Chapter 003

003

Rubbing their numb legs from squatting, the two of them limped their way back toward the compound.

Liu Hongxing feigned concern along the way, “I remember your grandfather mentioned before he passed that this job was supposed to be reserved for your aunt. Do you think she’ll have any objections?”

Thinking of her gentle and easygoing aunt, Qing Huihui was confident. “No.”

“But you’re right. You’re the one paying for her schooling now. If she still had any complaints, that’d be downright ungrateful.”

Qing Huihui frowned, recalling her monthly salary of thirty-seven yuan and fifty cents. Back when her father was alive, it had barely been enough for Snow cream and new clothes. Feeding three mouths now?

Her skin would crack from neglect.

“These days, high school isn’t much use anyway. It’s not like you can go to university—no job assignments either. Just a waste of money. Take my Zhiqiang, for example. He didn’t even finish high school, but he still got into the Worker-Peasant-Soldier University.”

On the surface, it sounded like she was just talking about her own family, but to Qing Huihui’s ears, the message was clear—her aunt attending high school was a waste of money and useless.

Qing Huihui’s thoughts were written all over her face, her lack of guile plain to see. Liu Hongxing watched her and knew—this was as good as settled.

Seems Zhiqiang was right after all. You couldn’t rush things. You had to plan carefully, chipping away bit by bit, nudging things in the right direction.

As they reached the compound gate, they spotted Liao Kezhang from the factory’s personnel department in the distance, walking out of Compound No. 16 with two junior staff members. They were deep in conversation, occasionally shaking their heads and sighing.

Liao Kezhang wore a cadre-style jacket with four pockets, his hair slicked back in a pompadour. Two pens were clipped to his chest pocket, and he usually looked down his nose at everyone in the factory.

Instinctively, Liu Hongxing tugged Qing Huihui aside. “The wind’s really strong today. Let’s walk slower. Hey, how about we go to the grocery store and buy some sunflower seeds? My treat.”

Qing Huihui eyed her suspiciously. Sister Hongxing was famously tight-fisted in Xinghua Alley. For her to offer to treat Qing Huihui to sunflower seeds?

This only confirmed it—she really saw Qing Huihui as family. Soon, Qing Huihui would be with Liu Zhiqiang!

There was a reason Liu Hongxing was avoiding Liao Kezhang. Her original name wasn’t Liu Hongxing but Liu Hongxing. Years ago, when Old Man Liu fled the mountains and arrived in Shucheng City, half-starved, he was taken in by the older, unmarried Liu Dama as a live-in son-in-law. Illiterate, he named his three daughters after common village names—Mei, Yun, Xing.

Hongmei and Hongyun were fine names, but the third daughter, Hongxing (Red Apricot)… She endured years of teasing from classmates and neighbors until a few years ago, when she changed her name to Liu Hongxing (Red Star) after singing “The Red Star Shines Bright.” After that, she carried herself with more confidence.

But because of that name change, during a special recruitment drive for employees’ children at the factory, Liao Kezhang from personnel noticed the discrepancy and suspected identity fraud, disqualifying her.

That was the closest she’d ever come to a real job.

From then on, she loathed Liao Kezhang with a passion but could do nothing about it except avoid him.

Only after finishing both bags of sunflower seeds did the two finally walk into the compound together.

The Liu family also lived in Courtyard No. 16, but they occupied two rooms in the inverted southern row of the front courtyard—a mere twenty square meters in total. The constant noise of doors opening and closing from people coming and going was incessantly loud. Unlike the Qing family who lived in the principal rooms—not only quiet but also with intentionally raised beams, windows on both sides, and a true south-facing layout with bright kitchens and bathrooms.

The Qing family, all former steel mill workers, had naturally been allocated the best two principal rooms in the entire courtyard, spanning over sixty square meters. Three women could practically play football inside!

Liu Hongxing dreamed of living in such a spacious house, and the moment she stepped inside, she couldn’t tear her eyes away.  

“Mom, where’s my aunt?”  

Lin Suifen was holding up a landscape painting, studying it. “In the courtyard, I think. Not sure what she’s washing.”  

Perfect. This matter had to be settled outside, in front of all the neighbors, so everyone could judge for themselves the immense pressure Qing Huihui had endured. It would also serve as proof that she wasn’t trying to drive her aunt out the moment her father died.  

Ahem. Everything she was doing was for her aunt’s own good.  

Qingyin was in the courtyard washing potatoes. She was starving, and with no money or food coupons, eating out wasn’t an option. Luckily, she had found a few potatoes in the kitchen at home—still unspoiled—so she decided to fill her stomach first.  

“Oh my, Qingyin, why’d you peel so much off those potatoes? If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were bathing a baby!” Liu Hongxing laughed.  

In those days, no one peeled potatoes—it was considered wasteful. But Qingyin hadn’t just peeled them; she’d also shaved off all the green spots, nodes, and blemishes until the potatoes were smooth and white. The onlookers stared in disbelief.  

Qingyin looked up. “Sister Hongxing, you must be so exhausted from babysitting your sister’s kid that you’re seeing things. If you mistake a baby for a potato, who knows what might happen if you take a knife to it.”  

Everyone: “???”  

Such sharp, caustic words—coming from the usually sweet and harmless Qingyin?  

Not only had she said it, but she also picked up the basin and splashed water straight onto Liu Hongxing and Qing Huihui’s shoes.  

She wasn’t here for courtesy. She was here for payback.  

She knew exactly why these two had come—she remembered this chapter from the novel all too well.  

“Watch it, Auntie. You got my new shoes all wet.”  

“Your dad hasn’t even been gone a week, and you’re already wearing new shoes. He really spoiled you.”  

Everyone: “???”  

Wait, why did Qingyin’s words sound so sarcastic?  

Still, as harsh as they were, the neighbors’ eyes turned to Qing Huihui. It was true—Qingyang had only just passed away, yet here she was in new clothes and shoes, while Qingyin was still in old garments, her face devoid of any joy.  

“If my dad knew that after all these years of supporting Auntie’s education, she’d turn around and slander him like this, how heartbroken he’d be… Our family nearly sold everything to pay for her schooling. Now, without Dad’s salary, I just can’t afford to support Auntie anymore. Since all our neighbors are here today, I’d like to speak my mind.”  

It was the usual spiel—family debts, her meager salary, how expensive Qingyin’s education was. By the emotional climax, she was genuinely crying.  

Thinking of Qingyang’s kindness in life, the neighbors’ eyes also reddened. “Ah, Huihui’s had it so hard, having to support her aunt’s schooling at such a young age. It’s not easy.”

“If you ask me, Xiao Qingyin should just drop out of school.”

“Exactly, she’s going to get married eventually anyway. A middle school education is more than enough.”

“Middle school? I never even attended literacy classes, and it didn’t stop me from getting married and having two healthy sons!”

The crowd nodded in agreement, all looking at Qingyin with concern, as if refusing to quit school today would make her an ungrateful, unreasonable child.

“Fine. Since we’re talking about who’s been supporting my education, I’d like to ask my sister-in-law and niece two questions. First, until the end of last year, my tuition and living expenses were entirely covered by my father. His monthly salary was higher than my eldest brother’s—more than enough to support me through high school, correct?”

Everyone nodded. Old Mr. Qing not only had a salary but also income from his medical practice, earning at least two hundred yuan a month. Supporting his youngest daughter, even if she lived lavishly, was no issue—let alone just attending school!

“So, where does this idea that my eldest brother, sister-in-law, and niece have been supporting me ‘all these years’ come from? Sister-in-law, have you forgotten the monthly subsidies Father used to give you?”

Lin Suifen was inside the house—whether still admiring that world-famous painting or hiding, no one knew.

She wanted to play dead, but Qing Huihui, unable to handle her suddenly sharp-tongued aunt, pushed the door open. “Mom, is what Auntie said true?”

Lin Suifen’s face flushed red.

The crowd understood immediately, their gazes toward the mother and daughter shifting noticeably.

“Second, before my father passed away last year, he divided the family assets in front of the neighborhood committee and street office representatives. Aside from splitting the property equally, he also prepaid my final semester of high school expenses to my eldest brother and sister-in-law. If you’ve forgotten, Sister-in-law, I can always invite the neighborhood committee over to clarify.”

“This… oh, my memory must be slipping. I’d completely forgotten. My mistake—I didn’t mean to cause any misunderstandings.” Lin Suifen forced a smile.

“No worries if you forgot. The division was officially documented. Besides the neighborhood committee, Seventh Uncle Grandpa can also serve as a witness. It’s not possible everyone forgot, right?”

Lin Suifen met Qingyin’s faintly mocking eyes and felt something surreal.

Just yesterday, her sister-in-law had been harmless. How had she woken up so unrelenting and sarcastic?

“Don’t mind my bluntness, Sister-in-law. If I’ve offended you, please don’t take it to heart.” Qingyin’s voice suddenly softened, trembling slightly as if holding back tears. “I’ll work hard to lighten your burden. I won’t disgrace Father or Eldest Brother.”

Qing Huihui and Liu Hongxing exchanged glances. Work hard? Shouldn’t she be focusing on studying?

“Oh, child, I raised you since you were little—getting up before dawn in late winter to cook for you. How could I ever be upset with you?” Lin Suifen smiled as usual, her eyes radiating motherly warmth, as if indulging a misbehaving child.

She always played the perfect elder sister-in-law—a fact Qingyin had gleaned from the novel’s subtext.

Beneath her cultured, gentle facade, Lin Suifen never missed a chance to remind everyone how she’d “raised her sister-in-law,” claiming she’d never pampered Huihui half as much. Even outwardly, Huihui’s clothes and belongings were always plainer than her aunt’s. Naturally, the neighbors praised Lin Suifen as the epitome of a cultured woman—a sister-in-law more devoted than any mother.

And precisely because of her extra care, Old Mr. Qing trusted her deeply, and Qingyang also respected her, confidently handing over his entire salary to her.

Qingyin was, after all, the Qing family’s head. She didn’t believe someone as meticulous as Lin Suifen would be unaware of Qing Huihui’s actions toward her little aunt. Stealing jobs, borrowing dowries, selling houses—weren’t these all major family affairs requiring collective effort? Yet she had never intervened or offered a single word of advice.

Silence was tacit approval, and tacit approval was complicity.

Qingyin despised love-struck fools and equally despised their enabling mothers.

“Big Brother and Sister-in-law’s kindness to me is something I’ll never forget, especially when I think of Sister-in-law having to get up in such cold weather to make breakfast for me and Huihui. It breaks my heart.”

Everyone nodded—this girl knew gratitude.

Though Lin Suifen wasn’t pleased with her veiled jabs at Huihui, her harmless demeanor was reassuring. “It’s fine. Your sister-in-law doesn’t mind.”

“No, even if Sister-in-law is willing, I can’t accept this without guilt. I must contribute my fair share to the family.” Her eyes burned with the fervor of a Young Pioneer taking an oath.

“So, I’ve decided to quit school and start working.”

“What?!”

“Wait, why would you quit school when you’re doing so well?” Lin Suifen panicked.

“I can’t bear to let Suisui support my education. I don’t want to be a burden to Sister-in-law and Suisui any longer.”

Money aside, the sticking point for Liu Hongxing and Qing Huihui was—”What job are you taking?”

Qingyin looked at them strangely. “Of course, I’m taking over Big Brother’s job. It’s just sitting there unused. What if the factory changes its policies someday? Wouldn’t Big Brother’s sacrifice be in vain? Wuwu… my poor Big Brother, even in his final moments, he was thinking of me, insisting the job be left to me, wuwu…”

To everyone watching, she was just a pitiful, helpless Xiao Qingyin, sobbing uncontrollably, her shoulders shaking.

Before Qingyang passed, both Grandpa One and Grandpa Two from the compound had been present. Recalling the scene, their eyes reddened slightly.

Qingyang had truly been a good son and a good elder brother.

“No, you can’t take the job!” Liu Hongxing shrieked.

She couldn’t hold back anymore. If Qingyin started working, she’d be the one sent to the countryside. Why should she go? Why shouldn’t Qingyin be the one to go?

“Oh, really?” Qingyin smirked. “The personnel department already went to the school to transfer my records this afternoon. Liao Kezhang just came by for the review. Starting next Monday, I’ll be working to support the family and repay Sister-in-law and my niece.”

Liu Hongxing’s chest tightened, her breath ragged. She—she—she had already secured the job?!