Chapter 18: Threat
Regarding this decision, Ji Yushu felt that it was not an impulsive one, but a decision made after careful consideration. The fact that he did not have a son had always been a thorn in his heart. He had accepted it in the past because he had to comply with the family planning policy for the sake of his work, but some people around him had secretly taken the risk of giving birth to their children and registering them with their relatives. He had proposed this before, but was rejected by Jiang Yulan. The matter started with a quarrel between the two and ended with him compromising.
This time, he discussed with Jiang Yulan again the possibility of using his unpaid leave to have a child, but she still refused. She knew he cared about this matter, yet she remained unwilling to consider it for him. He had initially rejected Chen Guilan's proposal that day, even finding it absurd. But Ye Qiuju, knowing his concern, offered her consent and sympathetically stated that she wouldn't let this matter disrupt his current family. Thinking of how she had waited for him for so many years and raised Mingyue on her own, Ji Yushu agreed without hesitation.
Chen Guilan was delighted when she heard this: "You finally figured it out. What about that?"
"We definitely can't let her know. Qiuju has always been understanding and she won't argue with her." Ji Yushu shook his head. Although he wanted a son, he had never thought about divorcing Jiang Yulan.
"That's right. I think Qiuju has a gentle personality. She will definitely not fight for anything. When she gives birth to a son, she will raise him with us." Chen Guilan began to look forward to the future.
"Well, so let's find her a house nearby first, so it will be more convenient when the time comes." Ji Yushu said.
"Okay, I'll leave it to you." Chen Guilan patted her chest, looking relieved.
"Mom, we can't let the third brother's family know about this." Ji Yushu reminded.
"Don't worry, I, your mother, know my limits." Chen Guilan nodded.
"Okay, then you give me the money quickly and I will buy the goods back. Now that I have a son, I have to work hard to make money." Ji Yushu's face was full of smiles. He didn't even have the motivation to work hard before, but now it's different. He has to leave a foundation for his future son.
"Of course not. Mom will get it for you right away." Although Chen Guilan still felt a little distressed, the second son had always been capable and he would definitely be able to earn the money back.
Ji Yushu took the passbook she handed over, with a full eighteen thousand on it. He couldn't help but frown: "Mom, where is your and Dad's savings? Lend it to me for two months." Eighteen thousand was obviously not enough. The other party wanted three thousand before they were willing to pay him the price for the goods.
"How can your father and I have any savings?" Chen Guilan refused subconsciously. That was her and the old man's life savings.
"Mom, don't you believe me? Wait two months, and when the Jiang family returns the passbook to us, I will send the money to you and give you two hundred interest." Ji Yushu knew that compared to him, the old couple loved the third child more, so they could only use interest to tempt her.
"Second brother, it's not that mom doesn't trust you, this is a big deal, let me discuss it with your dad?" Chen Guilan was indeed tempted by the two hundred yuan interest.
"Okay, then I'll come again tomorrow. Don't forget to find a house." Ji Yushu reminded.
"I understand. Don't worry." Chen Guilan felt happy when she thought of the scene of holding her grandson in her arms in the future.
When Ji Yushu came out of the iron factory, he took the bankbook with the 1,800 yuan and went directly to the post office. He wanted to communicate with them again. He stared at the post office phone, thinking that if he wanted to do business in the future, he would have to have his own phone.
Sure enough, the reply from the other side was that the goods would only be shipped at the wholesale price if the payment was over 3,000 yuan, so he could only wait for a reply tomorrow.
When he got home, he saw the two people in the living room and was a little surprised: "You guys came back so early?"
"I came back after buying things. It's almost time for lunch, Dad. You should hurry up and cook." Ji Lili didn't expect him to come back so early. Didn't he go to Qingyuan Restaurant?
"Mingyue, Second Uncle is tired today. You can cook. Can you cook for lunch today?" Secretary Ji Yu remembered what Ye Qiuju said. Ji Mingyue started cooking for the whole family when she was very young.
"I can do it, but I'm afraid my cooking won't suit your taste." Ji Mingyue couldn't help but clench her fists as she spoke. She and Ji Lili were both here, so why should he let her cook alone?
"It's okay, let Lili help you." Ji Yushu sat on the sofa and gave orders to Jiangshan. He felt that this should have been done a long time ago, but Jiang Yulan always doted on Ji Lili and rarely let her go to the kitchen.
"I don't know how to cook." Ji Lili quickly shook her head. She could take the initiative to cook, but he couldn't ask her to do it.
"Then just listen to Mingyue's arrangements. You are all grown-up girls. If you can't cook, you will be laughed at when you go to your in-laws' house in the future." Ji Yushu said as he waved his hand and told the two to hurry to the kitchen.
"Lili, let's go." Ji Mingyue was satisfied. Why should she cook alone?
"Okay." Ji Lili thought that Jiang Yulan should be off work soon, and she had to have a hot meal when she got home.
When Jiang Yulan returned, the two were busy in the kitchen, while Ji Yushu was watching TV on the sofa. Before he had a son, he had always felt that life had no hope. But now it was different. Since he wanted to have a son, he must give him the best conditions. As he was daydreaming, he heard Jiang Yulan's voice: "Why are they cooking?"
"Mingyue has been cooking for the whole family since she was a child, so you don't have to worry about her. As for Lili, she is already a grown-up girl, so she should learn something too." Otherwise, how will she take care of her younger brother in the future? Of course, he didn't say the last sentence.
Jiang Yulan knew that in the entire family compound, sixteen years old was indeed not young. Many girls, like Ji Mingyue, started doing housework and cooking at a very young age. But that was other people's business and she had no control over it. But Lili was her daughter, and she only had this one daughter, so she was willing to spoil her.
"Mom, you're back. I made your favorite fried pork with chili peppers for lunch today." Ji Lili's tone was a little proud.
"Really? Lili, you're so capable." Jiang Yulan was surprised when she saw the plate in Ji Lili's hand.
"Thanks to Sister Mingyue's guidance." Although Ji Lili hadn't cooked for a long time, her memory was still there. As long as she controlled the heat, there would be no problem.
"See, I told you Lili can do it." Ji Yushu also looked very proud. As the old saying goes, this person still needs to be pushed.
Jiang Yulan was too lazy to pay attention to him. She had to go next door after dinner to tell Aiguo not to investigate Ji Yu'an anymore, but to investigate the place where Ji Yushu went to the countryside. Ji Yushu and the Ji family had deceived her for so many years, and she would not let it go so easily.
Seeing Jiang Yulan wanted to go into the kitchen to help, Ji Lili stopped her and winked at her playfully: "Mom, Sister Mingyue just said that she wanted to show us her skills. We just need to wait."
"Really? Then I'm looking forward to it." Jiang Yulan also sat down on the sofa. She used to feel pity for Ji Mingyue's life experience, but now she just felt like a fool.
Ji Mingyue was dumbfounded. She had assumed Jiang Yulan would take over the kitchen duties upon her return, so she had deliberately stalled for time. Unexpectedly, after Ji Lili finished cooking, the mother and daughter simply didn't come in. Did they think she was their babysitter? Thinking of this, she couldn't help but exert force with the spatula, quickly making the kitchen a clattering mess.
Ji Lili glanced towards the kitchen, then quickly and calmly returned her gaze to the TV. Her tone was filled with anticipation: "Dad, Sister Mingyue has been cooking for so many years, she must be a good cook, right?"
"I think so." Ji Yushu's tone was a little uncertain. Ye Qiuju was a good cook, so Mingyue should not be too bad.
Ji Mingyue was busy in the kitchen for another half an hour before she brought out two dishes. She looked a little embarrassed: "The stove I used in the countryside is a little different from the one here. I'm not used to it, so I wasted time."
"It's okay. You don't have classes today anyway. Lili, go wash your hands. Lao Ji, go and serve the rice and the bowls." Jiang Yulan said.
"I'll go right away." Ji Lili agreed quickly.
Soon, the food was served. Ji Yushu was the first to taste the two dishes made by Ji Mingyue, then frowned: "Why is it so salty?"
"Ah, did I put too much salt?" Ji Mingyue's face was full of panic. She did it on purpose to see if they would let her cook in the future. She curled the corners of her lips with some pride, but when she saw the strategy value falling above Ji Yushu's head, she couldn't help but get anxious. What did he mean? Was she born to cook for them?
"It's okay, I'll just be more careful next time. Mom, what do you think of what I did?" How could Ji Lili not understand her little trick?
"It's delicious." Jiang Yulan gave her a thumbs up.
"See, I told you Lili is smart and can learn anything quickly." Ji Yushu looked proud.
Jiang Yulan snorted lightly and said nothing. Perhaps he was the only one who didn't understand Ji Mingyue's thoughts. She had underestimated her before, but it didn't matter. She didn't expect her to help with cooking and housework.
After the meal, Jiang Yulan looked directly at Ji Yushu: "They cooked, you should go wash the dishes, right?"
Ji Yushu didn't say anything, but just fixed his eyes on Ji Mingyue. His meaning couldn't be more obvious. Ji Mingyue looked at the continuously decreasing attack value above his head and gritted her teeth: "Second Aunt, there's no need for Second Uncle to go. I'll go on my own."
"Okay then." This was a matter between father and daughter, so Jiang Yulan naturally didn't bother to interfere.
Looking at Ji Mingyue's reluctant back, Ji Lili felt a little funny. She wondered if she was shooting herself in the foot.
"I'll take Li Li to Aiguo to test the waters and see when they will invest." Jiang Yulan looked at Ji Yushu and said.
"Okay, if they are also anxious, then forget it. Don't make things difficult for Dad." Ji Yushu said with pretended magnanimity.
"Yeah, I know." Jiang Yulan felt like she was recognizing his hypocrisy for the first time.
"Mom, what are we going to my uncle's house for?" Ji Lili was a little confused.
"Of course we have something serious to discuss. Don't tell your grandfather about this for now." Jiang Yulan warned.
"I know." Ji Lili nodded. The old man had a hot temper. If he knew, he might go directly to question Ji Yushu, and he would definitely not admit it then.
After the mother and daughter left, Ji Mingyue came out of the kitchen and looked at Ji Yushu: "Dad, can you take me to see my mom later? I haven't seen her for a long time."
"Wash the dishes first." Ji Yushu hesitated for a moment, and then went to tell her about finding a new house for her.
"Okay." Ji Mingyue knew that he had agreed.
When the mother and daughter arrived next door, it was the old man who opened the door. He was a little surprised to see them: "Where's Yushu?" Then he remembered something and looked at Jiang Yulan: "Are you two still arguing?"
"What are you thinking about? He is resting at home." Jiang Yulan didn't know what his father would do if he knew Ji Yushu's true face. Over the years, he treated Ji Yushu almost like his own son.
"Sister Lili, you're here?" Little Jiang Qitong, who was inside, heard their voices, ran out quickly, and took her hand to watch TV.
"Sister, come in quickly." Zhou Qingfen quickly let her in.
"Have you eaten?" Zhou Qingfen asked. They had not finished lunch yet.
"We've eaten. You guys eat first and don't worry about us." Jiang Yulan signaled her not to worry about them.
"Okay, let's talk about it after we eat." Zhou Qingfen said and sat down again.
"Sister Lili, where is your sister?" Jiang Qitong still remembered Ji Mingyue who came to her house last time.
Ji Lili patted her head and said gently, "She didn't come today because of something. What's wrong? Do you miss her?"
"No, not really." Jiang Qitong shook her head and stopped talking. She was just afraid that he would not like her anymore after she had a sister.
The little girl's thoughts were almost written on her face. Ji Lili smiled happily and reached out to touch her nose: "Don't worry, I only like you."
"Really?" Jiang Qitong obviously didn't believe it.
"Of course it's real, realer than pearls." Ji Lili said seriously.
"Then let's pinky promise." Jiang Qitong said as she stretched out her little finger and pinky promise with her.
Jiang Yulan's gaze fell on the two of them, her eyes full of smiles. When she raised her head, she met Jiang Aiguo's gaze, and his eyes were also full of smiles. Thinking of Ji Yushu's persistence in his son, Jiang Yulan suddenly became curious. Do all men have such thoughts?
"Sister, why are you looking at me like that?" Jiang Aiguo was a little puzzled.
"It's okay. I'll ask you something later. Eat first." Jiang Yulan quickly withdrew her gaze.
"Okay." Jiang Aiguo felt that she was weird today.
After dinner, Ji Lili tactfully pulled the old man to play chess with them, while Jiang Yulan went into the next room with Jiang Aiguo and his wife.
When they got to the room, Jiang Aiguo was the first to speak: "Sister, what did you want to ask me just now?"
"Are you really content with having only Tongtong as your daughter? Do you really want a son?" Jiang Yulan asked directly.
"Why do you ask this suddenly? Does he want you to have a second child?" Jiang Aiguo couldn't help but frowned at the end.
"You haven't answered me yet. I want to hear the truth." Jiang Yulan said in a serious tone.
"To be honest, I really want another child. It doesn't matter whether it's a boy or a girl. I just want someone to discuss things with when they grow up. But the policy doesn't allow it, so there's nothing I can do." This is not just what Jiang Aiguo really thinks, but should be the real thoughts of the first generation of parents of only children. They all have brothers and sisters, and are actually not used to having only one child.
"You don't have the obsession to have a son?" Jiang Yulan confirmed again.
"Why does it have to be a boy? Look at our Lili and Tongtong, they are no worse than boys." Jiang Aiguo's tone was full of pride when talking about his niece and daughter.
Jiang Yulan chuckled softly, tears streaming down her cheeks. It was only Ji Yushu who was acting strangely. Over the years, they had argued over this matter no less than three times. Furthermore, when they broke off the engagement, the man had accused her of being too forceful. She couldn't help but wonder if she was too unsympathetic. Now she knew she had never been wrong. Their accusations were merely excuses to cover up their own guilty consciences.
"Sister, what happened?" Seeing her like this, Jiang Aiguo asked worriedly.
"It's nothing, I just figured something out." Jiang Yulan shook her head. After she caught them together that day, although she acted calmly, she couldn't help but doubt herself in her heart. Was her persistence right? Although she had originally married Ji Yushu just to live together, after more than ten years of living together, people are not plants or trees. How could they just break up? She even began to reflect on whether she was too old-fashioned. There were so many people around her who were pursuing having sons, as if she was the only one who was different. It wasn't until she caught them together that day that she realized that some people were rotten from the beginning. The warmth and reconciliation she thought she had was just a disguise.
"He doesn't think about it. He is already so old, but he still wants to follow others and have a second child. I think he is so arrogant before he even starts a business. Will he be even more arrogant after he starts a business?" Jiang Aiguo still did not approve of him doing business.
"What he wants is not a second child, but a son. Ji Mingyue is probably his daughter. Last time, he wanted me to take a leave of absence from work and go to the countryside to give birth to the child. When he saw that I was unwilling, he had other ideas." Jiang Yulan said calmly.
"What? Sister, are you telling the truth? What are you going to do?" Jiang Aiguo didn't expect that their worst guess turned out to be true.
"So there's no need to check with his elder brother. Just check the place where he went to the countryside that year and ask there." Jiang Yulan didn't mention Ye Qiuju again, so as not to make them worry more. She was at the Qingyuan Hotel, and she could find out anything she wanted by herself.
"Okay, I'll go find my old classmate and check it out." Jiang Aiguo had a classmate who worked at the Public Security Bureau. He looked at Jiang Yulan with a serious expression. He saw why she had hurriedly met and married again. He had never expected that Ji Yushu and the Ji family had been deceiving them from the beginning. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel a little guilty, blaming himself for having been more careful back then.
"After finding out the truth, what are you going to do?" Zhou Qingfen asked.
"Of course it's divorce." Jiang Yulan said without thinking. She guessed Lili thought so too, otherwise she wouldn't have to tell her about Ye Qiuju's existence.
"Sister, no matter what decision you make, we will support you." Zhou Qingfen said as she held her wrist.
"Well, don't worry about me. It's just a different way of moving on." If Jiang Yulan had ever hoped for marriage, it was before she met Ji Yushu. Ever since her ex-fiancé broke off the engagement, marriage, for her, was just about finding someone to live with. Who that person was was unimportant. Over the years, she believed she had done her best for Ji Yushu and her family, so she felt clear conscience about any decision she made.
Seeing her so open-minded, Zhou Qingfen breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "What about Lili?"
"Lili will definitely support me." Thinking of Ji Lili, the smile on Jiang Yulan's face became gentle. Moreover, with the virtue of the Ji family, there is no need to worry about them competing with her for Lili.
"So what do we need to do now?" Jiang Aiguo wondered whether he should find someone to put Ji Yushu in a sack and beat him up.
"No need. Just investigate the fact that he went to the countryside at that time and find evidence that he got married and had a daughter there. It's not a good time to alert the enemy now." Jiang Yulan thought. She didn't want him to take anything away. Everything in the house belonged to her and Lili. Since he couldn't let go of Ye Qiuju, she would help them.
"Sister, it's good that you know what's going on." Seeing this, Jiang Aiguo felt much more relieved. She was worried that she still had illusions about Ji Yushu.
"Let's go. Dad will get suspicious if you don't go out now," Zhou Qingfen reminded.
"Okay, I'll be out right away." Jiang Yulan wiped the tears from her face and then stood up.
In the living room, the old man glanced towards the room over there and muttered, "What are they trying to hide from me?"
"Oh, grandpa, what are you thinking about? You are the eldest in the family, who would dare to hide anything from you?" Ji Lili chuckled, trying to get away with it.
"Yes, grandpa, you are the boss." Tongtong echoed.
The old man touched their heads lovingly, then snorted softly: "What are they afraid of?" In the end, he was comforted by the two sisters.
Ji Lili and Jiang Qitong were amused by the old man's words. Jiang Yulan heard their laughter and walked over: "What are you talking about? You're laughing so happily?"
"It's nothing, Mom. Do you still have to go to work in the afternoon?" Ji Lili asked.
"You're going? What's wrong?" Jiang Yulan asked.
"No, just asking casually." Ji Lili shook her head.
"Let's go, we should go back. Have you finished your homework?" Jiang Yulan did not forget that she went shopping in the morning.
"No, I also plan to do it this afternoon." Ji Lili couldn't help but complain when she thought of the weekend homework. There was a lot of homework at this time.
"Then Dad, Aiguo, we'll go back first." Jiang Yulan waved at them.
"Sister Lili, can I go to your house with you to do homework?" Jiang Qitong looked up at Ji Lili, her big black eyes full of anticipation.
"Of course, let's go." Ji Lili said as she pinched her cheeks, which were so chubby and cute.
"Tongtong, when you go to your aunt's house, you must listen to your sister, okay?" Zhou Qingfen reminded.
"I know!" Jiang Qitong said happily and went to get her schoolbag.
When Ji Lili and Jiang Qitong arrived home, no one was there. There was only a note left by Ji Yushu on the table, which read: "I'm taking Mingyue to my parents' house."
Jiang Yulan took a look at the note and quickly threw it into the trash can. Then she opened the refrigerator and cut some fruit for the two of them before going to work at the factory.
"Sister Lili, can I watch TV for a while longer?" Jiang Qitong looked at her with blinking eyes.
"No, it's time to do homework." Ji Lili refused mercilessly and pulled her to the desk. When she opened her schoolbag, she glanced at Ji Mingyue's room. She was not in a hurry about so much homework. For a moment, she was actually looking forward to the first monthly exam.
*
Ji Yushu was not lying. He had indeed brought Ji Mingyue back to the iron factory. Ji Mingyue's sweet words made Ji Yuanping and Chen Guilan very happy. Chen Guilan clapped her hands and praised her, "Your mother is a good one."
Seeing Chen Guilan being so friendly to her cousin who suddenly showed up, Ji Lanlan and Ji Wenwu, the brother and sister, both looked unhappy. One of them was sixteen years old, and the other was fifteen years old, which was the age when they knew how to fight for things. Yao Yan had told them since they were young that everything in the old Ji family belonged to Ji Wenwu. Now that Ji Mingyue suddenly showed up, they naturally did not welcome her.
Facing the hostile looks from the two, Ji Mingyue didn't care at all and just asked, "Aren't Third Uncle and Third Aunt home?"
"They're all working." Yao Yan had gotten pregnant secretly, went to the countryside to give birth to Ji Wenwu, and returned to work without even a month of confinement. Although Ji Wenwu's household registration was in the countryside, he had always lived with them. This was one of the reasons why the old couple was dissatisfied with Jiang Yulan. If Yao Yan could do something, why couldn't she, Jiang Yulan?
"Then, grandma, it must be very hard for you to be alone at home?" Ji Mingyue hinted in her words.
"Our eldest granddaughter is the only one who knows how to care for me." Chen Guilan hugged Ji Mingyue with a happy face.
"In this respect, she inherits from her mother." Thinking of Ye Qiuju's thoughtfulness, Ji Yushu looked at Ji Mingyue with a little more loving eyes.
"Of course not." Chen Guilan nodded quickly. Over the years, every time they brought Ji Lili back, she didn't dare look that girl in the eye. Wasn't it just because they didn't give her the delicious food when she was a child? Why did she hold a grudge for so long?
"Grandma, when are we going to eat? I'm starving." Ji Wenwu interrupted them with an unhappy look on his face.
"Are you hungry, my dear grandson? Wait a moment, we will have something delicious for lunch today." Chen Guilan comforted gently, and then used her eyes to ask Ji Yushu when Ye Qiuju would arrive.
"It will take a while." He just sent someone to tell Qingyuan Hotel that he wanted Ye Qiuju to come over for lunch and to look at the house.
"Okay, I'll go cook later." Chen Guilan glanced at Ji Mingyue while she spoke. She originally wanted to let her do it, but when she thought of how Jiang Yulan always defended Ji Lili, she gave up the idea. What if Ye Qiuju was also a protective person? Anyway, there was still a long way to go.
"Mingyue, tell grandma what you and your mother like to eat, and I will make it for you later." Chen Guilan asked while holding Ji Mingyue's hand.
"Grandma, my mom and I are not picky eaters." Ji Mingyue said sweetly.
Ji Wenwu, who was standing nearby, couldn't help but sneer when he heard this: "Wild boars can't eat fine bran."
"Wenwu, what are you talking about? This is your sister." Chen Guilan turned around and pretended to scold.
"I don't have a sister who suddenly appeared." Ji Wenwu's tone was full of disdain. Even if he and his sister didn't like Ji Lili, they had played together since childhood. As for Ji Mingyue, who knew where she came from.
"You kid," Chen Guilan said, then looked at Ji Mingyue: "Mingyue, Wenwu is still young, don't bother with him."
"How could that be? I'm the elder sister and he's the younger brother." Ji Mingyue said as if it was a matter of course, but she was mocking Yaozu in her heart, thinking that he was just another useless guy.
Chen Guilan couldn't help but pat her palm upon hearing this. "You're right." Girls should have this awareness. As an older sister, you should give in to your younger brother. Unlike Ji Lili, who said that everyone was a human being for the first time, why should she give in to him? Sure enough, there was a reason why she didn't like Jiang Yulan and her daughter.
When Ye Qiuju arrived, Chen Guilan was already busy in the kitchen. Seeing this, she hurried to help. Not only that, she also called Ji Mingyue to help. Chen Guilan smiled so much that her eyes narrowed into slits, but she still drove him out: "Go play outside, I'll be fine inside."
"That won't do. How can I let you work alone?" Ye Qiuju shook her head and did not continue to ask Ji Mingyue to stay inside. She took the kitchen knife from her hand on her own initiative.
Hearing the laughter coming from the kitchen, Ji Yushu took a sip of the tea in front of him with satisfaction. Ye Qiuju was still the best. Unlike Jiang Yulan, every time she came, she made everyone unhappy. Ji Yushu became more and more determined in his thoughts.
In the kitchen, Ji Mingyue was kicked out, and soon it was just the two of them. Chen Guilan said to her, "Qiuju, my second brother asked me to find you a house nearby. When the time comes, you can move in and we'll have someone to take care of you. When you give birth to a son for him, I'll make sure he divorces that bitch Jiang Yulan."
"It doesn't matter to me actually. I'll be very happy as long as I can be with Brother Ji." Ye Qiuju shook her head, indicating that she was easily satisfied.
"That won't do. I can't let my eldest grandson be treated as a fatherless child." Chen Guilan calculated well. It would be more than a year before Ye Qiuju gave birth to the child. By then, the second son's business would be established and he would no longer need the Jiang family. By then, the second son would not only have a successful business but also a son, while Jiang Yulan would be just a second marriage that no one wanted. The more Chen Guilan thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.
"Auntie, I will listen to Brother Ji on this matter." Ye Qiuju did not refuse again. She knew clearly who she would rely on in the future.
"Why call me Auntie? Just call me Mom. If it weren't for that woman, you would have been our daughter-in-law long ago." Chen Guilan said.
Ye Qiuju lowered her eyes to hide the sneer in her eyes. She still remembered that when she and Ji Yushu had just married, their letters to Ji Yushu were full of disdain for her, a country bumpkin. Now they were just saying this to get her to help them deal with Jiang Yulan. But she still called her "Mom" without hesitation.
"Yeah, that's how it should be." Chen Guilan glanced at her belly as she spoke. She was only in her thirties, so she should be able to give birth, right? Even if she couldn't, it didn't matter. The second brother had already agreed, so he could just find her a young wife from the countryside.
While the two were busy in the kitchen, the atmosphere outside was not so good. Ji Lao San and his wife stared at the figure in the kitchen and frowned, saying, "Didn't they say she went back to the countryside? Why is she here again?"
"Third brother, be polite to your sister-in-law." Ji Lao San and his wife didn't know the identities of the mother and daughter, so Ji Yushu spoke vaguely.
"Brother, how am I being rude? My sister-in-law didn't say anything! You're so angry." Ji Yumo snorted. He didn't know Ye Qiuju's identity yet and really thought she was Ji Yu'an's widow. Now that Ye Qiuju was brought home, he was afraid that the old couple would feel guilty about giving Ji Mingyue some of her share. He would not agree.
"What sister-in-law? Don't call people randomly." Chen Guilan, who came out of the kitchen at this time, happened to hear this and couldn't help but hit him on the back.
"Mom, what do you mean?" To be honest, Ji Yumo was also confused at first about this widowed sister-in-law and niece who had just appeared. He remembered that he never heard the news of his eldest brother getting married until his death after he went to the countryside. But his eldest brother died for him, and when he saw that his parents and second brother had accepted him, he didn't say anything more.
Chen Guilan glanced at the brother and sister over there and Yao Yan beside him, and finally lowered her voice and said, "I'll tell you tonight."
Looking at Chen Guilan's back, Ji Yumo glanced at his wife beside him with some confusion: "What do you mean by what Mom said just now?"
Yao Yan stared at Ji Mingyue who was talking to Ji Yushu over there and snorted coldly, "I'm afraid this Ji Mingyue isn't your eldest brother's child at all, but your second brother's?"
"What do you mean?" Ji Yumo couldn't help but widen his eyes when he saw the sneer in Yao Yan's eyes.
"You didn't even know about this?" Yao Yan said as she looked him up and down, trying to see if he was lying.
"How would I know? My second brother went to the countryside before my eldest. He's always got his way. Every time he wrote back, it was always asking for money or things. I worked at the factory, so I rarely asked about it." At the time, everyone had pretty much assumed they wouldn't be back, so he naturally had no time for them. Unexpectedly, less than a month after his wedding, he returned to the city. While working for him, his parents finally managed to find Jiang Yulan, whose engagement had been broken off.
"Looking at your mother's reaction just now, it's almost certain." Yao Yan scoffed. Judging from her expression, she probably wanted to hide it from her. In fact, she didn't need to. She was happy to laugh at Jiang Yulan. Over the years, many people had compared her and her sisters-in-law, and no matter what aspect, she had never won. Now, she finally had the opportunity to laugh at Jiang Yulan, how could she let it go?
"I feel the same way." Ji Yumo said as he looked outside and then looked towards the kitchen. If it was really as they guessed, then this woman was quite infatuated with his second brother?
"It's time to eat. Today we're all here thanks to Qiuju." Chen Guilan was full of praise for Ye Qiuju.
Today's dinner table was particularly lively. Chen Guilan looked at the mother and daughter sitting next to Ji Yushu with satisfaction. She thought that if they had another son, the family would be perfect.
"Brother, isn't today a holiday? Why don't you bring sister-in-law and Lili here?" Yao Yan suddenly asked.
"Your sister-in-law is at work, and Lili went to her uncle's house." After Ji Yushu said this, he glanced at Ji Yumo. He knew that the third sister's family was not peaceful, and this matter must not be known to her.
"Just eat, why are you talking so much?" Chen Guilan glared at Yao Yan, signaling her to behave herself.
Yao Yan nodded indifferently, then lowered her head to eat.
After dinner, Yao Yan was ordered by Chen Guilan to wash the dishes. She was very careful and asked Ji Lanlan to keep an eye on them. Sure enough, a few moments later, Ji Lanlan came back and told her, "Mom, grandma is planning to rent a house for Ji Mingyue's mom up ahead. It costs ten yuan a month."
"Take me to see it." Yao Yan couldn't help but feel uncomfortable when she heard ten yuan a month. This was the Ji family's money. Even if Ji Yushu paid for it, wouldn't the money belong to Wenwu in the future?
Ji Yushu brought Ye Qiuju, Ji Mingyue, and Chen Guilan to the house she had found. It was only a five-minute walk from here. It was a courtyard. The owner of the courtyard had rented out all the rooms. Most of the tenants were migrant workers, and they didn't know each other. Ji Yushu was very satisfied with this. The room was a little small, and the kitchen and toilet were shared. Chen Guilan patted Ye Qiuju's shoulder and said, "You don't have to cook in the future. Come and eat together. It's more convenient to live here."
"I'll do whatever you say." Ye Qiuju lowered her eyes to hide her dissatisfaction, but thinking that she was officially accepted by the Ji family, she just endured it for the time being.
As the family left the yard, chatting and laughing, they saw Yao Yan standing outside. She looked at them with a half-smile on her face. Chen Guilan was the first to react. She frowned and said, "Didn't you say you were going to work? What are you doing here?"
"Mom, look at what you said, why can't I come?" After saying that, Yao Yan looked at Ye Qiuju. To be honest, this was the first time she took a serious look at what she looked like.
"You know, your sister-in-law"
Before Ji Yushu could finish, she interrupted with a smile, "Alright, Second Brother, I know everything. Don't put your own daughter-in-law and children on your head. I understand. You don't want Second Sister-in-law to know."
Ji Yushu knew that Yao Yan would never do anything without profit, so he quickly calmed down and asked, "What do you want?"
"I knew that my second brother was a straightforward person." Yao Yan praised him.
"Yao Yan!" Chen Guilan scolded with some dissatisfaction.
"Mom, don't be angry. I just want my second brother to help me with a little favor." Yao Yan explained.
"Brother Ji." Ye Qiuju looked at Ji Yushu with some concern.
"Second brother, since you are planning to do business, why don't you give the job to me, your younger brother?" Yao Yan made her request with a smile.
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