That night, the group boldly made inner linings, producing eight sets of baby clothes before Ji Xia and Chen Jing were able to take them away.
Before leaving, Ji Xia pulled Sun Xiaoyu aside and said, "Xiaoyu, there's been a bit of a problem with the succession at my supply and marketing cooperative. Can you cover for me for a few days?"
"To cover your work?"
Sun Xiaoyu looked surprised, while Ji Xia smiled wryly and briefly explained the situation of her sister-in-law's vampire family.
Anyway, there's a high chance that Sun Xiaoyu will become her second sister-in-law, so it's okay for her to know a little bit.
I heard that the Zhang family is forcing Ji Xia to give up her job to her sister-in-law's family because of their two children, or else they will make them divorce. Sun Xiaoyu felt sorry for this future sister-in-law.
Such a bloodsucking family, as if they're afraid she'll have it too good in her husband's family, how pitiful.
Sun Xiaoyu agreed, then thought for a moment and asked, "Approximately how many days will it take?"
"I'm not sure. I need to prepare for my high school midterms, so I don't think I'll have time to work anymore. I can only wait for my sister-in-law to come back."
"Alright, you guys get this sorted out as soon as possible. I don't want to be away from the workshop for too long," Sun Xiaoyu said.
...
Zhang Hong followed her mother, Granny Zhang, and Zhang Qing back to the Zhang family in Xiapo Brigade.
Back at the Xiapo Brigade, when the villagers saw Zhang Hong, some exclaimed in surprise, "You're Zhang Hong? How did you become so beautiful?"
"You've finished your postpartum confinement, right? I heard you had twins? Why didn't you bring the babies back?"
"It's obvious at a glance that the Ji family treats her very well; Zhang Hong is truly blessed."
Several village women surrounded Zhang Hong, asking her questions incessantly, their faces full of envy.
Zhang Hong's situation was exceptionally fortunate among the young girls and women of Xiapo Village.
She married the son of the Party Secretary of the neighboring brigade. Her husband was handsome and treated her well.
Although they hadn't had children for two or three years after getting married, which drew criticism, the Ji family had no intention of abandoning them until this year when they had twins.
Now look at her, after her postpartum period, she not only didn't lose weight or look haggard, but she also looks more blessed than before, and even her complexion has become rosy. Who can't tell that she had an excellent postpartum period?
A group of people pressed her for details about her time in the Nanshan Brigade, but the more Zhang Hong listened, the more heartbroken she became.
With her family interfering, her life in her husband's family will likely be difficult from now on.
The Zhang family's old house was at the foot of the mountain at the end of the village. The house was old and dilapidated, with cracks appearing in the mud-brick walls and the thatched roof becoming sparse. On rainy days, it rained heavily outside and drizzled inside, and in winter the wind howled.
The elderly couple were not particularly hardworking when they were young. After having three daughters, Old Zhang felt there was no one to carry on the family line and gave up. Even after they had a son, he only took advantage of his three daughters and had no intention of striving for anything himself.
The brigade had already handed over the autumn grain to the public. At this time, the villagers had nothing to do. Old Zhang was squatting not far from his house, smoking water pipes and talking loudly with several other old men.
Seeing his wife return with their two daughters, Old Zhang's cloudy eyes gleamed with a sharp light. He casually made up an excuse and carried his large opium pipe home.
He grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth: "Ah Hong is back too? Why didn't you bring the two children back with you?"
Zhang Hong felt heavy-hearted as she looked at the old houses that were getting more and more dilapidated each year.
Hearing this, she forced a smile: "Father, the Ji family won't let me take the child back to my parents' home."
"The child is still young, and the weather is getting cooler, so it's right not to let him go out around."
Old Zhang didn't dare to harbor any resentment when he heard that the Ji family disapproved, after all, they were the Party Secretary of Nanshan Brigade.
Unexpectedly, Zhang Qing showed no mercy and contradicted him: "Dad, the Ji family doesn't give us any face at all. They'd rather let my sister get a divorce than give up her job."
"You won't give up your job?"
Old Zhang's face darkened slightly as he carefully examined his daughter's complexion and clothing, frowning inwardly.
Actually, when Zhang Qing got wind of the situation and pestered his parents to make this request, Old Man Zhang didn't really believe that the Ji family would agree.
After all, Secretary Ji was known for his strong personality in several brigades. Would such a man be easily blackmailed for the sake of his two grandsons?
When she agreed to let Zhang Qing and her mother cause trouble, she was only thinking that even if she didn't get a job, she would still get some benefits.
But looking at Zhang Hong's face and clothes, he took a deep breath of his water pipe, slowly exhaled a smoke ring, and then asked, "Ah Hong, what did your father-in-law say?"
Zhang Hong lowered her head with a worried look: "Before my father-in-law even spoke up, my sister-in-law heard that she wanted to transfer her job and said she would have to give her at least a thousand yuan."
"Your aunt?"
"Yes, my aunt. She's the most spoiled at home. Whether it's my parents-in-law or the three Zhijun brothers, everyone listens to her."
Zhang Hong and Granny Zhang recounted Ji Xia's forceful demands to Old Man Zhang, whose face darkened.
He glared at his wife menacingly, telling her to take their daughter and ask for some benefits, since she had made things so tense.
What kind of family is the Ji family? What good would it do for the Zhang family to offend them so badly?
Old Mrs. Zhang trembled involuntarily when he glared at her with a sinister look in his eyes. She quickly explained, "I didn't want things to get so tense with them, but that brat didn't give us any face at all. As soon as she mentioned wanting to work, she demanded money from us. Where would we get a thousand yuan?"
Just then, a boy's excited voice rang out from outside: "Mom, you're back? What delicious food did you bring today?"
No sooner had she finished speaking than an eight- or nine-year-old boy rushed into the house. It was Zhang Pozi's beloved son, Zhang Bao.
Zhang Bao's cotton-padded coat was half-worn but still in good condition, and his round face showed that he usually ate well.
He rushed into the house and immediately questioned Granny Zhang. Suddenly, he saw Zhang Hong beside her and quickly realized, "You're the eldest sister! You're back? Quick, what delicious food did you bring today? Did you bring any candy?"
Looking at her younger brother, who was almost up to her shoulders, Zhang Hong shook her head and smiled wryly, "Abao, your sister didn't bring anything today."
"What? You didn't bring anything? Big sister, you married so well, and you didn't even bring a single piece of candy when you came back to your parents' home. You're so useless, you might as well be dead!"
Upon hearing that there was no candy, Zhang Bao's expression immediately changed, and Zhang Hong's heart turned cold.
In her maternal family, apart from her younger sister Zhang Lan, no one wished her well.
Zhang Hong's smile faded, and she coldly replied, "There should have been candy and meat, but your mother and second sister were too greedy, forcing them to refuse to give us anything now."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Qing angrily retorted, "Big sister, how can you blame us? If you want to say something, it's because you're useless. The Ji family is the brigade secretary. You've been married into their family for several years, and you haven't brought any benefits to our parents at all?"
“I used to work in the production brigade, and I didn’t have a penny to my name. I wasn’t in charge of my family either, so what benefits could I possibly get?”
With red eyes, Zhang Hong turned to Old Man Zhang and said, "I've given birth to twins now, and my parents-in-law, aunt, and uncle all accept me. They promised to give me their jobs after my postpartum period. I was supposed to be able to give you my salary every month, but now my second sister has forced me to give it all away."
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