, trying her best to keep her voice steady.
"Mom, don't rush, let me explain slowly, okay?"
"Tell me! Tell me now! My heart is about to jump out of my chest if you don't tell me!"
Zou Qiuyue practically shouted it out.
Song Xiaomei took a deep breath, her eyes shining.
"Zhang Kesheng introduced me to a new job, working as a nanny for his boss's wife, for thirty yuan a month!"
As she spoke, the corners of her mouth turned up in a smile.
Thirty yuan!
That's half of Zhang Kesheng's monthly salary!
Together, their monthly income is almost one hundred!
In their eyes, this was nothing short of a windfall!
But when Zou Qiuyue and Song Lei exchanged a glance, their smiles froze.
Because they remembered what Shen Cuifen had told them that morning.
"Mom and Dad, what's wrong?"
Song Xiaomei's heart sank.
"I'm just looking for a job, why are you all so unhappy? Is it... is it because you think I'm embarrassing you?"
She spoke softer and softer, her eyes reddening.
After a long while, Zou Qiuyue managed to force a smile.
"Of course Mom is happy for you... but..."
As she spoke, her gaze drifted toward Shen Cuifen, her eyes filled with unease.
Shen Cuifen didn't say anything, but just lowered her head and slowly chewed her steamed bun.
Song Xiaomei glanced at Shen Cuifen, saw that she looked normal, and then turned to ask her mother.
"Mom, what is it? You're acting strange today. Why are you staring at Aunt Cuifen?"
Zou Qiuyue bit her lip and finally spoke.
“Xiaomei, can we not do that kind of servant work? If you're really short of money, your dad and I will secretly give you some. We're a family, we don't need that little bit of money…”
In the past, the couple would have been overjoyed to hear that she had found a job.
But today, I can't smile.
"Mom and Dad! I'm not going to be a maid; I'm going to earn money through my own labor!"
Song Xiaomei became anxious, her eyes filled with a sense of grievance.
"Besides, the leader's wife is pregnant. The work isn't heavy. She goes over in the morning to cook a meal, wash some clothes, and sweep the floor, and then comes back in the evening. She doesn't stay there!"
Afraid that her parents would object again, she softened her tone and explained carefully.
"It only takes a little over two hours each day. After I finish work, I can go home and cook. I can also buy some groceries on the way, so it doesn't interfere with my family's affairs at all."
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