Chapter 29 Such is Human Nature
After putting the three children to sleep, Zhang Xiuxiu couldn't help but ask Yao Weiguo, "Can she really get a job?"
"I don't know." Yao Weiguo was reading at his desk, not even looking up. But his desire to go to university had reached its peak; one day, just one day, he would make his family beg him like that.
"What will happen to the children if I really go back to work?"
Yao Weiguo paused for a moment, then said, "I cook for them, and usually I have Da Ni and Er Ni watch over my younger brother playing in the yard."
“Hmm,” Zhang Xiuxiu nodded, that was all she could do. “If I have enough time during my lunch break, I’ll come back for a visit.” She prepares breakfast in the morning before going to work, and it would be great if she could come back to cook lunch as well, so that Weiguo could focus on his studies.
Remembering her mother-in-law's claim that Yao Fanghua bought the TV and sewing machine, she was initially skeptical and even went to ask Aunt Zhong, only to find it was true. Not only was she wealthy, but she even managed to find Yao Fanghua a job. She regretted offending her sister-in-law. "Do you think we should be nicer to Huahua? I have a piece of fabric; maybe I can make her a dress?"
"I'm afraid she won't like it."
Zhang Xiuxiu thought about it and agreed. This sister-in-law was dressed much better than Yao Fangyuan, so she might not even like her. "Then I'll make her a pair of shoes. My shoes are the best, I guarantee she'll like them."
"what ever."
Zhang Xiuxiu happily took the scissors and a piece of cloth and went off.
Zhong Er lay in bed unable to sleep. Looking at the shadow of Yao Weiguo reading in the opposite window, he suddenly sat up abruptly, causing the bed to creak. This startled Zhong Huai and his wife, who were just getting sleepy in the inner room.
Seeing that Zhong Er had turned on the light, Aunt Zhong scolded, "You're asking for trouble! What are you doing making such a racket in the middle of the night!"
"I want to study, I want to go to university!"
Zhong Huai: "What's wrong with you? Are you possessed?"
Zhong Er really couldn't sleep, and he had to get it off his chest. He pushed open the door to the cubicle and sat down on the edge of his parents' bed. "Dad, Mom, do you know? Hua Hua bought a house. It has a separate yard and a newly built house."
Zhong Huai and his wife were no longer sleepy, and sat up one after the other. "Tell me about it."
Seeing that Zhong Er was still pretending to hesitate, Aunt Zhong slapped him on the back and said, "Hurry up and say it."
Zhong Er recounted in detail his visit to Yao Fanghua that day, emphasizing the house. He couldn't stop venting his sour grapes; there was no point in hiding it in front of his parents, he was just spitting out his bitterness!
"That house has several rooms, but Hua Hua lives there all by herself. You don't know, Hua Hua even has to build a small greenhouse in the yard." Thinking about how he's so old and still has to share a room with his parents, Zhong Er felt so wronged that he almost cried. Suppressing the sobs that were about to come, he deliberately raised his voice so that the neighbors could hear him, so he wouldn't be the only one feeling so upset.
It has to be said that the soundproofing is really bad. The Zhong couple next door could hear everything clearly, and they tossed and turned all night without getting a good night's sleep.
"Son, do you think it's too late for you to pursue Hua Hua now?" Aunt Zhong suddenly blurted out.
Zhong Er chuckled, "I'd like to, but I'm afraid Wu Peng might secretly beat me up." Zhong Er straightened his back, "I'm not afraid of being beaten up, even Sister Hua Hua would have to look down on me."
Aunt Zhong objected, "Why do I look down on you? How come you're not as good as Wu Peng?"
Zhong Er said quietly, "At least Brother Peng has a house, do I?"
Aunt Zhong and her husband fell silent. Aunt Zhong muttered to herself, "It's not impossible to cut in line."
“Someone like me is only good enough for Yuanyuan.” Zhong Er thought of Yao Fangyuan, who was in a similar situation to him, also unemployed and sharing a room with her parents.
"No way! If you two really get together, where will you live? What will you eat and drink?" How can two people without a house or a job live together? Aunt Zhong refused outright and warned, "Don't even think about it. I definitely won't agree."
"Yuanyuan might get a job soon," Zhong Er thought, hoping he could benefit from the opportunity and find a job for himself too.
"That won't do either." Aunt Zhong felt that Yao Fangyuan was not good enough for her son. Her son had been clever since he was a child. As for Yao Fangyuan, she had no money, no house, no brains, and no skills. All she knew how to do was cry when something happened. Moreover, compared to Yao Fanghua and Yu Qingqing, Yao Fangyuan could be said to be the worst girl in the courtyard in every way. Aunt Zhong looked down on Yao Fangyuan and felt that Zhong Er could have liked any of the other three girls, but Yao Fangyuan was not good enough and lowered his standards.
The next day, everyone in the courtyard knew that Yao Fanghua had bought a house.
Fang Guizhi took several sips of saliva inside the room and bluntly said that Yao Fanghua had gone astray, "This woman relies on her body outside."
Yao Fangfang's eyes lit up upon hearing this. "Really? She really did it?"
Fang Guizhi: "That's right. Ha, how could I not know? I could have guessed it. She has no connections or influence, so what else could she have made so much money besides her body? You're still young, you can't see through many things."
Yao Fangfang was somewhat conflicted. "It's also possible that someone gave her a gift. Our manager always seems to receive gifts from people." Yao Fangfang felt that the possibility of accepting bribes was more likely.
Fang Guizhi was taken aback: "A deputy director can accept so many gifts?"
Yao Fangfang: "The boldest ones get the most out of it. Look at how she managed to get a job. A job can make a lot of money, right?"
Fang Guizhi fiercely bit off the loose thread in her hand. "No matter what, her money must have come from illegitimate sources! I think she'll be caught sooner or later! If this were a few years ago, she would have been exiled and locked up in a cowshed." The current policies are bad; a few years ago were better. Those rich people who went astray should be reformed. Someone like Yao Fanghua doesn't even need a complaint letter; a slogan is enough to take her away, put a sign on her, and make her kneel and be criticized.
Yao Fangfang's eyes flickered: "Dad said to ask her to find a job for my second brother. How's it going? Did Dad mention it again?"
"Your dad said he'd see what kind of job Yuanyuan could get, and if it's alright, he'd swallow his pride and go to Yao Fanghua. He's really obsessed with money, even mentioning money to find a job for his own sister." If she were to find a job for her son, wouldn't she definitely ask for even more money? The thought of giving Yao Fanghua money made Fang Guizhi's heart ache, and she scolded Yao Fanghua even more vehemently. She even specifically asked Zhong Er for the address of Yao Fanghua's house, thinking of going there one day to take a look and see what kind of house it was.
The Yao family members were the last to find out.
Zhang Xiuxiu's first reaction was that the family had been divided up too early, and she immediately jumped up. However, remembering how badly she had been beaten last time, she slowly sat back down.
Then she went to Li Chunying, wanting her mother-in-law to go to Yao Fanghua, arguing that since Yao Fanghua was unmarried, the money she earned should belong to the family. This should also be included in the division of family property.
Li Chunying grabbed a broom and chased Zhang Xiuxiu out, saying, "You're actually eyeing your own sister's money! How shameless! If you're not afraid of getting beaten, then go ahead and beat her. Why don't you two take out your money and share it with our parents and siblings?"
Zhang Xiuxiu grumbled and went back to her room, feeling frustrated at not being able to gain any advantage. Back inside, she decided to quickly finish making the shoes and then try to win over her sister-in-law. If being forceful didn't work, she'd try a softer approach; anything that would get her some benefit was fine.
Li Chunying threw down her broom and ran across the street to find Zhong Er. Her daughter had bought a house, and she insisted on going to see it. Li Chunying was indignant, constantly muttering that she had gotten a bad deal. Wu Peng, he got off so cheap! A ragpicker with no parents, he got off so well! Li Chunying tossed and turned, unable to sleep well all night.
I heard Yu Qingqing found a section chief as her boyfriend. Even Bai Hui's daughter knows to aim higher, so why is she looking lower? She's so clever, but foolish this time. No, Hua Hua, even if she doesn't want a section chief, should at least find someone like her, a deputy section chief. What's with Wu Peng? It's not suitable. If it were Yuan Yuan, with Wu Peng, it would be alright, even if it was just a compromise. Wu Peng has a house, earns money, and his parents are deceased. Yuan Yuan could be in charge if she married him, and he'd live close by. She could even help with childcare. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Li Chunying also felt a bit resentful towards Yao Fanghua for not knowing how to choose a partner. She could aim higher, why was she fixated on lower-class men? She was so stupid. She'd have to give Hua Hua a good talking-to tomorrow. No, no, she'd better wait until Yuan Yuan's job is settled.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com