Read Novel Full Chapter 82
Chapter 82 : Men Need to Be Coaxed
The people at the back sighed and dispersed helplessly.
Jiang Li held the wontons she had managed to buy with great difficulty, smiling like a little squirrel that had stolen pine cones, and the two of them returned to the guesthouse.
The wonton skins were thin, and the filling was generous, perfectly seasoned. Each bite of wonton paired with a small piece of pickled vegetable, occasionally mixed with fresh shrimp skin and seaweed. It was so delicious that Jiang Li couldn’t stop eating, taking bite after bite.
The guesthouse cost seven dollars per night, and a marriage certificate was required to book a room.
Recently, Qi Shaoqiang had been very sweet, persistently pursuing Jiang Li. However, when he became distracted and infatuated, Jiang Li stopped him.
He was a bit confused and breathless. Jiang Li then told him, “I’ve decided to take the college entrance exam. If I get pregnant, it will affect my preparation, so we need to use contraceptives in the future.”
Qi Shaoqiang knew about Jiang Li’s studies, and the whole family was aware of it. Chen Xianyun had expressed some concern, as living apart was not easy. However, Qi Shaoqiang reassured her that he had thought it through.
He had already considered it: if Jiang Li was admitted to university, he would see if he could transfer to Haicheng for work. If that wasn’t possible, he would have to give up the job, because it would be impossible for them to live apart.
Qi Shaoqiang kissed Jiang Li’s forehead with restraint, buried his face in her shoulder, and took a deep breath. “Okay. I’ll do whatever you say.”
Jiang Li sighed in relief, noticing his frustrated expression, and said a little embarrassed, “Actually, there’s still a way.”
The next morning, Qi Shaoqiang went straight to the hospital and got the items Jiang Li had asked for. Jiang Li was shocked when she saw the quantity, but Qi Shaoqiang confidently said, “Since the provincial capital is far away, it’s better to get more at once.”
“There are also some at the county health center…” Jiang Li didn’t finish her sentence because she was overwhelmed by the delicious aroma of the fried dough sticks and tofu pudding that Qi Shaoqiang had brought back.
The tofu pudding was tender and smooth, with a sprinkle of white sugar, and the fried dough sticks were crispy, perfectly complementing the freshly ground soy milk.
Once they finished everything they needed to do, they went to the supply and marketing cooperative in the provincial capital to buy some rare snacks and pastries. Without wasting any time, the two of them immediately set off for home.
When they arrived at the door of their house, they encountered an unexpected guest.
Wang Juhua was holding two bags and craning her neck to peer into the Qi family’s yard. Chen Xianyun was sitting in the yard, sewing bedding, but she was too lazy to acknowledge Wang Juhua.
Since learning that Lizi had been mistreated by this cruel family, Chen Xianyun had been wanting to go and confront them.
What a shameless family! They took her food and drink, and even wanted to occupy her house and sell her daughter to get a dowry.
Chen Xianyun put down her needle and thread, grabbed a broom from the yard, and began sweeping. Dust flew everywhere, and Wang Juhua, who was standing nearby, got a mouthful of dust and began cursing.
Qi Shaoqiang stood in front of her. Wang Juhua was dwarfed by his tall figure, and she trembled in fear, quickly heading toward the door of the banker’s house.
Chen Xianyun approached and took the bags from Jiang Li’s hands. “What did you buy? Why are you carrying all this heavy stuff?”
Wang Juhua shouted at Jiang Hongmei from the doorway, but no one responded. Only Zhao Xiangyu came out of the room, looking downcast.
“Mother-in-law, where’s my Hongmei?”
“She’s out. What are you doing here?”
Zhao Xiangyu spoke rudely, as she still remembered that Wang Juhua had previously asked her for a dowry.
Wang Juhua was also dissatisfied with Zhao Xiangyu. Who was she trying to show off to? But she had come today with a purpose. Jiang Changyi had told her to investigate the current situation of the banker.
She had heard that the boss of the bank seemed to have made a fortune and was now spending extravagantly in the commune.
“Mom, I’m here!” Jiang Hongmei’s weak voice came from the room.
Zhao Xiangyu’s face immediately changed. If Wang Juhua found out about the child, she would make a scene, which would be terrible.
She wanted to stop Wang Juhua from leaving, but Wang Juhua immediately went into the house. The house was filled with a foul odor. Jiang Hongmei was lying on the bed, looking like a crumpled piece of straw paper, dark and thin.
Upon seeing her mother, Jiang Hongmei burst into tears, “Mom, why did you only come to see me now?”
Wang Juhua sat on the bedside and touched the mattress, which was damp. She raised her hand and saw black blood scabs all over it. “Hongmei, what happened to you?”
“I was pregnant, but Zhuang Xiaobao knocked the baby away. The whole family protected Zhuang Xiaobao! Mom, you must help me. I want to divorce Zhuang Guoliang.”
Recently, the Zhuang family didn’t let her go out, afraid she would talk about the pig farm. They also kept a close eye on Zhuang Xiaobao, fearing he might get hurt.
Jiang Hongmei finally realized that Zhuang Guoliang was unreliable. He only cared about his two children and didn’t take her seriously. Now, the only people who could help her were her family.
“Mom, let me tell you, the Zhuang family set up a pig farm in Xiaoxingling and raised several pigs.” Jiang Hongmei, now thinking of relying on her mother’s family to escape this dire situation, revealed the Zhuang family’s secret as soon as she spoke.
Wang Juhua was shocked, but also immediately realized something. No wonder Zhuang family was showing off his wealth in the commune. No wonder Hongmei was sure Zhuang Guoliang would make a fortune. It turned out she had known for a long time that the Zhuang family was secretly running a pig farm.
The pig farm had tons of fat pork, and Wang Juhua was very tempted.
But if Hongmei divorced Zhuang Guoliang, how could her family benefit from it?
“Child, you can’t get a divorce! If you divorce now, what kind of good family will you marry into? You might even be worse off than Zhuang Guoliang. Besides, you know the dealer’s secret, and they will definitely not let you go.”
Wang Juhua had selfish motives. On one hand, if Tianci had another sister who was divorced and came home, how would he live in the future? On the other hand, Zhuang Guoliang was now rich, and if Hongmei could control him, it would be easy to get benefits in the future.
“Men need to be coaxed. Just say a few soft words, be considerate to him, and he’ll naturally listen to you. As for Zhuang Xiaobao, he’s young and has to make a living under your control. It’s easy for you to control him!”
Wang Juhua taught Jiang Hongmei a few tricks she had used to torment Jiang Li, saying, “Do it in a way that no one can see.”
Jiang Hongmei was persuaded by her mother. Although she still felt wronged and unwilling, she also felt there was some truth to it. She couldn’t just let Zhuang Xiaobao go.
“Mom, I’ll listen to you.”
Jiang Hongmei only realized the benefits of her parents’ home after getting married, and she was deeply attached to Wang Juhua, who had come to visit her.
After Wang Juhua finished speaking, she mentioned Jiang Tianci again, “I’m worried too. What will happen to your brother in the future? With his physique, how can he work in the fields like us?”
Jiang Hongmei gritted her teeth and took out two dollars from the pillow behind her. “Mom, take this and buy some meat for Tianci.”
Wang Juhua took it without hesitation, told Jiang Hongmei to stay at the bank well, and then went home, waving her hands.
After hearing this, Jiang Changyi scolded her for being foolish. “Why don’t you just ask for some benefits from Zhao Xiangyu? Now we have such a big handle on them, we could even ask for ten or twenty yuan.”