Cheng Yu saw the two small heads unconsciously leaning closer and couldn’t help but curl her lips slightly. However, she had nothing to hide and directly said, “I was already married.”
She dropped a bombshell, but it only shocked Chen Xiaohong. Yan Jin’er had already heard this gossip before. Now Yan Jin’er was only curious about what Cheng Yu’s partner looked like.
“Wow,” she only sighed in amazement and didn’t ask further. They had only known each other for one day; they would naturally become familiar slowly in the future.
“I’m still young, I’m not in a rush yet.” Yan Jin’er quickly said before Chen Xiaohong and the others turned their heads toward her. She even casually asked back, “What about you?”
“My mother has recently been looking for someone for me. I’ll go meet him in a while.” Chen Xiaohong said, her face slightly reddening in embarrassment. Her mother had introduced someone for her—an employee from the neighboring Machinery Factory named Xu Jianhua. He was twenty-two years old, had a square face, thick eyebrows and large eyes, fair skin, and a gentle, slightly artistic temperament. He was the most popular type of partner among men at this time.
“By the way, it’s almost National Day. I heard our Textile Factory is going to hold a gala together with the Machinery Factory next door. It’s also to let the employees from both factories get to know each other.” Chen Xiaohong said, repeating some rumor she had heard from somewhere.
“Isn’t that basically like a matchmaking party?” Yan Jin’er asked curiously. She had never attended such an event before and even wanted to go see the world. It already sounded interesting to her.
“I heard both factories will prepare performances too. It should be very lively and exciting,” Chen Xiaohong continued.
“Our department can also prepare a performance. Do you two want to perform?”
Yan Jin’er immediately shook her head. She had no talent for performing arts. She couldn’t sing in tune, and she was uncoordinated in dancing. She could write calligraphy, but she obviously couldn’t perform writing on stage.
Cheng Yu also had no interest in performing on stage.
Yan Jin’er and Chen Xiaohong chatted casually about this topic for a while, and Cheng Yu occasionally joined in, though she spoke relatively little.
The afternoon passed easily while they idled away time. Yan Jin’er only felt a bit bored and thought that tomorrow she would bring some yarn to learn knitting sweaters, and also bring some snacks to munch on to pass the time.
All in all, her first day at work passed easily and without pressure. Yan Jin’er said she quite liked this job.
After six o’clock, they said goodbye to their colleagues one by one, and Yan Jin’er slowly walked behind the crowd.
On the road, some people hurried home to cook dinner, some went to eat with a few friends, and some, like Yan Jin’er, walked back slowly… such a life was truly full of everyday human warmth.
Just as she reached her doorstep and was about to go in, her right-side neighbor Aunt Zhang suddenly said, “Oh my, Jin-girl is back.”
“Yes, Aunt Zhang, just got off work,” Yan Jin’er replied. Hearing “Jin-girl,” she suddenly felt a jolt, as if she was being scolded.
“Jin-girl, you’re now working at the Textile Factory. Your Dad Song really dotes on you. If you ask me, women working is useless. It’s better to marry a good man, give up working, and let the man provide while staying home to serve the family—that’s real happiness.” Before Yan Jin’er could react, Aunt Zhang continued rambling on her own.
Hearing Aunt Zhang’s sarcastic tone, Yan Jin’er felt extremely speechless. She deliberately responded in an equally sarcastic sweet voice, “That’s right, my dad really has a good life, being able to marry my mom who is so fortunate, and also having such a great and outstanding daughter like me who can find her own job. Oh Aunt Zhang, in the future you can also give your son’s job to your daughter-in-law, and let your son stay home and enjoy life.”
Before Aunt Zhang could say anything else, she huffed, turned around, opened the door, went inside, and slammed it shut in one motion.
Only Aunt Zhang was left at the door, furious beyond words. She muttered a few curses before angrily going back home.
At dinner that night, Yan Jin’er complained to Father Song and Mother Song, telling them what Aunt Zhang had said at the door. Before they could even comfort her, Yan Jin’er already put her hands on her hips proudly and said she had already argued back.
“Dad, Mom, I didn’t do anything wrong, right?” Yan Jin’er pouted, her eyes watery as she looked at them.
“Of course not. Aunt Zhang is really too much. Just don’t interact with her in the future. Jinbao, you did great. You didn’t suffer any grievance at all,” Mother Song comforted her while looking at her delicate daughter.
What could Father Song do? Of course he supported both mother and daughter—willingly.
“I’ve heard before that Aunt Zhang doesn’t value daughters much. I didn’t really believe it before, especially since she has a good son who serves in the army.” Aunt Zhang had three daughters before finally giving birth to her youngest son Zhang Jiahong, whom she treated like her heart and soul. Since childhood, all household chores were done by the three daughters. When they reached marriageable age, she even married off her eldest daughter to a divorced man who paid a high bride price.
“It’s better to have less contact with them in the future,” Father Song solemnly instructed.