Chapter 20

“Go and kneel down to your grandparents to apologize. If they don’t forgive you, you’re not allowed to get up.”

Jiang Ershu (Second Uncle Jiang) didn’t move from the bench the entire time, not even when Kang Qing had gotten up due to the chaos and gone over to help Jiang Jianguo to his feet.

But Jiang Jianguo avoided his second daughter-in-law’s outstretched hand—he didn’t want to get too close, lest it give people something to gossip about.

Jiang Zhu had always trusted her father and obeyed him. She firmly believed he was the only one in the family who truly cared about her. Even in her previous life, when she’d hit rock bottom, only her father would still occasionally send her some money.

So, without hesitation, she knelt before Jiang Jianguo and gave him a proper kowtow. “Grandpa, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have hurt you.”

But when it came to her grandmother Li Guihua, Jiang Zhu was clearly perfunctory. She simply muttered a quick apology and considered it done.

Jiang Jianguo, wincing from the pain, waved his hand and let Jiang Zhu get up.

Li Guihua, however, showed no kindness toward one of the culprits, Jiang Zhu. Though her expression softened slightly upon seeing Jiang Jianguo’s calm demeanor, she still allowed Jiang Zhu to rise.

Jiang Yun stood frozen for a long moment, disdain flashing across her face at Jiang Zhu’s behavior. Bootlicker. One word and she was already kneeling and apologizing? Where was the boldness from earlier?

How could someone like that be given a second chance?

Now that she had transmigrated with the plot, Jiang Zhu’s rebirth was no longer an advantage. It was time for Jiang Zhu to step aside and let her take her rightful place.

“Yun Yun! Hurry up and apologize!” Kang Qing kept signaling her daughter with her eyes, urging her forward. What was wrong with the girl today? She even dared to ignore her father?

Had she learned nothing from all the beatings she’d received from him before?

Reluctantly, Jiang Yun walked over to Jiang Jianguo and, after a long pause, squeezed out, “I’m sorry.”

What era was this? Kowtowing? No way she’d do that.

Jiang Ershu’s expression darkened—clearly displeased with his disobedient daughter. With a scowl, he picked up a ceramic bowl and hurled it at Jiang Yun.

“Jiang Yun, is this how you show respect to your elders? You make a mistake and show no remorse?”

The bowl shattered against Jiang Yun’s body, cutting through her exposed skin. Her tears started to fall as she looked toward her mother for help.

But Kang Qing turned her face away, not daring to look. If she interfered, that bowl might have been thrown at her instead.

Still not satisfied, Jiang Ershu raised his foot, intending to kick Jiang Yun, but Li Guihua cut him off.

“That’s enough, Ershu. If you want to discipline your daughter, do it at your own house. Stop yelling here. You’re giving me a headache.”

If it had been before, Li Guihua would have stepped in and tried to mediate when her second son scolded his daughter. But since both girls had just hurt her and her husband, she was still angry and had no intention of interfering this time—she just wanted them all gone.

Once she chased them off, she asked Jiang Yao to shut the courtyard gate and returned to the main house.

She sat on the edge of the bed, watching Jiang Chaomin, who had been taking care of Jiang Jianguo this whole time, and started to cry again.

“Chaomin, thank goodness your father and I still have you. That second son of mine is no good.”

“His own father fell, and he didn’t even move a step to help. From now on, I won’t care if he lives or dies.”

“Mom, don’t cry. You and Dad still have me. As for him, it’s up to you.”

To him, both sons were equally flesh and blood, but he couldn’t expect his mother to treat the second son the same way he did.

“Ershu really is no good. From now on, don’t secretly give him money anymore.”

“We’ve already split households. We’re separate families now.”

Jiang Jianguo’s tone was calm and steady. Unlike Li Guihua, who placed great value on family ties and, despite her favoritism, couldn’t completely let go of any of her children, he was more practical. He only cared about the son who would care for him in old age and who had a promising future. He had never cared much for the second son.

After Jiang Yao closed the door, she came into the main house and noticed a strange atmosphere. Pretending not to notice, she walked up to Li Guihua.

Then she dropped a bombshell of good news.

“Grandma, I found a job!”

“What?” Li Guihua was so shocked she nearly spilled the medicinal wine in her hands. Good heavens, did she hear that right?

Her granddaughter found a job in the county?

“My precious granddaughter, say that again. Grandma didn’t hear it clearly!”

Li Guihua forgot all her grief, staring at Jiang Yao in disbelief.

“Grandma, I said I found a job in the county. I’ll be working as a shop assistant at the supply and marketing cooperative.”

Li Guihua was completely dazed by this blessing falling from the sky. Her granddaughter had made something of herself—not only did she have a job, but soon she’d be able to move her household registration into the county too. And the job itself was one of the highly respected “Eight Iron Rice Bowl Jobs.”

Li Guihua couldn’t believe it and asked Jiang Yao again, who patiently repeated it. Li Guihua was so happy she danced around the room, then grabbed Jiang Jianguo’s hand excitedly.

“Old man, did you hear that? Our Yao Yao made something of herself! She found a job in the county!”

Jiang Jianguo was more composed, but the corners of his mouth nearly reached his ears.

“I heard. I heard. You asked her so many times—any deaf person could hear by now.”

The gloom of being bedridden vanished instantly. Earlier, he’d been mentally calculating how many work points he’d lost by being stuck in bed and how much money that equated to.

He was one of the more senior and educated villagers in the Qianjin Brigade and had long served as the person responsible for tallying work points.

It was an easy job and came with generous compensation.

He had been pained at losing those work points, but hearing his granddaughter had landed a job brought him right back to life.

Whether temporary or permanent, a worker meant eating commodity grain—his ancestors must be blessing them!

At that moment, Jiang Jianguo felt dizzy with joy. All those years of schooling hadn’t been in vain—they finally had a worker in the Jiang family.

“This is a huge deal! Yao Yao, when do you need to report to the supply and marketing cooperative? I’ll get you some new clothes.”

Jiang Chaomin was so excited he was rubbing his hands together, already making plans. Their family’s first worker—she had to look the part.

“Tomorrow’s the first day, Dad. No need to buy anything. There’s not enough time.”

“Tomorrow?”

Jiang Chaomin was stunned—so soon?

“You child, why didn’t you say anything earlier? Grandma could have gotten ready.” Li Guihua pretended to scold her, though she was brimming with joy.

“Grandma, by the time I got home, it was already dark. I couldn’t have told you any earlier.”

“That doesn’t matter. Tomorrow is your first day at work. We might not have time to prepare clothes, but Grandma will make sure your breakfast is extra special.”

The family had just run out of eggs. A few days ago, Li Guihua had taken a full basket to the commune’s supply shop to trade for some oil and salt.

The egg Jiang Yao had eaten that morning was the last one she’d saved especially for her. Now there were none left.