Chapter 63

Chapter 63

"If you want Yiwei's position, Yue Xin, you'll have to pay her 300 yuan."

Jiang Sanjie told Jiang Yuexin to buy the job from Jiang Yiwei herself.

Jiang Yuexin gaped, as if unable to comprehend why Jiang Sanjie didn’t take her side and chew Yiwei out, instead making her pay for the job.

"Dad, I’m your daughter. You know I’ve always hated working at the landfill."

The job at the landfill was dirty, smelly, and exhausting. Jiang Yuexin had wanted out for ages.

But she knew that if she didn’t work, getting even a dime from the family would be impossible. Besides, Fang Guohua had no money and often took what little she had.

She had always banked on Fang Guohua, expecting him to find a good-paying job so she could marry him sooner and have an easy life.

"I know you don’t like your job at the landfill, but I actually think it’s quite good for you—at least it’s helped cool your temper."

Ever since Jiang Yuexin started working at the landfill, she could no longer win arguments against Jiang Yiwei.

Jiang Sanjie had even noticed that her temper had calmed down some—she no longer blew up or acted as recklessly as before.

From Jiang Sanjie’s perspective, working at the landfill was good for Jiang Yuexin.

Besides, whether she worked at the landfill or as a factory seamstress, both were jobs meant to earn money. It didn’t matter where she worked.

"And you’ve been at the landfill long enough to have saved up some money. If it’s not enough, you can borrow from us first and repay us little by little from your paycheck."

If she truly wanted the job, she could use her savings and borrow the rest from them, paying back a little at a time with her future paychecks.

"You want me to borrow money from you and pay it back? Dad, am I even your daughter?"

How could they treat her like this? Was she still their daughter?

"Of course you’re our daughter. But Yue Xin, you need to understand something—your mother and I aren’t particularly capable people. We’re just regular people doing what we can to give you the best we can. We don’t expect anything in return."

"You’re already a grown-ass woman, nineteen years old. Stop throwing tantrums and thinking we must give you whatever you want."

He and Zhang Cuifen were just regular people who could only provide what was within their means. They never asked for anything in return.

Seeing their children get settled, start families, and be happy was Jiang Sanjie and Zhang Cuifen’s greatest hope for all five of them.

Whether it was Jiang Yiwei or Jiang Yuexin, they were both adults now.

Especially Jiang Yuexin—she couldn’t keep acting so recklessly.

When she was little, if she wanted something, Jiang Sanjie could give it to her. But now, many things couldn’t just be given to her just because she asked.

"No! You’re just biased!"

Jiang Yuexin’s eyes welled up as she snapped, accusing them of favoring Jiang Yiwei.

"All you had to do was say the word, and she would’ve given up the job to me. But you refused to help me—you backed her instead."

If they had just spoken up, Jiang Yiwei would’ve handed over the job without question.

But they backed Jiang Yiwei and not her.

And they have the nerve to say they aren’t favoring or protecting Jiang Yiwei?

"Elder sister, you still don’t understand."

Jiang Yiwei had no clue what she was thinking—her mind kept circling back to whether Jiang Sanjie and the others were being unfair.

Jiang Yuexin yelled at Jiang Yiwei, "I don't care if you get it or not! They’re biased—they always take your side and never help me. They can just stand by and watch me do that filthy, backbreaking, stinking work at the garbage station!"

Jiang Yuexin was furious; she didn’t care about anything else.

Jiang Sanjie and the others simply didn’t help her.

They were biased and cruel—cruel enough to let her suffer like this.

"Yue Xin, it’s not like that."

Jiang Lingxin went up to Jiang Yuexin, trying to take her aside and talk sense into her, but Jiang Yuexin wouldn’t even let her touch her.

She shook her off and shot back at Jiang Lingxin, "Not like that? So they’re not favoring Jiang Yiwei? So they’re not being cruel?"

"And you—you’ve always liked her more than me since we were kids!"

Jiang Yuexin had always hated how Jiang Lingxin treated Jiang Yiwei better than her.

"I treat Yiwei well, but back then Mom and Dad spoiled *you* more than us, and I never said a word."

Jiang Lingxin admitted that she had always favored Jiang Yiwei over Jiang Yuexin.

Mainly because Jiang Sanjie and Zhang Cuifen spoiled Yuexin—she just wanted Yiwei to be okay. And besides, she was several years older than Yiwei—what’s wrong with treating her a little better?

"Jiang Yuexin, quit being ridiculous. So what if Big Sister favors me? Are you saying Mom and Dad treating you better than us before was all fake?"

Jiang Yiwei shot Jiang Yuexin a dirty look.

What's wrong with Jiang Lingxin being nicer to her?

Why doesn’t she say something about how, when they were kids, Jiang Sanjie and Zhang Cuifen treated her better than anyone else—even their own son Jiang Haolin didn’t get the same special treatment as Jiang Yuexin?

Didn’t she always get first pick of the best food and clothes?

Jiang Sanjie and Zhang Cuifen shifted uncomfortably.

Zhang Cuifen stood up. “Yuexin, you’re our daughter. How could we stand to see you struggle?”

Jiang Yuexin was their biological daughter, and neither she nor Jiang Sanjie could bear to see her go through hard times.

“If you can’t stand it, why won’t you force Jiang Yiwei to hand over her job?”

If they really couldn’t stand to see her struggle, then why wouldn’t they make Jiang Yiwei give it to her instead of making her pay for it?

“Yuexin, what gives Mom and Dad the right to demand Yiwei hand over her job? You should know that the position at First Garment and Textile Factory was something Yiwei landed on her own—not arranged by any of us. None of us have the right to make her give it to you.”

Jiang Haolin had heard enough.

She kept going on about their parents playing favorites—but truth be told, among all five of them, their parents actually played favorites with him and her the most.

Besides, the job at First Garment and Textile Factory was Yiwei’s own achievement. None of them had any right to force her to give it up.

Is she really that clueless?

“Mom and Dad are her parents—how could they not have the right?”

As long as Jiang Sanjie and Zhang Cuifen are Jiang Yiwei’s parents, they have the right to make Jiang Yiwei hand over her job to her.

“My mother and I don’t have that right.”

Jiang Sanjie and Zhang Cuifen did not have that right.

“And stop causing a fuss. It’s useless. If you want Yiwei’s job, scrape together three hundred yuan to buy it. Otherwise, just keep working at the garbage station—it’s good enough for you.”

At first, the idea was for Jiang Yuexin to pay part of the money herself and borrow the rest from them.

But now, in Jiang Sanjie’s view, maybe that wasn’t necessary anymore.

If Jiang Yuexin really took over Jiang Yiwei’s job, with her pushy attitude, she might lose it within half a month. Working at the garbage station is better—at least the people there are used to her temper and can tolerate her, so she won’t lose her job.

“Even if you want it, I won’t sell it to you. I don’t want you making trouble for me at the factory.”

Even if Jiang Yuexin managed to gather the three hundred yuan, Jiang Yiwei still wouldn’t sell it to her. With her temper, she’d probably start fights in the workshop within days, causing problems for Ms. He and others. Jiang Yiwei didn’t want to deal with the fallout.

“You want to sell it? I don’t even want to buy it. Some crummy temp job for three hundred yuan? Not a chance.”

Asking for three hundred yuan for a temporary job was a total rip-off.

She wasn’t going to be that stupid.

Shooting her a glare, Jiang Yuexin didn’t even glance at the others before rushing into her room to grab her things and storming out.

Seeing this, Jiang Haolin said, “Dad, I’ll go check on Yuexin.”

With that, he hurried inside to grab a thick coat and followed her.

“Zean,” Jiang Lingxin called out to Gao Zean.

Gao Zean immediately understood her meaning and got up to follow Jiang Haolin.

Jiang Yiwei looked outside, her expression worried. She hadn’t expected Jiang Yuexin to be so quick to fly off the handle, reckless enough to storm out late at night without fear of danger.

Fortunately, Gao Zean and Jiang Haolin had gone after her.

That night, everyone tossed and turned, worrying about Jiang Yuexin.

Half-awake, Jiang Yiwei felt Jiang Lingxin slip out of bed and crack the door open, whispering to someone.

She faintly heard Gao Zean’s voice.

“She’s okay.”

“I’ll crash on the couch. If anything happens, I’ll wake up. Don’t worry about it—get some sleep. I’ll watch over Yuexin.”

Then Jiang Lingxin’s voice responded, “Let me get you a blanket.”

“I can do it myself. It’s still cold—you get back to sleep.”

Soon after, Jiang Yiwei felt Jiang Lingxin lie back down beside her.

Perhaps because she knew Jiang Yuexin had returned, Jiang Yiwei relaxed and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, everyone at the breakfast table pretended like nothing happened the day before.

Jiang Yiwei glanced around, her eyes landing on Jiang Yuexin. “Second sister, if you really want my job, you can have it for two hundred yuan.”

Right before bed last night, Jiang Yiwei thought things through and decided to back down.

As long as Jiang Yuexin could come up with two hundred bucks, Yiwei would hand the job over to her. But if Yuexin wanted it without paying anything, Yiwei would never agree.

Three hundred bucks slashed to two hundred—that was a whole hundred bucks less.

For Yuexin, two hundred wouldn’t take long to repay.

Jiang Sanjie and Zhang Cuifen went from shocked to relieved—shocked at Yiwei’s concession, relieved by her maturity.

Now that it was down to just two hundred, Yuexin should accept it.

Unfortunately, someone wasn’t having it.

Yuexin shot back at Yiwei, “Two hundred? Your crappy temp job isn’t worth squat, and you still want two hundred? You can shove it!”

She couldn’t care less about Yiwei’s worthless temp job.

Asking for two hundred for that garbage job? In your dreams.

Now everyone else turned their eyes to Yuexin. The person who had been desperate yesterday had done a complete 180 this morning.

Yiwei felt she shouldn’t have softened, shouldn’t have opened her mouth.

The way Yuexin was acting—it made Yiwei’s fingers itch.

Jiang Sanjie and the others were floored.

“Yuexin, didn’t you want Yiwei’s job last night? With a hundred bucks knocked off, all you need is two hundred to work at the First Garment and Textile Factory.”

Clearly, Yuexin had never wanted to stay at the garbage station. Though two hundred was still a big chunk, if she pinched pennies and paid them back slowly, she’d pay it off in no time.

“You still think it’s too expensive?”

Zhang Cuifen thought Yuexin was complaining about the price.

“Nah, I’m over it.”

Yesterday, Yuexin had been desperate for it, but now she wasn’t about it anymore.

“What’s with the flip-flop? You threw a fit last night.”

What was going on with her? Just last night, she had thrown such a tantrum over this, even storming out in the middle of the damn night—and now she claimed she didn’t want it.

Everyone was baffled, unable to understand why Yuexin had changed her mind so fast.

Yuexin stuck her nose in the air, her face full of disdain. “A real job might’ve been something, but a lousy temp position? Nothing special.”

“Whoever wants it can have it.”

Just a worthless temp job—only Yiwei would treat it like a treasure.

After finishing the pancake in her hand, Yuexin stood up from her chair. “I’m going to work.”

She tossed her bag over her shoulder and walked out like she owned the place.

Everyone was left confused.

"Brother, brother-in-law, what’s really going on with my sister?"

Jiang Yuexin’s sudden change was puzzling. No one knew what happened last night to make her suddenly reject the job.

Just last night, she was desperate to keep it—now this sudden change was hard to swallow.

Jiang Haolin and Gao Zean both stopped eating.

"Last night, Yuexin ran off to Fang Guohua's house." Jiang Haolin’s face darkened at the mention.

How could it not?

A young woman sneaking off to her boyfriend’s house at night—did she even think about her reputation?

Fortunately, he and Gao Zean had followed her there.

Jiang Sanjie and Zhang Cuifen looked just as upset.

"Last night, no matter how hard we tried to convince Yuexin, she wouldn’t budge. No idea what Fang Guohua told her, but out of nowhere, she agreed to come back."

When Gao Zean and Jiang Haolin followed her to Fang Guohua's house, Fang's parents clearly weren’t welcoming to Jiang Yuexin and the others.

Fang’s mother kept dropping hints for them to take Yuexin away before they embarrassed the family.

They tried to drag her back, but she dug in her heels.

Then, after Fang Guohua whispered something, Yuexin’s face lit up with this smug look, and she actually agreed to return with them.

Otherwise, he and Jiang Haolin would’ve been stuck there all night.

At least she came back.

Jiang Sanjie and Zhang Cuifen had both told Yuexin to dump Fang Guohua, but she wouldn’t listen. Jiang Sanjie had no choice but to refuse to approve their relationship.

He couldn’t figure out what Yuexin saw in Fang Guohua to be so hung up on him.

Jiang Sanjie suddenly turned to Jiang Yiwei. "Yiwei, sell your job already. Three hundred yuan—plenty of folks would kill for a sewing job at the textile factory."

"We’ll ask around. Someone’ll snatch it up quick."

Plenty of families here have kids with no jobs—they’d likely be willing to pay three hundred yuan for it.

"I’ll check with Aunt Mao. Her girl Jiahui got into college too, and soon people started asking about her job. With her sister-in-law jobless, Jiahui handed her position over."

Zhang Cuifen remembered Aunt Mao bringing it up last time.

Back then, Zhang Cuifen had thought about Yuexin taking Yiwei’s spot, since it was much easier than working at the garbage station.

Yiwei’s brow furrowed when she heard about Jiahui giving her job away.

Jiang Sanjie nodded. "Alright, ask Aunt Mao later if anyone’s asked about it."

"And find someone solid."

"Yeah, someone dependable."

Whoever replaces her should be reliable.

"Relax, I’ve got this."

Zhang Cuifen reassured Jiang Yiwei.

Then Jiang Yiwei remembered something and whispered mischievously, "Mom, remember to bump up the price."

Although selling her job for three hundred yuan was reasonable, when it came time to negotiate, people would definitely ask her to lower it—and Jiang Yiwei used that to screen out bad fits.

Zhang Cuifen nodded and took her advice seriously.

Before long, word that Jiang Yiwei was selling her job spread quickly.

Even Xu Qi and Wu Xueying had their eyes on Jiang Yiwei’s temporary position. They even played the family card, hoping she’d sell it cheaper.

Jiang Yiwei acted like she’d knock off fifty yuan.

"Auntie, fifty off is my final offer."

"350’s still steep. Yiwei, can you go a bit lower?"

Xu Qi thought 350 was too high and hoped Jiang Yiwei could come down more—ideally to 300.

"Auntie, if it weren’t for our family ties, I wouldn’t even give you fifty off." Jiang Yiwei stood her ground.

Xu Qi frowned, torn. The price really was a bit high—if it were 300, she’d have jumped on it.

Seeing Xu Qi on the fence, Jiang Yiwei suggested, "Auntie, why don’t you sleep on it and let me know later?"

"Alright, I’ll think it over."

Xu Qi knew she couldn’t make up her mind yet and wanted to consider it carefully.

350 wasn’t out of reach for Xu Qi—it just felt like it could be cheaper.

After seeing Xu Qi off, Jiang Yiwei got a surprise visit from someone unexpected.

"Cuizhu-jie."

Sure enough, it was Huang Cuizhu.

Huang Cuizhu had Jiang Ying by the hand and smiled at Jiang Yiwei. "Yiwei."

Perhaps sensing Jiang Yiwei’s surprise, Huang Cuizhu teased, "Yiwei, not happy to see us?"

Jiang Yiwei quickly replied, "Thrilled, actually!"

She waved to Jiang Ying. "Come here, Yingying. I’ve got some candy for you."

Jiang Yiwei had some candy on her—originally meant for Xiaohua—but handed it over to Jiang Ying instead.

Jiang Ying eyed the candy and looked at Huang Cuizhu, who gently nudged her forward. "Yingying, say thank you to Auntie Wei."

With Huang Cuizhu’s approval, Jiang Ying lit up and grabbed the candy.

"Thank you, Auntie Wei."

"That’s my girl."

Jiang Yiwei took the opportunity to pat Jiang Ying's little head.

"Auntie Cuizhu, please sit down."

Jiang Yiwei invited Huang Cuizhu to take a seat.

After sitting down, Huang Cuizhu came right out with why she had come to see Jiang Yiwei that day.

"Yi Wei, I came to see you about something."

"Auntie Cuizhu, go ahead. If I can help, I’ll do my best."

Jiang Yiwei smiled warmly. She had a rough idea of why Huang Cuizhu was here but waited for her to speak first.

"I want to take your job," Huang Cuizhu said.

"Cuizhu, there’s no problem with you taking over my position, but it'll cost you at least 400 yuan. Also, can you operate a sewing machine?"

Actually, Jiang Yiwei didn't know at first that Huang Cuizhu wanted to take her job.

But seeing her come today, she knew it was about the job.

Huang Cuizhu was quite reliable—down-to-earth, steady, and gutsy. Letting her take the job at the First Garment and Textile Factory would work.

But 400 yuan—and could she even use a sewing machine?

"Yi Wei, truth is, Xue Yu and I came back from the countryside with just over 400 yuan total. Some of that money was sent by Jiang Erjie and Xu Qi to Jiang Xueyu—about a hundred yuan came from my parents, and the rest we saved from our work points or side jobs Xue Yu did."

Since returning to the city, Jiang Xueyu had been out looking for work but hadn’t found any.

Fortunately, his university tuition was free, and the school provided some subsidies. Huang Cuizhu was figuring out ways to earn extra money.

As for room and board, they didn’t need to spend much as long as they stayed with the Jiang family.

The only one suffering was Jiang Ying. Jiang Xueyu planned to buy a small stove to fix her special meals.

When they heard Jiang Yiwei was selling her job, the price was steep for them.

400 yuan would clean out their savings.

Huang Cuizhu couldn't bring herself to part with that much.

But jobs in the city were in high demand. Lately, she had often seen people coming to see Jiang Yiwei—all after her job.

She also knew Xu Qi and Wu Xueying had been after Jiang Yiwei several times.

Nothing had come of it because of the price—everyone thought it was too high and wanted Jiang Yiwei to lower it.

After discussing it with Jiang Xueyu, Huang Cuizhu decided to come and talk to Jiang Yiwei.

"How's this—I'll buy your job for 270 yuan. Is that okay?" Huang Cuizhu ventured nervously.

For a job priced at 400 yuan, she offered 270—a hundred thirty short.

Huang Cuizhu was on shaky ground.

Jiang Yiwei looked at her, then turned her gaze to Jiang Ying. Noticing Jiang Yiwei’s glance, Jiang Ying flashed her a sweet smile.