“Wan Yue, how can you talk like that? She is your biological younger sister,” Father Qiao scolded in dissatisfaction.
Qiao Wanyue let out a cold sneer. “I’ve never seen a younger sister who steals her sister’s husband and still has the nerve to sit at the dinner table and eat. Shifting the blame? I don’t have such a sister.”
A mocking sound escaped her lips.
“What nonsense are you talking about? Your sister and Yang Huaiyuan are in love with each other. If you couldn’t keep your husband’s heart, how can you blame others?” Mother Qiao came in, her face dark, her eyes carrying a frightening intimidation.
Qiao Wanyue didn’t stop moving her chopsticks, picking up large chunks of meat and stuffing them into her mouth. Only when her bowl was empty did she burp, set it down, and turn her head to stare straight at Mother Qiao.
“Oh? Then I’ll go ask the commune leaders whether free love includes stealing your sister’s husband.”
Smack.
“Everyone’s full, right? If you’re not eating, get out!” Father Qiao lost his temper.
If Qiao Wanyue kept talking, he could forget about being the brigade leader.
With her husband angry, Mother Qiao didn’t dare continue pressing the matter.
She shrank back into her seat, picked up the ladle, and began serving the family. When she saw that half the meat and eggs on the table were gone, her eyes widened. Qiao Wanyue’s bowl was cleaner than her face.
She quickly distributed the remaining meat and eggs to her husband and daughter, scooping three pieces of meat into her own bowl. As the new son-in-law, Yang Huaiyuan also got three pieces despite his displeasure.
Qiao Wanyue’s bowl was completely empty.
Qiao Wanyue didn’t care about the Qiao family’s attitude. After eating her fill, she turned and went out.
She took a nap in her room before Qiao Shanshan came knocking.
Yang Huaiyuan had already left. Father Qiao and Mother Qiao were seated in the main seats of the hall.
Qiao Shanshan gave her mother a look.
She got straight to the point.
“Since you’ve married into the Lu family, you’ll follow the army in the future. You don’t need that job anymore. Tomorrow, go to the city and transfer the job to your sister.”
Qiao Wanyue paused.
“Dad, is that what you mean too?” she stared at Father Qiao.
“Huaiyuan doesn’t have a job right now, and your sister’s job isn’t settled yet. Wanyue, you’re the older sister. You’ve married better than your sister. Lu Yunzhou has a good job and won’t treat you badly.
You don’t need that job anymore. Give it to your sister.”
Father Qiao sounded more tactful than Mother Qiao, but every word meant sacrificing her.
The family had already discussed it.
They were just informing her?
It had been the same in her previous life.
After Qiao Wanyue married Lu Yunzhou, Mother Qiao forced Qiao Shanshan to give the job opportunity to Qiao Wanyue so she wouldn’t be inferior to the Lu family. She promised to compensate Qiao Wanyue with money as a dowry, but in the end, her dowry was only a few shabby clothes.
Yang’s mother had only arranged the marriage for the sake of the job. When she found out the job had been given to the younger sister, she constantly made things difficult for Qiao Wanyue. Yang Huaiyuan resented her as well and neglected their family.
He often beat and scolded her.
As for the Qiao family—
When she returned home after being beaten, they would question what she had done to deserve it. If you had done well, how would you have been beaten?
When she wanted a divorce, the Qiao family personally sent her back to the Yang family.
What followed was even more brutal beatings.
The pain seeped into her bones. Qiao Wanyue took a deep breath.
“Fine.”
Joy flashed across Qiao Shanshan’s face.
She knew it—Qiao Wanyue, this idiot.
As long as their parents spoke together, she would never refuse.
But the next sentence left her stunned.
“Five thousand yuan. Tomorrow I’ll transfer the position.”
Bang.
Crash.
Father Qiao slammed the table.
Mother Qiao’s cup fell to the ground.
Qiao Shanshan’s face turned ugly. “What did you say?”
“Five thousand yuan. Why don’t you just go rob someone?”
Qiao Wanyue replied, “Then where do you get the nerve to ask for my job for free?”
Father Qiao’s chest heaved, his eyes nearly bulging out.
Mother Qiao suppressed her anger. “Wanyue, look how angry you’ve made your father. We’re family. The compensation you want has already been given. There’s no money left at home. We may have our selfish reasons,
but if your sister has no job, she’ll be looked down upon in the Yang family.”
Qiao Wanyue didn’t fall for it. “Then Mom, aren’t you worried the Lu family will look down on me?”
Mother Qiao choked.
Since when had Qiao Wanyue become so sharp-tongued?
“And Mom, you’re wrong. It’s not me who made Dad angry—it’s Qiao Shanshan. She stole her own sister’s husband and shamelessly wants to steal her sister’s job. Even the city walls aren’t as thick as her skin. That’s why Dad is angry.
As the brigade leader of the Qiao family, Dad should have someone like her drowned in a pig cage.”
Qiao Shanshan’s face flushed red with anger.
Father Qiao was so furious he couldn’t speak.
Mother Qiao closed her eyes, trying to calm herself.
None of the three could say a word.
What she said was the truth.
Qiao Wanyue finally felt relieved.
She turned to leave.
Thud.
It sounded painful.
Curious, Qiao Wanyue turned back and twitched her lips at the sight.
Qiao Shanshan was really something—able to bend and stretch.
She knelt on the ground, baring her teeth in pain.
Crying with tears and snot streaming down her face,
“Big sister, I know I wronged you. I have no face to ask for your job, but can you please pity me? I’m not asking for myself. Huaiyuan hasn’t been assigned yet.
If I don’t have a job, how will the Yang family see me? How will they see our parents?
You used to love me the most. Please think about Mom and Dad, think about our family, okay?”
She had to get that job, or the Yang family wouldn’t acknowledge her as their daughter-in-law.
Qiao Shanshan clenched her fists.
Father Qiao’s stern face softened slightly.
Qiao Wanyue curled her lips.
What an act.
If she wanted a job, she could earn it herself.
Back then, Qiao Wanyue had saved the son of a textile factory director from drowning. To repay her, the director gave her insider information about recruitment and study materials. She had told Qiao Shanshan.
They took the exam together, but Qiao Shanshan, arrogant despite graduating from high school, didn’t study. Qiao Wanyue prepared for three months, memorizing every word she didn’t know by heart.
That was how she passed.
Qiao Shanshan wanted her job without putting in any effort.
No way.
Smack.
No one expected Qiao Wanyue to suddenly strike.
Five finger marks appeared on Qiao Shanshan’s face.
Qiao Wanyue glared at her. “Qiao Shanshan, you stole Yang Huaiyuan, forced me to marry Lu Yunzhou, and now you want to take my job too. Are you trying to drive me to death before you’re satisfied?”
She turned to Father and Mother Qiao, sobbing uncontrollably.
“I used to think you were just biased. I’m not as pretty or as educated as Qiao Shanshan, but I always believed I was still your daughter.
But everything you do is for her. Have you ever thought about this daughter?”
“Lu Yunzhou is a soldier. Without a job or education, will his family look up to me?
Are you really my parents?”
With that, Qiao Wanyue ran out crying.
Qiao Shanshan lowered her head. Her clenched fingers slowly loosened, and a mocking smile curled at her lips.
Qiao Wanyue hadn’t been reborn—she just wanted the Qiao family’s love.
She let out a sigh of relief.
But Mother Qiao’s heart tightened.
Qiao Wanyue ran back to her room in one breath and slammed the door shut with a bang.