"I told you not to marry the factory manager's daughter, but you wouldn't listen. What's the use of money and power? You have the temper of a landlord's daughter. You won't eat this or that. Now you don't even come home, and I don't know where you took the child!"
Well, if you ask me, Zhiqiang, you should have chosen a job at the textile factory in our town. Even if it were in town, it would be better than what you have now.
"I have a wife and son at home, and I don't have to walk so far to come over. This is ridiculous!"
Liu Guixiang sighed and somewhat disgruntledly picked up the wine bottles on the ground.
Xu Zhiqiang had been unable to sleep since Liu Guixiang came in, and now, with Liu Guixiang nagging him, his mind became even more awake.
Did I really make the wrong choice?
He just didn't want to go back to that wretched place in his hometown, where he toiled in the fields all day long.
He didn't want to live a life where he didn't know where his next meal would come from.
He initially sought connections to join the army so that he could get a better job after leaving. Normally, the longer you serve in the army, the better the job you can get after leaving the military. But unexpectedly, after he was transferred to the camp, he was among the first batch of people to be discharged.
The jobs available aren't very good either.
He had indeed carefully considered his options and chose to work at the town's textile factory. He also followed his family's wishes and returned home to find a partner immediately after the job change.
But fate is cruel. Just a week before he was to report to the textile factory, one of his cousins said he could help him transfer to the security department of the county steel plant. He put half of his savings into it and got a job as a regular security guard in the county security department.
Unexpectedly, because he was good-looking, he was introduced to Zhou Yali, who was the factory director's daughter. Xu Zhiqiang's first reaction was that he had to seize this opportunity so that he could stay in the county town for a long time.
So Xu Zhiqiang immediately began to relentlessly pursue Zhou Yali, using all sorts of gentle and considerate tactics. In order not to reveal that he had been married, he even made the whole village believe that he was still working at the textile factory in town.
Because their village was far from the town and no one else worked in the town, the lie went undetected for a while.
Fortunately, he hadn't registered his marriage with his previous wife; they had only done a simple ceremony. In just six months, Xu Zhiqiang not only won Zhou Yali's heart but also successfully climbed to the position of deputy head of the security department.
If you ask him if he regrets anything, he absolutely does not.
Having witnessed the prosperity of the city and county, how could he possibly return to that run-down village?
"Mother, please stop talking. There's no way I'll go back!"
Xu Zhiqiang sat up straight, then casually reached for the cigarette case next to his pillow, picked up a cigarette, and lit it.
"How's things at home?"
Liu Guixiang sighed and nodded, "Okay, Yumei and the child are both fine, they just miss you."
"Qiangzi, my grandson can already call out to people. If you don't go back, I'm afraid he won't recognize you!"
Xu Zhiqiang remained silent, then took a deep drag on his cigarette.
"I'm his father. We might not recognize each other now, but we'll eventually. Did you find out about you coming to take care of Yali?"
"No, don't worry about that."
Liu Guixiang quickly waved her hand, "I told you so, I told you you found me a job in the factory canteen, so I came here to work."
I took the girl's two bottles of malted milk powder and milk powder back with me. Yu Mei was so happy with them, thinking I bought them, and even told me to keep them for my own use with my wages!
Liu Guixiang was initially quite pleased with herself, but seeing Xu Zhiqiang's indifferent expression, she could only suppress her smile and sit down next to him.
"Qiangzi, how long are you going to keep this a secret? You're hiding it from both sides now, what if it gets exposed?"
Yu Mei is a good daughter-in-law, but Ya Li's family is powerful and influential. If this goes on for too long, I'm worried you won't be able to handle it!"
Not to mention Xu Zhiqiang, Liu Guixiang herself has to rehearse her words several times in her mind before speaking each day, for fear that she might blurt something out in her haste and ruin Xu Zhiqiang's plans.
Xu Zhiqiang shook his head and finished the last puff of his cigarette.
"Now is not the time to talk about this, Mother. I have to go and bring them back, otherwise my father-in-law will not let me go back to work."
"How can we not let you go to work? Oh dear, you'd better hurry up and coax her back. We can't afford to lose our secure jobs!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Guixiang became extremely anxious. Losing a wife was one thing, but a secure job was the pride of the Xu family, and they absolutely could not afford to lose it!
Xu Zhiqiang didn't say anything, took a deep drag on his cigarette, and threw the cigarette butt, which was already burning his butt, on the ground.
His mother was right. When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. Judging from the current situation, if he doesn't want to lose the steel plant, he has to appease Zhou Yali. As for the report, it's already happened, and there's no use in getting angry.
The most urgent task right now is to keep my job and the opportunity for immediate promotion.
After calming down and thinking things through, Xu Zhiqiang got out of bed, found some clean clothes, took a shower, and changed.
Seeing that he was about to leave, Liu Guixiang immediately guessed that her son was going to pick up Zhou Yali and her daughter.
"Qiangzi, remember to coax him properly when you get back. No matter what, you have to get the job back."
"That little bitch is so arrogant because she has a good father. Just wait, I'll get my revenge for her later!"
Liu Guixiang was filled with resentment. She said that Zhou Yali, that little bitch, was not on the same side as her son and looked down on them, the country folk. Now, she went back to her parents' home after suffering a little grievance and even caused her husband to lose his job.
Bah! What's wrong with slapping someone? In their village, a slap like that is considered mild.
Such a disobedient wife should be tied up and beaten, and then starved for a few meals before she will behave!
"Mom, I know. You'd better tidy up the house quickly, otherwise she'll give you a hard time when she comes back and sees the house in such a mess."
After saying that, Xu Zhiqiang picked up his bicycle keys and went out. Liu Guixiang pursed her lips and continued to clean up the wine bottles that Xu Zhiqiang had thrown on the ground.
In the village, it's always the mother-in-law who rests while the daughter-in-law does the work, but in their family, it's the other way around.
Forget it, this isn't their village. She'll tidy up first, and once her son becomes the director and factory manager, let's see how arrogant that little bitch will be!
After leaving home, Xu Zhiqiang went to the supply and marketing cooperative first. Since he planned to apologize, it wouldn't be proper if he didn't bring something.
He bought two cartons of good cigarettes and gritted his teeth to buy two bottles of Wuliangye liquor. Zhou Yali's father didn't abstain from smoking or drinking, so with these two things, at least he could save face later.
After buying his things, Xu Zhiqiang rode his bicycle straight towards Zhou Yali's house. He didn't even consider whether he needed to bring a gift for Zhou Yali's mother, since it was Zhou Yali's father who had the power, not her mother.
Zhou Yali's home is in the steel factory's staff quarters, surrounded by steel factory workers and their families.
Although most people are out at work at this time, there are still many elderly women who don't go to work but stay at home knitting sweaters, sewing shoe soles, or even pasting matchboxes to pass the time.
As soon as Xu Zhiqiang entered the alley of the residential compound, he was spotted by someone.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com