Chapter 69: Compensation

Jiang Liyun woke up very early today, had a simple meal, and went back to her room to sleep.

Jiang Liping followed and excitedly told Jiang Liyun, “Sun Jinshan took me to a restaurant today! He even wanted to buy me clothes, but I refused.”

Jiang Liping’s words were full of boasting.

Jiang Liyun replied, “If you work hard, you can earn money to go to a restaurant yourself.”

Back when Jiang Liping was in junior high school in town, if she had worked hard and passed the entrance exam for a vocational school, she would have had a stable job by now.

During Jiang Liping’s time in school, vocational schools were divided into higher vocational schools and lower vocational schools. Higher vocational schools required a high school diploma, while lower vocational schools only required a junior high diploma.

At that time, most of the students with the best junior high grades went to vocational schools. After graduation, they could be assigned to government agencies and institutions.

“If you haven’t even been to a restaurant yet, don’t criticise me,” Jiang Liping said as she left.

She didn’t quite understand her younger sister.

It was understandable if her sister didn’t marry Zhou Dafei; after all, helping someone else raise a child is difficult. In today’s context, where only one child is allowed, if her sister had a daughter, everything in the Zhou family might end up belonging to Zhou Dafei’s ex-wife’s son. That would be a waste of effort!

But isn’t Xie Zu Gen good? His family is so wealthy!

If she had such an opportunity, she would definitely seize it!

After Jiang Liyun saw Jiang Liping leave, she lay down to sleep. She had woken up too early today.

During this time, neither Jiang Liping nor Jiang Liyu, who returned to sleep, woke her up.

The next day, Jiang Liyun woke up early again and went to town.

Today, she would still keep an eye on the shop, and starting tomorrow, she would begin dealing with the cooperative farming arrangement with the chicken farmers in Hongxing Township!

Jiang Liyun and the others arrived at the store early as usual and began working on various items in an orderly manner.

Jiang Liyun noticed that everyone’s speed in wrapping dumplings and buns was getting faster. If they could handle the workload, she could consider selling other items in the future, such as large meat buns, vegetable buns, red bean buns, and so on.

Of course, there’s no rush; she can take it slow.

Jiuqu Town, neither too small nor too big, already knew about the opening of her pan-fried dumpling shop.

The business at the pan-fried dumpling shop was still good today. Some people came specifically to try the pan-fried buns, while others liked to sit in the shop for breakfast.

Among the customers buying breakfast, there were many elementary school students.

At this time, most elementary school students went to school alone. Some parents would make them breakfast, while others would give them money to buy it outside.

Of course, it could also be that the children were tired of the food at home and begged their parents for money to eat outside.

Jiang Liyun sat behind the counter, collecting money with Feng Yi. Occasionally, when they had free time, they would chat for a bit.

Jiang Liyun knew about Feng Yi’s progress in studying. It wouldn’t be long before Feng Yi completed his elementary school knowledge.

This was related to the simplicity of their elementary school knowledge at the time. But it also indicated that Feng Yi was truly smart.

However, elementary school knowledge could be self-taught, and if worse comes to worse, asking her or Jiang Lihai would suffice. Middle school knowledge was different; it would be best to find a teacher to teach it.

In town, there are some retired teachers; she can find time to ask them if they would be willing to teach Feng Yi.

While Jiang Liyun was thinking about this, she saw Sun Jinshan and Jiang Liping arriving.

Jiang Liping dressed up carefully and looked very beautiful, while Sun Jinshan appeared somewhat spirited.

“Two bowls of vermicelli soup, ten pan-fried buns, and ten pan-fried dumplings,” Sun Jinshan handed five yuan to Jiang Liyun.

Jiang Liyun gave him back two yuan and sixty cents, but he refused to take the one cent, saying, “I don’t want this one cent; just put some extra ham sausage in the vermicelli soup for me.”

“Alright,” Jiang Liyun said, sweeping the one cent back into the drawer.

These days, many people earn only two or three yuan a day, and most people spend at most fifty cents on breakfast.

The pan-fried buns and dumplings here are large, and even for adults, eating five is barely enough.

For Sun Jinshan to spend two and a half cents on breakfast is exceptionally generous.

Jiang Liping felt particularly honoured, looking proudly at the people around her.

You should know that some people only drink a bowl of soy milk and then eat a one-cent steamed bun!

There are even people who don’t drink soy milk and just buy a one-cent steamed bun for breakfast.

Pork prices are high, but the price of flour is okay. A one-cent steamed bun is as big as an adult’s fist, enough to satisfy a child, and adults can also fill their stomachs.

“What if we can’t finish so much?” Jiang Liping asked.

“If we can’t finish, then we can’t finish,” Sun Jinshan said. When he goes out, he likes to order a little more.

Jiang Liping became even happier.

After having breakfast, Sun Jinshan and Jiang Liping walked towards Li’s house together.

In front of Sun Jinshan, Jiang Liping didn’t say anything bad about the Li family, only mentioning that she and Li Xuyang couldn’t get along.

The Li family treated her well, and she didn’t want to lie to Sun Jinshan about it; it could easily be exposed.

Now, she even said, “Big Brother Sun, in the more than half a year since I got married, they have spent quite a bit of money buying clothes for me. I will definitely compensate them, maybe a bit too much. Consider this money as a loan from me to you, and I will definitely pay you back in the future.”

“No problem, we are talking about getting married next. There is no need for you to repay it!” Sun Jinshan was particularly generous.

“Big Brother Sun, thank you,” Jiang Liping said. “You didn’t mind that I’ve been married before; you are really good.”

Jiang Liping had been married before, and Sun Jinshan did care about it to some extent.

But Jiang Liping was already pitiful enough, and he couldn’t bear to blame her further.

Now, Sun Jinshan felt like he was rescuing Jiang Liping from a burning fire; he felt like a great hero!

Excited, he grabbed Jiang Liping’s hand and said, “I will always treat you well!”

Oh God, Jiang Liping’s hand is so tender and soft!

Sun Jinshan, for the first time in his life, held such a soft hand, making him feel a bit dreamy.

Jiang Liping blushed and lowered her head.

In the Li family, the mood has been quite low recently.

Jiang Liping’s not returning and their son still at home insisting on finding Jiang Liping made Li’s parents even more distressed.

Li’s father and mother also wanted to find Jiang Liping, but they were afraid that she would create a scene and embarrass them.

If Jiang Liping really told others that Li’s father had harassed her, would they still have face to stay in Jiugu Town?

“It’s all your fault for choosing her back then,” Li’s mother blamed Li’s father.

“You also agreed,” Li’s father said.

Li’s mother said, “I was deceived by her!”

The two complained about Jiang Liping. At this time, Li Xuyang came out of the room.

Li’s father and mother stopped talking when they saw their son, afraid that he would feel uncomfortable hearing this.

Li Xuyang asked, “Mum, hasn’t Ping Ping come back yet?”

“Wait a little longer, Yang Yang. Come and have dinner; I made the fried rice you like,” Li’s mother said.

Li Xuyang wasn’t very pleased. “I want Ping Ping.”

“What do you need Ping Ping for?” Li’s mother frowned.

“I want Ping Ping to accompany me to sleep,” Li Xuyang said.

“Don’t you like it when Mum accompanies you to sleep?” Li’s mother asked.

Li Xuyang didn’t dare to sleep alone at night. When Jiang Liping wasn’t around, Li’s mother would accompany him to sleep.

“It’s different,” Li Xuyang said.

Jiang Liping would tell him stories, but his mum wouldn’t.

“What’s different?” Li’s mother snorted. She knew that her son and Jiang Liping hadn’t succeeded.

They were afraid that Jiang Liping would run away, so they always placated her, not daring to make her unhappy and never forcing the two to be together.

As a result, Jiang Liping still left.

If they had known, they would have taught their son a lesson earlier.

“I want Ping Ping, I want Ping Ping!” Li Xuyang sat on a stool by the table, wriggling.

At this time, Jiang Liping and Sun Jinshan knocked on the door.

Li’s mother heard the knock and said to her son, “Yang Yang, someone is here; don’t say anything.”

Li Xuyang stopped talking, and Li’s mother went to open the door, then saw Jiang Liping bringing a young man over.

Li’s mother’s expression changed immediately.

Li Xuyang, on the other hand, jumped up three feet high and even bounced twice more. “Ping Ping! Ping Ping! You’re back!”

“I’m back, and I brought you some delicious snacks.” Jiang Liping smiled and handed a pack of cookies to Li Xuyang.

It was just after seven in the morning, and Li Xuyang hadn’t had breakfast yet. He took the cookies and happily exclaimed, “They’re so delicious!”

“Yang Yang, I’ll take you to buy steamed buns,” Jiang Liping suggested.

Li Xuyang was very happy. “Okay, okay!”

Jiang Liping looked at Li’s father and mother and said, “I’m taking Yang Yang to eat steamed buns.”

Sun Jinshan said he would talk to Li’s father and mother, so she took Li Xuyang away.

Li’s parents had realised that something was wrong. Instead of stopping her, they waited until Jiang Liping left, then asked Sun Jinshan, “What are you here for?”

Sun Jinshan replied, “I am Jiang Liping’s partner, here to discuss compensation with you.”

Li’s parents almost rushed forward to hit Sun Jinshan. It was infuriating! Their daughter-in-law had actually brought her lover to their doorstep!

But Sun Jinshan looked young and strong; they couldn’t overpower him.

Li’s mother said, “You are actually talking about being Jiang Liping’s partner? Do you know what kind of person she is?”

“Of course, I know. She is a kind person,” Sun Jinshan said, thinking of how Jiang Liping had just comforted Li Xuyang.

He felt a little jealous but also genuinely believed that Jiang Liping was kind.

Li’s parents’ expressions were as if they had eaten sh*t.

Throughout the conversation, Li’s parents kept speaking ill of Jiang Liping, but the more they spoke, the more Sun Jinshan felt sorry for her.

Jiang Liping hadn’t said a single bad word about them!

Moreover, Jiang Liping hadn’t harmed them; she just wanted a divorce, and the leaders had said that women had the freedom to divorce!

Fortunately, Li’s parents also realised that speaking ill of Jiang Liping was futile, so they started negotiating compensation with Jiang Lihai.

“For their wedding, we specially hired someone to make the bed and wardrobe and bought so many things. We also spent a lot on the banquet.” Li’s parents said a lot and asked for a thousand from Sun Jinshan.

They didn’t expect to actually get that much; they just wanted some room for bargaining.

Excluding what Jiang Liping couldn’t take with her and what she had already taken, they hadn’t spent much on her. They initially thought it was around three or four hundred, but after careful calculation, it turned out to be five or six hundred.

Sun Jinshan had earned 1,400 yuan from selling chickens with Jiang Liyun before spending about five hundred in Shanghai, then three hundred after returning and being stolen, leaving six hundred.

But he had some savings himself.

This time, he happened to bring a thousand with him.

Because Jiang Liping had spent money from the Li family, she felt guilty. He intended to give the Li family more compensation so that Jiang Liping wouldn’t feel guilty anymore.

He had planned to give the Li family a thousand, but Li’s family kept speaking ill of Jiang Liping.

Sun Jinshan said, “I’ll give you a maximum of eight hundred. If you agree, write a note; if not, I’ll leave immediately, and you won’t get a penny.”

Li’s parents hesitated and finally said, “Okay, let’s write a note! But we need to find a middleman; we can’t read or write.” Where did this sucker come from? They thought they could get at most six hundred, but this person immediately offered eight hundred.

Sun Jinshan said, “Fine.”

After Jiang Liping left, Li’s parents had already realised they couldn’t keep her and were prepared for it.

Now that Jiang Liping was asking someone else to leave, although their family would suffer some gossip, the situation wouldn’t be too serious, and they could accept it.

However, they really disliked Sun Jinshan and intentionally said many things to provoke him: “Jiang Liping has had affairs with many people. You probably got cheated by her.”

“She didn’t like our Yangyang, but she treated her previous partner very well!”

“She seduced countless men back then.”

…

While Sun Jinshan felt sorry for Jiang Liping, he couldn’t help but feel angry. After all, Jiang Liping had been in a relationship with her first love for several years, and even he had heard about it before he knew Jiang Liping.

When he saw Jiang Liping coming back with Li Xuyang, Sun Jinshan was almost furious!

When riding a bicycle back to the Jiang family, he pedalled forcefully as if to vent all the anger in his heart.

Jiang Liping was very good at observing people’s expressions, but sometimes she didn’t care about others’ emotions.

Sun Jinshan’s bad mood was naturally noticed by her, and she could guess the reason.

But Sun Jinshan was easy to appease.

When they arrived at the Jiang family’s home, Jiang Liping said, “Big Brother Sun, let me cook for you.”

“Okay,” Sun Jinshan said.

It was still early, and Jiang Lamei, her husband, and Jiang Liyu hadn’t come back for lunch yet. Jiang Liping tiptoed and kissed Sun Jinshan on the face. “Big Brother Sun, thank you. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t know what to do.”

Sun Jinshan had never been kissed by a woman, and now he felt itchy on his face. Jiang Liping’s mouth was too soft!

Sun Jinshan suddenly stopped being angry.

Those things before couldn’t blame Jiang Liping… Sun Jinshan hugged Jiang Liping and kissed her.

It was a deep kiss—not just lips touching!

After the kiss, both of them blushed, their hearts beating fast.

Jiang Liping glanced at Sun Jinshan and, with a worried expression, asked, “Big Brother Sun, we… we kissed; will I get pregnant?”

Sun Jinshan was a little confused. “What?”

“Will I get pregnant if we kiss like this?” Jiang Liping looked worried.

She knew, of course, that kissing wouldn’t result in pregnancy.

She hadn’t kissed or been intimate with Li Xuyang, although she had some physical contact with her first love.

But she could pretend.

Sun Jinshan realised something was wrong: “You’ve never kissed anyone before?”

Jiang Liping said, “I don’t want to have a baby with Li Xuyang.”

“So you slept in the same bed after you got married?”

“What’s wrong with sleeping in the same bed?” Jiang Liping looked innocent.

“He didn’t kiss or touch you? Uh, uh.”

“No, but I would tell him stories. Today he even told me that if I’m not home, he sleeps with his mum because she doesn’t tell him stories.”

Sun Jinshan exclaimed internally and burst into laughter.

He never expected Jiang Liping to have kissed anyone!

He had prepared himself to marry a divorced woman, but he never expected such a surprise!

Jiang Liping could guess what Sun Jinshan was thinking, but she pretended not to know anything. “Since we’ve kissed, you must marry me!”

“Definitely!” Sun Jinshan didn’t hesitate.

He had actually been a little concerned about Jiang Liping’s first love and Li Xuyang, never bringing it up in their conversations. But now he asked, “Liping, tell me about your ex-boyfriend whom you dated for several years.”

Jiang Liping talked about it, leaving out the things she couldn’t say. She certainly wouldn’t mention them.

She no longer had any feelings for her first love, so there was no nostalgia when she spoke about it. Instead, she occasionally compared her first love to Sun Jinshan, praising him.

“He would give me notebooks and pens; it was the first time someone was so nice to me, so I chose to be with him. But actually, you treat me even better, Big Brother Sun.”

“He asked me to work at his house, but when his mum came back and scolded me, he didn’t say a word to help me.”

“Once he treated me to an ice cream, but his mum saw and accused me of enticing him to spend money on me. But you, Big Brother Sun, are different. You can earn money yourself.”

This wasn’t a relationship; it was just playing house! Jiang Liping clearly didn’t genuinely like that man. Sun Jinshan was completely relieved.

Jiang Liping had really suffered a lot, so he had to make sure his parents treated her better!