Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"I’ve got this."

"But thanks, Wei Lin."

Jiang Weilin was a bit mischievous, but he was also a good boy who adored his sister.

"Our Weilin has grown up and become sensible," Jiang Sanjie remarked fondly.

Zhang Cuifen said with a smile: "Weilin has always been sensible."

For a moment, the mood around the table was cheerful.

"What good is making money if she doesn’t hand over a dime to the family?" Jiang Yuexin blurted out.

As a result, everyone at the table turned their eyes toward her, especially when Jiang Yuexin’s gaze met Jiang Yiwei’s, fueling her resentment.

"Am I wrong? She earns so much but hasn’t handed over a dime to the family. What’s there to be happy about?"

What good is making money if Jiang Yiwei doesn’t contribute a single cent?

"Second Sister, I give the family five yuan every month. What about you?"

Jiang Yiwei tauntingly flashed five fingers toward Jiang Yuexin.

"You—you’ve been giving money to the family?" Jiang Yuexin never expected Jiang Yiwei to contribute.

Zhang Cuifen tugged at Jiang Yuexin’s sleeve, urging her to drop it.

Huang Manjun, however, wasn’t about to stay silent. "Yuexin, didn’t you know? Yiwei has been chipping in five yuan every month as household expenses from day one of her job."

Huang Manjun usually kept to herself.

But this time, since it involved her own interests, she wasn’t about to stay silent.

In the past, when both Jiang Yiwei and Jiang Yuexin were unemployed and didn’t contribute to the household, Huang Manjun turned a blind eye without making a fuss. But now that both sisters had jobs—especially since Jiang Yuexin’s temporary job was thanks to her connections—and with Jiang Yiwei setting an example by chipping in, Huang Manjun naturally expected Jiang Yuexin to do the same.

Huang Manjun knew Zhang Cuifen favored Jiang Yuexin and wouldn’t bring up household expenses, but in the future, the family would rely on her and her husband.

Besides, Huang Manjun couldn’t stand Jiang Yuexin’s entitlement.

Banking on her parents’ spoiling her, Jiang Yuexin showed no respect to her elder brother and sister-in-law. Huang Manjun had even witnessed Jiang Yuexin sneakily pinching Xiaohua several times.

Xiaohua was her daughter, and it made her blood boil.

Fortunately, Xiaohua had grown older and learned to avoid Jiang Yuexin.

Huang Manjun was done coddling Jiang Yuexin.

Moreover, ever since she and Jiang Haolin tied the knot, they had been forking over twenty yuan every month to the household.

Combined, their monthly salaries totaled sixty or seventy yuan, but after forking over twenty for household expenses and covering their own small family’s needs, their savings were slim.

"Says who? I’m my parents’ daughter. That’s their job as parents."

Jiang Yuexin dug in her heels. They could give money if they wanted, but why should she have to pony up?

She’s their flesh and blood, isn’t that just how it works?

"Sis, Mom and Dad are our parents, no doubt. When we were little and didn’t have jobs, it was fine if we didn’t chip in.

"But now we can earn money, shouldn’t we pitch in at home? Besides, it’s just five yuan—you gotta cough it up!"

That’s right, Jiang Yuexin is indeed Jiang Sanjie and Zhang Cuifen’s own daughter.

She is also Jiang Sanjie and Zhang Cuifen’s own daughter, but she chips in—shouldn’t the other daughter do the same?

What’s more, since they both earn money, not pitching in is just plain wrong!

"That was your choice—no one forced you. If you want to give, then give. Why drag me into it?"

Jiang Yiwei gave voluntarily; Mom and Dad didn’t force her.

If she wants to contribute, that’s her business. If she doesn’t, no one can make her.

"I gave, so of course you should too! Why shouldn’t you?"

Though it carries a hint of guilt-tripping, since she gave, Jiang Yuexin should too.

Jiang Yiwei wanted Jiang Yuexin to hurt a little—better yet, rub it in.

Ugh! "I won’t give. What’re you gonna do about it?"

Banking on Mom and Dad’s soft spot, Jiang Yuexin wasn’t parting with a dime.

No matter what Jiang Yiwei said, Jiang Yuexin wasn’t budging.

"From now on, you will pitch in at home!"

Dad dropping this bombshell stunned everyone speechless. Even Jiang Yiwei and Jiang Weilin froze.

"Dad, you’re taking their side too!"

Asking her to pitch in? Ugh! Jiang Yuexin refused to accept it.

Dad gave her a look. "Your eldest brother and sister-in-law, and Yiwei—they all pitch in at home."

"If you still didn’t have a job, your mom and I wouldn’t demand anything from any of you. But now that you’re working, you must pitch in."

If Jiang Yuexin had no job, Dad wouldn’t ask her for money. But now that she was earning a salary, she naturally had to hand over her share.

Of course, Dad’s main consideration was that the kids were grown. Even if he and Mom favored Jiang Yuexin, they couldn’t play favorites too openly—they had to keep things fair.

It was for the sake of family harmony, and for the siblings’ future relationship.

He didn’t want Jiang Yuexin’s behavior to cause a rift between her and Jiang Yiwei later on.

Ugh! "I’m broke!"

If she had to pitch in, Jiang Yuexin didn’t have it.

She truly had no money—even if she wanted to give, she couldn’t.

Indeed, Jiang Yuexin’s paycheck barely covers her own expenses, let alone spare any for the household.

Seeing Jiang Yuexin’s reckless attitude, Jiang Sanjie felt a surge of anger. “No money at all? Did you really spend every last cent of your monthly earnings? Not a single penny saved?”

Did she really spend all her wages from these months of work?

Where did it all go?

With that much money—and no need to pay for food or household expenses—how did her money disappear so quickly?

“I-I-I just bought things I liked... and my wages were already so low. It’s gone as soon as I spend it.”

At first, Jiang Yuexin stammered, but by the end, she spoke with defiance.

She believed that if her wages weren’t so low, she wouldn’t have spent every last cent.

She pinned it all on Huang Manjun for finding her this backbreaking, low-paid gig, even resenting her. If not for Huang Manjun, she wouldn’t have to do such grunt work.

“Yuexin, that’s not how you should see it. Many people work temporary jobs, but no one blows every last cent.”

Even Huang Manjun found it hard to believe.

True, temporary workers earn less than permanent employees.

But it shouldn’t be possible to burn through 10 or 20 kuai.

That much money—10 or 20 kuai—if spent carefully, could cover half a month’s groceries for their large family.

Jiang Yuexin was just one person—how did she manage to spend it all?

No matter how Huang Manjun thought about it, she couldn’t imagine how Jiang Yuexin had burned through so much cash.

And then there was Jiang Yiwei, also a temporary worker. Not counting her sewing side gig, just her own wages were enough for her to save. Why couldn’t Jiang Yuexin do the same?

“I worked hard for my money, and I’ll spend it however I want. Back off—it’s my money!”

The money was hers, after all. She could spend it as she pleased, and no one had any say in it.

Huang Manjun choked on her words, unsure whether to speak or stay silent.

“If others can’t interfere, surely I can!”

Jiang Sanjie smacked his bowl down onto the table with a loud clatter.

Jiang Yuexin knew he was angry. Though she bit back her words, her resentful expression made her dissatisfaction clear.

“Dad, I already don’t have enough money. If I have to fork over my earnings, I’ll have even less. And it’s not like my little bit of money makes a difference—you can cover for me, can’t you?”

Since when does anyone have enough?

Do you think it’s your duty to support me?

You’re a grown woman now, soon to be married. What future in-laws would put up with your money-burning habits?”

He fired off three questions, yet Jiang Yuexin still didn’t recognize her own faults.

Instead, she argued back, “It’s not my fault the pay’s crap! If you’d found me a better-paying job—a steady one—I could’ve saved at least a little.”

Jiang Yuexin believed that if she had a steady job with higher wages, she’d naturally have savings leftover, no matter how much she spent.

"Elder sister, if you put it that way, I feel really hard done by."

With her as an example, Jiang Yuexin couldn’t argue her way out of it.

"What does it have to do with you?"

Jiang Yuexin rolled her eyes hard—what did it have to do with her, always sticking her nose in?

Wait, it did have something to do with her. If it weren’t for her, she wouldn’t have been forced to give money to the family. She was to blame for all of it.

Jiang Yuexin’s resentment toward Jiang Yiwei grew stronger.

"You bet it’s my business. If you don’t give, why should I?" It absolutely concerned her—if Jiang Yuexin didn’t contribute, why should she?

Huang Manjun’s eyes darted, and she opened her mouth to speak but ultimately held back.

"That’s settled then. If you don’t contribute, you won’t get a share of the family meals from now on."

Jiang Sanjie put his foot down.

Mainly, Jiang Sanjie felt that if this matter wasn’t resolved today, given Jiang Yiwei’s current temperament, she might stop contributing to the household expenses. It wasn’t that he was being stingy.

He was also considering Jiang Weilin and his wife, as well as their future.

Besides, both Jiang Yiwei and Jiang Yuexin were young ladies now, and in a year or two, they’d start looking for marriage prospects. If a girl was this extravagant, no suitor would put up with that.

Even if you’re perfect otherwise, if you’re this free-spending, no one will want you.

Then they’d be in trouble.

Seeing Jiang Sanjie’s hardline attitude, Jiang Yuexin turned her gaze to Zhang Cuifen, who naturally noticed. "I agree with your father."

She made it clear that this time, she would stand with Jiang Sanjie.

"Hmph!"

Jiang Yuexin stomped her foot angrily and ran back to her room.

At the table, some sighed, others hid their glee, and some were openly smug.

Jiang Yiwei, of course, was delighted—she lived to get under Jiang Yuexin’s skin.