Wang Xiujuan stopped in front of a house.
After knocking three times in a row, she frowned.
“Muttering under her breath, ‘That damn Old Chen, where has he gone off to fool around?’”
Although she didn’t meet the person she came to see, she still drew a circular mark with a plus sign (♀) on his door before leaving.
After Wang Xiujuan left, Lin Yunchu approached the door and looked at the mark she had left.
♀ represented female.
Wang Xiujuan was planning to strike again.
If she wasn’t mistaken, this target was very likely her.
Lin Yunchu’s eyes turned cold as she looked at the symbol.
The hospital side, Qinhui, still hadn’t made any move. It seemed she needed to speed everything up.
After leaving Old Chen’s place, Lin Yunchu went straight to another street in town.
Outside the street, a group of old women were chatting.
The moment they saw her, they all fell silent.
“Damn girl, what are you doing wandering around in the middle of the night? Looking for ghosts? Don’t come to me—I won’t help you!”
A voice came from the crowd.
It was Jiang Caichun, who frowned fiercely when she saw Lin Yunchu.
“Grandma…”
Lin Yunchu called her.
Jiang Caichun immediately stepped forward and lowered her voice. “Have you embarrassed yourself enough? Now you want to embarrass me too?”
“Go back. Hurry up and go back!”
Her eyes were full of disgust and avoidance.
In the past, she had been extremely proud of this granddaughter.
Other old ladies used to envy her constantly: “Sister Jiang, your granddaughter is so promising—she’s going to marry into the Si family soon.”
But now, those same women mocked her: “Oh, still the Si family bride? With her reputation ruined, who would even want her?”
She had been laughed at for days.
And because the Si family marriage had collapsed, all the opportunities they once hoped for had been completely destroyed.
Lin Yunchu found her reaction almost amusing. A family couldn’t produce too many different kinds of people—Wang Xiujuan and Jiang Caichun were clearly the same type.
“Grandma, are you really going to chase me away? If you do, your youngest uncle’s job will be gone too.”
At the mention of “job,” Jiang Caichun instantly became agitated.
“What do you mean?” she asked sharply.
“Did your mother send you here?”
Lin Yunchu smiled faintly. “Grandma, why are you so naïve? My mother now has her biological daughter, Lin Keke. She just returned to the city and still hasn’t settled her job. Do you think she would give my job to your son?”
Jiang Caichun snapped in anger. “If your mother won’t agree, then why are you talking nonsense?!”
Lin Yunchu remained calm. “She may not agree, but there are other ways.”
“Grandma, how about we find a quiet place and talk for five minutes?”
“…”
After a brief pause, Lin Yunchu continued directly, “My mother never intended to let your son take over my job. Now that Lin Keke is back, my parents feel guilty and want to give her everything—including my official textile factory position.”
Jiang Caichun’s wrinkled face tightened in anger. “That Wang Xiujuan—she’s grown bold! I asked her to do one thing and she won’t even do it anymore. Does she still respect her family?!”
“Grandma, don’t be angry yet. My mother is unreliable, but I am.”
“I’m already eighteen and can make my own decisions. I’m willing to transfer the job to your son.”
Jiang Caichun’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
“Of course,” Lin Yunchu said firmly. “A job is a big matter—how could I joke about it?”
But Jiang Caichun quickly grew suspicious. “You’re not going to ask for something in return, are you?”
“Grandma, you’re very smart. The market price for a job these days is 1,500 yuan. Since we’re family, I’ll give you a discount—1,200 yuan. If you agree, I’ll go to the factory tomorrow and handle the transfer.”
“You’re robbing me! Why don’t you go rob a bank instead?” Jiang Caichun exploded.
Lin Yunchu smiled. “Grandma, I know your youngest son’s job has always been your worry. I’m just making a suggestion. You’re my grandmother—I naturally have to tell you first.”
“If you think it’s not worth it, then forget it.”
“There are more and more educated youths returning to the city. Many people are buying jobs right now. If you don’t take it, don’t blame me when it’s gone tomorrow.”
Jiang Caichun’s face darkened as she thought harder and grew more anxious.
“Grandma, think about it. Or you can ask my mother. If she agrees to give my job to your son, that would be best. If not, you can still come back to me.”
“But I suggest you don’t tell my mother about this meeting. Otherwise, everything will be ruined.”
“I have no choice either. You see my situation—I have to go back to the countryside soon. Life there is hard. I need some savings.”
“I wouldn’t even charge my uncle if I didn’t have to.”
“Alright, Grandma, I’ll go now. I won’t embarrass myself in front of you anymore. Think it over—but if you don’t act, the position will be gone tomorrow.”
Jiang Caichun: “…”
Watching Lin Yunchu walk away, she began calculating again and again.
Her youngest son had gotten into trouble for beating someone and injuring them severely. She had spent a lot of money to get him a light sentence—he would only serve six months and be released soon.
But once he came out, the community would never give him a good job. Even if they did, it would be low-paying and exhausting.
The only way to get a good job was either inheritance transfer or buying one.
Her husband’s job had already been taken by her eldest son, and her own job had been taken by her second daughter-in-law. There were no available positions left in the family.
The only hope was through her daughter Wang Xiujuan.
If Wang Xiujuan was willing to give Lin Yunchu’s job to her youngest brother, that would be ideal. If not, then her son would never get a good position.
But paying 1,200 yuan still made her heart ache deeply.
No, she needed to test Wang Xiujuan first.
If she could avoid spending money, she absolutely would.
Lin Yunchu was not worried at all that the job wouldn’t sell.
There were plenty of people eager to buy positions right now. Once she spread the news, many would compete for it.
But the easiest and most satisfying option would be to sell it to Wang Caichun.
Because Wang Xiujuan would never willingly give the job to her useless younger brother, Wang Chengcai. After the trouble he caused by injuring someone, she had already spent a lot of money settling things for him.
Wang Caichun might act loud and sharp-tongued, but she was extremely calculating and cautious.
As long as Wang Xiujuan hadn’t agreed to give the job away, she would never tell her about the deal with Lin Yunchu.
In her mind, sons always came before daughters.
Otherwise, over the years, she wouldn’t have constantly drained her daughters—first housing for the eldest son, then wedding money for the third, then compensation fees for the youngest…
Always squeezing everything from her daughters.
On her way back, Wang Xiujuan kept thinking of ways to get rid of Lin Yunchu.
Now she regretted acting too impulsively. If Lin Yunchu were still living at home, she could have tricked her out easily.
But now that she was staying in a hotel, she would need help from others.
“Ah! Mom, what are you doing? You scared me to death!”
Just as she reached the courtyard entrance, Wang Xiujuan screamed.
“Girl, if you haven’t done anything wrong, why are you afraid of ghosts knocking at your door at night?”
Jiang Caichun had come immediately after Lin Yunchu’s instructions without wasting a moment.
“Mom, why are you here so late? Is something wrong?” Wang Xiujuan said, bringing her inside. “Keke, pour Grandma some tea.”
Lin Keke’s expression changed slightly, but she still poured the tea reluctantly.
Jiang Caichun took it without hesitation. “Yes, I do have something to discuss. Since Yunchu is going back to the countryside, her textile factory job will be vacant. My youngest son will be out soon and won’t find a good job easily, so I thought—you should transfer that job to him.”
“…”
Lin Keke stared at her in disbelief.
She knew it—this old woman only came when there was something to gain.
And she asked for it so shamelessly.
Meanwhile, Lin Yunchu’s job had already been promised by Wang Xiujuan to her.
She needed that position to marry Si Zheyan with confidence.