Wang Dong and Wang Fang have been missing for two days. Qi Zhifang and her mother were so worried that they were about to call the police when Wang Yanda's uncle came in. He frowned and said, "Wang Dong and Wang Fang have gone to our place. Your family's situation is not suitable for raising a child. The child's grandparents asked me to ask if we should raise Wang Hong as well, or leave her here."
Qi Zhifang stared wide-eyed in disbelief, unable to believe that Wang Fang and Wang Hong had really abandoned him and chosen their own way out. She asked incredulously, "What do you mean? Why won't my child go back to my own home?"
Wang Yanda's uncle sneered, "Don't you know why I don't want to go home? You're really something! You single-handedly ruined Yanda's good reputation, making three children suffer beatings and scoldings because of your tainted name! Your family is willing to help you and doesn't care if you make your father die of anger, but the children of the Wang family will not suffer such injustice!"
Qi Zhifang screamed hysterically, "He cares about his reputation? What good reputation! It's just that he died young, otherwise he wouldn't have had that reputation for being a slut..."
Qi's mother tightly covered Qi Zhifang's mouth, still speaking in that unhurried tone, "The family is indeed facing difficulties right now. It's good that the child is with you. We'll bring her back after we get through this!"
Wang Yanda's uncle didn't pay much attention to her pretentious and hypocritical demeanor, but he refrained from saying anything harsh while keeping an eye on the child. He simply asked Wang Hong, "Honghong, do you want to go to your grandparents' house to be with your older brother and sister, or stay here?"
At this moment, Wang Hong glanced at her grandmother and mother, lowered her head and whispered, "I want to go find my older brother and sister."
Qi Zhifang stared wide-eyed in disbelief, pushing away her mother's hand. "Honghong, don't you want your mother anymore?"
Wang Hong sobbed and choked out, "I want to be with my mom, but when I go to school, those people beat me so badly. Mom, I can't take it anymore. Can you let me go to my grandparents' house for a few days to recover? I'll come back when I'm better."
Wang Yanda's uncle bent down, picked up Wang Hong, snorted coldly, and left with the child. Qi Zhifang ran back to her room, locked the door, and buried her face in her bed, sobbing uncontrollably. Qi's mother sighed, "Good riddance! At least we can eat our fill! Go, all of you!"
Anyway, there's no food left at home. The adults can manage, they can go hungry for a couple of meals, but the children can't afford to go hungry.
Once Qi Zhifang had recovered from her feigned illness and her injuries had mostly healed, she finally returned to work. Despite the pointing fingers and whispers of others, she still proudly raised her head, as if to say, "I did nothing wrong, you uncultured acquaintances can't understand, and I don't bother explaining to you."
As soon as she arrived at the office, she found a young woman sitting in her seat. The woman covered her nose with her hand and said impatiently, "I was called here by the boss. If you have any problems, go find the boss!" As she spoke, she moved her body back as if she had a contagious disease with Qi Zhifang.
Qi Zhifang angrily turned to find her supervisor, who snorted and took out a dismissal notice. "You've been absent from work for so many days and caused such a thing. The impact is really bad. You're not suitable for our company. I've returned your file to the street office. Go find a new job there." Seeing that Qi Zhifang didn't move, he frowned and said, "That's it! Go back first. Don't delay everyone's work."
Qi Zhifang couldn't say a word. Her lips moved, but she held back her tears, turned around, and left.
She wandered aimlessly down the street, still unable to believe why her boss would treat her this way, why he would fire her. All she did was have a relationship! Was loving someone a crime? Did she deserve to die just because she had a relationship?
The stark reality was that without work, there was no pay, and without pay, there was no food. So, she gritted her teeth and went to the street office. The officer looked at her file, thought for a moment, and said, "Right now, there's only one temporary job left: cleaning toilets. It pays 15 yuan a month. You can take it if you want, or you might have to wait. There aren't many job opportunities for the time being!"
Qi Zhifang turned and left with tears in her eyes, but this backbone didn't last three days. In the end, she slunk back to get her letter of introduction and went to report for duty.
That job was done by Qi's mother and Qi Zhifang together. They also pasted some matchboxes. They couldn't even afford two meals of porridge a day until the end of the month. Life went on like this, without any interest or hope.
Qi's mother always said, "As long as you're alive, there's hope; as long as you're alive, there's possibility!" On many nights when she stayed up all night making cardboard boxes, she couldn't help but think of Wei Shuqing. Although she was selfish and petty, at least she could share the hardships with this family.
While the mother and daughter were working, Qi's mother said, "If only Xiao Wei were still here!"
Qi Zhifang snorted and said, "No way, I don't want to see her petty, selfish, and bitter face. It's disgusting. I'd rather go hungry."
Mother Qi smiled and rubbed her sore eyes. "People, who isn't selfish? It's just a matter of whether they've crossed the line. Besides, that Cui guy isn't even as good as Wei. Once something happens, he disappears without a trace, let alone any money. Sigh, that's what they mean by 'birds of a feather flock together, but when disaster strikes, they fly away separately.' Your brother hasn't met anyone who cares for him."
Qi Zhifang lowered her head and gripped her hands tightly; neither of them said anything.
Of course, most people are just getting by, barely making ends meet. Don't laugh at me, brother; these days, a family that can eat its fill is considered well-off.
Therefore, the Zhao family decided to keep a low profile for the time being, eating only the food brought back from the cafeteria and leaving the canned food at home for Wei Shuqing and the children. They could no longer cook delicious food often, for fear of attracting people with ill intentions.
While rendering lard in the canteen, the father and son rendered over seventy catties of pork fat, even bringing back the cracklings in batches. They hid them in the cellar.
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