Free Web NovelChapter 304: Chapter 304: The Color TV Controversy
Sun Jiaming opened the door. Cao Qiu stared for a moment, surprised to see the two of them fully dressed. She had thought they weren’t up yet.
"Gu’er was up a long time ago. She saw I was still asleep and felt bad about waking me. I drank too much yesterday, so I slept in a little."
Sun Jiaming explained this to Cao Qiu, afraid that others might gossip about Gu’er.
"You certainly drank a lot last night. And that group of people, honestly... they were pouring it down your throat like the liquor was free. Hurry up and get washed so you can eat. The food’s been heated up twice already. I only called you because I was afraid you’d be hungry, so don’t get the wrong idea."
Cao Qiu’s last comment made Gu’er’s face flush red again. She glanced at Sun Jiaming, who just smiled at her, and she decided not to let it bother her.
After washing up, Gu’er and Sun Jiaming went to eat breakfast.
With nothing much to do after the meal, they sat on the sofa, watching TV and chatting.
"This big color TV is so nice to watch. Jiaming, you should ask Li Zhi to pull some strings and get one for your older brother’s family, too."
Cao Qiu said while cracking melon seeds.
Sun Jiasheng’s wife, Wei Hong, had her eyes light up instantly.
Wei Hong was from the city, but her family was extremely ordinary. She wasn’t much of a looker herself, otherwise she wouldn’t have married Sun Jiasheng.
She used to look down on the Sun Family. Her parents-in-law had lived with her family for years, and she had bickered with her mother-in-law for just as long. She wished every second of every day that they would go back to their village. But she never expected the situation to change. Sun Jiaming had struck it rich, and Sun Jiasheng got a job at a department store, earning over a hundred yuan a month. Sun Jiaming often came to visit his mother, always bringing gifts, and all those gifts ended up in her hands.
Furthermore, Sun Jiaming always gave his mother money, and his mother started using it to subsidize their household. Their lives were getting better and better. They could now afford to eat food they couldn’t before, wear clothes they couldn’t before, and use things they couldn’t before. Now, she was just waiting for the day they could move into a big house so she could enjoy a life of comfort.
She had once suggested to her mother-in-law that they should all move in together. After all, they were one family and the house was big enough. Why, she’d argued, should the Zhao Family get to live in the new house while they were stuck in this little dump?
Her plan was that once they moved into the new house, if Gu’er didn’t want to live with them, Jiaming could just take her to her own new place. Then Sun Jiaming’s house would belong to them. She would give her own apartment to her parents. Then, when the grandmother died, she’d send her mother-in-law to live with Sun Jiaming’s family and move her own parents in. The house would be completely hers. She’d get a big house without spending a dime—it was the perfect plan.
But her mother-in-law had blown up at her, telling her not to even think about the new house. It was Jiaming’s, and it was impossible for them to all live together.
She knew in her heart that Sun Jiaming must have told his mother that because she hadn’t treated the grandmother well, and hadn’t treated Gu’er well, they wouldn’t live together after the wedding. His mother had agreed, so it was useless no matter what Wei Hong wanted.
Then she suggested taking over Sun Jiaming’s old, smaller apartment since he had moved into a big house, but her mother-in-law refused that as well. She said it was Jiaming’s and couldn’t be given to them. That’s when Wei Hong knew her mother-in-law had always favored her younger son, not them. ’We’ve been taking care of her all these years for nothing,’ she thought bitterly.
But today, her mother-in-law was actually asking Jiaming for a big color TV. She was thrilled. ’No big house, but a big color TV is good too!’ No one in their neighborhood had a color TV yet. If they brought one back, they would be the envy of everyone.
Wei Hong stared intently at Sun Jiaming, terrified he would shake his head.
Sun Jiaming hadn’t expected his mother to ask for it so directly. It would be awkward to refuse outright. He glanced at Gu’er, who didn’t seem to mind. If they could afford it, they should just buy it. Sun Jiaming wasn’t the type to pinch pennies, and she wasn’t an unreasonable person.
"I’ll ask Li Zhi about it. If he can get one, I’ll buy it for Big Brother’s family. But if they’re hard to get, then there’s nothing I can do."
Sun Jiaming agreed to ask Li Zhi.
"I don’t think it should be a problem. It just depends on whether you, Jiaming, really care about our mom and your big brother," Wei Hong chimed in. "If you really want Mom to enjoy her life, you’ll definitely make it happen. Didn’t that Li Zhi get one for Gu’er? You’re his good buddy. If you ask him, he’ll definitely do it for you. Otherwise, if he only gets one for Gu’er and not for you, it’ll make people wonder."
Gu’er glanced at her. ’Why do I hate the way this sister-in-law talks so much?’ she thought. But it was the first day of her marriage, and she didn’t want to start a fight.
"If you don’t know how to talk, then don’t talk at all!" Cao Qiu glared at her daughter-in-law. "What is there to ’make people wonder’? They’re business partners. They said it was part of Gu’er’s dowry, which means it’s a gift for both Jiaming and Gu’er. Besides, her family is on great terms with Li Zhi’s father, so it’s perfectly normal for him to give Gu’er a gift. Don’t you go spouting nonsense. And another thing, my Jiaming is a filial son, unlike some people who only think about funneling things back to their own family."
Wei Hong pouted to herself. ’Weren’t you the one who used to say there was something shady going on between Li Zhi and Gu’er? Now you’re singing a different tune. I say one little thing and it’s not okay? It’s just because Gu’er can make money now. And as for funneling things to my family... we have more food than we can eat. What’s wrong with giving a little to my parents?’
"Jiaming, Gu’er, I’m not very good with words. Please don’t mind me," Wei Hong said with a smile.
"It’s fine, Sister-in-law. Plenty of people have said things, so it doesn’t matter if you say something too," Gu’er replied with a smile. "I only care about the opinions of people I care about. The rest can say whatever they want, because it has nothing to do with me. Wouldn’t you agree, Sister-in-law?"
Gu’er smiled. In any case, Wei Hong wasn’t going to be living with them. It was just for a couple of days. After this visit, they would go back home. So Gu’er didn’t really care. freēwebnovel.com
"Heh. You’ve got a point."
Wei Hong let out a laugh, but inside she was furious. ’Gu’er is saying I’m one of the people who doesn’t matter.’
"I’ll ask Li Zhi. If it’s possible, let’s get one for Mom and Dad, too," Sun Jiaming whispered to Gu’er. The "Mom and Dad" he was referring to were Lin Shan and Chen Fengjiao.
"There’s no need. Color TVs will be easier to buy in the future. We won’t have to ask for favors. It’s fine if we buy one in a year or two."
Gu’er wasn’t concerned about it. Right now, you had to pull strings to get a color TV. In a year or two, they’d be much easier to purchase; you could get one as long as you had the money. There was no need to rush.
"Gu’er is so sensible," Cao Qiu praised with a wide smile.
"Mom, are we really going to get a big color TV like Second Uncle’s family?" Sun Ting, the daughter of Sun Jiasheng and Wei Hong, asked.
"Tingting, your Second Uncle hasn’t agreed yet," Wei Hong instructed her daughter. "You should beg your Second Uncle and Second Aunt. We’ll only get a big color TV if your Second Uncle and Second Aunt say so."
"Second Uncle, Second Aunt, I..."
Before Sun Ting could finish, Gu’er held up a hand to stop her. "Hold on, Tingting, don’t say any more. Your uncle already said he would ask. If he can buy one, he will. There’s no need to beg. What your mother told you to do is wrong."
After speaking to Tingting, Gu’er turned to Wei Hong. "Sister-in-law, we’re all family, and I didn’t want to say anything, but it’s wrong for you to teach a child like this. Is begging someone for something an easy thing to do? She’s only seven years old and you’re already teaching her this. What about when she grows up? Is she supposed to beg others for everything she wants? Nobody owes you anything. No one has the right or the obligation to buy things for you. If you act like this again, then Jiaming won’t even ask. We’d have to ask for a favor too, and that’s a debt we can’t afford. I hope I don’t hear words like that again."
Gu’er truly wanted to keep things amicable, but she couldn’t stand by and watch Wei Hong teach a child that way.
