Chapter 37

When Jiang Liping felt the timing was right, she said, “You spent so much money to build a house for your elder son when he got married, but when I got married, you didn’t contribute anything. We are one family; you can’t be so biassed.”

“Sister, there’s no money at home. All the bricks used for the house are on credit. By the time the house is finished, we’ll probably owe several thousand yuan in debts.” Jiang Liyun looked at Jiang Liping. “Since we are one family, could you contribute a bit? I gave Mum and Dad a hundred yuan a few days ago.”

Jiang Liping said, “Where would I get the money? I’m currently the poorest in the family. A few days ago, I went to the hospital, couldn’t afford it, and wanted to ask my in-laws for some money, but they refused.”

Jiang Liyun thought Jiang Liping was likely exaggerating, but Wu Xiaochun believed her and looked at Jiang Liping with concern.

Jiang Liyun immediately asked, “What’s wrong with you? I can take you for a check-up right now.”

Jiang Liping calmly declined, “There’s no need for that.”

After Jiang Liping calmed down, Jiang Liyun said, “Sister, thank you for today.”

Jiang Liping replied, “I’ve never liked that old lady. It felt satisfying to slap her today.”

“I’ve been selling fried dumplings and fried chicken lately. If you’re not in a hurry to go back, I can make you some fried chicken in the afternoon,” Jiang Liyun offered.

Regardless of Jiang Liping’s personality, she appreciated Jiang Liyun for what happened today.

Jiang Liping, noticing Jiang Liyun’s friendly demeanour, asked, “Liyun, have you been making good money lately? Otherwise, teach me how to make dumplings, and I’ll set up a stall too.”

Jiang Liyun said, “We have to get up at four in the morning; keep making and frying dumplings all day. The pan for frying dumplings is heavy; you might not be able to handle it.”

Jiang Liping thought about selling dumplings like Jiang Liyun, but doing it herself with a heavy pan wouldn’t work. Feng Yi could make dumplings, but Li Xuyang couldn’t, and her in-laws wouldn’t help her.

Jiang Liyun added, “But if you’re willing to come help me make dumplings, I can pay you a salary.”

“How much will you pay?” Jiang Liping asked.

Jiang Liyun said, “Fifty yuan per month.”

Jiang Liping felt it was too little. “Then forget it. I’m making clothes recently, earning seventy to eighty yuan a month without having to sit by the roadside early in the morning.”

Now it was fine, but in winter, when the weather got colder, sitting by the roadside and making dumplings would be a form of suffering.

Jiang Liyun replied, “Staying inside and making clothes is indeed much better.”

“Making clothes is indeed good,” agreed Jiang Liyun.

As they were talking, they arrived home.

Jiang Liyun had already planned what dishes to make today. She stir-fried the chicken innards with garlic leaves, made leek and egg stir-fry, meatball vegetable soup, and braised radish strips.

Jiang Liping, while eating, carefully picked the better portions, enjoying quite a bit. “Home is still the best. Mum, Dad, for my brother’s house, I should contribute too. In the future, when I have time, I’ll come help.”

“Okay,” Wu Xiaochun and Jiang Lamei agreed.

Jiang Lihai, unaware of Jiang Liping asking her parents for money on the way back, was quite moved by her words.

Jiang Liyun remained silent, thinking that Jiang Liping simply wanted to come back for good food.

Although Li Jia’s meals were good, they couldn’t compare to the current standards at their home.

At this point, Uncle Jiang spoke up: “Liping, it’s good that you know to support your brother. You used to be a bit unreasonable, always arguing with your parents. What kind of daughter behaves like that? Learn something from Liyun.”

Uncle Jiang couldn’t stop once he started talking, bringing up Jiang Liping’s past actions repeatedly.

Jiang Liping thought to herself, “Maybe it’s better not to come here for meals in the future.”

Uncle Jiang, still talking, began criticising Li Xuyang: “Liping, the person you found, really leaves people at a loss for words. If you don’t consider his height, I’d think he’s a three-and-a-half-year-old.”

Jiang Liyun tuned out Uncle Jiang’s words, automatically ignoring them.

Uncle Jiang wasn’t much better. Back then, Grandpa and Grandma favoured him, and he got quite a bit of an advantage.

In rural areas, families refer to the essential items they own as “family assets.”

Pots, bowls, pans, various furniture, wooden barrels, and farm tools… All these are considered family assets.

Uncle Jiang had an easier life because many things were readily available to him, and they didn’t need to buy them anew.

However, disliking Uncle Jiang to the point of hatred wasn’t justified.

Whenever they had some trouble, Uncle Jiang was always willing to lend money. In her previous life, when she was paralysed, Uncle Jiang lent her two thousand yuan and even told her not to repay. When Jiang Liyu went missing, Uncle Jiang also brought his two sons to search everywhere.

After dinner, Jiang Liyun returned to her room to rest.

Not long after, Jiang Liping came in, saying, “Liyun, I have something to ask you.”

“Sister, what do you want to ask?” Jiang Liyun took off her coat and crawled into bed.

“If I have a child with your brother-in-law, will the child really look like your brother-in-law?” Jiang Liping asked.

Jiang Liyun continued, “Sister, in the end, I don’t know how the child will turn out. But think about it. If your child really looks like Li Xuyang, what will you do in the future? The child’s academic performance will surely be mediocre, and you might face ridicule. You’ll have to worry about him for a lifetime. While others enjoy the blessings of having children, you’ll be constantly concerned.”

She said many things and finally asked, “Sister, do you still remember Ding Yanpeng?”

Jiang Liping gritted her teeth, saying, “Of course, I remember.”

Ding Yanpeng was Jiang Liping’s ex-boyfriend, and she spoke of him with resentment.

“Sister, Ding Yanpeng’s parents are quite capable. He might achieve a lot in the future and marry a beautiful wife, living a happy life. When that happens, seeing you married to a foolish husband, raising a foolish child, will he think, fortunately, he didn’t choose you back then?” Jiang Liyun was piercing into Jiang Liping’s heart with these words, speaking the truth.

Ding Yanpeng moved to the county town with his parents, later becoming a district-level city when the county was upgraded.

His parents used connections to get him into the power bureau, and he also self-studied for a degree. Eventually, he even became a leader in the power bureau.

In those years when the country faced a power shortage, the power bureau became the target of favour for many companies. Several CEOs eagerly invited them to dinner, giving them gifts and hoping their factories wouldn’t experience power outages.

Years later, Ding Yanpeng owned multiple properties in the city centre, enjoyed a happy marriage, and even managed to arrange his daughter into the power bureau despite her poor academic performance.

His life was starkly different from Jiang Liping’s.

In his previous life, Jiang Liping, feeling resentful, even reported Ding Yanpeng, but it didn’t succeed.

After hearing Jiang Liyun’s words, Jiang Liping clenched her teeth, clearly angered.

Jiang Liyun considered whether to provoke her a bit more and then find a small business for her to do. She hoped Jiang Liping could stand on her own.

If Jiang Liping could earn money by herself and even buy a house, who needs a man?

Here’s the translation:

“Just then, Jiang Liping frowned for a moment and suddenly asked Jiang Liyun, ‘Liyun, who is the man wearing flared trousers and gel in his hair that was with big brother today? Is he married?’

Jiang Liping’s mind jumped too fast, and Jiang Liyun couldn’t quite catch up for a moment.

Jiang Liping continued, ‘He looks quite wealthy.’

Jiang Liyun sighed, ‘I don’t know him well; you should ask Big Brother about that. I’m going to bed.’

Could Jiang Liping have taken a liking to Sun Jinshan? Or is she just curious?

Jiang Liyun’s nap time was always short; she would set an alarm for herself and sleep for about forty minutes. 

She would wake up around twelve o’clock, and Jiang Yuxian had already delivered five slaughtered chickens.

Yesterday, she was a bit slow in cutting the chicken, but today she was much faster… Jiang Liyun cut up the five chickens, marinated them, and then began to prepare the batter for frying the chicken.

Things like chicken wings and drumsticks were coated in batter and fried, while boneless chicken strips were also coated in flour.

Ideally, bread crumbs should be used, but she couldn’t find any, so she used flour and some other ingredients to make her own fried chicken powder.

Since most people hadn’t had authentic fried chicken at this time, the boneless chicken strips she made were already considered delicious by everyone.

By the time everything was ready, it was exactly three o’clock. Jiang Liyun took Feng Yi and Jiang Liping to town to sell the fried chicken.

The town wasn’t big, so news spread quickly. Just as Jiang Liyun and the others set up their stall, people started to approach them, asking about what happened in the morning.

Jiang Liyun couldn’t be bothered to explain, but Jiang Liping immediately began gossiping about Yang’s mother.

However, she soon lost interest in targeting Yang’s mother—Jiang Liyun was putting the chicken wings into the pot.

As the aroma of fried chicken wafted through, Jiang Liping’s whole body shivered.

She stared at the pot of oil, saliva dripping incessantly.

She had never tasted anything so delicious before!

Jiang Liyun had promised to give her a chicken wing. When would it be ready? “