Chapter 32 - Tong Zhenzhen is going away. (2)
Zhou Fang, in particular, was worried that Tong Xuelu, having to give the price 50 yuan above what they had agreed upon, would turn around and ask them for more money. Turned out that she had their best interest in mind!
She felt both appreciative and guilty at the same time. Picking up Tong Xuelu’s hand, she said to her, “Big little sister, there’s no need to apologize. We should be thanking you.”
Xu Baigen nodded next to them.
He didn’t really do that much when Tong Dajun and his wife passed. He didn’t think that the Tong’s children would do so much to repay him.
Appreciative, filial, and taking care of her siblings, this daughter of Tong Dajun was too outstanding!
It was very unfortunate that the couple would not be able to enjoy having her around. Sighed.
After parting ways with Xu Baigen and his wife, Tong Xuelu went to start her shift at the production area.
Perhaps it was the idea that she would be having a job soon, Zhou Fang had not stopped smiling ever since she walked out of the factory.
She thought about it some when she walked past the CSMC and turned and walked inside of it.
Less than 10 minutes later, she had in her hand one jin of milk candies and two boxes of pastries as she headed home.
Mother Xu’s brows furrowed when she saw all the items that Zhou Fang was carrying. “Why did you buy so many things? Don’t you know that we can use the money right now?”
She was short of calling her prodigal.
Zhou Fang did not get upset this time. Instead, she brought Mother Xu inside the house with her and told her what had happened.
“Little Sister Xuelu had our best interest in mind and gave us such a big discount. I figured that we must show our appreciation as well.”
Mother Xu hadn’t expected that Tong Xuelu had completed the transfer so quickly and her mannerism changed entirely instantly. “You are exactly right. We should show our appreciation. That is a very good idea.”
As the two talked, a voice came from the outside, “Sister-in-law, I ran out of salt and thought I’d come and borrow a spoonful from you.”*
It was the voice of Old Lin’s wife. Zhou Fang quickly shoved the milk candies and pastries into the cabinet.
Mother Xu walked out and handed a spoonful of salt to Old Lin’s wife but Old Lin’s wife had no intention of taking off right away after she got the salt.
“Sister-in-law, how is your position coming along? The Tong girl did say anything nasty to you, did she?”
Upon hearing that, Mother Xu raised her short and thick brows and said, “Xuelu is a very good girl. What kind of nasty things would she say? What is your problem anyway? You have been coming over and badmouthing her repeatedly.”
That made Old Lin’s wife speechless for a little while. “What are you talking about, sister-in-law. When did I badmouth her?”
“What was I talking about? Just yesterday you told us to not return the textile factory job back to her! She had lost her parents and, not only did it not occur to you to help out the kids, all you ever think about is to take advantage of her. How can you be such an awful person?”
Mother Xu’s voice was every bit as loud and clear as that of Aunty Cai’s. With her shouting like that, the entire compound could hear her.
Aunty Cai, who was doing laundry in the courtyard, overheard it and said though pursed lips, “She went around badmouthing her because Xuelu refused to share her meat with her yesterday. What an awful person she is!”
Everyone witnessed what had happened the day before and many felt that Old Lin’s wife was very shameful.
But they didn’t know that Old Lin’s wife went around badmouthing Tong Xuelu afterward.
Could she have stooped any lower?
Old Lin’s wife turned red and white and she almost cough out three liters of blood.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t take them on one against two so she finally ran home like a defeated rooster.