Chapter 3

“He works in the Technical Section of our factory.”

This didn’t match with the youngest son of Director Wang’s family, and Zhao Hongyun’s expression immediately fell.

The Daily Chemical Factory was a large one, and the entire Jiang family worked there. While people in the factory might not know everyone, they knew about seventy to eighty percent of the workers.

Even if they didn’t know him now, they could still ask around at work tomorrow.

“Who in the Technical Section? What did you say his name was?”

Song Guanshu was considered somewhat of a celebrity in the factory. Over the years, he had been the only college graduate there, and he was also remarkably handsome.

Upon hearing the name, the members of the Jiang family who still worked at the factory instantly pictured a refined and handsome face, as flawless as jade.

Zhao Hongyun blurted out without thinking, “Third Sister, don’t tell me you agreed to date Song Guanshu just because of that face of his.”

“Yes, he is indeed good-looking.”

Even though Jiang Liwen shot her a glare, it didn’t stop her from continuing, “Good looks can’t fill your stomach or be put to use. When choosing a man, you can’t just look at appearances. What really matters is his background.”

Everyone else in the Jiang family wholeheartedly agreed with this statement.

Zhao Hongyun went on, “Third Sister, you’re the best-looking female worker in our factory. Even those movie stars don’t compare to you. What kind of man couldn’t you have? Let alone the children of factory leaders, you’d be more than worthy of someone from a government leader’s family.”

“That Song Guanshu has no father or mother, and his class background is bad. Just think, if something were to happen… right? What would you do if he dragged you down with him?”

“Plenty of the factory leaders’ sons have taken a liking to you. Just think, if you became a daughter-in-law to one of them, how could they possibly treat you poorly?”

Of course, the rest of the Jiang family wouldn’t be treated poorly either.

Jiang Zhifu slammed his chopsticks down on the table. “Hongyun is right. Tomorrow, you go find that Song Guanshu and make it clear you’re breaking up with him.”

Zhao Hongyun chimed in, “Exactly. Break it off with him, Third Sister. I’ll introduce you to a few others, guaranteed to be better than Song Guanshu.”

Feeling a little guilty, she added, “We’re family. I wouldn’t set you up for failure.”

Jiang Liwu wanted to speak up for his third sister, but one sharp look from his father scared him back into silence.

Jiang Ling didn’t say a word. She was moving into the dormitory tomorrow anyway, so let them say whatever they wanted.

Sun Yilan also remembered that before cooking, her third daughter had mentioned wanting to move out. “Jiang Ling wants to live in the staff dormitory, but I still think it’s better for the whole family to stay together.”

Jiang Zhifu had just picked up his chopsticks when he slammed them back down on the table. “Moving out? Sounds to me like you’ve grown wings and think your parents can’t control you anymore.”

Jiang Liwu spoke up weakly, “Third Sister only wants to live in the dormitory because there isn’t enough space at home.”

Zhao Hongyun said, “It’s me and the child that are the extra ones. I just married into the family, and Third Sister’s already talking about moving out. People might think I’m the one driving my sister-in-law away.”

After staying silent all evening, Jiang Liwen finally opened his mouth. “Third Sister, don’t move out. You’re a local. If word gets out that you’re living in the staff dormitory, outsiders will gossip about Hongyun behind her back.”

Jiang Ling smiled and said, “All right then.”

Thinking the matter was resolved, Jiang Liwen lowered his head to continue eating, when he suddenly heard that same female voice go on, “You can move into the living room.”

He frowned and spoke in a tone that clearly implied you’re being unreasonable, “Hongyun’s pregnant. How can she live in the living room?”

“Exactly. I know. That’s why you, move into the living room,” Jiang Ling emphasized that it was Jiang Liwen alone who should move. “Anyway, your wife is pregnant, so you two can’t be doing anything at night.”

She looked at him with a half-smile, half-smirk. “I’m doing this for the sake of the child. What if the two of you, young and full of energy, did something that affected the baby in her belly?”

She brought that kind of matter out into the open without hesitation. Except for the truly innocent Jiang Liwu, everyone else’s face flushed red with embarrassment.

Jiang Liwen said with some distaste, “Third Sister, you’re still an unmarried girl. It’s fine to say these things in front of family, but if an outsider heard it, they’d say you were being indecent.”

Jiang Ling let out two light laughs. “Really? I don’t think it’s that bad. If just saying it makes me shameless, then what do you call what the two of you did before marriage?”

Talking about sex before marriage is shameless? But you and Zhao Hongyun already made a child before tying the knot.

“I see it clearly now. This was a Hongmen Banquet^[1]Hongmen Banquet (鸿门宴): A historical event where Xiang Yu tried to assassinate Liu Bang under the guise of a feast. In modern usage, it refers to a trap disguised as a friendly gathering, or a … Continue reading set up for me, wasn’t it? Just married into the family, and already there are sarcastic jabs left and right. If you all find me so unnecessary, I’ll just go back to my parents’ home, how about that?”

Jiang Liwen panicked at the thought of his wife leaving. “Third Sister, you’re the one in the wrong here. Apologize to Hongyun. You both take a step back, and let’s pretend none of this ever happened.”

Jiang Ling looked puzzled. “It’s you who should be apologizing to Hongyun. Just because your wife is already part of the family doesn’t mean you can scold her openly or behind her back.”

She spoke with heartfelt sincerity, “I know you still have feelings for Xiao Zhang. But you’re married now, and the baby is almost here. What you should do is live a proper, steady life.”

Zhao Hongyun had originally planned to put Jiang Ling, her sister-in-law, in her place, but upon hearing that her husband still had feelings for someone else, she truly broke down in tears and let out a wailing cry.

Sun Yilan, afraid it might affect the grandson in her belly, quickly rubbed her back to help her calm down. “It’s not true. She’s just talking nonsense.”

Jiang Liwu had always disapproved of his eldest brother and wished he could cause him more trouble, so he chimed in with an air of seriousness, “Mom, don’t try to fool Sister-in-law. Even if Sister Xiao Zhang is already in the past, Sister-in-law, don’t worry—my brother still cares about you.”

Jiang Liwen nearly wanted to punch the two troublemakers. “There’s no Xiao Zhang. Really, there isn’t.”

Jiang Zhifu and Sun Yilan didn’t know anything about their son’s romantic history. All they were thinking about was calming their daughter-in-law down and preventing the situation from escalating.

But after hearing both their son and daughter mention this Xiao Zhang, the two of them actually started to believe such a person might really exist.

Sun Yilan followed up with a gentle explanation, “Silly child, he’s my own son. I know him, his heart is definitely with you.”

But instead of clearing things up, her words only confirmed the existence of this Comrade Xiao Zhang.

Zhao Hongyun immediately lost her appetite, storming off to the small room in a flurry of tears and slamming things around. Jiang Liwen hurried after her.

Sun Yilan wanted to follow too, but Jiang Zhifu tugged her back, stopping her from meddling in the young couple’s business.

With the young couple quarreling in their room, the elder couple sat at the table with no appetite.

Only Jiang Ling and Jiang Liwu, the sister and brother, ate with great enjoyment. Jiang Liwu was especially pleased, it had been a long time since he’d eaten this well.

Sun Yilan always cooked strictly according to rationed portions, never making even a mouthful extra. At a time when he, a teenage boy, was still growing, the rice in his bowl was never as much as what Jiang Liwen got.

And if he asked why, the answer was always: “Your big brother works hard. We need to be more considerate of him.”

He was just a student who didn’t bring in any income, so naturally, he couldn’t complain.

Jiang Ling had spent the whole night sleeping on a hard sofa—calling it a sofa was generous, really it was just a long wooden bench with a quilt thrown over it.

After a night of back and waist pain, her urge to move out of this house only intensified.

As she headed off to work, her mind was occupied with how to move into the staff dormitory, but Sun Yilan was urging her to go break up with Song Guanshu.

The whole family went downstairs together. After a night had passed, Jiang Liwen and his wife had already made up.

The only bicycle in the Jiang family was currently in Jiang Liwen’s hands. He pedaled away with his wife on the back seat, the crisp ringing of the bicycle bell trailing behind them as they quickly disappeared down the road.

The bicycle had been bought specifically for marrying Zhao Hongyun.

Her parents had originally asked for the “three rounds and one sound^[2]Three rounds and one sound (三转一响): A 1970s–1980s Chinese term referring to a bicycle, wristwatch, sewing machine, and radio—coveted household goods considered ideal wedding gifts.,” but after some bargaining by Sun Yilan and Jiang Zhifu, they finally settled for just the bicycle.

To pay for that bike, even the eldest and second eldest sisters—who were already married—each sent thirty yuan home. That amount was equivalent to a full month’s salary for both of them.

As for Jiang Ling, who still lived at home and needed to cover her own expenses, she had handed over fifty yuan. After deducting her monthly contributions to the household and her necessary personal spending, it had taken her nearly half a year to save up that amount.

For Jiang Liwen’s wedding, the entire family had pitched in with money and effort—everyone except him. He hadn’t spent a single cent but still got himself a wife.

Jiang Ling didn’t want to walk alongside Jiang Zhifu, so she simply quickened her pace.

When she arrived at the factory, she followed her memory and headed to the Accounting Section.

She worked in the Accounting Section, which had a total of eight people including the section chief and deputy chief. The chief was a heavy drinker who often came to work hungover and reeking of alcohol. The deputy chief was nimble-fingered and liked to knit sweaters during work hours.

With the two leaders doing nothing, all the work was left to the three junior clerks.

Section Chief Tang Guo arrived at work again smelling of alcohol, his face blotchy and red.

So Jiang Ling turned to Deputy Chief Li Chunqiao, who was currently winding yarn, and asked, “Sister Li, if I want to move into the factory’s staff dormitory, who should I submit the request to?”

Li Chunqiao set down the yarn and looked at her. “Why are you suddenly thinking of moving out of your home? I remember your younger brother just got married not long ago. Having trouble getting along with your sister-in-law?”

With nothing better to do all day, listening to her subordinates’ family gossip was like watching TV for her.

“The house is too small. We just can’t all fit,” Jiang Ling replied. Before understanding what kind of person she was dealing with, she naturally wouldn’t talk about family matters. “When was the last time our factory assigned housing? Back then, my siblings and I were all still young. My parents could just about squeeze in with five kids. But now we’ve all grown up, and it’s not appropriate for brothers and sisters to keep crowding together. It’s just too inconvenient. If my youngest brother ends up getting married too, there won’t be any space left at all.”

Everyone in the factory was dealing with crowded housing—it wasn’t just her family.

The others in the Accounting Section had their own complaints as well and joined in to vent with Jiang Ling.

They spent the entire morning discussing the housing issue, and only stopped once it was time for lunch.

Still remembering Jiang Ling’s request, the section chief Tang, reeking of alcohol, told her, “Go to the Logistics Section to get an application form. I’ll sign and stamp it for you here, then you can move into the staff dormitory.”

At noon, everyone took a short nap resting their heads on their desks in the office. Jiang Ling didn’t rest. Before the staff at the Logistics Section went on their lunch break, she went to get the form. In the afternoon, once things quieted down, she filled it out and asked Section Chief Tang to sign and stamp it.

Section Chief Tang had a meeting that afternoon, but Jiang Ling managed to submit the application form before the end of the workday.

Once it was approved by the Logistics Section, she would be able to move into the staff dormitory within three days.

Since it was just after the New Year, the workload in the Accounting Section was light. By the time Jiang Ling returned, the others in the section had already left work early.

Jiang Ling’s eldest sister, Jiang Lian, had a neighbor who worked in the Logistics Section. When the two were walking home together, she heard the neighbor mention that Jiang Ling had applied for a spot in the staff dormitory. She immediately left the neighbor behind and rushed straight to the Accounting Section to find Jiang Ling.

The office was already empty, and Jiang Ling was just about to lock the door and head home.

Just in time, Jiang Lian came storming in, pushed her back into the office.

If she weren’t a woman, Jiang Ling would’ve suspected she was about to be assaulted.

“Why on earth are you moving into the staff dormitory?” Jiang Lian sat down at her younger sister’s desk.

She stuck to the same explanation. “You know there’s not enough room at home.”

But Jiang Lian didn’t quite believe it. “Are you sure nothing happened at home?”

“Before Hongyun married into the family, you never said the house was too small. Now that she’s in, suddenly it’s too cramped. What do you think outsiders will make of that?”

“No one will overthink it. It’s just the usual problem, where factory workers don’t have enough living space.”

“Well, you’re getting married soon anyway. Why not just endure it a little longer?” Jiang Lian was someone who cared deeply about appearances. “Or you could come stay at our place, share a room with your niece.”

Jiang Ling really couldn’t understand her way of thinking. “Living with you and Brother-in-law would sound even worse. I’d rather just move into the staff dormitory.”

“Oh, Sister Lian is here too.” A boy with clean features appeared at the door. He had tanned skin and eyes bright like stars. “I came to the office looking for my mom, saw you two, and thought I’d say hello.”

This was none other than the male lead, Xie Lang.