Free Web NovelChapter 61: Chapter 61: A Fine Calculation
"What do you mean, ’it’s not that serious’?"
Gu Jinhua’s agitated voice shot up an octave before she quickly covered her mouth and lowered it. "Mom, if you’re really my mother, then just drop this. If this whole affair implicates my father-in-law and he falls from power, it’ll drag me down—our whole family. When that time comes, don’t you think your son-in-law will want to flay me alive? Our entire family will be ruined. Would that make you happy? Would that make things better?"
"..."
Chen Suxiang was stunned into silence, taking a long moment before asking, "Then what about your second sister-in-law’s job?"
’How should I know?’
Gu Jinhua rolled her eyes internally. Thinking about the multiple slaps she had received from her second brother today, the resentment in her heart grew stronger. She still had no idea how she was going to explain the slap marks on her face to her in-laws. She decided she absolutely could not get involved in this matter any further. Otherwise, her mother would probably tell her to arrange a job for her second brother next. Before she knew it, even finding a job for her older brother’s woman on the side would end up on her plate...
Though she had made up her mind, she didn’t dare let any of it show on her face.
For the moment, she couldn’t think of a better solution. So, with a pained expression, she tentatively suggested to Chen Suxiang, "How about I go home and beg Liu Li to talk to my father-in-law? See if he can help ask around if any other work units are hiring?"
"What other place could be as good as the supply and marketing cooperative?" Chen Suxiang pouted, her heart still set on the cooperative. She looked down on other places.
"Mom—"
Gu Jinhua’s face fell as she cried out in displeasure, annoyed by her mother’s insatiable greed. "Of course the supply and marketing cooperative is better than other places, but that’s exactly why! Do you have any idea how many people are breaking their necks trying to get in? You think just because my father-in-law is the director, he can just say a few words and stuff our entire family in there? Do you really think he owns the place?"
"I just think it’s best if we can get in there. Who would choose a rotten peach when there’s a good one available? What’s wrong with me thinking that?" Chen Suxiang was quite unhappy at being rebuked. She shot Gu Jinhua a look and muttered, "A daughter marries out and forgets her own family."
"Mom, can you please be reasonable? Do you really think our family is the mayor’s or the governor’s, that we can be picky and choosy about all these work units like we’re picking out melons? You tell me, which of those places you look down on are actually easy to get into?"
"How am I being picky and choosy? Ugh, anyway, I don’t care. You have to find a way to get your father-in-law to help our family find a job. You know what, don’t even bother finding one for your second sister-in-law. Just find a good one for your second brother directly." Chen Suxiang started to throw a tantrum. "If you don’t figure something out, I’ll go to your father-in-law myself! He already took the money, how can he..."
"Mom—"
Gu Jinhua yelled in exasperation.
"What are you yelling for? You think you’ve grown up and can yell at me now, is that it?" Chen Suxiang shot to her feet, put her hands on her hips, and her voice rose several octaves higher than her daughter’s. "What did I say that was wrong? Your father-in-law did..."
"Mom, I’m begging you, please? Are you really trying to push your own daughter to a dead end?" Gu Jinhua lunged forward and clamped a hand over her mother’s mouth, breaking out in a cold sweat.
"Hmph..."
’Trying to fight me?’
Chen Suxiang looked at Gu Jinhua smugly and jabbed a finger at her. "Go back and bring this up with your father-in-law immediately, or I’ll go to his house myself. It would be best to get your second brother a permanent position at the supply and marketing cooperative..."
’It’s not even easy to get a temporary job, and you’re demanding a permanent one? Why don’t you just ask for the moon? You’re only acting so high and mighty in front of me. Why don’t you try saying that to my father-in-law’s face?’
Gu Jinhua felt her face darken. She despised her mother’s behavior—acting tough with family but cowardly with outsiders—but didn’t dare defy her openly. She didn’t even have to ask; she knew her father-in-law would never agree to this. If permanent positions at the cooperative were that easy to get, it wouldn’t be her family’s turn. Her mother-in-law’s family would have gotten in long ago.
But she couldn’t be bothered to say any of this to her mother. It was pointless anyway. Once her mother’s mind was made up, it was useless no matter how much she tried to break it down and explain the logic. She didn’t know if her mother genuinely didn’t understand or was just being willfully ignorant.
Dejectedly, Gu Jinhua nodded. ’I’ll just drag this out for as long as I can,’ she thought. ’When I can’t delay any longer, I’ll just say that my father-in-law has found a way, but that it’ll cost a huge sum of money...’
Her mother would never be willing to spend that kind of money. She was all talk. In reality, she wouldn’t dare go to her in-laws’ house. Even if she did, the moment she saw her father-in-law and mother-in-law, she’d shrink, her voice barely a whisper. Of course, if by some miracle she was willing to pay, that would be fine too. As the saying goes, money makes the world go ’round. With enough money, what couldn’t be done?
As she mulled this over, she started to relax. Her mind began to clear, and a sudden idea struck her. She looked at Chen Suxiang. "Mom, how could we forget about my second sister-in-law’s family?"
"Her family?" Chen Suxiang was still basking in the thrill of having her daughter under her thumb again. Hearing this, she was momentarily stunned and didn’t react.
"Yes! Have you forgotten? My second sister-in-law’s father has far more connections in the city than my father-in-law. He definitely has a wider network there. It’s very possible he had my second brother and his wife come back without any intention of them staying long. Maybe he just wants them to lie low until things blow over, then call them back to the city." Gu Jinhua was all smiles. If things were really as she suspected, what did she have to worry about?
While she secretly breathed a sigh of relief, she also began to feel a surge of jealousy and envy. Other families valued their daughters, wanting nothing more than to give them endless support and help them gain face with their in-laws. Why was it the complete opposite for her?
"...That’s right. It must be." Chen Suxiang’s expression shifted, and then she slapped her thigh and began to laugh too. Her old face wrinkled up like a chrysanthemum. "You’re right, my second daughter-in-law’s family is capable, and she’s their only daughter. Back then, they moved heaven and earth to get them to the city. How could they possibly let my second son’s family just stay in this town now? I was just too anxious to think of it."
Chen Suxiang grinned and waved a hand at her daughter, magnanimously saying, "In that case, don’t mention this to your father-in-law for now. We’ll save this favor. We might be able to use it for something else someday."
"AHEM... COUGH, COUGH, COUGH..."
Gu Jinhua choked on her own saliva. After coughing for a good while, she looked up at her mother in disbelief. ’Her calculations are truly something else,’ she thought. ’So she thinks that just because my father-in-law accepted her "benefit fee" once, he now owes her and is responsible for her for life?’ She thought sorrowfully, ’If I had known, it would have been better for me to pay that fee myself back then and not let her know.’
"Honestly, a grown woman still choking like that."
Chen Suxiang took a step back in disgust, afraid of being sprayed by Gu Jinhua’s spit. The next moment, she grew flustered. "What time is it? I still haven’t made dinner for your father."
