Zhang Hong's words greatly moved Old Man Zhang, and his expression softened.
He had just been warned by the captain today, and he knew that it was impossible to let Zhang Qing take over the post.
If Daya gives me five yuan a month, I can buy over a hundred jin of corn, grind it into cornmeal, and that's enough for the whole family to eat.
If you're willing to save money, you can replace corn with sweet potatoes and save enough for a pound of meat, which you can then use to treat yourself to some meat.
Thinking of this, he whispered, "Has your sister-in-law said when she'll give you the job?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Hong knew that her father had relented, and she breathed a sigh of relief: "She had wanted to quit a long time ago. If it weren't for waiting for me to finish my postpartum period, she would have sold that job long ago."
"Your baby is almost two months old, and you're still not out of confinement?"
"That's because I hurt my body when I gave birth. Zhijun and my sister-in-law both told me to rest for two months and get back to work."
Old Zhang glanced at his daughter, frowned, and said, "That's enough. You've been taking good care of yourself these past two months. Go back to work and start earning money sooner."
"I understand. I'll go back to the city to find my aunt first thing tomorrow morning and ask her to give me her seat."
Zhang Qing overheard her parents' conversation with Zhang Hong and left in a huff.
He turned around twice, then suddenly remembered something. He went out, filled an enamel mug with water, and quietly poured it onto the dry grass on the mattress before covering it with a thin blanket.
...
The Ji family returned with Chen Jing. Captain Chen, along with his wife and children, brought gifts and went to the Ji family's house for dinner.
It was a rare occasion for the two families to sit down together, and the dinner that evening was very lavish. Ji Xia used all her skills to prepare a total of six dishes and a soup.
Of course, four of them were takeout from state-run restaurants. Don't ask, just know that Ji's mother had to take care of her grandson and didn't have time to cook, so Ji Xia saved herself the trouble.
Chen Jing sat next to Ji Xia, pouring wine for Secretary Ji and Captain Chen while serving soup to Ji's mother and Chen's mother, and also picking up food for Ji Xia.
Ji Xia couldn't help but smile at him; no one was busier than him all night.
However, if not before marriage, when? Ji Xia was delighted to see him fawn over the Ji family.
Captain Chen and Party Secretary Ji clinked glasses twice, and when they were in high spirits, they gradually brought up the serious matter of the marriage between Chen Jing and Ji Xia.
Just then, a gust of wind blew outside, and something was blown down, causing a loud crash in the yard. Then, the twins inside the house suddenly woke up and started crying loudly.
Everyone immediately stopped eating. Ji Xia quickly stood up with a smile: "It's alright, the child was probably frightened. I'll go in and check on him. Please help yourselves to eat."
She and her mother rushed back to their room, where the twins on the bed were already crying uncontrollably.
The couple quickly picked up the babies and tried to comfort them for a while, but the twins continued to cry their hearts out, sounding extremely pitiful.
Are you hungry?
Ji Xia looked up at her mother with concern. Her mother sighed, "How could it be so fast? I just fed them milk before dinner."
"But, since you're used to breast milk, you haven't been drinking much formula, have you?"
Upon hearing this, Ji's mother sighed and reached inside her collar to feel her body; she still seemed to have a slight fever.
She asked hesitantly, "She's been crying nonstop for the past two days, and her voice is almost hoarse. Do you think we should send the eldest son to Xiapo Village tomorrow?"
Ji Xia shrugged: "You and Dad decide!"
After a moment of silence, she said in a low voice, "I never really intended to break up my brother and sister-in-law. I just wanted to push her a little, to make her realize the difference between good and bad, and to let her know which side is truly good for her."
After holding the child and swaying him for a while, Ji's mother snorted coldly, "If she doesn't understand, then let her be. Your father said that once your second brother gets married, the family property will be divided. How she lives is her business."
Ji Xia didn't utter a sound. Anyway, she and Chen Jing were getting married soon, and she was a married daughter. Whether or not they separated from the family was none of her business.
However, before the family split up, the small workshop that her second brother and she jointly ran was absolutely not to be known by her sister-in-law and would not be included in the public funds.
In the living room, Chen Jing heard the baby crying coming from inside the house and couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle.
"Brother, what are your thoughts on sister-in-law's matter?"
Ji Zhijun took a sip of wine, feeling frustrated: "What can I think? Her family is like a vampire. In the past, it was fine if they occasionally sent some food or meat, as a sign of filial piety. But now they want to give her family a job for nothing? How is that possible?"
Captain Chen said to Secretary Ji, "I had a special chat with their captain this morning when we were in a meeting in the city. There shouldn't be any major problems."
Secretary Ji glanced at the wind blowing outside and the occasional raindrops drifting across the window, and couldn't help but sigh.
"No matter what, we still have two children. We can't let this family fall apart. Tomorrow, bring a pound of sugar and two handfuls of noodles over and see what your father-in-law says."
After a pause, he suddenly said in a deep voice, "If they still don't know what's good for them, then let's break it off. We don't need in-laws like that."
"Okay, Dad, I'll go first thing tomorrow morning." Ji Zhijun secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
After chatting for a while, the group got down to business. The betrothal gifts had already been prepared, and Chen's mother had chosen a date early on: the 18th of the 11th lunar month, which was considered auspicious for marriage. After discussing it, they set the date.
The wedding banquet was held in Nanshan Brigade, but a few days before the wedding, Brigade Chen divided the family property, separating Chen Jing and Ji Xia to live separately.
Upon receiving confirmation, Chen Jing grinned and poured wine for everyone.
After a good dinner, Captain Chen and his wife left happily, and Secretary Ji and Ji Zhijun saw them off.
Chen Jing's face was flushed; he had drunk too much and was a little tipsy. He lingered in the living room, reluctant to leave Ji Xia's hand. When he saw that no one was around, he quickly kissed Ji Xia on the cheek.
"Hehe, it won't be long before you're my woman, aren't you happy?"
"Are you drunk and talking nonsense?"
As Ji Xia spoke, she subconsciously glanced at her mother's room, then turned back with a coquettish smile, and suddenly pecked him on the lips: "Gao Xing, is that alright? Let's go! It looks like it's going to rain outside, or we'll be late if we don't leave now."
"It doesn't matter if it rains, I'm happy."
Chen Jing chuckled and was about to leave when Ji Xia tugged at him again: "Wait a minute, let me get you some water."
She quickly prepared half a cup of honey water for Chen Jing and handed it to him: "It'll help with the hangover."
Chen Jing grinned, putting his arm around her waist as he drank water, when suddenly he heard a few coughs outside the door.
Ji Xia turned around and saw Secretary Ji and Ji Zhijun standing outside the door, staring at Chen Jing's hand with dark lines on their faces.
"They're not even married yet, and he's already getting handsy," Secretary Ji glared at Chen Jing.
Ji Xia blushed and pushed Chen Jing away, saying, "Dad, he's had too much to drink. I'll get him some water and take him out right away."
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