It wasn’t that she couldn’t afford it—it was that it never came to her.
Whenever the Jiang family made something good during holidays, it would always be placed in front of the eldest brother, the younger brother, and their father. Their father doted on their mother, so he would share some with her. Jiang Xing had a sweet tongue and could coax a portion from their mother’s bowl.
Only she—every time she cautiously tried to reach out her chopsticks for a piece of potato soaked in meat broth, her father Jiang Dashan would speak up at just the right moment.
“A girl who stretches her chopsticks too far will marry far away.”
What nonsense!
In truth, she was deliberately seated farthest from the meat, forced to keep her chopsticks short so she wouldn’t compete with the family.
Jiang Zao took a sip of soda. The orange flavor was rich and sweet—so good that she narrowed her eyes in satisfaction.
“You don’t actually have to treat me this well. I’m not favored at home. Even a little kindness from you makes me very happy.”
As they walked, Xiao Shuisheng always kept to the outer side of the road, shielding Jiang Zao from passersby and bicycles.
Hearing this, a trace of heartache flashed in his eyes.
“Zao’er, no one cherishing you doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to be cherished.”
Jiang Zao’s mind went blank for a moment.
It was such a gentle sentence, yet it echoed in her ears like thunder.
Xiao Shuisheng continued, “When we get married, we’ll have our own little family. In that family, there will only be you and me. Parents have each other, and children will eventually find their own companions. Only you and I are inseparable.”
“My money and my heart are both yours.”
“You don’t need to compete with anyone.”
Jiang Zao took another sip of soda and turned her head away. Beside her was a white wall painted with slogans:
“Grasp revolution, promote production, promote work, promote construction!”
“Accelerate the Third Front construction!”
She forced back the tears in her eyes and drank again.
Unmarried men and women shouldn’t spend too much time together. After walking around with her, Xiao Shuisheng took her to a state-run restaurant and ordered two meat dishes and one vegetable. After the meal, he escorted her home.
“About the job—do you need me to speak to your family?”
In the sweltering summer heat, a fine layer of sweat formed on Jiang Zao’s fair, delicate skin, making her look like a lotus in a gentle spring rain.
She shook her head. “No need. I’ll handle things at home myself.”
Xiao Shuisheng smiled. “As you wish.”
“Go on.”
The walk from the restaurant to the Jiang home wasn’t far—just over ten minutes. The humid wind swept through the narrow alley, sunlight mottling the yellow mud walls.
Voices drifted from the courtyards—people bickering while washing dishes, children whining because they didn’t want to nap.
“I want a popsicle! I’ll sleep if I get one!”
“Eat what? You look like a popsicle. If you don’t sleep, I’ll smack you!”
At the Jiang family gate, Xiao Shuisheng stopped. “Go in.”
Jiang Zao waved and turned to go home.
Only after she closed the courtyard gate did Xiao Shuisheng leave.
As Jiang Zao entered, footsteps sounded from the east room. Liu Chunhua shuffled out in her black cloth shoes, lifting the curtain.
“Where’s the fabric?”
In the morning, Jiang Zao had taken the household registration booklet, saying she was going to buy discounted cloth.
The supply store had indeed stocked some cloth—sold at seven in the morning, limited to two chi per person. Wang Yan had told her about it the day before.
Jiang Zao sighed. “I went, but couldn’t get any. There were so many people—I almost got my shoes kicked off.”
That was the reality. Without connections at supply stores, even knowing about good goods was difficult. People lined up early for rice or meat, and when it came to grabbing, there was no mercy.
If daughters-in-law and mothers-in-law had split households, they might even shove each other while lining up on ration day.
Anyone who bought more had to cover their meat carefully, or others would pester them to sell half a jin.
It wasn’t that people were unreasonable—every family was waiting for food to cook, and children had been craving meat for half a month.
“Auntie, don’t listen to my second sister lying,” Jiang Shan’s voice rang out as she stepped from behind Liu Chunhua.
“My uncle said she secretly went to the steel factory for an exam. And today I passed by the food factory—I even saw her name on the admission list!”
After spending a few days in detention, Jiang Shan had lost some weight. Stress had caused sores at the corners of her mouth, making her frown when she spoke.
Feng Miao, feeling sorry for her, had bought her a yellow dress. Wearing it, Jiang Shan regained a bit of confidence when facing Jiang Zao.
“She didn’t go buy cloth at all—she secretly went to register at the food factory.”
“She found a job without telling the family. Doesn’t that mean she never intended to give it to Brother Jiang Jun?”
Since Jiang Zao had set her up, she wouldn’t hold back.
She was determined to ruin Jiang Zao’s opportunity—drag her down from the sky and make her suffer.
Jiang Shan stared at her with venom.
Liu Chunhua cared deeply about this.
Jiang Jun had been making a fuss lately. If Jiang Zao dared to secure a job and not give it to him, Liu Chunhua wouldn’t let it go.
Jiang Zao’s almond eyes were clear and calm, without a trace of fear.
“I didn’t get the cloth, so I went to find Xiao Shuisheng. Coincidentally, he helped me find a job and took me to apply.”
“I did well and passed the exam directly. Mom, I do want to give the job to my younger brother, but…”
She gestured for Liu Chunhua to come closer. “There are some things I need to tell you privately.”
In Liu Chunhua’s eyes, Jiang Zao had always been the easiest to control. For over twenty years, she had been docile—never resisting, quietly enduring grievances.
That fixed impression made Liu Chunhua believe nothing had changed.
She had no idea the Jiang Zao before her was no longer the same.
Liu Chunhua stepped closer. Jiang Zao pulled her aside and whispered:
“But this job was arranged by Xiao Shuisheng. It wouldn’t look good if I just gave it to my brother right away.”
“The Xiao family already doesn’t like me much. If I give away the job before marriage… what would they think of me?”
Jiang Zao continued, pretending to worry, “I think I should keep the job for now. After we get married, I can either give the position to my brother or help him enter the factory as a family worker.”
“By then, my husband will be a professor—a senior employee. They’ll definitely give me face.”
Liu Chunhua found this reasonable.
In her hometown, there had been an unmarried woman whose high bride price demands had ruined multiple matches.
“What you said makes sense. But why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
Jiang Zao replied, “I didn’t mean to hide it—it just happened suddenly. Don’t believe Jiang Shan’s instigation. She can’t stand our family being united.”
“She just wants to stir trouble in my marriage, ruin it, and then marry into the Xiao family herself.”
Though Jiang Shan couldn’t hear the exact words, she felt uneasy.
“What are you two talking about?”
Liu Chunhua suddenly understood and slapped her forehead. “It’s my fault—I didn’t think it through.”
Jiang Zao put on a gentle, obedient expression. “It’s fine, Mom. You gave birth to me—even if you misunderstand me, I won’t be angry.”