Chapter 20: Smashing the Dishes and Chopsticks, You Are a Marriage Fraud
"Children's words are innocent, don't you know?" Jiang Moli rolled her eyes. She was so young when she said those words. Jiang Moli hadn't recovered her memories of her past life at the time; she was just an ordinary child. "You remember what children say so well."
"You want to monopolize Dad, can't I tell you?" Jiang Yuqin said.
"Are you my father's biological daughter? Are you? Are you?" Jiang Moli asked, "You know who your biological father is. Do you want me to tell everyone about it?"
"You..." Jiang Yuqin always knew that Jiang Moli had a bad temper. She was too lazy to tell Jiang Moli, so she asked the boss to give her a roast chicken.
Jiang Moli bought something and left. She didn't want to waste time talking to Jiang Yuqin. Talking so much was pointless.
When Jiang Yuqin bought something and turned around, she only saw Jiang Moli leaving.
There were people around who knew Jiang Yuqin, and some even asked, "Yuqin, who is your biological father? Have you looked for him?"
"I...do I need to tell you who my biological father is?" Jiang Yuqin said unhappily.
"Isn't this just caring about you?" the acquaintance said, "If you know who your biological father is, go find him. He'll always be able to show some concern for you."
Jiang Yuqin left without saying anything. She couldn't let anyone know who her biological father was yet. If they knew, and told everyone, how would she be able to ask her parents for money? The Jin family had taught Jiang Yuqin from a young age to think more about herself, and she needed to think more about herself now.
Jiang Moli returned home with the roast chicken. When she saw her mother, she said directly, "What bad luck! I just ran into Jiang Yuqin when I was buying the roast chicken. It seems that she must have gotten money from her parents. Those people are afraid that the scandal will be exposed and that others will know about it, so they gave her money."
"You know all this?" Jiang's mother asked.
"That's right. Those people aren't good people," Jiang Moli said. "When Jiang Yuqin was in our house, those people often encouraged her to deal with us. Boomerang, this is a boomerang now, pierce their flesh hard, and see if it hurts. They used to let Jiang Yuqin harm us, and now they should have a taste of it."
The Jin family wasn't concerned with prestige; they were concerned with money. The children of Jin Manzhi and her family had grown up, and those young people were valuable to the Jin family. They had to find good partners for their children, secure jobs... They had so much to consider, and that's why they were afraid. If Jiang Yuqin didn't know who her biological father was, she might not have been able to threaten the Jin family.
"Grandma is really smart." Jiang Moli felt that Mrs. Jiang had done a good job. If Mrs. Jiang hadn't told Jin Manzhi and Jiang Yuqin directly who Jiang Yuqin's biological father was, Jiang Yuqin would still not know. Only by revealing it would Jin Manzhi compensate the Jiang family, and Jiang Yuqin could use this incident to control those people.
"Your grandmother is indeed wise." Jiang's mother admitted this. "Your grandmother didn't like Jiang Yuqin before. She said at the time that she didn't know if Jiang Yuqin was her own child. Your grandmother wasn't that kind to her, but at least she had food to eat and didn't starve to death. That was all that mattered."
Mrs. Jiang herself wasn't very kind to Jiang Yuqin, but she wouldn't tell her mother to treat her badly too. She couldn't say that. If Jiang Yuqin was really a child of the Jiang family, wouldn't it be very bad if her mother treated her badly? Mrs. Jiang didn't like Jiang Yuqin, but she didn't treat her too badly either. She still had a sense of propriety.
"After getting the money, she couldn't wait to buy a roast chicken to nourish her man. I saw she also bought pork. I don't know if she wants to stew it or make dumplings." Jiang Moli said, "When she was at home, she worked and never contributed to the food. Now that she's married, she's really good at buying things for the family and flattering her man. She's so devoted to him, she's not afraid that he'll treat her badly in the future. Does she think that if she treats him this way, he'll be inseparable from her?"
Jiang Moli really hated those who were in love. They didn't listen to anyone's advice. They just thought everyone in the world wanted to break them up. They were in true love, and their feelings were even more passionate than the Liang Zhu romance. No matter how many people objected, those who were in love would insist on their own ideas.
"Just don't be like that with her," Jiang's mother said. "People's hearts change easily. After being married for a few years, the feelings have become even weaker."
Jiang's mother was telling the truth. The relationship between her and Jiang's father was just like that. They were a couple who got married later in life, and they didn't have a deep bond. They each had their own calculations and were wary of each other. Jiang's mother didn't want Jiang Moli to find a second marriage, nor did she want her to be obsessed with love. She hoped she would find a reliable first marriage, so she could be happier.
Even if the person in front is not a jewel, there are still other things that stand between the two of them.
"Why did you think of buying roast chicken today?" asked Jiang's mother.
"If you want to eat, just buy it." Jiang Moli said, "My classmate actually went over there this morning at work."
"Which classmate?" Jiang's mother was puzzled.
"She is the classmate sent by that place. She relies on her boyfriend's aunt and now works in our unit. She has not been transferred to our unit yet. She wants to participate in our rehearsals first and also said that she wants to try out for an important role." Jiang Moli said.
"Are you trying to steal your role?" Jiang's mother asked.
"She wants to steal my role. Can I let her go?" Jiang Moli asked, "She got in through connections. She just got in, so she should have done her best and not try to steal someone else's job right away. I guess she knows I have a bad temper, so she didn't take my role, but she did take someone else's."
In the play "Five Maidens Paying Homage to Their Parents," He Jingxian played one of the five maidens. The adopted daughter was originally a servant, not one of the five. Even though Cuiyun was a relatively important role, He Jingxian didn't want to compete with Jiang Moli for such a role. He Jingxian knew Jiang Moli also had roles in the Five Maidens, and when the roles rotated, Jiang Moli would alternate between Cuiyun and the Five Maidens. Therefore, He Jingxian said she would play the Three Maidens, as the Three Maidens had good character and would be more likely to win the audience's favor.
These couples are a combination of different genres, and each group is very distinctive.
He Jingxian didn't care whether someone else had already taken the role, she just wanted a better role. Aunt Qi also said that everyone rotated between the A and B roles, and having He Jingxian wouldn't make much difference. Besides, He Jingxian's job now was to study, and the most important thing was to study.
Aunt Qi, a leader, said so, so how could anyone object? Many people were practicing there, even if it wasn't their role or their lines, they would still learn them.
This morning, Second Aunt Qi personally brought He Jingxian to the drama troupe. She told everyone in front of them that He Jingxian should follow the group and learn. Jiang Moli and Zhou Yiran were both there; they had to rehearse that morning, so it was impossible for them not to be there. Everyone heard Second Aunt Qi's words, and after she said a few words, everyone dispersed to continue rehearsing.
Zhou Yaran didn't say much. He Jingxian wasn't trying to steal her role, so what was she talking about? Jiang Moli didn't say anything either. As long as it didn't affect her interests, He Jingxian could do whatever she wanted. He Jingxian didn't know the relationships between the people in the drama troupe, so she could only rule out the ones she knew. It wasn't that He Jingxian hadn't offended Jiang Moli at school. Jiang Moli had directly rejected He Jingxian. Zhou Yaran and Jiang Moli were good friends, and the most important thing was that He Jingxian didn't like the role Zhou Yaran played.
He Jingxian dated Second Aunt Qi's nephew, and Second Aunt Qi naturally sided with He Jingxian. The Qi family thought that He Jingxian had some education, and if she joined the South City Drama Troupe, she would have a stable job. If He Jingxian couldn't sing well, it didn't matter; they could let her follow Second Aunt Qi's path and become an administrative leader.
"You have connections and backers, so don't be so foolish as to offend them," Jiang's mother said. "You do have some abilities, but sometimes abilities are worthless compared to connections."
"I know." Jiang Moli said, "I'm not stupid. If someone doesn't come to steal my role, I won't say anything. It's someone else's role that's being snatched away. We're just colleagues. I can't always stand up for others. Those people should stand up for themselves and get the role back."
Jiang Moli has always believed that it is more important for people to do their own things well, and not always think that they are the savior, that they can help others and solve problems. What can she solve alone? Others may say bad things about her behind her back, saying that she is meddling in other people's affairs.
Most people tend to mind their own business and not worry about other people's problems. Our ancestors were wise: mind your own business and avoid problems.
"If you are in the same troupe, there may still be conflicts in the future," said Jiang's mother.
"In a theater troupe...that's not necessarily true." Jiang Moli said, "I'm about to graduate."
Jiang Moli waited, waiting to see if Xiaobaihua would transfer her there. She had already been to the provincial Xiaobaihua and even taken the exam. Regardless of whether others wanted her or not, she had to put in some effort. She couldn't just assume that others would see her performance and think she was good, and then they would automatically wither. Doing more on her own would always bring more hope.
"If I could be transferred to the provincial Xiaobaihua, I wouldn't have to live with her." Jiang Moli said.
"Before that, you still have to be together." Jiang's mother said.
While everyone else at the company had already gone home, He Jingxian was still there. On Saturdays, some people rehearsed all morning and then left. They didn't rehearse every day; they were human beings too, and needed rest. To show her dedication, He Jingxian even sought out others for advice. But it was clear that others didn't really want to know about her; they already knew she was a relative.
There were many people with the same abilities as He Jingxian, and she wasn't the only one. There were many people in the troupe who were better than her. In the eyes of those people, He Jingxian was nothing at all. Those who were afraid of offending Second Aunt Qi were kind to her, while those who weren't afraid of offending Second Aunt Qi gave her the cold shoulder.
Especially those who played important roles and were famous themselves, their attitude towards He Jingxian was not very good.
This made He Jingxian feel very uncomfortable. She had thought that with her relationship with Aunt Qi, she would be able to thrive here, but who would have thought that she would be met with such a cold shoulder.
He Jingxian wanted to think that Jiang Moli was the one who was causing the trouble, but she also understood that those people would never listen to Jiang Moli, and Jiang Moli was not a very important person. He Jingxian had said something to Teacher Lu before, but Teacher Lu ignored her. He Jingxian still had some brains and did not immediately blame Jiang Moli.
Jiang Moli is capable, but she has no connections, and she is not a well-connected person. Zhou Yiran, on the other hand, has a backer, and even Aunt Qi has to give her some face.
In school, Zhou Yiran's grades were not as good as Jiang Moli and He Jingxian's. In the drama troupe, everyone gave Zhou Yiran face.
He Jingxian thought of Zhou Yiran's contempt for her. She wondered if other people would follow suit when they saw Zhou Yiran treating her like that.
He Jingxian didn't dare to tell her second aunt Qi about the cold treatment she received from the drama troupe, so she told Qi Shixin instead.
The two of them left the troupe. He Jingxian went to practice in the afternoon, but there were only a few people practicing there, so it was quite empty. He Jingxian wanted to show others that she was very hardworking and had practiced for so long in the troupe.
After walking a distance from the office, He Jingxian said, "They seem to have some opinions about me."
"You just went there, just wait until the back." Qi Shixin said.
"..." He Jingxian didn't want to hear Qi Shixin say such words.
"Don't worry, with Second Aunt around, you won't have too bad a time." Qi Shixin said, "Next week, we'll go get the marriage certificate. You should get a letter of recommendation from school. Can your school give you one?"
Students need to provide documents to get married, and the school will issue some documents. However, many schools are reluctant to issue these documents, preferring students to get married after graduation.
"It can be opened," He Jingxian said. "Marriage is free. They have no right to stop me. Our school already has many older students. Not all of them are young. Some students work for a few years before coming here to study."
Only after He Jingxian and Qi Shixin got their marriage certificate did Second Aunt Qi get the transfer order. He Jingxian had to get married to Qi Shixin quickly. As for her family's opinion, it didn't matter. If her family knew she could stay in South City, they would definitely be happy for her. They would all think she was capable. If He Jingxian went back, she would still be able to do better than before, and her family wouldn't look down on her too much.
"That's good." Qi Shixin said, "Second Aunt has started to help you with the paperwork. Only she has seen our marriage certificate and will go through the final procedures."
"Okay." He Jingxian said, "It would be best if it could be done quickly so that I can graduate."
"Second Aunt knows what's going on, so we don't need to urge her," said Qi Shixin.
Two days later, Yang Bingliang, who lived in the compound, got married. On the wedding night, everything was normal. But when Yang Bingliang and his wife returned home, the room felt much emptier. Yang Bingliang's wife, Lu Dongxiang, stood at the doorway and screamed, "Ahhh!" several times, her voice incredibly loud.
"What are you yelling about?" Yang's mother hurried over to see.
"Where's the radio? And the sewing machine?" Lu Dongxiang asked, "Where did all that go?"
"I gave it back to someone." Yang's mother said truthfully.
"What do you mean?" Lu Dongxiang asked.
"I just returned it to the person. I originally borrowed it from their home, so it's time to return it to them." Yang's mother said.
"What?" Lu Dongxiang rubbed her ears. She couldn't believe what she heard.
"When getting married, it's enough to look good on the wedding day," Yang's mother said. "It's not that we don't want to buy these things for you. We just don't have that much money now. We will definitely buy them for you later. We gave your family a lot of betrothal money. It's okay if you don't need these things. Let's not use them for now."
Yang's mother originally wanted Miao Guifeng and her husband to move the sewing machine to the living room, but they refused. So Yang's mother had to borrow the machine from others. Those others kept their mouths shut and didn't tell anyone. Many families do this when their children get married: borrow some things first to create a sense of serenity and lure the bride in. After entering the bridal chamber, they return the items two or three days later.
"..." Lu Dongxiang's face instantly darkened. She had returned to her parents' home today and had told them how nice the room was and how good the appliances were. But then, the Yang family had done something like this to her, completely humiliating her. If her family knew what had happened, she would be too embarrassed to go back. She had even looked down on her other sisters, but now it was their turn to laugh at her.
Lu Dongxiang and Yang Bingliang had already entered the bridal chamber and held a wedding banquet. Even without a marriage certificate, in everyone's eyes, they were already husband and wife. It was useless for Lu Dongxiang to say no at this time. If she had known about this before the wedding banquet, her saying no would have been of some use.
The bride's family received the betrothal money, so whether there were those things in Lu Dongxiang's room was not important.
"Ah." Lu Dongxiang screamed again.
"Stop yelling, stop yelling," Yang's mother said, "it won't be pleasant if others hear it."
"You did such a bad thing, and I can't even scream?" Lu Dongxiang was not a good-tempered person to begin with, so she couldn't bear it. "Go find someone to borrow those things we agreed on. If you have the guts, you can borrow them for life."
Lu Dongxiang was so angry at the Yang family's actions that she almost died. How could these people be so shameless? How could they do such a wicked thing? If they didn't have those things, they could just say they didn't have them. Why bother borrowing them? If they didn't have the things, couldn't they just marry someone else? Did they have to torture Lu Dongxiang like this?
"Isn't there anything else we can do? Your family insisted that we prepare those things." Yang's mother said, "The old family, they were clamoring to split up the family property before you got married. This family has already been divided, and they're unwilling to pay. We'll bear with you for now. After some time, when we've saved up some money, we'll buy it for you."
The Lu family had come to inquire about the situation, but the people here were all neighbors. If they spoke ill of the Yang family, others would also speak ill of their family, so they generally refrained from speaking ill of the Yang family. The Lu family didn't get any useful information, at most, they learned that the Yang family was deeply concerned about Yang Bingliang, and that his parents favored him. Since Lu Donghua was going to marry Yang Bingliang, the Lu family naturally hoped that the Yang family would favor him.
Lu Dongxiang really wanted to leave and go back to her parents' home. But she had just returned from her parents' home, and if she went back now, her family wouldn't let her stay. They couldn't afford to lose face, and they didn't want the neighbors to know about this. There's no such thing as a wall without airtight doors. Once this story got out, it would spread, and the Lu family would be the victims.
In fact, the Lu family had considered that the Yang family might borrow money and things. What they wanted was to ensure that the betrothal money they received was not less and that the things they could leave behind were not less. There were many families whose sons borrowed money from everywhere when they got married, and later on, the young couple still had to earn money to repay the debt themselves.
"Our family is considered good, and we have such a big house for you to live in." said Yang's mother.
"Did you guys borrow a lot of money? Should Bingliang and I pay it back?" Lu Dongxiang gritted her teeth. "You guys have to pay back the money you borrowed. Don't even think about Bingliang and I paying it back."
Lu Dongxiang felt that she was at a disadvantage when she thought about it. It was like she was spending her own money to get herself married.
"We will pay it back. We're not saying we won't pay it back." Mother Yang said, "You should pay some back too..."
"What else do we have to pay back?" Lu Dongxiang asked. "If you don't have money, just say so directly. Why are you pretending to be rich? If you had explained everything earlier, would I have ended up like this? Does your youngest son need to pay so much money back to others? It's all your fault as parents, and you still have the nerve to blame others."
Lu Dongxiang didn't give Yang's mother face. Her family was in the south city, just a little way away. Lu Dongxiang was not Miao Guifeng. Miao Guifeng was a country girl, and the Miao family wouldn't support her. Even if they wanted to, they couldn't. The emperor was far away.
Lu Dongxiang glanced at Yang Bingliang, and Yang Bingliang quickly said, "Mom, Dongxiang is right. It's not that we forced you to borrow money. You borrowed money, and now we owe so much money. How can we afford to pay it back? Mom, you and Dad should pay it back first. When we make money, we will take care of you in your old age."
Yang Bingliang is known for his sweet talk in front of his parents. His eldest brother has separated from the family, and his parents now live with him. His parents are still able to work and have some money, so Yang Bingliang is willing to stay with them for now. As for whether Yang Bingliang will be willing to provide for his parents in their old age, that's uncertain.
When Yang's mother heard what Yang Bingliang said, she was very happy.
Miao Guifeng had expected Lu Dongxiang to cause a scene, but she hadn't expected her to be so useless, saying nothing more than a few words. Aren't all Lu Dongxiang's family members in South City? Don't they all love to make decisions for Lu Dongxiang?
It's so useless, totally useless!
"I thought it was a tiger, but it turned out to be a sick cat." Miao Guifeng closed the door and deliberately said loudly in the room.
Lu Dongxiang and others happened to hear what Miao Guifeng said. Before Lu Dongxiang could say anything, Yang's mother angrily knocked on Miao Guifeng's door.
"Old man, did you get hit on the head? Is there a hole in your brain?" Yang's mother said, "You're taking care of the children, what nonsense are you talking about?"
After a while, Miao Guifeng opened the door. "Why do you keep banging on my door so hard? If it breaks, will you compensate me? If you keep banging on the door like this, when it's night and I don't sleep, I'll go bang on your door and Dad's door!"
"You're... crazy, crazy, you really are crazy," Yang's mother said. "If you do that, not only will you disturb our rest, but the neighbors on both sides might hear it."
"They heard it, so what? Anyway, in their eyes, I'm not a very good person." Miao Guifeng said, "If you want me to stop doing that, then you should stop knocking on the door so often. If others ask, I'll just be you..."
"Stop talking. Stop banging on the door, okay?" Yang's mother said, "Just knock gently, that should be fine."
"Haha." Miao Guifeng sneered. She turned to look at Lu Dongxiang and said deliberately, "Sister-in-law, if you get pregnant and give birth, you must be careful. My son was almost sold by my mother."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Mother Yang glared at Miao Guifeng.
"But you don't have to worry too much, sister-in-law. Mom favors your man, so she probably won't sell your child." Miao Guifeng said.
Mother Yang wanted to cover Miao Guifeng's mouth, but Miao Guifeng was not holding the child, and the child was sleeping. Miao Guifeng was strong and powerful, so Mother Yang couldn't stop her.
Neighbors who weren't working heard the noises coming from the Yang family's house. Some stood near the doorway, listening in. Some neighbors had long known that some of the things in Yang Bingliang's bridal chamber were borrowed. The Yang family hadn't said anything, but after years of living together, they knew what was going on.
If the Yang family was really that wealthy, Mother Yang wouldn't have thought of selling her grandson. The Yang family didn't have that much money, and they had to save face for their youngest son, so things turned out like this.
"..." Lu Dongxiang didn't quite understand what selling a child meant. Would a grandmother sell her own grandson?
Lu Dongxiang found that there were many things she didn't understand, and she didn't know how many things the Yang family had hidden from her. Maybe she would find out when she talked more with her neighbors.
That evening, Sheng Jiahao sent Jiang Moli home. They met Jiang's father at the intersection. Jiang's father was carrying some things, which were benefits given by their company. Jiang Moli saw her father and saw that he was about to arrive home, but she pretended not to see him, otherwise she would be scolded by her father again.
"That's my dad." Jiang Moli said.
Sheng Jiahao stopped the car in front of Jiang's father. He didn't think of driving past him directly.
"Dad." Jiang Moli poked her head out, "Dad."
Father Jiang was originally wondering who had the car, but when he heard his daughter's voice, he turned around and looked at the person in the car. Where did this yellow-haired kid come from?!
"Dad." Jiang Moli said, "Want to get in the car?"
"It's just a few steps away." Jiang's father said, "You go first."
Jiang's father walked forward, not getting in the car. He had to hurry to the gate of the compound to see what the relationship was between Jiang Moli and the man in the car. It was clearly less than two minutes' walk, but Jiang's father felt his steps were heavy. His little daughter had grown up so quickly. Was she even old enough to find a partner? Jiang's father still wasn't ready to be a father-in-law.
Before, when Jiang Yuqin was not his biological daughter, Jiang Yuqin stole the household registration book to get married, and Jiang's father was very sad. This time, it was okay, perhaps because Jiang Yuqin had tossed around that time before, so Jiang's father thought that as long as his daughter did not steal the household registration book to get married, it would be fine. By the way, his daughter should not be pregnant at this time, right?
Father Jiang's mind was in a turmoil, and he was thinking about many things, both real and imaginary. When he reached the gate of the compound, he realized that he had been able to think about so many things in such a short time.
"Dad." Jiang Moli had already gotten out of the car.
Sheng Jiahao parked his car on the side, where the road was wider, so parking next to it wouldn't hinder others from walking. Sheng Jiahao also got out of the car. He and Jiang Moli's parents hadn't officially met yet, and Jiang Moli hadn't originally thought of letting Sheng Jiahao meet her parents so soon, but her father saw it all. Jiang Moli had told her mother before, and she was still wondering if her mother would tell her father about her relationship.
"Your colleague?" Father Jiang still held onto hope.
"He's my boyfriend, Sheng Jiahao." Jiang Moli said directly. She was an adult, and it wasn't illegal to date. "He's also my teacher's son."
"Hello, uncle." Sheng Jiahao said.
"Am I older than your father?" Jiang's father asked.
"Hello, uncle?" Sheng Jiahao changed his address.
"What if I'm older?" Jiang's father asked.
"It doesn't matter whether he's old or young." Jiang Moli took her father's arm and said, "Dad, this is the front door, let's not talk here. Tell me, should we let him go back directly or let him go in for some tea?"
"..." What could Jiang's father say? He was not ready to marry his daughter off yet.
"Come in and have some tea." Jiang's mother came over without needing Jiang's father to answer.
Sheng Jiahao wasn't ready to meet Jiang's parents today, but luckily he'd bought some things for Jiang Moli, including a leg of lamb that a friend had given him. He'd just told Jiang Moli to take it home and cook it, and after he'd taken those things from the car, he felt like they were missing something. It wouldn't be a good idea to buy other things right now, so he'd just carry these things inside.
"Is this specially prepared?" Jiang's father asked.
"No, these aren't the things I've specially prepared." Sheng Jiahao said quickly. This was the first time he'd met his girlfriend's father. He didn't know what other people's dating scenes were like, nor did he know what other men gave him when they first visited. Sheng Jiahao felt that he wasn't well prepared and was afraid that Jiang's father would be unhappy. "I'll definitely prepare well for the next official visit."
"..." Father Jiang glanced at Sheng Jiahao. He looked okay and had decent financial conditions. This car should belong to Sheng Jiahao, right? Could it be borrowed?
Jiang's father knew that Yang Bingliang had borrowed appliances and money from other people to get married, and that many things were borrowed, but he hid them from the woman and didn't let her know. Jiang's father was worried that Sheng Jiahao was the same way. Many men like to deceive women, and they also think women are snobbish.
If Jiang's father had a son instead of a daughter, he would probably think that women ask for too much and would not think there was anything wrong with his son deceiving others a little.
"He's a college student," Jiang's mother whispered to Jiang's father. "One of the first batch of college students after the college entrance examination was reinstated."
The Jiang family and the Sheng family didn't live close together. If Jiang Moli hadn't been admitted to the Nancheng Art College, the Jiang family and the Sheng family would probably still be strangers. The Jiang family didn't meet Teacher Lu until Jiang Moli was admitted to the Nancheng Art College. Jiang's mother looked at Sheng Jiahao. She was quite satisfied with him.
They were the first batch of college students after the resumption of the college entrance examination. They were college students, and they were a very significant group.
"College student?" Jiang's father didn't know this yet.
"Yes." Jiang's mother said.
When they got home, Jiang Moli said, "Please sit down."
Jiang Moli asked Sheng Jiahao to sit down, but Sheng Jiahao didn't dare to sit down. He looked at Jiang's father and mother. Jiang's mother took the things from Sheng Jiahao and couldn't help asking, "Did you come here specially today?"
"No, he just sent me back and happened to meet Dad." Jiang Moli said.
"Why are there so many things?" Jiang's mother looked at the leg of lamb in her hand.
"He is my boyfriend, so can't he give me things from time to time?" Jiang Moli asked back.
"..." Jiang's mother thought that if Sheng Jiahao was not here, she, as a mother, would have to say something to Jiang Moli. Jiang's mother looked at Sheng Jiahao again, "Sit down, sit down quickly."
Sheng Jiahao still didn't dare to sit down. Only when Jiang's father told him to sit down did Sheng Jiahao sit down.
After Sheng Jiahao sat down, Jiang's mother poured tea over. Jiang Moli was sitting over there. She wanted to talk, but Jiang's mother said, "Moli, come here."
Jiang Moli had no choice but to get up and go to Jiang's mother. She looked at Sheng Jiahao and said: I wish you good luck.
Jiang's mother pulled Jiang Moli to the kitchen and said, "Ask your father about it. If he encounters this, how can he not ask?"
Jiang Yuqin had been having so many problems before, and Father Jiang had been in a bad mood. If Mother Jiang and Jiang Moli didn't let Father Jiang ask about it now, Father Jiang would feel even more uncomfortable. Mother Jiang still hoped that Father Jiang could relax a little.
"Ask, ask." Jiang Moli said, "Mom, what should we do with this leg of lamb?"
"It's too late to stew it today. We won't be able to make it in time for dinner." Jiang's mother looked at the lamb leg. "Just clean it up a bit. Scrape off any hair that wasn't cleaned off. Then chop it up and put it in the refrigerator. We'll stew it early tomorrow. This lamb leg is quite big, not too small."
"Jiahao said it was a gift from his friend, so he gave it to me." Jiang Moli said.
"Don't you want to take it home?" asked Jiang's mother.
"He could have given the family other things, he doesn't have to give this." Jiang Moli said, "He just wants to behave well now. He and I just started dating, if he doesn't behave well now, when will he behave well? Many men behave well when they are in a relationship. If they don't behave well when they are in a relationship, don't expect them to behave well after marriage."
"You, at such a young age, know so much." Jiang's mother didn't say these words to Jiang Moli specifically. She was still wondering if Jiang Moli didn't understand much. When Jiang's mother heard what Jiang Moli said, she thought it was a good thing for Jiang Moli to be more rational and not be deceived.
In the living room, Jiang's father asked Sheng Jiahao how many people were in his family, what his parents did for a living, where his brother was, and whether his sisters were married... Jiang's father also asked if Sheng Jiahao's car belonged to the company and whether he would be criticized for using the company car for personal purposes...
Jiang Moli didn't go over to stop Jiang's father. If Jiang's father wanted to ask, then let him ask. If Sheng Jiahao became impatient and didn't want to talk anymore, it meant that Sheng Jiahao probably had some problems. Parents worry about their children and ask more questions. If they don't understand more clearly, how can parents trust their daughter to someone else's son?
Sheng Jiahao answered Jiang's father's questions one by one. Those things were not very confidential.
"You don't work within the system? You don't want to do the job arranged by the state?" Jiang's father was very surprised when he learned that Sheng Jiahao went into business on his own.
Sheng Jiahao is one of the first batch of college students after the resumption of the college entrance examination. If Sheng Jiahao goes to work in a relevant department, his future will be limitless.
"My brother is already in the system," Sheng Jiahao said. "The spring breeze of reform is blowing across the land, and this is a good time."
"Young man, you're really brave," Jiang's father said, "Aren't you afraid of getting into trouble?"
"If you can't make it, then re-enter the system," said Sheng Jiahao.
"..." Jiang's father thought about it and it made sense. His family was well-off, and he was a capable person. If his startup failed, he could return to work within the system. Competent people came and went freely, while those without skills had connections and could enjoy a bit of freedom. Those without skills and connections were less likely to make the wrong move.
Jiang Moli came out after Jiang's father had asked almost all his questions, "Mom has prepared dinner, let's eat first."
"I'm going back..."
"You can eat here." Jiang's mother waved towards Sheng Jiahao, "I asked you to stay and eat, not to go back."
Jiang's mother brought the dishes to the table, and Jiang Moli also helped to serve. Jiang Moli's cooking was not good, but she was okay at serving dishes. If the plate was too hot after being steamed in the pot, she would use a wet cloth to hold it. Every time Jiang's mother saw Jiang Moli holding a wet cloth to hold the plate, she would just do it herself. Jiang Moli always wondered if her mother's hands were thicker, so that she would not be afraid of being burned.
Jiang's mother often cooks, so she does have some calluses on her hands. She's a bit more heat-resistant, unlike Jiang Moli's delicate skin. Jiang Moli studied opera, so she also has some calluses on her hands, which is inevitable from waving sleeves and silk.
Sheng Jiahao ate with the Jiang family. Jiang's mother had a little less cooking, so she steamed some buns. Those buns were made by Jiang's mother and frozen in the refrigerator. She took them out and steamed them at this time.
After having a refrigerator at home, Jiang's mother made more buns, steamed buns and dumplings. These things can be frozen in the refrigerator and can be eaten anytime when they want to.
"We don't have time to prepare this lamb leg today. We'll have to stew it tomorrow." Jiang's mother said with a smile, "How about you come over to our house and eat it tomorrow?"
"You guys just eat, no need to ask me to eat specifically." Sheng Jiahao said, "But I will still come to see Jasmine when I have time."
"Look for it, you young people, please interact more." Jiang's mother said.
"Would you like to drink?" Jiang's father asked Sheng Jiahao.
"You can drink a little, but not too much. Drinking can easily lead to trouble." Sheng Jiahao said. Many people say that drinking is necessary for business talks, but he doesn't think so. Drinking a little is fine, but if you drink too much, you don't know what will happen.
The world may seem peaceful, but there are many hidden things underneath. The reason why Sheng Jiahao returned to Nancheng from the capital was that his family had some roots in Nancheng. It didn't matter if Sheng Jiahao drank less in Nancheng to do business, and others didn't dare to force him to drink more.
If Sheng Jiahao was doing business somewhere else, he might be forced to do something he didn't want to do.
"It's better for men to drink less," Jiang's mother said. "If you get drunk, it's easy to get carried away."
Some people say that drinking leads to promiscuity. Is that really true? It's simply letting out the evil side of one's inner self. The person has that in mind, and doesn't have any idea of what will happen after drinking. If someone is truly drunk, they wouldn't do something like that.
As a woman, Jiang's mother knew that women didn't like their significant others to be with other women. She didn't want Sheng Jiahao to say something happened when he was drunk, as that would be bad.
"It's better not to drink at home." Jiang's father said, it's better not to pour the wine.
Jiang's mother had just taken out the wine when she heard what her husband said.
"Yes, uncle is right." Sheng Jiahao quickly agreed with Jiang's father.
Jiang Moli held the bowl and picked up some food for herself. These people could do whatever they wanted. Jiang Moli said nothing was good. She was stuck in the middle. It would be better for her father to say more.
After dinner, Sheng Jiahao helped clean up the dishes, but Jiang's mother didn't let him do it.
"Aren't you going back? Let Jasmine take you there," Jiang's mother said. "Will your parents tell you that you've delayed us for so long?"
"I don't live with them. I moved out." Sheng Jiahao said.
"Is this your own house or is it rented?" asked Jiang's father.
"My own house." Sheng Jiahao said.
When Jiang's father thought about Jiang Yuqin renting a house with Ding Chao, he sometimes still thought about Jiang Yuqin, because that was his stain.
"My own house is good, my own house is good." Jiang's mother knew that Jiang's father was thinking of Jiang Yuqin. Jiang Yuqin must be mentally ill, insisting on raising a child for someone else or renting a house. Given Jiang Yuqin's situation, if her background had not been exposed before, Jiang Yuqin had a stable job and could still find a man with better conditions. Why would she raise a child for someone else?
"We can move to a new, bigger house later," Sheng Jiahao said. The house he lives in now is still a bit small. Sheng Jiahao had previously thought that if he lived alone, he wouldn't need such a big house for the time being, but if he got married and had children, he would need a bigger house, preferably one with a yard.
Jiang Moli can practice her voice in the yard, and the children can play in the yard. Sheng Jiahao felt warm in his heart when he thought of that scene.
"Our house is a little small." said Jiang's father.
"..." Sheng Jiahao looked embarrassed. He seemed to have said something wrong again. "It's not small, it's not small. The house my parents live in is about the same as this one. It's about the same."
"Let's go, let's go." Jiang Moli said. Sheng Jiahao continued to stand there. If he spoke, Jiang's father could still speak.
Jiang Moli sent Sheng Jiahao to the gate of the compound. Just as they arrived at the door, the sound of bowls and chopsticks being smashed was heard, and someone was cursing loudly over there.
"I didn't marry here to suffer!" The voice was loud.
Jiang Moli looked at Sheng Jiahao, and Sheng Jiahao looked back.
"It's okay. There are so many people living here, so it's easy for all kinds of things to happen." Jiang Moli said, "Those people just said a few words at home, not rushing to other people's homes."
"Be careful." Sheng Jiahao said.
"It's like this here. The sound insulation isn't very good. If the sound is a little louder, it will spread easily." Jiang Moli said, "You go back first and be careful on the road."
"Okay, you should be careful too." Sheng Jiahao felt uncomfortable when he heard the quarreling sounds. He didn't know when the noises would stop and whether it would affect Jiang Moli's rest.
Sheng Jiahao drove away, and Jiang Moli said goodbye to him and went home first. Jiang Moli returned to the room, and she could still hear the noise outside.
The Yang family was arguing, and Lu Dongxiang felt upset whenever she thought about the things in the house being moved away. Lu Dongxiang used to be more diligent and would take the initiative to cook and wash dishes, but now, Lu Dongxiang didn't want to do those trivial things.
Yang's mother likes to manipulate her daughter-in-law. She used to manipulate Miao Guifeng. If Miao Guifeng and her husband hadn't separated from the family, these chores would have been done by Miao Guifeng. But now that Miao Guifeng and her husband have separated from the family, Yang's mother has done these chores for a while. She misses the time when she didn't have to do these chores, so she wants Lu Dongxiang to do it. Yang's mother thought that if she asked Lu Dongxiang to do it, she would do it.
Lu Dongxiang is not Miao Guifeng. Miao Guifeng considered herself a country woman, and her marriage to Yang Bingrong was a blessing. That was the Miao Guifeng of the past; the Miao Guifeng of today would never do such things. Lu Dongxiang's family lives in the city, and she's very assertive. It was the Yang family who were at fault in the first place. Why should they make her do so much work? Do they really think she's easy to bully? They bullied her once, and now they're bullying her again and again?
If Lu Dongxiang doesn't express her attitude now, she will be bullied by Yang's mother in the future, so she will not do such a stupid thing.
"You're a marriage scam!" Lu Dongxiang said angrily. "You get what you pay for. You've already done this, and you still have the nerve to ask me to do so much work? Why don't you do it yourself? Do you think you've found a free servant and I can just do the work for you? Don't you want to work?"
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