Chapter 152: Arrangements
Chapter 152: Arrangements
Xue Mao, knowing that Xiao Xiao could join her in Hong Kong City, also wanted to tag along. "Sister Xin, I want to go to Hong Kong City with you," he said.
"What could you possibly do if you come to Hong Kong City with me?" Lu Jiaxin asked.
Xue Mao lowered his head, but soon lifted it again and said, "Sister Xin, if I can't find a job in Hong Kong City, then I'll go to Peng City. There are many factories there, and I can make money by setting up a stall."
Lu Jiaxin replied with a sense of helplessness, "Do you plan to sell breakfast snacks for the rest of your life?"
Xue Mao said guiltily, "Sister, I know you're trying to help me. But I really can't get into studying, and I don't see the point in fancy clothes."
He had tried hard to learn, but it just didn't stick; he didn't have the brains for it. He had also made an effort to learn Cantonese, but he couldn't keep up with Qian Xiao Xiao's pace. Sometimes he felt incredibly stupid, but he wanted to stay close to Lu Jiaxin.
"If you go to Peng City, you'll have to start all over again. It would be better to stay in Si Jiu City; with Big Brother here, you don't have to worry about being bullied," Lu Jiaxin suggested.
"Sister Xin, I want to go to Peng City. I'm not afraid to start over," Xue Mao insisted.
He knew how to make jianbing guozi (a type of Chinese pancake) and was also skilled at making steamed buns and mantou (a type of Chinese bread). He was confident that he could support himself by setting up a stall. In Si Jiu City, it would be difficult to see Sister Xin again, but Peng City was closer to Yang City, so there would be more opportunities to meet.
Lu Jiaxin sighed, "If you're determined to go, then go."
Soon, Xiao Qiu learned that both Xue Mao and Qian Xiao Xiao were planning to go to Hong Kong City. After agonizing for two days, she finally mustered the courage to ask, "Little Aunt, are you taking Xue Mao and Xiao Xiao with you to Peng City?"
Lu Jiaxin nodded, "Yes, is there a problem?"
Xiao Qiu hesitated, "Little Aunt, if Xue Mao and Xiao Xiao go to Peng City, then no one will be left to run the breakfast stall. My mother's cooking isn't as good as Grandma's, but she can make passable dumplings, buns, and mantou. Could she take over the breakfast stall?"
Lu Jiaxin hadn't anticipated this, but with Xue Mao following her, these things would be left unattended. It would be a new source of income for them to take over.
"Ask your Second Aunt if she's willing first. If she is, have them come over early so she can learn how to make jianbing guozi from Xue Mao," Lu Jiaxin suggested.
Xiao Qiu was thrilled, jumping with joy. Her mother's arrival would mean her father would come too. With her parents around, she wouldn't feel so scared.
When Lu Er Sao heard that no one would be left to run the breakfast stall, she was more than happy to have Xiao Qiu take over. During the Chinese New Year, her daughter had mentioned that the stall could make over ten yuan a day! As for the early mornings, well, they were already used to waking up at 5 am, and during the busy harvest season, they'd be up at 3 or 4 am anyway.
After ending the call, she went to speak with Lu Da Bo, telling him that she wanted to go to Si Jiu City. Lu Da Bo and Da Bo Mu were overjoyed at the news and had no objections. However, Lu San Sao was displeased. Xiao Qiu was one thing, but now Lu Jiaxin was offering a business opportunity in Si Jiu City to Lu Er's family, who had nothing to offer in return.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and she started causing a ruckus at home. Lu Da Bo was at his wit's end and called Lu Jiaxin again, asking her to let Lu San Sao come along as well.
If Lu San Sao had good cooking skills, it wouldn't be an issue to bring her along, especially now that policies had relaxed, and they could set up a stall in Shui Street or other busy areas. However, the problem was that Lu San Sao lacked culinary skills, and that was why, since her marriage into the Lu family, she had never cooked a meal—she might help out in the kitchen, but that was the extent of it.
Lu Jiaxin countered, "What's the point of Third Aunt coming if she can't cook? Are you expecting Second Aunt to support her?"
Lu Da Bo fell silent for a moment before replying, "Your Third Aunt can cook; she just hasn't had the opportunity with your grandmother and Second Aunt around. She's gotten a bit lazy."
Lu Jiaxin became even more opposed to the idea, "Uncle, Third Aunt accuses you of playing favorites. If you can't treat everyone fairly, then Second Aunt won't be coming either."
Initially, they had agreed to let Lu Jiajin and Ma Lilli stay in their home out of gratitude for Lu Jiajin's care for the original body. However, Ma Lilli had overstepped her boundaries, and so they had agreed to let them stay. But now, Lu Jiaxin felt it was better to maintain a distance in family relationships, or else people would take advantage.
Lu Da Bo was taken aback by her response and froze. By the time he regained his senses, the phone line was already dead. When he tried calling back, no one answered.
Seeing his gloomy expression, Da Bo Mu asked, "What's wrong? Didn't Jiaxin agree?"
"Where's your Third Daughter-in-law?" Lu Da Bo asked.
"She's in the house, packing," Da Bo Mu replied.
Lu Da Bo, irritated, said, "Packing what? Tell her to get out here."
Lu San Sao emerged from the room, her heart sinking as she saw the displeasure on Lu Da Bo's face. "Dad, what did Jiaxin say?" she asked.
Lu Da Bo felt his reputation had been tarnished by Lu San Sao's actions, and he glared at her, the root of his frustration. "Jiaxin asked me why your cooking skills are so poor if you're going to Si Jiu City," he said.
"Who says my cooking is bad? Is it Xiao Qiu? That girl, how dare she lie? Is she afraid I'll take Second Aunt's job?" Lu San Sao retorted angrily.
Lu Er Sao spoke up, clearly unhappy, "Last year when Jiaxin came to visit, she saw that your mother, Xiao Qiu, and I were busy in the kitchen every day while you hid in your room. She asked me why you never helped out in the kitchen, so I told her the truth."
"When you first arrived, I asked you to cook, and the dishes were either undercooked, burnt, or too salty. The buns and mantou you made were hard as rocks. Now, suddenly, because you know I can run a breakfast stall in Si Jiu City, your cooking skills have magically improved?" Lu Er Sao challenged.
In truth, she knew that her Third Daughter-in-law could cook well but was simply unwilling to do so. Usually, her mother-in-law cooked, and she would occasionally lend a hand, but she was too lazy to bother most of the time. However, she drew the line at Xiao Qiu lying about it.
Lu San Sao was left speechless by the rebuke and dared not make a fuss anymore.
Lu Er Sao returned to the room to pack her things. The next day, she went back to her parents' house to explain the situation, and on the third day, she set off for Si Jiu City with Lu Er Ge.
To welcome them, Lu Jiaxin asked Xue Mao to buy a lot of ingredients and prepared a sumptuous dinner. During the meal, Lu Er Sao kept praising Lu Jiaxin non-stop, and Xiao Qiu chimed in as well.
Lu Jiaxin did this without a second thought, but she was still happy to see Lu Er Sao's gratitude.
After the meal, Xiao Qiu pulled Lu Er Sao aside and whispered, "Mom, Xiao Gu needs to study every day. From now on, please keep your voice down when you're here so you don't disturb her."
Lu Er Sao smiled and said, "I was born with a loud voice, and it's not easy to change it right away. But we'll only be staying here for a few days. Once we find a place to rent, we'll move out."
"There's no need for that. Xiao Gu has plenty of rooms here..."
Lu Er Sao poked her daughter's forehead and scolded with a smile, "While there are many rooms here, this is your cousin's house, and she needs a quiet environment to rest and recuperate. We shouldn't disturb her all the time."
Xiao Qiu thought about it and agreed, "Alright, then I'll ask Xiao Xiao to help inquire about it tomorrow."
Qian Xiao Xiao's two greatest passions were food and gossip. It was because of these two traits that she quickly became close friends with the aunties and sisters in the neighborhood.
The mother and daughter chatted for a while, and Lu Er Sao said worriedly, "Xiao Qiu, do you really think I can learn to make those jianbing guozi? What if I can't make them...?"
Realizing that what she had just said was not auspicious, she quickly spat thrice and slapped her mouth, "Look at my big mouth! Our snack stall will definitely make money."
Xiao Qiu laughed, "Mom, making jianbing guozi is easy. The key is to get the seasoning right. As for making money, with your cooking skills, we'll definitely succeed."
After discussing this matter, Xiao Qiu asked about Lu San Sao, "Mom, Third Aunt really knows how to cook, right? I've never tasted her cooking before."
Lu Er Sao pouted, "If she didn't know how to cook, your grandfather and grandmother wouldn't have let her marry into the family."
Originally, Lu Er Ge intended to send his wife over and then return home, but Xiao Qiu stopped him, saying that he should help Lu Er Sao set up the breakfast stall with Xue Mao and Xiao Xiao.
Lu Er Ge was not one to sit idle, so he asked Lu Jiajin to help him find some work. Lu Jiajin knew a lot of people, and soon found him a job as a cargo loader.
Being a cargo loader involved moving goods onto vehicles or unloading them from vehicles into warehouses. It was tiring work and didn't pay well—only about fifty yuan a month, excluding room and board—but it required nothing more than brute strength and needed no special skills.
While Xiao Qiu was reluctant to see him go, Lu Er Ge was quite satisfied with the arrangement. As for when Lu Jiaxin would leave for Hong Kong City, no one knew, and they couldn't just sit at home and wait.
Lu Jiaxin didn't interfere with these matters. She had brought them to Si Jiu City, and if they still didn't learn their lesson and wanted to return to farming, there was nothing more she could do. Fortunately, Xiao Qiu had matured and knew that they had to find a way to make the couple stay.
Unexpectedly, Lu Jiajin approached Lu Jiaxin with a request, "Xinhuan, if anyone asks about Er Ge's job, please tell them that you found it through someone else. Don't say it was me, please!"
"Why? Are you afraid that Second Uncle and Second Aunt will scold you?"
Lu Jiajin said, "Second Aunt called and scolded me the day she arrived. She said I was useless and didn't help my own brother. I told them that they were only after your house, and if there were any good opportunities, I certainly wouldn't think of them. That's why they didn't scold me."
Lu Jiaxin laughed, "Alright, but since Fourth Uncle and his family are struggling in the countryside, if you have any connections, you should help them find some work too."
As for his own brother, Lu Jiajin would definitely not neglect him, but he had his own concerns, "I plan to find work for Fourth Uncle in Peng City. If they come here, they will definitely follow us there. Then, they'll be bothering us every now and then, and it'll be hard to focus on making money."
Lu Jiaxin thought this was a good idea.
Lu Jiajin hesitated for a moment before asking, "Jiaxin, did Fifth Aunt say anything unpleasant when she came over last time?"
"Who told you that?"
"Qiangqiang told me. He said that Ma Lili came to ask you to persuade me to treat her better. After he heard that outside, he didn't hear anything else. But when they returned, she was hugging Xiaofeng and crying."
Lu Jiaxin wouldn't bring it up herself, but since he mentioned it, she didn't hide the truth, "She asked me to persuade you to treat her well. I said that as long as she always thinks of you and the two children, and doesn't meddle in her family's affairs, you would reconcile with her without anyone's persuasion. She didn't want to listen and said that if you two divorced, your children would be mistreated by their stepmother."
"It's as if I'm to blame if I don't listen to her and Qiangqiang and Xiaofeng don't get along well in the future. I was very angry and told her not to come again."
After a long silence, Lu Jiajin said, "Jiaxin, I'm sorry. I won't let her bother you again."
Lu Jiaxin didn't want to get involved in their marital affairs, so she simply said, "Just take good care of the two children. They're still young and need your protection and love."
After a pause, she added, "Even if you divorce and remarry in the future, don't become like my father, or you'll end up like me, far away from home and unable to see each other even if you want to."
Lu Jiajin lowered his head and said, "That won't happen."
My period is killing me. The third chapter will be very late, so you guys can read it tomorrow.
(End of Chapter)
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