Meanwhile, Qi Zhifang gritted her teeth and walked back. She still couldn't understand why she, who used to be everyone's darling, a beloved and charming person, had encountered such bad luck this year that she kept running into obstacles everywhere she went!
Frustrated, Fangzi returned home and angrily pulled the blanket over her head. Her mother brought in a glass of water. "Fangzi, what's wrong? Get up and drink some hot water. I added some brown sugar for you."
Qi Zhifang suddenly stood up, pouted, and reluctantly took the water and drank it. A hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes as she looked at her mother and said, "Mom, do you think I'm old now? Not pretty anymore? Everyone hates me? Why doesn't anyone give in to me? It's one thing for women not to give in, but even those stinky men don't give in and keep bullying me, making me do heavy and tiring work."
Qi's mother was taken aback, fearing that Qi Zhifang's old habit of loving to dress up would resurface, and quickly said, "How could that be? Our Fangzi has been beautiful since she was little. She's not ugly now either. She's very pretty!"
Qi Zhifang gave a soft hum, bit her lip, and said, "Mom, don't lie to me. How can I be so good? How can someone like Wei Shuqing find happiness, have a man who loves and cherishes her? I'm still all alone, with no one to care for me or love me." Tears welled in her eyes as she continued, "Or is it because I have bad taste in men? None of them can stay with me forever? Why is my life so miserable..."
Sighing, Qi's mother rested Qi Zhifang's head against her chest, patting her back as she said, "My good daughter, how could you think like that? What kind of man did Wei Shuqing choose? In the past, that would have been considered the lowest of the low, a family that couldn't even afford a wife. She finally managed to marry one, so of course she'd cherish her dearly. Without your brother, she could only find men like that. Do you expect her to find another man as good as your brother? Can she even find one? She's just unlucky. No matter how bad things were with our family, your brother wouldn't have abandoned her. She had to rely on having a son to cause trouble for us, turning herself into a divorced woman, willingly degrading herself by marrying a cook..."
Qi Zhifang burst into tears, "But I couldn't find it either!"
Qi's mother patted her back helplessly and said, "Isn't it just that the time isn't right yet? If I find you a cook or a butcher now, and make sure you're well-fed and clothed, and they treat you like royalty, would you do it? If you agree, I'll find someone to arrange a marriage for you right now, and I guarantee you'll be married in less than three days."
Qi Zhifang immediately felt goosebumps when she thought of Zhao Dahu's rugged appearance, which resembled a big bear. No, she couldn't stand it. Little did she know that her beloved Xiao-gege was no longer the dashing hero he once was; he was now a coal miner in some coal mine in Heilongjiang Province, and not even as good as some others.
Qi Zhifang stopped crying and smiled, snuggling against her mother's chest affectionately. She regained her confidence and said, "Yes, that's all she's capable of. That damned cook only knows how to steal and do low-class things. I'd rather die poor, starve, and live a lonely life than associate with someone like that. I can't even eat if I spend more than a moment with someone like that."
Qi's mother laughed and said, "You're still like a child. When will you grow up? Come out and wash your hands. We'll eat when your brother gets off work."
Cui Shuai's last act of defiance was to pay 2.5 yuan per month to not eat at home. So after the New Year, meals were no longer served to her; this was a case of separate kitchens but not separate households.
Qi Zhifang got out of bed to wash her hands, then, thinking about getting off work, said, "Oh! By the way, Mom, I saw Aiguo today."
Mother Qi paused in her serving of rice, her face stiffening. She seemed to suddenly remember that she had a grandson whom she hadn't seen for almost ten years. Turning around, she asked with a complicated expression, "Aiguo? How is Aiguo now?"
Qi Zhifang scoffed and said, "How could it not be good? Wei Shuqing got incredibly lucky and married into a wealthy family. With two canteen directors in their family, they're all eating their fill! I bet they live much better than the people at the meat processing plant. They're so much more comfortable!"
Mother Qi wiped away her tears sadly and said, "Okay, okay! As long as you're doing well."
Qi Zhifang sat at the dining table, looking at her mother and saying, "Mom! Aiguo doesn't even know he's a member of the Qi family anymore. He doesn't even know his own father's surname is Qi. He's just as ungrateful as Wei Shuqing! He's a good-for-nothing who forgets his ancestors after becoming rich overnight! He's only had a few decent meals, and he's already forgotten his ancestors!"
Qi's mother opened her mouth but didn't say anything. Qi Zhifang said angrily, "Mom, help me think of a way. I want to deal with Zhao Dahu's family. I really don't want Wei Shuqing and that scoundrel Zhao Dahu to have a good life. Do you know how outrageous they are? They ganged up on me!"
Looking at Qi Zhifang, Qi's mother sighed a few times, put down her cornbread, and sat down opposite Qi Zhifang. She said, "Do you think I haven't tried anything? I've reported them several times, but Zhao Dahu's family has impeccable political background; they're legitimate working-class people. His father cooked for a high-ranking leader and was praised by him. Moreover, before liberation, when he was an apprentice at Qingfengyuan, he even owed the leader a meal. That's why he got such a good factory after liberation. Even Zhao Dahu's opportunities are partly due to his father's influence. Otherwise, how could that bastard have become the deputy director of the canteen at such a young age? I heard from your brother that their family owns a detached house. They've managed to stay quiet until now because their powerful backer hasn't fallen. No one can do anything to them."
Qi Zhifang snorted, "Anyway, I'm not willing to accept this. I don't want him to keep putting me down."
Mother Qi smiled and said, "What can we do if we can't stand it? Just bear with it a little longer! We are now worlds apart from them, let's not do things that will only make us lose more than we gain."
Qi Zhifang secretly vowed in her heart, "I'll teach you to treat me like a toad. Even if I can't bite you this time, I'll still jump on your feet to disgust you!"
Unbeknownst to her, her attempt to sow discord between Zhao Aiguo and the Zhao family, and to make Zhao Aiguo realize he wasn't Old Zhao's child, went awry. Because, after being unintentionally misled by Huang Zhenhua, that despicable and utterly shameless scoundrel, Zhao Aiguo completely believed that she was a scheming woman with ill intentions towards him.
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