Chapter 495
Si Nian heard a knock on the door and looked over.
A group of people was standing nervously at the door.
Looking at them, Si Nian felt a headache coming on.
Her whole family had just arrived home; couldn't they let her rest for a moment?
In the past, what she feared most was social pleasantries. If she didn't like someone, she would just ignore them and pretend not to see them.
It didn't matter when she was alone, but now that she had a family, she had reservations. To avoid gossip, whenever people threw all sorts of questions at her, she followed the rule of not slapping a smiling face and responded politely.
However, when there were too many people like this, it became quite annoying.
Si Nian also knew that this was just how things were in the countryside. Acquaintances were everywhere, and you saw them all the time, so she maintained the utmost politeness.
She wanted to prevent rumors from spreading that she was acting arrogant just because her husband was making money and had started a company.
She might not care if she heard it herself, but if Zhou Yueshen and the children heard it, they would be so angry.
She put down the broom, told the children to clean up their own rooms, and walked over.
When the group saw her, their eyes lit up like zombies seeing meat.
"Uncles and aunties, what can I do for you?"
Looking at the things they were carrying, Si Nian thought to herself that no matter how good they were, she couldn't accept them.
Accepting them meant owing a favor.
"Oh my, you must be Niannian. Do you remember me, auntie? When you were brought over from the Lin family, I even went to help."
Dark lines formed on Si Nian's forehead. So many people had helped at her wedding; how could she possibly remember them all?
But she kept a smile on her face. "Then when your family hosts a banquet in the future, I'll definitely go help."
She deflected the issue effortlessly, neither saying she remembered nor that she didn't. Either way, since they had helped her, she would certainly return the favor when their family had a happy occasion.
When rural families hosted wedding banquets, practically everyone in the village who was somewhat familiar went to help anyway.
It was nothing unusual.
The woman smiled from ear to ear. Being given such face by the boss's wife made her feel extremely proud.
"I'm sorry, but my family is currently cleaning up. We haven't been back in many years, and the house is messy and covered in dust. I shouldn't let you come in and get dusty, so if you have anything to say, let's just talk here."
Seeing her outfit, everyone understood and didn't mind. They immediately asked, "We heard from people in your village that your man opened a factory in the city? The wages are high, and room and board are included?"
Si Nian nodded. "Yes."
"Oh my, what wonderful news! Are you still hiring? My child dropped out of junior high and is just idling at home. It'd be perfect for him to go up and work."
Si Nian was speechless. "Auntie, a junior high student isn't eighteen yet, right? We can't hire anyone under eighteen; it's a state regulation."
"Oh, whatever regulations those are, as long as no one says anything, who would know? Let me tell you, my kid is so hardworking, blah blah blah..."
Si Nian smiled. "We are all law-abiding citizens. Are you trying to induce us to break the law? Old Zhou's company just opened, and you want to send a minor in. Even if you and I don't say anything, other people aren't blind; they can tell if someone is of age or not. Once reported, the whole company will suffer. At that time, let alone your son, all the employees would probably lose their jobs. Who would take responsibility then?"
Hearing this, everyone's expressions changed, and they hurriedly said, "Yes, exactly! Sister Shi, really, how old is your son that you insist on sending him to their company!"
"Wouldn't it be fine to just find some technical skill for him to learn outside? Those private masters taking apprentices outside are fine, but a big company is different!"
The woman called Sister Shi mumbled for a moment and whispered, "It's not as serious as all that."
Si Nian's expression was indifferent, but she remained polite. "Then you can try sending him to someone else's company and see if they'll take him."
Sister Shi looked embarrassed. If she could get him in somewhere else, would she have traveled all the way to Xingfu Village to bring gifts and beg for help?
"Does anyone else have anything? If not, I need to get back to cleaning." Si Nian didn't want to entertain the group any longer.
Everyone knew this wasn't a good time to talk. They figured they should first get her to accept the gifts and then slowly bring up their requests later.
But thinking about Si Nian's attitude just now, they felt she must still be angry. After all, someone from their village had done such an outrageous thing.
Today, everyone had sneaked over while the villagers of Xingfu Village were at the village chief's house celebrating.
Otherwise, if they were seen, they would surely be mocked.
So they hurriedly nudged a woman in the middle, signaling her to apologize quickly.
"Dongdong's mom, didn't you want to apologize? Hurry up and speak."
The middle-aged woman in the center, carrying a basket of eggs, looked uneasy. Pushed forward, she wore an embarrassed expression. "Comrade Si, we've all heard about what happened with my Dongdong. I'm so sorry. Please don't take it to heart; I've already taught her a harsh lesson."
Si Nian continued to smile. "There's no need. Your daughter has already received the punishment she deserved, and I haven't taken it to heart."
"Oh my, Comrade Niannian is truly magnanimous!"
"Yes, yes. Not only is she beautiful, but she also has a kind heart."
Seeing her smiling the whole time, everyone thought Si Nian really didn't care about the trouble Liu Dongdong had caused, and they couldn't help but feel happy.
Dongdong's mom also felt a surge of joy and hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, Dongdong was wrong, and the punishment is right. But this job position shouldn't be wasted, right? My Chunni is also in the city; how about letting her take over the spot?"
She knew that her daughter's position was different from ordinary ones; she had only managed to pass the interview after attending a technical school.
Ordinary people couldn't get it at all.
The salary was also higher than average.
Naturally, she couldn't bear to lose it.
She had also heard about city people buying and selling jobs. She was counting on her two daughters to subsidize the household expenses. Since Dongdong couldn't do it anymore, she would just let her older sister Chunni do it. It was all the same anyway.
Thinking of this, she looked at Si Nian a bit nervously, afraid that she still held a grudge and would refuse.
Unexpectedly, Si Nian was exceptionally accommodating: "Sure, just go for an interview."
She froze for a moment, then reacted and quickly said, "Why does she still need to interview? Didn't Dongdong already interview?"
Si Nian nodded. "She did interview, but she was fired for violating company regulations. Being fired means the company no longer has a position for her, so how could we let someone else just take it? Of course, if you want someone else to go, it's not impossible; they just need to go for an interview."
Dongdong's mom was dumbfounded. "Why an interview again? Will Chunni be able to pass?"
"Go back and ask Liu Dongdong. I don't know much about the company; she should know best how she passed her interview."
Everyone else also hurried forward to ask if their sons could go.
Si Nian told them to go interview for themselves as well.
Anyway, Zhou Yueshen had mentioned that anyone who wanted to work should go for an interview. Whether they passed or not was their own problem.
Everyone thanked her profusely and hurriedly tried to shove their gifts at her.
Si Nian didn't accept them, pretending not to see. "Sorry, I still have to work. The house is a mess and there's nowhere to put things, so please keep them for yourselves to eat."
The crowd bowed and thanked her. Seeing this, Dongdong's mom grew anxious and hurriedly said, "Then... then what about my Chunni?"
Si Nian thought to herself, what does your Chunni's situation have to do with me?
However, a thought occurred to her, and she paused.
Seeing her remain silent, Liu Dongdong's mother thought she had softened and hurriedly said, "I'm so pitiful. My son is a disappointment, so her father and I have to rely on our two daughters to subsidize us. Now that Dongdong has done something stupid, I accept it. But could you please do me a favor and let my Chunni work in your company? Whatever conditions you have, we can negotiate."
Hearing this, everyone felt contempt in their hearts.
They were already furious enough that Liu Dongdong's actions had caused them to be targeted by the people of Xingfu Village.
Let alone Si Nian.
How could she have the nerve to ask someone to squeeze her eldest daughter in at a time like this?
She really was thick-skinned enough.
Si Nian remained silent for a while before saying, "Auntie, are your family's conditions really that bad? But I heard that your eldest daughter is enjoying a good life in the family compound. Her man has a government job. Rather than joining my small company, it would be better for her to ask her man to arrange a secure, golden-bowl job for her. Maybe she could even bring you to the city to enjoy a good life too."
Si Nian wasn't sure if Liu Dongdong's mother knew about this.
But she had heard about this family's situation before.
Liu Chunni had married two men in the past, but in the end, she was driven away for unknown reasons.
She wasn't entirely clear on the details, but she could roughly guess that Liu Dongdong had used his sister to seduce Father Si.
She didn't know what kind of person Liu Chunni was, but being able to have an affair with a married man already proved that neither the man nor the woman was any good.
The last time Father Si went to Zhou Yueshen's company to cause trouble, Si Nian felt infuriated.
Now it was time to find something for him and these two sisters to do.
To save them from constantly scheming against her all day long.
But Si Nian believed that since Liu Dongdong's mother didn't know about this, it meant that Liu Chunni and Father Si definitely had no intention of getting married yet.
Sure enough, she revealed a surprised expression: "You're talking about my Chunni?"
"Yes, right in the house where Liu Dongdong previously worked as a nanny. Didn't she tell you?"
"I only heard from a friend in the family compound who mentioned that she takes a child out for a walk every day, but I don't know if she married into the family. Anyway, she is living a pretty good life. You say your family is having a hard time, which I don't think should be the case. But maybe my friend saw it wrong, you should ask her yourself."
After saying that, she ignored the shocked crowd and turned around to get busy with her work.
"Chunni is living a good life in the city? Real or fake?"
"She hasn't been back for years, right? I thought she was too embarrassed to return, but to think she's doing so well?"
"And a child? When did that happen?"
"The man even has a government job! When did she get married? Dongdong's mom, how come we've never heard you mention it?"
Liu Dongdong's mother was stunned for a long time. When she reacted, a momentary gloom flashed across her eyes.
She then smiled: "I had heard about it before, but I wasn't too clear. Oh my, I'll go check. If it's true, I'll definitely tell everyone."
Having said that, she couldn't care less about work anymore. She hurriedly went home to find the village chief to make a phone call and ask about the situation.
Goodness, those two wretched girls had deceived her so miserably!
They called all day crying about being poor, saying how hard life was, and even said that once she settled down in the factory, she would bring her brother and the others in to work.
Thinking that since she worked in the HR department, squeezing people into the factory would surely be easy, Mother Liu was overjoyed and gave her whatever she asked for.
She told everyone she met that her daughter was successful.
As a result, it had only been a few days, and she was kicked out of the company, implicating her as well, having the village chief come to her door to demand she apologize in person.
It was already embarrassing enough.
Yet here she was, left behind to wipe their messes.
Those two sisters had it good, living luxuriously in the city!
And after so long, they never even mentioned it!
Fine, she was going to go see exactly what those two had been doing behind her back!
Although she was very angry in her heart, she thought that if her daughter really found someone with a government job and married into the city...
Wouldn't their family be rich then?
Maybe they could even buy a house in the city for her son.
The more she thought about it, the more excited she became. Mother Liu couldn't sit still for another moment and immediately went to town to catch a bus to the city.
At noon, Zhou Yueshen returned.
The house had already been cleaned.
After finishing his meal, he was pulled by Village Chief Huo to visit the factory.
The hospitality was hard to refuse, and indeed, it had been many years since he last came back.
Entering the house and seeing it spotless, the children had already run out to play, leaving only Si Nian fiddling with the cups on the coffee table.
He stepped forward quickly, "Where are Second Child and the others?"
"I asked them to go call my brother and the others over to play. Xiaodong is watching them, don't worry."
Si Nian tilted her head to look at him, "Leaving already?"
Zhou Yueshen nodded and stepped forward to help her dry a few washed cups. Flower tea had already been brewed on the side, steaming, and the petals floating inside the glass and porcelain looked very beautiful.
He gave a soft sound of agreement and said, "I'll try my best to come back tonight."
Si Nian paused and said, "Don't come."
Zhou Yueshen glanced at her in surprise, then chuckled softly, "You don't want me to come?"
Si Nian shook her head, "I just think it's too tiring to drive back and forth all day. It's not very close, and we'll just head back after playing for a few days."
After saying that, she paused for a moment and said slowly, "How can we stick together every single day?"
Although she said that, in her heart, she definitely wanted Zhou Yueshen to stay with her.
It was just that Si Nian also knew he had his own work and career. Being able to spare time to look after them was already doing very well.
To do everything perfectly, where in the world was there such a good thing?
Earning money to support the family on one hand, while also taking care of everyone's emotions on the other.
It would be very tiring.
Seeing her stubbornness, Zhou Yueshen knew she was just feeling bad for him. He pulled her into his arms, lowered his head, and kissed her on the lips, "What if I want to stick to you, is that not allowed?"