Chapter 39

Too Naive

Xu Laotai’s smile instantly froze on her face: “I’m childless—what does it have to do with you? You gave birth to so many like a pig, so what? You’re still out in the fields every day?”

The eldest daughter-in-law wanted to retort but was interrupted by an incoming Liu Laotai, who slapped her: “Go away, just because you had three sons, you think you’re a hero of the Liu family? I had six, did I say anything? Did I act proud?”

The eldest daughter-in-law was left speechless.

She lowered her head, her fingers twisting the corner of her clothes, looking very reserved and obedient, completely different from how she was looking for trouble earlier.

Liu Laotai, seeing her expression, became increasingly irritated: “Go cook.”

The eldest daughter-in-law didn’t dare stay another moment and quickly headed to the kitchen.

Once she left, Liu Laotai turned to Xu Laotai: “What’s the good news?”

When the topic came up, Xu Laotai quickly put aside her earlier displeasure: “Jiajia went to the machinery factory for the exam yesterday, and she passed! She got a desk job with 40 yuan a month.”

Liu Laotai was envious: “I used to think having a big family was lively, but now I realize that more people just means more trouble. You really need to study more. One exam, one guarantee—Jiajia’s going to work now, right?”

Xu Laotai shook her head: “No, the job is for Jianguo.”

Liu Laotai was puzzled: “But it’s not just an ordinary worker, why won’t she go?”

Xu Laotai was very open-minded, never asking for reasons but simply offering support: “If she doesn’t want to go, then fine. No need for so many questions. After these two exams, I’ve figured it out. Jiajia is good at exams but doesn’t like working. But it’s fine. We have work in the family, so even if Jiajia stays home and relies on us, it’s not a problem.”

Liu Laotai smiled: “Her husband is an officer, so why would they need you to support them?”

Xu Laotai thought for a moment and nodded: “That’s true.”

The news of Xu Jianguo getting a job quickly spread to every villager.

“How lucky is their family? They just passed one exam, and not long after, they passed another. Jobs are like cabbage in their eyes!”

“This time, it’s the machinery factory. I heard it’s the largest state-owned factory in the town, with thousands of employees. The salary and benefits are better than in other factories!”

“Their family is turning things around.”

“Jianguo didn’t remarry, and that was the right decision.”

“Before, he said his daughter was too young to remarry, but now that she’s married, he should consider it, right?”

“Yeah, he’s not even forty, still young.”

The village leader sat on the doorstep, smoking a cigarette, exhaling a puff of smoke: “If you pass one exam, it’s luck; if you pass two, it’s skill. Jianguo’s daughter is incredible!”

The village leader’s wife brought over a small stool and sat down beside him, resting her chin on her hand as she gazed into the distance: “Most of Jiajia’s classmates’ parents are dual-income families. When a factory is recruiting internally, they know it clearly. For ordinary folks like us, getting this information is harder than climbing to the sky!”

The village leader sighed: “What’s the use of knowing? If you’re not a worker’s child, you have to graduate from high school. We don’t have a single high school graduate in our family, not even close to the threshold!”

Thinking of this, the village leader’s anger flared up. He suddenly stood up and shouted into the house: “Xiao, come out here!”

Xu Yuanqing came out, seeing that the village leader was angry, he asked in confusion: “Dad, who made you angry?”

The village leader grabbed a willow branch from the ground and harshly whipped Xu Yuanqing: “You stubborn brat! I told you to study hard, but you insisted on coming back to feed the pigs! Now look at you, can’t even reach the threshold! Worthless little thing, feed pigs for the rest of your life!”

Xu Yuanqing hopped around from the pain: “Dad, you didn’t say that back then! You said that city folks came to the countryside as educated youths, and that studying wasn’t really that useful! You said that exactly! Don’t tell me you forgot?”

The village leader whipped him again: “You little brat, dare to argue back? I’ll beat you to death!”

Xu Yuanqing screamed: “Dad, do you have any sense of fairness?”

The village leader’s wife rushed over and grabbed the willow branch from his hand: “He doesn’t like studying, beating him to death won’t help.”

A shadow of sadness flashed in the village leader’s eyes: “We have so many kids, but not one of them is good at studying. I wasn’t bad at studying back in the day!”

Xu Yuanqing laughed mockingly: “Hahaha… The one who always came last now dares to say he wasn’t bad? Dad, do you have some misunderstanding about this?”

The village leader raised his hand and slapped him: “You little brat, how dare you talk like that?”

Xu Yuanqing rubbed the spot where he was slapped, looking aggrieved: “I didn’t say anything wrong, why are you hitting me?”

The village leader’s wife sighed deeply: “He’s so clueless.”

Xu Yuanqing, in a bad mood after the beating, walked around the village.

As he walked, he reached the Xu family’s doorstep.

Chen Ji saw a sneaky figure by the door and walked out to ask: “Who are you looking for?”

Xu Yuanqing, seeing Chen Ji for the first time, didn’t recognize him: “I’m looking for Xu Jiajia. Is she home?”

Chen Ji turned his head and called inside: “Sis, someone’s looking for you.”

Xu Jiajia came out, stared at him for a long time, and finally recognized who he was: “Is there something you need?”

Xu Yuanqing sat down on a bench inside, looking pitifully at Xu Jiajia: “You’re so impressive, how are guys like us supposed to live?”

Xu Jiajia was confused: “How is me being impressive related to you? You have your life, I have mine. We don’t clash, right?”

Xu Yuanqing sighed deeply, looking troubled: “You’re so outstanding, every parent wishes their child could be like you.

sigh.

My father says I’m hopeless, not studying hard, only feeding pigs.

What’s going on with me?”

Xu Jiajia: “……”

After a brief silence, she spoke: “Everyone has their own strengths. Like you—you’re excellent at raising pigs. Who knows, maybe one day you could even become a pig official!”

Xu Yuanqing scratched his head and looked at Xu Jiajia: “How do I feel like this isn’t exactly a compliment?”

Xu Jiajia paused for a moment: “Of course it’s a compliment. Let me tell you, raising pigs is a skill, an art.

You even need to learn how to castrate pigs.

It’s best to read more, raise pigs scientifically.

Who knows, you might even catch the attention of the higher-ups.”

Xu Yuanqing was both confused and enlightened: “So raising pigs has so many tricks to it. Looks like I still need to learn more!”

Xu Jiajia agreed: “Of course! There’s a saying that books have their own treasure houses.”

After talking with Xu Jiajia, Xu Yuanqing quickly found a new life goal.

Previously, he had taken the task of feeding pigs to avoid going to work.

Now, he decided to make pig farming his lifelong career.

When he got home, he asked the village leader for leave: “Dad, I need to go to the town tomorrow. Can you find someone to take over my work?”

The village leader was still angry, his face cold: “You, a pig feeder, going to the town for what? Just stay here and feed pigs, don’t go anywhere!”

Xu Yuanqing’s eyes sparkled with excitement: “Dad, I just went to Xu Jiajia’s place, and she said that as long as I take good care of the pigs, there’s a future in it. She even said I could become a pig official.”

The village leader laughed angrily: “Feeding pigs, what kind of future is that?”

Xu Yuanqing shook his head: “Dad, you don’t get it. There’s a meat shortage everywhere. If I become really good at raising pigs, the higher-ups will definitely notice, and I might even get featured in the newspaper!”

The village leader snorted: “They are experts, and you’re just doing small-time stuff!”

Xu Yuanqing refused to listen: “Anyway, I believe if I focus on raising pigs, I’ll be fine.

Dad, don’t keep discouraging me.

The path to becoming a worker is already closed.

I have to choose another path.

And I happen to like raising pigs.”

The village leader had nothing more to say.

After a long pause, he suddenly laughed: “Alright, I’ll see what kind of success you have with feeding pigs!”

……

Xu Family.

Xu Laotai was in a good mood today, so she made extra dishes and even took out the long-saved dried rabbit meat to stir-fry.

Chen Ji’s eyes widened: “Grandma, is this rabbit meat?”

Xu Laotai nodded: “Yes, your uncle set the traps. Eat more.”

The dried rabbit meat was firm and flavorful.

Chen Ji couldn’t stop praising it: “It’s so delicious, Grandma, your cooking is better than the chefs at the state-run restaurants!”

Xu Laotai’s eyes narrowed into slits with a smile: “Always joking with me. If you like it, eat more. When your uncle has time, let him go set more traps in the mountains, maybe we can catch some more rabbits!”

Chen Ji was very interested in setting traps: “I’ll go too.”

Xu Jianguo glanced at him: “I have to go to work.”

Chen Ji laughed: “Wait until you’re not working.”

Xu Jianguo: “We’ll see.”

At this meal, Chen Ji ate until he was full: “Grandma, next time I’ll bring some grain.”

Grain was in short supply these days, and everyone was struggling.

Xu Laotai laughed: “What nonsense! If it weren’t for you, Jiajia wouldn’t have been able to sign up. And with the information you provided, you’re a great help.”

Chen Ji didn’t dare take credit: “Grandma, it doesn’t matter how much information you give to someone not smart. My friends are proof of that.

In the end, it’s because my sister is smart. Whenever she does something, it always works out.”

Xu Laotai agreed: “Yes, Jiajia is smart.”

After leaving Xu’s house, Chen Ji ran into Song Ran.

Chen Ji looked displeased: “What are you doing here?”

Song Ran, surprised to see Chen Ji, remembered the last time he was slapped and rushed to swing a punch.

Chen Ji reacted quickly, dodging the punch: “Damn, you old fool, are you looking for trouble?”

After dodging the punch, Chen Ji kicked Song Ran: “Get lost!”

Song Ran, with his thin frame, looked decent but was actually weak.

One kick from Chen Ji sent him to the ground.

Chen Ji laughed loudly: “Useless, and you dare cause trouble with me!”

Song Ran, embarrassed, got up and tried to fight back.

At that moment, Xu Jiajia came out and saw Song Ran. Her voice turned cold as she spoke: “You’ve already broken off the engagement, what are you doing here? Get lost, my family doesn’t welcome you!”

Song Ran, with a dark face, questioned Xu Jiajia: “Did you say something to Xu Xin about me?”