Chapter 57 Changes He Jingxian gave birth
"It's not burnt. We just stopped the fire." Jiang's mother said.
"You were holding the shovel, so I thought there was food in the pot," Jiang Moli said.
Jiang's mother, still wearing an apron, said, "People say Fan Xiaoxue is pregnant. I don't know if it's true or not. I just saw her belly and it's flat, not big. Maybe it's just the beginning of the month, so it's not noticeable."
"What era is this? If she's really pregnant, there's no problem." Jiang Moli said, "There are people who live together before they reach the legal marriage age and hold a wedding banquet, and they're considered married. Some people get pregnant and have children early without a marriage certificate. Mom, it doesn't matter whether Xiaoxue is pregnant or not."
"That's true." Jiang's mother nodded. "If you say so..."
"I'm not thinking of getting pregnant and having a baby so early. Even if I get married early, I still have to wait," Jiang Moli said. "After waiting for ten or eight years, I'll be able to have a baby."
"Don't say you don't want to have a baby later." Jiang's mother said.
"No." Jiang Moli shook her head. "I've already thought about it. I'll give birth when the time comes."
In her previous life, Jiang Moli was unmarried. In this life, she is married. Jiang Moli isn't the type to be happy for others to have children; she's doing it for herself. She wants to change her lifestyle in this life, but it's not that women exist solely for the purpose of having children; it's just that everything is just right.
Jiang Moli works within the system, has a stable job, and things are much easier to handle. In her previous life, Jiang Moli worked in a private company, where everyone was very competitive, and Jiang Moli followed suit. Eventually, they had no time for a relationship, and she didn't want one anymore. She finally understood why so many people liked working within the system: guaranteed income, decent employee benefits, and maternity leave, unlike private companies, which didn't like married women without children.
It's not just because some women deliberately conceal their pregnancy when they start work and then quit after giving birth, but also because private companies don't want to assume social responsibilities and are more concerned with profit.
"Mom, don't worry." Jiang Moli said, "I have planned everything well."
"I hope everything goes as you planned." Jiang's mother said.
"Yes, yes." Jiang Moli said, "If there are some deviations from the plan, that's fine. Even a slight deviation is perfectly normal."
Fan Xiaoxue was getting married, and she sent an invitation to Shi's mother, asking her to take a good look at the name on the invitation. The man's name was not Shi Nan, but someone else. Fan Xiaoxue no longer cared about Shi Nan, so Shi's mother should stop talking about her all the time.
It's true that Shi Nan was the first college student on this street after the resumption of the college entrance examination, but Shi Nan is not the only college student in the world. Does not being a college student mean you don't have to live? Not all people who haven't attended college are inferior to those who have.
When Shi's mother saw Fan Xiaoxue's wedding invitation, she was disgusted.
"They're here to ask for our share of the money," Shi's mother said. "What's the relationship between our family and theirs? We're just neighbors. They can't possibly invite all the neighbors. Even if they did, wouldn't it be better to invite the neighbors around? We're still several houses away from them."
Before Fan Xiaoxue got engaged or married, Shi's mother had to speak. Even after Fan Xiaoxue gave Shi's mother an invitation to her wedding, Shi's mother still had to speak. Shi's mother had to speak all the time, and whatever others did was wrong.
"They're all neighbors." That was all Father Shi could say. "Didn't you say before that they shouldn't get married soon? Aren't they getting married now? Those who are engaged are engaged, and those who are married are married. You don't have to worry about Shi Nan getting too close to them."
"They'd better not think about anything else." Shi's mother said, "It's not that I have to say that. Our Shi Nan is the first college student on our street. So many people are staring at him, treating him like a delicious bun, and wanting to take a bite."
Whenever Shi Mu looked at anyone, she felt that they were staring at her son.
"Who doesn't envy our family? Our Shi Nan is so good." said Shi's mother.
Shi's mother was talking about how great Shi Nan was and how outstanding her son was, as if her son was the best person in the world.
That evening, Jiang Moli and Sheng Jiahao were walking in the park. There were quite a few people in the park, walking together in twos and threes, chatting and laughing. Jiang Moli told Sheng Jiahao that Fan Xiaoxue was getting married, and that Fan Xiaoxue's boyfriend knew that she had liked Shi Nan.
"She said it directly when she came to deliver the invitation." Jiang Moli sighed. "This kind of thing, knowing it in advance, I don't know if they will quarrel about it in the future. If they bring up something like this during the quarrel, it will be very bad."
"I knew it from the beginning. I made the choice, so I shouldn't regret it." Sheng Jiahao said, "If that man brings this up, there's something wrong with him."
"It's not easy to find a good partner." Jiang Moli said, "I think Sister Xiaoxue...it depends on her own wishes."
Jiang Moli didn't know whether Fan Xiaoxue loved her fiancé, but the two grew up together and played together for many years, so there was some affection between them.
"They think it's appropriate and want to get married. They must have thought about it. It's impossible that they haven't thought about anything." Sheng Jiahao said.
"Yeah, I think so too." Jiang Moli turned to look at Sheng Jiahao, "Do you have a childhood sweetheart?"
"To say I don't have any is a lie. I didn't grow up alone, nor did I grow up with people from the same street. It's just a matter of how much contact we had." Sheng Jiahao said, "Some of the people I know have graduated and become teachers, some work in factories, and some are educated youth in the countryside."
Sheng Jiahao was a few years older than Jiang Moli. Some of their age had gone to the countryside as educated youth. Those who once lived on the same street had dispersed, and Sheng Jiahao would occasionally see them and just say hello.
"As time goes by, we will drift further and further apart," Sheng Jiahao said. "When we do different things, it's sometimes hard to meet each other."
"You even went to college," Jiang Moli said. "Look at us, isn't it the same? We've moved to different units and different places. The friends we used to get along with are now gone. We're not as close as we used to be. It's changed a lot."
"People have grown up." Sheng Jiahao said.
"Yes, I've grown up." Jiang Moli nodded.
Ever since Jiang Moli bought Zhao Jiaojiao a guzheng, she's been practicing it regularly at home. Niu Cuihua, worried that Zhao Jiaojiao might start out serious but then lose focus, kept a closer eye on her. Niu Cuihua had never learned the guzheng before and didn't know how to play it, but she could still tell if it sounded good or not.
"Practice well." Niu Cuihua said to Zhao Jiaojiao, "Your aunt spent so much money to buy this for you. Don't think that you can't go out and play just because you practice at home. Once you practice well, you can go out and play."
"You need to practice." Zhao Jiaojiao said, "You don't have to go out to play."
Zhao Jiaojiao was afraid that if she didn't study well, she wouldn't be able to continue learning the guzheng. Zhao Jiaojiao didn't really love the guzheng, but she subconsciously felt that if she didn't study hard, she would miss out on a lot. Zhao Jiaojiao was so young that she didn't understand anything. She was thinking that her aunt had bought her a guzheng, and that her aunt must be hoping that she would learn the guzheng well. Since her aunt was so good, she had to listen to her aunt.
"It's good that you understand. I spent a lot of money to enroll you in guzheng lessons," Niu Cuihua said. "You should continue learning when you enter first grade. Your brother will be going to kindergarten soon. When he's a little older, he should learn something too. Your aunt and grandmother are always right. Mom is from the country, so she doesn't know that much."
Niu Cuihua only thought that she and her husband could raise their child, so there was no need to worry about so many other problems. Children in the city were already learning all kinds of things at a young age, while children in the countryside were still playing in the mud.
It’s not that children in the countryside are not as smart as children in the city, but that parents in the city know how to arrange something for their children to do early on.
"Study hard, and when you grow up, you will be able to be successful. You won't have to get up early like your mother to make tofu and sell it." Niu Cuihua said.
Niu Cuihua makes tofu and sells it, while Miao Guifeng sells roasted sweet potatoes.
In her previous life, Miao Guifeng didn't start selling roasted sweet potatoes. She had to cook for the entire Yang family, clean the house, and was busy giving birth to a child. How could she have the time to think about selling roasted sweet potatoes to make money? Now, Miao Guifeng is pregnant again, her first daughter from her previous life is here.
When Yang Bingrong learned that Miao Guifeng was pregnant, he was not particularly happy. They already had a son. If Miao Guifeng got pregnant again, the child would be considered an extra child.
"You don't want me to give birth to this child, do you?" Miao Guifeng asked Yang Bingrong.
"No, you can have children if you want," Yang Bingrong said. "Our workplace is quite lax. We don't say that if you have more than one child, both the husband and wife will be fired. Some people, if they have more than one child, the woman will lose her job."
Perhaps because their province is closer to the south, many people value family ties, the importance of having an heir, and the belief that having many children brings blessings, so some companies may be a little more relaxed. However, if you encounter a company with poor performance, they are already focused on increasing revenue and reducing costs, and someone has more children than they should, then you're in trouble. Generally, a little gift and some goodwill can smooth things over.
Miao Guifeng had been pregnant for several months, but she hadn't told Yang Bingrong until she was pregnant. The two of them were often busy, and they didn't do that kind of work every day. Miao Guifeng thought that her eldest daughter in her previous life was a very hardworking girl. Whenever there was something going on at home, she would do more and help her mother with housework, making her life easier.
Therefore, Miao Guifeng decided to have this child. With her eldest daughter around, her eldest son would have an easier time in the future.
Miao Guifeng hasn't been selling roasted sweet potatoes at the train station yet. A few days ago, she went to a closer location. She wears looser clothes to hide her belly. Summer makes her belly more visible. When her belly is smaller, when people ask her about it, she just says she's gained weight.
Now, Miao Guifeng plans to stay home and not sell roasted sweet potatoes. She wants to give birth to the baby first. Miao Guifeng and her husband's sister-in-law is also pregnant. Mother Yang makes all kinds of delicious food for Lu Dongxiang. She buys a lot of food without Lu Dongxiang saying anything.
Miao Guifeng saw how attentive Yang's mother was to Lu Dongxiang, which reminded her of when she was pregnant with her first child. Yang's mother paid no attention to her at all and even asked her to do some housework. Even when Miao Guifeng was not feeling well, she still had to do housework. If Miao Guifeng lay in bed for a while, Yang's mother would say that she was precious and that country women were not hardworking at all. She also said that others were lying to her and that Miao Guifeng was lazy.
"Your mother knows about your brother's child. Look at what Lu Dongxiang eats. She stews chicken even though she hasn't given birth yet." Miao Guifeng said, "When I was pregnant with my eldest son, your mother didn't make any food for me. When your sister-in-law was pregnant, she ate so many delicious foods, but your mother didn't even tell me to eat some and let your son have some."
Miao Guifeng felt sad whenever she thought of Yang's mother's actions.
In her previous life, Miao Guifeng thought she had no son and had to bow her head. In this life, Miao Guifeng thought she had a son, but Yang's mother and her people still treated her so badly. Indeed, if it weren't for Yang's mother, Miao Guifeng would have been able to live with her son in her previous life, so why would she have been thinking about having a son all day long?
"Mom doesn't know you're pregnant yet." Yang Bingrong said.
"You say that, do you believe it yourself?" Miao Guifeng asked, "We live under the same roof, and everyone suspects I'm pregnant, so how could your mother not know? Your mother just pretends not to see it, and gives all the delicious food to your sister-in-law. She doesn't even see me."
"I'll buy you whatever you want to eat." This was all Yang Bingrong could say. He had no way of asking his mother to make delicious food for Miao Guifeng, nor did he have any way of asking his mother to buy it.
"What's the point of saying it?" Miao Guifeng said, "Your mother is biased, to no end. You, don't always think about your brother. He won't think about you at all. Just wait, when they have a child, they will only think about how to kick us out of this house."
"No," Yang Bingrong said, "They don't dare anymore."
"That's because they're afraid of the kitchen knife in my hand," Miao Guifeng said. "I'm telling you, Yang Bingrong, whether they have a daughter or a son, this house is ours and we can't move out. If they force us to move out, I'll sacrifice their child to the gods."
Miao Guifeng's voice was loud, and Lu Dongxiang heard what she said. Lu Dongxiang was drinking chicken soup, and after a few sips, she heard Miao Guifeng wanted to sacrifice her child to the gods. Lu Dongxiang quickly covered her stomach. She didn't dare to chase Miao Guifeng and her husband out. How could she chase them away? Miao Guifeng was really too scary.
Back in the room, Lu Dongxiang complained to her husband.
"Your sister-in-law is always shouting about violence and killing," Lu Dongxiang said. "We didn't even chase them away, and she even said that if we forced them to move out, she would sacrifice our child to the gods. She has children herself, and she keeps saying these things, not afraid of others hearing them. She just said them to us on purpose to scare us, not afraid that I might have a miscarriage."
"Leave her alone." Yang Bingliang had no other options. Even his brother couldn't persuade his sister-in-law. "Spend less time with her."
"Your sister-in-law is pregnant again." Lu Dongxiang said, "I don't know if it's a boy or a girl."
"She already has a son." Yang Bingliang said, looking at Lu Dongxiang's belly, "It would be best if we had a son."
"Everyone says that this baby of mine is very likely to be a son, but we have to wait until it is born to know whether it is a son or a daughter," said Lu Dongxiang.
"It must be a son." Yang Bingliang said.
Early in the morning, Miao Guifeng went to Niu Cuihua to buy tofu. Niu Cuihua had already made the tofu. Some people came directly to Niu Cuihua's house to buy tofu, while others waited for Niu Cuihua to go out and sell the tofu before leaving their homes to buy it.
Miao Guifeng saw Niu Cuihua's diligent figure, and she felt a sense of regret. Their relationship at this time in their previous life was already very good, and they often chatted and worked together. But now, their relationship was not as good as it was in their previous life. Niu Cuihua would still smile when she saw Miao Guifeng, but that smile was for customers.
"Give me a piece of tofu." Miao Guifeng said.
"Okay." Niu Cuihua took a piece of tofu and put it in Miao Guifeng's bowl.
Each piece of Niu Cuihua's tofu is the same size, and she sells it based on the price per piece, without weighing it. Even if she did, the difference would be roughly the same, and it's even slightly cheaper than what's sold in stores. Neighbors haven't asked Niu Cuihua to weigh their tofu, but some people have done so before, and they found that the tofu was more expensive after weighing it. Of course, they pay the cheaper price, not the more expensive one.
Since Niu Cuihua's tofu is good and the price is relatively cheap, many people come to buy it.
"Isn't your Jiaojiao practicing the piano?" Miao Guifeng asked.
"It's too early. Many people are still asleep. We can't practice at this time and disturb others." Niu Cuihua said, "Practice after nine o'clock."
Zhao Jiaojiao hadn't started school yet, and after that, she'd have even less time to practice the guzheng. Summer vacation would give her more time to practice. Niu Cuihua didn't dare let her daughter disturb others' rest. If she did, the neighbors would say something. Niu Cuihua tried to get her daughter to practice at a suitable time, but it was impossible to take everything into consideration.
"We can practice in the evening." Niu Cuihua said. She saw Miao Guifeng's belly and thought she might be pregnant. "You should...come out less often."
Niu Cuihua had heard about the increasingly stringent family planning policy, now even written into the Constitution. In some places, the strictness led to people forcing pregnant women to have abortions. In cases like Miao Guifeng, who already had a son and was pregnant again, someone might have reported her before the police even came to her house.
Don't overestimate human nature. Some people are malicious towards pregnant women and just don't want to see them well.
Niu Cuihua and Miao Guifeng didn't have a very good relationship, but she still said something. After all, they were still neighbors and saw each other frequently.
"You come out less often later on." Miao Guifeng said.
"Yeah." Niu Cuihua nodded.
Miao Guifeng took the bowl of tofu and went back. After walking a few steps, she looked back at Niu Cuihua.
By the end of September, the "Five Women Paying Homage" crew had finished filming their scenes, and the cameras were handed over to other crews to film. Jiang Moli didn't have a role in another crew, so she didn't have to go. People like Qiao Yuwei, who had roles in other crews, still had to go film, but her part was small and it was over quickly.
After the filming is completed, the filmed clips have to be organized into a final film, which is not a problem that Jiang Moli needs to think about.
When Jiang Moli and Sheng Jiahao went shopping together, they ran into He Jingxian. He Jingxian was there with her mother-in-law, choosing clothes for her children. He Jingxian was going to work less often now, sometimes not going for a whole day, or even for several days in a row.
Qi's mother meant that if He Jingxian wanted to practice, she could do so at home, not at work. With Second Aunt Qi around, He Jingxian could still get her basic salary, but it would be harder to get the performance portion.
The other people at the company knew about He Jingxian's situation. At most, they grumbled about it privately, but they wouldn't bother her. Many people at the company were women, and there were relatively few men. Many women were going to get married and have children, and some were already married and had children. They were understanding, as they weren't the ones paying He Jingxian's salary.
Jiang Moli didn't expect to meet He Jingxian. They hadn't seen each other for a long time.
When they were in school, Jiang Moli and He Jingxian could see each other more often. After graduation, they worked in different units and lived in different places, so they saw each other less often. Jiang Moli occasionally heard about He Jingxian from Zhou Yaran, but she just listened and didn't go up to He Jingxian to take a look.
"What are you looking at?" Sheng Jiahao saw Jiang Moli stopped.
"I saw my former classmates." Jiang Moli replied.
"Former classmate?" Sheng Jiahao was puzzled. He followed Jiang Moli's gaze and couldn't help but said, "It really is."
When Sheng Jiahao saw He Jingxian, he had some impression of her. He Jingxian once wanted to rely on Sheng Jiahao to stay in Nancheng, but Sheng Jiahao ignored her. After He Jingxian graduated from school, it was said that after He Jingxian failed to pursue Sheng Jiahao, Teacher Lu did not let He Jingxian go to his home.
Teacher Lu felt that He Jingxian had changed her personality, but she also felt that He Jingxian had always been like this, but she just hadn't shown it before.
"She's pregnant," Jiang Moli said. "She's basically not going to work. She's staying at home to take care of herself."
He Jingxian went out with her mother-in-law to buy things and was not afraid of being encountered by people from the company.
"It's better to keep her." Jiang Moli said. She looked at He Jingxian again. He Jingxian had gained some weight.
Women do gain some weight when they are pregnant. He Jingxian is not particularly fat at first, and maybe she will gain some weight later.
"Are you scared?" Sheng Jiahao asked.
"Why do you ask?" Jiang Moli turned to look at Sheng Jiahao.
"I'm afraid my figure will get out of shape." Sheng Jiahao said.
"If it goes astray, we can fix it again." Jiang Moli said, "There are still many ways to do it."
Those female stars still have to correct their figures after giving birth, and some go out to film shortly after giving birth. Jiang Moli thought that if she got pregnant and gave birth, she wouldn't have to pay too much attention to maintaining her figure during pregnancy. It would be enough time to think about recovery after giving birth, so she wouldn't have to create anxiety for herself.
"In a few years, I'll be almost 30 years old," Jiang Moli said. "After having children, I can still sing opera. But after a few years, I'll have to retire soon and let new people take over."
Jiang Moli knew it clearly. She couldn't always play the main role and couldn't not give young people opportunities. As she got older, she could play other roles. It wasn't like she had no roles to play.
"Not bad." Sheng Jiahao said, "By then, you will definitely be able to sing well."
Jiang Moli and Sheng Jiahao went to other stores. They didn't have children and didn't need to give children's things to others, so naturally there was no need to go to the children's store. Jiang Moli rarely went out of her way to buy clothes for Zhao Jiaojiao and Zhao Jiaojiao's brother. She thought it would be enough to give some old clothes to Niu Cuihua to alter. Children grow up quickly, and Jiang Moli didn't have that much money.
Previously, Jiang Moli bought a guzheng for Zhao Jiaojiao, and that guzheng cost Jiang Moli a lot of money. Jiang Moli was not unwilling to spend money, but she valued Zhao Jiaojiao's future more.
At a time when many people have not yet started to learn instruments such as the guzheng and piano, Zhao Jiaojiao has already started to learn. When Zhao Jiaojiao grows up, she can at least become a teacher to teach others.
He Jingxian also saw Jiang Moli. She originally thought that Jiang Moli would come to her, but she didn't.
"Look at this dress." Qi's mother said, "It's blue, and it looks pretty good."
"Yeah." He Jingxian nodded and watched Jiang Moli leave.
He Jingxian still envied Jiang Moli. Jiang Moli was from South City and had a South City household registration. No matter how good her partner was, Teacher Lu wouldn't say much about her. He Jingxian sometimes wondered if Sheng Jiahao was so rich and Jiang Moli would have to get pregnant and have a baby soon after they got married. He Jingxian looked down at her belly and realized how she had compromised step by step.
At first, He Jingxian just wanted to stay in Nancheng. Later, she wanted a good role, she wanted the help of Aunt Qi, and she couldn't let her in-laws hate her. She had no choice but to get pregnant and give birth to a child according to her in-laws' ideas.
He Jingxian took Chinese medicine for a period of time to regulate her body, and she almost vomited after taking the medicine.
"Hmm, what? Look." Qi's mother said, "As a mother, you don't even know how to choose some good clothes for your child."
"This dress is very good." He Jingxian said, "Mom, you have good taste."
"I just picked up a piece of clothing at random, do you think it looks good?" said Qi's mother.
"No...it's just that this dress is really nice." He Jingxian's scalp tingled, worried that her mother-in-law would be unhappy. "Mom, are you buying all blue ones?"
"For boys, it's better to wear blue clothes, not pink." said Qi's mother.
He Jingxian knew that the Qi family wanted her to give birth to a boy, and she was afraid that the child she gave birth to would be a girl.
When Miao Guifeng was about six months pregnant, she took her child to live elsewhere, while her husband continued to live in the Yang family. Before leaving, Miao Guifeng specifically told the Yang family not to think about driving them away, saying that if Yang Bingrong moved out, Miao Guifeng would go crazy.
After hearing those words, the Yang family no longer dared to drive Miao Guifeng out.
If it weren't for family planning, Miao Guifeng would not have left if she wanted to go out and hide.
Miao Guifeng didn't go far; she stayed in a suburb of southern city. In her past life, Miao Guifeng had often dodged family planning officials. She had three daughters, and even had to hide from them when she gave birth to her next two daughters. She even sent her eldest daughter back to her hometown for several years, asking relatives there to raise her child, just to try and give birth to a son.
Jiang Moli didn't pay special attention to Miao Guifeng, but she felt that the Yang family had become much quieter and there were not so many noises.
"They haven't quarreled recently." Jiang Moli sighed while eating.
"It's not that there wasn't a quarrel. Miao Guifeng just went out to hide for a while and won't come back until she has the baby," Jiang's mother said. "Family planning is being strictly enforced now."
"She already has a son." Jiang Moli wasn't asking Miao Guifeng to abort the baby. She knew it was a daughter, and her statement could easily lead people to think she was discriminating against girls, thinking they shouldn't be born. That wasn't Jiang Moli's point, but rather that in this era of family planning, many people didn't consider having a second son after having one.
In the original novel, Miao Guifeng is really good to her son, but not so good to her daughter. Miao Guifeng often asks her daughter to think more about her brother and treat her son well. Her son is the lifeblood of Miao Guifeng. She gave birth to another daughter in this life not because she cared about her three daughters, but because she thought her daughter could help her son.
"If you want to have a baby, you can." Jiang's mother said.
"Yeah." Jiang Moli said.
"It's quiet over there now, no quarrels. I'm still a little uncomfortable with it." Jiang's mother said, "But it's good to have fewer quarrels. There's not much point in quarreling so many times."
Miao Guifeng quarreled with those people, and that was it.
Jiang's mother thought that if it were her, she would just rent a house with her husband to avoid so much quarreling. Jiang's mother was not Miao Guifeng. She didn't know how much money she would get after the house was demolished. Miao Guifeng was reborn. Miao Guifeng couldn't miss the demolition compensation. It was just a quarrel. If she quarreled a few more times, those people would not dare to say anything more about her.
"Arguing can still help determine one's status," Jiang Moli said, "At least others don't dare to bully her too much."
"It's really sad that it has come to this." Jiang's mother sighed.
The Yang family was a worthless bunch, and Miao Guifeng's life was truly miserable. If someone else had married Yang Bingrong, they'd probably have been slavishly treated like slaves by the Yang family. The Yang family had bullied Miao Guifeng before, forcing her to do a lot of housework. If it weren't for the sexually suggestive incident, Miao Guifeng probably wouldn't have woken up.
A mother is strong. Jiang's mother thinks that if it were for her child, she would do more.
After Miao Guifeng moved to the suburbs, she rarely went out to interact with others. She still had to bring her eldest son with her, fearing that he would not be treated well. Miao Guifeng, with a child and pregnant with another, naturally found it difficult to go out, as she would easily be discovered if she went out.
Yang Bingrong often went to see Miao Guifeng, and Miao Guifeng had to give Yang Bingrong instructions.
"When you come out, remember to lock the door." Miao Guifeng said, "Don't give your private money to your parents when I'm not around. We still have a child."
Miao Guifeng was afraid that Yang Bingrong was being foolishly filial. In his previous life, Yang Bingrong was very filial to his father and mother, and many of the things in the house were taken away by them. His mother always said that Yang Bingrong would have to rely on his nephew when he got old. Miao Guifeng also thought in her previous life that since she had no son, those people took some things away and she didn't need to argue with them.
In this life, Miao Guifeng was determined to settle scores with them. She was unwilling to let Yang's mother take even a small thing.
"I remember everything." Yang Bingrong said, "I take everything you said to heart."
"Well, that's good." Miao Guifeng said, "Don't blame me for being cruel to your parents. It's your parents who are cruel to our eldest son."
Time flew by and it was around June of the following year. Miao Guifeng returned with her son and daughter, and Lu Dongxiang gave birth to a boy. The Yang family became even more lively. When Yang's mother made something delicious, she would only make it for Lu Dongxiang and not for Miao Guifeng. Miao Guifeng would then curse and say something in front of the children.
"Did you see that? That's what your grandma is like. She's not good to you."
"From now on, don't even think about being filial to your grandma. Your grandma doesn't care about you."
"Mom is good to you, you have to know that."
…
Miao Guifeng has not yet sent her daughter to the countryside. She plans to wait until her daughter is a little older, around one year old, before sending her to live with relatives in the countryside. It's not that Miao Guifeng doesn't want to send her daughter to the countryside sooner, but the child is too young, and the relatives in the countryside are not willing to take care of such a young child.
Now, Jiang Moli and others heard the quarrel coming from next door again. After a long period of silence, the quarrel started again.
At this time, He Jingxian also gave birth to a child, but it was a daughter, not a boy. This made He Jingxian a little upset. Why did she give birth to a daughter and not a son?
After Qi Shixin learned that He Jingxian gave birth to a girl, he felt somewhat disgusted. He still wanted a son.
"Give birth to a daughter, then give birth to another one. First the flowers bloom, then the fruits bear." Qi's mother said.
He Jingxian felt a little upset when she heard this. She had originally thought that after giving birth to this child, she could sing opera in peace. But she gave birth to a daughter, while her in-laws wanted a son. Sure enough, they still wanted her to have another child.
"There's still a chance." Aunt Qi said. She also felt that He Jingxian could have more children in the future. With her around, He Jingxian could have as many children as she wanted and she could keep her job.
He Jingxian lay on the bed, looking at her daughter. She couldn't like her daughter. He Jingxian was full of thoughts about what she could do if she gave birth to a son. The birth of her daughter directly shattered her fantasy. He Jingxian still had to consider the thoughts of her in-laws. She had already given birth to a child, so wasn't it just another one?
The unit sent a representative to visit He Jingxian, and after a few words, they left.
Zhou Yaran was not a representative, so she did not go to see He Jingxian. There was nothing wrong with the two of them being classmates, and there was nothing wrong with them being colleagues, but who could blame them for not having a good relationship? After Zhou Yaran learned that He Jingxian had given birth to a daughter, she went to find Jiang Moli.
It’s not that I’m mocking He Jingxian for giving birth to a daughter, but I’m wondering whether He Jingxian should give in step by step.
Zhou Yiran sat in Jiang Moli's room with a banana in her hand.
"Her in-laws definitely want her to have a son. If she gives birth to a daughter, they will definitely force her to have another one." Zhou Yiran said, "After giving birth, she needs time to recover. If she goes on stage directly, her figure will not look good. This means that she still can't go on stage after returning to work. If her in-laws are too pushy, she will probably get pregnant again not long after she recovers and can go on stage. Two children in three years, and it will take four years to recover her figure."
Zhou Yiran was counting on her fingers, but no matter how she counted, she felt that this matter was very difficult to handle, too difficult to handle.
"Family planning allows for one child, but many people still choose to have more than one," Zhou Yiran said. "I don't know if He Jingxian regrets it. She's managed to stay in South City, but she has fewer opportunities to perform. She really needs a son first."
"This is her own decision." Jiang Moli said, "If she doesn't want to have a baby, no one can force her."
"It's all because of my in-laws," Zhou Yiran said. "It's a ready-made excuse, so let's compromise. The first child is a daughter. If the second is also a daughter, will we have to have a third child? It's really scary. If I get married, I will only have one child and not a second."
"You went on a blind date. How did you feel?" Jiang Moli asked.
"What else can I do? Go on more blind dates, meet more bad people, and maybe I'll meet the right one." Zhou Yiran said, "It's a good opportunity to see the diversity of species."
"You'll meet the right one someday," Jiang Moli said.
"I'm a little envious of you. If you could find a suitable partner sooner, you wouldn't have to go on blind dates like this," Zhou Yiran said. "Going on blind dates is sometimes interesting, and sometimes not at all. Actually, I know that when it comes to blind dates, the most important thing is material conditions. That's unavoidable; it's not like free love. It would be a lie to say I don't care about material conditions. Life has to go on, and material conditions can't be too bad."
"Food, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea—these are all very important," Jiang Moli said. "Don't believe that love can help you overcome all difficulties. It can't. Without money, many things can't be done. Socializing, raising children, everything requires money. Buying bags, lipstick, and skincare products all require money. If you don't have money, buying a lipstick every few years is a mistake. If you can't buy those cosmetics, because they're too expensive, and then you ask why you don't wear makeup, it's embarrassing for him."
Jiang Moli likes to go out without makeup, at most she'll just put on some lipstick. Jiang Moli has a good foundation, so she looks good without makeup. People with less beautiful makeup can also look good with a little makeup.
Some men are used to seeing beauties with makeup on. When they see a woman without makeup and just wearing lipstick, it’s okay if the woman is beautiful, but if she is not beautiful enough, men will directly say that she is not good-looking.
In her previous life, Jiang Moli heard people say that some people didn't like to wear makeup and were always told they looked bad. Sometimes, even when Jiang Moli didn't wear makeup, she was still told that. At first, she wondered if it was really her complexion that was bad. Later, Jiang Moli realized it wasn't her complexion that was bad, but rather that everyone was so used to others wearing makeup that they couldn't tell the difference between ordinary people without makeup.
It's like how TV dramas always like to smooth the skin of actors, making them look incredibly white, almost inhuman, with thick filters. When TV dramas don't smooth the skin and the actors' skin appears yellow, some people find it unacceptable, while others say it's just texture.
"You're so outstanding, you'll definitely find the right person." Jiang Moli said, "Many people envy you for having a job and being financially independent."
"It's okay. My mom hasn't rushed to kick me out yet. She said I'm not too old and I can go on a blind date first." Zhou Yiran said.
On the other hand, Zhu Zhixuan was not so free. She married the son of the unit leader as arranged by her mother. After becoming the daughter-in-law of the unit leader, Zhu Zhixuan got a better role in the unit. Some people praised her, while others kept their distance from her.
"Look at her, she's different because she has someone to back her up." Someone deliberately said this when Zhu Zhixuan passed by.
Another person chimed in, "Be careful, we never know. They might kick us out and tell us to get out."
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