Chapter 14 - 14: Initiative
The old lady left with the eldest couple.
Fan Xiuying accompanied them to the bus station.
Watched the bus drive away.
Fan Xiuying wiped her sweat, her back was soaked.
Dealing with her elder brother and sister-in-law was more tense than going to war.
Jiang Xiaoxiao shoved a handkerchief into Fan Xiuying's hand.
"Mom, you were frightened, but my grandma doesn't eat people. Look, my grandma actually reasons things out; today she didn't cause a fuss."
She wanted Fan Xiuying to understand that grandma wasn't scary.
Fan Xiuying wiped her sweat, "You, your mom's biggest fear in this life is your grandma. If the old lady threw a fit, mom would have to obediently surrender. Today you were impressive; you discerned your grandma's intentions, otherwise our family would have had bad luck this time."
Old Jiang's job is the only way out for this family.
Whether the son can go to work depends on Old Jiang's job.
If given to others, their family would be left sitting around with nothing.
"How did you know what your uncle and aunt wanted to do? I didn't even know! Your dad probably didn't know either; this time your uncle and aunt likely calculated to catch us off guard, unprepared, expecting us to agree.
By the time we respond, it would be too late."
"It was because I got close to grandma that I found out! Otherwise, how would I know? I'm not a parasite in my uncle and aunt's stomach. My grandma came up! She came up before dawn, and my uncle and the others came after.
Luckily for that, I had some mental preparation! Otherwise, I wouldn't know."
Xiao Xiao happily embraced her mother's arm.
This was her mother, even if a foster mother, still a mother.
She wouldn't let her mother be left without medical care, suffering till death.
She wanted her family to live happily in this lifetime.
"Mom!"
Jiang Xiaoxiao and Fan Xiuying turned around, pleasantly surprised to see their second sister Jiang Xin and brother-in-law Qin Dazhuang.
Jiang Xin had a big belly; obviously over nine months, the size a bit frightening.
"Second sister, brother-in-law, why have you come back? From so far away, second sister, you're pregnant, it's such a strain. Brother-in-law, really! How could you let my second sister battle through this?"
Jiang Xiaoxiao hurriedly went to support Jiang Xin; this second sister's second child suffered quite a bit.
Unfortunately, it's still a girl; this pregnancy has been much talked-about by Qin Dazhuang's old mother.
The old lady favors boys over girls and doesn't like granddaughters.
Especially since this second son didn't listen to the old lady, insisting on marrying his second sister Jiang Xin.
The son works as a carpenter in the factory and can privately make furniture for others to earn some extra money to support the family; otherwise, the old lady would have caused an uproar.
Qin Dazhuang was honest and straightforward; a big guy, but shy and bashful, blushing when spoken to.
Especially when faced with his sister-in-law's quick tongue, he couldn't keep up.
"Uh, Jiang Xin missed mom and dad, I... just... I didn't think it through... sister... I..."
He was so frightened by Jiang Xiaoxiao that he stuttered.
Jiang Xiaoxiao laughed.
"Second sister, look, those who know are aware I'm the sister-in-law; those who don't might think I'm a tiger scaring my brother-in-law into stuttering."
Teasing Qin Dazhuang.
Qin Dazhuang touched his head and chuckled foolishly.
Second sister Jiang Xin glared and pinched Jiang Xiaoxiao, "You're just gabby; mom, look, your youngest daughter is bullying people now, won't you intervene?"
Fan Xiuying looked at her daughter's somewhat frightening belly, worried.
But still she smiled and said, "I won't interfere; if you're capable, bully her back."
The whole family headed home.
Fan Xiuying pondered, since her daughter was back, she should make a good meal.
She only had eight yuan exchange, maybe she should buy some meat.
And there was still half a pound of meat coupons left.
The mother-in-law of the second child was stingy, surely unwilling to treat the second child to something good.
"Mom, I'll buy groceries; you give me the money, and you and second sister and brother-in-law can head back."
Jiang Xiaoxiao knew what her mom was thinking.
Sought it actively.
It was just afternoon; plenty of time till evening, she still wanted to go somewhere.
If she remembered correctly, she might just strike it rich and leave some usable money for her parents.
Depending on her parents' meager wages, no way could they live a good life even if tightening the belt until cut.
Fan Xiuying took out money and meat coupons from her pocket, all wrapped in a handkerchief.
Before she could take out a yuan and the meat coupon, Jiang Xiaoxiao quickly snatched it away.
"Mom, I'm off; more return if less spend."
Waving the handkerchief, she was already gone.
Fan Xiuying was so angry.
This girl! She's heaven-defying.
Now even daring to snatch things.
But couldn't say anything since her son-in-law was present.
The three people returned home.
Jiang Xiaoxiao held the handkerchief, glanced inside; her mom only had over eight yuan, a meat coupon, and a cloth coupon, not much else.
Indeed!
Her mom probably returned with her salary from the matchbox factory.
Eight yuan isn't much.
But during this era, it was already a huge sum.
Monthly salary was only thirty-two yuan fifty; eight yuan was already quite a lot.
She directly ran to a place three streets over.
Where was that?
It was the only recycling station here.
State-run, no problems.
Precisely because it was state-run, the staff here were idle, work was not serious.
If she remembered correctly.
She heard in her past life, at this recycling station, someone bought a stack of old newspapers for wall padding, including two useless dictionaries or something.
Consequently, gold bars were found in the dictionary.
Unclear whether forgotten in the book or what.
Anyhow, the family secretly exchanged it for money in the black market.
That was a full ten thousand yuan.
Back then, this was later revealed by the grandson of the person.
An example of unexpected wealth.
Since she already knew of such an opportunity, why leave it unused?
At this time, reforms hadn't formally started, and private operations were daunting.
Even if she had skills, implementing them was impossible; trying to do business and earn money felt like climbing Archimedes' ladder.
So her mind clicked to focus on this idea.
Didn't expect to make the family incredibly wealthy, but before leaving for the countryside, she had to leave her parents some safety money.
If the elder brother truly replaced the father at work, household income would sharply decrease.
If parents didn't have any fallback money, numerous unforeseen issues would arise.
For example, if the elder brother were to marry in a couple of years, the family likely couldn't afford bride money, let alone worrying about elder sister, second sister, and herself.
Mother saved money through frugality yearly just to send elder sister some food from here as supplement.
No doubt if she goes, it would be the same situation, but causing parents to starve isn't right.
She would definitely not be able to live with herself.
So before leaving, she must leave her parents some fallback money.
Since it's unexpected fortune, anyone who gets it, gets it.
She would just seize this opportunity.