They chatted briefly at the door, but didn't talk about the Jia family. Jia Zhangshi was already starving and her scalp was tingling.
She felt that if she stayed any longer, she might become the first person to starve to death from chatting.
So she came up with an excuse, "Aunties, I haven't been back for years. I'll go home and visit first, and we can chat again when we have time."
"Of course, of course, you go back first!" Several middle-aged women smiled mischievously and made way for her.
The road home wasn't long, but Jia Zhangshi walked very slowly. When she finally arrived at the door, she found it locked. Fortunately, the door to the small kitchen was ajar.
She was so hungry that she didn't care about anything else. She dropped the cloth bag in her hand and rushed into the kitchen, rummaging through it.
"How could this happen? I think that bitch did it on purpose."
Looking at the last cornbread in the pot, Jia Zhangshi was on the verge of tears.
She suppressed her hatred and ate the cornbread in just a few bites, leaving not a single crumb.
Feeling a surge of strength returning to her body, Jia Zhangshi angrily went out the door.
She planned to go to the steel rolling mill to meet that 'filial' daughter-in-law.
"Hey! Aunt Jia, you just got home, where are you headed now?"
The neighbors at the door, seeing Jia Zhangshi walking over with a sullen face, pretended to be confused and asked questions they already knew the answer to.
But Madam Jia didn't give her a friendly look either, saying, "Can't I just go get the keys?"
After she finished speaking, she walked towards the steel rolling mill, leaving behind a group of middle-aged women at the gate who continued to gossip.
...
Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill.
In a secluded spot in the restroom, Qin Huairu was flirting with an old widower.
This elderly widower surnamed Yang spent just two cents to experience the joys of middle-aged and elderly life by giving Qin Huairu a full-body checkup.
Just as he was about to take another step, Qin Huairu stopped him.
"Old Yang, I'm not available today, let's do it another day!"
"No." Old Yang was clearly getting anxious. "Qin Huairu, is it fun to keep me hanging like this every time? Do you think I'm a three-year-old?"
I'm telling you this now: if you're going to keep trying to renege on your promise, give me my money back. After all, nobody's money grows on trees.
Seeing their friendship about to capsize, Qin Huairu was extremely anxious.
Although this old man Yang isn't good-looking, and even a bit sleazy and perverted, he's a real big customer who's willing to spend money, so we can't let him get away.
So she could only patiently persuade him, "Old Yang, listen to me, it's really inconvenient today. My mother-in-law is back, and she'll definitely be looking for me in a bit."
"Really?" Old Yang was still a little suspicious, unsure whether the woman was telling the truth.
Just then, a voice came from the other side of the restroom, "Is Qin Huairu inside? If so, give her a reply. Your mother-in-law is waiting for you at the gate and wants you to go over there quickly."
The voice was like a heavenly melody, which relieved Qin Huairu's anxiety.
So she quickly shouted, "I'm here! I'm coming right away!"
The security personnel didn't know there was someone behind the toilet. Since the message had already been delivered, they weren't going to stay and smell the stench. They turned around and left silently.
Qin Huairu was still smugly pleased with herself. "I didn't lie to you, did I, Lao Yang? Okay, let's call it a day. I'll make it up to you next time."
After saying that, she prepared to leave.
Unexpectedly, Old Yang was still persistent. He grabbed her from behind and used a series of mysterious finger techniques with unparalleled skill. Only after she begged for mercy did he finally let her go, satisfied.
Emerging from behind the restroom, Qin Huairu spat lightly, straightened her clothes, and then headed towards the door…
Jia Zhangshi, who was waiting at the door, was already very impatient and couldn't help but mutter curses under her breath.
Words like "disobedient to parents" and "vixen" are constantly being uttered.
After waiting a while, just as white foam appeared at the corners of her mouth, Qin Huairu finally arrived late and walked out of the factory gate.
When Jia Zhangshi saw her daughter-in-law come out, her anger flared up with both old and new grudges, and she rushed forward to unleash her fury.
"Qin Huairu, what's wrong with you? Don't you know I went out today? It's one thing that you didn't come to pick me up, but why didn't you even prepare any food? Do you even care about me...?"
At this point, Jia Zhangshi suddenly couldn't help but cover her nose, because the smell on her daughter-in-law was too strong.
"Qin Huairu, what's wrong with you? Why do you smell so bad? Did you fall into a latrine?"
Qin Huairu, having been repeatedly criticized, looked extremely pale. She pulled out a key from her person and threw it over.
"Mom, I forgot today is the day you're released from prison, but please don't cause trouble at the factory gate. The guards there have guns and might not be as easy to talk to as I am."
Hearing her daughter-in-law's tone, Jia Zhangshi was somewhat incredulous.
Was it because of her son's death that she suffered some kind of shock? Or was there some other reason?
Jia Zhangshi originally wanted to make a scene, but she got scared when she saw the guards at the door. It was just a conditioned reflex because she saw them every day in prison.
But leaving so dejectedly isn't in her nature.
So she picked up the keys and said ruthlessly, "I'll settle the score with you when we get back."
Then she stormed off the steel mill.
When I got home and unlocked the door, the first thing I saw was my son's portrait.
Jia Zhangshi was sad for only two minutes before rushing to the flour vat, scooping out two jin of cornmeal, and then running to the kitchen.
An hour later, after finishing all the cornbread, Jia Zhangshi patted her belly and finally regained her strength.
Then they searched high and low, but found nothing.
Where is my money?
Jia Zhangshi clearly remembered that she had hidden several dozen yuan of her private savings before she was arrested, but now she couldn't find a single penny.
Needless to say, it was taken by the daughter-in-law.
"You bitch, I'll settle the score with you when I get back."
After uttering another harsh remark, Jia Zhangshi walked towards her son's portrait...
Around 4 p.m., the children in the courtyard started to leave school, and Xiao Dang also led his younger sister home from school.
But when she tried to open the door, she discovered that it wasn't locked.
The two children thought their mother had returned, and excitedly pushed open the door and ran inside.
Who knew that instead of seeing her father, the mother saw an old woman holding a photo of her father, crying.
Little Dang immediately grabbed his sister and took two steps back warily. "Who are you? What are you doing in my house? And why are you holding my dad's photo?"
Startled by Xiao Dang's question, Jia Zhangshi came to her senses. Looking at the two little girls, she pointed at the locust flowers and asked in confusion.
"If you're Xiao Dang, then who is she?"
When she pointed at Huaihua, she was so frightened that she burst into tears.
At this moment, Xiao Dang also remembered her mother's words, and she replied while comforting her younger sister.
"This is my younger sister, Huaihua. Are you Grandma?"
Upon hearing this, Madam Jia suddenly realized that this must be her son's posthumous child.
But she doesn't care about any of that; they're all money-losers. All she cares about is that grandson.
"Where's your brother! Where's my beloved grandson Banggeng!" Jia Zhangshi put down the photo and asked again.
"My brother?" Xiao Dang was still a child and didn't have much cunning. After hesitating for a moment, he still told the truth.
"Grandma, my brother stole things from Grandpa Sun's house in the front yard and got arrested and is in jail."
"What?"
Jia Zhangshi stood up angrily, strode forward, and slapped Xiao Dang hard across the face.
...
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