Chapter 2509: Miao Jing and Zhai Yaohui (10)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“It’s rare that she was finally useful for once, but who would have known that her dad had saved such a stingy chief? He didn’t mention giving us anything or bringing you to the city to lead a comfortable life! What bad luck!”
“Mom, hurry and get her home. There’s a hole in my clothes. I need her to mend it for me.”
“Alright. Don’t worry. I’ll get her back right away.”
Since that chief was so heartless, he had better not blame her for treating Miao Jing as a servant. After all, Miao Jing had grown up in their family. Without her husband, Miao Jing would have starved to death a long time ago.
Did Second Auntie Miao think that she would be able to find Miao Jing now?
Of course not. The moment Old Zhai left Second Uncle Miao’s house, he managed to catch up with Miao Jing to stop her in her tracks. “Are you Miao Jing?”
Miao Jing looked at the man in front of her warily. “Who are you? You’re not from our production division. I’ve never seen you.” Why would she tell a stranger who she was?
“You…” Old Zhai sighed. “I’m your Uncle Zhai. If you don’t mind, I’ll call you Miao Miao.”
Jingjing sounded pretty good too, but the Miao family had already addressed Miao Lanlan as Jingjing. Old Zhai felt uneasy using that name again.
Could Miao Jing possibly say that she minded? Even if she did mind, that person had already addressed her as so.
“Don’t worry. I’m not a bad person. I knew your dad. In fact, it’s all thanks to your dad that I’m still alive today. He saved me twice. Unfortunately, before you were born, both your parents passed on and they weren’t able to tell you about me.”
Miao Jing naturally had admiration for her parents. “You… knew my dad? And my dad saved you? That’s impossible! My dad’s a normal citizen. You don’t look like a normal citizen.”
Old Zhai laughed. “What do I look like then? I’ll tell you all about your dad and myself.”
“…”
After hearing her father’s past with Old Zhai, Miao Jing was no longer as wary of Old Zhai. “I know that you’re a chief now. So? My parents are no longer around. I guess you won’t have the chance to repay them even if you want to.”
He had such a high status while she was nothing more than an orphan. What could he possibly want from her?
“Why wouldn’t I have that chance? It’s true that your parents aren’t around anymore, but you’re still around.” Old Zhai had been rather upset upon learning that Father Miao was no longer around.
Apart from his wife, he had never owed anyone anything, and neither had he ever wanted to owe anyone anything.
But now that Father Miao was no longer around, he would never be able to repay this debt of gratitude. “Did you know that I was the one who named you? I have a son. While you were still in your mother’s belly, I made a pact with your dad. If you turned out to be a boy, you would be my son’s younger brother. If you turned out to be a girl, you would be my daughter-in-law. Miao Miao, are you willing to go back with me?”
Miao Jing gave it some thought and answered, “No.”
“Why?”
“Because it’ll be an arranged marriage.”
Old Zhai laughed. Brother Miao had been a man of few words while he was alive, but he was very opinionated.
He was afraid that Miao Miao’s character and temperament would be dull even though she was pretty just because she had been raised by Second Uncle Miao’s family. If that was the case, it would be extremely difficult to get Zhai Yaohui to marry Miao Miao. “Then, what should we do so that it won’t be an arranged marriage?”
“Shouldn’t marriage be a choice? I haven’t even met your son, and I don’t know anything about him. How can I get married to him? If you really want to repay my dad and treat me well, that’s fine. I want to leave this place and see the outside world. I want to study and rely on my own efforts to survive in this world. Will you help me with that?”
Those were Miao Jing’s dreams that she would never be able to fulfill if she were to remain in Second Uncle Miao’s house.
“You’ve never gone to school?”
“No. I’ve only attended some literacy classes for a few days. I’m not lying to you. I’m not cultured at all.” He was a prominent figure. He couldn’t possibly get an illiterate lady as his daughter-in-law.
As such, Miao Jing felt that it was a little incredulous and ridiculous asking such a favor of Old Zhai.
It was quite miserable being the son of this chief. He hadn’t even met her and knew nothing about how she looked, and yet, he had almost gotten himself a wife just like that.
“You want to go to school?”
“Yes.” But going to school costs money and time.
Her second uncle would never give her the money to do so. Besides, if she were to go to school, she would have less time to do household chores for them.
All these years, Second Uncle Miao had taken good care of his two sons and had taught them all about farming, but Miao Lanlan had been pampered and spoiled by Second Auntie Miao.
As for the work that Miao Jing did, it was no different from what the boys did.
“Alright, I can help you if that’s what you want. If you want to go to school, I’ll help you go to school. If you meet my son and think that he’s a good catch, you can be my daughter-in-law. If you don’t like him, I won’t force you. You can be his sister, and I’ll be your dad.”
Old Zhai had a feeling that he had something to do with Father Miao getting into an accident while picking ginseng.
After all, Old Zhai had never forgotten about how Father Miao had become a cripple.
Miao Jing stared at Old Zhai in shock. “Are-are you serious?”
Those words moved her. If she liked his son, she would become the chief’s daughter-in-law. Otherwise, she would simply become the chief’s daughter.
No matter what, she wouldn’t be at a loss.
Would she take advantage of this situation?
Miao Jing pondered about it for a while before coming to a conclusion. Of course she would take advantage of it!
Of all the things her second auntie had said, there was one that was true. Only a fool wouldn’t take advantage of a bargain.
Miao Jing knew that Old Zhai could very well be her only chance of living the life she wanted. If she lost this opportunity, she would have no choice but to continue as part of the production division until the day her auntie decided to sell her off like a pig.
Since Old Zhai had proposed such a great offer where she wouldn’t lose out either way, Miao Jing thought that it was worth a gamble.
She didn’t think that he would be able to take advantage of an orphan like her anyway.
“Alright, I’ll leave with you. But I’ll make myself clear. If I think that your son isn’t suitable, I won’t get together with him.”
“Alright, that’s a deal. If you don’t take a fancy to my son, I’ll acknowledge you as my daughter.” Old Zhai stroked his chin without saying a word. He was confident in his son’s face.
As for his character, there was no way his son would go astray with him around. If his son dared to make the slightest mistake, he would definitely beat his son until he no longer dared to do it again!