Chapter 37: Jiang Liping

After Jiang Liping’s last visit to town ended on bad terms with Jiang Liyun, she began thinking about finding a job.

While staying at the Li family’s house, which provided her with good food and drink, she felt uncomfortable without any money in hand.

She shamelessly asked her in-laws for money, but while they were willing to provide for her needs, they were unwilling to give her any cash.

After searching for a while in town, Jiang Liping actually found a job in a small workshop, where she operated a sewing machine to make clothes and was paid per piece.

Jiang Liping didn’t like hard work. She would arrive at the workshop around eight in the morning, use the excuse of needing to take care of things at home to leave at noon for a two-hour lunch break, and return home early in the evening.

Although she earned less this way, her life was comfortable. During the previous month, she hadn’t even gone to see Jiang Liyun.

However, her in-laws had mentioned several times that they wanted her to improve her relationship with Jiang Liyun.

Naturally, she was unwilling, but after her in-laws mentioned it so many times, she remembered what her sister had said about her husband’s mental disability being hereditary.

Jiang Liping was willing to marry Li Xuyang because he was different from the mentally disabled person she had in mind. Li Xuyang was completely independent in his daily life and could also speak and do household chores.

Most importantly, Li Xuyang obeyed her every word.

When she asked Li Xuyang to fetch water for her foot bath, he didn’t hesitate to do so.

When she was with her ex-boyfriend, she always lowered herself to please him and even his entire family. Now, encountering someone like Li Xuyang, she naturally liked it. At home, she bossed Li Xuyang around as she pleased.

But if her future children were like this, it would indeed be troublesome.

Jiang Liping thought that her life would probably remain the same, but in her imagination, her children should study hard and go to college.

Jiang Liping took Li Xuyang to the hospital to ask the doctor if his “stupidity” would be hereditary.

The doctors at the town hospital had average medical skills; many of them had previously been barefoot doctors. Naturally, they couldn’t give a definite answer to Jiang Liping, but they also told her that it was possible.

Feeling anxious, Jiang Liping wanted to take Li Xuyang to the provincial capital for further examination.

She told Li’s parents about this, but they adamantly refused to let her take Li Xuyang to the provincial capital.

Originally, Jiang Liping didn’t think much about it, but the attitude of Li’s parents made her increasingly feel that this matter might be hereditary.

So, early this morning, Jiang Liping returned to Qiaotou Village, planning to wait for her parents and sister to come back and discuss how to handle the situation.

She had initially doubted her sister’s words, but now she turned to others for advice, feeling a bit embarrassed, yet Jiang Liping was always unafraid of losing face.

Upon her return to the village, she discovered that her family was unexpectedly building a house, and her brother had found a partner.

Despite her parents claiming they had no money, now they had money to build a house for her brother!

Regardless of setting up a stall or building a house, they didn’t inform her!

Frustrated, Jiang Liping went to the town, intending to confront her parents and sister.

Not dwelling on other matters, she questioned why, if they could afford to build a house for her brother, they couldn’t contribute to her dowry.

However, to her surprise, upon reaching the town, she didn’t find Jiang Liyun but witnessed Yang’s mother spreading rumours about Jiang Liyun mistreating their parents.

The feud between Jiang Liping and Yang’s mother was endless.

After Jiang Liping’s ex-boyfriend’s family moved away, she was profoundly affected.

Initially, she approached her ex-boyfriend for financial reasons, especially during those early teenage years when emotions were budding. Her ex-boyfriend was good-looking, well-off, and willingly spent money on her.

Over time, genuine feelings developed for her ex-boyfriend. For many years, she devoted herself entirely to him, willing to endure hardships and sacrifices, making it increasingly difficult for her to let go.

The pain after the breakup was profound. Unfortunately, Yang’s mother continued to spread rumours in town, claiming that nobody wanted her and insinuating some major flaw that made her undesirable.

At that time, Jiang Liping had the impulse to confront Yang’s mother, but the sheer number of Yang’s family members made her hesitate to take action.

Today, with both old and new grievances, she couldn’t contain her emotions. Armed with a knife, she confronted Yang’s mother, challenging her for speaking ill not only of others but also for mistreating her parents.

Despite Yang’s mother’s vulgar language, she hesitated to retaliate against Jiang Liyun and Feng Yi when they were present. Only after they left did she dare to intimidate the vulnerable Wu Xiaochun and Jiang Lame.

Now, with a knife in her hand, Yang’s mother didn’t dare to utter a word.

The commotion had attracted quite a crowd, and Jiang Liping, glancing around with teary eyes, pleaded, “Everyone, my family is peacefully running a stall here. If she wants to set up a similar one, that’s fine, but she’s also insulting my parents.”

“How could she do this? My sister and her husband run a stall together; their relationship is great, but she claims my sister is here to seduce people by selling fried dumplings.”

“We conduct our business honestly, yet she spreads rumours like this. She wants to drive my sister to despair!”

“She spread rumours about me before too. I was just classmates with her son, but she accused me of seducing him.”

“How could she be so malicious? Is it because she’s like that herself, always trying to seduce others, so she assumes everyone else is the same?”

…

Jiang Liping cried bitterly, tears streaming down her face.

Jiang Liping wasn’t unattractive, and her slender figure resembled Wu Xiaochun, making her appear frail.

Seeing her cry like this and then looking at the stern-faced Yang’s mother… Almost everyone sided with Jiang Liping.

Even Jiang Lihai, who knew his elder sister’s situation well, felt that she was being wronged and strode forward to glare at Yang’s mother.

Jiang Lihai and his crew had been out on the boat all night, returning to the brickyard early in the morning.

This time, Jiang Lihai brought back over two hundred pounds of flour and rice.

He had intended to take the goods home first and then check on his new house, but Sun Jinshan and a few others from the transport team wanted to go to town for fried dumplings and asked if he wanted to join.

Their work as boatmen was tough, and they were looked down upon outside, so they wanted to enjoy themselves after returning.

The fried dumplings were being sold by Jiang Liyun and Feng Yi, so they were heading to find them!

Jiang Lihai accompanied them to town.

As soon as they arrived at the fried dumpling stall, they saw Jiang Liping slapping someone.

At first, Sun Jinshan and his crew thought Jiang Liping seemed a bit fierce, but when they saw her crying, their perception changed immediately, and they felt genuine sympathy for her.

The members of their transport team had heard about Jiang Liping before, saying she desperately wanted to marry into town, offering herself in various ways, even working as a free maid, but she ended up marrying a man with limited intellect.

But now, seeing Jiang Liping cry so heartbreakingly, Sun Jinshan and his crew began to feel sorry for her.

She must have been deceived by a scumbag before. He had been with her for many years, even making her do chores for his family, only to abandon her in the end.

They followed Jiang Lihai, shielding Jiang Liping.

Even Yang Haitao pitied Jiang Liping, feeling embarrassed with so many eyes on him.

While Yang Haitao hadn’t interacted much with Jiang Liping before, he had a good relationship with her ex-boyfriend.

During that time, Jiang Liping was obedient to her ex-boyfriend, and she was beautiful…

Who wouldn’t want such a partner? Yang Haitao actually liked Jiang Liping.

After Jiang Liping’s ex-boyfriend’s family left town, he even considered getting to know Jiang Liping.

However, his mother spread negative rumours about Jiang Liping everywhere. How could he confess his feelings to her?

Today, when his mother badmouthed Jiang Liping’s family and was caught by Jiang Liping, Yang Haitao wished he could disappear.

If he had known that the family selling fried dumplings was related to Jiang Liping, he wouldn’t have sold dumplings!

Unaware of others’ thoughts, Jiang Liping saw her brother approaching with a group of tall men and felt relieved.

She put down the knife, tearfully complaining to them about how unreasonable Yang’s mother was.

Jiang Liyun hurriedly arrived at the scene.

When Jiang Liping came over and saw Yang’s family’s stall, she guessed they were trying to compete for business.

Now, with Jiang Liyun here, she quickly understood the situation.

In her previous life, many incidents, such as Yang’s mother driving away a maid and being left in a miserable state, were things Jiang Liping had told her. At that time, she suspected that Jiang Liping had a grudge against Yang’s mother, and now it has been confirmed.

Young Jiang Liping was indeed much more formidable than the later version!

“I’ll definitely beat you up for bullying my sister!”

Sun Jinshan and the others chimed in, “That’s right! If you dare to bully our sister, we’ll make you regret it!”

“We from the brickyard are not to be messed with!”

“Jiang Liyun, if they ever bother you again, just let us know!”

“Feng Yi, we’re brothers. If anything happens, give us a shout, and we’ll immediately have your back!”

…

Feng Yi and Jiang Lihai were their old colleagues. Jiang Liyun had treated them to fried dumplings before, and now seeing Jiang Liping in such a pitiful state after Yang’s mother insulted her, it was as if they were also insulted…

The crowd from the brickyard was fired up.

Jiang Liyun said, “Thank you, big brothers. When my brother’s house is finished, you must come for a celebration!”

“We will definitely come!” they affirmed.

At this moment, Jiang Liyun turned to Yang’s mother and said, “Auntie from the Yang family, I don’t mind you doing business like me, but insulting my parents is something I won’t tolerate! Apologise to my parents right now, or tomorrow, I’ll go find your eldest and second son’s supervisors, your grandson and granddaughter’s teachers, and make them hear about this injustice!”

She remembered that Yang’s mother’s eldest and second sons had formal jobs. Nowadays, people with formal jobs are afraid of someone complaining to their supervisors.

In the end, Yang’s mother reluctantly apologised and left with her family.

As they departed, the pot of dumplings Yang Haitao was cooking had already turned burnt, emitting an unpleasant smell.

Jiang Liyun thought they probably wouldn’t have the face to set up a stall here tomorrow.

Although it was early to close the stall today, despite the commotion, they left for home quite early.

Once out of town and the road cleared of people, Feng Yi and Jiang Lihai resumed pulling the cart ahead. Jiang Liping, no longer putting on airs, directly asked Wu Xiaochun, “Mum, where did you get the money to build a house for my brother? Weren’t you always saying there’s no money at home? Now that I’ve left, suddenly there’s money to build a house for my brother? We’re all your children; why are you so biassed? Do you know how much suffering I’ve endured outside?”

Jiang Liyun remained silent; her sister was her sister after all.

“At the beginning, that person refused to be with me because he despised my family’s poverty. If you had built the house earlier, I wouldn’t have been looked down upon like this. If you could have afforded to send me to high school, I would be a college student now.” Jiang Liping continued to lament, indirectly expressing her disappointment towards Jiang Qianzi and her husband. She believed that if they were wealthy, she would have had a brighter future.

Jiang Liyun also learned about recent events: “You really don’t treat me as a family member at all. For such a big matter like building a house, you didn’t bother informing me.”

Jiang Qianzi and her husband felt increasingly guilty. Wu Xiaochun said, “We’ve been too busy.” These days, they had to run the stall in the morning and deal with various matters both inside and outside the house in the afternoon. They simply didn’t have time to inform Jiang Liping about the house’s construction.

Most importantly, they were somewhat hesitant to go to the Li family.