Chapter 145 Overcoming the Loss of Salary
"See her? See Jasmine?" Fan Xiaoxue looked at Shi Kaihua.
"Yes, if you want, go see her." Shi Kaihua said.
Fan Xiaoxue's home was very close to Niu Cuihua's, in the same residential complex. She ran a grocery store in the same complex, and when Jiang Moli came over, she would sometimes see her, but she wouldn't go over to her, and sometimes she would even subconsciously avoid her.
"Let's not talk about it." Fan Xiaoxue said, "She and I...are from two different worlds now."
"No," Shi Kaihua said, "We're still from the same world, but..."
"If you hadn't gone to jail, I'd go see Jasmine," Fan Xiaoxue said. "Jasmine is a public figure, so I'd rather not go see her. Given our family's current situation, it's really not going to look good."
Shi Kaihua knew that this was all because of him. If he had not gone to do the smuggling work with Xie Shaojun and Shi Nan, he would not have to go to jail the first time. If he had not gone to work in Xie Shaojun and Shi Nan's company, he would not have to go to jail the second time.
"Xie Shaojun is dead." Shi Kaihua said.
"I know," Fan Xiaoxue said. "He died abroad, and his ashes are also abroad. He hasn't returned. This can't be blamed on anyone else. It's Xie Shaojun's own fault."
“…” Shi Kaihua was silent.
"He even married a foreign woman while abroad," Fan Xiaoxue said. "His life abroad seemed relatively comfortable. His wife, children, and illegitimate children from his mistress all stayed in China. Xie Shaojun left a way out for himself, but not for anyone else. It's no wonder his children aren't willing to go abroad to bring his ashes back. A man like him isn't worth it."
Shi Kaihua opened his mouth, but he couldn't say that Xie Shaojun was good.
"Shi Nan is still in jail, and he'll probably be released soon," Fan Xiaoxue said. "Time flies. I wonder how much his sentence has been reduced."
"You can't keep reducing sentences." Shi Kaihua knew this after having been in prison.
"No, if his sentence could be reduced constantly, if he had connections, wouldn't he be released soon and not have to spend time in jail?" Fan Xiaoxue said, "Shi Nan is also smart. He was calculating a lot even in prison. His parents transferred the house to him. Now that his mother is dead and his father is in a nursing home, there's no need to worry about his parents handing the house over to someone else. In fact, Shi Nan doesn't need to calculate too much. His parents are thinking about him."
"Yes." Shi Kaihua said.
"Shi Nan's parents only have one son; the others are all daughters." Fan Xiaoxue said, "Shi Nan's mother always liked to criticize us, as if her son was the most powerful person in the world. But now..."
Shi's mother is gone and Shi Nan is still in jail.
Fan Xiaoxue thought the Shi family had collapsed, and the relationship between the three sisters had also collapsed. Fan Xiaoxue had seen the three sisters arguing. The eldest and second sisters both wanted the property of their parents, but the third sister had asked her parents to transfer the house to Shi Nan. The eldest sister liked to pretend to be nice to her brother and niece. She wanted money and a house, but the second sister was just straightforward.
As soon as Shi's mother died, the eldest and second sisters knew that the family property was transferred to Shi Nan's name. Knowing that Shi's father did not have that much money, they were unwilling to take care of him.
"You've been in jail for many years," Fan Xiaoxue said. "Don't make the same mistake again."
"I won't make the same mistake again." Shi Kaihua said.
After Jiang Moli won the award, she kept the trophy and certificate at home. Teacher Lu came to her home to see the trophy and certificate, and her eyes were red.
The award has been changed from being awarded once a year to once every two years, making it more difficult to win the award. This Lifetime Achievement Award is not given in every session.
"This is what you deserve," said Teacher Lu. "You've been singing for so many years, and you're still so popular. Stepping back now is also to give young people more opportunities."
"Actually, I'm afraid that I'll lose my reputation in my later years." Jiang Moli chuckled.
Jiang Moli had truly thought so. She feared the audience would abandon her after singing for so many years, still playing such young roles. Fortunately, the audience didn't abandon her, and Jiang Moli still did quite well. However, given her age, her energy was indeed a bit lacking, so it was better to let others fill in. If needed, Jiang Moli could also play supporting roles for those young people; it wasn't like she couldn't play supporting roles just because she had been the lead.
"Not bad," Teacher Lu said. "It's no wonder you've been singing until this point. There's a gap between the young and the young. If you don't sing, your company will lose revenue. Even now, you still have to continue singing and lead those people."
Jiang Moli has a good character. When someone suggested giving her the Lifetime Achievement Award, some people said she was too young, not old enough. Speaking of a Lifetime Achievement Award so soon, wouldn't it seem like she was short-lived? Others said opera singers can't sing into old age. Some people her age have already moved on to other pursuits; how many are still leading actors? Jiang Moli still mentors younger people, demonstrating her open-mindedness and a willingness to not be outdone.
This award should be given at the right time, which makes people feel happier. Don't dwell on someone's age. If you do, wouldn't you have to wait until they're in their seventies or eighties, nearing the grave, before giving them the award? The organizing committee's award itself is meant to motivate opera performers and encourage them to work harder.
So Jiang Moli won the award. She didn't know about it until she went to the award ceremony, and no one told her the gossip.
The judges could also feel that Jiang Moli was retreating, so it was very appropriate to give Jiang Moli this award at this time.
"The flowering period of women, and of opera actors, is sometimes quite short," said Teacher Lu. "You deserve this award."
"Everyone works very hard." Jiang Moli said, "It's just that I often go on stage, so everyone sees me often."
Jiang Moli was very happy to win this award. She still had to work harder in the future and couldn't stop participating in the performance.
"Good performance, that's good." Teacher Lu said, "The rest of us are just singing in the park now."
"Performance in the park is also good," Jiang Moli said. "A lot of people like it, and a lot of people watch it."
"That's right," said Teacher Lu. "We don't have much time to sing, so singing in the park is perfect."
Teacher Lu had a lot of fun playing with those people, which is why she didn't think about living with Jiang Moli and her husband.
"It's okay to wait until you are old," said Teacher Lu.
"Yes," Jiang Moli said, "You can invite a few friends to play together."
"You don't have to." Teacher Lu said, "You've been singing for so many years, you can take a break."
"Yeah." Jiang Moli nodded, "Let's see what happens later."
After Jiang Moli won the award, she didn't get complacent or arrogant. Awards are good things, but if you don't, everyone can still do what they want.
At work, Jiang Moli was a legend. She had won awards herself, and she had also driven her fellow screenwriters to win awards. Many people loved working with Jiang Moli, believing that being with her was half the battle. Despite her age, people were still willing to play supporting roles. Jiang Moli wasn't aiming for a permanent lead role; according to the current opera model, she could still perform more.
By the time Jiang Moli is in her fifties, it will be impossible for her to perform as often as she does now.
"Look." Teacher Lu said.
Teacher Lu stayed at Jiang Moli and his wife's home for one night, and Sheng's father stayed with Teacher Lu.
In the bedroom, Father Sheng was in a good mood seeing Teacher Lu so excited.
"Jiahao has found a good partner, be happy." said Sheng's father.
"I am happy." Teacher Lu said, "If Jasmine is not Jiahao's partner, I will be happy too. Jasmine is still my student."
"Yes, Jasmine's current situation is also due to you." Father Sheng said.
"I'm not that important," Teacher Lu said. "What's important is Jasmine's own hard work. I've taught so many students, and only one like Jasmine has come out."
"Having just one is already great," said Sheng's father. "You can't expect to have a lot of them. They'll just rot on the street and become worthless."
"..." Teacher Lu's mouth curled up slightly. This is not something that happens everywhere.
"The second son often says that Jasmine is your biological daughter." said Father Sheng.
"Nonsense, Jiahao is the one," Teacher Lu said. "If Jasmine is the one, then Jasmine and Jiahao can't get married."
When Mr. Sheng heard Teacher Lu say this seriously, he laughed.
After He Jingxian learned that Jiang Moli had won an award, she felt very calm. She had been jealous of Jiang Moli for who knows how many years. Jiang Moli always performed so well, and she was not as good as Jiang Moli. Jiang Moli was so outstanding in her field, so it was normal for her to win an award. He Jingxian also acted in TV dramas and movies, and she also hoped to win an award, but she didn't win any. Jiang Moli won awards in TV dramas and movies, but He Jingxian didn't.
That's because the supporting roles played by He Jingxian are relatively minor, unlike the supporting roles played by Jiang Moli, which are relatively important. When Jiang Moli was acting, she was serious about it, and He Jingxian also took it seriously, but the two played different roles, different scripts, and had different experiences.
"Mom." Wu You returned home and saw He Jingxian watching an opera awards ceremony, which was being rebroadcast.
"You have no talent, and neither do I." He Jingxian said, "Even if I have no talent, I'm still better than you and can act in TV dramas and movies. And you, with no talent, can only be a kindergarten teacher."
"..." When Wu You heard He Jingxian say this, she thought that she had worked very hard, but she really couldn't catch up with those talented people. Those talented people also worked very hard. Wu You lacked talent and could only rely on her own efforts. Sometimes hard work really couldn't compare to talent.
Wu You didn't join the South City Theatre Troupe, nor did she consider joining another theatre troupe. She had to stay in South City, not go anywhere else. She knew He Jingxian had three biological daughters. She thought about how her adoptive father would abandon He Jingxian and her for his biological children, and she wondered if He Jingxian would abandon her in the future.
Should He Jingxian leave the property in her hands to her biological daughter instead of her adopted daughter?
Someone whispered in Wu You's ear that He Jingxian had a lot of money and that He Jingxian and her family were living in this house.
Wu You didn't dare ask He Jingxian. He Jingxian wasn't very old, so Wu You couldn't dwell on these things right now. Wu You thought that after a few years, when she found a suitable partner, she would move out and not live here anymore. If He Jingxian wanted to give the house to her biological daughter, Wu You wouldn't say anything. She was adopted, and she had been able to learn skills and go to school over the years, which was enough.
"If you don't have talent, then you don't have talent. These things really can't be forced. They can't be forced." He Jingxian said.
He Jingxian's mentality gradually calmed down. She had been married and divorced twice, and seeing Jiang Moli being so successful, He Jingxian thought that she really had no way to compare with others. It was too difficult to compare people, and it was not good to compare with others.
"Mom, you're doing well." Wu You comforted He Jingxian.
"Good? What's good about that?" He Jingxian asked, "I used to think I could be like Jiang Moli, win awards, be the most beautiful woman, and stand on one leg. But... Jiang Moli is acting in TV dramas and movies, and even if I go, I'm not as good as her in opera, nor in film and television works."
He Jingxian cannot compare with Jiang Moli in many aspects. Sometimes she wonders what she can use to compare with Jiang Moli, but there is no way to compare them at all.
"As for you, I don't even want you to sing opera now," He Jingxian said. "With your current status, even if you join another local drama troupe, you'll just be a supporting role and won't be able to move up. If you don't have strong abilities and can't keep up with others, you'll be eliminated. Nancheng Art College recruits students every year, and every year there are people studying opera, not just one or two."
"There are a lot of people." Wu You said, "Teacher said that when the drama troupe was filming and performing, there were a few more maids."
In the past, the main actors didn't have so many maids around them during performances, but now there are more. This is to allow more people to go on stage, even if they don't have many lines, as long as they have the opportunity to go on stage.
When Wu You heard what her teacher said, she just felt that the competition in their industry was too fierce, and there were so many people playing the role of maids.
"There are a few more maids." He Jingxian occasionally went to the South City Drama Troupe and noticed this phenomenon. There weren't so many maids before. There were a few more maids now. He Jingxian glanced at them at the time and didn't look at them any further, nor did she think about what happened.
"There are many people who sing opera," Wu You said. "At that time, our teacher also told us that if we couldn't sing anymore, we should switch to other things as soon as possible. We should do more while we are young. Don't wait until we are old to do other things. By then, it will be too late."
"Your teacher is telling you the truth." He Jingxian said, "I've finally come to understand. It's really not easy to work in this field."
"It's not easy, very difficult." Wu You felt relieved when she heard He Jingxian say this. She was afraid that her adoptive mother would say that she was not motivated. She had tried very hard to sing opera, but still did not join the Nancheng Drama Troupe.
He Jingxian glanced at Wu You and said, "For a talented person, this is a relatively simple thing. For someone like you who has no talent, it is very difficult."
“…” Wu You was not unhappy. She really had no talent and had not achieved the goals set by her adoptive mother.
"Forget it, let's not compare ourselves with these people. I won't compare myself with Jiang Moli, and you don't need to compare yourself with them either." He Jingxian said, "You haven't compared yourself with them for a long time. You didn't join the South City Drama Troupe, you became a kindergarten teacher."
"It's good to be a teacher." Wu You said.
"Okay, it's pretty good, very good." He Jingxian said.
Zhou Yaran came to see Jiang Moli and found out that she had won an award. She was happy for Jiang Moli because it was a great thing that her good friend had won an award.
"That's great." Zhou Yiran said, "If you want to step back, winning this award at this time is also a recognition of you. Of course, it doesn't mean that you have to step back just because you win this award, and you don't have to."
"I still have to step back," Jiang Moli said. "I can feel that my energy is not as good as those young people. I have to step back when it's time. If I don't step back, and the leader asks me to do something, it will be meaningless."
"You're still so popular..."
"It looks like a sea of flowers now," Jiang Moli said. "It was still beautiful the day before the flowers withered."
Jiang Moli had a clear vision. She'd won awards, received recognition from audiences, and received positive reviews from industry insiders. She'd achieved her life goals, doing what she loved and achieving a certain level of success.
"People should be content." Jiang Moli said.
"You are so content." Zhou Yiran sighed, "I can't achieve what you have achieved."
"Everyone has their own path to walk." Jiang Moli said, "Is your child about to graduate?"
"Yes." Zhou Yiran nodded. "He's planning to become a teacher. He's studying for a teacher's degree. Do you think we should send him to graduate school?"
"Whatever he thinks, if that's what he wants, then go ahead and read it," Jiang Moli said.
"He's hesitating over there," Zhou Yiran said. "His father and I suggested that he go. Competition is getting fiercer these days. A master's degree is good, and it will give him a stronger competitive edge in school. His father taught elementary school. He was able to switch from physical education to math because the school was short of teachers. But now, there's no shortage of teachers at all. So many people are rushing to teach there. These schools in South City are very popular."
After Zhou Yiran took a closer look at the situation, she felt that those people were truly overly competitive. Not just a little competitive, but extremely competitive. Junior high school teachers were recruiting graduate students. If Zhou Yiran's son went straight into teaching after graduation, he would probably be an elementary school teacher.
"Back then, he didn't do well in the college entrance exam and had to repeat it," Zhou Yiran said. "It's not easy to get to this point now. We thought that if we could go to graduate school, we would go for it. It doesn't matter if we can't go to a good school. A master's degree will be enough. At least it's a degree. If my son could study as well as your son, how great it would be. But it's normal. You had good grades in junior high school, but you chose to sing opera. Your husband is a college graduate. And my husband and I are far apart."
Zhou Yiran sighed. She was troubled by her children's needs. As a parent, she couldn't plan everything for her children's lives. Even if she could, she wouldn't want to.
"If you are guaranteed admission to graduate school at this school, it basically means you won't be able to go to a good school, so you will end up studying at this school." Zhou Yiran said.
"It's not bad to be able to continue studying." Jiang Moli said.
"That's the only way to think about it," Zhou Yiran said. "If he wants to go to a good school, he has to take the exam. He doesn't really want to take the exam, either. He might not get in, so it's better to just leave it as it is. Sometimes I wonder if it's because my husband and I are so complacent that this child has followed us into complacency."
"It's not like he's lying flat on his face. At least he was able to get into graduate school. Not everyone can get into graduate school," Jiang Moli said. "This shows that he worked hard during his university years."
"You're still good at coaxing me," Zhou Yiran said. "We want him to be admitted to graduate school or attend a local university. We don't have to worry about it, as his path is pretty stable. After he finishes graduate school, it will be easier for him to get into a better university. The salaries at good universities may not seem high, but the benefits are very good, and the provident fund is even higher than some people's salaries."
If her son could get into such a good school, Zhou Yiran thought that she would not have to worry about her child's future anymore, and her child would have a good future.
"The salary is low on the surface, so it's okay," Jiang Moli said. "So many people are complaining about the low salary. If they were asked to stop doing those jobs and work elsewhere, would they be willing?"
"He must be unwilling." Zhou Yiran said.
"That's all, just think of it as saving money. Provident fund money is also money, as long as you buy a house you can use it." Jiang Moli said, "It's like a fixed deposit, you just can't use it for the time being."
"Let's buy a house," Zhou Yiran said. "If he can really get into a good school to become a teacher and has the housing fund, then let him buy a house."
"It's still okay to buy a house at this time." Jiang Moli said.
"I have to worry about the children all day long." Zhou Yiran said, "I also have a lot of work to do."
"The child has grown up, so you don't have to worry too much." Jiang Moli said.
"He has a girlfriend who works at his school," Zhou Yiran said. "This job has to be done in one place. If it's not, we'll have to worry about it. It's not easy to get into those schools these days. There are written tests and interviews, and it's all very formal. We want to get involved, but we can't."
"If you can get into a public school, go ahead. If you can't, there are still private schools," Jiang Moli said. "That's not a problem. Your family isn't short of money, so you don't need your daughter-in-law to get a good job. Isn't it enough for her to get into a decent job?"
"Yeah, that's what we think too." Zhou Yiran said, "We can't let them break up right after graduation. That's not okay. I know what my son's grades are like, so it's not bad to have a girlfriend like this."
"If you think it through, there will be no problem." Jiang Moli said.
"Something happened in our community a few days ago," said Zhou Yiran.
"What's the matter?" Jiang Moli asked.
"Someone brought two different women home twice in a row, and neither of them knew about the other," Zhou Yiran said. "I don't know how one of them found out, but she realized she was being cheated on and came to the house to make a scene, causing a huge uproar."
When Zhou Yiran heard this, she was also shocked.
"Both women came to meet the man's parents, and they were very nice to them when they met them," Zhou Yiran said. "We thought he had broken up with the previous one and found the current one. It turns out the man was two-timing. His family knew about it, and even his sister was living under the same roof with one of the women."
"Oh my God." Jiang Moli was shocked. "What now?"
"That's the situation now, let's break up." Zhou Yiran said, "If we don't break up, why keep a man like him? The matter has become so serious, many people know about it. If they are still together, it won't look good. We should break up quickly."
"He's a scorer." Jiang Moli nodded.
"The man's parents and others knew everything, but they pretended to be clueless," Zhou Yiran said. "When the woman went to make a scene, the man's parents played dumb, saying they thought their son had broken up with someone else. The woman then said she came first, and the man's parents said they thought the woman had reconciled with their son and that their son didn't want another woman. In short, they said everything."
"It's really scary." Jiang Moli said, "We can't have someone like that."
"He relied on his family's little money to deceive the little girl over there." Zhou Yiran said, "If it had been any later, both girls would have been pregnant and had children."
"One broke up, what about the other one?" Jiang Moli asked.
"It hasn't been divided yet." Zhou Yiran said, "I don't know what it will be like in the future."
"Not yet?" Jiang Moli was surprised. "She doesn't know yet?"
"I see, they just haven't broken up yet." Zhou Yiran said, "She probably thinks that since the other woman has already broken up with this man, she's not the mistress. She's not afraid that the man will find another woman. If a man is not focused, he will find another woman sooner or later."
"Respect these people's choices." Jiang Moli said.
"But we're not relatives with them, so there's no need to talk so much." Zhou Yiran said, "There was a couple in our unit who broke up a while ago."
"Ah?" Jiang Moli blinked.
"After the falling out, the two of them didn't want to go on stage together, and they wouldn't perform properly during performances," Zhou Yiran said. "I went to talk to them, and they started arguing right in front of me. They really didn't give me any respect. If I hadn't put on a cold shoulder and asked them if they wanted to leave our company, they would have continued arguing. No wonder those leaders used to always say, 'Are you guys going to leave the company?' I guess that was the only intimidating thing."
"It doesn't have much of a deterrent effect. People in the system won't be fired easily," Jiang Moli said. "We have to follow the procedures."
"That's true, but I'm still a little scared." Zhou Yiran said, "Faced with people like this, I don't want to say much. There's nothing I can do. I work in administration, so there are a lot of things I have to do. Even though I'm a leader, I still have to do some trivial things."
Miao Guifeng's granddaughter is a little older now and knows how to call people.
Yang Tianlang was afraid that Miao Guifeng would hurt his daughter, so he didn't let Miao Guifeng have much contact with his daughter. When Miao Guifeng was around, Yang Tianlang would keep a closer eye on his daughter.
Miao Guifeng brought some things to Yang Tianlang's home and asked, "When are you going to have another child?"
"We have family planning now," Yang Tianlang said. "Just one child is enough. When the child is a little older, we have to send him to interest classes. Raising a child is not an easy task."
"It's not like we can't afford to raise a child. If you want to send a girl to interest classes, I won't stop you, but you still have to have a son." Miao Guifeng said, "If you don't have a son, you'll be laughed at."
"Many people only have one daughter," Yang Tianlang said. "Why do you have to give birth to a boy? Those people weren't laughed at. Many people are like this, so why laugh at them?"
"I'm afraid you'll be laughed at." Miao Guifeng said, "I've been through this before, I know everything, Mom..."
"I am your first child, isn't that me?" Yang Tianlang said.
"Yes... In my hometown, if you give birth to a girl, you will be laughed at." Miao Guifeng said, "Girls..."
"Girls are very good." Yang Tianlang said, "Mom, if you come to my house, please don't say such things. If the child hears these words, it will be affected. She is our little darling, and we all love her. Mom, if you don't love her, I don't ask you to do so, as long as you say less of those words."
"Why don't you understand?" Miao Guifeng asked, "Are you afraid your wife will lose her job? Then let her come back. Our family is rich, so she doesn't have to work."
"Her work is very meaningful." Yang Tianlang said, "She can work. As for me, I'm a loser. I can only stay at home to take care of the children."
"She said you were a waste?" Miao Guifeng said, "She was so bold..."
"No, I feel like I'm such a loser in front of her. I'm really such a loser." Yang Tianlang said, "I don't know that much, so I can only do a few things at home. She also said that I'm doing well and encouraged me. Mom, can you open your eyes and see that Huiqing is doing well, and our child is doing well too."
"Okay, you only know how to praise them." Miao Guifeng said, "It would be great to have a son while you're still young. Are you going to wait a few years, regret it, and then have another son?"
Miao Guifeng was worried that her son would be under Ge Huiqing's control and would not have a second child.
"No regrets." Yang Tianlang said, "Our daughter is also our biological child."
"I didn't say she wasn't your biological child," Miao Guifeng said, "but this child...she is a girl."
Miao Guifeng kept emphasizing that Ge Huiqing gave birth to a girl, and wanted Yang Tianlang and Ge Huiqing to have another child.
"Stop talking. I told you not to emphasize this point. Why are you still talking about it?" Yang Tianlang frowned. "You should go back."
Yang Tianlang pointed at the gate. He didn't want to waste time talking to his biological mother at all. His biological mother only had eyes for boys and insisted that they give birth to a boy.
When Ge Huiqing returned home, Yang Tianlang told her what Miao Guifeng had said.
"We don't need to pay attention to what my mother says." Yang Tianlang said, "She has always been like this. She hasn't made any progress at all."
"Mom is from the countryside, and her ideas are old-fashioned. We should just not let her talk too much in front of the child." Ge Huiqing said, "Your mother is really something. You are her only son. She didn't care about her three daughters, and now she doesn't care about your daughter either. To be honest, when I see her, I don't even want to call her mom. I just want to stay away from her, for fear that our child will be led astray by her."
"I told her to come to our house less often in the future," Yang Tianlang said. "She's always like that, and I'm worried about the impact on the child. A girl is fine too, as long as she's our biological child, that's all that matters."
"I'm glad you think so. I'm really afraid that you'll be like your mother and insist on having a boy." Ge Huiqing said.
"No." Yang Tianlang said, "I'm different from my mother. I've studied for so many years and I know that men and women are equal."
"Yeah." Ge Huiqing nodded. "From the beginning, I felt that you were different from your mother. Your mother is beyond saving, but you can still save her."
"Thank you for being with me." Yang Tianlang said.
On the other hand, Jiang Yuqin's son graduated from junior high school and went to high school. After graduating from high school, he failed to get into a junior college and went to a vocational school. Jiang Yuqin was still very attentive to her son, but her son obviously did not work hard enough.
Jiang Yuqin and his wife bought a house two years ago and planned to give it to their son, but they wanted their daughter's salary to pay the mortgage. Jiang Yuqin and his wife asked their daughter to hand over her salary to them, saying it was for her to save, but in fact, they didn't save any money at all.
After finally owning a house, although it wasn't in the city center, Jiang Yuqin and her husband were very happy. With their own house, they no longer had to rent someone else's house or pay someone else's mortgage.
Ding Hongwang got married and had a child. However, he and his wife did not bring their child to see Jiang Yuqin and her husband, and they cut off all contact with them.
Whenever Jiang Yuqin thought of Ding Hongwang, she felt that she was not worthy. She was so good to Ding Hongwang, but Ding Hongwang only thought about his biological mother. It was obvious that Ding Hongwang's biological mother had remarried a long time ago, and that biological mother only gave Ding Hongwang some money to buy a house, but Ding Hongwang thought his biological mother was good.
There were three rooms in the house: one for Jiang Yuqin and her husband, one for their son, and one for their daughter. Jiang Yuqin would pretend to be nice to her daughter whenever she turned in her salary. Her daughter's name was Ding Qiutian.
Ding Qiutian started working when she was fifteen or sixteen, and has been working for five or six years now. Ding Qiutian is a person who lacks love. After she started working, her mother treated her better, so she gave her money to her mother for safekeeping.
Ding Qiutian had a boyfriend and was about to get married. Thinking about the money she had left with her mother, she wanted her mother to take it out.
"Where did you get the money? Don't you have to pay for food and lodging at home?" Jiang Yuqin asked. "That money has already been spent."
"So much money, and it was all spent?" Ding Qiutian couldn't believe his ears.
"It's all spent!" Jiang Yuqin said, "You know how much money we have at home. If we didn't have those expenses, I wouldn't be telling you this. There are so many things we need to spend money on. Your father and I have raised you for so many years. Now that you're this old, we can't still support you."
"I……"
"Don't think about the money." Jiang Yuqin said, "If you still think of us as your parents, then you..."
"Don't you want the money anymore?" Ding Qiutian said, "Mom, when I was very young, you only had my older brother in your eyes. After my younger brother was born, you only cared about him and me. Now, I..."
"We took care of you," Jiang Yuqin said. "If we hadn't, would we have let you live at home? We would have asked you to move out long ago. Your eldest brother lived in the factory when he went out to work."
"You were so good to Big Brother, but he still didn't want you?" Ding Qiutian said, "And you treated me badly, and I even handed over my salary, and you treated me like this."
Ding Qiutian was heartbroken. She had happily told her boyfriend just today that her mother was saving money for her and that she could take it out so they could buy a house together. However, her mother now claimed she had no money left, not a penny. How could Ding Qiutian tell her boyfriend?
"We've been very good to you," Jiang Yuqin said. "We haven't said much about you. Do you still remember Daya and Erya from the street? Their lives are really hard. You're living a comfortable life, and yet you're still here saying these things to us."
"Mom." Ding Qiutian stamped her feet. Why didn't her mother tell her to compare herself with other families, but had to compare her with Miao Guifeng's daughter? Many people knew that Miao Guifeng was not kind to her own daughter. Miao Guifeng even sent her to the countryside in her early years.
Ding Qiutian wasn't sent to the countryside, but her life at home wasn't much better. From a young age, Ding Qiutian saw her parents treating Ding Hongwang and Ding Honghui well, while she, their daughter, was invisible. Even after Ding Qiutian went to work, her mother still made her favorite food, and she thought her mother cared about her.
She was wrong. She shouldn't have believed that her mother would be nice to her. Her mother didn't think about her at all. She was thinking about her younger brother.
"Tell your boyfriend that he must give the betrothal gift." Jiang Yuqin said, "When I married your father, I didn't accept the betrothal gift. That's why your grandparents looked down on me, and your father didn't take me seriously either."
Jiang Yuqin hadn't asked for a betrothal gift at first, thinking Ding Chao would be happy and treat her well. Now, Jiang Yuqin has figured it out: all men are like that. If a woman doesn't accept a betrothal gift, she has no status in a man's heart. Men also think they've married a wife for free, so it doesn't matter if they divorce and remarry.
"Buying a house is a man's job, not yours as a woman," Jiang Yuqin said. "Don't even think about using the money to buy a house, and don't even think about using it to renovate it. The man has to pay for that. Renovation is worthless. If you get divorced, you'll lose all the money you spent on it."
"My boyfriend and I are going to live together..."
"Even if you want to live together, the man should prepare these things," Jiang Yuqin said. "The woman doesn't need to prepare those things. Ding Qiutian, I suffered so much to marry your father. Don't do the same to me and just find a man and marry him without him paying a bride price. And don't think about asking for less bride price. Asking for less bride price means you are cheap and you are not worthy."
"Mom, is money money money the only thing you care about?" Ding Qiutian said.
"Before, I only cared about love. Now, love means nothing," Jiang Yuqin said. "After a couple has lived together for a long time, they need money. Without money, they can't move forward. Don't be so foolish as to think that love can overcome everything. It's impossible. Love can't overcome everything!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
