Chapter 52: News of a New Job

When Gu Zhenguo was getting his wounds treated, he promised to go to work the next day.

But the next morning, when he opened his eyes and woke up, he immediately felt sore all over and was too lazy to get up.

Summer mornings were the coolest and most suitable for sleeping, Gu Zhenguo felt like he could lie in bed until the end of time.

Just then, Gu Chouni was talking outside with concern, “Zhenguo, stay home and rest today, Mom will take the opportunity to ask for leave for you when I go to the factory. Xiaodong, take Zhenguo’s food into the room, let him eat after he wakes up.”

Seeing two eggs on the table, Gu Chouni gave Xu Xiaodong an approving look and instructed, “Peel the eggs before you take them to your husband. Zhenguo suffered a lot yesterday, he needs to replenish his energy. Peel the egg for your dad too.”

As soon as Xu Xiaodong heard this, her face immediately turned black. She slammed the bowl on the table with a ‘bang’.

“What do you mean? You dare to give your mother-in-law a black face?”

“These eggs were sent by my parents to supplement the children’s health. Zhenguo and Dad are both grown men, how can they shamelessly compete with children for food?”

Gu Chouni scolded confidently, “Those two money-losing brats you gave birth to, how can they compare to Zhenguo? Hurry up and take the eggs to Zhenguo, you don’t know how to care for your husband.”

Before, Xu Xiaodong had been unhappy in her heart, but she had to obediently follow. But now she wasn’t going to swallow her anger.

She had just asked her family to help yesterday, and today she was going to be submissive, wouldn’t that be in vain?

Xu Xiaodong wanted to smash a bowl to vent her anger, but she felt a little reluctant to part with the few bowls left in the house, so she went directly to the door of Gu Zhenguo’s room and kicked it open.

“Get up! Go to work!”

When Gu Chouni was talking outside before, Gu Zhenguo still had a glimmer of hope, he was expecting to continue to lie in bed, but as soon as Xu Xiaodong kicked the door open, he immediately sat up and said ingratiatingly, “I’m awake, I’m already awake, I’ll be out soon.”

Gu Chouni widened her eyes in shock, “Xu Xiaodong! Are you even human? Your husband is so badly injured, and you’re still asking him to go to work?”

“You can go, why can’t he?” Xu Xiaodong asked back.

“I went, of course he doesn’t have to go. I’m his mother, I earn money to support him, it’s only natural.” Gu Chouni only knew how to feel sorry about her son and never fells sorry for herself.

Xu Xiaodong took the opportunity to say, “Gu Zhenguo is the father of my children, he earns money to support the children, it’s also only natural.”

“Those two money-losing brats you gave birth to…” Gu Chouni grumbled.

Reasoning with Gu Chouni was pointless. Xu Xiaodong took a deep breath and looked threateningly at Gu Zhenguo.

Her family had just left yesterday, she didn’t believe that Xu’s family’s trip yesterday was in vain.

Gu Zhenguo was startled, he quickly said to Gu Chouni, “Mom, stop nagging, hurry up and eat, we have to rush to work later.”

“My son, you’re so badly injured, it must hurt so much to work.” Gu Chouni muttered with concern.

Gu Zhenguo was impatient, “What’s the use of saying these things? If you have the ability, I won’t work, you can give me a salary too. That way I can rest at home properly.”

Gu Chouni didn’t have any money now, she could only say apologetically, “It’s all Mom’s fault. You have to worry about money.”

Hearing their mother and son’s conversation, Xu Xiaodong didn’t silently curse in her heart anymore, she rolled her eyes in front of them and said disdainfully, “You don’t know your own level, do you? Even the landlords in the past had to work for money, someone like Gu Zhenguo, shouldn’t he go to work and earn money?”

They had just been dealt with yesterday, so Gu Zhenguo lowered his head in humiliation and didn’t dare to refute.

At Xu Xiaodong’s urging, Gu Zhenguo obediently went out to work with Gu Chouni.

He didn’t even dare to pretend to go to work. If his salary didn’t match up, he wouldn’t be able to explain himself.

Who would want to go to work if it wasn’t for money?

Lin Xiangnan had become a real street urchin since she solved the crisis of going down to the countryside. When the weather was cool, she would wander around with Lin Xiangxi and the others. When the sun was scorching, she would hide at home and blow the fan and eat ice cream.

Their family’s meals were separate from the Hu family’s. Now that Lin Xiangnan was free, Hu Meili asked her to cook.

What kind of cooking skills could Lin Xiangnan have? She only knew how to boil things with salt.

Hu Meili would comment after every meal, “It’s terrible, it’s not as good as mine.”

It was terrible, but Hu Meili didn’t pick on it, she finished every meal. Even so, she didn’t want to share meals with the Hu family.

Because Lin Xiangnan’s cooking skills were terrible, but she was greedy, she would often bring back good things to improve their meals. Things like roast chicken, they had enough for the three of them, but if they added the dozen or so people from the Hu family, they would only get a bite of meat each.

But her grandfather and grandmother were still there, so Hu Meili would occasionally bring over a bowl of meat or a big chicken leg.

Most of these things went to Hu’s family’s grandson.

Her own son had gotten the benefit, and her aunt had been especially enthusiastic towards Hu Meili recently.

Whenever there was good news, she immediately thought of Hu Meili.

“My second aunt’s daughter is pregnant with twins, but she’s not doing well, she wants to sell her job and go home to rest, so she asked me. But I just built a new house and I’m still in debt, where would I get the money to buy a job? But I know that your Xiaonan should have some money, so I came to you.”

As soon as Hu Meili heard this, she instantly showed a look of surprise, “Buy it, I’ll borrow money to buy it if I have to.”

“I heard from my second aunt that they’re planning to sell the job for 600 yuan.” Her aunt urged, “Since you’ve made up your mind, then hurry up and get the money, jobs are in short supply now, if someone else gets it first, it’ll be troublesome.”

Hu Meili didn’t even ask what kind of job it was, she immediately went back to her room to get the money. The money Lin Xiangnan gave her was still over five hundred yuan, plus her own private money, she had over seven hundred yuan in total, she took it all with her.

She put the money close to her body and went to knock on Lin Xiangnan’s door, she pulled her out and instructed, “Get ready, we’re going to my aunt’s second aunt’s house later, let’s finalize the job.”

Lin Xiangnan said in a daze, “Gu Zhenhua wrote me a letter saying that the marriage application has been approved. I don’t have to go down to the countryside anymore, why are you looking for a job for me? Is it for breaking off the engagement?”

Getting married and having a job, both could let her stay in the city. If she had a job, she wouldn’t need to get married, it seemed.

“Gu Zhenhua sent you a bicycle, you’ve almost ridden it into a wreck, how can you even mention breaking off the engagement?” Hu Meili said speechlessly, “Your brother is still in the countryside. You take the position first, then your brother will have room to maneuver when he returns to the city.”

Hearing this answer, Lin Xiangnan immediately became obedient, she combed her hair again and went downstairs with Hu Meili.

They were almost at her second aunt’s house when Lin Xiangnan remembered something and asked, “What unit is this job at?”

Her aunt replied, “State-owned restaurant.”

Hu Meili looked calm, “Hmm, suitable. Our family now has Xiaonan as the chef, her cooking skills are top-notch.”