Chapter 10

There were so many people looking for jobs outside, but without connections, Chi Junshu was nothing.

Chi Daqiang was annoyed by the crying. He raised his hand and slapped Chi Junshu hard across the face. “You’re a grown man. What are you crying about? Why did the machinery factory fire you?”

“I-I don’t know either…” Chi Junshu didn’t dare tell the real reason.

Chi Daqiang was fuming. “Come on, I’ll go with you right now to find out.”

The family housing for the machinery factory was in an alley just across the street. Chi Daqiang believed he still knew some people there.

Chi Junshu desperately tried to stop him. “Dad, there’s no point. I was just a temporary worker—it was never stable.”

That afternoon, when he got fired, the supervisor who took him in had scolded him harshly. He didn’t want to go back and get another beating from his dad in public.

Chi Daqiang sighed, “Why did you have to lose your job right now of all times? Your sister is fighting with Zhou Zixiao again, the house got cleaned out by a thief today, and I was counting on you to bring back some advance pay to help. What am I supposed to do now?”

Chi Junshu couldn’t lift his head under his father’s scolding.

At that moment, a father and son passed by behind Chi Junshu.

“Son, just go register to be sent to the countryside. You’ll get a 100 yuan subsidy. If you keep sitting around at home, your brother and sister-in-law are going to break up because of you.”

Hearing this made Chi Daqiang nervous too. He looked at Chi Junshu warily. “Now that you’re not at the factory anymore, where do you plan to work?”

Chi Junshu looked up pitifully. “Dad, maybe Sis can help me figure something out. She and Brother Zixiao were the ones who helped me get into the factory in the first place. The Zhou family has a wide network—if Brother Zixiao steps in, I’m sure he can help me get another job.”

Chi Daqiang hated useless people hanging around him more than anything. It was already hard to find work in the city. Who knew how long it’d take for this young man to land something new? He was so angry, he kicked him hard.

“Crying again! That’s all you know how to do. You worked at that factory for over six months and still got fired. What the hell were you doing?”

Thinking about having to support another idle person at home gave Chi Daqiang a headache.

Then Chi Junshu said, “Dad, my sister also works at the textile mill. She’s a full-time worker. She should be able to get a good chunk of advance pay, right?”

Chi Daqiang turned around and walked into the courtyard.

Chi Yiyi was already lying on the floor of her small attic room, resting. She had been out all day and was exhausted. All she wanted now was to recharge her energy so she could sneak over to the Zhou house later that night.

“Yiyi, you saw the state the house is in after the robbery. Did you go to the factory today to ask for an advance?”

Chi Daqiang didn’t dare go up the half-dismantled stairs, so he stood below and called up to her.

Chi Yiyi replied, “Didn’t Zhou Zixiao already give you money today? I don’t feel like getting an advance.”

Chi Bilian came running out of her room. “Sis, the house is in shambles now. As part of this family, we all need to pitch in and help rebuild. My arm still hasn’t healed. The money Zixiao gave today was meant to help treat me. Please don’t eye that money meant for my medical care.”

Chi Yiyi shot back without mercy, “Chi Bilian, you really know how to flatter yourself. You didn’t hear what Zhou Zixiao said when he handed that money to Dad?”

Chi Bilian’s face burned with embarrassment.

Chi Daqiang had long known his real daughter’s temperament, but he still needed her to maintain ties with the Zhou family, so he couldn’t really side with her.

Chi Yiyi continued, “Chi Bilian, you’re part of this family too. You’ve got a job now. Why aren’t you contributing anything?”

Chi Daqiang turned to look at Chi Bilian. She immediately said, “Dad, you know my job was bought with money from Mom. It’s new, and if I go ask for an advance now, I might get fired!”

Lin Ru happened to return just then, carrying food. She relaxed a little when she saw Chi Daqiang wasn’t pressuring her daughter.

“Dinner’s ready.”

There wasn’t a single table left in the house, so Lin Ru had to lay out the food on the floor.

“These days I let Junjie eat and sleep at school. It’s just us adults at home, so we’ll make do.”

Chi Daqiang nodded. “You did the right thing.”

Chi Yiyi figured since Zhou Zixiao gave money, she might as well eat too.

She came downstairs and saw Lin Ru handing a meal box with meat and vegetables to Chi Bilian.

Chi Yiyi coughed loudly on purpose.

Chi Daqiang immediately reacted and snatched the box away, handing it to Chi Yiyi instead. “Yiyi, you eat this.”

Chi Yiyi didn’t hold back. She took the box and started eating.

Lin Ru was furious. “Chi Daqiang! Bilian’s arm hasn’t healed yet. I specially bought that meat to help her recover.”

Chi Daqiang kept his head down, eating plain rice and greens. “Zhou Zixiao said to take good care of Yiyi, so the meat goes to her today.”

He was being ruthless on purpose, trying to motivate Chi Bilian to start pulling her weight too.

Lin Ru gritted her teeth. “Some people eat meat, then they better get to work. If they keep being willful and can’t hold onto a man, this family isn’t going to support freeloaders.”

Chi Yiyi gave a cold snort. She quickly finished her food and went back upstairs to nap.

Midnight.

The whole Chi family was sleeping on makeshift beds in their respective rooms.

Chi Yiyi, in high spirits, sneaked out.

She arrived at the Zhou residence.

Looking up, she saw that the light in the master bedroom was still on. Chi Yiyi was thrilled—she had come at the perfect time. The Zhou elders must be secretly moving their valuables at night.

The Zhou residence was a larger two-story courtyard home.

Chi Yiyi stealthily crept up outside the courtyard and sure enough, she saw the Zhou elders digging in the yard.

Oh ho! So they buried treasure in the yard too.

Zhou Father said, “Xiaoqin, let’s not bring these things back into the house again. Just take a little out to use. I’m afraid the thief will come again.”

Zhou Mother replied, “Yuan’an, you’re right. This yard is just our vegetable patch anyway. If we need money, we can just dig. No one will suspect a thing.”

She tucked dozens of gold bars (nicknamed “little yellow fish”) into her arms and walked back into the house, while Zhou Father continued covering the hole with his hoe.

Chi Yiyi waited by the corner. When Zhou Father finally went inside, she activated her space ability to go half-invisible, climbed the wall, and slipped into the courtyard.