Chapter 46 - "Someone come. Take me to the hospital!" (2)
“Ah choo!”
Jie Jinhua, who was riding on the train sneezed right at this moment and spat all over Tong Yanliang, sitting across from her.
Tong Yanliang wiped his face with his sleeves and said, with disgust, “Ew ew ew, Grandma. Your saliva stinks. When was the last time you brushed your teeth?”
Many from around them looked over after he had said that and some even chuckled.
Jie Jinhua’s face turned beet red from the laughter.
She didn’t have the heart to yell at her grandson so she shouted at those around them. “What’s so funny huh? Don’t you worry that you will laugh yourself to death?”
Someone didn’t appreciate that comment. “Wow, is that really necessary, old woman? You just proved that your breath really does stink!”
Jie Jinhua slammed her palm down on the table and said, “Do you know who I am? You keep this up, I am going to have someone lock you up!”
The person looked Jie Jinhua and the others up and down upon hearing that.
They looked and looked but the entire family were in grey. Either way he looked at them, they didn’t look like any one important.
“Oh lady, why don’t you tell us who you are?” asked a curious individual.
Jie Jinhua sneered and said loudly, “My granddaughter’s adoptive parents are government officials in the Capital City. My granddaughter is very nice to me. I will have them arrest you all if any of you dare to cross me!”
Someone questioned her. “Lady, are you making this up? If your granddaughter’s adoptive parents really are government officials, how come she didn’t even buy you any nice clothes?”
Jie Jinhua chuckled. “What do you know? We had just found this granddaughter. I am going to have found her two uncles jobs at the government agencies. She wouldn’t dare to say no to me!”
She sounded so convincing that the others started fawning over her.
“Aiyo, Old Lady, you are so lucky. Working for the government offers a lot of stability. You will never to worry about money again!”
Jie Jinhua lifted her chin and was proud like an old peacock that was shedding. “That’s right. We have no plans of returning to our old commune. We are here to become city-dwellers!”
“You have such a big family. It must be tight even with both of your sons working for the government, no?”
“What would be so tight? I have another son who just died in a car accident along with his wife. I am going to have my two daughters-in-law take over their jobs as soon as we reached capital city. In addition, as they died on the job, the government and the factory will pay us a handsome amount of death benefits!”
Some of the bystanders wondered why Jie Jinhua looked so happy gloating about how her son and daughter-in-law had died.
Others were very envious. “Old Lady, how much is the death benefits? At least 800, if not 1,000 for two people, right?”
Jie Jinhua rolled her eyes. “What do you mean 800 or 1,000? My oldest son and his wife had once saved the Plant Manager’s son’s life. He better pay us at least 2,000 yuan!” What did these ignorant villagers know?
Two thousand yuan!
They could buy a house in capital city with that amount!
The other fawned over them even more.
The fawning gave Jie Jinhua a big head and she bragged so much and made herself sound like a hotshot!
Three men sitting in a corner heard every word of Jie Jinhua’s lie. They exchanged a look among themselves but said not a word.
***
After Tong Xuelu returned to work, sure enough, she was summoned by the plant manager and asked about the phone call.
Luckily, she was already prepared for it and, as usual, placed all the blame on Jie Jinhua.
Plant Manager Yu felt that something was off but couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
He might not know Tong Xuelu very well but he knew Tong Jiaming and the other kids since they were young and he knew that they were all very good kids.
Had Plant Manager Yu knew that Tong Jiaming was the one who started the lie, he might be plenty shocked.
Tong Xuelu walked out of the plant manager’s office and was pulled to one side by Manager Ma, asking about the call.
She had no choice but to repeat herself again.
Shortly thereafter, the story about Jie Jinhua losing her mind spread around the factory one more time.
It left everyone with a lasting impression.