Chapter 273: Dismissal

Despite the Zhao family’s reluctance, the Zhang family had ended the engagement. Now, it would be even more difficult for the Zhao family daughters to find another match. Zhao Xiaoxing, feeling devastated, didn’t go to work in the afternoon and stayed in her room crying.

Zhao Jianing said, “What’s the use of crying? Weren’t you the one who said similar things to me before?”

Zhao Xiaoxing, frustrated and looking for someone to vent her anger on, snapped, “Stop gloating over my misfortune. The Zhang family broke off the engagement because of you. This family is in this state all because of you. You’re just a jinx.”

Zhao Jianing shrugged, “Say whatever you want, I’m not the one who got rejected anyway.”

She then turned and left the courtyard, sitting in a shaded spot, thinking about how to discuss going to school with her unreliable biological father when he returned. She couldn’t delay it any further.

School had already been in session for almost a month, and she was worried about falling behind, so she had to address the school issue without any more delay.

She should be starting the second year of junior high now. Zhao Xiaoyun had mentioned that Luo Qiao was already in high school, which made her feel even more upset.

—

In Ji City, Luo Tianming was inexplicably scolded by the team leader today, leaving him feeling very frustrated. Since his son got into trouble, he had been wary of Director Geng making things difficult for him.

He had always been diligent and cautious at work, never arriving late or leaving early, afraid of being caught on any minor issues. However, today, in front of everyone in the workshop, the team leader had reprimanded him for a long time, causing him great embarrassment.

Meanwhile, Feng Hui had lost her job today because she was caught by the security department with factory shoe soles hidden in her bag. She had taken them just because she saw others doing it, even though they were defective.

However, during an impromptu inspection, she was caught red-handed and became an example of wrongdoing, resulting in both public disgrace and job loss.

Already upset, Luo Tianming’s anger flared when he learned that his wife had lost her job over a pair of worn-out shoe soles. He slapped Feng Hui in a fit of rage.

Feng Hui, unable to tolerate the blow due to her temperament, ended up in a fight with Luo Tianming. By the time their children returned, the area outside was already crowded with onlookers.

It wasn’t until Luo Tiancheng and Qiao Juan returned that they managed to pull the two apart. After learning what happened, they angrily reprimanded them, saying, “How stupid you are.”

Feng Hui’s situation quickly became known among the neighbors, with various rumors circulating. Feng Hui, who was sensitive about her reputation, didn’t dare leave the house for a few days but was extremely anxious as the family of five relied entirely on Luo Tianming’s salary.

After considering her options, she had her nine-year-old son, Luo Fei, go to the neighborhood committee to pick up some work making paper envelopes, which would at least help to supplement the family’s income.

With National Day approaching, Luo Qiao had already bought train tickets to the farm for the holiday. She planned to visit the Luo family’s grandmother’s grave to fulfill the original owner’s wish.

At noon, while making fried sauce noodles at home, Shitou arrived in the courtyard and immediately smelled the aroma. “Sister, did you make meat sauce?”

Luo Qiao smiled and said, “You really do have a good nose. I heard you were praised at school, so I specially made this fried sauce noodles to reward you.”

Shitou smiled, a bit embarrassed, “It wasn’t a big deal. Actually, I just felt sorry for that old man and wanted to help him get home. I didn’t expect him to come looking for me at school.”

Luo Qiao said, “Helping others is a good thing, but you should also be cautious and not let yourself be deceived.”

Concerned about some scams she had heard about in later years, Luo Qiao told Shitou a few stories while cooking to make him more alert and wary of being tricked in the future.

After telling the stories, Luo Qiao added, “It’s not that I don’t want you to do good deeds, but you should always be mindful of your safety. It’s best to contact the police if you encounter any problems.”

Shitou smiled and replied, “Sister, I understand and will remember.”

Thanks to Luo Qiao’s advice, Shitou avoided a potential danger in the future, realizing that his sister’s warnings were not false, though that was a matter for later.

When Lu Yichen came back, he brought some meat, including some spare ribs that Luo Qiao liked. As Luo Qiao served the rice, she said, “I’ve bought a train ticket for tonight to go back to the farm. I won’t be in the city during the National Day holiday.”