Chapter 116: A token of flattery
"Preparing in advance means preparing money?" Jiang Yuqin asked.
"It's not just about money," the neighbor said. "A child's future isn't that simple. Many aspects need to be planned. If you don't, there will be many problems later. You can figure it out yourself. You should think about it sooner rather than later."
"..." Jiang Yuqin was helpless. She really didn't want to care about so many things, but she still had to.
Ding Hongwang wasn't Jiang Yuqin's biological son, and he knew it. Jiang Yuqin sometimes wondered if Ding Hongwang didn't even consider her her biological mother. Even though she felt that way, she couldn't do anything about Ding Hongwang. Ding Chao had repeatedly stressed to Jiang Yuqin that she should treat Ding Hongwang as her own son, and that she was responsible for any injustices he suffered.
It is said that the screenwriter who had conflicts with Jiang Moli before is still looking for other local drama troupes, and even looking for drama troupes of other genres, just to let others perform his scripts again. What he means is that his scripts are very unique.
The company didn't care how the screenwriter arranged his script. Logically, the copyright to the script belonged to the company. If the script flopped, the screenwriter bought the copyright, and the company allowed the screenwriter to buy the copyright. As for what the screenwriter did next, it had nothing to do with the company; the script was no longer theirs.
Others are not stupid either, especially when the script has been performed by two drama troupes and both failed, one is the provincial Xiaobaihua and the other is a local drama troupe. This is enough to show that there are big problems with the script.
The screenwriter just wanted to let others know that his script was great. His script couldn't be that bad. It must be that those people used the wrong method, which led to this result.
Everyone in the provincial Xiaobaihua community knew about the screenwriter's story. They all thought he was a bit crazy. If it doesn't work, then it doesn't work. It's not like every script a screenwriter writes becomes a hit. Sometimes, those scripts just don't take off, and there's nothing you can do about it. If it doesn't work, then keep it going. If it doesn't, then don't. The screenwriter should just keep writing new plays.
The screenwriter thought his script was only appreciated by a few people and was very niche, yet he still wanted to enter a competition. To enter a competition, you need a recommendation from a specific organization; you can't just enter it if you want to.
There are many competitions in China, big and small, but few are officially recognized and well-known. The screenwriter wanted an officially recognized competition, one recognized by industry insiders, so that everyone could know how good his script was.
It's almost November now, and there are basically no competitions this month. Most competitions are registered in May and June. There are also registrations for competitions in other months, with different names.
Qiao Yuwei told Jiang Moli about the screenwriter participating in competitions everywhere. Jiang Moli could only wish the screenwriter well.
Maybe some judges think the script is good, but others just don’t appreciate it.
Some plays are like this, boasting about their artistic quality and winning awards. In reality, not many people actually see them. These plays are praised highly, labeled art, as if to imply that ordinary audiences are unworthy of watching them. But opera, in itself, is a very down-to-earth existence.
"No troupe was willing to perform, but he entered the competition," Qiao Yuwei said. "Our unit didn't recommend him, but someone else did. He's been writing scripts for several years, so he must have some connections."
"Yes, that's right." Jiang Moli was sitting in the cafeteria eating.
"The writing isn't very good, but he's good at finding people." Qiao Yuwei said, "Before, I thought he was a man of integrity, but that's just the way it is. Doesn't he still need someone to help him?"
"It's his freedom. He might even win a prize," Jiang Moli said.
"It's a quirky award," Qiao Yuwei said. "They can even organize an award and award it to themselves."
"It's not impossible." Jiang Moli nodded.
Just as Qiao Yuwei had imagined, the screenwriter had indeed won a prize in a small local competition. While such an award wouldn't be impressive enough for a provincial Xiaobaihua (Little Hundred Flowers) competition, the screenwriter insisted that someone appreciated his script. He was determined to take the award certificate to other institutions, show them his credentials, and see if he could convince them to act in his play.
The screenwriter didn't dare to go to Jiang Moli and talk about the award. After all, this kind of award is not something he can really show off. At most, he can fool outsiders.
The screenwriter felt he was being suppressed. Since Jiang Moli wouldn't be performing his play, he had to fight back and let everyone know how popular his play was. No one dared to touch that play anymore, and neither did production companies working on other genres. Those production companies had their own professionals, and a quick analysis would tell them they couldn't do it.
A failed script is not just a failed script. Only a fool would bother with it.
Jiang Moli also knew that the screenwriter had won an award. It was just a small award, but she guessed it right away.
When Jiang Moli told Sheng Jiahao about this, Sheng Jiahao also said, "Our unit can also prevent the competition and give people certificates."
"Indeed." Jiang Moli nodded.
Small-scale awards programs attract fewer participants, and often rely less on the quality of the work itself and more on connections. With good connections, simply giving the organizing committee a heads-up can secure the prize. It's worth noting that quite a few winners don't receive a prize, but they do receive a certificate. Those with so-called celebrity status can participate in these competitions, and their chances of winning are very high.
The screenwriter originally wanted to save Xiao Baihua, and others would also notice this point. He is the tallest among the short ones, so it's enough.
Jiang Moli's new play was so good, she was practically spinning like a top. Whenever she got home, she'd still gossip with Sheng Jiahao. The two of them would lie on the bed and chat. They both had jobs, so unless it was their day off, they rarely spent time together during the day. They'd basically just see each other a few times in the morning, for breakfast, and when they got home from work.
"If he tells his colleagues about this kind of thing, it will spread everywhere. He doesn't even need to explain it to them one by one," Jiang Moli said. "He feels like he's buried gold. No one else sees his shining side. He's covered in too much sand. I can't possibly use my strength to blow away this layer of sand. If I know what's inside, I'd still be crazy to try and blow away the sand.
It's like a piece of jade that someone else has already opened, and the quality of the jade inside is not good. That person closes the jade again and tells others to open it, saying that he doesn't want them to pay a lot of money...
Other people invest manpower and material resources, which is also a cost. Who would go to see the jade that has already been opened by others?
"Next time, if you see someone like this again, just ignore them," Sheng Jiahao said. "They don't have enough talent themselves, but they still want you to perform. They're just interested in your fame. They think that even if the performance is not good, people can still say it's your fault, not the script. Besides, no matter how bad your performance is, it won't be that bad. People can still say his script is more successful."
Jiang Moli's fame is there, and many people like her. Some people don't care about the story itself, they just want to hear Jiang Moli sing, and they will watch any play sung by Jiang Moli.
If the play Jiang Moli sang a long time ago had not been recorded, those people would probably still want to watch Jiang Moli's previous plays.
The screenwriter just wants others to take responsibility. If others don't help him, then it's someone else's problem.
"Is he still in your unit?" Sheng Jiahao asked.
"Well, it's still under our company's name," Jiang Moli said. "His work unit hasn't changed. He can't possibly say he doesn't want to work at our company. Having a stable job is good. Besides, he's a screenwriter, so he can go out and collect materials. The company doesn't require him to stay in the company. Screenwriters should go out more often, see more things outside, and look for inspiration."
The screenwriter had relatively little freedom, and the company didn't ask much of him. Especially after the script flopped, the company leaders didn't want to see him anymore, letting him focus on other projects. In essence, the company leaders wanted to bench the screenwriter. The screenwriter had caused the company to suffer a major setback, and the company leaders were unhappy about it. If it weren't for Jiang Moli's new play, the company would have suffered a huge loss.
In fact, regardless of whether the new drama of "Love Jasmine" is successful or not, Qiao Yuwei and others lost out by acting in the drama written by that screenwriter.
When the company leaders saw the screenwriter like this, they all thought he wouldn't be able to write anything good for the time being. Originally, the screenwriter had been writing with others, but he wanted to write on his own, and the company let him do it. Who knew he would write like that, and even become a bit crazy.
By New Year's Day, the movie Jiang Moli had filmed was released, and she had fewer performances. Jiang Moli had originally wondered if her scenes would be cut, but it turned out not to be the case, and her scenes were still preserved.
Jiang Moli and Sheng Jiahao went to see the movie together, but they didn't go on New Year's Day. Instead, they went a few days later. Jiang Moli had a performance on New Year's Day, so she couldn't go there on New Year's Day. Sheng Jiahao always looked at Jiang Moli's schedule, and they would go whenever Jiang Moli was free.
After Sheng Jiahao and Jiang Moli walked out of the cinema, Jiang Moli thought that the director was very good at shooting martial arts action movies, and there were many audiences in the cinema, so the box office should not be bad.
"Good acting." Sheng Jiahao said.
"It's good that I didn't burden everyone." Jiang Moli said, "But I only had a few shots, so it won't have much impact."
"You can still perform in the future." Sheng Jiahao said.
"It depends on whether there is an opportunity." Jiang Moli said, "If there is a suitable script, then I will act. If there is no suitable one, then forget it."
Jiang Moli doesn't want to act in a bad movie. Of course, no one can guarantee that the movie they act in will be good. There is still a chance that it will be called a bad movie.
Some people went to Hong Kong to develop their careers, while others were cross-strait actors collaborating. Jiang Moli did not go to such a project team.
In her past life, Jiang Moli had read news reports about mainland Chinese people being discriminated against when performing there. They'd be beaten for real during fight scenes, and even the food they ate was different. Jiang Moli couldn't possibly endure this. Even if she had to pay for her own food and hotel, she wouldn't go. Jiang Moli didn't need the money; others could go, but she wouldn't.
It's not that Jiang Moli has any objections to those places. She supports national reunification, and this has nothing to do with whether she went there to act. Jiang Moli was not invited. Jiang Moli is not particularly famous in TV dramas and movies, but she has performed in opera in the past.
When Jiang Moli performed opera, the tickets were sold out. Many opera audiences there knew Jiang Moli. Jiang Moli went there for a while, and she went with people from her unit.
After returning, Jiang Moli didn't think about developing in Hong Kong.
"Whether it's a TV series or a movie, it's not that easy to act." Jiang Moli said.
"It's fine to treat it as a hobby or an interest," said Sheng Jiahao.
"Maybe when I'm in my forties, I might make acting my main job," Jiang Moli said. "Then I'll play the mother of the male and female protagonists, and the mother of supporting characters."
"Then you must play a beautiful mother." Sheng Jiahao said.
"I don't know whether she's pretty or not, but she's probably a nagging mother." Jiang Moli joked.
When Jiang Moli watched those dramas about mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, the mother-in-law had all sorts of things to say, making things difficult for the daughter-in-law from different angles, and the mother-in-law also had something to say. The mother-in-law and the mother-in-law would argue with each other, and the two would argue from all directions over the children and the house. After seeing such plots, Jiang Moli really admired the screenwriters who could write such plots.
Jiang Moli had never experienced anything like that in real life. Her mother and mother-in-law had a good relationship, and they didn't argue that often. When her mother and mother-in-law were taking care of the baby together, they didn't argue either. When they encountered disagreements, they simply thought, "Consult the doctor or the professionals. They themselves are not professionals, so why are they arguing over something?"
"Has Mom retired?" Jiang Moli asked.
"Well, she retired from school and never rehired," Sheng Jiahao said. "Mom originally wanted to teach, but her legs weren't very good, and she couldn't stand for long periods of time, so she retired."
"You can ask Mom to come over more often and live here," Jiang Moli said.
"She can't live here for long," Sheng Jiahao said. "Our neighbors won't sing opera with her, but the neighbors over there will. They'll be much happier together. When she comes to us, she'll just come to see the baby."
"That's right..." Jiang Moli had to admit that there were indeed more professionals near Teacher Lu's residence. Teacher Lu might be more comfortable living there, not so comfortable living here. Jiang Moli didn't feel much about living here. That was because she often went to work, so she could still see professionals and everyone could still talk, so she didn't feel that it was so lonely.
Jiang Moli often communicates with her colleagues, and everyone is happy when they perform together.
He Jingxian went to see a movie starring Jiang Moli. She saw a clip of Jiang Moli's performance. Putting Jiang Moli's identity aside, He Jingxian had to admit that Jiang Moli's performance was indeed very good. There were funny elements and tearful moments. In just a few scenes, Jiang Moli was able to perform the emotions so well. Her eyes and expressions were very vivid. Jiang Moli's line skills were also very good.
It's no wonder that the crew wanted Jiang Moli to perform. He Jingxian couldn't guarantee that she could perform so well, so she still thought she could perform. If she performed on her own, even if she didn't perform as well, she would at least be on the show.
He Jingxian has appeared in numerous TV series, playing supporting roles both large and small. With more supporting roles, she's attracted more productions to her. He Jingxian also has connections at film studios, and she often asks them to find her work. She also pays referral fees to those who do. However, if referrals are mutual, there's no fee involved.
He Jingxian was planning to remarry. She was marrying a martial arts instructor whom she met on a film set. His name was Wu Yicheng. He didn't own a house in South City, but he had some money. He and Wu planned to buy a house together, with Wu contributing the bulk and He Jingxian contributing a smaller portion.
Wu Yicheng wasn't from Nancheng and didn't have a Nancheng household registration. After he married He Jingxian, they bought a house and Wu Yicheng was able to register there. Wu Yicheng knew He Jingxian was in poor health and couldn't have children, but he still married her. Wu Yicheng had never been married before and didn't have children, but He Jingxian still dared to marry him. She wasn't afraid that Wu Yicheng would find another woman to have children with.
In He Jingxian's opinion, she couldn't have children, and if Wu Yicheng really found another woman to have the child, Wu Yicheng would have to compensate her. Most importantly, He Jingxian didn't love Wu Yicheng that much. She thought that the two of them were in the same circle and could help each other.
When Aunt Qi learned that He Jingxian was going to get married, she found He Jingxian and asked her to go to her office.
"You still have to pay child support," said Aunt Qi Er. "If you're worried your husband won't be happy, then I'll deduct a portion of your basic salary every month for your three children."
Aunt Qi thought that this was a good deal for He Jingxian. If it weren't for her, He Jingxian wouldn't be able to stay in the company now. He Jingxian was paying the company money for filming, so the company wasn't losing money. So it didn't matter if He Jingxian stayed. Before, He Jingxian didn't make any money for the company.
"The basic salary is already very low." He Jingxian said, "Just deduct it."
He Jingxian didn't say no to deductions. The most important thing was that she was making more money now, so she didn't care about the basic salary. If He Jingxian left the company, she could keep all the film remuneration herself, but He Jingxian thought about her future pension and what if she didn't have so many TV dramas to act in then, she would still have to rely on the company.
"The children don't know yet that you are getting married." Aunt Qi said.
"If I get married, Qi Shixin can also get married." He Jingxian said.
"..." Second Aunt Qi wanted Qi Shixin to get married, but Qi Shixin didn't want to get married, and Second Aunt Qi had no choice.
Qi Shixin now just wanted to raise his child well and not let him suffer any hardship. Second Aunt Qi and Mother Qi didn't say much, because if they said more, it would just be like that. Qi Shixin had already made up his mind.
This time, when He Jingxian got married, she didn't send invitations to her colleagues at work. She couldn't make the same mistake twice. Otherwise, she wouldn't receive any money for the wedding gifts and still have to let those people eat for free. He Jingxian didn't want to do that. This was her second marriage, so it wouldn't be easy to have a big wedding banquet.
Wu Yicheng's relatives don't live in Nancheng, so if he holds a wedding banquet in Nancheng, it can only be a small one.
When Zhou Yaran told Jiang Moli that He Jingxian was getting married, Jiang Moli was a little shocked, but then she thought it was normal. He Jingxian was still young, and she could indeed get married and didn't have to be single forever.
"She found a man who was married for the first time and didn't have any children." Zhou Yiran said, "He seems to be a martial arts instructor."
"It's good to get married." Jiang Moli said.
Jiang Moli asked Zhou Yiran to sit in a small living room. The two of them sat there to eat something and drink some juice. Jiang Moli didn't like drinking tea. Drinking too much tea would make her unable to sleep at night. Drinking tea in the morning was fine, but in the afternoon, Jiang Moli would not drink tea.
"Still young." Jiang Moli said.
"I don't know what her purpose is in getting married this time." Zhou Yiran said, "Last time, it was to stay in South City and to get a job in our company. Her in-laws asked her to have a child, so she had no choice but to have a child and obey them. This time, she shouldn't have to listen to her in-laws anymore. Her current man is not from South City, but from somewhere else. But they should both stay in South City, and they also need to go to the film and television city frequently, and we are close to them."
"We are indeed closer to that place." Jiang Moli said.
"They bought a house, so He Jingxian doesn't have to rent one anymore," Zhou Yiran said. "In her opinion, this husband might be better than her ex-husband. At least he has the money to buy a house. When He Jingxian got married, she used her salary from her work to pay for her child support."
"The child is still young, so child support is good." Jiang Moli asked, "Has her ex-husband remarried?"
"No." Zhou Yiran said, "Her ex-husband never remarried and just took care of the three children. I don't know how much longer he could have held on. He Jingxian remarried. Generally speaking, men are more likely to be unable to hold on and remarry earlier. But he didn't remarry, but He Jingxian remarried earlier."
"It doesn't matter who remarries first," Jiang Moli said. "Try some flower cakes. Bring some to your son later."
Jiang Moli remembered that Zhou Yiran's son had eaten such flower cakes, and Zhou Yiran's son was not allergic to them.
"When I left the house today, he looked at me eagerly and told me to buy more food if I went out," Zhou Yiran said. "He's almost eaten himself to death, yet he still wants to eat."
"The child is still young," Jiang Moli said, "as long as he's not too fat. I've seen your son, and he's in good shape. You haven't seen those who are really fat. They can hardly see their eyes, they're so big. This is not good. You need to go to the hospital. Too much fat in children will also affect their health."
Jiang Moli keeps an eye on her child. It doesn't matter if the child is a little fat, as long as he is not too fat.
"Children need nutrients to grow taller and gain weight," said Jiang Moli.
"We didn't have so much food when we were young," said Zhou Yiran.
"That's why people of our generation tend to be shorter, not that tall," Jiang Moli said. "Eating poorly affects all aspects of the body. You only have one child, so being hungry is a physical need."
"If he heard what you said, he would be very happy." Zhou Yiran chuckled, "He loves coming to your place. Every time he comes, you prepare all kinds of delicious food for him and let us take it back."
"It's nothing. Didn't I eat at your house when I was a kid?" Jiang Moli said.
"You're talking as if I haven't eaten at your house." Zhou Yiran said, "I've eaten quite a bit at your house."
Zhou Yiran and Jiang Moli didn't keep talking about He Jingxian. They also talked about the baby and how their children were doing.
Whether He Jingxian remarried or not did not affect everyone much. Everyone just said a few words and the matter was over. He Jingxian's remarriage was also a well-thought-out decision. The two of them got married, had a house, and had a formal place to stay.
He Jingxian and Wu Yicheng were both on the crew, and they both knew how chaotic it was. There were couples on the crew, some married people were still with other people, and all sorts of situations were going on. They knew about those things, but they just didn't say anything to the public.
At the end of the year, He Jingxian and Wu Yicheng held their wedding banquet, inviting very few people. He's mother and others attended the wedding, but they came and went in a hurry. He Jingxian didn't invite too many relatives. After all, it was her second marriage, so she wanted to keep it simple.
Qi Shixin knew that He Jingxian had held a wedding banquet. He did not bring his children to He Jingxian's wedding banquet, nor did he do anything else to prevent He Jingxian from getting married. Qi Shixin had long known that someone like He Jingxian would never not remarry. He Jingxian was a sophisticated egoist who only thought about herself. It was unrealistic for He Jingxian to remain single and not get married.
"He Jingxian is married now, isn't it time for you to find a partner?" Qi's mother came over to Qi Shixin and asked her son.
"No." Qi Shixin said, "I want to buy a house. It's not a good idea to rent a house all the time."
"Buying a house is also a good idea." Qi's mother nodded.
"You don't have to buy a huge one," Qi Shixin said. "A three-bedroom apartment will be fine. If that doesn't work, a two-bedroom apartment will be fine."
"Aren't you planning to get married?" asked Qi's mother.
These few rooms are where the children live. Qi Shixin takes care of the children himself, and if he remarries, the woman may also take the children with her.
"No," Qi Shixin said. "Three children are enough. It would be best if there were three rooms, one for me and one for the three children, with two children sharing one room and one child sharing another."
It wasn't that Qi Shixin didn't want four rooms, but he didn't have that much money, so he still had to rely on his parents to give him some. Yes, they did. Qi Shixin's eldest brother also took some money from his parents, so Qi Shixin could naturally take some as well. But buying a house that was too big might not be a good idea.
"A house with a good location doesn't necessarily need many rooms," Qi Shixin said. "The most important thing is that it's convenient for the children to go to school."
"Okay, then let's buy a three-bedroom apartment." Qi's mother said, "I'll talk to your dad and see if your eldest brother has any money. I'll ask him to lend you some. Renting a house does cost money, so why not buy one?"
Qi's mother no longer expected Qi Shixin to find a partner. Her son insisted on doing so, and as parents, there was nothing they could do to persuade him. If anyone was to blame, it was He Jingxian. Qi's mother had a lot of complaints about He Jingxian.
"This house is nearby, and we can come over to help you take care of the children." said Qi's mother.
"Sure." Qi Shixin had no objection. If his parents could help take care of the child more, he would be much more relaxed.
Shi Nan and Xie Shaojun gave Shi Kaihua a lot of New Year gifts, but Shi Kaihua naturally didn't have that much to give them.
"Put all these things away." Shi Kaihua said to Fan Xiaoxue, "They are quite nice. They gave us so many things."
"That's because you're in jail." Fan Xiaoxue said.
If Shi Kaihua hadn't been in jail for Xie Shaojun and Shi Nan, how could they have sent so many things over?
"They also sent New Year gifts before," said Shi Kaihua.
"They did send it, and that's what they should do," Fan Xiaoxue said. "If you weren't in jail, we wouldn't need them to send so many things over here."
Fan Xiaoxue still doesn't like Xie Shaojun and Shi Nan, but Shi Kaihua thinks these two are good.
Shi Nan is not very nice to his biological parents, and Shi Kaihua still relies on Shi Nan, but it is not possible to rely on him at all.
"Shi Nan hasn't been home for the New Year in several years." Fan Xiaoxue said, "He went back to his parents' home."
"You can't blame him for this," Shi Kaihua said. "If those things hadn't happened at the wedding banquet, Shi Nan would still be working in the development zone's investment promotion office. He might have been promoted, and he'd still be considered an official. It's normal for Shi Nan to feel uncomfortable. He didn't come around all of a sudden. But he still sent New Year gifts to his parents, so he's pretty good to them. Now that he's married and has children, it's okay if he doesn't come here because the feng shui here is bad."
Shi Kaihua had long heard that Shi's mother's feng shui was bad, and when Shi's mother went to see Pan Yun, it caused her to give birth early. This kind of thing still needs to be paid attention to. Some things are so mysterious that no one can say anything. This kind of thing happened, and there was no logic behind it.
"I told Shi Nan that if his parents have something going on and it's inconvenient for him to come, I can help." Shi Kaihua said, "I get so much money from their company, and I don't do anything there, so I can do something else."
Shi Kaihua didn't ask for less money, so he certainly wanted to get more. Xie Shaojun and Shi Nan directly told Shi Kaihua the salary amount, and Shi Kaihua thought that he was very good because he didn't ask for a higher price.
"All you do is flatter them." Fan Xiaoxue said.
"I'm rich," Shi Kaihua said. "It's hard to find another job, so I have no choice but to stay here and work. I'll take as much pay as I can, and I'll work as long as I can. Isn't your shop still open? We can live well."
"Better? You're in jail, and your son won't be able to take the civil service exam in the future, which will be affected." Fan Xiaoxue said, "What will others think if they know your child has a biological father like you? When you were in jail, our child was ridiculed a lot. But you were the only one, always laughing and joking, and didn't even think about the child."
"I went to work for Shi Nan and his team because I was thinking about you," Shi Kaihua explained. "I can earn more money there, and if I give that money to you, you can live a better life."
"Alright, no need to explain this." Fan Xiaoxue waved her hand. "I know everything. I know everything."
Jiang Moli's family celebrated the New Year just like any other. After the New Year, Jiang Moli and the others went to Old Lady Jiang's house. Old Master Jiang's health wasn't very good. He had been hospitalized before, and the doctor had told him that his health was just like that. He told him to go home and eat more good food and hold on as long as he could.
Before the Chinese New Year, Mr. Jiang could no longer hold on, so he saw a doctor, took some medicine, and managed to hold on for a while.
Jiang Moli and her husband didn't bring their baby with them, so Mrs. Jiang told her not to bring the baby. Mr. Jiang had lost a lot of weight, and Mrs. Jiang was worried that he would scare the baby. Children can't help being frightened, and it's easy for them to get sick. Mrs. Jiang also said that if Jiang Moli brought the baby with her, she wouldn't be allowed in.
So Jiang Moli did not bring the baby with her, and Teacher Lu went to her home to take care of the baby.
"Grandpa." Jiang Moli brought some food for Grandpa Jiang and asked the chef at home to make braised chicken legs. Grandpa Jiang had said before that he wanted to eat braised chicken legs. There were also some small egg cakes for Grandpa Jiang to eat.
Jiang Moli brought food for Mr. Jiang, and there was enough for everyone else to eat. Jiang Moli asked Mrs. Jiang to eat some as well, as Mrs. Jiang had been taking care of Mr. Jiang during this period.
Previously, Jiang Moli asked Mr. and Mrs. Jiang to go to her place to celebrate the New Year, but they refused. Jiang Moli said that they could go after the New Year, but they still refused. Mr. Jiang was in poor health, and he was afraid that he would die in Jiang Moli's house accidentally, which was not a good idea after all. Jiang Moli was a married woman, and she still lived there with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Jiang felt that Jiang Moli had a hard time, and they couldn't go and cause trouble for her.
Jiang Moli would come to see Grandpa Jiang and his wife when she was free. Sometimes when she was not free, she would ask the driver to bring food over so that Grandpa Jiang and his wife could eat more.
"Okay, Grandpa's fine." Old Master Jiang said, lying on the bed. "You guys go about your business."
Jiang Moli looked at Old Man Jiang like this, and she felt that Old Man Jiang had no strength at all. Uncle Jiang and his family had taken care of Old Man Jiang, and they had not thought of letting Old Man Jiang and his wife go to Jiang Moli's place. The main property of Old Man Jiang and his wife was also given to Uncle Jiang's family. According to the customary regulations, Uncle Jiang naturally had to take better care of Old Man Jiang and his wife.
In the yard, Old Mrs. Jiang was talking to Father Jiang.
"I guess your father will only be here for a few days. I'm afraid he won't make it through the first month of the lunar year," said Mrs. Jiang. "Just keep watch over him these few days. It's a bit hard. Second son, don't let Jasmine come. She has to perform and take care of the children. She can come later, she'll still have time."
"Okay." Father Jiang had no objection.
Uncle Jiang had no objections. Aren't all his children here with him? They all have their own things to do, so it's impossible for them to stay here forever. Last year, there was a time when everyone thought Old Man Jiang couldn't hold on any longer. They stayed with him for a few days, but when they saw his condition improve, they stopped. This time, Old Man Jiang's health deteriorated again.
It is not easy for Mr. Jiang to hold on until this moment.
"Second son, your family has spent quite a bit of money lately," said Mrs. Jiang. "Waiting for your dad...you don't have to spend too much."
"It doesn't matter whether you pay or not." Jiang Moli came over, and Sheng Jiahao followed her. "Our family still has to pay some money."
Jiang Moli doesn't care about this little money. The most important thing is that Jiang's father can relax a little.
"Grandma, this isn't a big deal." Jiang Moli said, "You don't have to worry so much. Grandpa is like this, and it's very hard for you too."
"Your grandfather didn't leave anything for you." said Old Mrs. Jiang.
Old Master Jiang only had a small amount of money left, which was really not much. He meant to give the money to Old Lady Jiang, as she still had to make a living. Uncle Jiang and the others didn't dare ask Old Master Jiang to give them the money. Old Master Jiang hadn't worked for many years and didn't have much of a pension. He had very little money on hand, and a large portion of his money came from people like Jiang Moli.
What Mrs. Jiang meant by that was that Jiang Moli's family should not be asked to spend more money and should not be allowed to suffer too much.
"It's not like you have to keep anything." Jiang Moli said, "Grandma, we've paid for it all. It doesn't matter."
Old Mrs. Jiang glanced at Sheng Jiahao who was standing next to Jiang Moli. Why did Jiang Moli say everything?
"Moli is right," Sheng Jiahao said, "Let us pay for it."
Jiang Moli doesn't need Sheng Jiahao to pay her because she has saved a lot of money herself.
When Jiang Moli and Sheng Jiahao came over, they brought some money with them. This money should be prepared in advance so that if anything happens, it can be used directly. It is always better to give it in advance to avoid being out of money at the last minute.
Sheng Jiahao was carrying Jiang Moli's baby on his back, and he took out a stack of money from his bag.
"Have you been prepared for this a long time ago?" asked Old Mrs. Jiang.
"That's all we're paying." Jiang Moli took the money from Sheng Jiahao and stuffed it into Old Madam Jiang's hand. "Grandma, you can't complain about it being too little."
"Of course not. You also paid for your grandfather's hospitalization." Old Mrs. Jiang said, "Your uncle paid less. This money must be the extra money they paid."
"Grandpa is also our grandfather, Dad's father, not just Great Uncle's." Jiang Moli said, "If Great Uncle can contribute, we can contribute too."
Jiang Moli doesn't care about property. Grandpa Jiang and his wife have been living in Uncle Jiang's house for many years. Uncle Jiang and his family have taken care of Grandpa Jiang and his wife and accompanied them. This cannot be measured by money.
"Uncle has taken care of you for many years. Dad and I rarely come here." Jiang Moli said, "Grandma, you and Uncle don't have to be polite to us."
Old Madam Jiang looked at Father Jiang, "Did you tell Jasmine?"
"No, I didn't tell her." Father Jiang didn't tell Jiang Moli whether to pay or not. He was just thinking about it. Father Jiang didn't expect Jiang Moli to have the money ready when she came. He still had some money in his hand, so he could pay it himself.
"Grandma, Dad doesn't need to tell us about this. We all know what to do." Jiang Moli said, "Jiahao and I can't come here every day. We have other things to do. Taking this money is also a token of our appreciation."
"It's really a gift from Jasmine." Aunt Jiang came in. "Mom, just take it. Jasmine makes quite a bit of money performing on stage, Jasmine, don't you think?"
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